St John the Baptist Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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SCHOOL

St John’s Way, Ragworth Stockton on Tees

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SCHOOL

Dates of Inspection: 30 th September – 4 th October 2002

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Full Inspection Carried Out Under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 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. 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. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: St John’s Way Ragworth Stockton-on-Tees Teeside Postcode: TS19 0FB

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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: Fr David Stephenson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 th October 2000 St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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responsibilities

6896 Barbara Jordan Registered inspector Curriculum for children in the foundation stage Special educational needs What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements What should the school do to improve further? 11392 Terrence Heppenstall 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? 18499 Alan Egdell Team inspector Mathematics Art & Design Design & Technology How well is the school led and managed?

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responsibilities

27741 Christine Weaver Team inspector English Music English as an additional language How well are pupils taught?

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responsibilities

4432 Alan Heinzman Team Inspector Geography History Religious Education Equal Opportunities How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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responsibilities

20640 Dean Jackson Team Inspector Science Information and communication technology Physical education

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The inspection contractor was:

Durham LEA County Hall Durham DH1 5UJ St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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The inspection contractor was:

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS ? 12

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 29

St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St. John the Baptist Church of England school is an average size primary school. It is currently educating 209 boys and girls in the 3-11 age range, including a nursery class and 19 pupils in the Infant Assessment and Support Class (IASC) and the support base for pupils in Years 3 to 6. This additional provision for pupils with special educational needs is designated for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. The school can provide full time education for pupils from age three through the kindergarten, which complements the nursery provision and is accommodated within the school building. The school admits most of its pupils from the Ragworth area of Stockton on Tees, which is an area of high unemployment. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (62%) is well above average. The school admits pupils with a wide range of attainment but most start school with levels below those expected for their age. The school has seven pupils from other ethnic backgrounds.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are 72 pupils with special educational needs, which is above average for a school of this type and size. Eight pupils have statements of special educational needs, which is higher than in most schools. Seven of these pupils are being educated in the Infant Assessment Class or the Support Base. The school is part of a large Education Action Zone (EAZ) which has increased the range of educational opportunities for pupils, parents and staff. The school has a well supported breakfast club.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St. John the Baptist Church of England primary is an improving school providing a satisfactory standard of education for its pupils. Following a period of significant change and difficulties the school is making improvements in all areas of its work. It is now an effective school with a good ethos. There is a shared commitment to succeed. The attainment of the pupils as they leave the school is well below national averages however standards across the school are rising. In lessons most pupils are achieving satisfactorily and their attitudes to work are good. The very good leadership provided by the head teacher is supporting the improvements in teaching. Together with the key staff and governors she is providing very good management. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils are attaining standards in information and communication technology (ICT) that are well above those expected nationally by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The quality of teaching and learning in ICT and the provision for the subject are strengths of the school. • The headteacher provides very good leadership and direction for the school. The quality of management is very good and contributes significantly to the school’s continuing improvement. • The curriculum is greatly enhanced through the school’s involvement in the EAZ, the provision for extra curricular activities, and the very good links that have been developed with the wider community and the church. • The quality of teaching and learning in the reception class is very good. • Relationships are good and so pupils have positive attitudes to school.

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What could be improved

• Standards in writing at Year 2 are not high enough. At Year 6 standards in mathematics, reading, spelling and investigating and experimenting in science are not high enough. • The standards attained by boys which are consistently lower than girls in English and mathematics. • The school playgrounds since they are not providing positive play experiences for all pupils. • Attendance is below the national average and too many pupils arrive late for school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since it was last inspected in 2000. Most of the issues identified in the last report have been resolved or, as in the case of raising standards in all subjects, continue to be identified in the school improvement plan as areas for further development. Standards in English, mathematics and science have improved and the school maintains the raising of standards in English and mathematics as a priority. Standards in reading are in line with what is expected of pupils at the end of Year 2 but by the end of Year 6 are still well below average. Improving the standard of reading continues to be a priority in the school improvement plan. There has been a significant improvement in standards in art and design. It is now securely placed in the curriculum and very good links across the curriculum have resulted in higher attainments that are now appropriate to the pupils’

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

ages. To support the raising of standards the staff have had substantial training in teaching and learning and are currently engaged in training to improve their subject knowledge in art and design. The appointment of a new teacher to the nursery class has ensured that the quality of day to day planning is now good and what children will learn is clearly identified in planning for this class. A new deputy head teacher has been appointed since the previous inspection and she has taken the lead in improving the school’s assessment procedures. The school now monitors the effectiveness of teaching and learning and this is having a positive impact on pupils’ progress and attainment and on teaching and learning. Test results are analysed to identify areas for improvement, to measure progress and to set targets for improvement. Good progress has been made in establishing these new procedures and the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

school is beginning to establish target setting at classroom level. The standard of teaching has improved since the last inspection.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

1999 2000 2001 2001 English E* E E D well above average above average A B mathematics E E E D average below average C D science E* E D B well below average E

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Key

In the 2001 national tests at the end of Year 6, pupils attained standards well below those expected for their age in English and mathematics. Standards in science were below average. When compared to similar schools, standards were below average in English and mathematics but those attained in science were above average. The school’s results are affected in some years by the small number of pupils taking the tests and because at Year 6 a number of pupils from the support base takes the national tests. This has a depressing effect on the school’s overall results and partly accounts for the school’s below average position in English and mathematics when its test results are compared to similar schools. Standards have risen at a higher rate than schools nationally and the school has set challenging targets for improved attainment which given the school’s trend of improvement are likely to be achieved. Many of the children enter the nursery with low levels of attainment. They make

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Key

good progress and by the time they reach the end of the reception class many will have reached the levels expected for their age, except in language and literacy development. In the current year 2 pupils’ standards in reading, mathematics and science are a the level expected for their age but are below average in writing. Pupils in the current Year 6 are attaining average standards in writing, but St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School standards in reading, spelling, mathematics and investigations and experiments in science are below the levels expected for pupils aged 11. Pupils attain average standards and make satisfactory progress in all other subjects of the curriculum with the exception of ICT where pupils’ standards are well above those expected nationally for pupils aged 11. This is due to the excellent leadership and management of the subject, the substantial training for staff that has taken place and the provision of high quality

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Key

computers and programmes. Standards in Religious Education match those expected for pupils at the ages of seven and 11 as identified by the Stockton Local Education Authority. Early indications, using unvalidated data, for show that the school has made a further improvement in its performance in the tests taken in 2002. However, boys are not reaching the levels expected for their ages and the school is working hard to tackle this.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils like coming to school. They are enthusiastic and keen to participate in lessons. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Satisfactory overall. Most pupils behave well at all times and the school has effective arrangements to promote good behaviour in classrooms and in the playground. A small group of pupils is very challenging and their behaviour is unacceptably boisterous from time to time particularly in the playground. Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils respond well to the opportunities to take responsibility. Good relationships contribute to pupils’ positive attitudes. Attendance Unsatisfactory. Attendance is consistently below the national average. Unauthorised absence is too high. Too many pupils arrive late for school.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ positive attitudes result from the school’s commitment to caring for its pupils and the good relationships that ensure pupils feel secure. This, together with the good range of initiatives and experiences that are enhancing the curriculum, promote pupils’ positive attitudes to school. Despite its considerable emphasis on promoting good attendance and punctuality the school has not been successful in raising the rate of attendance.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Good Satisfactory Good

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching has improved since the last inspection. There have been significant changes in staff in the recent years and teachers have had training in teaching and learning. As a result, there is now evidence of good teaching in all year groups and teaching is good overall. There is very good teaching in several classes in the school but most noticeably in the reception class where children receive an excellent start to their education. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is often good with some very good and excellent examples, particularly in ICT lessons. The teaching in music is very good. The pupils clearly benefit from the specialist teaching provided in this subject. Teaching is good in history, religious education and PE. The teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy is good across the school and this good teaching has a positive effect on pupils’ learning. Pupils are able to apply their

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

literacy skills in other subjects of the curriculum and good examples of this were seen health education, history and design and technology. Experienced classroom assistants work alongside teachers and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning especially when working with small groups on specific tasks. Pupils with special educational needs, in classrooms, are taught well and make satisfactory gains in their learning. Teaching in the IASC is good and in the support base is satisfactory and results in pupils making satisfactory progress, in their learning. The teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and positively in order to encourage them to do better. However the good St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School practice of indicating, through the marking, what pupils have done well, where they could improve and what they need to do next is not used enough. In a minority of lessons in mathematics, English and

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

science pupils had insufficient time to consolidate their learning in smaller groups because the first part of the lesson took too long.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum. This is greatly enhanced by the good range of, curriculum initiatives, extra curricular activities and the strong partnerships with the community.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. These pupils are supported well by teachers and teaching assistants. Their progress is regularly checked. The IASC and the support base are particularly successful at raising pupils’ self esteem and managing the complex emotional needs of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Provision for moral and social development is good in classrooms but is not carried through into good provision in the playgrounds where the opportunities for developing positive social relationships are limited by the environment and few resources. Spiritual and cultural development is sound.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. The school is a very caring organisation which provides a safe and secure environment for its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school has a good relationship with parents who hold it in high regard. The school reaches out to support parents as much as it can and to respond to their needs. More needs to be done to engage a greater number of parents in contributing to their children’s learning and to improve attendance and punctuality.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff Very good. The head teacher’s very good leadership has brought the school successfully through a very difficult phase. She is well supported by an able deputy and key members of staff who share her commitment to improvement.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The well-informed governing body knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school and has a clear view of its priorities. The chair of governors provides excellent support for the staff and whole community.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school is aware of its strengths and weaknesses and uses the findings from analysing its performance data to set targets for tests and for improvement. Monitoring of classroom practice is having a positive impact on teaching and learning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school makes effective use of the resources available. Money has been used well to provide teaching assistants who are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. The resources for ICT are very good. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School There are sufficient teaching staff for each class, the IASC and the support base plus a good level of extra adult support. Resources are adequate and there is ample space in the school which is well used. The school building has benefited from a number of upgrades and is a warm and welcoming environment. The external environment is less welcoming and although the playground for years 3 to 6 is large and benefits from a full size basketball pitch it has few markings and little equipment and consequently the space is not well used by pupils. The playground for pupils in reception, Year 1 and

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Aspect Comment

Year 2 is very small and lacking in stimulation for the pupils. This poor provision is having a detrimental effect upon behaviour and on the pupils’ social development. The school seeks to achieve best value for money and the governors and senior staff evaluate the impact of spending on teaching and learning.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• They feel comfortable about approaching the school with any questions • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best • The teaching is good • Their children like school • The range of activities outside lessons • The amount of work children were given to do at home • A few parents felt that they were not kept well enough informed about how their children are doing

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents are positive about the school and inspectors share their views. However inspectors disagree with parents’ concerns about homework. The amount of homework children get and the frequency is similar to that in most primary schools. In the view of inspectors the school provides a more than adequate range of extra curricular activities bearing in mind the residential visit for the oldest pupils and the additional activities provided through the EAZ. Inspectors endorse the parents’ view that they were not sufficiently informed about the change to mixed year group classes, but otherwise the school produces a lot of information for parents and keeps them well informed St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

1 Children enter the nursery with a broad range of attainment, but many are at levels below those expected for their age in all the six areas of learning recommended at the foundation stage. They make sound progress in the nursery and very good progress in the reception class due to the very good teaching. By the time they transfer into Year 1 about half have satisfactory skills in mathematical, physical and creative development and their knowledge and understanding of the world. The school works hard to support children in their personal, social and emotional development and as a result many will reach the learning goals identified for their age. The school gives high priority to developing children’s communication, language and literacy skills nevertheless most children will not attain the goals identified for this area by the time they reach the end of the reception year. All the children develop good attitudes to their learning.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

2 The schools results show variation from year to year because in some years the number of pupils has been small and because at Year 6, a number of pupils from the support base takes the national tests and this has an impact on the school’s overall results. These factors reduce the reliability with which the school’s results can be compared with other schools. Since the last inspection in 2000, standards have improved. In the 2001 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6, standards in English and mathematics were well below the national average and below the national average in science. Standards were also well below average when compared with pupils’ prior attainment in English and mathematics at age seven. When compared with their prior attainment in science pupils’ attainment was average. When compared with schools with a similar number of free school meals, standards remained below average in English and mathematics but were above average in science.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

The school’s results in the 2002 national tests for 11 year olds, using unvalidated data, show improvement in English, and mathematics.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

3 In the 2001 national tests for seven year olds standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well below the national average. Nonetheless standards in all three subjects show improvement since the last inspection. The school is doing well in reading and writing when compared with schools with a similar number of free school meals, being average in reading and above average in writing. Compared with similar schools in mathematics, the school is well below average. Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment in science were well below average.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

4 On the basis of current work pupils’ standards by the age of 11 in English are at their highest levels ever and are average in speaking, listening and writing but are below average in reading. Standards are improving in mathematics but are still below average and in science standards are average for pupils’ knowledge and understanding but below average for investigating and experimenting. The improvement in standards results from the national strategies being well implemented across the school and an emphasis on raising standards in writing. There are a number of reasons why standards, although rising, remain around or below the national averages. They are that the attainment of boys in English and mathematics is significantly weaker than the girls throughout the school. Very few boys attain an average level in writing and too few attain the higher levels. Mathematics lessons do not always provide enough time for independent work resulting in little

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

opportunity for pupils to develop their problem solving skills or the ability to work independently and more able pupils do not develop their learning sufficiently. Whilst Year 6 pupils develop an average knowledge and understanding of science their skills for investigating and experimenting have not reached the expected level. Too few pupils attain the higher levels in science and this is because they lack opportunities to work independently and to plan and organise their own investigations. This results in missed opportunities to challenge the more able pupils. The school has begun to resolve the issue of the lower attainment of boys in the tests each year with a range of initiatives, but the impact of these St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School initiatives is still to be felt in relation to improvements in boys standards of attainment in the national tests.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

5 Inspection findings indicate that pupils’ standards in speaking and listening at Years 2 and 6 are at the levels expected for their age. Listening skills are better than speaking skills. This is because many pupils enter the school with limited communication skills. Teachers place a high priority on pupils listening attentively in lessons and assemblies, but in some mathematics, English and science lessons pupils spend too long listening to the teacher with too few opportunities to speak or give their point of view. Pupils generally listen well to their teachers and to each other, although a group of older boys have not learned to listen to the views of others appropriately. This group dominates discussions and limits the opportunities for other pupils to develop their skills. In most lessons pupils are given opportunities to gain confidence in speaking through answering questions, giving explanations and

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

occasionally using their voices to good effect. For example, in a drama lesson on Macbeth pupils acted as the witches and were able to use their voices appropriately.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

6 Standards in reading are in line with what is expected of pupils in Year 2. Pupils are beginning to read with expression using a range of strategies to read words they do not recognise and many correct their own mistakes while reading aloud. At Year 6 standards in reading are well below average. The reason for this is that pupils have a limited range of strategies they can use on words they do not know and often they will guess what these words are. Pupils do not have a wide vocabulary and so their understanding of what they read is limited. They know how to use indexes, and glossaries and contents pages to help with their work in English and other subjects. They are not aware of the classification system in the library.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

7 Standards in pupils’ writing at Year 2 are below average. Nevertheless most pupils make good progress from a low starting point. In Year 2 pupils show understanding of what a sentence is and are beginning to use capital letters and full stops correctly. The range of writing that pupils have undertaken is mainly news and stories and this is contributing to the low standards. The full range of writing, as set out in the National Literacy Strategy is not being taught and this is limiting the pupils’ understanding and ability to write for a variety of purposes such as reports, explanations, instructions and poetry. Standards in Year 6 are in line with what is expected for their age. Raising the standard of writing has been a priority in the school and good use has been made of visiting authors, poets and storytellers to develop pupils’ ideas and the quality of their writing. Year 5 pupils have used computers

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

effectively to produce leaflets containing argument, slogans and attractive layouts. In Years 3 to 6 pupils produce a range of writing for different purposes, for example, instructions, descriptive writing and explanations. They are beginning to use imaginative vocabulary and to write complex sentences using connecting words. Standards of spelling of commonly used words and attempts to spell less familiar words are below expectations. This is because the teaching of spelling is unsatisfactory. Less able pupils are given too many words which are too difficult for them resulting in low scores.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

8 Pupils’ standards in mathematics in Year 2 are in line with the expectations for their age. Throughout Years 1 and 2 pupils’ increase their confidence in using numbers. They know about place value, simple two and three - dimensional shapes and a variety of ways of measuring. Standards in mathematics for pupils aged 11 are below average. This is because teachers sometimes spend too long introducing concepts or giving instructions, resulting in a lack of balance within the three part numeracy lesson. Over long introductions and final parts of sessions reduce the amount of time pupils have for their independent work and for recording. This results in little opportunity for them to develop their problem solving skills or to apply their mathematical knowledge. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 9 Standards in science have been improving gradually over the last three years. In Years 2 and

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

6 pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science is in line with what is expected for their age. However, the skills that pupils have for carrying out investigations and experiments are below what is expected. This is because there are too few opportunities for pupils to carry out their own investigations, resulting in missed opportunities to challenge the more able pupils to achieve higher standards and to develop pupils’ abilities to work independently. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 understand what constitutes a fair test. They are learning how materials change and observing growth. In Years 3 to 6 pupils understand the states of solids, liquids and gasses and can describe boiling, evaporation and condensation appropriately.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

10 The standards in information, and communication technology (ICT) are above those expected of pupils at age seven and well above those expected nationally of pupils aged 11. Standards and provision for ICT are strengths of the school. Standards are improving rapidly throughout the school due to the excellent leadership and management of the subject, the substantial training for staff that has taken place and the purchasing of high quality computers and software through the additional funding that the Education Action Zone (EAZ) has provided. The combination of these factors has had a very good impact upon standards since the last inspection and has led to a substantial improvement. The school has made very good progress in developing the use of ICT across the whole curriculum. Effective use of ICT was found in science, geography, history, art and design and design technology. Standards in Religious Education are in line with those expected for pupils aged 7 and 11

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

as identified by Stockton Local Education Authority.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS

11 Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. They are generally supported by teaching assistants in the classrooms. This support is variable. When teaching assistants are used to enhance the learning of the pupils they have a positive effect on that subject; they have good subject knowledge and a range of strategies for motivating pupils and keeping them focused on their tasks. Their impact and support is less effective when their role is reduced to that of passive observer or they are not used to support the teaching element of the lesson.

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Attitudes and Behaviour

12 The pupils like coming to school and their attitudes to work are good. Standards of behaviour are broadly satisfactory. However, standards decline with some pupils as they get older. The pupils’ enthusiasm and keenness to participate in lessons is a particularly noticeable feature of their attitudes in a wide range of subjects and across all year groups. A similar observation was made at the previous inspection.

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Attitudes and Behaviour

13 Behaviour is less good than attitudes. It is satisfactory overall and most pupils behave well. However, some older pupils are very challenging and there is unacceptably boisterous behaviour and some fighting during breaktimes. Some poor behaviour also occurs in lessons. This judgement is broadly in line with that made at the previous inspection. The staff work hard, and mostly successfully, to minimise the problems of disruptive behaviour but it does affect progress in lessons, partly because of the time taken in dealing with these pupils. The pupils are trustworthy and they treat the building and equipment with respect.

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Attitudes and Behaviour

14 The pupils are sensitive to the needs of others. For example, they listen attentively during presentations by fellow pupils and they are happy to acknowledge success. Spontaneous applause is common. Ethnic minority background pupils and those from the special units are well integrated into the life of the school. There is a caring environment, which is free from oppressive behaviour. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 15 Relationships in school are good. Pupils like, and are well supported by their teachers. Personal development is satisfactory. The pupils deal confidently with adults and they respond well to opportunities to take responsibility and show initiative. Examples are a buddy system, where Year 6 pupils help those in key stage 1, helping in the dinner hall and with assemblies. The house system also requires house captains to take responsibility and act as role models. However, the range of these

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Attitudes and Behaviour

opportunities is limited and this also applies to opportunities for independent learning. Therefore, many pupils cannot easily demonstrate that they are developing capabilities in this important area.

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Attitudes and Behaviour

16 Attendance is unsatisfactory. It has been below the national average for several years and, despite considerable and commendable efforts by the school to improve the situation, there is no long- term trend of improvement. Unauthorised absence is high and punctuality is also an issue of concern. Currently, 10 to 15 pupils are recorded as late every day. Holidays in term time accounts partly for the poor attendance but lack of support on attendance matters by some parents is the main cause of the problem.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17 The quality of teaching is good overall. Teaching is good in the foundation stage and in Years 3 to 6 and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. There was unsatisfactory teaching in only two lessons. This represents a continuing trend of improvement since the last inspection. There was evidence of good teaching in all year groups, indicating that the school has resolved the issue of uneven teaching quality from the last inspection. There is a very detailed agreed policy for teaching and learning in place. It sets out the standards of teaching expected in the school, and these standards were clearly apparent during the inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18 Teaching and learning in the reception class are very good. Planning is excellent, providing a wide variety of activities, which engage children so that they enjoy learning and make very good progress. This planning ensures that there is a good match between the needs of the children and the learning goals they are working towards. Children with special educational needs in the reception class are taught well so that they also make good progress. The teacher is well supported by the teaching assistant. They both have a very good understanding of how young children learn. Their teaching is energetic and enthusiastic, and this helps to give children the confidence to join in. They take all steps possible to build the children’s self esteem, creating a very positive atmosphere so that all children feel safe and secure in a calm learning environment.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19 In Years 1 and 2 teaching is always at least satisfactory, and is occasionally good or very good. Teaching is good in Years 3 to 6 with examples of good teaching in each class. There is very good, sometimes excellent teaching in ICT. In one excellent ICT lesson in Year 5/6 the class teacher demonstrated a multimedia presentation of a joke as a stimulus, which engaged and motivated pupils. They knew what ‘multimedia’ meant and listened avidly to the teacher whose own subject knowledge was excellent. Subsequently pupils made very good progress towards producing their own presentation.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20 The teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy is good and has improved since the last inspection. Teaching in English is always at least satisfactory, often good. Although the teaching of reading has been a priority for training within the school, the impact is seen in reading standards lower down the school but not yet in the levels at Year 6. Teaching in mathematics is always at least satisfactory. This effective teaching within the national literacy and numeracy strategies continues to have a positive effect on the pupils’ learning. Whilst the structure of mathematics lessons allows pupils time to consolidate their own learning by working in smaller groups, there were occasions when insufficient time was allowed to do this, because the first part of the lesson took too long. Literacy and numeracy lessons are characterised by the teacher sharing the aims for the lesson during the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

introduction, followed by purposeful direct teaching. In the most effective lessons, teachers use good St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School questioning skills to find out what pupils know and to promote good learning. One example of this was seen in a numeracy lesson where some pupils thought that they could use four 2p coins to pay for an article costing 4p. The teacher used this error well so that by the end of the lesson pupils understood coins have differing values. There were many good examples of pupils applying their literacy skills in other subjects, including writing persuasive leaflets for health education, a ‘Literacy through Technology’ project and labelled drawings in food technology. The quality of this work is good.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21 In Years 1 to 6 teaching in other subjects is at least satisfactory with very good teaching in music and good teaching in history, religious education and PE. The teaching overall in ICT is very good, and at times excellent.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22 In most lessons teachers manage pupils well. They have appropriate expectations and plan interesting lessons which inspire and enthuse pupils. The use of praise and encouragement related to the learning keeps pupils motivated. There are times when the management of pupils is less effective and expectations are too low, for example, in a literacy lesson where pupils were eager to write, but were told that they would not be able to manage it themselves. In this lesson the management of pupils’ time made learning less effective.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23 Teaching assistants are deployed very well in many lessons and are most effective when they are engaged in well-planned, teaching activities with groups of pupils. On some occasions they are given too many mundane tasks, such as the distribution of rewards.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24 Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress in their learning. They are often well supported by teaching assistants and, in the best lessons the work set was well matched to their needs. Occasionally the learning needs of these pupils were not identified in lesson planning and the work set for them was too difficult. Similarly, more able pupils were sometimes not challenged enough and found the work set was too easy.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25 Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and positively in order to encourage them to do better. However, the very good practice of sharing with pupils what they are expected to learn in each lesson, is not always carried through to the marking of work. There are too few helpful comments to indicate how pupils can improve their work in the future.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26 All teachers regularly set homework and this provides good support for pupils’ learning. In Years 1 and 2 the focus is mainly on reading and spelling, but by Years 5 and 6 pupils are very clear about the school’s expectations and know how much homework they are expected to complete. Pupils feel that teachers make good use of their homework and that they are supported well.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27 The curriculum of the school is broad and balanced and effectively promotes the intellectual, physical and moral development of all pupils. A good range of extra curricular activities enhances the range of experiences available for pupils within the curriculum. The school’s curriculum planning ensures coverage and entitlement for all pupils as well as providing a very stable basis for curriculum development. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection in the quality of activities in the foundation subjects, which are now closely linked to national guidance. ICT is a strength across the school. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements, including provision for religious education, those for children in the foundation stage, and takes account of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28 The curriculum for the foundation stage is based firmly on the early learning goals identified for this age group. Children are prepared by learning the necessary knowledge and skills for their work on the National Curriculum at the beginning of Year 1. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good throughout the school and they make satisfactory progress. The work of the IASC in Key Stage 1 and the support base in Key Stage 2 make a significant contribution for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. The national literacy and numeracy strategies have been successfully implemented throughout the school and are making an important contribution to the raising of standards at both key stages.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29 Basic literacy skills are well taught throughout the school. There is also satisfactory progress in developing numeracy skills at both key stages but pupils are not always given enough time to practice what they have learned. Policies are in place for all subjects and the school has successfully adopted and implemented national guidance and teaching materials. Guidance for religious education has been appropriately modified to meet local requirements. Teachers’ planning is good and is beginning to include a consideration of what pupils have learned in lessons so that future work can be adapted to meet their needs. Governors are interested in the development of the curriculum and meet with curriculum leaders when necessary.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30 The EAZ has made a major contribution to enhancing the curriculum through its additional funding. As a result the school has been able to develop a time when pupils share ideas and talk about their experiences. This helps them to listen carefully and to speak confidently in front of a group of children. A range of other activities including a literacy through technology project, master classes for the more able and homework clubs has been introduced, which support the learning of children of all abilities. A link with Middlesbrough football club enables additional activities in literacy, numeracy, football skills and healthy living to be offered.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31 The school has begun to resolve the lower attainment of boys in the tests each year. It has introduced a number of initiatives, including increasing the range of books for boys in the library, developing curriculum links with Middlesbrough Football Club, reviewing its teaching and learning styles so that the curriculum can have a greater appeal to boys and placing a greater emphasis on ICT. There have been a number of successful curriculum developments to make it more appealing to boys. These have included a World Cup geography study, the literacy through technology project, a bridge building project and curiosity kits. More opportunities have been created, through the appointment of staff and visitors to the schools, for pupils have more contact with positive male role models. These have included teachers, teaching assistants, poets, storytellers, professional footballers and residential instructors. These are recent initiatives and it is too soon to measure their impact on the standards

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

attained by boys through the national tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32 The provision for extra curricular activities is good and includes a range of sporting, music and dance clubs. There are opportunities to learn board games and to join a newspaper reporting club to develop literacy skills. There are also clubs such as drama, ICT, literacy and numeracy which help raise attainment among pupils, including the more able, and develop pupils’ personal and social skills. Other opportunities are provided though the Breakfast Club which is well attended by children and parents and helps ensure that children arrive at school in good time.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33 Very good links have been developed with the wider community and the church. All classes visit a range of places from the local churches and museums to farms and the coast and they undertake extended activities to develop learning. There are many visitors to the school including the local historian, local priest, theatre groups, storytellers, writers and poets who enhance the learning opportunities. Good curriculum links have been developed with Middlesbrough Football Club. Residential visits to outdoor activity centres for Years 5 and 6 make significant contributions to pupils’ personal and social development. Very good links have been made with local schools in the development of successful transition activities and in addition pupils and staff from the school work effectively with other schools in broadening their learning opportunities. The provision for personal, St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

social and health education (PSHE) has recently been reviewed and there is now a well planned programme for the school which incorporates sex and drug education as well as citizenship. A time when pupils sit together and talk together has been introduced effectively throughout the school for PSHE and provides an effective means of enabling pupils to talk more confidently about personal issues.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34 The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Provision for moral and social development is good and it is satisfactory for spiritual and cultural development. Spiritual development is satisfactorily promoted in the school. There are well planned daily acts of collective worship which offer opportunities for exploring values and beliefs, celebrating achievements, saying prayers and quiet reflection. The use of a lit candle to emphasise that this is a special time is particularly effective in focussing the pupils’ attention. Planned opportunities for quiet reflection in classes are less well developed. The school has established clear values, which are emphasised by all staff.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35 Moral development is good. The school’s behaviour policy encourages good behaviour at all times and staff work consistently to apply it. Consequently most pupils behave well in classes and around the school. The principles of right and wrong are encouraged as are honesty, fairness and respect. All adults who work in the school provide good examples of the behaviour and attitudes the school wishes to promote. Pupils are encouraged to explore moral values in many lessons including religious education, PSHE and geography.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36 Social development is good within the curriculum and within lessons. The school provides many opportunities for social development through the extensive range of extra curricular activities in school and visits in the wider community. The many visitors and residential experiences offer further occasions for good social development. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility through older pupils helping the younger ones and by helping in the school assembly. They are encouraged to raise funds for a range of charities including Children in Need, the British Red Cross and the Butterwicke Hospice. However the provision of good opportunities for social development is not carried through to break times and both playgrounds where there is a lack of equipment and consequently few opportunities for developing social play and working together.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37 Cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils are able to experience cultural occasions through theatre groups, artists, music and dance groups visiting the school. Classes also have opportunities to visit museums and theatres for such experiences for example, Hartlepool Historic Quay, Tees Valley Dance, Jazz Concerts and Forest sculptures. Planned opportunities for multicultural awareness are less well developed across the curriculum, particularly in music and art. The range of musical instruments from other cultures is limited and there are few opportunities for pupils to explore the richness of art from around the world.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38 Teachers look after their pupils well on a day to day basis. The school is a caring organisation and it provides a safe and secure environment for the pupils. For example, there is a breakfast club, which provides food and activities for pupils and parents before the start of every school day. There is strong support for a kindergarten, to ensure pupils have the best possible start to school life. Support for parents also forms part of the caring ethos and a wide range of courses is offered to them. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 39 The procedures to ensure pupils’ welfare are satisfactory overall. There is a conscientious attitude by staff and governors to health and safety matters and statutory requirements are fulfilled. There is a child protection policy and two designated teachers. They are very experienced in this field and they provide guidance for the other members of staff. Lunchtime supervision arrangements are

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

well organised and the supervisors are clear about their roles. They have received training in behaviour management and this helps promote good behaviour around the school and in the playgrounds during lunchtimes.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40 The school has effective arrangements to promote good behaviour. They are based on rules supported by rewards and sanctions. Teaching staff and lunchtime supervisors use consistent arrangements. The system is well established and understood by the pupils who clearly value the rewards. Behaviour ‘incidents’ are recorded and parents are involved when appropriate. The behaviour management arrangements help maintain satisfactory standards of behaviour in situations when a small group of older pupils display boisterous behaviour in the playgrounds or occasionally in classrooms.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41 The school gives considerable emphasis to the monitoring and promotion of good attendance. The arrangements are satisfactory overall and the ways in which the school tries to promote better attendance are good. Registers satisfy legal requirements and they are monitored regularly by the Education Social Worker, who works closely with the school. Home visits are made when there are concerns. The school promotes good attendance through several class and individual awards and a first day response to absence has been introduced recently. Unfortunately, the first day response adds to some confusion about what parents and the school should do when a pupil is absent. There are variations in what has been communicated about procedures when pupils are absent and between what has been written and the normal practice. This situation provides an opportunity for misunderstandings about the extent of the school’s responsibilities for the care of its pupils. Also,

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

temporary absence in the course of the school day is not recorded adequately.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42 The arrangements to monitor pupils’ personal development are satisfactory. In general, they rely heavily on the teachers’ personal knowledge rather than formal procedures but they are enhanced by the caring ethos and the good relationships in the school. However, the information is not readily available to other members of staff. More formal arrangements do exist if difficulties with personal development result in the pupil being considered to have special educational needs.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43 Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good while the use of assessment information to guide curricular planning is satisfactory. The school analyses test results carefully to identify areas of weakness. Since the last inspection it has identified reading, writing, numeracy and spelling as the key areas for improvement. Progress is identified in each of these areas in each class and any pupils who have not made progress are noted. Following a staff meeting, targets are set for the class and these are reviewed the following Easter. There has been some progress in linking these targets to curriculum planning as the school’s results indicate. Target setting in classrooms is not yet fully embedded, as the priority for the school has been the raising of attainment for the average ability pupils. The school has not yet analysed results to ensure that individual achievement is carefully identified and that the steps needed to improve learning are clear, particularly

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

for the more able pupils. As a result clear learning aims for the more able pupils are not provided.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44 Evidence from meetings with parents and from the questionnaire indicates clearly that they are very satisfied with the school. They are particularly pleased with the approachability of the staff, the school’s expectations for their children and that their children like school. The least satisfactory aspects, based on the questionnaire, are out-of-lesson activities, homework provisions and how well they are kept informed about how their children are doing. Concern has also been expressed about St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School poor communications regarding mixed year group classes. Inspectors endorse the parents’ positive views of the school and believe that the concerns over communication were justified. However, they do not support the other areas of parental concern.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45 The school makes good efforts to involve parents who are widely encouraged to participate in its activities. The efforts include the promotion of a wide range of courses sponsored by the EAZ and local authority which are partly intended to help parents support their children. Some parents are very keen to participate but a significant number make little or no contribution to the life of the school. For example, direct help in school is very limited; the ‘Friends of St John’s’ is largely in abeyance following the departure of an enthusiastic organiser; attendance at parents’ evenings is relatively small, typically around 60%; and there are difficulties getting support for the programme of courses.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46 The school provides a good range of information to parents. For example, there are frequent and useful newsletters, the governors’ annual report and prospectus are well presented and informative, curriculum information is posted around the school and information on the school’s behaviour policy is available. The pupils’ progress reports are very good. They satisfy legal requirements and they give strengths, weaknesses and targets for improvement. Comments on attitudes are also included. In addition to the reports, there are two parents’ consultation evenings and an open afternoon where pupils’ progress can be discussed. Reading records are regularly available to parents and, for pupils in the units for pupils with special educational needs there are message books, which allow day to day communication between home and school. In addition to these arrangements, the school operates an open-door policy and parents appreciate the approachability of the staff.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47 Parents are encouraged to help their children at home. The response is mixed but there is good evidence that many parents hear their children read and this is helping to improve the standards of reading particularly in Key Stage 1 and reception.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48 The leadership and management of the school are very good. The quality of the management has made a significant contribution to the school being led out of special measures and its continuing improvement since the last inspection. The headteacher provides very good leadership and direction for the school. She is well supported by an able deputy and senior staff and there is very good delegation of responsibilities that enables all staff to use their strengths in the best interests of the school. This is evident in detailed job descriptions and the development of a shared school improvement plan that places appropriate emphasis on raising standards.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49 The school analyses its performance through detailed reports and the use of the Local Education Authority produced assessment information booklets. These are used throughout the school to set appropriately demanding targets for end of key stage tests and improvement within classes. There is also monitoring of classroom practice, which is having a positive impact on teaching and learning.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50 Newly qualified teachers and those new to the school are well supported through the key stage co-ordinators and regular, weekly meetings. Performance Management is used well to identify areas for improvement. This is closely linked to training for teachers that is very well managed and targeted at the needs of the school and individual staff. These training sessions have had a very positive effect on teaching and learning, literacy, numeracy, ICT, art and design and design technology and have been supported by the Local Education Authority and EAZ initiatives. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 51 The governing body, and in particular the school improvement committee, demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting the work of the school and evaluating its progress towards the targets it sets itself. The well-informed governing body know the strengths and weaknesses of the school and

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

has a clear view of its priorities and is meeting all its statutory requirements. The chair of governors provides excellent support for the staff and whole school community. The school seeks to achieve best value for money and the governors and senior staff evaluate the impact of spending on teaching and learning.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52 The school makes good use of its resources and has a good level of suitably qualified teachers. In particular it has decided to employ as many support staff as possible and they are playing a significant role in raising standards. This is particularly true in the nursery and reception classes where classroom assistants are having a very positive impact on the quality of education offered to these young children. The school improvement plan identifies basic costs and curriculum co-ordinators manage their budgets very well. In some areas such as ICT, and design technology the funding and training received from the EAZ has had a very beneficial effect on the resources for the subject and teachers subject knowledge and confidence. This is directly linked to the improvements in pupils’ attainments.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53 The school building has benefited from a number of upgrades and is a warm and welcoming environment, enhanced by a number of good quality displays that celebrate the work of pupils and the curriculum being offered. There is a designated computer suite and a room for food technology. There is also an extra classroom in Key Stage 2 that is used for music and other group activities. The large hall is used appropriately while the dining hall is used well as a drama studio. The outside environment is less welcoming and while the space for pupils in Years 3 to 6 is large and benefits from a full sized basketball pitch it has few markings and no equipment and is not well used by pupils. The playground for pupils in the reception class and Years 1 and 2 is very small and lacking in any stimulation for the pupils. There is no separate provision made for the children in the reception class. This poor provision

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

results in some unacceptable behaviour among older pupils and has a detrimental effect on the pupils’ ability to settle at the beginning of lessons. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

p.21

THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOW:

A. Raise standards in writing at Year 2; and standards in mathematics, reading, spelling and science at Year 6 by:

p.22

THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOW:

• ensuring that the range of writing taught in Years 1 and 2 includes reports, explanations, instructions and poetry; • ensuring a balance within mathematics lessons that enables pupils to have sufficient time to apply their knowledge of mathematics in their independent work; • making sure that mathematical activities are matched to the needs of potentially higher ability pupils. • in English, making full use of the National Literacy Strategy guidance on reading to improve pupils’ strategies for reading and understanding; • developing throughout the school a consistent approach to the teaching of spelling, which meets the needs of pupils of all abilities; • in science, placing a greater emphasis on practical and investigative work with more opportunities for pupils to work independently and to plan and organise their work. (paragraphs 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20, 81, 84, 87, 90, 91, 94, 98, 99, 102, 103, 104)

p.22

THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOW:

B. Raise the standard of attainment of boys by maintaining the initiatives already introduced and:

p.22

THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOW:

• raising teachers’ expectations of what the boys could potentially achieve; • giving the boys more practical activities that encourage them to use their problem solving skills and to work independently; • building upon the already very effective use of ICT to further motivate boys and challenge them to achieve higher targets; • ensuring that pupils receive helpful feedback, through marking, on what they do well and where they need to improve. (paragraphs 4, 31, 81, 93, 94)

p.22

THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOW:

C. Improve the quality of provision in the school playgrounds by:

p.22

THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOW:

• enhancing the quality of the environment through playground markings and other improvements; • providing a wider range of equipment to encourage pupils to play constructively; • encouraging the greater involvement of pupils in managing the use of the space and taking responsibility for positive relationships in the playgrounds. (paragraphs 13, 36, 39, 40, 53)

p.22

THE SCHOOL SHOULD NOW:

• ensuring that the procedures for what parents and the school should do when a pupil is absent are clear, consistently applied and understood by the school and parents; • continue to promote better attendance with the pupils and parents. (paragraphs 16, 41) St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

p.22

Infant Assessment and Support Class

55 There are nine pupils currently under the care and supervision of this assessment class, which is designated provision for moderate learning difficulties. Some of the pupils have statements of special educational needs some of which include emotional and behavioural difficulties. Pupils’ educational and emotional needs are very wide ranging. There is also a very wide range of ability within this class, from those who attain at a level well below expectations for their age to just below what is expected. The pupils are drawn from the reception class, Years 1 and 2 and from across Stockton Local Education Authority.

p.23

Infant Assessment and Support Class

56 The class teacher is committed to meeting the individual needs of this group of pupils and the provision made for them is good. There is a core team of one class teacher and one specialist teaching assistant but other additional trained adults, who support individual pupils, are in regular attendance. Staff take every opportunity to reinforce the pupils’ self esteem and positive behaviour. The pupils are offered interesting activities and the support staff are well deployed to enable pupils to participate in the lessons, for example, when they reinforce the learning of new vocabulary.

p.23

Infant Assessment and Support Class

57 Pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning, and sometimes this is good. For example, in a music lesson very good progress was made when pupils controlled the loudness of playing their instruments and responded well to a sound story. Pupils’ attitudes are positive and they are eager to learn in all areas of the curriculum. In mathematics most pupils can suggest a range of ways in which animals can be counted to 10. They can count in tens. In their music lesson many pupils could name the instruments and use the correct vocabulary to describe how they are played. In history they can identify, with support, a sequence of bears in order of age and are developing the correct vocabulary for comparison, old, older, oldest. The drawings that the pupils produced, using chalk pastels, show the full range of ability from simple mark making to a well executed, accurate drawing with blended colours. This wide range of ability is well catered for through good planning and many practical

p.23

Infant Assessment and Support Class

activities which are having a positive impact upon the learning. Staff know their pupils well and manage their behaviour effectively whist keeping them motivated to persist with their tasks.

p.23

Infant Assessment and Support Class

58 The teaching in the assessment class is good. The teacher’s knowledge is secure and results in effective teaching methods involving pupils in many practical activities which link to the learning in other areas of the curriculum. For example, in an art and design lesson pupils made drawings of musical instruments which linked to their work on sound (science) and shape (mathematics), whilst applying the skills for blending chalk pastels, which they had learned in a previous lesson. In design technology the activity of making musical shakers linked to their work in science and in music. Pupils’ individual targets, needs and abilities are catered for in the lessons. For example, two new pupils were able to join in through watching a demonstration of how to make a musical shaker and then given their own to do. Pupils are also challenged through the questions posed by the class teacher and they respond, for instance, by being able to describe accurately a range of crops in a lesson on harvest.

p.23

Infant Assessment and Support Class

The staff use questions effectively to engage the pupils’ interest and to involve them all. Relationships with pupils are good and encourage them towards positive attitudes and effort. Occasionally, when there are three or more adults working with this group, there is a lot of pressure upon individual pupils to complete the activity and consequently little opportunity for them to talk about what they are doing.

p.23

Infant Assessment and Support Class

59 There are regular meetings involving the special educational needs co-ordinator to review pupils’ progress. Links with external support services are strong as are the links with parents and carers. Parents are regularly involved with reviews and with homework activities, particularly reading. There is an effective message book system through which home and school maintain close contact. Parents have indicated that they are happy with all aspects of provision in the assessment class. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

p.23

Key Stage 2 Support Base

60 There are ten pupils with special educational needs currently under the care and supervision of the support base staff. The base is designated for pupils with moderate learning difficulties although some pupils also have emotional and behavioural difficulties. Pupils are drawn from Years 3 to 6 and from across Stockton Local Education Authority. Some pupils remain in the support base for four years. The provision made for these pupils, whose attainment is well below what would typically be expected for their age, is satisfactory. The pupils are included with other pupils from the main school in all activities at playtimes and lunchtimes. They take part in assemblies and all other school events as a class and they have access to the whole curriculum. From time to time individuals join mainstream classes for lessons, but this form of inclusion is not regular practice.

p.24

Key Stage 2 Support Base

61 Pupils make satisfactory progress in their lessons and over time. They progress well when the teaching is with a small group on a focused task rather than with individual pupils. For example, in an ICT lesson the teaching assistant worked closely with two girls on the cover for their ‘Victorians’ folder. She was able to ensure that the girls obtained the necessary ICT skills while meeting the aims of the lesson to make a cover. In a good science lesson on forces, the four oldest pupils made very good progress in understanding air pressure and floating and sinking because the activities were well matched to their interests, were practical and required little recording. With support from the teacher, these pupils attained a level of understanding close to what is generally expected of pupils of their age. Progress was limited in a literacy lesson largely by the fact that pupils spent a long time sitting listening

p.24

Key Stage 2 Support Base

with little time to record their own ideas.

p.24

Key Stage 2 Support Base

62 The teaching in the support base is at least satisfactory and occasionally it is good. There was good teaching, in a dance lesson where the teacher was enthusiastic and joined in, which inspired the pupils; the teacher’s demonstration enabled all pupils to join in with confidence. The music resource in this lesson was well chosen and reflected the aims of the lesson. The complexity of movement was skilfully increased as the lesson progressed.

p.24

Key Stage 2 Support Base

63 Relationships with pupils are good and through them the teacher maintains a generally calm atmosphere, engages the attention of pupils and manages exuberant behaviour. Pupils are encouraged to ‘try their best’ and be accurate. Their responses are constantly encouraged and praised with positive impact upon their motivation. ICT is used to support numeracy and to reinforce learning in mathematics but its effectiveness is reduced when all pupils cannot read the questions on the screen and as a result many simply guess at answers. The teaching assistant is well deployed and plays a full part in ensuring that the pupils make progress in their learning. Good use is made of the teacher’s knowledge of pupils earlier learning where the lesson plans refer to the type of support that individuals will need. For example, in a dance lesson the pupils who would need additional support with co- ordination were identified.

p.24

Key Stage 2 Support Base

64 The teacher in the support base is also the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator and has strong links with the external agencies who also provide support for individual pupils. She oversees the setting of individual targets for pupils within their education plans and she regularly checks that progress is being made towards those targets. Links with parents and carers are good. They are regularly involved in reviews and homework activities. The school makes every effort to maintain an ‘open door’ policy for parents who have indicated that they appreciate this and that they feel comfortable on approaching the school about any issue. Parents of pupils in the support base are very happy with the provision being made for their children. The accommodation is good and is situated in the middle of the mainstream classrooms which helps the support base to function as ‘just another class’ in the school.

p.24

Key Stage 2 Support Base

St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 78 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 130

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 4 12 28 32 2 0 0 Percentag e 5 15 36 41 3 0 0

p.25

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 [two, three, etc] percentage point[

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR - Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 22 187 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 115 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 8 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 13 72

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 16 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 14

p.25

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 6.4 School data 1.1 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

p.25

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 8 11 19

p.26

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 0 0 0 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 9 10

p.26

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Total 13 14 16 Percentage of pupils School 68 (58) 74 (70) 84 (64) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.26

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 0 0 0 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 10 8

p.26

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Total 14 15 13 Percentage of pupils School 74 (64) 79 (64) 68 (58) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.26

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 14 15 29

p.26

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 5 6 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 6 13

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Total 14 12 27 Percentage of pupils School 48 (42) 41 (42) 93 (68) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 4 5 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 7 4 7

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Total 11 9 14 Percentage of pupils School 38 (42) 31 (42) 48 (53) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 1 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 180 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 6 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2001-

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher Average class size 22 £ Education support staff: YN– Y6 Total income 626246 Total number of education support staff 12 Total expenditure 648428

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 296 Expenditure per pupil 3431

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nursery

Balance brought forward from previous year Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 46328

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nursery

Number of pupils per qualified teacher Total number of education support staff Total aggregate hours worked per week Number of pupils per FTE adult 7 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5 Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 162 Number of questionnaires returned 160

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know My child likes school. 46 46 1 2 4 My child is making good progress in school. 43 47 4 0 6 Behaviour in the school is good. 42 42 5 1 10 My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 55 11 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The teaching is good. 54 38 3 1 4 I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 41 44 11 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 33 0 4 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 35 54 4 3 4 The school is well led and managed. 42 39 8 1 10 The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 45 49 3 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 45 8 8 21 St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65 The school’s provision for children in the foundation stage is good and provision in the nursery has improved since the last inspection. The provision for children in the reception class is very good and is a strength of the school. Most children attend the kindergarten, which is situated close to the foundation stage classrooms. This helps children settle into nursery confidently and be able to respond well to the nursery curriculum. When they enter the nursery the children’s attainment covers a broad range, but many of them enter with a limited range of skills and experiences, particularly speaking skills. As a result their attainment is below what can be expected for children of this age in all areas of learning. Nevertheless, given this low starting point the children make satisfactory progress throughout nursery and very good progress in the reception class due to the very good teaching. This good start

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

ensures that, by the end of the reception year about half the children are likely to attain the learning goals identified for their age in the areas of personal, social and emotional development, mathematical, physical and creative development and their knowledge and understanding of the world. The children’s limited skills in speaking and listening affect their attainment and rate of progress in communication, language and literacy and despite the school targeting the development of language as a priority, at least half the children will not attain the learning goals identified for their age by the time they reach the end of the reception year. The children make good progress in literacy when they use a computer to help with their learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66 Teachers, teaching assistants and classroom support staff work well as a team. Support staff play a full and active role in teaching the children and make a significant contribution to their effective learning. Children are well managed and enjoy being with the adults who teach them. These positive relationships make the children feel safe and valued and are a key factor in ensuring that children make good progress. Children with special educational needs are identified at an early stage and supported well by the teachers and support staff, who encourage them to take a full part in all activities. In addition, as the school has strong links with a range of external agencies, it draws upon further assessments and expertise in support of these children. This effective provision means that these children make satisfactory progress in their learning. Planning for the nursery and reception class

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

curriculum is good; it is clearly linked to the six areas of learning and the learning goals identified for children of this age. Staff make regular assessments of the children’s progress and use this information successfully in determining each child’s targets for literacy, mathematics and personal, social and emotional development. Children are encouraged to develop their independence through self initiated activities and taking responsibility for tidying up.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

67 On entry to the nursery children’s personal, social and emotional development is below what can be expected of children of this age. Through careful planning, this area is being promoted well in both the nursery and reception classes. The nursery class is piloting the use of materials that encourage children to reflect upon how they feel and give them confidence to speak to the whole group. In their present form these materials are not matched to the experiences and understanding of the children. As a result the children are unable to make a satisfactory response and so their attainment and learning in this activity are unsatisfactory. In every other way children’s personal and social development is being promoted effectively. Children have settled well into the routines of the classrooms; they confidently select self-initiated activities, co-operate in building with the large blocks and sit quietly together at milk and snack time. On one occasion the children organised themselves into

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

a circle and listened to each other talk about the pictures on the milk carton. One child asked if he could give the biscuits out and children were, without prompting, using ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 68 By the time they enter the reception class children’s personal and social development is on course to meet the levels expected by the end of the reception year. This satisfactory start is further developed in the reception class. The teachers and teaching assistant plan activities that require children to co-operate, share equipment and take turns, for example when playing sound lotto. Children are encouraged to be responsible for taking out and putting away equipment and dressing and undressing independently. Staff are caring and supportive and give children genuine praise for their achievements. Children are respected and managed with sensitivity and this leads to an atmosphere of

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

trust and to very good attitudes to learning. Children are eager to learn and so they can sustain good concentration. They enjoy their learning and so their behaviour is very good. The children’s spiritual and moral development is effectively promoted through the ‘special and precious’ assembly and helps children to understand the importance of kindness and caring for others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

69 Children’s communication, language and literacy development is generally below what can be expected of children of this age when they enter nursery. Many children, though willing to join in all speaking activities, have indistinct speech, limited speech patterns and conversational skills. Staff in the nursery make language development a priority and plan activities that will reinforce children’s speaking and listening skills, as in the Chinese restaurant role play and the picnic role play. Initial sounds are taught effectively using objects and songs, which engage the children’s interest and result in satisfactory learning. Many children can recognise their names and discriminate sounds, for example the youngest nursery children can say that horse does not begin with ‘y’. The children respond well to the opportunities to speak and listen in group activities and can sustain their concentration.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

70 In both the nursery and reception classes the children’s confidence in speaking is being fostered well through the very good relationships they have with the teaching staff, who value their contributions. In the reception class children are helped to learn how to listen carefully through the use of secure routines. The teacher’s excellent subject knowledge results in the children making very good progress in learning initial sounds. Children can name objects on a card, for example, ‘fan and flower’ and know that they all start with ‘f’. This work is further enhanced by the individual work done on computers. Children are beginning to recognise a number of commonly used words and this is reinforced through the books and word sheets that they regularly take home. The children share and enjoy a wide range of stories and rhymes and in the reception class children are aware that print conveys meaning and that pictures give clues to what is written. In their reading they are able to

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

construct meaningful stories from the pictures in the early books of the reading scheme. One child with special educational needs spent a productive period of time enjoying Thomas the Tank Engine books which had been specially provided for him. A group of boys in the reception class chose to be read to by the teacher. They became engrossed in a story about a fire engine, following the text and commenting on the illustrations.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

71 Writing is being introduced effectively in the reception class through activities that children can relate to, such as an envelope addressed to them. At this stage the children’s knowledge of print is below what might be expected for their age. Most are not able to distinguish letters from numerals accurately or identify a specific letter on the envelope. Nevertheless they are given many opportunities to develop their writing skills. Children in both the nursery and reception classes ‘write’ in their role play and in the ‘office’; they practise writing their names and are beginning to form recognisable letters. Whilst most children are making good progress in this area they will be below the level needed to achieve the expected goals by the end of the reception year. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

72 When they enter the nursery the children have mathematical skills and understanding that are below what can be expected for their age. The good teaching and the range of experiences the children receive throughout the foundation stage ensure they understand the concepts and language of mathematics. As a result most of the children are on course to achieve the expected levels at the end of the reception year. In both the nursery and reception classes staff take every opportunity to reinforce counting skills. In a good lesson in the nursery the older children were learning to count from zero to five in a variety of active ways such as using their fingers, clapping or tapping to show the numbers. In this way the teacher could observe those who were secure in their counting and those who were not. With support, the children actively put the numbers into the correct sequence by moving people around until the ‘audience’ agreed that this was correct. One child confidently said,

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

“I’m standing in the right place”. Most of the children recognised the numerals correctly. The teacher intervened well with simple questioning to ensure that the children understood the concept. The learning was active, well structured and well matched to their understanding and this ensured that the children made good progress.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

73 In the reception class children’s mathematical understanding is extended by the very effective teaching. Many children can count up to 10 and can identify numerals. Groups of children are learning to count on by one, thread a given number of beads together and use a basic counting game on the computer to improve their knowledge of numbers. The teaching is very good and follows the guidance from the National Numeracy Strategy. The teacher is skilled in using questions to deepen learning and extract information. Lessons are well planned and tasks appropriately chosen to ensure that no time is wasted and the aims for the lesson are achieved. The teaching assistant gives very good support to the less able pupils and enables them to succeed at their tasks. These children make very good progress.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

74 The nursery and reception class staff plan many opportunities for children to gain greater knowledge of the world about them. The children learn effectively from a range of first hand experiences, including visits and visitors such as Kenny and the guide dog for the blind. The children’s progress in this area is good, sometimes very good and most are on course to reach the early learning goals identified for their age at the end of the reception year.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

75 The nursery children, for their work on taste, effectively used a limited range of paint to mix colours that match fruit. Most children are confident in naming a wide range of colours. They can mix paint and use small brushes well. Some children make play dough fruits and others show interest in being able to identify them. A group of children participated purposefully in a role play about a picnic and discussed the food they would eat on a picnic.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

76 Children have very good opportunities to use computers and by the time they are in the reception class many have good control of the mouse to move parts of pictures about on the screen. In a well planned lesson in the school’s computer suite the teaching assistant used the electronic whiteboard to provide an effective explanation and demonstration for the children. At the end of the lesson the children, with support, could recall what they had done and how they had done it. Children in the reception class learn about sound. Encouraged by the use of a tape, they listened to common sounds and identified them on a lotto board. This activity was well matched to the children’s abilities and interests and engaged them in very good learning about sounds in the environment. In the nursery and reception classes the areas of learning are often linked successfully through themes, for example, as part of their work on taste children carried out a survey of their favourite flavoured crisps which

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

was then presented as a diagram which supported their learning in mathematics. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

77 The children in the nursery and reception classes are on course to reach the early learning goals identified for physical development by the end of the reception year. They are helped to move confidently with control in the nursery through the use of the outdoor play area where they manoeuvre the large building blocks and build structures for their imaginative play. Most of the nursery children move confidently around the hall showing good control in jumping, taking giant steps and controlling their speed and direction. The staff reinforce the children’s learning through providing demonstration models.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

78 In the reception class these skills are effectively built upon through well planned lessons in the hall. The very good teaching ensures that all the children participated fully in all parts of a lesson and made very good progress. There was great enjoyment in singing and moving, for example in the hokey cokey warm up, and the children were eager to join in. Every opportunity was taken to extend children’s learning as when they learned left and right by making an L shape with their fingers, and when they responded accurately to ‘forwards, backwards, and sideways’. The children showed awareness of each other’s space and put effort into all their activity.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

79 In the nursery and reception classes the children make satisfactory progress in their creative development and most will achieve the goals set for their ages in this area by the end of the reception year. Staff ensure, through sound teaching and planning, that opportunities for creative development are available on a daily basis and activities are linked to the on-going theme. This reinforces the children’s learning effectively. Nursery children have access to paint and musical instruments and they work with play dough. In art activities they explore colour mixing and paint pictures of fruit. They can, with support, explain the effect of adding white to colours. Staff effectively help children, through their questioning, to describe the changes they see. Children’s work is attractively mounted and displays are of good quality. They represent all the areas of learning within the curriculum and foster

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

the children’s pride in their work and self-esteem.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

80 Children have good opportunities to explore a range of materials. They make three dimensional models using boxes, they model fruits in play dough, create collages and print with fruit. The children enjoy music making and nursery children often choose to play the instruments as a self- initiated activity. Reception class children sing regularly as part of their daily routine and they sing confidently and tunefully. There are good opportunities in both classes for the children to act out roles and develop their imaginations, for example, the nursery picnic. Role play is also used well to develop the children’s speaking skills. Nursery children respond enthusiastically when using the outdoor area and to using the large blocks for their imaginative play. Most of the group was drawn into a scenario of ‘riding on the bus and going home to sleep’ and the teacher maintained a good balance between the

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

children working independently and directing the activity.

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ENGLISH

81 Whilst National Curriculum test results in 2001 and 2002 are well below the national average, there has been a year on year improvement so that the levels currently being attained by Year 6 pupils are the highest levels ever. Since the last inspection the school has worked hard to improve its performance in English. The teaching of English is at least satisfactory and is often good. This reflects the successful implementation of the national literacy strategy. The gap between the school’s results and the average national test results is closing. Pupils with special educational needs and those who are more able make satisfactory progress. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School By the age of seven, pupils are achieving average standards in English overall from a low level of attainment on entry to the school. By age 11 pupils are attaining standards well below average in

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ENGLISH

reading and spelling. In writing standards are in line with those expected for pupils in Year 6. Girls in the school make very good progress with results at least in line with, and sometimes higher than, national averages. Boys’ standards are significantly weaker and they remain at least one year behind the girls. The attainment of boys in English is unsatisfactory at both Year 2 and Year 6.

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ENGLISH

82 Throughout the school, standards in speaking and listening are satisfactory, although listening skills are better developed than speaking skills. This is because many pupils enter the school with limited communication skills. These findings are similar to those of the last inspection. Listening skills are developed well in all lessons. Most pupils listen attentively to teachers and can interpret and carry out instructions. They usually listen well to each other, although there are a few older boys in the school who dominate class discussions and do not listen to the views of others appropriately. Pupils listen well in assemblies. In most lessons the teachers plan opportunities for pupils to develop their formal speaking skills through answering questions, giving explanations and points of view. However, in a few English lessons in Years 3 to 6 the pupils spend a disproportionate amount of time listening

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ENGLISH

with too few opportunities to speak or give their point of view. This slows their progress towards achieving higher standards of speaking. In a Year 5 and 6 drama lesson based on a study of Macbeth, pupils were able to demonstrate their ability to use their voice to good effect. They were able to vary the pitch and dynamics of their voices when characterising the witches. They could also listen to the performance of others and comment on its effectiveness

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ENGLISH

83 By the end of Year 2 pupils are beginning to read with expression and at a fluency level appropriate to their age. They can use a range of strategies to read words they do not recognise and often correct their own mistakes whilst reading aloud. Pupils in a Year 1 class were able to identify rhyming words in a story, for example, ‘sack’ and ‘back’. They know letter sounds and can discuss how to read difficult words using the knowledge they already have. Many pupils can describe and discuss the main events in a story. Year 2 pupils are beginning to develop knowledge to help them locate books in a library. They know about titles and authors.

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ENGLISH

84 By the end of Year 6 pupils can read fairly fluently but the standards they attain are well below average. They can discuss their preferences for certain authors or book types. Whilst reading aloud, they have a limited range of strategies and will sometimes guess unfamiliar words. Most pupils can answer questions about the text but their understanding is often inhibited by a narrow vocabulary. These pupils can use reference books well. They know how to use an index, how glossary and contents pages work, and can locate information on a page quickly.

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ENGLISH

85 The school has a good, varied range of suitable reading material, which is well organised, up to date and easily accessible. All pupils have reading files, which they take home regularly. A home- school reading system operates with colour coded books to guide pupils in choosing material at the right level for their ability. Most parents are willing to help their children with reading and many use the reading record to help monitor their child’s progress.

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ENGLISH

86 The school has an attractive library situated centrally with comfortable seating and an adequate number of non-fiction books. A discussion with a group of pupils revealed that they were unaware of library classification systems. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to use the library effectively and develop their skills for research. This limits their ability to work independently. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 87 Standards in writing at the age of seven are below average, but the achievement of the majority shows good progress from a low starting point. The school has made good progress in its test results. Pupils’ work in Year 2 shows improvements in spelling and handwriting. By the end of Year 2 pupils use a legible, joined script and write in complete sentences, usually using simple punctuation correctly and setting their work out neatly. The range of written work presented to pupils covers

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ENGLISH

narrative writing such as news and stories but there are few opportunities for pupils to write reports, explanations, instructions and poetry in order to understand how to write for a range of purposes. This contributes to the below average standards.

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ENGLISH

88 Standards of writing in Year 6 are in line with those expected nationally and should result in higher test results if the pace, focus and standard of pupil’s work continues throughout the year. These pupils write neatly using a joined script and good presentation skills. There is a good range of writing for different purposes including summaries, instructional texts and descriptive writing based on Macbeth. Pupils are beginning to use more imaginative vocabulary. The school has worked hard to improve the quality of pupils’ writing, which has a tendency to consist of simple sentences and a basic vocabulary. In one successful project Year 5 pupils have used computers to produce persuasive leaflets as part of work in health education. Pupils have made use of convincing arguments, effective slogans and eye-catching layouts of a high quality to convince others to say no to unhealthy snacks. In

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ENGLISH

one literacy hour in Year 3 and 4, a teaching assistant demonstrated good subject knowledge and worked confidently with a group of six pupils so that they were keen and eager to learn to write and spell correctly.

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ENGLISH

89 The school has made good use of visiting authors, poets and storytellers to enhance pupils’ interest in writing and to help them improve. Pupils are able to apply their writing skills to good effect in subjects such as history and technology. Year 3 and 4 pupils are able to write coherently and neatly, in order to explain who the Romans were. They have written complex sentences through the good use of connecting words.

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ENGLISH

90 Standards in Year 6 spelling are below average. This is related to the way in which spelling is taught. In some classes pupils are given lists of spellings to learn, but less able pupils have too many words that are too difficult for them and this results in low scores. The school does not yet have a consistent approach to spelling in order to help improve the pupils’ ability to spell

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ENGLISH

91 The quality of teaching in English is always at least satisfactory, and often good throughout the school. A particular strength of the teaching is the very good implementation and organisation of the literacy hour, which is helping to ensure that activities in every part of the lesson are focused on the learning objectives. These objectives are shared with pupils so that they know what they are going to learn. All teachers have good knowledge and are confident in teaching the literacy strategy. Planning is good. In some lessons pupils do not have sufficient time to consolidate their skills during the group work part of the lesson and this is limiting their progress in reading and writing. Teachers mark work regularly and positively. However, this marking is not linked often enough to what pupils need to do to achieve the aims for what they will learn and this is limiting the opportunities to help pupils improve

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ENGLISH

92 Pupils behave well in English lessons. They usually listen attentively, are keen to answer questions and can work effectively without direct adult supervision. In a Year 1 literacy lesson, pupils were enthusiastic in their response to a rhyming story. This was because the teacher focused questions on individuals to make sure they understood how words rhyme and then played a circle game, which enabled all pupils to respond. This class was also able to work without direct adult supervision in small groups. They shared resources, helped each other and sustained their interest until they had completed their work. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 93 Leadership and management of English are strengths. The literacy co-ordinator has been instrumental in ensuring the strategy is embedded in the school. She monitors English using a wide range of strategies including observing lessons, checking planning, analysing test results and assessing

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ENGLISH

pupils’ work. This gives her a clear view of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject so that she knows what to do to secure the improvement in standards that is needed. Support for teachers has included school based training to address identified weaknesses in pupils’ learning and the allocation of a teaching assistant to every literacy lesson throughout the school. The literacy governor knows how well the school is doing and regularly reports back to the Governing Body. The school has rightly identified the need to improve the achievement of boys in English and has put in place a range of useful initiatives to resolve this problem. These initiatives have not yet begun to have an impact on test results and there is still a lot of work to be done in this area if the school is to continue to improve standards.

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MATHEMATICS

94 Standards in mathematics at the end of Year 2 have risen consistently in the last few years and at age seven pupils are reaching the standards of mathematics expected for their age. While standards of pupils aged eleven have also shown an improvement they are still below the national expectations. In both key stages girls perform significantly better than boys.

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MATHEMATICS

95 The teaching of mathematics is at least satisfactory and is often good. The improvements in mathematics reflect the teachers’ sound implementation of the national numeracy strategy and the very good use of the weekly plans the strategy produces. Teachers use their aims for the lesson very well, they share them both orally and in writing with the pupils and continually refer back to them during their teaching, which helps pupils to sustain a focus on their mathematics learning.

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MATHEMATICS

96 The use of classroom assistants is variable. They have a very positive effect on the subject when they are used to directly enhance the learning of pupils. They show good subject knowledge and an awareness of how they can keep children on task. There is some outstanding work by the classroom assistant in the reception class and some good work throughout the other two key stages. However, the impact on learning is less obvious when their role is reduced to one of passive observer or they do not support the teaching element of the lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

97 By the age of seven most children can add and subtract to 20 and beyond; they know about place value, simple 2 and 3-D shapes and a variety of measures. In a lesson in Year 2 pupils added 10 and 11 to given numbers and wrote and solved a variety of number sums. The more able pupils in Year 1 used a variety of coins to form given amounts of money and also worked out simple change with the aid of appropriate equipment. By the age of 11 pupils show a good knowledge of mathematical vocabulary and handle numbers with growing confidence. Year 6 children use the language of probability very well and can offer sensible suggestions as to where it could fit into daily life. In the Year 3 / 4 class pupils used real literature from the local supermarket to consolidate and expand their knowledge of money and simple addition and subtraction. All pupils demonstrated sound mental recall and an ability to use a range of written strategies.

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MATHEMATICS

98 There is still a significant minority of pupils in most year groups who work below the standard they should be and find it difficult to work independently. In all year groups learning is at its best when teachers plan interesting and well-matched tasks for pupils to do independently rather than spend too long introducing concepts or giving elaborate instructions. Teachers work very hard to find ways of keeping some pupils on task including the use of a variety of songs in Year 3 to consolidate pupils’ knowledge of the different vocabulary that can be used for addition and subtraction. In some lessons there is a lack of balance within the three-parts of the numeracy lesson. An over long introduction and a lengthy plenary sometimes result in too little time for independent work. This has resulted in a lack of problem solving skills or the use of mathematics. It also prevents the opportunity for more able pupils

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MATHEMATICS

St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School to develop their learning. The use of individual white boards to record their answers throughout the lesson, while providing instant assessment information, is not always effective as it results in no written records in pupils’ books to provide any long-term basis for assessment or revision. As a result there is less than expected recorded mathematics in the books of the pupils currently in Years 5 and 6 and in the books of the previous Year 6.

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MATHEMATICS

99 Most pupils throughout the school make sound progress. They have a positive attitude to the subject. They are eager to learn and take the opportunities presented to them well. There is however, a small number of pupils who are easily distracted and present challenging behaviour. For the most part these are well managed by a range of strategies. In some cases in both key stages, unsatisfactory behaviour has a detrimental effect on learning and standards not only of the individuals concerned but also the rest of the class. These pupils do not make the progress they should.

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MATHEMATICS

100 ICT is very well used to support numeracy throughout the school. The use of the interactive whiteboard as a teaching tool in Year 4 / 5 is outstanding and greatly enhances teaching and learning and the standards attained. In one lesson this was used to consolidate pupils’ mental recall of multiplication tables and also to give a very clear view of fractions on a number line. During its use pupils were completely involved and well motivated to work. The school has recently purchased an integrated learning system in the subject and it is being used to support learning in classes. The staff do not always ensure that pupils with special educational needs are placed on the right level on the program. In one lesson less able pupils were unable to read the instructions and so were unable to access the learning situations on the screen.

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MATHEMATICS

101 The management of the subject is good and it is impacting positively on standards. The school uses the data it receives from national and optional tests very well. The deputy head teacher analyses this to form stretching targets not only for the school but also individual children. Progress test data is shared with pupils and this ensures that they know what they have to do to improve. Day to day marking does not enhance this and at the moment offers no real feedback for improvement. It is often a simple tick or comment linked more to raising self esteem than pointing the way to future challenges or learning. There is a good range of suitable resources and these are very accessible and well stored and labelled. Monitoring in the subject is good; teachers’ planning, pupils’ books and lesson observations have all been used to ensure the objectives in the school improvement plan are being met.

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SCIENCE

102 Standards in science match those expected for pupils aged seven. At age 11 pupils’ standards match those expected for age for the knowledge and understanding of science. However standards in investigation and experimenting skills are below average. Pupils make satisfactory progress over time and standards have been improving gradually over the last three years. The school has made satisfactory progress in science since the last inspection and is aware of what needs to be done to lift standards in the future. Pupils with special educational needs in the support base make particularly good progress in science, which is due to the more practical, investigative approach to teaching the subject that their teachers use.

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SCIENCE

103 By the end of both Year 2 and Year 6, pupils have developed a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of science but their investigational and experimenting skills remain under developed. For example Year 1 pupils found out that plastic is the best material out of the four materials available to waterproof a house with, and understood what constitutes a fair test in order to arrive at this conclusion. However they did not actually carry out the investigation themselves. Instead, they watched their teacher carry out the experiment as a demonstration and so lost the opportunity to develop their own investigational skills. Pupils participated in a scientific experiment, for example, Year 2 pupils changed jelly from a solid to a liquid, then back to a solid and finally froze it, in order to investigate how materials changed. This was done well. In this way they experienced the processes first hand and were able to record them in an imaginative range of ways. Year 2 pupils

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SCIENCE

St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School are also tracking the growth of a baby, from his first visit at two weeks old to the visit during the inspection when the baby was five months old. Pupils compared the size of the clothing worn by the baby at each visit and were fascinated to discover that the rate of growth of the baby was far greater than their own rate of growth over the same period.

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SCIENCE

104 By the age of 11, pupils have a satisfactory understanding of the three states of matter, solids, liquids and gasses, and can describe boiling, evaporation and condensation using these concepts. Pupils in Year 4 wrapped ice cubes in five different materials and predicted which material would best insulate the ice cubes to make them melt more slowly. By planning, observing, timing and recording the experiment, pupils developed a good range of investigative scientific skills. They further extended their learning by testing which of the same materials would maintain the temperature of hot water for longer. Pupils were involved in a wide range of practical scientific activities, and so learning was improved and pupils made good progress in their understanding of forces. Unfortunately, most pupils do not carry out many investigations in science and the number of recorded activities is lower than

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SCIENCE

expected throughout the school. Much of the work for older pupils does not give them sufficient opportunities to work independently and to plan and organise their own investigations. This results in missed opportunities to challenge pupils, particularly the more able, and helps explain the low number of pupils achieving at a higher level in the national tests.

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SCIENCE

105 The quality of teaching is satisfactory. The teachers plan thoroughly and use a wide range of resources efficiently, including the deployment of classroom assistants, usually to support lower attaining pupils. However, the planning of work suited to the pupils’ differing abilities is not consistent throughout the school. When it does occur, it has a positive impact upon the progress pupils make in understanding. For example, in a Year 3/4 lesson, the teacher effectively planned for three classroom assistants and himself to work with four groups of pupils on a range of different activities. These were based on the care of teeth, with each group giving a short presentation on what they had learnt before moving to the next activity. To the pupils’ delight, the lesson concluded with the teacher giving a practical demonstration of brushing his own teeth. In all lessons teachers communicated the purpose of

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SCIENCE

the lesson clearly to the pupils and insisted that pupils use the correct scientific vocabulary. However, teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop and practise their numeracy skills, such as collecting data and recording it in graphs, or their literacy skills, such as writing up experiments, in science lessons. There was some misbehaviour in a Year 5/6 lesson resulting from pupils being asked to work on a research task on habitats and the environment that was too difficult for some of them but insufficiently challenging for others. Teachers often carry out good scientific demonstrations for the pupils, although opportunities for more challenging investigative work are not consistently provided. The school has recognised this and has produced guidelines and training for teachers to improve the current position. A good feature of teaching has been the willingness to build

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SCIENCE

visiting science theatre groups and the local travelling ‘Life Sciences Caravan’ into the curriculum.

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SCIENCE

106 The pupils’ attitudes are satisfactory. They listen well and respond enthusiastically to the teachers’ questions. Year 2 pupils produced a comprehensive list of questions about feeding and growth to ask the mother of the baby who visited them and were genuinely interested in her answers. Year 1 pupils were able to talk confidently about the properties of different materials and why some were more waterproof than others.

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SCIENCE

107 Recent initiatives, which include a full review of the subject and the appointment of a new co- ordinator, show that the school has recognised the need to improve science. Expertise from outside of school has been sought to improve teachers’ knowledge as an analysis of test results and teachers’ planning indicated weaknesses in the curriculum, particularly in investigative science. Planning is now checked prior to teaching and the senior staff monitor pupils’ books to ensure full coverage of the science curriculum. Additional time has been given for the co-ordinator to work alongside other teachers and the regular assessment of pupils’ investigative skills is to be introduced. These initiatives are new and their impact is yet to affect pupils’ standards. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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ART AND DESIGN

108 There has been a significant improvement in standards in art since the criticisms of the last report. It is now far more securely placed in the curriculum and very good cross curricular links have resulted in greater achievements that are now appropriate to the pupils’ ages. By the end of Years 2 and 6 standards match those expected for these age groups and progress across the whole school is sound.

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ART AND DESIGN

109 Teachers use the work of other artists well. For example Year 2 children were shown landscapes by Turner and Monet before they started their own work and were able to identify the horizon and create texture by colour mixing and correct brush technique. Similarly in Year 6, the surrealist paintings of Magritte were used as a basis for pupils’ own ideas as they prepared to create a three-dimensional collage using a variety of techniques including computer generated graphics.

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ART AND DESIGN

110 Teaching is satisfactory and has been enhanced by training delivered in response to the issues raised at the last inspection. Teachers have identified how skills should progress in the subject, which although in its early stages of development is having a positive impact on standards. In the lessons there was a lack of opportunity for pupils to develop their own creativity and tasks were often too controlled by the teacher. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good, though in a small number of cases an over emphasis on instruction and too much passive listening causes pupils to become restless.

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ART AND DESIGN

111 The full range of art techniques is used very well to create a bright and attractive internal environment in the school that celebrates the pupils’ work very well. Paintings of water lilies by Monet, that meet the standard of art expected for the pupils’ ages were in evidence in both Key Stage 1 and 2, while close observational drawings of musical instruments in the infant assessment class and Victorian artefacts in Year 4 / 5 show the sound progress that pupils make. Computer graphics packages are also used throughout the school and there is some good work in this area.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112 Although only a small amount of design technology was seen during the inspection the evidence from displays and plans, photographs and discussions with staff shows that standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with expectations for pupils aged seven and 11.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113 The impact of the EAZ has played a large part in the development of the subject. There has been a variety of projects used throughout the school including the current ‘Investigating Mysterious Objects’. The lessons in the project are planned in great detail and have very close ties with the literacy curriculum. Pupils enjoyed using these impressive materials to help them design a variety of different artefacts and which enabled them to examine the fitness for purpose of packaging. The demands in the project are focused on the design and evaluation aspects of the subject and less on the making. For example in Year 2 pupils examined a salt and pepper pot and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the design before they drew their own ideas and annotated their sketches.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114 High quality resources and well-targeted training for teachers has raised teachers’ expectations and confidence. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers use materials well and plan their lessons appropriately. They share their aims for the lesson with the pupils and they have sound subject knowledge. Teachers keep the pace of the lessons brisk and use questioning effectively to develop pupils’ learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115 Pupils are given a range of experiences in other areas of the subject such as fabric work and food technology. For example pupils with special educational needs enhanced their project on music making by creating shakers and selecting materials to place inside plastic cups. They also enjoyed putting decorative touches to their instruments using a variety of collage and paint effects. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 116 The school is aware of the need to expand the variety of experiences they offer pupils and these are highlighted in the school improvement plan. Classes throughout the school have the opportunity to undertake food technology in the recently refurbished food technology room and this has resulted in some interesting work about healthy foods and close links to the science curriculum. The subject is managed successfully.

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GEOGRAPHY

117 Standards have improved since the last inspection and match those expected for pupils at the ages of seven and 11. Progress is satisfactory across the school. No teaching was observed in this subject as geography and history are planned alternatively each term. Judgements are based upon the sample of pupils’ work from last year, the displays of pupils’ work around the school and in classrooms and discussions with the subject leader. There is a strong emphasis on location geography and enquiry and less clear progression with the development of geographical skills, particularly mapping skills. Teaching throughout the school is sound.

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GEOGRAPHY

118 Year 2 pupils confidently investigate ‘Where in the world is Beesley Bee” with a focus on Spain. This successfully modifies the Barnaby Bear scheme to give it a more local flavour. Further location work was completed in the summer term when the focus was Germany. In Year 1 pupils investigate satisfactorily the local environment around the school and suggest sensible ways to improve it. They can investigate aspects of Italy using a variety of source materials. Pupils take a pride in their work, which is presented in a satisfactory manner. Year 3 pupils successfully investigate weather around the world by looking at the equatorial rainforest, deserts, polar regions and make appropriate comparisons with the weather of Britain. This is in contrast with pupils’ work in Year 4 when they complete to a satisfactory standard a study of a village in India focusing on homes and lifestyle and using a range of resources including maps, plans and photographs.

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GEOGRAPHY

119 These earlier experiences are built upon in Year 5 where pupils make good progress in developing their mapping skills using a range of maps and plans of different scales as they do with their investigation of the River Tees.

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GEOGRAPHY

120 By the time they reach Year 6 pupils have experience of carrying out a range of investigations into weather patterns, contrasting locations and mapping which develop their geographical skills satisfactorily. Older pupils investigate the main physical features and towns, homes, lifestyle, food and religion of Japan and South Korea. Pupils appear interested and involved in their work with the quality of the presentation of their work being at least satisfactory and good in Year 5.

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GEOGRAPHY

121 The subject leader effectively manages the subject and has a clear understanding of the main priorities for geography. Recent national guidance has been effectively adapted for teachers and the development of resource boxes for each aspect of geography is developing confidence for staff. A useful system for assessing and recording pupil work has been developed, which is being expanded to cover mapping skills. The coordinator’s scrutiny of teachers’ planning is an effective method of checking the progress of the subject across the school. This subject is contributing to the school’s initiative to raise the attainment of boys through the whole school World Cup project. There needs, however to be a greater emphasis on the progressive development of geographical skills across the school, particularly mapping skills. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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HISTORY

122 Standards have improved since the last inspection and now match those expected for pupils at the ages of seven and 11. This reflects the good and sometimes very good teaching in all classes so that most pupils, including the boys, make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported with appropriate tasks and questions to enable them to do well. All teachers are confident in this subject and plan interesting activities that the pupils enjoy so that they want to do well. The variety of tasks and well paced lessons contribute to the good progress. Outside locations are used to good effect as a source of information for some of the topics in the history curriculum.

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HISTORY

123 Teachers in Years 1 and 2 resource lessons well and have a good range of historical objects that are used effectively in lessons. In Year 1 pupils are developing effective skills in observing household objects from the past and are learning to ask key questions. In another lesson they were helped by support staff and identified and sequenced older and newer teddy bears in order of age. In this lesson there was good development of the correct vocabulary such as ‘old’, ‘older’ and ‘oldest’. In Year 2 pupils are developing an understanding of the Fire of London through eyewitness accounts and the diary of Samuel Pepys. Pupils enjoy their lessons and want to do well. They listen to the teachers and respond eagerly to teachers’ questions. Behaviour is always good and sometimes very good. The many historical objects are examined closely and handled with care.

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HISTORY

124 In Years 3 to 6 teachers also present a good range of interesting and investigative activities to challenge pupils. Pupils in Year 3/4 confidently investigated a range of objects from Roman times, used Roman numerals and played Roman games. Year 4/5 pupils have obviously benefited from their visit to the Victorian classroom and can recall many of the key features of a lesson from that time. There is good development of appropriate vocabulary in all lessons. Year 5/6 pupils are able to investigate effectively a range of objects from real people as part the development of their deductive skills. This activity links well to their study “How do we know about the Pharaohs”. Pupils are interested and involved in their work and behaviour is good in most lessons. There is particularly good progress when the pace of lessons is brisk and pupils of different abilities are challenged with a range of different

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HISTORY

125 Teaching is always good and sometimes very good. Teachers plan their lessons well and have clear objectives that they share with pupils. Lessons are well managed with support staff working confidently and being used effectively. Pupils are presented with a good range of stimulating activities to maintain their interest. There is often effective questioning in lessons with the teacher posing additional questions to enable pupils to progress even further. Lessons are particularly good when the teacher calls the class together at the end of the lesson to review what has been learned.

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HISTORY

126 The subject leader for history provides good leadership and management. Recent national guidance has been adapted effectively for teachers and the development of resource boxes for each topic offers a good means of support for staff. A useful system for assessing and recording pupils’ work has been developed. The scrutiny of teacher planning is an effective method of checking the progress of the subject across the school as the co-ordinator can identify resource implications and particular areas in need of support. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127 Standards in ICT are above those expected at the age of seven and are well above those expected nationally of pupils aged 11. Standards are improving rapidly throughout the school, from the nursery onwards this is due to the excellent leadership and management of the subject, the substantial staff training that has taken place and the purchasing of high quality hardware and software through the additional funding that the EAZ has provided. The combination of these factors has had a very good impact upon standards since the last inspection and has led to a substantial improvement in the school’s provision of ICT. Pupils are achieving very well and are making very good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128 By Year 2, the pupils use both the keyboard and the mouse confidently to operate word processing, drawing and data handling programs. Year 1 pupils logged on individually and confidently to the network in order to use a graphics program. They could then drag, drop and label on-screen body parts in order to create a face. The pupils were well taught by the teacher who used an electronic white board to support the lesson. After completing the task and editing any errors, the pupils saved their work to their own work file. The pupils’ ICT skills are developed systematically throughout the school, with the use of the programmable robot being a good example of this. Year 1 pupils programmed the robot with simple forward and backward instructions to make it move around a ‘Treasure Island’ map to find treasure. Year 2 pupils are able to pre-programme the robot to move through a right angle and a square and Year 4 pupils use an on-screen version of the robot to draw

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

complicated ‘Crystal Flower’ diagrams, which use some of the robot’s more advanced functions. Tasks which cater for the ability levels of different children are often set. When using a program to collect data and draw graphs of ‘How We Get To School’, Year1 pupils recorded their information with simple pictures of buses, cars and people walking, others used a more advanced bar-chart whilst a third group recorded their information in a pie-chart with a colour key to represent the different forms of transport. Most importantly, all the pupils were able to develop their computer skills using the program.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129 By Year 6, the pupils are exhibiting a wide range of ICT skills and are working at well above average level as they combine these skills to meet the challenging tasks set by the teachers. A group of Year 6 pupils trawled the Internet for information on the artist Henry Moore and downloaded pictures and text about his life and work. This information was then put onto a multimedia presentation program to show to the rest of the class. The presentation included sound and images and links to other parts of the presentation so that pupils could find their own route through the information. Year 5 pupils used spreadsheets to work out the best way for obtaining the most pocket money: starting with 50p and increase the amount by 50p each week over twelve weeks or start with a penny in the first week and double the amount for the same twelve week period. This work provided good links with mathematics and gave the pupils the opportunity to develop their spreadsheet by trying different

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

starting amounts, such as 2p and £1, and working out the results. The pupils enjoy challenges such as this because their basic ICT skills levels are very good and they are already experienced in using computers confidently to solve problems and challenges. The Year 5/6 pupils prepared the first page of their multimedia presentation, ‘My Joke!’ and they responded enthusiastically to the task by working co-operatively and intensively through a wide range of options and choices in a short period of time to achieve the result they wanted. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 130 The school has made very good progress in developing the use of ICT across the whole curriculum, which is one of the targets of the EAZ. When teachers use the additional mathematics and English software effectively and match it closely to the pupils’ abilities, then good progress is made and the pupils’ learning is enhanced by the new technology. Where the program is not matched to the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

ability of the pupils, for example a lesson involving pupils with special educational needs, the pupils cannot read the instructions on screen, do not understand the questions and simply guess at the answers. A key feature of EAZ strategy is the loan of laptop computers to older pupils, which enables them to use additional mathematics and English software at home. Parents have also been taught how to use this software. In the rest of the curriculum and throughout the whole school, the effective use of ICT was noted in science, geography, history, art and design and design technology.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

131 The teaching overall is very good, and at times, excellent. Very good use is made of the computer suite throughout the week and the teachers use the new technology, such as the interactive whiteboards, successfully, to bring a new dimension to their work. In a Year 4/5 mathematics lesson on equivalent fractions the teacher used the electronic whiteboard to create an excellent visual presentation of the processes involved and, as a consequence, enabled a greater number of pupils to make better progress than would normally have been expected.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

132 The ICT co-ordinator provides excellent leadership. Her enthusiasm and expertise is evident in all areas of the subject and she has been selected to take part in the Toshiba/University of Manchester National Best Practice award scheme. She has a thorough knowledge of the ICT curriculum and regularly leads and co-ordinates staff training. Her leadership is the driving force behind the school’s rapid improvement in standards. The ICT scheme of work and assessment procedures are both based on the detailed ‘Northern Grid for Learning’ model and provide an effective structure for the development and assessment of the pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. The recording of pupils’ work on personal files on the network is evident throughout the school and the co-ordinator maintains a highly detailed portfolio of pupils’ work which is well used to highlight the standards expected in each of the ICT units of work.

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MUSIC

133 Standards in music are in line with what is expected of pupils at Year 2 and Year 6. Music provision is enhanced by the involvement of the local education authority music service and by the school’s own extra-curricular activities, such as choir, recorders and brass instrument tuition. This provision gives pupils access to specialist teachers of music. Whilst good progress in learning was seen during lessons, progress over time has only been satisfactory, because teachers do not know sufficiently well enough what pupils know, understand and can do. Whilst pupils with special educational needs are well supported by teaching assistants, those who are more able are insufficiently challenged. Singing in assemblies is of an average standard.

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MUSIC

134 By the age of seven, pupils can clap or play a percussion instrument with a steady beat, keeping in time with each other and the teacher. They understand loud and soft and can play their instruments accordingly. Pupils are beginning to use the correct vocabulary to describe sounds and how they are made. They can name some of the instruments they play such as triangle, drum, guiro and castanets. Pupils with special educational needs made good progress controlling sound, making it louder or softer and following the teacher’s signals. They can also sing in unison reasonably well, although this is difficult when they are unaccompanied. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School 135 By the age of 11, pupils can play a range of un-tuned instruments following a simple rhythmic pattern. They sing enthusiastically and in tune, learning new songs quickly. Many pupils know about

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MUSIC

pitch and practise and improve their singing performance. They are developing a strong sense of pulse. Most pupils listen attentively and are beginning to develop their aural memory. In assemblies they are given opportunities to listen to a range of recorded music by different composers.

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MUSIC

136 The teaching is often very good. This is because a specialist music consultant from the local authority teaches most lessons. This teaching was characterised by lessons that were well planned to meet the learning needs of the curriculum and to challenge and inspire pupils to listen and perform to the best of their ability. There was excellent pace in each lesson, with the teacher moving effortlessly from one activity to the next and with no opportunity for pupils to lose interest. Pupils joined in enthusiastically and all made rapid progress within the lesson.

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MUSIC

137 The management of music is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has produced an action plan, although this could be developed further so that the actions reflect the schools aim to improve the quality of teaching and learning in music. The school has yet to develop its music planning in order to ensure that all pupils make better progress in skills, knowledge and understanding over time. There is a good display of musical instruments in the music studio, which are stored well for easy access. These resources will need to be updated in order to better meet the requirements of the national curriculum, in particular links with ICT.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138 Standards in physical education for pupils at the ages of both seven and 11 match the standards expected of pupils in these age groups. This is an improvement on the last inspection which found that standards were ‘varied’ across the school. All areas of the physical education curriculum are covered and pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning. Standards in swimming are good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139 In all lessons observed, pupils engage in a warm up and limbering session to ensure that they are ready to exercise and useful teaching points about increasing the pulse rate and stretching cold muscles are made. All pupils are included in lessons and show good levels of confidence. Some teachers know their pupils’ specific strengths and which skills need further development and, as a result, those pupils who have special educational needs make good progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140 Year 1 pupils are able to link three stretching and curling movements together to form a sequence in gymnastics and can already throw and catch a ball well in a games lesson. However, the more able pupils were not offered greater challenges in order to develop their ball skills further and, as a consequence, simply threw and bounced their footballs harder and further. Year4/5 pupils can dribble a basketball skilfully with either hand, and Year 5/6 pupils are starting to understand some of the tactics necessary to play competitive basketball, such as team formations and positions and how to make the best use of space on court. Pupils in the support base show a good range of movements, both improvised and taught, in a dance lesson involving different types of music and work well with their partners in a country dance that will be performed to the rest of school. St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141 The quality of teaching is good. For example in a Year 4/5 basketball games lesson, good progress is made by pupils. They are encouraged to practice their individual ball skills at the start of the lesson, then develop them in a small game and finally apply the skills in full size, five a side matches. There were good teacher demonstrations that improved the pupils’ understanding in both of the basketball lessons and in the support base dance lesson. In a Year 1 gymnastics lesson, pupils were encouraged to observe and evaluate each other’s movement sequences, which they did positively and constructively. Teaching is less effective when the number of activities planned is low and pupils spend a long time listening to instructions, or when the range of activities is narrow and does not cater for those pupils with more advanced skills. This problem is increased by the school’s under developed system for assessment in physical education which leads to a lack of teacher knowledge of what pupils

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142 Pupils generally enjoy physical education and particularly like games lessons when a competitive element is introduced. The behaviour of the younger pupils is often good and they concentrate hard on improving their performance in the lesson. In both the Year 4/5 and Year 5/6 basketball lessons, although the general response was positive, a small minority of pupils were inattentive and provoked petty squabbles with other class members.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143 The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular sporting activities such as netball, football, gymnastics, dance and basketball and good sporting links have been established with other local schools. This is having a positive impact upon the pupils’ skills in physical education and upon their personal development. In the after-school basketball session, the pupils behaved well and were able to further develop the skills taught in the previous day’s games lesson. The teacher’s technical knowledge was satisfactory and she corrected some of the pupils’ misunderstandings of the rules of the game. Resources are good and the school has benefited from a ‘Sport For All’ Lottery grant to purchase coaching time and high quality basketball equipment. Older pupils are offered the opportunity to participate in a number of residential outdoor activity courses at the Carlton Educational Centre and Peat Rigg Outdoor Activity Centre, where they experience team building and problem solving activities

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

and participate in a number of outdoor activity challenges, which help them to develop their social skills and to learn to co-operate.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

144 The subject co-ordinator is knowledgeable and has a positive impact upon standards in the school. There are, however, limited opportunities for her to monitor physical education lessons across the school. The PE scheme of work is satisfactory and all staff have received recent training in dance and gymnastics, with the co-ordinator receiving additional training in the teaching of tag rugby. Visitors to the school, such as Middlesbrough FC to coach football, make a positive contribution to the curriculum and to the pupils’ social development.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145 Standards in religious education match those expected for pupils at the ages of seven and 11 as identified in the syllabus taught in the Stockton Local Education Authority schools. This reflects the mainly good teaching in many classes. Most pupils are making satisfactory progress and both boys and girls contribute well to class discussions. Many teachers are confident in this subject and plan some interesting activities that are closely linked to the age and experiences of the pupils. Pupils enjoy what they are doing and want to do well.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146 Teachers in Year 1 and 2 provide a range of interesting activities to stimulate discussion with pupils. In Year 1 pupils have remembered about their visit to the local church and are keen to enter into a discussion about the visit. Many can link this visit to their own special place. They are beginning to develop effective skills for looking at the main features of a church. In another lesson they explained a variety of crops that the teacher had brought and were beginning to understand what harvest time means to Christians. There were good opportunities in this lesson for pupils to develop an St John the Baptist C of E Voluntary Controlled Primary School understanding of the key aspects of Christianity including its main festivals, the life of Jesus and Christian values. They also learn satisfactorily about how Jewish people express their faith as well as the main celebrations of Judaism. Pupils enjoy their lessons and try hard to do well. Many respond

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

eagerly to teachers’ questions as they have listened carefully and this enables effective discussion to take place. Behaviour is always satisfactory and sometimes good. In discussion pupils listen well to each other and respect each other’s contributions about their own special place.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147 In Years 3 to 6 there are some interesting activities to challenge pupils but these are not yet fully developed across the school. Year 3 pupils make satisfactory progress in investigating the key events in the life of Jesus. They are also able to investigate satisfactorily the main traditions of Hinduism and the Hindu community. Pupils in Year 4/5 discussed the story of John the Baptist in a satisfactory manner and with teacher support, listed the main features of his life. In Year 5 there is good progress in understanding the impact of Christianity on people’s lives and the main teachings of Islam. Pupils in Year 6 investigate satisfactorily the impact of religion upon their own lives. They are learning to use the appropriate religious vocabulary as they move through the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148 Teaching is good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2. Some teachers plan their lessons well and have clear aims that are shared with pupils. However, lessons are not always linked to pupils’ experiences nor do they contain planned opportunities for spiritual reflection. Lessons are however, well managed with support staff working confidently and deployed effectively. Some teachers present pupils with a good range of different stimulating activities to maintain their interest but this is more variable at Key Stage 2. There is sometimes effective questioning in lessons with the teacher posing additional questions to enable pupils to progress even further. Lessons are particularly good when the teachers call the class together at the end of the lesson to review what has been learned.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149 The subject leader for religious education provides good leadership and management. Recent national guidance has been effectively adapted to meet the requirements of that provided locally and consequently yearly and termly planning is good. This provides a firm base for teachers to plan their lessons. An effective system for assessing and recording pupils’ work has been developed. The termly scrutiny of teachers’ planning is a useful method of checking the progress of the subject across the school as particular areas for support can be identified quickly. There are planned opportunities for visitors and outside visits to local churches, a mosque and a mandir which add depth to the curriculum.

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