Breckon Hill Primary School

BRECKON HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 th September – 3 rd October 2002

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BRECKON HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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BRECKON HILL 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. Breckon Hill Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Breckon Hill Road Middlesbrough

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr J Sanderson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1997 Breckon Hill Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21666 Mr A Margerison Registered inspector Geography What sort of school is it? Special educational needs The school’s results and pupils’ achievements? Citizenship How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? 19443 Mrs N Walker Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 30834 Mrs A Lowson Team inspector The Foundation stage How well is the school led and managed? Physical education 4430 Mr R Eaton Team inspector Mathematics How good are the curricular and opportunities offered to pupils? Art and design Design and technology 8070 Mr J Haves Team inspector Science History Religious education 2759 Mr D Sleightholme Team inspector Information and communication technology Music Education inclusion 19386 Mr T Watts Team inspector English English as an additional language Breckon Hill Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Eclipse Education (UK) Limited 14 Enterprise House Kingsway Team Valley Gateshead NE11 OSR.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE. Breckon Hill Primary School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 27

Breckon Hill Primary School - 5 Breckon Hill Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Breckon Hill Primary School is situated in an area of mainly terraced and Housing Association properties close to the centre of Middlesbrough. The majority of the houses in the area are owner occupied. With 346 full time pupils on roll, the school is bigger than most primary schools. Since the last inspection the nature of the school’s population has changed. It now caters for a small number of refugees and an increasingly high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language with a significant proportion of these at an early stage of learning English when they first join the nursery. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals and those who join and leave the school during the year is above average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs, most of whom have learning difficulties, varies significantly from year to year, but overall is broadly in line with the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

national average. Most pupils receive nursery education at the school and though they have a wide range of ability when they start in the nursery, standards of attainment, particularly in relation to language, are well below those expected nationally. The school is part of a small Education Action Zone.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Breckon Hill Primary School is a very effective school that fully values the contributions and achievements of pupils. From a very low starting point, pupils achieve well as they move through the school so they attain national expectations in all subjects by the end of Year 6. All pupils achieve very well in the nursery, reception classes and Years 1 and 2. Those with special educational needs and English as an additional language make consistently very good progress. The school is very well led by the head teacher, provides a very good education for its pupils and has many strengths including the good quality of teaching. Provision for pupils’ moral and social development and the links with the local community are very good. The range of activities out of lessons is excellent. Consequently , pupils develop very positive attitudes to school, and the excellent relationships between pupils and staff

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

create a harmonious atmosphere in which pupils are encouraged to learn and flourish free from any racial or social tensions. The school gives good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The school is very well led by the head teacher and senior staff. • All pupils achieve well as they move through the school, particularly in English and science. Pupils aged 3 – 7 make particularly good progress, as do those pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. • Teaching is good overall. It is very good in the nursery, reception and Years 1 and 2. Teaching of English is a strength of the school. • The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good, so they develop very positive attitudes to school, behave well and learn to respect and value each other. • The quality and range of learning opportunities is very good. All pupils are included in all the activities of the school to a high degree. • The school has very effective links with parents so parents have a high regard for the school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Pupils’ standards of handwriting by the end of Year 6. • The contribution of support staff in Years 3 to 6 in those parts of lessons that involve the whole class. Breckon Hill Primary School - 7 • The procedures for encouraging pupils to be punctual to school. • The use of information and communication technology in lessons. 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 was last inspected in 1997 and has made good progress towards addressing the key issues identified. There has been a substantial change in staff, including the appointment of the current head teacher and deputy head teacher. This has led directly to the school having a very clear educational direction, focused on raising pupils’ standards of attainment and the quality of education. The quality of teaching has improved substantially so standards in English, mathematics and those subjects identified as being below national expectations at the last inspection, are now at least satisfactory. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection with the management of pupils and the teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy being particular strengths. The school has developed very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress so that teachers are able to provide activities

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

for pupils that are very well matched to their needs. Subject co-ordinators now have clear roles and take an active part in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects , which has had a significant effect upon the raising of standards.

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

1999 2000 2001 2001 In the highest 5% nationally A*

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

In the 2001 national tests for seven-year-olds, pupils’ standards of attainment were below average for reading, but close to average for writing and mathematics when compared to all schools, but well above average in all three subjects when compared to similar schools as measured by the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. When compared to similar schools pupils’ performance in science placed the school in the top five per cent. Over the last three years, the improvement in the standards of attainment of pupils in Year 6 has exceeded the national trend. Currently, pupils achieve very well in Years 1 and 2 so most pupils attain the expected levels in all subjects by the end of year 2. They continue to achieve well so that by the end of Year 6, the majority of pupils attain expected levels in all subjects. In science, pupils achieve very well throughout the school so they attain standards above

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STANDARDS

those expected nationally. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make very good progress towards the targets set for them. The school sets realistic targets for pupils’ attainment, but in 2002 the school just failed to achieve these targets, primarily due to the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the group and a few pupils who joined the school late. Children in the nursery and reception classes achieve very well particularly to reach the early learning goals in communication, language and literature and mathematics. Breckon Hill Primary School - 8 In all other subjects, including religious education, pupils achieve well to attain the expected levels by the age of 11. However, in information and communication technology, although pupils’ skills develop well, they do not have as secure an understanding of how to use these skills in different lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and have very positive attitudes to learning. They are well motivated and work very hard. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils understand and follow the established routines and meet the high expectations set for them in all areas of the school. Personal development and relationships Very good. Relationships are excellent. Throughout the school, all pupils play and work together harmoniously. Attendance Unsatisfactory. The rate of unauthorised attendance results in pupils’ attendance being below average, although it is currently improving.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching Very Good Very Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching at the school is good with no unsatisfactory teaching seen during the inspection. This is very good improvement since the last report, and one of the reasons why pupils’ standards of attainment have improved, so they achieve well as they move through the school. The teaching of English is a strength of the school. Teachers from the nursery class upwards, place a very strong emphasis on teaching basic skills in literacy and numeracy to pupils of all abilities and backgrounds. Consequently, children and pupils in nursery and reception and in Years 1 and 2 learn these basic skills very quickly. Activities in lessons are well matched to the needs of all pupils so pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make very good progress. Pupils are very well supported by support staff in lessons, although in Years 3 to 6 not enough use is made of their skills in the opening

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

parts of lessons. Throughout the school, teachers manage pupils very well; lessons are brisk so pupils behave well, concentrate hard and try very hard to do the tasks they are set. Lessons are planned well, but there are currently not enough opportunities for pupils to use their information and communication technology skills in lessons other than those taught in the computer suite. Breckon Hill Primary School - 10

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The school provides a very good curriculum. Strategies for developing pupils’ literacy skills are very good and those for numeracy are good. The range of activities out of lessons is excellent. All pupils have equal access to the experiences and opportunities provided for them. Links with the local community are very good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The provision is well managed, but targets in pupils’ individual plans are not consistently linked well enough to the ways they will be taught. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. Pupils receive very good support from support staff in lessons which ensures they are fully included in all activities and achieve very well. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Provision for pupils’ social and moral development is very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The range of visits and visitors to school enhances the opportunities the pupils have to develop their personal skills. Provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is good. How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares well for pupils. Procedures for monitoring and promoting pupils’ behaviour are excellent. Procedures for assessing the progress pupils make are very good and the information is used well to set whole school targets.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has established very good links with parents so parents have a very high regard for the school. The school shares the learning targets set for their children in English, mathematics and in some cases their personal development with parents. The end of year reports to parents are satisfactory, but overall do not give enough guidance on how their children can improve further in other subjects.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff Very good. The head teacher provides very good leadership and is the main driving force in giving a clear direction to the work of the school. She is well supported by the deputy head teacher and those staff responsible for specific areas of the school’s work. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and are beginning to have a positive effect on shaping the direction of the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The head teacher, senior management team and governors have a clear understanding of what the school does well and how it needs to improve, giving it a very good capacity to improve further. The strategic use of resources Good. Grants from a range of sources including the Education Action Zone, are used well to support pupils. Resources are used well in

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

lessons and spending is linked appropriately to identified priorities. The school has good systems to ensure they receive best value from spending. Breckon Hill Primary School - 11 The school is very well led by the head teacher and senior staff so there is a clear educational direction resulting in the good improvement since the last inspection. There is a good number of support staff in classrooms for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language, who are well trained and skilled in their own areas of work. The current accommodation is adequate but is going to be developed significantly in the near future with the addition of a new school hall. Resources for teaching and learning are good and well used by teachers in lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Teaching is good • The school expects children to work hard and achieve their best • Pupils behave well • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • The amount of work pupils get to do at home.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team supports parents’ positive views of the school but feels that the amount of work pupils get to do at home is well balanced. Breckon Hill Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 Since the school was last inspected, pupils’ standards of attainment have improved well. By the age of 11, standards were below average in English, mathematics, science, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology and music and pupils made unsatisfactory progress in science, design and technology, geography and history. Since then, in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, the school’s results have improved at a better rate than seen nationally. Inspection evidence shows that standards are now in line with national expectations in all subjects with pupils achieving well overall as they move through the school. In English, pupils achieve very well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2001, standards of attainment were below the national average in reading, but in line with national averages in writing and mathematics. When compared to similar schools, as measured by the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well above average. This pattern is reflected in the school’s results over the three years, 1999-2001. During this period, pupils’ performance has been below the national average in reading, but has exceeded the national average in writing and mathematics. Although the proportion of pupils who attain the expected Level 2 in reading is slightly below average when compared to all schools, the majority of pupils attain the expected level and the proportion who do is well above average for similar schools. In writing and mathematics the proportion of pupils who attain the expected level is in line with the national average, but well above

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

average when compared to similar schools. In addition, the proportion of pupils’ who attain the higher levels is also average when compared to national results indicating that those pupils who are able, attain in line with their ability. There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 However, the context of the school is much more diverse than indicated by the free school meals indicator alone. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is broadly average overall, but varies significantly from year to year. For example, in the 2002 Year 6 classes nearly 48 per cent of pupils were on the register for special educational needs. The proportion of pupils with English as an additional language, includes a few pupils who are refugees from abroad, but at nearly 50 per cent of the school population, is well above average in all classes. Consequently, many children start in the nursery at an early stage of learning English. This is reflected in the local authority baseline tests, which shows that children’s attainment on entry to the nursery is well below average, particularly in communication, language and literacy and their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

However, they achieve very well as they move through the nursery and reception classes so that by the time they begin National Curriculum work in Year 1, the majority of pupils attain the expected standards in their personal and physical development, communication, language and literacy and mathematics. Although most children do not attain the expected levels in their creative development or their knowledge and understanding of the world in these areas of learning they still achieve well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 Pupils continue to achieve very well in Years 1 and 2 so that standards of work seen in the current Year 2 classes are close to that expected. The very good progress pupils make, especially in understanding what they hear, and in their own spoken English is due to very good teaching of basic skills of communication, language and literacy and the very good support they receive from classroom support staff in lessons and small group activities. They answer questions about the topic of the lesson, wait their turn to speak, and listen to the teacher and each other. Pupils write about different Breckon Hill Primary School - 13 things, such as a short story, or about something they have read in a newspaper, or a poem. More able pupils write their letters correctly, and to spell simple words well. In mathematics, pupils develop a very secure understanding of basic number skills and how to use these skills effectively. In science,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the increasing use of investigative methods ensures that pupils understand the idea of a fair test and predict, measure and record accurately to attain standards above that expected nationally in the different aspects of the subject.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 The results of national tests for 11 year olds in 2001 showed that pupils made steady progress from the age of seven to attain average standards in English and mathematics when compared to all schools, but those for science were well above average reflecting very good progress. When compared to similar schools, pupils’ performance in English and mathematics was well above average and very high in science. The results in science placed the school in the top 5 per cent of similar schools. The school’s results have improved significantly over the last few years. Since 1999, taking the results for English, mathematics and science together, pupils’ performance has exceeded the national trend in all three subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 The school sets realistic targets for raising standards in English and mathematics, but in the 2002 national tests for 11 year olds it did not quite achieve these targets. This was due to a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and with English as an additional language in that group. In addition, a significant proportion of pupils who took the national tests as seven year olds left the school and a similar number joined the classes at different points over the following four years. Analysis of the school’s results shows that those pupils who have had continual education in this school achieved the targets set for them. For the current academic year, the school expects to achieve the higher targets set for pupils in Year 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7 Standards have improved significantly in English and mathematics since the last inspection. In English, by the ages of seven and 11 and starting from a very low base when they start school, pupils achieve very well to attain standards in line with expectations. Consequently, the teaching of English skills, knowledge and understanding is a strength of the school. Pupils listen to what they are told, understand what is explained to them and enjoy what is read to them. Most pupils are happy to read aloud to the rest of the class and they put good expression into their voices. Pupils learn to write in different styles, such as a poem or a play, a review of what they think of a book they have read but many pupils do not develop their handwriting style very well. It tends to remain at an immature stage and is not fluent and neat. Most pupils write neatly in practise lessons, but they do not do so on other

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

occasions when they have to write. In mathematics, pupils achieve well so most pupils attain national expectations by the age of eleven.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8 The good progress pupils make overall, is partly due to pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language making very good progress towards national expectations and the targets set for them. For example, a Year 5 pupil with English as an additional language working in a small group where the focus was on improving handwriting skills made very good progress and commented that his writing was much better this term compared to last. Detailed analysis of the school’s results shows that pupils with special educational needs who were in Year 6 last year, made excellent progress in reading, very good progress in writing and good progress in mathematics so the attainment gap between them and the rest of their class narrowed. The difference between the subjects reflects the school’s careful analysis of test information and the subsequent emphasis the school places on teaching these pupils the basic skills of reading and writing. Similarly,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

pupils with English as an additional language now also make very good progress, particularly in reading and writing so that they attain very well compared to their starting point when they enter the nursery. By the end of Year 6, these pupils attain standards that are appropriate for their age and ability. Boys and girls achieve similar standards in all National Curriculum subjects and religious education. Breckon Hill Primary School - 14 9 Standards in science are good. This reflects very good improvement since the last inspection when standards of attainment for the oldest pupils were below average and they made unsatisfactory progress. The dramatic improvement in pupils’ standards is due to them being taught a wide range of scientific study with an emphasis on thorough investigative work. Good progress has also been made in raising standards of attainment in geography, history, design and technology, information and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

communication technology and music. In each of these subjects, by the end of Year 6, pupils now make good progress to attain standards in line with national expectations. Pupils also achieve well in art and design. The improvement in pupils’ attainment since the last inspection is a direct result of the very good leadership given by the head teacher and senior staff to the work of the school which has led to a significant improvement in teaching based on using the good systems for gathering information about how well pupils are doing in all subjects to plan lessons, to organise teaching groups and to provide support for those pupils who need additional help.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10 Pupils’ attitudes have improved since the last inspection and they are now very good indeed. Pupils are interested in what is going on in lessons and they work hard and are keen to do their best. They listen and watch very carefully and they join in enthusiastically. They thoroughly enjoy taking part in the very many after school activities and clubs provided by the school and there is very good attendance at all of these. Pupils throughout the school put a lot of effort into much of what they do. Consequently, they are able to take full advantage of everything the school has to offer them so they make good progress both personally and academically.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11 Behaviour continues to be good. A very high percentage of parents are pleased with this aspect of school life. Pupils are friendly and polite to one another, they know the rules and routines and they follow them well and so there is a calm and orderly environment. They know that they are expected to behave to a very high standard and, so long as there is an adult around, they really try hard to meet those expectations. They want to be recognised for their efforts and rewarded with ‘Billy Breckon’ tokens. During a weekly visit to the local swimming pool, pupils from Year 2 behaved well, waiting patiently and following instructions sensibly. It was, in fact, noticed and quietly commented upon by staff from another visiting school of pupils of a similar age, how much better Breckon Hill pupils were behaving than their pupils! However, good behaviour does not come naturally to many pupils here and they need reminding quickly and often of how to behave. During the previous school

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

year, the school had cause to exclude four pupils on a temporary basis, although none were excluded permanently. With two additional assistants now employed to help those pupils who find it particularly difficult to behave well, there have been fewer concerns so far during this school year and so even short-term exclusions are expected to be fewer.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12 The quality of relationships in school, between pupils and their teachers, but particularly amongst pupils, is excellent. There is an exceptionally high level of racial harmony amongst all the different religious and cultural groups , which make up the pupil population here and this is an outstanding strength of the school. There is total acceptance of each other, and pupils see each other as being of equal importance. Girls and boys are encouraged to work together well and they respond positively. When working in pairs at computer workstations pupils help each other with the tasks and celebrate together the very good progress they make.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13 Pupils’ personal development is very good. Pupils work together very well in groups, sharing ideas and equipment sensibly and maturely. They also work independently with little reliance on the class teacher. Most pupils respond very well when they are given a specific responsibility, for example, acting as librarians or helping in the dining hall. However, some pupils have not yet Breckon Hill Primary School - 15 developed a sense of responsibility for their own environment and drop crisp packets and other litter in the playground.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14 The school’s attendance level rose dramatically last year by more than two per cent but it is still below the national average. So far during this school year, attendance has been good. The biggest factor having a detrimental effect on the school’s attendance figures is the number of days pupils are absent because their parents take them out of school in term time. Families who take extended holidays of more than the accepted two weeks in each school year, represent almost a full one per cent of the absence figure and account for virtually all of the school’s unauthorised absence figure. Punctuality is also a problem. Many pupils regularly arrive late to school in the mornings and this prevents a prompt start to the day. Breckon Hill Primary School - 16

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15 Teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. It is now good overall and no unsatisfactory lessons were seen. Teaching is very good in nursery, reception and classes in Years 1 and 2. Teaching is good in Years 3 - 6, although a high proportion of very good lessons were seen, particularly in English and mathematics. Throughout the school, teachers develop pupils’ basic skills very well, have high expectations of behaviour and manage and organise pupils and lessons very well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16 Teaching in the nursery and reception classes is very good. Teachers provide a very broad range of interesting activities to teach young children the basic skills of language, literacy and mathematics. This makes sure that children have a very good start to school, which gives them the skills to build on as they move up through the school. It is these very good foundations that enable pupils to achieve well so they attain national expectations in all subjects by the end of Year 6. Teachers also manage children very well so that they learn how to behave well in school and what is expected of them in classrooms and outside. Again, the good standards of behaviour, the excellent relationships and the positive attitudes to school seen in all classes, is rooted in the firm foundations established in the first few terms of schooling. Teachers use information they gather about children to make sure that activities are well matched to what they need to learn next and have a very clear

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

understanding of how to use support staff in lessons. Consequently, they make a very constructive and important contribution to lessons. They have a very good understanding of how to work with young children, using praise and talking constantly to the children which gives them confidence to try new activities and develops their spoken English well. Children with English as a second language, many of whom have very limited spoken English when they start in the nursery, are particularly well supported so they rapidly acquire a secure English vocabulary. Reading books and other simple homework is used well to reinforce the activities in lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17 The strengths of the teaching seen in the nursery and reception classes are maintained in Years 1 and 2 so pupils continue to achieve very well. Pupils are well challenged by the activities provided for them and continue to develop their academic and personal skills very well. An important part of this is the emphasis teachers place on providing opportunities for pupils to work together in small groups or pairs. Consequently, they learn to share equipment and ideas, to discuss what they are doing with each other and to work and play together harmoniously. Teachers have a good awareness of their pupils and know instinctively when to move lessons on the next activity so lessons are well paced which maintains pupils’ concentration well. For example, in a Year 2 geography lesson the teacher used a very good range of resources hidden in a rucksack such as a towel, beach ball and snorkel as the basis for discussion about seaside places and holidays. After a while the pupils began to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

get a little restless and, sensing this, the teacher moved quickly on to the next activity, which developed the ideas in the discussion very well. Teachers make the most of any opportunities to reinforce pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, which makes a positive contribution to the rate at which they learn these basic skills. However, not enough use is made of information and communication technology outside of lessons in the computer suite to help pupils learn and develop these skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18 The weaknesses in teaching identified in the last inspection have been rectified by in-service training and the positive influence and monitoring of subject co-ordinators. This is particularly apparent in Years 3 – 6 where, in all subjects, teachers’ subject knowledge is now secure. Consequently, pupils make good progress to the end of Year 6. Activities now meet the learning needs of pupils of different abilities including those with special educational needs, higher attaining pupils and those with English as an additional language. Teachers have a good understanding of how to use support staff well to work with groups of pupils and involve them well in planning lessons, but not enough use is made of their skills in whole class parts of lessons to, for example, observe pupils working and assessing their skills in spoken English. Breckon Hill Primary School - 17 19 At the heart of this effective planning is the way that teachers make good use of the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

information gained from the very good assessment system to plan work that matches pupils’ differing levels of attainment. However, marking of pupils’ work does not consistently help pupils improve their work. Comments are generally positive and reward pupils for their hard work but rarely refer to either pupils’ own targets or the objectives of the lesson. These are shared consistently by teachers at the start of each lesson and frequently revisited in closing sessions but are not used when teachers are marking work to show pupils what they could have done differently. Pupils’ handwriting, spelling and punctuation develop well in handwriting and literacy lessons and they learn to write well in different styles through the effective planning of subjects such as geography and history. Teachers do not consistently insist on high standards of handwriting in other lessons. Consequently, the work of many

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils, particularly the older pupils, contains careless errors such as the inappropriate use of full stops and capital letters in their written work, which brings the overall quality and standard of their work down. Teachers encourage pupils to use their numeracy skills in subjects such as geography to plot graphs and to conduct surveys, but the opportunities these activities have for pupils to use information and communication technology resources to present their work are rarely taken. Other resources are used well in lessons. They are usually carefully selected to help engage pupils of all levels of attainment. For example, in a Year 3 lesson on knowledge of shape, the teacher carefully selected shapes of different colours and placed these in front of the pupils. When asking mathematical questions the teacher referred to each by name and colour. This helped pupils who had limited understanding of the names of shapes to be fully involved in the learning experience.

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PUPILS?

20 The range of learning opportunities for pupils is very good. The curriculum is very good and meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school enriches this with a large number of high quality experiences for pupils out of school time. Many visitors come into the school. Work for children in the nursery and reception classes is very securely based on the national guidance for the Foundation Stage and in the rest of the school clear policies and schemes of work are in place for all subjects. Teachers plan well so that they can teach to these schemes effectively. Provision for pupils’ personal, health and social education is good. The school has a clear policy for teaching sex education and the dangers of drug abuse. The school teaches religious education according to the locally Agreed Syllabus and provision has improved since the time of the previous inspection. The school is very aware of its responsibility for pupils’ personal development and provision is good.

p.19

PUPILS?

21 The time allocated for teaching subjects other than English and mathematics is now better balanced than at the time of the last inspection, which has contributed to the improved standards of attainment. The rising standards in the national tests, reflects the continuing emphasis the school places on English and mathematics. The planning for lessons in both subjects is based on the national guidance but is suitably varied to take into account pupils of different abilities and the learning needs of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. Provision for developing pupils’ literacy skills is very good. Teaching in English is very good, but literacy skills are also taught very well in other subjects with plenty of opportunities for pupils to research and to write in their own words. The school also provides a good range of additional small group and individual programmes to

p.19

PUPILS?

help pupils with particular learning difficulties such as Additional Literacy Support and Better Reading Partnership. The provision for developing pupils’ numeracy skills is good, but information and communication technology does not feature sufficiently in lessons other than those taught in the computer suite. Breckon Hill Primary School - 18 22 The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Since the last inspection, the provision has been developed appropriately. The school’s policy for providing for pupils with special educational needs is good. It clearly outlines the principles of the school’s procedures and reflects the 2001 Code of Practice effectively and shows the school is aware of and takes account of the rights and needs of disabled people. Individual education plans (IEPs) are reviewed regularly with teachers and support staff fully involved. However, the clarity of targets in IEPs are variable . In some

p.19

PUPILS?

examples, targets are sufficiently detailed to help support staff and teachers plan activities aimed to teach pupils specific skills or knowledge. However, there is considerable inconsistency across the whole school in how well targets in the plans are linked to the ways in which they will be taught and who will teach it. There is inconsistency in the way in which IEP targets are built into teachers’ planning in particular in identifying the methods to be used. This makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of different teaching methods. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all school activities and have equal access to the full range of the opportunities and experiences offered to pupils.

p.20

PUPILS?

23 The range of activities outside of lessons is excellent. There is a wide range of clubs including sports, music and dance organised for pupils after school, often involving specialist coaches such as for football and basketball. The school has established very good links with many people and places to enrich pupils’ learning. They cover many subjects of the curriculum. For example, theatre groups and authors visit to support English, artists have worked with pupils both in school and in Middlesbrough art gallery, the school nurse and police officers often visit to teach pupils about leading a healthy life, as well as many more. Pupils are also regularly taken out of school on educational visits to help them to better understand the work they are doing in school. For example, pupils have visited Stokesley, Middlesbrough Town Centre, Saltburn, to look at the buildings and the facilities available for

p.20

PUPILS?

people, an Owl Centre, a farm, and many more.

p.20

PUPILS?

24 The head teacher and governors are sharply aware of the need for the school to be at the heart of the community. Part of the reason for parents’ high opinion of the school is the way they are informed and involved. Parents and local residents see the school as a key feature within the community and are very pleased with what the head teacher and staff have done to improve facilities and what is on offer for the whole area. For example, there are now very many after school activities provided and the school grounds have been improved and are open for the community to use. As a result, pupils and other children in the community see the value of this school and take care of it and residents have noticed a significant drop in vandalism and bad behaviour in the area.

p.20

PUPILS?

25 There are also good links with other schools in the area and especially with one of the secondary schools to which pupils transfer at the age of 11. For example, work displayed in the school includes toy cars made in the design and technology department of the secondary school when Year 6 pupils visited. This makes the transfer from primary education to secondary education less stressful for pupils and enables their education to continue with little interruption.

p.20

PUPILS?

26 Overall, the school makes good provision for pupils’ personal development. As at the time of the last inspection, the school meets the aims given in its mission statement of recognising and celebrating the varying cultures within it and helping all its pupils to value and respect themselves and others.

p.20

PUPILS?

27 There is good provision for pupils’ spiritual development. In assemblies and Circle Time pupils are given time to think about important issues. In science, Year 2 pupils considered the life cycle of humans realising that one certainty is that we all die. On residential visits pupils experience the wonders of nature, for example the beauty of sunsets. Class discussion in personal and social education lessons also creates opportunities for spiritual development. Breckon Hill Primary School - 19 28 Provision for developing pupils ’ moral and social development is very good. Teachers develop pupils’ moral ideas through assemblies and consistently reinforcing the importance of behaving well and respect and consideration for others. For example, in one assembly, older pupils were amazed and genuinely saddened to learn that, in parts of the world £50 feeds three children for a year. The head teacher emphasises the importance attached to owning up to misdemeanours and faults. In

p.20

PUPILS?

many lessons there are opportunities for pupils to work together. In a Year 6 art lesson pupils collaborated very well in a crowded room to choose materials and design and make hats. In mathematics, a Year 3 class worked well in pairs to make body measurements. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to exercise responsibility. In assemblies, two operate the CD player, others help at lunch time and the many visits and residential trips provide first rate opportunities for pupils to interact socially and build their confidence. There is a School Council in the early stage of development. Breckon Hill Primary School - 20 29 There is very good provision for pupils’ cultural development. The school is sensitive to the varying cultural backgrounds of all its pupils and celebrates the wide diversity of these through stories, music, art and literature from other countries and cultures. This helps pupils understand and respect

p.21

PUPILS?

each other’s values and beliefs. The very good range of visits and the visitors to school, in addition to discussions in lessons, helps pupils appreciate the faiths and beliefs of other cultures and how they each make a positive contribution to the society in which they live. Indeed, this is seen as a strength of the school community. The school does not neglect local traditions, however. The summer school, organised by the head teacher, used as one of its topics, the story of Captain Cook. Pupils have also written about holidays in traditional English seaside places.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30 Pupils are well cared for and this has improved since the last inspection. Some elements are outstanding.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31 The head teacher and staff are clearly committed to helping every child who enters the school to achieve academically and personally. Pupils are made to feel very welcome regardless of whether they present difficulties such as language communication, emotional, behavioural, social or learning difficulties. The school has a commendable approach of ‘what can we do to help this child and their family?’

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32 The school has well-established and very effective methods in place, which help pupils to settle quickly, feel comfortable and secure and so they grow in self-esteem and confidence. For example, teachers have very high and consistent expectations of behaviour and they are very skilled in managing pupils. There are sensible rules, which are fairly applied and pupils are praised and rewarded for their efforts. There is a network of professionals with specific expertise, which the school draws upon where necessary to support pupils with difficulties such as behaviour or communication. A recent whole-school focus has been to improve attendance and with the help of an attendance officer and the education social worker, attendance has improved dramatically. However, punctuality has not yet been tackled in a similarly effective way. In the morning and after lunch a significant number of pupils are late back and though the school has procedures in place to tackle this

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

problem they are not used consistently. In addition, pupils take a long time after break to go inside from the playground so lessons do not always start promptly and it is not apparent to those pupils who are late that they have missed anything.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33 All pupils are genuinely valued and treated equally regardless of ethnicity, gender or ability and this results in an exceptionally high level of harmony amongst all pupils. Staff are very good role models for pupils. They speak politely and calmly to pupils so that a very positive learning environment is created. They are also very patient with pupils and especially in their understanding of pupils with difficulties, such as pupils who have limited understanding of the English language. They allow them enough time to answer questions in discussions and they encourage and praise them so that they are not frightened to have a go.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34 Child protection arrangements are sound. Staff know their pupils well and they notice any significant changes in them. They have a clear understanding of the signs of abuse and of the school’s reporting requirements. However, there has been limited training or guidance for classroom assistants and lunchtime supervisors and so they have to rely on their common sense rather than professional knowledge. An on-going programme of training for lunchtime supervisors will look at this area of work in the near future. Partly as a result of this training programme, pupils are well-supervised at all times, including at lunchtimes, and staff provide effective first aid when pupils become ill or injured whilst at school. There are good procedures for keeping pupils safe on visits out of school and staff Breckon Hill Primary School - 21 follow these procedures well. However, some aspects of the health and safety inspections of the

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

school site have not been rigorous enough to identify a number of potential hazards in school and on a day-to day basis some staff are not rigorous enough with some basic good practice. Breckon Hill Primary School - 22 35 Although, at the time of the previous inspection, the school assessment system was judged to be adequate, it was not being consistently applied particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics. There were adequate records of pupils’ progress but limited communication between one teacher and another. As a result, improvement in the assessment system and its use became a Key Issue for improvement. The assessment co-ordinator has worked with colleagues to overhaul the procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress and now they are very good.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36 In addition to national tests at the end of Years 2 and 6 pupils are given annual reading tests and complete optional tests in Years 3, 4 and 5. The assessment co-ordinator works with the head teacher to analyse the results of the national tests prior to briefing staff on how the results at this school compare with all schools and those operating in similar circumstances. The introduction of software to manage assessment data has made a positive impact on the speed at which analysis can be undertaken and the range of evidence that can be interrogated.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37 A formal programme of regular assessment has been established with priority appropriately given to pupils’ progress in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. The timetable, which covers all subjects and is communicated clearly to all staff, is carefully planned to precede parent consultation meetings. As a result, teachers brief parents accurately on their child’s progress drawing on up to date assessment of gains in knowledge, understanding and skills across the range of work undertaken. This improved and regular use of assessment procedures makes a positive contribution to planning the curriculum. Clear evidence of each pupil’s progress or of the difficulties they have faced helps inform the discussions that teachers have when they meet in year group teams to plan pupils’ future work. The better assessment practices have a clear impact on helping teachers to match work to the needs of individual pupils. This

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

system has helped the identification of the most able pupils in the school who are provided with more challenging activities across a range of subjects.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38 Parents hold the school in very high regard and they view the school much more positively than they did at the time of the last inspection. They are very pleased with much of what the school does. In particular, they are pleased with how welcoming the school is to them and their children and that their children are happy here, they are pleased with the quality of the teaching and that staff expect their children to work hard and to do their best. Parents are also pleased with the number of activities and clubs after school as well as the educational visits their children are taken on and they believe this helps their children to learn. Many parents are particularly complimentary about how pupils of all different abilities and cultures are genuinely valued and treated equally in this school.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39 The school continues to work very hard to involve parents in the life of the school and there is now a good partnership in education. Parents are kept well informed of the school’s day-to-day procedures and routines, events and activities and so parents know what is expected of their children and support them where they can. However, the school needs more support from parents in getting their children to school on time and in improving attendance by avoiding taking their children out of school in term time. The school keeps parents well informed on what is being taught in lessons and some teachers suggest sensible ways in which parents can help them with specific areas of learning at home. There are regular meetings with parents to talk about pupils’ progress and teachers discuss pupils’ individual targets with parents each term. Again this involves parents well. However, parents of pupils with a special educational need are not given a full copy of their child’s individual education

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

programme so they are not fully aware of what is being done to help them to achieve their targets. The end of year reports inform parents satisfactorily of what their child can do and understand in English, mathematics, and science and report well on their personal development. However, they Breckon Hill Primary School - 23 report only briefly on most other subjects and often pay too much attention to the work that has been covered in lessons rather than what the pupil has learned.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40 A particular feature of the school’s partnership with parents is the recently formed Family Excursion Club providing subsidised coach trips out of school time to places of interest. Its aim is to enable parents to widen their own cultural knowledge and subsequently be better equipped to support their children’s learning. Although it has only been formed earlier this year, it is proving to be very popular with many families.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41 There has been good improvement in the leadership and management of the school since the previous inspection and this has led to the issues raised in the previous inspection being tackled successfully. The head teacher provides very good leadership and is the main driving force in giving a clear direction to the work of the school. She is well supported by the deputy head teacher and those staff responsible for specific areas of the school’s work. There is a shared vision for continued improvement in the standards pupils’ achieve and a clear focus on ensuring that the school works effectively with parents and the community. The head teacher and governors fully support equality of opportunity. There are clear policies, including one for racial equality that reflect the contextual circumstances in which the school operates. The head teacher communicates very effectively with all staff and as a result of this, they feel part of a valued team. The very effective leadership has ensured

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

that all staff have worked hard to address the issues from the previous inspection in a positive way and the school is now well placed to see standards raise further.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42 The head teacher delegates the leadership and management of subjects very effectively. The role of the subject co-ordinator is now well established since the last inspection. They have a clear management role and lead their subjects well. They have good systems in place to monitor teacher’s planning, observe the quality of teaching and sample the work of pupils throughout the school. Any weak areas, in either the curriculum or in the quality of teaching are identified early and strategies put into place to ensure effective learning takes place. One of the main strengths of teaching in the school is the very good teaching of basic skills and this is a direct result of effective monitoring by co-ordinators for English and mathematics. The co-ordinator for pupils with special educational needs manages the area of work well.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43 As found in the previous inspection, the governing body is supportive of the school and its work. It is effective in exercising its role and fulfilling its statutory duties. Many governors are new to the role, but have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. This is due to the procedures developed since the last inspection for them to monitor and evaluate the work of the school, for example, by observing lessons. However, at the moment, their ability to shape the direction of the school is limited because of their acknowledged need for further training. They are keen to do this to enable them to critically analyse school test results and financial data to ensure standards are high enough and that the school provides value for money.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44 The day-to-day administration of the school is satisfactory. A real strength of the work of the school’s administrative staff is their very effective relationships with parents and visitors to the school. Parents speak highly of them and they are valued for the good links they forge with parents, pupils and the wider community. However, the school does not have a clear enough view of their role and consequently their time is not always used efficiently enough, with too much time given over to very mundane tasks. Breckon Hill Primary School - 24 45 The school has a significant financial surplus because procedures for monitoring the budget have in the past been unsatisfactory and this was recognised in the previous inspection. However, this has now been addressed. The governors and senior management team have worked together to formulate a clear spending plan for the financial surplus and a bursar has been appointed to oversee

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the budget on a regular basis. Sound financial planning supports educational priorities. Specific grants are used well, for example, funding from the Excellence in Cities Action Zone has been used to good effect to support learning through new initiatives and the overall effect can be seen in the school’s improving standards. A recent audit has taken place. The report has not yet been received but no significant problems were identified in the day-to-day management of the budget. The principles of best value are applied satisfactorily. Options for expenditure are evaluated and competitive quotations are sought. Comparisons are made using local authority data and parents, staff and others are consulted when they have a contribution to make. Breckon Hill Primary School - 25 46 Performance management systems are good and represent good practice. Throughout the school, staff development is guided mainly by the School Improvement Plan, with secondary input from

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

individuals’ needs as perceived through performance management. Targets identified are effectively linked to academic, management and personal aspects of development. There are good arrangements in place for the induction of staff new to the school, who receive all their entitlements and a very friendly welcome. Both teaching and non-teaching staff can access training opportunities to enhance their role. For example, some classroom support assistants have received training in sign language; others have been able to improve their computer skills so that they can support individual pupils when working at workstations.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47 The school is well staffed, with a good spread of qualifications. Of special value are the qualifications, commitment and expertise of bilingual and support staff. These staff make a valuable contribution to learning and school life generally. A good improvement since the previous inspection has been the additional bilingual support in the nursery. The accommodation has improved since the last inspection with the addition of a suite of computers for teaching information and communication technology and more building work is planned in the near future.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47 Resources are good in all areas of the curriculum. They are of good quality, well organised and most are easily accessible to pupils, thereby increasing an opportunity to develop independent work. Teachers use resources well to provide interesting learning opportunities and encourage interest and attention. Careful attention has also been given to providing pupils with resources appropriate to their abilities. For example, improvements in information and communication technology have included the provision of keyboard overlays to help younger pupils understand the main command keys and a large, easy to use mouse to practice control skills.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48 Breckon Hill Primary School is a very effective school that has made good progress since the last inspection and is well set to improve further. Attainment on entry to the nursery is well below the national expectation. Good progress is made in literacy and numeracy through both key stages and there has been a good trend in the improvement of standards when compared to all schools nationally. Taking into account the very good progress children make in the foundation stage and in the infants, the continued good progress pupils’ make in the juniors, the overall good quality of teaching and the good behaviour and attitudes displayed by pupils, the school provides good value for money. Breckon Hill Primary School - 26

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

49 In order to further raise standards and to improve the quality of education provided, the governors, head teacher and staff should:

p.28

(1) Raise pupils’ standards of handwriting by:

• establishing a whole school policy for the presentation of pupils’ work and, through the well established monitoring procedures for subject co-ordinators, ensure it is applied consistently; • ensuring pupils understand what is expected of them when writing in all lessons; • using the marking of pupils’ more effectively to show pupils how they can improve their handwriting, their use of basic punctuation and grammar; • ensuring that the targets set for pupils are used as the basis for marking pupils’ work.

p.28

(2) Raise standards in information and communication technology by:

• planning more opportunities for pupils to use their information and communication technology skills in lessons other than those taking place in the computer suite.

p.28

(3) Improve the quality of teaching, particularly in Years 3-6 by:

• ensuring classroom support staff have a clear role in all aspects of lessons.

p.28

(Paragraphs 18, 22, 72, 81)

• ensuring existing procedures are applied consistently; • ensuring that lessons start on time; • developing the existing reward programme used in school to raise pupils’ understanding of the importance of good punctuality and attendance; • ensuring that parents are aware of the importance of their children being at school on time.

p.28

PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

50 Over half the pupils in school do not speak English as their home language. They make very good progress in learning English throughout the school and their progress in other subjects is at least good. This is because the school makes very good provision for them. At the time of the last inspection, the situation was said to be good. The school has done well to improve on this in the meantime.

p.29

PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

51 Pupils up to the age of seven years develop especially well in their learning of spoken English. They learn to understand and speak English in class when listening to their teacher and support staff, when answering questions and when talking with their classmates. Pupils learn to read English and to write it; they understand what they have read in storybooks and in information books. Their progress in other subjects, such as science and geography, is good. As these pupils get older, their progress in all aspects of English continues to be very good. They learn to write, for example, in a variety of ways, such as creating an imaginative story, writing a poem or writing a review of a book they have read. Across the curriculum, these pupils achieve as well as their classmates, and by the time they are ready to leave the school, they are attaining at the level that is nationally expected of 11

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PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

year olds generally. Considering the very low level of spoken English when they first come into the school, the progress of most pupils is superb. A small number of pupils make less progress because they take very long holidays in term time each year and they do not continue with their formal learning in these periods. These are mainly extended visits to Pakistan.

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PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

52 The teaching is very good. Teachers have very high expectations that all of their pupils will want to learn, will concentrate and do their best. The pupils respond very positively; they are mainly keen and interested in their lessons. English and mathematics lessons, particularly, are very well structured, and pupils are taught in sets according to their ability and current level of understanding. This helps teachers to plan the work effectively, with lessons that are pitched very well at groups of pupils, and at individual needs. Teachers speak carefully and clearly at times when it is important for pupils to understand exactly what they are meaning. At other times, they use full-speed, “native English” so that pupils become used to hearing this as well. The support staff are invaluable when working with individual pupils and in small groups within each class. In one excellent lesson, for

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PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

instance, the bilingual assistant was translating throughout the main teaching activity (making up new versions of a story). Her translations were quick, did not interfere with the teaching and she was very good at encouraging the pupils to put their hands up to answer questions. Across the other subjects, teachers plan their lessons to include many opportunities for pupils to listen to spoken English, to speak it in different circumstances such as in discussion groups, in teacher-led demonstrations and in games and physical activities. Most lessons include reading and writing activities which all reinforce and broaden pupils’ understanding of English generally, as well as increasing their knowledge of, for instance, history, religious education or information and communication technology. Teachers check pupils’ progress on an almost daily basis and future lessons are re-planned to take account of how well

p.29

PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

pupils have been learning – perhaps to repeat something in a slightly different way if it has not been well understood or to remember that a particular activity worked especially well.

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PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

53 The provision is very well organised by a dedicated and experienced co-ordinator who runs a small “department” with four support staff who are bilingual. These staff are paid from E.M.A.G. funds (Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant) and are fully integrated into the life of the school. They meet regularly and keep very well up to date with new approaches and ideas. They assess pupils’ level of English understanding at a very early stage and decide on how best to help the pupils most in need. This help comes in several forms, all of which are very effective in making pupils comfortable in their learning, as well as in helping them to develop rapidly. The co-ordinator and assistants support in classes alongside the teachers or with small groups withdrawn for intensive teaching. There are also Breckon Hill Primary School - 28 “booster” classes to give particular help in reading or spoken English, or through a reading

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PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

“partnership” and, more recently, through groups targeted at mathematics. The co-ordinator has clear plans to develop the provision further through increased staff training and links with other schools. Breckon Hill Primary School - 29

p.30

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 49

p.31

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.31

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 one percentage point.

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 39 346

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 129

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 63

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 227

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 48

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 53

p.31

Attendance

School data 8.1 School data 1.2 Breckon Hill Primary School - 30 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.31

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Breckon Hill Primary School - 31

p.32

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 2001 21 33 54

p.33

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.33

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

Boys 16 17 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 29 30 31

p.33

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

Percentage of pupils School 83% (86%) 87% (89%) 94% (97%) at NC level 2 or above National 84% (83%) 86% (84%) 91% (90%)

p.33

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.33

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

Boys 17 19 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 30 29 29

p.33

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

Percentage of pupils School 87% (89%) 89% (92%) 87% (89%) at NC level 2 or above National 85% (84%) 89% (88%) 89% (88%)

p.33

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

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

p.33

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 2001 16 20 36

p.33

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.33

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

Boys 9 10 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 17 20

p.33

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

Percentage of pupils School 70% (61%) 76% (63%) 89% (87%) at NC level 4 or above National 75% (75%) 71% (72%) 87% (85%)

p.33

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.33

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

Boys 7 11 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 14 15

p.33

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

Percentage of pupils School 53% (39%) 69% (54%) 67% (62%) at NC level 4 or above National 72% (70%) 74% (72%) 82% (79%)

p.33

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Breckon Hill Primary School - 32

p.33

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

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 3 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 8 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 156 2 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 2 0 0

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0

p.34

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. Breckon Hill Primary School - 33

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 844,267

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 753,935

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 337.5 Expenditure per pupil 2,192

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 75,588

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 165,920

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 39

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 104

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5

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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) 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. Breckon Hill Primary School - 34

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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. 51 44 2 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 54 44 0 2 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. 36 39 15 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 56 33 4 1 5

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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 25 1 3 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. 71 27 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 51 35 8 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 55 35 2 3 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 56 38 2 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 54 30 8 3 6 Breckon Hill Primary School - 35

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54 Children in the foundation stage get a very good start to their education. Teaching in both the nursery and the two reception classes is very good and this has a positive effect on children’s learning. Consequently, by the time children are ready to move into Year 1, they have achieved very well from when they first entered the nursery. This represents good improvement since the last inspection. A real strength of teaching in the foundation stage is the very good teaching of basic skills, so children learn new skills quickly. All staff promote personal and social education very well and as a result of this, children develop very good attitudes to learning and establish very good relationships with all adults and other children. Children enjoy their time in the foundation stage. They are happy and enthusiastic, and respond positively to new and challenging tasks. The quality of racial harmony in the

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

school is to be commended. Currently, the majority of children in the nursery do not have English as their first language and this represents a larger percentage than at the previous inspection, but they learn to speak English rapidly because bilingual teaching is very good in the school. As a result, they achieve very well in all areas of the foundation stage curriculum. Children with special educational needs are identified early and receive very good teaching to ensure that they reach their full potential. Liaison with parents and other agencies is effective.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55 When they start in the nursery class, most children have skills and knowledge that are well below those typical for their age. The school’s testing of children at the beginning of their reception year indicates that the children make very good progress in the nursery. By the end of the reception year, this very good progress continues and children achieve the standards expected in Communication, Language and Literacy, Mathematical Development, Personal and Social Education and Physical Development. They do not reach the standards expected in Creative Development or in Knowledge and Understanding of the World but have still made good progress in these areas of learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56 Relationships with parents are very positive. Parents think highly of the school and are appreciative of the work all staff do to support their children. They are particularly appreciative of the way the school works with the local community to ensure all cultural and racial groups are integrated.

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Personal, social and emotional development

57 Personal, social and emotional development is taught very well in both the nursery and reception classes. In the nursery, the teacher, bilingual teacher and support staff focus on developing independence by giving children many opportunities to make decisions and choices. This is effective and children choose what they would like to do from a good range of learning experiences. Children work well independently or within small groups. The relationship between the children and adults is very positive. Children are polite, behave well and speak kindly to each other. They tidy up activities as they go along, for example, when making a teddy, many clear up pieces of masking tape and card from the floor without being asked. Even very young children use resources with care and show good levels of patience and concentration as they become familiar with learning a new language and new skills. In the reception classes, the teachers further extend and develop personal and social skills by

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Personal, social and emotional development

ensuring that good quality resources are easily accessible and well labelled, so children can easily choose what they need to complete a task. The current reception children are still very new to the classes and routines but already they are settled and show a good understanding of what is expected. In the morning, children choose their names to self-register themselves in the classrooms, sit quietly on the carpet and begin to count the number of children present. When moving from one area of the Breckon Hill Primary School - 36 school to another, for example , when using the computer suite, they move confidently and show a good level of sensitivity to other pupils working quietly in their classrooms. Breckon Hill Primary School - 37

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Language, literacy and communication

58 The teaching in this area of learning is very good in both the nursery and reception classes and as a result, the majority of children reach the standards expected for their age by the time they enter Year 1. This represents very good achievement, particularly for those children who do not have English as their first language. Speaking and listening skills are taught very effectively in the foundation stage, with particular emphasis being placed on extending and developing speech and language in the nursery. Bilingual teaching is very good in both the nursery and the reception classes. Teachers and support staff constantly engage children in conversation, so vocabulary develops quickly.

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Language, literacy and communication

59 Reading skills are taught very effectively and children are encouraged to take books home every evening. Parents are encouraged to use the school Home Loan library to share books as a family. Literacy skills in reading are extended as teachers and support staff use correct terms within each subject area for example, in reception, children are taught the correct words of “title, author, illustrator and ellipsis”, during the reading of a big book. Children show that they understand that “ellipsis” is a form of punctuation, which means, “You have to wait a minute” and higher attaining children show awareness of this as they begin to read with some expression. They recognise “speech bubbles” and know that this means someone is speaking. Those children who are still at an early stage of learning to read are beginning to “read” a story by looking at the illustrations but all children can point to the title of a book.

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Language, literacy and communication

60 In the nursery, good writing skills are encouraged from the beginning as children make their own books after listening to the story of Goldilocks. Children use individual name labels to write their names onto the front cover of a book to become an “author”. In reception, children write for a range of purposes, for example, in one lesson they write a letter to a bear in a story to tell it not to be frightened at bedtime. By the end of the reception year, some children are beginning to write independently and form clear letters, but many do not form their letters clearly or know how to position letters correctly on a line.

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Mathematical development

61 This area of learning is taught very well and by the end of the reception year, the majority of children reach the standard expected for their age. Early skills in the recognition of number are taught in the nursery through nursery rhymes and counting songs. In reception, teachers give good opportunities to develop mathematical understanding of both number and language, for example, during the morning registration period, children are encouraged to count the number of children who are present and calculate how many are absent by using simple subtraction. Teachers in both the nursery and reception use learning resources and the accommodation they have very effectively to stimulate interest and develop understanding. A good example of this was seen in a reception class as the teacher planned to use the outdoor learning area to develop the understanding of the properties of 2-D shapes. This was a very effective lesson as the teacher let the children explore sorting shapes, first by

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Mathematical development

colour, into different hoops. She then extended their thinking skills by challenging them to sort the shapes again. “I want a group of triangles and a separate group of squares and circles”. The children did the task again, sorting the shapes correctly by using different criteria. Teachers’ planning is very good and a good example of this was seen in this lesson. The teacher extended this mathematical activity on shape by taking the children into the computer suite to further extend their knowledge and understanding.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

Breckon Hill Primary School - 38 62 Teachers in both the nursery and reception classes provide good learning opportunities to ensure children make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world. When children enter the nursery, they have skills well below those typical for their age in this area of the curriculum. By the end of the reception year, the majority of children do not reach the standards expected, but they make good progress and have achieved well. Teaching is very good and focuses on providing children with many first hand experiences to extend their knowledge of the world. They are taken out of school on visits to farms, shops, cafes and the seaside. Some children have never seen a cow, or have never been to the seaside and show awe, wonder and excitement at these first experiences. Teachers and support staff encourage children to observe carefully, with very good

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

bilingual support given to ensure that children who are learning English not only develop correct vocabulary but develop a good understanding of these new experiences.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

63 The teaching of information and communication skills is very good. Basic skills are taught well in the computer suite and as a result, most children remain alert and attentive when learning new skills and show good attitudes to using new technology. All reception children use a computer with a good level of independence. They use the mouse to click and drag various fruits on the screen to sort by the criteria of colour. Lessons in the computer suite are effective because of very good planning and the effective use of support staff, so children receive a high level of adult support and learn new skills quickly.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

64 In science activities, children find out about living things through visits. On their farm visit, they observed hens, pigs and ducks. Children recognise the differences and similarities between animals and are beginning to distinguish between pets, farm and wild animals. They produce careful observational drawings showing owls after a visit to an owl sanctuary and use photographs and a collection of reference books to find out about animals and how they live. In design and technology, teachers provide opportunities for children to use a good range of tools and materials to make toys. Children use wood, scissors and glue to make their toys, use sandpaper to make the wood smooth and wood-glue to stick the pieces together. Early skills in history are developed as children observe how things change over time when looking at a selection of toys from the past and compare them with their own toys. Geographical skills are developed as children walk around the locality of the school to

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

observe houses, shops and garages. Back in the classrooms, children draw simple maps and plans of what they have seen and talk about features they like and dislike about their own locality. Awareness of other cultures is a strong feature of the school and this is done well as children learn about the Jewish festival of Sukkoth.

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Physical development

65 Children make very good progress in the development of their physical skills and most reach the standard expected in this area of learning. Teaching is very good. In the nursery for example, very effective teaching of basic skills was observed as the teacher took four children outside to negotiate an obstacle course. She used the children to demonstrate how to “slither” along a bench, step into hoops, taking care not to touch the sides, and climb steps to reach the top of a bench. They were then encouraged to jump off, landing safely onto a mat. Hopping is a new skill to be learnt and this was taught with skill and humour, both teacher and children having fun.

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Physical development

66 This very good progress continues in the reception, with physical skills developed further by using large and small equipment in the hall. Teachers provide many opportunities for children to handle construction equipment, use play dough to roll, cut and shape, play in the sand tray and use scissors, paint brushes and crayons. Children with special educational needs are well supported and fully included in lessons. Breckon Hill Primary School - 39

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Creative development

67 The teaching of creative development is very good. The majority of children enter the nursery with well below the expected level of skills. By the end of the reception year, most children do not reach the expected standard in this area of learning but they have achieved well from their low starting point. Activities are interesting and involve a wide range of tools and materials for children when they are drawing and painting. As a result, they produce work of good quality. Classroom support assistants provide very effective teaching of basic skills within small groups. In music, good quality resources are used in the nursery to make a “box of sounds”. Children respond well to this, finding objects around the room to make loud and soft sounds. Breckon Hill Primary School - 40 68 The foundation stage is very well led and managed by the co-ordinator. A very effective team of teaching, support and bilingual staff ensures children receive a good range of learning

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Creative development

opportunities. Accommodation for children in the foundation stage is satisfactory. The nursery is spacious and the new accommodation in the reception classes is well organised. However, the nursery is isolated from the reception classes and this will increase with the building of a new sports hall. Nursery children will shortly have to walk along the path outside of the school, next to a busy road, to get access to the reception classes. Whilst children are well monitored and will be safe, it does make liaison between staff and the transition of children between classes less easy to manage.

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ENGLISH

69 Pupils’ standards of attainment are in line with national averages by the ages of seven and 11 years. The teaching of English skills, knowledge and understanding is a strength of the school as pupils achieve very well.

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ENGLISH

70 Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make very good progress, especially in understanding what they hear, and in their own spoken English. They learn to answer questions about the topic of the lesson, wait their turn to speak, and listen to the teacher and each other. Because they are so well motivated by the teaching, many pupils really enjoy their English lessons, and are very keen to join in with the spoken activities. Pupils learn to write about different things, such as a short story, or about something they have read in a newspaper, or a poem. Pupils learn to write their letters correctly and to spell simple words well. Many lower attaining pupils, have writing that is very large, irregular, and with letters that “fly” above the rest. One of the reasons the writing is untidy is because it is done on plain paper instead of having lines to guide the lettering. Higher attaining pupils begin to write in a “joined-

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ENGLISH

up” cursive style. The writing of these pupils is often in sentences, with capital letters and full stops, speech marks and other punctuation. They do this well in practise lessons but tend to forget when they are writing a story, for instance. Their reading develops very well; higher attaining pupils read stories that are funny or exciting and they put the right expression in their voices when they see italic letters, an exclamation mark or a question mark. Lower attaining pupils struggle to build up words, and tend to read without expression. They do not understand some of what they have read. Often, they will rely on the pictures, and will guess or perhaps memorise a sentence if it is the only one on the page.

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ENGLISH

71 By the age of 11, pupils continue to make very good progress. They listen to what they are told, understand what is explained to them and enjoy what is read to them. Many pupils listen closely, make good suggestions of their own in discussions and have sensible ideas that they have thought about carefully. They take part, with increasing confidence, in role-play, such as acting out scenes from classical plays, “Romeo and Juliet”. Most pupils are happy to read aloud to the rest of the class and they put good expression into their voices. Higher attaining pupils read fluently from a variety of sources, including story books, newspaper and magazine articles, poems, plays and reference books. Lower attaining pupils struggle to read some passages but they use their finger to guide them along the line and try to build up words as they sound out the letters. Pupils learn to write in different styles,

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ENGLISH

such as a poem or a play, a review of what they think of a book they have read, a set of instructions (perhaps for a recipe) or a description of a classmate. They write imaginative stories about, for example, ghosts, deserted islands, funny people and mysterious characters. The higher attaining pupils’ stories are several pages long and the grammar, punctuation and spelling are sound. Other pupils write less and need more guidance with their ideas or how to build up descriptions of characters. Many pupils do not develop their handwriting style very well. It tends to remain at an immature stage and is not fluent and neat. Most pupils write neatly in practise lessons but they do not do so on other occasions when they have to write. Almost all pupils know about the different parts of a book, such as Breckon Hill Primary School - 41 the index, contents and what a glossary is. Many do not, however, know how to find reference books

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ENGLISH

72 The teaching is good. It is frequently very good, especially with the youngest pupils. All teachers plan their lessons very carefully so activities are well matched to pupils’ needs. Particular strengths include teachers’ very good management of pupils’ behaviour. They have high expectations that pupils will pay attention during the main part of the lesson and will concentrate hard on their group activities afterwards. Often, teachers will look at how well a lesson has gone and will adapt their next lessons to take what pupils have learnt into account. Teachers and other classroom staff have very positive relationships with the pupils and this helps to motivate pupils to want to do well in their learning. Support staff make a very important contribution to group activities but frequently they do not have a clear role in the early part of a lesson when the teacher is leading the whole class. In one

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ENGLISH

especially good lesson younger, lower attaining pupils looked at rhymes, punctuation, blends of letters and the way a poet had used language to convey different feelings. One of the assistants was invaluable in translating for pupils who do not speak English at home and in encouraging them to answer questions. Both support staff worked very well with groups of pupils once they were doing their own writing. The whole lesson went at a very good pace and pupils were learning very well. As in most lessons, however, information and communication technology was not used to broaden pupils’ learning. Teachers and support staff respond well to pupils in lessons, guiding and praising their work, and teachers mark pupils work regularly. However, not enough use is made of the lesson objectives, which are shared with pupils at the beginning of many lessons, as the focus for the marking. In addition, insufficient emphasis is given to developing pupils’ handwriting and their use of basic

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ENGLISH

punctuation and grammar. Pupils know their targets, but again, marking rarely refers to these targets. Pupils’ reading, writing, speaking and listening skills are all reinforced and extended very well through their learning in other lessons. For instance, in geography, pupils have written poems about a local town, Stokesley; they write about their investigations in science; and in history, some pupils have written accounts of famous people such as Samuel Pepys, Boudicca or “My life as an Aztec”.

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ENGLISH

73 This subject is led and managed very well. The co-ordinator is very well organised. She has very good oversight of the teaching, planning, assessment of pupils’ progress and staff training. There has been good improvement since the inspection. The teaching is now better throughout the school. Teaching to ability groups is now well established, as is the National Literacy Strategy. The curriculum is now very broad and it includes particularly good involvement of outside people and places such as theatre groups, visiting authors and book illustrators. Several members of staff are employed from outside funds to work with the pupils on language-related matters. These are particularly focused on pupils who have learning difficulties or do not speak English at home. The impact of these members of staff within lessons, and in small groups outside the main lessons, is great. This clear targeting of staff skills to the pupils who are most in need is one of the main reasons why pupils make

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ENGLISH

such good progress. The co-ordinator works very well with the head teacher and other staff to decide on the priorities for each year, based on a very careful assessment of how well pupils’ standards have developed. Once these priorities are set, the school decides clearly on how to achieve them – perhaps by increasing the material resources, staff training or setting up a new support session for spelling, phonics or reading (such as the Better Reading Partnership with parents and volunteers).

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MATHEMATICS

74 The school has made good progress in the teaching of mathematics since the time of the last inspection. Pupils’ standards of attainment have improved so that they are now in line with the national average for pupils at the ages of seven and 11. Through the school pupils make good progress in mathematics building rapidly and securely on what they know and understand. This is due to good and sometimes very good teaching, to the secure establishment of the National Numeracy Strategy Breckon Hill Primary School - 42 and to good organisation and monitoring by the subject co-ordinator. The school allows generous time for mathematics and pupils of all ages work hard to produce good quantity of work. It has divided the time well between the different aspects of the subject although the work sample shows an emphasis on number as it did at the time of the previous inspection. However, this reflects the importance the

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MATHEMATICS

school places on developing pupils’ basic skills.

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MATHEMATICS

75 By the end of Year 2, pupils count and make simple shopping sums. Other pupils have a good grasp of number, for example counting rapidly in tens from any given single digit number. In other aspects, most pupils have a secure knowledge of money. In Year 6, higher attaining pupils have a good grasp of fractions, decimals and percentages and change one into the other. They also understand improper fractions. Some pupils work confidently with decimals to two and three places but others are not so secure, for example one pupil confusing 0.50 with 0.05. Lower attaining pupils also have a fair grasp of these same ideas working at a more simple level. The quantity of work pupils do in their books and the good progress they make in all year groups shows they enjoy mathematics. However, there is too little exciting work centred on shape, space and measures throughout the school and on data handling in Years 3 to 6. In addition, there is insufficient use of information and

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MATHEMATICS

communication technology evident in pupils’ work and in mathematics lessons but the school is planning to address this through increasing use of its new computer suite. Mathematics is used well across other areas of the curriculum and there are good examples in science and design and technology where pupils have made tables of results and converted these into graphs. In history, they use and understand time lines and count the pulse in music. These activities help pupils reinforce what they learn in mathematics lessons and contribute to the good progress they make.

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MATHEMATICS

76 Overall, teaching of mathematics is good. Teaching and learning are slightly better for pupils in Years 1 and 2 than for those in Year 3 to 6 classes, mainly due to the more effective use of support staff throughout the whole of lessons in the younger classes and quality of feedback pupils receive. During the inspection, a significant proportion of lessons were very good and two excellent lessons were seen, both in Year 2. In one lesson, with a group of lower attaining pupils, the teacher enthused pupils so they worked for a good length of time on the tasks and made visible progress during the lesson towards their understanding of how to count money. Teachers prepare fully and organise pupils well by making objectives for lessons clear to pupils so that they know what they are trying to achieve. At the end of lessons most teachers summarise well, checking that pupils have understood and learned

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MATHEMATICS

the essential points from the lesson. Lessons move at a lively pace and teachers manage pupils very well so that lessons are calm and pupils concentrate well. Good examples of this were seen in many classes especially in Year 2, and a Year 3 class showed excellent attitudes in their lesson maintaining good work over an extended period. Occasionally, however, as in a Year 6 lesson, teachers accept answers rather too soon from the quickest pupils . This means that those taking longer to think about the question can miss finding the answers. Teachers and support staff respond positively to pupils during lessons giving them help, encouragement and guidance. Teachers mark pupils work regularly and encourage, particularly, those who find it difficult but there is not enough challenging comment and there is little evidence of corrective comment being followed up by the pupil and then the teacher. Teachers do check carefully, however, that pupils understand what they have been working on and

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MATHEMATICS

use this well to adjust subsequent lessons . For example, one lesson seen had been altered slightly from the plan because, the previous day, pupils had not been successful in the work. This helps to keep pupils confident in their learning.

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MATHEMATICS

77 The school has developed good policy for teaching mathematics with main class lessons supported well by additional classes and groups such as Springboard in Years 4 and 5. Booster classes in Years 6 are well established. Mathematics is well led and organised though the school. The co-ordinator now has more time than when the school was last inspected to monitor both teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. This is well done and adds to the coherence of the mathematics Breckon Hill Primary School - 43 programme in the school. Pupils are grouped by their ability for mathematics and teachers use assessment information very well to make sure pupils are placed in the group most appropriate to their learning ability. This means that there is very little work that is not well matched to pupils’ needs as was reported at the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

78 By the age of seven, pupils’ standards of attainment meet the national average. By the age of 11, their standards are above the national average. Pupils achieve very good rates of progress as they move through the school. This is because of good teaching, positive pupil attitudes and the provision of a well balanced curriculum supported by thorough assessment procedures. Standards have risen significantly since the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

79 In Years 1 and 2, pupils gain good experiences across all areas of the science curriculum. Teachers’ increasing use of investigative methods ensures that pupils recognise the experimental nature of scientific enquiry. Consequently, they understand the idea of a fair test, and predict, measure and record accurately, for example, the distance a model car travels down differing slopes. They study life processes and teachers use a visit to the seaside effectively to explore rock pools and investigate mini-beasts. Pupils distinguish between healthy and unhealthy foods, though they lack sufficient vocabulary to name some foods. Pupils know that exercise is important for good health and they sort different materials and investigate the effect of heating and freezing upon them. In a lesson investigating ‘growing up’, pupils note how an individual’s appearance changes over time and they make valid predictions of what older people can do at different ages.

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SCIENCE

80 By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is above national averages because they achieve very well from the end of Year 2, so a high proportion of pupils attain the higher than expected Level 5. By the end of Year 5 a number of higher attaining pupils have attained the expected national levels for 11 year olds with more pupils achieving this early in Year 6. Pupils are taught to pursue science in a structured and thoughtful manner. Investigative work is an important part of lessons so their work continues to improve as they move through their final year. So, for example, by the end of Year 6 pupils describe the main functions of human and plant organisms, know the conditions for evaporation/condensation and explain some effects caused by the earth’s movement. There is good consolidation of work through accurate observation and careful recording, sometimes using graphs.

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SCIENCE

81 The quality of teaching over time is good and this has a direct impact upon learning. Pupils are taught very thoroughly and planning is of a high standard so they are often challenged to think critically. Because of this, pupils develop very positive attitudes and acquire good levels of knowledge and understanding, together with the skills enabling them to use their knowledge in scientific processes. Pupils’ behaviour is managed effectively so the small minority of pupils who lack concentration have a minimum effect upon rates of learning. They are actively engaged in learning through direct questioning which is based upon a secure understanding of scientific principles. The emphasis teachers place on investigation helps pupils learn to work together and support one another in a range of activities. Teachers assess pupils well and use the information so that adjustments are made during lessons to accommodate new aspects of learning or to consolidate prior learning. All pupils are well

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SCIENCE

supported and their specific needs are addressed. For example, specific additional tasks are set for higher attaining pupils and there are additional sessions arranged as part of the ‘gifted and talented’ learning programme. Pupils with special educational needs and those pupils whose first language is not English receive appropriate support in lessons.

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SCIENCE

82 The curriculum provides good learning opportunities for all pupils. There are regular assessment tasks set which provide accurate information on progress. The recently retired co- Breckon Hill Primary School - 44 ordinator provided good leadership and monitored standards carefully. The overall quality of this has helped raise and maintain standards. Currently, the deputy head teacher is co-ordinating the subject until a new appointment is made. The subject makes an effective contribution to the development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills by an increasing emphasis on the use of subject vocabulary in discussions and pupils’ writing and accurate recording of investigations. Whilst resources are of good quality and used effectively, there is insufficient use made of information and communication technology in lessons. This restricts opportunities for pupils to research information and use computers

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ART AND DESIGN

83 Pupils’ standards of work in art and design are in line with the nationally expected level for pupils at the age of seven and 11, and all pupils make at least satisfactory progress in art and design skills and understanding as they move through the school. Pupils with special educational needs take a full part in the work and many of the pupils for whom English is a second language enjoy success in art. In the Year 2 lesson seen, for example, these pupils made very good progress.

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ART AND DESIGN

84 Art and design is taught well. Teachers’ create a good learning situation for pupils by preparing, managing and organising lessons well. Lessons are calm and pupils can concentrate and learn. In a crowded classroom for example, Year 6 pupils selected materials and worked at a practical task in a sensible way. Pupils are encouraged to share their ideas so they learn to work well together and to discuss and improve their work. The range of activities chosen is good so pupils develop a secure understanding of a range of art styles and techniques. In Year 2, pupils’ work shows a good link with information and communication technology as pupils use computers to create images in the style of Mondrian. A display of charcoal drawings by Year 4 pupils shows good command of line and shape in figure drawings which captures well the feelings of the characters portrayed. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 make hats that show many pupils have an above average grasp of shape and the

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ART AND DESIGN

effectiveness of colour. In their sketchbooks some pupils have good pencil drawings showing an appreciation of light and shade although there is also some less mature work. Pupils are introduced to a wide range of different styles of art and design through visits and visitors to school. These activities make a positive contribution to their cultural development and appreciation.

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ART AND DESIGN

85 Since the last inspection, the role of the co-ordinator has developed well. Art and design is one of the subjects identified in the School Improvement Plan as a main subject area for development during the current year and the co-ordinator now has two half days per week to fulfil her role. The subject is now well organised through the school and a very sound curriculum based on the national guidance is in place. Teachers identified art and design as a subject where they needed technical help so one of the identified priorities for the co-ordinator is to develop colleagues’ knowledge, skills and confidence in the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

86 Design and technology for all classes begins in the second half of the term and no lessons took place during the inspection. Evidence from design books and models made on a visit to the secondary school show that pupils reach the nationally expected level in design and technology at the ages of seven and 11. This is good improvement from the time of the last inspection when standards were below expectations for the oldest pupils.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

87 Year 2 work shows that higher attaining pupils have thought hard about the work. Their books show understanding of how to design. In Year 6, differences in standards between individual pupils’ work are more evident in their evaluations than in the design content of the work. This reflects Breckon Hill Primary School - 45 differences in English attainment rather than design and technology. Presentation of work in books is, overall, at least satisfactory and this reflects a calm working environment although some of the writing in Year 6 for example is well below average. Observation of the Year 6 art and design lessons where pupils designed and made hats showed them confident and skilled in the design and making processes. Pupils’ work shows some good links with mathematics. In food technology, for example, pupils have drawn graphs to show favourite biscuits. Links with English also come through descriptions of what

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

pupils did and lists of equipment and ingredients. There is also some overlap between art and design and design and technology. The colourful work on materials in the entrance hall shows this well.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88 Teaching is at least satisfactory. There is an adequate quantity of work and projects give pupils secure opportunities to learn the basic skills and ideas of the subject. Projects have been carried through to a conclusion and evaluated by pupils. Teachers mark work positively and there are some challenging comments, but no direct evidence of pupils’ response to it. For example, why did something need to be modified, is it better now, and why? Since the last inspection the role of the co- ordinator has developed well so that pupils’ standards of attainment have improved significantly. As part of this process, there is now a full system of assessment in place which helps teachers plan work and evaluate how well pupils are doing.

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GEOGRAPHY

89 Standards of attainment have improved well since the last inspection so that now pupils attain standards at seven and 11-years-old in line with national expectations. They achieve well as they move through the school in learning the skills and knowledge of the subject. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make similar progress to the rest of their class. 90 By the age of seven, pupils have a secure understanding of the local area. They know where Middlesbrough is and can mark it on a map of the United Kingdom. They learn how places differ. For example, the different sorts of buildings seen at the seaside rather than the city. On walks around the area close to the school they learn how to look around them to learn more about the place in which they live and how it is different to places they have visited or seen in pictures. Using what they see they can explain why they would like to visit or go on holiday to specific places – for example

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GEOGRAPHY

because it is sunny or snowy. They begin to draw simple maps such as their route to school marking significant buildings or landmarks on their maps. Some higher attaining pupils begin to use colour and a key correctly to show different types of land and features.

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GEOGRAPHY

91 As pupils get older they develop a secure understanding of all the aspects of the subject. This is partly due to the good opportunities teachers organise for them to find information out for themselves using different materials including pictures and encyclopaedias and the good range of visits to other places such as Stokesley. However, pupils do not learn enough about how to use information and communication technology in geography to present their work or to organise information they have found out in graphs or charts. They draw detailed maps and they understand how to use a map to find places, although higher attaining pupils do not learn how to use the more complex grid references needed to use Ordnance Survey maps. Pupils know that areas of the world have different climates and understand that this affects the way people live. However, they also develop a good understanding of how people affect the environment through pollution and the demands of growing

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GEOGRAPHY

populations on factors such as water usage. In their writing higher attaining pupils show they can use observations and other evidence to express a personal view on these issues.

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GEOGRAPHY

92 Geography is taught well. The weaknesses identified at the last inspection have been effectively addressed so that activities in lessons are consistently well matched to pupils of different abilities. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to plan lessons that develop all pupils’ Breckon Hill Primary School - 46 basic skills of maps and using information to find out about places effectively. Consequently, pupils develop a good understanding of different places and environments around the world and so, by the end of Year 6, they thoroughly understand how the different environments affect how people live. Lessons have a very positive atmosphere based on excellent relationships between adults and pupils. One of the key strengths of the lessons is the very effective way that pupils’ literacy skills are developed. Resources for lessons are good and encourage pupils to talk to each other and to work

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GEOGRAPHY

together. In addition, teachers expect pupils to record their own ideas and to find out for themselves, although, similarly well-developed opportunities are not provided for pupils to use their numeracy and information and communication skills. Consequently, geography lessons have a very positive effect on how well pupils develop their writing and reading.

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GEOGRAPHY

93 The co-ordinator maintains a vigilant view of how well pupils are taught and are learning through a comprehensive system of monitoring that has had a significant affect on the progress in the subject since the last inspection. The most recent national guidance has been incorporated into the scheme of work so that all areas of the subject are covered in lessons and pupils’ skills and knowledge gradually develop as they move through the school. Teachers are now helped to plan lessons by a systematic procedure for evaluating how well pupils are doing and the range of resources has been continually developed.

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HISTORY

94 Pupils’ standards of attainment at the ages of seven and 11 are in line with national expectations. Pupils achieve well as they move through the school because of good teaching, and by the end of Year 6 a number of higher attaining pupils achieve standards that exceed national expectations. This represents good improvement since the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

95 By the age of seven, pupils have a secure understanding of how peoples’ lives and places change over time and they develop skills in identifying clues that pinpoint change. They study toys, the home and the seaside, comparing the Victorian period with today. For example, they discover how the Victorians used the railways to reach their holiday destination and how they dressed for bathing. Pupils also study famous characters from the past such as Samuel Pepys and Florence Nightingale. Breckon Hill Primary School - 47 96 By the age of 11, pupils have learnt about such diverse topics as ‘the Aztecs’, ‘Henry VIII’ and ‘Victorian schoolchildren’. They develop a secure understanding of the key events of these periods in history and of how people lived their lives. They learn how to use information and evidence from pictures and books to find out about these periods. A number of higher attaining pupils achieve

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HISTORY

good standards through using independent research to inform their well-written accounts of Victorian schoolchildren. This helps develop their ability to appreciate how people lived in the past and how it is different from their own lives. They use these skills effectively to investigate the lives and working conditions of the Victorian railway navvy. When developing a timeline of events after 1948, pupils respond well to questions, identifying key events and then using this information to prepare questions for a visiting speaker.

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HISTORY

97 Teaching is good overall and during the inspection some teaching was very good. Lessons are carefully planned with good use made of resources. This has a direct impact on learning by providing good opportunities for pupils to work on their own which develops their skills and understanding. In many classes, teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to use materials, such as extracts from diaries written at the time to find out about the past. Consequently, pupils learn how to make good use of resources to research the lives of characters in history. These activities also develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills well, although not enough use is made of information and communication technology in lessons. Teachers use visits very well to support many of the topics. These provide very good experiences for pupils of all ages and helps them develop an interest in the subject. For example, Year 1 pupils visit Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum and Year 6 pupils study the

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HISTORY

Victorians at Ormesby Hall. Teachers are also enthusiastic so pupils develop good attitudes to the subject and because they are positively motivated, they work hard in class, listen carefully to one another and collaborate effectively with group tasks.

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HISTORY

98 The co-ordinator has a clear view of priorities and provides good leadership in this subject. This is contributing to improving standards through effective monitoring and significant levels of guidance for staff. Assessment procedures help provide an accurate picture of pupils’ progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

99 When the school was last inspected pupils’ standards of attainment at the end of Year 2 were found to be in line with expectations but were below those expected by the end of Year 6. Standards have improved well since then because pupils are taught all of the aspects of the national guidance so they are now in line with expectations throughout the school and pupils achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make very good progress. All lesson observations during this inspection were made in the computer suite.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

100 By the end of Year 2, pupils have a secure understanding of the skills, knowledge and understanding that is expected of them. Pupils in different classes have similar experiences and their work reflects their ability, with higher attaining pupils displaying more selective use of colour and mouse control. For example, they use simple word-processed labels that communicate meanings such as “pencil case” and “book bag” and use an art software package to create pictures based on well- known stories using line, brush, pen and spray techniques. Pupils understand how to program an electronic turtle. Pupils make regular use of listening centres where they learn to tape machines.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

101 Pupils of all abilities continue to make good progress in Years 3 - 6 so that by the age of 11 most have learnt the skills expected for their age. They combine text and illustrations. Most pupils understand how to produce graphs and charts although pupils of middle and lower attainment need help to make a chart using a line graph. Pupils learn how to use a digital camera for work on art and design and in a personal and health education topic on family and friendship groups. The majority of pupils Breckon Hill Primary School - 48 understand how to use the internet to research and to find out information. However, because they do not have enough opportunities in other lessons to practise these skills they are not fully confident in using computers on their own or able to choose the correct program for the task they want to do. Breckon Hill Primary School - 49 102 Teaching is good in the computer suite. Teachers are confident and in the best lessons use

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

the electronic projection facility effectively to show pupils how to complete a task such as to create line, shape and tone images in the style of the artist Mondrian. Teachers jointly plan lessons so pupils in parallel classes have similar experiences. Instructions are very clear so pupils respond very well and are keen to produce their best work. They work well on their own or in pairs at computer workstations. Teachers use support staff well to support pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. Some support assistants have attended training in computer skills and work closely with individual pupils. Bilingual support assistants work effectively to translate teacher’s instructions and guide pupils on technique so pupils, not yet fully confident in spoken English, still make very good progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

103 Until recently the head teacher led this subject and managed the improvements in teachers’ planning, the introduction of an assessment process and the improvements in facilities since the last inspection. The current co-ordinator is now developing well the skills of subject leadership and has begun the process of observing teaching. The subject policy reflects the school’s concern for safety and use of the Internet. Parents are consulted on their children’s involvement in information and communication technology and sign an agreement with the school on rules for Internet access. The school makes good use of funding from a small Education Action Zone (EAZ) to buy in technical expertise for one day each week. The technician provides guidance to teachers, support for pupils and assistance in rectifying problems.

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MUSIC

104 Since the last inspection, pupils’ standards of attainment have improved. Most pupils achieve very well by the end of Year 2 and continue to make good progress so that by the end of Year 6 they attain standards in line with what would be expected for their age.

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MUSIC

105 By the age of seven most pupils sing a selection of songs they have learned by heart sweetly and tunefully. They know the actions and add these appropriately and enthusiastically. Most pupils clap with precision and use simple instruments to accompany the songs they are singing. They have learned to make a range of sounds from light finger tapping to strong clapping, controlling the volume appropriately as required. Pupils continue to make good progress so by the end of Year 6 many have gained sufficient musical competence to perform a selection of songs as preparation for a school concert. They sing these well demonstrating good voice control to reflect the varying mood and atmosphere. Some pupils are sufficiently confident to perform solo parts to a large audience. Many have learned how to compose simple melodies.

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MUSIC

106 Music is taught well. Pupils respond to this good teaching with good and sometimes excellent attitudes to the lessons. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. Teachers use the long term plans well along with the good range of resources to ensure that pupils access a broad range of musical experiences. Teachers manage pupils well and the excellent relationship with pupils encourages them to learn to sing and play together co-operatively. Support staff make very positive contribution to lessons. They focus their help on pupils whose behaviour is at times challenging or those who will benefit from more individual support with lyrics or in controlling the sound made by instruments. The positive atmosphere that results when pupils from differing backgrounds perform together reflects the racial harmony apparent throughout this school with most pupils demonstrating positive attitudes to lessons in this subject.

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MUSIC

107 The co-ordinator gives good leadership to the subject and has had a significant influence in developing the quality of teaching and the standards pupils attain. The school buys in a locally based school music service, which gives advice and support to teachers and provides pupils with good Breckon Hill Primary School - 50 opportunities to work with professional musicians and their instruments. There are several extra- curricular activities including recorders, violin tuition and the school choir and the school regularly takes part in local musical events such as a local village carol concert and a live performance in Middlesbrough Town Hall Square. Consequently, the subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. Breckon Hill Primary School - 51

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108 By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils reach standards, with the exception of swimming, that meet those expected nationally for their age. Standards and the progress pupils make in Years 1 and 2 are now better than those found at the previous inspection. This is because teachers throughout the school manage pupils well so pupils’ behaviour in lessons is now at least satisfactory and usually good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

109 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good quality teaching seen during the inspection week. A strength of the teaching throughout the school is the effective management of pupils and the whole school approach to lesson planning. This ensures that pupils behave well in lessons and have good opportunities to extend and develop their skills. Teachers have high expectations of pupils, which brings out the best in them so they enjoy their lessons and work hard. Teachers are enthusiastic and are good role models so pupils develop good attitudes to learning and form very good relationships with others. As a result, they show respect and sensitivity when watching other pupils perform and commenting upon the performance of others. Swimming is taught well and pupils make good progress in lessons but, because they do not have swimming lessons after Year 3, only a minority of pupils achieve the national expectations by the end of Year 6. The school

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

uses external specialists well to work with pupils in lessons such as basketball so pupils make good progress in their knowledge, skills and understanding of games skills. Pupils who have special educational needs are well supported in lessons and consequently achieve well against the targets set for them. Pupils who have English as an additional language receive bilingual support if required and all achieve well in lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

110 The leadership and management of the subject are good. The monitoring of teaching and planning is regular and provides a good opportunity to highlight any strengths and weaknesses in the school’s provision for physical education. Assessment of what pupils know, understand and can do is good. The assessment timetable is well developed and gives the co-ordinator secure knowledge of how well pupils are achieving. Any weaknesses in the teaching of specific skills is identified early and this is tackled either by providing extra training, or bringing in specialist coaching to ensure pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum. This represents good improvement since the previous inspection. Links with the community are good and enrich the learning experiences offered. Resources are good.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

111 Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 meets the requirements of the local education authority’s ‘Agreed Syllabus’ for religious education. Pupils achieve satisfactory rates of progress as they move through the school. There was insufficient evidence available, during the inspection, to reach a judgement on standards and progress for pupils in Years 1 and 2.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

112 By the age of 11, pupils have a sound understanding of the Christian faith. They recall the main events of Christ’s life, such as his role as a healer of the sick. Pupils know Christians believe he is the son of God. They are able to describe the main festivals of Christmas and Easter, knowing the background to each and their significance for Christian belief. In further studies, pupils gain significant insights into other world religions such as the Islamic, Hindu and Jewish faiths. For example, they study the teaching and practices outlined in the Koran. They gain insights into the Passover and the Hindu festival of Holi. Through these studies pupils are able to recognise similarities and differences between world faiths. They know that in different faiths one god is worshipped and recognised to be the same god. They understand that Islamic beliefs about Mohammed are different from Christian

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

beliefs about Christ. Pupils recognise principles of tolerance and respect for one another are found in different faiths and that differences between faiths often focus upon forms of worship and symbolism. Breckon Hill Primary School - 52 113 Standards of teaching are satisfactory in Years 3 - 6. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject and use questioning skills effectively. Lessons are planned to ensure pupils have good access to information books and other resources, but there is insufficient time given to written work. Pupils gain good insights into differing beliefs and their learning is carefully consolidated and developed. Pupils benefit from hearing visiting speakers and visiting local faith centres. This helps pupils understand the importance of religious belief in underpinning social behaviour and cultural practices. Their attitudes to the subject are positive and they listen carefully to one another in class.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

For example, they hear two pupils describing their own experience of church attendance and then question them sensibly to gain further information. Pupils in Year 6 express themselves clearly and display mature attitudes of respect for each other’s beliefs. In assessing the value of the subject, one pupil states that, “ studying religious education helps pupils work together during the week.”

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

114 The planned curriculum meets the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus well. It offers a good range of learning opportunities and helps pupils understand both their own beliefs and cultural values and differing ones held by their fellow pupils. The subject makes a good contribution to the school’s provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. However, planned curriculum time is less than that recommended in the syllabus. This reduces opportunities for written work and the setting of additional tasks for the higher attaining pupils. The co-ordinator has worked hard to improve the overall provision in this subject. Through careful monitoring, including lesson observations, she has a clear view of priorities, identifying a need to improve links with literacy and improve assessment procedures. The good quality resources help broaden learning opportunities, however, insufficient use is made of information and communication technology in lessons for pupils to practise

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