Penpol School

PENPOL COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 26 th June 2003

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PENPOL COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 247153 Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Penpol Community Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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PENPOL COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Penpol Community Primary School St George's Road HAYLE Cornwall Postcode: TR27 4AH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Email address: head@penpol.cornwall.sch.uk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Barbara Daniel

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 3 rd November 1997 Penpol Community Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

28899 Mr G R Sims Registered inspector Information and communication technology What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 19639 Mrs G Anderson 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? 31819 Mrs S Duggins Team inspector Science Music Religious education Areas of learning in the Foundation Stage 13307 Mr R I Hancock Team inspector English Geography History English as an additional language How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

24528 Mr G Muton Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology Physical education Special educational needs Educational inclusion

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Full Circle division of Parkman The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT Penpol Community Primary School - 5 Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway LONDON WC2B 6SE Penpol Community Primary School - 6

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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? 13

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Penpol Community Primary School is one of two primary schools serving the town of Hayle in southwest Cornwall. It has 321 boys and girls on roll between the ages of four and 11, including 19 part-time children in the reception class, and is larger than most primary schools. It is a popular school and is over-subscribed. With a few exceptions, pupils come from the town of Hayle, where national statistics show that socio-economic circumstances are well below the national average and the incidence of child poverty is very high. Very few pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds, and no pupil is at an early stage of learning English. The percentage of pupils who join or leave the school, other than at the usual times of joining or leaving, is below average. Around 14 per cent of the pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is broadly average. Sixteen per cent of the pupils have

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

been identified as having special educational needs, which is average. Thirty pupils receive help from outside specialists for a range of needs, the most predominant being for moderate learning difficulties. Seven pupils have Statements of Special Educational Need. Children are admitted into the reception class in September on a part-time basis as four-year-olds and attend full time at the beginning of the term in which they become five. The attainment of children when they start school varies considerably, but is generally well below average. Since the last inspection, the school has appointed a new headteacher and deputy headteacher, and various modifications have been made to the school buildings.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Penpol Community Primary School is a good school with a number of outstanding features. Over the last two years, the new headteacher has provided excellent leadership, setting high expectations and giving the school a very strong impetus for improvement. A decline in standards in the infants has been halted. There is good teaching throughout the school, and pupils are now making good progress to achieve average standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 from a well below average starting point. The school has a real buzz; pupils are motivated and well-behaved, teaching and support staff are committed and enthusiastic, key staff are innovative, and the general ethos is very positive. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The headteacher has a very clear vision for the development of the school and, with very good support from the deputy and assistant headteachers, provides excellent leadership. • The school is improving rapidly in many areas and has made some particularly good improvements since the last inspection. The use of information and communication technology is now excellent. • The overall quality of the teaching is good. As a result, pupils are making good progress throughout the school, and standards in English, mathematics and science are improving. • The school provides a rich, exciting and vibrant curriculum. As a result, pupils achieve above average standards in art and design, design and technology, music, physical education and religious education and very high standards in information and communication technology. • The staff make very good provision for pupils’ personal development, and provision for

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

their spiritual development is excellent. Pupils feel highly valued and, in turn, value what the school offers them. • Pupils show very positive attitudes towards school and their work. Relationships throughout the school are very good. Pupils behave well, and become increasingly Penpol Community Primary School - 8 mature and responsible.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The consistency of the teaching. • The role of subject coordinators in monitoring teaching and learning. • Some aspects of the school’s accommodation, particularly the school hall and the temporary classrooms. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents and carers of pupils in the school.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been a very good degree of improvement since the last inspection, particularly over the last two years. The school tackled its previous key issues well and improvements have been made in the following areas: the daily act of collective worship; staff appraisal; procedures for assessment; governors’ understanding; design and technology and mathematics. The quality of the teaching has improved, particularly in the junior part of the school, although there is still room for greater consistency to bring satisfactory teaching up to the quality of the very good teaching, which is evident in a number of classes. Coordinators are responding well to the expectation for them to lead developments within their subject areas, but they are not yet sufficiently involved in monitoring the quality of teaching throughout the school. Standards at the end of Year 6 have improved, and the school has received two

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

‘School Achievement Awards’ for the improvement in its National Curriculum test results. Improvements have been made to the school’s accommodation and outdoor facilities, creating an exciting and vibrant learning environment, which is spoilt only by the inadequacy of the school’s hall and temporary classrooms. The new headteacher has significantly improved many of the school’s procedures and provided a very clear focus on the importance of improving teaching and learning. The staff are supportive of the school’s new direction and there is very good capacity for further improvement. Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the outstanding improvement in the school’s provision for, and use of, information and communication technology, which now permeates every area of the school and is making a significant contribution to raising standards and celebrating pupils’ achievements.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

all schools similar schools 1 Performance in:

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STANDARDS

English D B N/A N/A Very high A* Well above average A Above average B Average C Below average D Well below average E Very low E*

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STANDARDS

1 The school’s results are compared both to the national average (ie the average of the results of all schools in England, where pupils took National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Year 6) and to the average for similar schools (ie the average of the results for all schools whose pupils come from similar socio-economic backgrounds, determined by the eligibility of pupils within the school to receive free school meals). Penpol Community Primary School - 9 Mathematics C D D D

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STANDARDS

National test results at the end of Year 6: In 2002, the school’s national test results were below the national average, and the average for similar schools, in mathematics and well below average in science. The pupils sat their tests for English, but the examining authorities lost the school’s scripts, so no results are available. Although the school’s results have fluctuated over the last three years, the latest available results show significant improvement in all three subjects since the last inspection. The school achieved its targets in 2002 and has set appropriately challenging targets for the current year. National test results at the end of Year 2: The school’s results were well below the national average, and the average for similar schools, in reading and writing, and below average in mathematics. Since the last inspection, standards have risen in mathematics and fallen in reading and writing, but the

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STANDARDS

provisional results for 2003 show a significant improvement in reading and writing and a further small improvement in mathematics.

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STANDARDS

Inspection findings: The attainment of children when they start school varies considerably, but is generally well below average, particularly in the areas of language and personal development. The children make very good progress in the reception, and most of them reach the expected standards in almost all areas of learning by the time they start Year 1. Pupils of all capabilities make good progress overall from Years 1 to 5 and particularly good progress in Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards their individual targets. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain average standards in English, mathematics and science. Standards have improved since the 2002 tests, reflecting changes in staffing over the last two years, better teaching and a stronger focus on standards. By the end of Year 6, standards are average in English and science and below average in mathematics, but the picture is improving. An increasing proportion of pupils

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STANDARDS

exceed national expectations, although the current Year 6 also contains a large proportion of pupils with special educational needs who are working below the expected level in all three subjects. By the time they leave the school, pupils have satisfactory literacy and numeracy skills. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils attain average standards in history and geography, and above average standards in art and design, design and technology, music, physical education and religious education, reflecting the rich and creative curriculum provided for the pupils. Standards in information and communication technology are well above average by the end of Year 2 and exceptionally good by the end of Year 6.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils respond very well to the very good range of learning opportunities provided by the school. They are keen and enthusiastic. Their attitudes become more positive and appreciative as they move through the school. By Year 6, the attitudes of many are excellent. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Although many children do not enter the school with well- developed social skills, they quickly learn what is expected of them. In many lessons, particularly in the classes for older pupils, the pupils’ behaviour is very good. The pupils’ behaviour around the school is good and, in assemblies, it is exemplary. Personal development and Very good. Pupils make very good progress in their personal development as they move through the school. Relationships are Penpol Community Primary School - 10 relationships very good. Many collaborative activities build pupils’ self-esteem and

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

their ability to work with others. The school is a very trusting community, and pupils respond very well to this trust. Attendance Good. Pupils are keen to come to school and arrive punctually. The level of attendance is above the national average, and unauthorised absence is minimal.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of the teaching ranges from satisfactory to excellent. Overall, it is good. The combination of good teaching, the pupils’ very positive attitudes and the rich, and often imaginative, learning opportunities offered in many subjects, results in good learning and pupils whose overall progress through the school is good. Lessons are planned carefully, and teachers generally cater well for pupils of all capabilities. The satisfactory teaching in some lessons is not always consistent with the good, or very good, quality in other classes. Elements of teachers’ planning, their expectations, the timing of lessons and the way they involve all pupils are aspects which could be improved. The quality of teaching in English is good and has improved significantly this year as a result of the recent focus given to the subject. This has resulted in noticeable improvements in the standards attained at the end of

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Year 2 and some examples of outstanding work from more able pupils in Year 6. The teachers pay good attention to developing pupils’ literacy skills in other subjects, although they do not always consolidate their good teaching by setting targets or helping pupils to understand how they could improve when marking pupils’ work. The teaching of mathematics is good and some imaginative activities are provided for pupils to develop their numeracy skills through other subjects. Some English and mathematics lessons, however, are unnecessarily long. In other subjects, there is a significant amount of very good, and some excellent, teaching, which results in some exceptionally good-quality work in subjects such as art and design in Years 1 and 2 and design and technology in Year 6. Teachers use their areas of particular expertise very well, resulting in very high standards in some aspects of music, excellent provision for, and use of, information and communication technology, and

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

a creative and imaginative learning environment for children in the reception and Year 1.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The school provides a rich, varied and well- balanced curriculum, which fully meets statutory requirements. The school provides an excellent range of special activities, musical performances, sporting opportunities, visits to places of interest and extra-curricular activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Teachers and teaching assistants provide good support for pupils with special educational needs. The quality of pupils’ individual education plans is generally good, although some targets are not specific enough. Provision for pupils’ Very good. Some excellent assemblies, opportunities for awe Penpol Community Primary School - 11 personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and wonder in many lessons, and the way the school values pupils’ work contribute to the excellent provision for pupils’

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

spiritual development. Provision for their moral and social development is very good, and for cultural development is good. Pupils from different backgrounds are well-integrated members of the community. Penpol Community Primary School - 12 How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Staff know the pupils very well, treat them with care and consideration and pay very good attention to their welfare, health and safety. Good assessment procedures are used well to keep track of pupils’ progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school works in partnership with parents Good. The school keeps parents well informed about their children’s progress and school events. Some of the information produced for parents is excellent. The school seeks to involve all parents, although some rarely respond.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and has instigated many improvements. With the vision of the headteacher, the excellent initiatives introduced by the deputy headteacher and the very good management skills of the assistant headteacher, the senior management team provides very strong leadership. Subject coordinators are now also taking a greater leadership role. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors fulfil their statutory obligations well. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and have provided very good support in helping the headteacher provide a much clearer focus on teaching and learning. They maintain a careful overview of the finances. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The headteacher has introduced very good procedures

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

for senior staff to monitor and evaluate the school’s performance, with a very clear focus on raising standards in English and mathematics. Procedures for improving teachers’ performance are effective. Subject coordinators do not have sufficient opportunity to monitor teaching and learning within their subject areas. The strategic use of resources Very good. The school’s finances are managed very efficiently. Resources and accommodation are used effectively. The school has very good procedures to ensure best value. It compares its performance rigorously with other schools, consults widely, and ensures that its funding and specific grants are spent in the most cost-effective way. Excellent use is made of new technology. Adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources Satisfactory overall. The school has an adequate number of appropriately qualified teachers and a good number of capable support staff. The school is well resourced. Most of the

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

accommodation is adequate, but the hall is far too small for its purposes and the temporary classrooms are in poor condition. Penpol Community Primary School - 13

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The friendly ethos of the school. Their children really enjoy coming to school. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The quality of the teaching. Their children are receiving a well-rounded education. • Their children are expected to work hard and are making good progress. • The school is led and managed well. • The range of activities provided outside lessons. • The amount of homework. • The information they receive about how well their children are getting on.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

[The views of parents are based on those expressed by the 27 parents who attended the parents’ meeting and the 196 parents (61per cent) who returned the parents’ questionnaire, some of whom also added their own written comments]

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection findings endorse all of the positive views expressed by parents. The school provides some excellent general information to parents and keeps them very well informed about what is happening. The annual reports to parents about their children’s progress could be improved, as they rarely contain information on what a child needs to do to improve. Parents’ views on homework vary. Some feel the school provides a good balance. Others feel that it is not consistent enough and varies from class to class. The school acknowledges the need to ensure greater consistency from class to class in setting homework . Penpol Community Primary School - 14

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The school’s results and achievements

1. In the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2002, the school’s results in reading and writing were well below the national average and the average for similar schools. In mathematics, they were below average. The range of attainment in all three tests in 2002 was very wide. In reading, one in five pupils exceeded the national expectation by achieving Level 3 2 , but a similar proportion, much higher than in most schools, only achieved Level 1, which is below the national expectation. In writing, over half of the pupils achieved either below, or at the lowest end of, the nationally expected level. In mathematics, most pupils achieved the expected Level 2, and almost a quarter achieved the higher Level 3. The trend in reading and writing since the last inspection, has been downward, and the 2002 results were lower than those achieved at the time of the last inspection. In contrast, standards in mathematics have risen for the last four

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The school’s results and achievements

years, and were only marginally below the national average in 2002. The school is well aware of weaknesses in pupils’ attainment in English and has been working hard to bring about improvement. Preliminary results from the national tests in 2003 show that these efforts have been successful, with a significant improvement on the previous year’s results, particularly in writing, and accord with the inspection findings, which show that the standards achieved by pupils in the current Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics are now average.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The national test results at the end of Year 6 in 2002 were below the national average and the average for similar schools in mathematics, and well below average in science. No results were available for English as the examining authorities lost the school’s scripts. Although these results do not appear particularly impressive, there has been good improvement since the last inspection. In 2001, the school’s results were above the national average and, on the basis of these results, standards in English have risen much more than in most schools. In mathematics, the improvement trend is similar to the national trend. The results in science in 2002 were lower than those achieved in 2000, but still represented a significant improvement over those achieved at the time of the last inspection. The school received a School Achievement Award in 2000 and 2001 for the improvement in its results. Standards are higher now in all three subjects

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The school’s results and achievements

than they were at the time of the last inspection, and evidence from the inspection shows that they are continuing to improve. Although standards are still below average in mathematics, pupils are now achieving average standards in English and science, and an increasing proportion of pupils now exceed the national expectations.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. In 2002, the school achieved its targets in mathematics and, according to the teachers’ assessments, in English. More challenging targets have been set for 2003, indicative of the school’s drive to raise standards wherever possible. The results of boys and girls are very similar in mathematics and science, although girls achieve better results than boys at the end of Year 2 in reading and writing, and were achieving better results in English up until 2001. The school has been very aware of these differences and, this year, has worked hard to improve the performance of boys in writing in particular, for

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The school’s results and achievements

2 The standard of pupils’ work is assessed against National Curriculum Levels. The national expectation for each subject is that pupils should be working comfortably at Level 2 by the end of Year 2, and at Level 4 by the end of Year 6. Penpol Community Primary School - 15 example, through the week-long involvement of a male author, whose presence in the school proved to be motivational for both boys and girls. There are no groups of pupils in the school whose achievement is less than satisfactory. The small number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds are very well integrated members of the community who achieve equally as well as, and in some cases better than, their classmates. Pupils with special educational needs often make good progress and some make very good progress in specific areas of their work. The academic achievements of some pupils is limited owing to their particularly acute learning difficulties. However, although

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The school’s results and achievements

they may be working at a lower level of attainment, the progress of pupils with special educational needs is good overall

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Children enter the reception classes with a wide range of attainment, but overall standards of attainment on entry to the school are well below average. Because of the very good range of resources and lively, interesting activities based on practical experiences, combined with good, and at times very good, teaching, the children make very good progress in their learning and achieve very well. By the time the children enter Year 1, they generally reach the standards expected for their age group. They make particularly good progress in their personal, social and emotional development, and many children exceed expectations for this area of learning by the end of their year in the reception. The weakest area of learning is communication, language and literacy, which reflects the fact that many children enter the school with very poorly developed language skills. Despite good progress, few children achieve all of the expected goals

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The school’s results and achievements

for this area of learning by the end of the reception. Children make very good progress in their physical development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world, reflecting the strong emphasis given to these aspects of their learning.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Pupils make good progress in English throughout the school and achieve well. By the end of Years 2 and 6, standards in reading, speaking and listening are average. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills, which are poorly developed when they start school. A wide range of activities, such as role play and opportunities for speaking in public, helps pupils to develop their confidence as they move through the school. Pupils’ confidence also develops well in reading, and many pupils become fluent readers by the end of Year 6. Initiatives, such as the recent visit by an author, have significantly raised pupils’ interest in reading throughout the school. The biggest improvements have been made in writing, where standards have improved from well below average to average at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils are achieving well because they are being given more opportunities for

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The school’s results and achievements

extended writing in many subjects. By the end of Year 6, pupils use a wide range of styles and write for a range of audiences and purposes. In the best instances, they write imaginatively and use punctuation and grammar well. However, pupils’ spelling is often weak.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Standards in mathematics are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and are slightly below average by the end of Year 6. Standards have improved at both key stages 3 since the last inspection, and pupils are making good progress throughout the

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The school’s results and achievements

3 The words ‘Key Stage’ refer to the different stages of learning in schools. Children start school in the Foundation Stage, which caters for children aged 3 to 5 and generally refers to children who are in the nursery, reception or Early Years classes. Key Stage 1 is the first stage of compulsory primary education. It caters for pupils aged five to seven and refers to pupils who are in Years 1 and 2. Key Stage 1 is also frequently synonymous with the term Infants. Key Stage 2 is the second stage of primary education. It caters for pupils aged seven to 11 and refers to pupils who are in Years 3 to 6. Key Stage 2 is also frequently synonymous with the term Juniors. At the age of 11, pupils start Key Stage 3, which marks the beginning of their secondary education. Penpol Community Primary School - 16 school. Standards are improving similarly in science and pupils achieve average standards at the end of Years 2 and 6. The school has recently placed greater

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The school’s results and achievements

emphasis on practical experiences to enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding and this has been successful in developing pupils’ skills of enquiry and stimulating their interest.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Whilst standards in the core subjects 4 are improving, the school’s real strengths lie in some of the foundation subjects 5 . Standards in both art and design and design and technology are above average at the end of Years 2 and 6, and there are some examples of exceptional work in these subjects. In Key Stage 1, for example, three- dimensional work is a particularly strong feature of pupils’ work in art and design. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ understanding of wider aspects of design and technology is enhanced through their involvement in producing large construction projects, such as a three-metre-high skeletal model of the Greek Parthenon constructed one afternoon during the inspection, and the project to design and build a dream house, which was of exceptional quality for primary-school pupils.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Standards in history are in line with national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards are similar in geography and are above those expected in religious education, having improved significantly in both subjects since the last inspection. There are real strengths in pupils’ achievements in music and physical education and standards are above average in both subjects by the end of Years 2 and 6. An excellent range of extra-curricular sporting activities and participation in a large number of events and competitions contribute significantly to the good progress made in developing pupils’ abilities to combine skills and techniques in games activities. Similarly, the importance given to musical activities, a very strong choir, a school band and major musical productions each year lead to the outstandingly good achievement of some pupils in music.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. The most significant area of improvement has been in information and communication technology, where standards have improved from below average at the time of the last inspection to standards which are very much higher than those found in most schools. Pupils’ achievements in information and communication technology are excellent, fuelled by the importance given to the subject, the excellent range of learning opportunities, good teaching and the expertise and very high expectations of the subject coordinator.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. As the school provides a curriculum which is full of creative and interesting learning opportunities and pupils’ work and achievements are celebrated, particularly through the excellent displays in every class, pupils quickly develop very positive attitudes to the school, learn to behave well and develop into mature and responsible young people. The school has built very successfully on the strong foundations noted in the previous inspection, and many aspects of the pupils’ personal development are much stronger now than they were five years ago.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils have very good attitudes to school because of the powerful ethos developed through the excellent provision for their spiritual development and the very strong

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

4 The core subjects are English, mathematics and science.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

5 The foundation subjects are: art and design, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology, music, and physical education. Penpol Community Primary School - 17 provision for their moral and social development. This results in the attitudes of pupils becoming progressively better as they move through the school. By the time they reach Year 6, the attitudes of many pupils, and their response to the wide-ranging opportunities offered to them, are excellent. This reflects the favourable views of parents and the findings of the last inspection, which found that the school was a cohesive community, with the attitudes and behaviour of pupils being strengths. Pupils’ enthusiasm increases through the school and is reinforced through the exceptional corporate activities, such as excellent assemblies, performances by the choir and school productions, which are of the very highest standard. The excellent use of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

information and communication technology promotes great enthusiasm and motivates pupils to learn. For example, even the youngest children in reception are wonderfully keen to develop their artistic skills by using graphics programs, such as Dazzle, or their imagination by creating scenarios using the program Storymaker, which they relate to their teacher. Very good use of the interactive whiteboards encourages pupils’ participation. In a very good English lesson in Year 4, for example, the pupils responded enthusiastically to spelling words, and they learnt well. Pupils are very interested and involved in their activities, and they find it very special to be part of the school choir, whilst younger pupils looked forward to being part of this. Pupils continue to have great pride in their school, and this is reflected in their desire to do their best, and their eagerness to share with visitors the work they have done.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The behaviour of the pupils, in class and around the school, is good because they know and respect the school‘s discipline policy and respond well to the rewards. Many children enter the school with poorly developed social skills but, because of the very good provision for their personal development, they quickly learn what is expected of them. A few children take longer to learn than others, but staff deal with these children patiently and carefully, and improvements in pupils’ behaviour are very noticeable as they move through the school. Parents are pleased with the standards of behaviour. Pupils behave well in lessons. In Year 3, for example, in their English and information and communication technology lessons, pupils were well behaved on the carpet at the start of the lesson and were keen to be involved and get going. Even in the few lessons which are not particularly stimulating, the pupils behave well. The pupils’ behaviour in

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

lessons improves as they move through the school, so that by the time they reach Year 6, their behaviour in lessons is frequently excellent. The pupils’ behaviour is impeccable when they come into assembly. On these occasions, the older pupils set an excellent example, particularly as they have to wait a very long time as the younger pupils are shoehorned into the small school hall. There is minimal bullying because the school takes steps to prevent it, showing the pupils’ very good moral and social development. The school provides an inclusive environment in which all groups of pupils are fully involved and able to respond well. There have been no exclusions in the last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Relationships throughout the school are very good, and pupils make very good progress in their personal development as they go through the school. Their personal development is underpinned by the emphasis the school places on encouraging pupils’ social and moral development. Pupils work together very well in lessons, and there is a real sense that all pupils are fully included in every aspect of the school. They have a very good understanding of the impact of their actions on others, and respect the feelings, values and beliefs of others well. Racial relationships are very good. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds are accepted very readily, and their contributions to the school are valued. Attitudes towards pupils with special educational needs are very good. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities are treated with the same respect as others and are fully included in lesson activities and playground games. Good

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

relationships are encouraged by the very good role models provided by adults, who Penpol Community Primary School - 18 show mutual respect, care and courtesy in their relationships with pupils and each other. Drama, music, design and technology and information and communication technology are used very successfully for building and reinforcing pupils’ self-esteem, respect for others and the ability to listen to others’ views. In rehearsals for the school’s production of ’Pathways’, for example, pupils listened and watched intently as others performed, enthralled by the whole production and their own opportunities to give of their best to the performance. This creates a very powerful corporate ethos making an excellent contribution to their understanding of citizenship. Pupils’ initiative and personal responsibility are very good. Older pupils become very caring of each other, whether it is supporting those with disability or just showing affection at play time. The

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

school has an open approach and pupils are trusted. Pupils had a marvellous opportunity in design and technology, through building a substantial structure of the Parthenon, to discover the value of each component part, to create a total that was more than the sum of the parts of each individual contribution. When the critical point of raising the structure was reached, this was entrusted to a pupil to direct. This was a profound moment for pupils to remember and reflect upon.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance is good and above the average for a school of this type. Pupils are happy and keen to come to school. Parents bring them to school punctually, and unauthorised absence is minimal. Attendance has been consistently good since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Although the quality of the teaching varies throughout the school, it is never less than satisfactory, and there is a significant amount of very good and excellent teaching. The overall quality of the teaching is good. During the inspection, the quality of the lessons varied from satisfactory to excellent, with around one third of the lessons being very good or excellent, a third good and a third satisfactory. Nearly all of the parents who responded to the parents’ questionnaire feel that their children are being taught well, and the inspection findings endorse this view.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of the teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. In the current inspection, for example, there was a much higher proportion of good and very good teaching and no unsatisfactory or poor lessons. The teaching at Key Stage 2 has been strengthened significantly, and is now particularly good for pupils in Year 6. There is now much greater challenge for higher-attaining pupils in Key Stage 2. Good cross- curricular links are made, so that pupils may be making significant gains in learning in, for example, English, geography and information and communication technology in the same lesson. Pupils are now given much greater scope to carry out their own investigative work. There has also been a significant improvement in the organisation and management of pupils. Previously, elements of misbehaviour were noted which slowed pupils’ learning. During the current inspection, the behaviour of the older pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

was very good, and often exemplary, and they worked enthusiastically and willingly. Homework is used more positively than before. Despite these many improvements, there is still a certain amount of inconsistency in the teaching, which the headteacher has been trying to eradicate through a programme of monitoring lessons, undertaken by himself, the deputy and assistant headteachers. This programme, together with the implementation of performance management procedures, has helped staff to become more reflective about their own practice and open to change and improvement. There is an air of excitement about the school, many interesting projects and much celebration of pupils’ work, and there is evidence of much improved standards in a number of subjects as a result. Penpol Community Primary School - 19 17. The teaching in the reception classes is good overall, and there is a significant amount of very good teaching, particularly for the youngest reception-aged children. The

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

teachers in both classes provide a stimulating and exciting learning environment for the children, which fosters children’s curiosity and their desire to learn. They provide a wide range of practical, self-chosen and teacher-directed tasks, and the children have plenty of opportunity to plan, explore, share, take turns and initiate their own ideas. A major strength is the way in which teachers link activities by a common theme and successfully capture the imagination of the children. Very good use is made of a wide range of resources to promote children’s learning. Children visit places of interest, the wildlife garden is used to develop their understanding of the natural world, and the computer suite is used very effectively to develop children’s confidence in using computers. Teachers know their children well and use questions effectively to extend and consolidate learning. Teaching assistants are well informed and make a positive

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

contribution to learning in all areas. Children with special educational needs are identified at an early stage and are supported well so that they make good progress. Basic skills are taught very well. The children’s numeracy skills, for example, are developed through an interesting range of first-hand practical activities. Children are keen and eager to learn and participate enthusiastically and with a good degree of concentration.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The overall quality of teaching and learning in English is good, and has improved significantly since it has been a major focus of the school’s development plan. As a result, the quality of work produced by the pupils is improving and standards are rising. More opportunities are now provided for pupils’ to practise and develop their literacy skills through written work in subjects other than English. However, the marking of pupils’ written work does not always help pupils to improve their work. The teachers do not give clear enough indication as to what pupils have done well and where they could improve, and spelling and grammatical inaccuracies are rarely corrected in written work produced for subjects other than English.

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The overall quality of teaching and learning in mathematics is good. As for English, it has improved since the last inspection because teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the subject, and they use this to stimulate pupils’ learning. The school is making sound progress in developing pupils’ problem-solving skills. A particularly good feature of the teaching is the way in which teachers encourage pupils to explain their methods for carrying out mental calculations. There are some very good opportunities for pupils to develop their numeracy skills through other subjects, particularly in design and technology and science.

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The overall quality of teaching and learning in science is satisfactory, and there is also some very good teaching. Following detailed analysis of pupils’ performance, the school has placed more emphasis on practical experiences to enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This has been successful in developing pupils’ skills of enquiry and stimulating their interest. Teachers also use the school’s wildlife garden well to reinforce and extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the natural environment.

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The quality of teaching and learning in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, physical education and religious education is good. In information and communication technology and music it is very good. The teaching in design and technology, geography and information and communication technology, in particular, has improved significantly since the last inspection. There are no subjects in which the teaching is weak. Amongst the staff, there is particularly good expertise in art and design, and design and technology, which is reflected in an abundance of exciting art- work, particularly in Years 1 and 2, and in some astoundingly good examples of work in Penpol Community Primary School - 20 design and technology from the older pupils. Interesting fieldwork and open-ended activities enthuse the pupils and promote their learning well in geography. Inspirational leadership in information and communication technology has not only improved

p.19

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

teachers’ competence in teaching the subject, but has led to excellent use of new technology in all subjects of the curriculum and very rapid progress in pupils’ learning. Very effective use is made of specialist staff in the teaching of music, and there is particularly good teaching of this subject in Year 5. An extensive programme of extra- curricular sporting activities generate an enthusiasm for physical education which is reinforced well by teachers during normal physical education lessons. Interesting methods, visits to places of worship and visitors to the school contribute to the good teaching and learning in religious education.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and promote good learning through encouragement and praise. Teachers recognise individual strengths; a pupil who has particular difficulty in English, for example, may well be in a higher group for mathematics. The support provided by learning support assistants in the classrooms and in small groups, which are withdrawn for extra help, is often good and sometimes very good. The assistants are aware of pupils’ individual education plans and often show great patience and understanding, as in one class for pupils in Year 1 where the assistant helped a pupil who had huge difficulty in concentrating, even for a few seconds, to work out the answer to a simple money problem correctly. However, there are times, especially in whole-class sessions led by the teacher, when the assistants could use more initiative

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

in supporting pupils who find learning difficult. There is little evidence of pupils’ individual education plans being incorporated into teachers’ formal lesson planning, but class teachers work in close liaison with support assistants to make sure that pupils’ individual targets are being worked on.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The overwhelming impression gained on visiting each classroom is of an exciting learning environment, where teachers plan interesting work which motivates pupils to learn. The teachers are very good at planning links between one subject and another which enable them to cover topics in greater depth, thus enriching pupils’ learning experiences. Pupils’ work is celebrated in every class through colourful displays, many of them containing full-sized digital photographs of pupils at work, finished products or places visited. In these displays, and in observations during lessons, pupils are busily engaged and show an enthusiasm and keenness for learning. The teachers manage pupils well, and the good environment for learning is fostered by the mutual respect between pupils and staff, and the willingness of pupils to work hard. The school has a number of teachers who are exemplars of good teaching practice. Lessons are very

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

well planned, catering for a range of differing abilities, and providing challenge for all pupils. They are conducted at a brisk pace and the teachers’ interactions with the pupils are characterised by clear explanations, thoughtful questions, helpful suggestions and constantly high expectations.

p.20

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Not all of the teaching is of the same very high standard and, although significant progress has been made in improving the quality of teaching, there is still room for greater consistency. In some classes, for example, teachers do not take enough account of the differing needs of pupils or set clear enough learning objectives when planning their lessons. In some lessons, teachers do not involve all pupils, regardless of ability, during question-and-answer sessions or whole-class discussions. Expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving during the course of a lesson are not always sufficiently high. A few teachers do not organise their time as efficiently as they could. In some lessons, for example, the teacher spends too long on the introduction, sometimes leaving insufficient time to bring the lesson to a proper Penpol Community Primary School - 21 conclusion, by providing pupils with an opportunity to review what they have learnt. In

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

contrast, other lessons, particularly in English and mathematics, are unnecessarily long, which leads to a slackening of pace or lack of concentration. The marking of pupils’ work is frequently not as helpful as it could be. Teachers do not give pupils a clear enough indication of what they have done well or how they can improve their work, and they do not involve pupils sufficiently in evaluating their own work or setting targets for improvement. Good examples were observed during the inspection of teachers setting homework which reinforced pupils’ learning in class. However, the setting of homework is not consistent from one class to the next, which is a matter of concern to some parents.

p.21

PUPILS?

25. The school provides a distinctive, relevant curriculum for its pupils, which is suitably broad and includes all subjects of the National Curriculum, in addition to religious education and French in Years 1 to 6. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, have very good access to the curriculum. A large proportion of time has been allocated to the teaching of literacy and numeracy to achieve the school’s commitment to raising standards. Many teachers use the new strategies well to support pupils’ learning. However, the timetable is not always planned as efficiently as it could be, as the literacy hour and numeracy lesson often extend to 80 minutes. This is too long for many pupils to keep their concentration and has a negative impact on their learning. High priority is given to the teaching of many foundation subjects where very high standards are often achieved. The provision of many exciting and ambitious

p.21

PUPILS?

projects raises the quality of the curriculum beyond that which is normally provided in schools, and the overall quality of the curricular opportunities offered to pupils is very good.

p.21

PUPILS?

26. Since the last inspection, the provision for design and technology and information and communication technology has improved very significantly. The school has a well- equipped computer suite and very good resources. Teachers are well trained and confident. They provide an excellent range of opportunities in all subjects for pupils to develop numerous information technology skills, which have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning and the standards achieved. Collective worship is now well planned and provides a very meaningful experience for pupils. High priority has been given to improving curricular planning since the last inspection, and the coverage and practice in all subjects have been reviewed extensively. Very good cross-curricular links are made to provide a rich and relevant curriculum for all pupils to succeed well.

p.21

PUPILS?

27. High priority is given to the provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education, which is very good. The whole staff work hard to provide a calm environment, involving regular routines, to help improve pupils’ self esteem. Personal, social and health education is an integral part of the curriculum, and the school takes very good care of its pupils and encourages them to work well together in class and around the school. Sex education is taught to older pupils by staff and through the science programme. The dangers of drug misuse are taught effectively through drama-based activities by the local police officer. Many aspects of personal development are integrated effectively into discussions during circle times 6 , through the school council, assemblies and numerous lessons including science and physical education.

p.21

PUPILS?

6 During ‘Circle Time’ pupils discuss a wide range of personal and general issues. All pupils agree that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views Penpol Community Primary School - 22 28. The school curriculum is greatly enriched by numerous visits to local places of interest, such as Falmouth Maritime Museum, Tehidy Woods, Minack Theatre, Paradise Park, St Ives and local visits to Hayle, in order to support topics studied. Visitors, such as an author, theatre groups, a ‘pirate’, sports coaches, musicians and representatives from ethnic minorities, are regularly invited to enrich numerous curricular activities. The school provides an outstanding and extensive range of extra-curricular activities, which are well supported and have been broadened since the last inspection. They involve many staff and outside visitors. The performing arts continue to be a strength of the

p.21

PUPILS?

school, as in the previous inspection, and major productions, involving the choir and orchestra, are performed regularly. The school is justifiably proud of its many achievements involving choral speaking and sporting events. Such activities support many parts of the curriculum effectively, particularly music, drama and physical education.

p.22

PUPILS?

29. The arrangements for equality of access and opportunity for pupils are very good. Pupils of all abilities are encouraged to participate in the whole range of learning experiences offered by the school. Pupils with disabilities are given excellent support. However, there are times when teachers could modify tasks in the classroom to ensure that every pupil is working at the most appropriate level.

p.22

PUPILS?

30. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils have individual education plans and spend time with learning support assistants working towards their learning targets. Pupils often work in ability groups within classrooms and are given additional support by the class teacher or support assistant. Sometimes this will involve a different task when the pupils with special educational needs are given an easier starting point. There is room for further development of this approach. A recent reorganisation has involved the division of Years 5 and 6 into five ability groups for English and mathematics. Under this arrangement, lower-attaining pupils work in small groups with support assistants in areas close to the classroom so that class teachers are able to oversee and monitor the process. These pupils often stay with the other pupils for the introduction of lessons or re-join the class for the last part of the lesson.

p.22

PUPILS?

National and commercially produced schemes are used to support learning in these small groups. Teachers work closely with support assistants to ensure that the work from these schemes is connected to the work done by other pupils in the classroom.

p.22

PUPILS?

31. Penpol continues to be an outward-looking school with strong community links. All classes undertake educational visits to enhance the curriculum. For example, pupils in Year 6 have played musical instruments down a tin mine, reception children have fed penguins at Paradise Park, and pupils in Year 3 have studied Egyptians at Truro museum. Pupils produce a very good community newsletter and are involved in the Young Enterprise Scheme. They plant flowers for the town council and they dress up for the carnival procession. These very good links contribute to pupils’ sense of citizenship and sense of place in the wider community.

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PUPILS?

32. There are very good relations with other schools. Penpol collaborates with the nearby secondary school, working together financially, sharing security, and undertaking joint activities. A French teacher from the secondary school makes a very good contribution to pupils’ learning and helps the transition of pupils to the next stage of education.

p.22

PUPILS?

33. The school makes very good overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and this has improved since the last inspection. Although

p.22

PUPILS?

will occur at all times and, therefore, pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease and free from any form of interference or interruption from other children. Penpol Community Primary School - 23 provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good and provision for their cultural development is good, the provision for spiritual development is excellent.

p.22

PUPILS?

34. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development has improved significantly since the last inspection when it was judged satisfactory. The school very successfully creates an ethos where all pupils can grow and flourish. Acts of collective worship comply with statutory requirements and make an excellent contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. The whole-school assembly is given a special sense of occasion; music stands have banners with the school crest on. The powerful spiritual contribution of the choir inspires younger pupils to want to join and be part of it. The excellent contribution of the deputy headteacher had pupils leaning forward in enthralled concentration. Assemblies are very special occasions when time is given for focused reflection. There is a very supportive community atmosphere in assembly and pupils are valued for what they have achieved and learnt. Teachers employ a considerable range of

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PUPILS?

imaginative and exemplary ways to develop awe, wonder and spirituality within lessons, particularly in design and technology, art and design, and music, and through the use of information and communication technology. In a science lesson in Year 6, pupils marvelled at the height of the rocket they launched. In a combined history and design and technology lesson in Year 6, for example, there was a profound moment when, under the instruction of a fellow pupil, pupils lifted the large structure they had made so that it stood securely as evidence of their team effort. Through inspired teaching, they marvelled at the construction and the versatility of its use, widening their horizons and developing a strong corporate ethos. In art and design, pupils in Year 2 discovered the emphasis they can make on the beautiful parts of a composition by looking and thinking.

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PUPILS?

35. Provision for pupils’ social and moral development is very good. There is a very strong community ethos and an emphasis on ensuring that every pupil is included in activities. This is particularly reflected in those pupils who have some disability, but who choose to come to this school, and the affectionate care and support they receive from other pupils. All pupils have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and respond very well to the praise given to them by adults. The consistent policy for dealing with poor behaviour has made even difficult incidents manageable, leading to a significant improvement in the pupils’ behaviour. Staff have high expectations of pupils showing respect for each other, working together, taking turns and listening. The school council is a new development for pupils who are responding well to their corporate responsibilities.

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PUPILS?

36. The school provides well for pupils’ cultural development in many subjects, such as music, art and design, where pupils have produced very beautiful paintings inspired by Aboriginal art, and religious education, in which they study world faiths. Cultural provision is good, but its main strength lies in developing pupils’ awareness of local cultural traditions. Parents of pupils from other parts of the world are welcomed into the school to talk about their different faiths and traditions, facilitating a better understanding of life in a multicultural community. All pupils whatever their traditions and backgrounds are welcomed and valued by the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. All the staff are very diligent in promoting the health and welfare of pupils and interact positively throughout the day in a pastoral way to support pupils. This has a positive impact on standards as pupils progress through the school. The provision for child protection is very good because the school aims to provide a sanctuary with a firm, consistent, calm atmosphere, which it does exceptionally well. The welfare of any vulnerable pupils is monitored carefully each week by the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant Penpol Community Primary School - 24 headteacher. The school moulds children into articulate, confident, rounded young people through well-established policies, which are implemented effectively. This very good provision has continued since the last inspection. The school is very alert to the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

needs of pupils and to a minority who are vulnerable and need extra support. There are imaginative initiatives to support such pupils, involving parents and other agencies, such as the ‘Scallywags’ scheme, which has been successful in integrating pupils back into the school. Weekly drop-in sessions provide very good support for parents. It is a measure of the school’s success with these ventures that needy pupils are not easily identifiable. Health and safety procedures are satisfactory, and there are no significant issues outstanding that can be addressed by the school, apart from issues to do with the outdated and unsatisfactory accommodation for two classes. Whilst documentation is extremely well presented, issues are not yet dated and prioritised for implementation. The school is very well aware of the potential dangers of using information and communication technology, and has very good procedures to ensure

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and personal development, and the educational and personal support and guidance they receive, are good. All teaching and support staff know pupils very well and provide effective and caring support for their personal development. Staff respond in a very supportive and skilled way, but there is no formalized personal, social and health education programme. Nevertheless, through their alertness and sensitive handling, staff turn even the most difficult incidents around positively and quickly.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance and punctuality are good and ensure that attendance is sustained at a good level. All absence is followed up the same day, and this promotes good attendance. Pupils arrive on time and there is very little lateness because pupils enjoy being in school. Registers are kept well and monitored carefully.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The procedures for monitoring and promoting behaviour are very good. The assertive discipline approach reinforces good behaviour, and the very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development has a powerful impact. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for others, and this also has a very good influence on the behaviour of all. The quality of pupils’ behaviour in lessons is reflected in the very good quality of behaviour management in class. Procedures for monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour are good. Whilst there are occasional instances of unseemly behaviour, they are isolated, minor in nature and are dealt with immediately and effectively by the school, which has the confidence of parents. Racism is not an issue, as all members of the school community are very well respected.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school’s educational and personal support for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory, with some good aspects. Teachers write individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs. Teachers have received some training from the coordinator for this, but the quality of the plans is variable. The plans do not include a statement of pupils’ strengths, although it is part of the school’s ethos to recognise the strengths of pupils who may be experiencing difficulties in learning. In the better plans, the pupils’ targets are very specific and have a specified time by which they should be met. However, the targets in some plans are not sufficiently specific and not broken down into measurable parts. It is difficult, therefore, to measure how effectively some targets have been met, and some targets are so broad that they are simply repeated at the next review. Pupils’ individual education plans also include

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

targets for improvement in behaviour and confidence-building, as well as academic targets. The coordinator for special educational needs meets with teachers on an informal basis to ensure that the contribution of all outside agencies and other Penpol Community Primary School - 25 information is taken account of by the teachers when they review the individual education plans, but she does not routinely see the plans before they are discussed with parents, and this has a limiting effect on her ambition continually to improve their quality. Individual pupils receive very good support from teachers and support staff. They are encouraged to be aware of their targets and given praise and certificates when they make progress. Every pupil has an achievement record which is very effective in building pupils’ self-esteem. The arrangements for meeting the needs of pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Need are good. The coordinator

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

works in close liaison with the headteacher and outside agencies to ensure that the educational and behavioural support defined in the statements are provided.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Assessment procedures have improved significantly since the last inspection, when they were identified as a key issue for action. Procedures are now good overall, and the information gained from assessment is used appropriately to guide curricular planning. The staff have worked hard under the guidance of the headteacher to approve new structures for assessment for all subjects recently. This information is used to inform parents of pupils’ progress and helps to identify more able pupils. There are very good procedures for assessing the attainment and progress of pupils in English, and this information has been used effectively to raise standards. Careful analysis is made of National Curriculum assessments and optional tests in English, mathematics and science where progress is monitored carefully and future scores predicted.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school successfully monitors and supports the academic progress made by pupils and uses the information gained to modify teaching. In science, for example, the need for more investigative work was identified and the issue has been addressed appropriately. In English, a new structured model was introduced to improve the quality of writing and a new reading scheme purchased to raise standards in reading. However, the school has yet to identify individual learning targets for pupils to help raise their attainment. Coordinators have produced well-presented portfolios of pupils’ work as a record of work completed. The headteacher presently undertakes most of the monitoring of teaching and has identified the need for more annotated levelled work to help teachers assess pupils’ attainment and progress in all subjects more effectively. Most pupils’ work is marked regularly, but the quality of teachers’ marking is

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

inconsistent and targets to help pupils improve are rarely identified.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The arrangements for identifying and assessing pupils with special educational needs are satisfactory with some good aspects. The school keeps a list of pupils causing concern, although there is no requirement under new regulations for them to do so. This practice allows teachers and the special educational needs coordinator to monitor pupils whose progress appears to stall or those pupils who appear to be unhappy. Pupils may be identified as having special educational needs by teachers or parents reporting concerns, or by a lack of progress shown up by the school’s own computerised record-keeping. The coordinator and teachers decide whether pupils’ needs can be met within the school or whether they need to be placed at the ‘school action plus’ stage, when outside support is arranged. The coordinator does not at present have any established checklists of educational progress and pupils’ behaviour

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

to identify the particular needs of pupils. However, when appropriate, the coordinator arranges for speech therapists, behaviour and disability advisers and educational psychologists to visit the school to assess and monitor individual pupils. It is often difficult to obtain the services of these specialists, and the school has no fixed allocation of special educational needs support from the local education authority. Penpol Community Primary School - 26

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents consider this to be a good school, and it is over-subscribed. Nearly all responses to the parents’ questionnaire were positive, although some parents do not feel well enough informed about how their children are getting on, and others feel that the school does not provide the right amount of homework. The inspection findings concur very largely with parents’ views. Whilst the information provided for parents generally is good, the annual reports on pupils’ progress are only satisfactory. They state what a child knows, understands and can do, but rarely give information on what a child needs to do to improve and do not contain targets to help parents take their children’s learning forward. The amount and type of homework are generally satisfactory, building up in quantity so that pupils in Year 6 are prepared well for the homework they are likely to receive at secondary school. However, not all teachers are

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

consistent in the way they set homework, and this aspect could be improved.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school’s links with parents are good because they are valued by the school. The quality of information provided for parents is good, and some of the documents, such as the school’s prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents are excellent. Regular newsletters are very well presented and keep parents well informed. Pupils also produce newspapers every few weeks to a very high quality. Parents receive curricular information in mathematics, and some teachers give homework guidelines. An evening to explain the national tests was very well attended. The home-school agreement is satisfactory and meets basic requirements but, without the signature of the pupils, it is not such an effective tool for a tripartite agreement. The school makes good use of letters home and gives lots of individual feedback to parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The impact of the parents’ involvement in the work of the school and the contribution they make to children’s learning at school and at home are good. A few parents help in school with reading and extra-curricular activities like chess and sport. The parent- teacher association gives very good support, particularly with fundraising and has recently contributed £3,000 to help equip the computer suite. A small minority of parents finds it hard to associate with the school because of social difficulties, and the school is looking for ways to involve them. The school is welcoming to all and has the confidence of all its communities.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Teachers meet with parents of pupils with special educational needs to review their children’s progress against the targets previously set at the termly review meetings. The special educational needs coordinator leads a special termly staff meeting to make sure that reviews are not missed, but she is not usually present at review meetings unless invited for a particular reason. Pupils are allowed to be present if the parent wishes. However, this is a very loose arrangement and not defined in the school policy for special educational needs. The views of parents of pupils with special educational needs are welcomed at formal reviews and during informal contacts with teachers and the coordinator. However, pupils’ individual education plans are completed before the termly meeting with parents so that there is no record of parents’ contribution to the review.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The overall quality of the leadership and management provided by the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher and the school’s other key staff is very good. Although there is still room for developing further the role played by subject coordinators, there has been a conscious, planned and thoughtful development of leadership roles since the arrival of the new headteacher two years ago. Both Penpol Community Primary School - 27 leadership and management have improved, building on the strengths in leadership noted at the time of the last inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The headteacher himself provides excellent leadership and has imbued the school with a very clear sense of purpose, predicated on the need to raise standards in the core subjects, whilst maintaining the positive, friendly ethos of the school and valuing many of the activities which have contributed to the school’s previous success and popularity with parents and pupils in the past. He has a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to be done to improve, and has established systems which have brought about significant improvements in many areas. He has, for example, been instrumental in developing an innovative vision for the use of new technology, which has been so ably implemented by the subject coordinator, and which has had a profound effect on pupils’ learning throughout the school. Staff are very clear about the school’s main priorities and show very good commitment to the school’s new direction.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

He has taken the first steps to developing subject leaders, setting out clear expectations, so that staff are aware of what they are expected to achieve. The school’s development planning has improved significantly and sets out a clear agenda for future improvements. Teachers, governors, support staff, parents, pupils and outside agencies are involved in some way in the self-review process and the production of ideas for the school improvement plan. High priority is given to projects which give pupils a chance to excel in areas other than English and mathematics, such as school productions which are produced to a very high standard and give pupils rich experiences. Much has been done to improve the quality of the teaching. The monitoring of lessons by the school’s senior managers and procedures for performance management have been very successful first steps in raising teachers’ awareness of what constitutes good teaching.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. A measure of the headteacher’s leadership is the very good improvement which has occurred over the last two years in many areas of the school. There has been significant improvement in the school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual development and the daily act of collective worship. There are much better procedures for the assessment of pupils’ attainment. Considerable attention has been given to improving the quality of teaching and ensuring that there are proper procedures for managing teachers’ performance. Standards have improved in a number of subjects, but particularly in mathematics, design and technology, geography and information and communication technology. Coordinators have responded positively to the increased expectations for them to lead developments within their subject areas. Improvements have been made to the school’s accommodation and outdoor facilities.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher is given very good support by the deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher and, together, they form a very strong senior management team. The school is managed very well. Day-to-day procedures are efficient and well organised, and there are good systems of communication. The school secretary is not only very efficient, but contributes significant expertise in preparing and presenting documents and information for parents and staff. There are regular meetings to keep staff informed of what is happening and opportunities for staff to contribute their own ideas for improvement. There are good procedures for managing the work of teaching assistants. Staff are committed to fulfilling the school’s priorities for development, and there is plenty of scope for staff to use their particular expertise to develop areas of excellence, such as in design and technology, information and communication

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

technology, music and art and design. Management systems are well organised and contribute significantly to the process of self-evaluation and reflect the school’s aspirations to improve. Penpol Community Primary School - 28 53. The staff value all pupils equally as individuals and work hard to make sure that the school meets their needs. The school improvement plan seeks to provide opportunities for all pupils, paying attention to the more able and those with particular needs. The school has an appropriate policy to promote racial equality, and both staff and pupils are good at respecting others, regardless of gender, race, social or cultural background. The coordination of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory, although the coordinator would benefit from more time to ensure proper oversight of procedures for these pupils. The governor with responsibility for special

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

educational needs supports the work of the school by meeting regularly with the coordinator but has no knowledge of the current budgeting arrangements for this part of the school’s provision.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The improvements in some subjects owe much to the enthusiasm and expertise of subject coordinators. This applies particularly to art and design, design and technology, music and information and communication technology, but all coordinators are now playing a much greater role in managing their subjects and identifying areas for further development. The school’s senior staff have monitored and evaluated the school’s performance well, but it is now time for more of this responsibility to be delegated to subject coordinators. There has been little opportunity up till now for coordinators to monitor the quality of teaching and learning within their subject, with the result that they do not have a full picture of their subject throughout the school, of where there are particular strengths which should be shared or areas which need to be improved. Steps have already been taken to employ an additional teacher in order to release

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

coordinators to carry out this function, which is a further indication of the purposeful leadership provided by the headteacher in identifying appropriate priorities for development.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The governing body makes a good contribution to the continuing development of the school and fulfils its statutory obligations well. Governors discuss long and short-term issues and are very active in deciding the vision for the development of the school. Governors understand the school’s strengths and know where there is room for further improvement. They have provided very good support for the headteacher in developing new directions for the school, but have also provided challenge and critical comment where necessary. All governors have individual responsibilities, and each governor is associated with a class which helps the whole governing body to be well informed about what is happening throughout the school. Governors produce a very well presented, detailed and informative annual report for parents. There is a very good rapport between governors and staff. The finance committee keeps good control of the

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school’s finances and ensures that funds are allocated to support the school’s major priorities for development.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school makes very good use of its resources. Subject specialisms amongst the staff contribute richly to pupils’ learning experiences and also have a significant impact on developing the expertise of other staff. Finances are managed very efficiently. The last financial audit was favourable and minor recommendations have been implemented. The use of new technology for teaching, administration and teachers’ own personal use is exemplary. The school ensures that principles of best value are followed carefully, challenging its own procedures, comparing its performance with others, consulting parents and pupils, and ensuring that it obtains good value for money in its purchases and expenditure.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources are adequate to meet the needs of the curriculum. The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is good. At the last inspection, there was a shortage of expertise in design and technology for older pupils and information and communication technology throughout Penpol Community Primary School - 29 the school. The school now has outstanding expertise in these areas, and also in music, which has a major impact on the teaching of these subjects. Most teachers have considerable experience and sufficient expertise to meet the demands of the curriculum. Responsibility for subject management generally matches teachers’ specialisms. The staff continue to use their interests and experience to offer an excellent range of extra-curricular activities. The school has a good number of suitably experienced, qualified and skilled teaching assistants. They work closely with teachers

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

to meet the demands of the curriculum and the pupils with whom they work. The school administrator is very effective in her support of the school. All staff work very well together, enhancing educational provision.

p.29

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Although most aspects of the accommodation are perfectly satisfactory, the overall quality of the accommodation is unsatisfactory because of the extremely poor condition of the huts, in which two classes are taught, and the cramped hall. The huts leak, windows do not work and the wooden structures are unsound which makes them potentially unsafe to teach the curriculum. The incongruous, dilapidated huts intrude on the spirit and ethos of the school. The hall is too cramped for whole-school assemblies and for the teaching of physical education. The school’s potential for excellence in large projects, such as its drama productions, is inhibited by the inadequate hall. The poor toilets are due to be refurbished in the holidays. The school is working hard to address the issues that arise from difficult accommodation. It has recently refurbished the entrance hall so that it is welcoming for parents and is child-friendly, and this

p.29

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

development reflects the fact that staff and parents are working together to help children reach their potential. The school does much to enhance the accommodation with displays of high-quality work which reflects the strong ethos of the school. The access to and from the road frontage remains unsatisfactory and is a cause for concern.

p.29

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The provision of learning resources is good and shows a considerable improvement since the last inspection. The resources available for music and for children in the reception are particularly good. In information and communication technology, where the quality, accessibility and use of resources are excellent, they are making such good use of them that they could do with more in order to meet the increasing demand from staff and pupils to support the curriculum. The library is adequately stocked. Penpol Community Primary School - 30

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

60. In order to improve the quality of education provided and the standards pupils achieve, the governors, headteacher and staff should work together to:

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i. Improve the consistency of the teaching* by making wider use of the expertise which already exists within the school and using the examples of very good practice as role models. Particular attention should be given to ensuring that:

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• teachers’ planning has clear learning objectives and caters for the differing needs of pupils within the class;

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• teachers have high expectations of what their pupils can achieve;

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• teachers involve all pupils, regardless of ability, within the lesson, particularly during question-and-answer sessions and whole-class discussions;

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• teachers avoid unnecessarily long lessons and organise their timing to ensure that lessons are brought to a proper conclusion;

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the marking of pupils’ work provides clear indication of how pupils can improve their work as well as indicating what they have done well;

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• pupils become more involved in evaluating their own work and setting and pursuing targets for improvement;

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the school’s arrangements for setting homework are applied consistently throughout the school.

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[paragraphs: 15, 16, 18, 22, 24, 41, 43, 45, 80, 85, 87, 89, 93, 108, 111, 116]

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

ii. Involve subject coordinators much more in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning*, so that all staff develop a greater awareness of what constitutes good teaching and learning and learn to become more self-evaluative.

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[paragraphs: 43, 49, 50, 53, 54, 81, 89, 108, 111]

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

iii. Pursue all possible avenues to secure funding to improve the unsatisfactory aspects of the school’s accommodation*, namely:

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the replacement of the temporary classrooms;

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the provision of a hall of adequate size for the school’s many needs.

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[paragraphs: 12, 37, 58, 100, 105, 122, 124]

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* These issues have already been identified as priorities in the school’s development plan.

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

61. Other issues which should be considered by the school for inclusion in the action plan:

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the quality of reports to parents; [paragraph: 45]

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure greater consistency in the formulation and implementation of individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs. [paragraphs: 22, 41, 48] Penpol Community Primary School - 31

p.30

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of formal discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils [In addition to this figure, there were many informal discussions with staff, other adults and pupils]

p.31

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.31

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number 5 14 26 23 0 0 0 Percentage 7 21 38 34 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 302 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 42 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 7 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 50

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.31

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 13 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

p.31

Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence % % School data 4.9 School data 0.5 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Penpol Community Primary School - 32

p.31

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 2002 19 29 48

p.32

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Boys 14 12 16 Girls 25 25 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 39 37 44 School 81 (68) 77 (73) 92 (93) Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.32

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science Boys 10 14 17 Girls 22 24 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 32 38 46 School 67 (73) 79 (93) 96 (90) Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.32

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 20 25 45

p.32

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science Boys N/a 14 18 Girls N/a 16 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total N/a 30 37 School N/a (80) 67 (66) 82 (89) Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.32

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science Boys 10 13 16 Girls 20 18 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 30 31 37 School 67 (73) 69 (64) 82 (86) Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Penpol Community Primary School - 33

p.32

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 285 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No ethnic group recorded 1 0 0 The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.33

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 12.3 Financial year 2002/2003 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.5 Average class size 27.5 £ Total income 714,755 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 697,226 Total number of education support staff 16 Expenditure per pupil 2,206 Total aggregate hours worked per week 194 Balance brought forward from previous year 37,860 FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 38,389

p.33

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5 Penpol Community Primary School - 34 Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Questionnaire return rate Number of questionnaires sent out 321 Number of questionnaires returned 196 Percentage of questionnaires returned 61

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category 7 Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school 51 45 4 0 0

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good 51 45 3 0 2

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home 30 52 10 5 3

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on 36 48 15 2 0

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem 70 27 3 1 0

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best 52 45 1 0 2

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents 41 47 9 1 3

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed 66 31 2 0 1

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible 52 46 1 0 1

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons 58 34 5 3 1

p.34

Results of the survey of parents and carers

7 Because of rounding, percentages may not add up to 100. Penpol Community Primary School - 35

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE 8

62. The school has worked hard and has firmly established an effective education, supported by good provision, for children in the two reception classes. The school provides a very good and exciting curriculum for its youngest children. Planning appropriately takes into account the six areas of learning, and is effective, broad and balanced. A very good range of resources and lively, interesting activities, based on practical experiences, meets the children’s needs very well.

p.35

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE 8

63. Forty-four children are currently on roll in the reception classes. The 14 eldest reception children are taught in a class with the youngest pupils in Year 1. Children start school part time in September and attend full time at the beginning of the term in which they are five years old. Strong links with local playgroups help to smooth the children’s transition from playgroup to school. Effective use is made of information from playgroups and parents’ and teachers’ own assessments to plan appropriate teaching and learning opportunities for the children. Teachers know their children well and are very aware of the wide variation in the children’s abilities.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE 8

64. The children make very good progress during their time in the reception, and most reach the expected level of attainment in nearly all areas of learning by the time they start Year 1. The major strength is the way in which teachers provide stimulating and interesting activities that are linked effectively by a common theme and successfully capture the imagination of the children. This was very evident in the theme of pirates that included a visit from a ‘pirate’ and a hunt for treasure in the local environment on the last day of the inspection. Teaching assistants are well informed and make a positive contribution to learning in all areas. Children with special educational needs are identified at an early stage and are supported well so that they make good progress. The overall very good quality provision gives the children a very good start and a firm basis for the next stage of their education.

p.35

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE 8

65. The accommodation for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Secure outdoor facilities are used effectively as an integral part of the school day. Indoor accommodation for the reception class is restricted because of lack of suitable storage space for the resources. Children have limited space to move around and often work is left to dry on the floor as no other space is available.

p.35

Personal, social and emotional development

66. The provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development is very good. The well-organised induction procedures ensure that the vast majority of children enter the reception classes with some measure of confidence. Children make very good progress in their personal, social and emotional development, and the vast majority exceeds the attainment expected by the time they enter Year 1. All staff work very well together and provide good role models for the children, treating each other and the children with courtesy and respect. Perceptive use of praise and encouragement gives children a positive feeling of self-worth and pride in their achievements.

p.35

Personal, social and emotional development

8 Children start school in the Foundation Stage, which caters for children aged 3 to 5 and generally refers to children who are in the nursery, reception or Early Years classes. Penpol Community Primary School - 36 67. There is, rightly, a very strong emphasis on children’s personal, social and emotional development, as some children enter school with very poorly developed social skills. The staff provide a wide range of practical situations, self-chosen and teacher-directed tasks to stimulate children’s learning. The vast majority of children are eager to work and play and are at ease with the daily routines of school life, such as when taking the register to the office. Children work and play happily with each other, offering support when needed. A wide range of opportunities is provided for children to plan, explore, share and take turns and initiate their own ideas. This was evident when the outdoor

p.35

Personal, social and emotional development

house became the doctors’ surgery. Children quickly assumed different roles, agreed codes of behaviour for different characters and played harmoniously, portraying their own experiences and ideas. Teachers have successfully adopted a programme of activities that supports the development of children’s independence. Strong, caring relationships support children and successfully develop their confidence to initiate and develop their own ideas and not to copy those of others. Their ideas and work are valued, and positive feedback is given which enhances the children’s confidence and self-esteem. Children behave well and talk willingly. They are eager for adults to participate in their activities, which adults do willingly, assuming the roles to which they have been designated. Children with special educational needs make very good progress in this area of learning, being totally included in activities with others.

p.36

Communication, language and literacy

68. The teaching of communication, language and literacy is good. Although children have made good progress from a low starting point, most children do not achieve the communication, language and literacy skills expected by the time they enter Year 1. Careful choice of attractive storybooks enthuses the children and motivates them to learn. All children enjoy listening to stories told or read by their teacher, but they listen less well to each other. They show good recall and understanding of stories, as when they successfully remembered the sequence of events in the story of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. Children listen for sustained periods and participate in question-and- answer sessions with growing confidence. They have confidence to interact with others through a wide range of opportunities that encourage conversation, problem solving and role play.

p.36

Communication, language and literacy

69. Adults use practical activities to introduce children to the sounds of letters. Children make good progress in their knowledge of phonics, and many can name some sounds in words they use frequently. They are beginning to use their skill to write simple words. A significant number of children need reminding about using a pencil correctly. Most children have sufficient pencil control and make good progress towards forming letters correctly. A few higher-attainers recognise many letters by sound and shape, and can build simple regular words like ‘c-a-t’. These children recognise two or three high- frequency words and the characters from the first readers. These children are on course to achieve the expectations by the time they reach the end of the reception year, but the majority of children are unlikely to do so. Teachers’ good knowledge of the abilities of the children is not always used effectively to set suitable tasks that take

p.36

Communication, language and literacy

individual children’s learning forward. Too much emphasis is placed on setting the same tasks and the child’s ability determines how much is completed. However, teachers have high expectations of all children including those with special educational needs. Children are supported well by their teachers and support staff.

p.36

Mathematical development

70. A significant number of children attain standards beyond those expected by the end of the reception class. Both teachers plan carefully for the systematic development of children’s numeracy skills over time through an interesting range of first-hand, practical Penpol Community Primary School - 37 activities. Good teaching enables the majority of children to achieve well. The children practise counting, matching and sorting in class groups and on their own. They make very good progress in their understanding and ability to record information in a pictogram. Linked with the story ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, most children can complete a pictogram independently to show the food the caterpillar ate on each day. Purposeful, practical play activities, such as those involving sand and water, are planned well to support children’s understanding of specific vocabulary such as ‘full’, ‘empty’, ‘big’, ‘small’, ‘half-full’. Children are confident at counting to ten, and many

p.36

Mathematical development

count to 20 and beyond. They know mathematics is about numbers, counting, adding and taking away. The most able children confidently record addition sums that they devise using a dice. Most children have a growing sense of time and make good progress in ordering the days of the week and developing the concepts of ‘yesterday’ and ‘tomorrow’. Teachers use questions effectively to extend and consolidate learning, for instance when sorting objects from the smallest to the biggest, as well as by colour. Lively whole-class activities, carefully followed up with a well-chosen set of group activities and good use of support staff, enable children of all abilities to make good progress in sorting according to more than one criteria. Plenty of incidental opportunities are used well by staff to develop children’s knowledge and skills in number. Children’s knowledge of two and three-dimensional shapes is developed well

p.37

Mathematical development

through their play and constructing activities.

p.37

Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. This area is taught effectively and children make very good progress throughout their time in the reception classes. Standards are in line with those expected for children at the end of the reception year. Children are encouraged to learn through rich practical experiences and by direct use of their senses. The teachers use effective questioning techniques to extend children’s thinking and help them to make sense of the world. Visits are used well to develop children’s understanding of the needs of animals. For example, following a visit to the local bird gardens, children demonstrated a clear understanding of the needs of penguins and how they build their nests. Good use is made of the locality to encourage children to use their eyes and ears and be aware of safety, as when searching for the pirate’s treasure. Children know about their immediate surroundings and show a sound sense of location and direction. The time

p.37

Knowledge and understanding of the world

allocated for children in the reception classes to use the computer suite enables them to make very good progress in learning to use computers. Most children are adept at using the mouse to move objects on the screen. They are very confident in using computers to support their work. Good opportunities are provided in both reception classes for children to investigate construction materials. Appropriate opportunities are given to children to select resources and initiate projects of their own. Celebrations of Harvest, Christmas and Mother’s Day introduce children to the wider world of their own and other traditions. Assemblies are used well to extend children’s appreciation of the environment. Good use is made of the school’s wildlife garden to stimulate children’s interest in the natural world.

p.37

Physical development

72. Most children make very good progress and attain standards above those expected in their physical development. This is largely due to the integral part which outdoor activities play in the daily life of the children. Children demonstrate good control of wheeled vehicles and negotiate space well, with a good awareness of others. They are confident to climb over, under and through equipment and initiate their own games to involve others. The good teaching builds carefully on what children can already do. In physical education lessons in the hall, children move freely with pleasure and confidence. They respond well to instructions and make good effort to improve their Penpol Community Primary School - 38 performance following demonstrations by the teacher or other children. Good progress is made in acquiring skipping skills, and many children show good technique, which they use successfully in their Maypole Dance. Children can sustain a good pace over

p.37

Physical development

an extended period of time using sound control and coordination in their movements. They are confident to suggest additional patterns to the structure of their dance.

p.38

Physical development

73. The children’s dexterity is developed well through a wide range of opportunities. Children cut, fold, join and build, using tools such as scissors, pencils and brushes with varying degrees of skill. They demonstrate sound skills at moulding malleable materials, such as clay, and understand the terms ‘smoothing’, ‘pinching’, ‘poking’, ‘rolling’, ‘squeezing’ and ‘pressing’. Children are very confident and independent in developing their own ideas. This was evident when they selected from a wide range of materials and confidently made imaginative insects. Their pencil control is developing well, but there is a significant number of children who needs assistance to hold their pencil correctly.

p.38

Creative development

74. The teaching to promote children’s creative development is good. By the end of the reception year, children achieve the expected standards in this area of learning, particularly in their use of colour. Teachers provide a broad curriculum supported by a range of interesting resources, which are used well to extend the children’s creative development. Teachers successfully develop children’s imagination and confidence to express their own ideas. Staff intervene sensitively to support and extend children’s ideas so that they make good progress. Good colourful classroom displays help to promote learning. Careful teaching, based on good knowledge and understanding, also enables the children to respond to the world around them. Much relevant work is suitably based on learning, recognising, matching and changing colours. This was evident in activities built on the ‘Wizard’s House’ where children mixed inks and

p.38

Creative development

overlapped tissue paper to change colours. Books are used well to stimulate a wide range of creative play activities such as ‘Jungly Island’ and the ‘Bear Hunt’. All children join in with a suitable range of songs and rhymes. They sing songs confidently from memory and use percussion to accompany themselves when dancing, demonstrating a growing sense of rhythm. A few children can keep to the beat and provide suitable accompaniment. When learning about untuned percussion instruments, the children enjoy making a variety of sounds with shakers, maracas, and tambourines.

p.38

ENGLISH

75. At the time of the last inspection, standards at the end of Year 2 were reported to be in line with national averages, but they declined after this time, and the national test results in 2002 were well below average. However, due to staff changes and improved teaching, standards have improved significantly during the last year. They are now average in speaking and listening, reading and writing by the end of Year 2. These inspection findings are also confirmed by the most recent test results, which are significantly better than those achieved in 2002.

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ENGLISH

76. Standards were reported to be in line with national averages at the time of the last inspection in Year 6, although test results indicated that standards were well below average. During the last two years, additional advisory help has been given to support teachers to enable them to use the literacy strategy more effectively, and additional time has been allocated for reading activities. As a result, standards are now average in reading and writing, but above average in speaking and listening by the end of Year 6. Additional support is available for some pupils, giving them good opportunities to work in small units to improve their confidence and raise standards in English. Penpol Community Primary School - 39 77. When children enter the school, many lack confidence in communication, language and literacy, and their speaking and listening skills are poorly developed. However, good opportunities are provided in everyday activities to develop these skills and, by the end

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of Year 2, standards in speaking and listening are average. By the end of Year 6, they are above average. Most pupils listen carefully to their teachers and each other. Many are keen to answer questions and follow instructions, such as when finding the pirate’s treasure. Higher-attaining pupils join in class discussions confidently and speak to large audiences, such as in assemblies, when providing a commentary for their stick- puppet theatres, or when talking about topics, such as pets, in class. Progress in speaking and listening is good throughout the school. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to practise their skills, including numerous opportunities for role play, such as re-enacting the lives of evacuees in World War II and regular class assemblies. Pupils in Year 3 have been very successful, winning the local choral-speaking competition in Truro and St Ives, and older pupils develop ambitious speaking parts in the popular

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annual productions. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all activities and make good progress.

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ENGLISH

78. Pupils’ attainment in reading is average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Many pupils make good progress through numerous opportunities to read at school and at home. Good use has been made of the ‘Jolly Phonics’ and other structured programmes. By the end of Year 2, many pupils develop fluency and confidence in their reading by using appropriate strategies to read new words. Higher-attainers identify the main characters and express opinions about the important events in a story. The school has recently invested in a new reading scheme for younger pupils and those with special educational needs. It has recognised that reading standards needed to be raised, and a higher focus has been placed on developing pupils’ skills. Initiatives, such as the recent visit by an author, have significantly raised the profile of reading and pupils’ interest throughout the school. Many pupils, including higher attainers, become confident and

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fluent readers by the end of Year 6. They can discuss features of their reading, such as character and plot development, with good understanding. They enjoy reading a range of books, including traditional and modern literature. Good teaching in literacy lessons has enabled pupils to understand the use of glossaries and contents pages when using non-fiction texts. Pupils’ retrieval skills develop steadily throughout the school so that, by the end of Year 6, many pupils can skim and scan text effectively.

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ENGLISH

79. Writing standards have improved significantly and are now average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The school has identified this as an area to develop and has been successful in improving standards throughout the school by providing more opportunities for extended writing in many subjects. Good use has been made of a more structured approach to improve the quality and imagination in pupils’ creative writing. By the end of Year 2, most pupils write logically sequenced sentences, such as instructional text, and are given many opportunities to practise their skills, such as writing letters to a fireman, producing their own books about pets and the town of Hayle, and writing about characters in their favourite books. Most pupils form letters correctly, often in a cursive style, but their spelling is not always accurate. Higher-attainers use punctuation, including speech marks, appropriately and use good strategies to spell

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words correctly. By the end of Year 6, pupils have extended their writing skills and made good progress. Very good use is made of these skills in many cross-curricular situations, such as writing about Brunel in history and, in geography, producing their own holiday brochures of their favourite locations. Some very good examples were seen during the inspection where pupils’ information and communication technology skills were put to very good use. These included ‘The Never Ending Silence’ and other mystery stories, with excellent detail on emotions and atmosphere, produced by pupils in Year 6, and illustrated recipes produced by pupils in Year 3. Pupils learn the Penpol Community Primary School - 40 conventions of poetry and compare the work of famous poets, such as James Reeves and John Masefield, in poems about the sea. Pupils respond accurately to literal questions based on novels, such as Anna Sewell’s ‘Black Beauty’, and consider moral

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issues in their persuasive writing, such as on animal rights. They use a wide range of styles and write for a range of audiences and purposes, such as book reviews, journalistic reports, alliterative poems and story writing in chapters. In the best instances, punctuation and grammar skills are developed well, and higherattainers enjoy thinking of varied adjectives to add interest to their writing, but not all pupils reach these standards. Spelling is often weak where insufficient opportunities are given to use dictionaries and thesauri to check spellings and enrich vocabulary, which has a negative impact on standards achieved.

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ENGLISH

80. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school, and a number of very good lessons were seen during the inspection. In the most effective lessons, the pupils were motivated and challenged by the tasks prepared by the teachers. Pupils responded very well to the brisk pace and showed lively interest, particularly when they were fully involved, such as in role-play situations. Teachers manage their classes very well and with confidence, and have warm relationships with their pupils. Their subject knowledge is good. As a result, the pupils demonstrate much intellectual, physical and creative effort, which has a very positive impact on their learning. In some lessons, pupils are insufficiently challenged, the pace is too slow and time is not used effectively, especially in some very long lessons. In such lessons, a few pupils are easily distracted and become restless when they are not actively involved, which has a

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negative impact on their learning. Teachers make effective use of extensive assessment information to monitor progress and predict future gains, but teachers do not set individual learning targets to raise achievement. The quality of teachers’ marking is variable and does not always give pupils sufficient guidance as to how they can improve their work, particularly when writing is produced within the context of other subjects. Teaching assistants are well briefed, and they provide good support, which enhances the learning of pupils with special educational needs.

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ENGLISH

81. The coordinator has worked hard, and successfully, to improve the provision in English over the last two years. She has produced a detailed action plan with clear objectives to continue to improve standards. These include ensuring that staff match work more closely to the needs of different groups and continuing to build up good-quality resources to support pupils’ learning. Senior staff have monitored teaching and learning in English, and the coordinator has started to observe lessons as well. Literacy makes a very positive contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the analysis of different stories in a wide range of settings. The subject is well placed to improve even further in the future.

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MATHEMATICS

82. Standards attained at the end of Year 2 are in line with national expectations, and pupils make good progress. Standards attained at the end of Year 6 are slightly below average, but there has been significant improvement in the school’s results each year for the last four years, and pupils are making good progress in relation to their previous attainment. The commitment and high expectations of teachers and support staff mean that pupils who have special educational needs also make good progress, and some make very good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

83. By the end of Year 2, most pupils understand two-digit numbers and are able to add and subtract, although some do not understand that subtraction is the inverse of addition. They use halving and doubling when doing mental calculations and understand multiplication as repeated addition. They know some properties of two- and Penpol Community Primary School - 41 three-dimensional shapes and can measure lengths in centimetres. They make simple graphs and interpret the information that graphs depict. More capable pupils understand numbers to 1000 and recognise fractions.

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MATHEMATICS

84. By the end of Year 6, over two-thirds of the pupils use written methods of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division competently and can do many calculations mentally. They know how to multiply and divide whole numbers by ten and 100 and recall multiplication and division facts. They understand the decimal system and use this understanding to solve problems involving money and measure. Pupils are familiar with the language and properties of shape. They recognise symmetry and calculate areas and perimeters. They understand data when presented in a variety of charts and graphs. A few pupils are capable of doing more difficult work, including, for example, the use of negative numbers, the correct use of brackets in equations and the reduction of fractions to their simplest form. They measure angles to the nearest degree, calculate the area of compound shapes and understand the probability scale. Most

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MATHEMATICS

pupils have developed skills above, and some well above, expectations in their use of computers to do some aspects of mathematical work. However, there is a significant minority of pupils who, despite having made good progress in their last year in school, are still working below the level expected for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

85. The quality of the teaching has improved since the last inspection. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed and, although there are inconsistencies, the overall quality of the teaching is good. A consistent strength in mathematics lessons is the management of pupils and the very good relationships that teachers have with their pupils. Most teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject, and they use this to stimulate pupils into thinking a little deeper about number and other aspects of mathematics. The pace of lessons is generally good. There are occasions, however, when teachers do not make the best use of the time available and allow their introductions to lessons to last too long. Some teachers are able to maintain the challenge for pupils of all abilities in the mental starter sessions and keep everyone on their toes by skilfully targeted questioning. However, this skill is not evident in all

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MATHEMATICS

lessons and remains a point for development within the school.

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MATHEMATICS

86. Teachers use accurate mathematical vocabulary and encourage pupils to use this vocabulary. The school has identified the need to improve pupils’ problem-solving skills, and some progress has been made towards this. There were many examples during the inspection of teachers encouraging pupils to explain their methods for doing mental calculations. The teacher would discuss these with the class and write out the method on the board. These teaching approaches have also helped to improve pupils’ ability to do mental calculations. There are some examples of teachers using mathematics and developing pupils’ problem-solving skills in other subjects, especially in design and technology and science. During the inspection, pupils in Year 6 were observed tackling a very exciting mathematics project that involved them trying to measure the height reached by a water rocket launched on the school field. This

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MATHEMATICS

project involved a whole range of number and measuring skills, including the use of mathematical programs on computers.

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MATHEMATICS

87. Teachers use assessment information from end-of-year tests to place pupils in ability groups. These groupings remain flexible and pupils are sometimes moved between them. Teachers assess pupils’ progress through the newly purchased programme of work and modify their planning to take account of the progress made. However, there is a great variation in the clarity of teachers’ explanations about the specific purpose of each lesson. In one lesson for pupils in Year 1, the teacher frequently reminded the pupils about what they were trying to learn. However, this is not common practice within the school and explanations can sometimes lack focus and even become Penpol Community Primary School - 42 confusing. This lack of clarity affects pupils’ awareness of their own learning and the effectiveness of teachers’ marking. Pupils’ books contain lots of ticks and a few helpful comments but, in general, there is little indication to show progress in pupils’ knowledge

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and understanding, few requests to ‘try again’ and very little guidance for improvement. The coordinator has put in place a system for teachers to track pupils’ progress through the year using the key objectives from the National Numeracy Strategy, but this is unlikely to be effective or useful unless teachers link it to their lesson plans and their marking. This lack of linkage between lesson objectives, marking and the recording of pupils’ progress leads to inconsistencies in the ways that teachers provide appropriate tasks for different abilities. Inspection evidence shows that pupils of all abilities often do the same work. The school is aware that the identification of higher-attaining pupils, and making sure that they are appropriately challenged, is a priority.

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MATHEMATICS

88. Throughout the school, pupils remain well-focused during lessons and work hard. They are especially good at working collaboratively in pairs, and teachers often put boys and girls together to do this. Pupils behave well and usually change from one task to another without fuss. The behaviour in some classes of older pupils is exemplary.

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MATHEMATICS

89. The leadership and management of mathematics are satisfactory. The school has implemented the National Numeracy Strategy satisfactorily, and most of the staff have had the benefit of intensive training in its use. Teachers plan and provide a range of work to cover all parts of the mathematics curriculum, including number, data-handling, shape, space and measures. The headteacher and assistant headteacher have monitored lessons, and all staff are aware of the school’s priorities for improvement. The monitoring of lessons is not yet part of the coordinator’s role, although she regularly makes informal visits to classrooms, and there is a willingness amongst staff to share ideas and problems. The coordinator keeps track of overall school standards by using the new computerised tracking system, but does not sample the quality of work produced by pupils in each class and is unaware of the inconsistencies in marking and

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MATHEMATICS

the way that teachers record pupils’ progress.

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SCIENCE

90. By the end of Year 2, the teachers’ National Curriculum assessments for 2002 placed most pupils in line with the national expectation. However, no pupils were assessed at the higher Level 3, making their overall performance below average. The inspection findings show that standards are improving and that the pupils, currently at the end of Year 2, attain average standards.

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SCIENCE

91. Standards at the end of Year 6 have fluctuated considerably since the previous inspection. Although the results in 2002 were well below the national average, they were significantly higher than those achieved at the time of the last inspection, but also showed a substantial fall from those achieved in 2000. Most pupils reached the expected standard of Level 4, but few achieved the higher Level 5. However, as a result of various initiatives, standards are improving, and the inspection findings show that pupils at the end of Year 6 are currently achieving average standards.

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SCIENCE

92. Following detailed analysis of pupils’ performance, the school has placed more emphasis on providing practical experiences to enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This has been successful in developing pupils’ skills of enquiry and stimulating their interest. Most pupils make good progress in developing their recording skills. By the end of Year 2, most pupils are beginning to think for themselves and use the results of their investigations to come to conclusions. Their work on simple electrical circuits, animals and plants in the school environment, their consideration of materials that are natural and man-made and work on ‘pushes and pulls’, are Penpol Community Primary School - 43 sufficiently detailed to ensure suitable progress in developing their knowledge and understanding. Pupils apply their knowledge of living things to describe the basic conditions for domesticated animals to live healthily. They are beginning to recognise

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that different living things are found in various habitats. This knowledge is built on as pupils work through the school. Pupils in Year 3 make suggestions as to how to plan an investigation to find the preferred habitat of woodlice. This work is appropriately based on a visit to the school’s wildlife garden. Pupils in Year 4 use scientific vocabulary with growing confidence, as when sorting pictures of animals and plants into categories which they have chosen, such as ‘exoskeleton’ and ‘skeleton’. By the time pupils are in Years 5 and 6, they are more confident in using their scientific knowledge to solve problems. Pupils in Year 6 demonstrate secure knowledge and understanding of circuits when trying to solve a communication problem. Pupils have sound knowledge of the needs of a plant to grow healthily and are developing an understanding that green plants grow by producing new material from air, water and light. The current

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focus on teaching and learning in science has had a positive impact on how well pupils achieve, but has not had sufficient time to have an impact on standards at the end of Year 6.

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SCIENCE

93. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Some good and very good lessons were observed during the inspection. In most lessons, teachers plan appropriately and set suitable objectives. Good use is made of practical activities to promote pupils’ interest and understanding. In the very good lessons, teachers have very secure knowledge and understanding of the concepts they teach. This was evident in a very good lesson on sound, where the teacher successfully used his musical expertise to set practical tasks for pupils to find out that sounds are made when objects or materials vibrate. This resulted in pupils making careful observations and considering what they may mean. Pupils with special educational needs made good progress because they receive effective support from the well-prepared teaching assistant. Another effective strategy that promoted good learning was based in the wildlife garden where interesting

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earth study activities successfully reinforced and extended pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the natural environment. Pupils successfully learnt about the detailed parts and growth of a tree and new vocabulary such as ‘heartwood’, ‘xylem’ and ‘phloem’. Teachers’ expectation of pupils shows some improvement since the last inspection, where lessons lacked challenge, particularly for the most able pupils. Assessment procedures are now in place, but the results are not used effectively to build and extend individual pupil’s learning. Marking is not used as an effective assessment tool. Too often, work is marked with a cursory tick, with no reference to the objective of the lesson or quality comments to move pupils’ learning forward.

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SCIENCE

94. Science contributes suitably to the development of pupils’ vocabulary, their speaking and listening skills, writing, reading and referencing skills. Pupils in Year 2 practised using the contents and index pages of a book to support their finding of information on snails. Pupils apply their numeracy skills appropriately when recording their findings in frequency charts, graphs and using accurate measuring, as when pupils in Years 5 and 6 investigated what happens to paper spinners if paper clips are attached. Very good use is made of information and communication technology to record pupils’ findings and to present information using charts and graphs. In many classrooms, there are also displays of numerous colourful digital photographs of pupils at work, which act as a reminder of their activities in science and reinforce pupils’ learning.

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SCIENCE

95. Overall, the quality of leadership and management of science provided by the subject coordinator is good. She gives clear educational direction to the school through her experience and practical approach. She has made a positive impact on improving the Penpol Community Primary School - 44 quality of teaching and learning by ensuring that greater emphasis is given to scientific enquiry throughout the school.

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SCIENCE

96. Resources are adequate and used well. There is need for larger magnifying glasses to help pupils to make detailed observations. This was evident in Year 2, where pupils struggled to observe snails with very small magnifying glasses that were not easy to focus. The development of the school’s wildlife garden is an effective resource that is used well to promote pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the natural world. Visitors, such as ‘Explore Dome’ and a science week, also make a significant contribution to the development of pupils’ interest, knowledge and understanding of a range of scientific concepts.

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ART AND DESIGN

97. Standards attained at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6 are above expectations. This is a significant improvement from the time of the last inspection, when standards overall were judged to be average.

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ART AND DESIGN

98. The quality of teaching is good overall. However, there is evidence to show that many pupils have had the benefit of some very good teaching during the year and, by arranging for special visits and visitors, some teachers have ensured that their pupils have had some memorable learning experiences. As a result, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are making good progress, and some make very good progress. However, progress is not always even because, although there are some very talented teachers of the subject in the school, others need the support of the subject leader and their colleagues.

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ART AND DESIGN

99. Evidence of exciting artwork is abundant. Following an inspiring trip to the Cornish Tate Gallery by pupils in Year 2, where their imaginations were captured by the colourful zigzag floor, they produced their own pictures both in paint and by using the computer. Inspired by Terry Frost’s ‘Bowl of Cherries’, they experimented and planned their own pictures before making them and then helped to make a classroom collage. They used blue, instead of the artist’s red, and black on white and offered alternative titles for their work, such as ‘Life is just a bowl of Blueberries’. On the same trip, they sketched harbour scenes after seeing those of Alfred Wallis and, back in the classroom, wrote notes about the artist’s life, his style and the materials he used. Three-dimensional work is a particularly strong feature of the artwork. Pupils in Year 2 visited the Barbara Hepworth sculpture garden and made sculptures out of clay, papier-mâché and

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driftwood. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 were inspired and helped by a visiting artist to produce a striking wall mural using Henri Rousseau’s jungle paintings as a starting point. The mural features beautiful clay sculptures of flowers and insects. Some pupils in Year 4 received help from a specialist teacher on the staff to produce living woodland sculptures after reading Charles Causley’s ‘The Green Man’. A consistently strong feature of the teaching is the way in which pupils are shown how they can use a huge variety of starting points for their creative work. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 produced sketches to communicate movement using photographs taken in the playground and used traditional Cornish legends to produce landscape pictures after the style of David Hockney.

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ART AND DESIGN

100. The subject coordinator provides enthusiastic leadership for art and design, which inspires the staff and is reflected in pupils’ attitudes to their work. Pupils are very eager to talk about their ideas, their work and the meaning it has for them. The coordinator promotes good standards by collecting exemplary work in a school portfolio. Pupils’ work is displayed and celebrated throughout the school and saved in attractive booklets and folders. The artwork produced using computer software is often well above Penpol Community Primary School - 45 expectations. A new assessment system has been introduced but requires further development. The accommodation provided in the temporary classrooms is unsatisfactory for the quality of art and design which teachers are encouraging pupils to produce; there is insufficient storage space and worktop surfaces in these classrooms and display areas do not do justice to the amount of creative effort used by the pupils.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Standards attained at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6 are above expectations. Some pupils are working at levels well above expectations. This is a very good improvement since the last inspection, when one of the issues was to improve teaching and learning in the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. The management of the subject coordinator is very good and, as a result of his leadership, there is a very strong and successful commitment towards ensuring that design and technology supports and enriches learning in other areas of the curriculum. Some of the learning experiences provided have an outstanding impact on pupils’ personal development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. Although it was only possible to observe one lesson during the inspection, there is ample evidence to show that the overall quality of the teaching is good. Teachers recognise the importance of developing pupils’ creative and making skills, and an excellent feature of the work, especially with younger pupils, is the individuality of the things they make. Teachers use every opportunity to link work with other subjects and to present pupils with real problems to solve. Some pupils in Years 5 and 6, for example, were given the tasks of designing and making bird feeders for the wildlife area, and their finished products are now in use. The skills of accurate planning and designing and meaningful evaluation of finished products are areas for development in some classes. However, there is evidence of some very talented and inspirational teaching in some aspects of the subject. In the one lesson observed, the quality of

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teaching was excellent when, in a very carefully prepared lesson, pupils in Year 6 worked collaboratively to produce in one afternoon a three-metre-high skeletal model of the Greek Parthenon which they then used as a set to perform, in costume, part of a play based on their studies in history. Although the designing and making was very much led by the teacher, the pupils’ awareness of the possibilities of design in the real world was raised to inspirational levels by very skilful questioning and management of the lesson. This was a memorable experience for all involved, but inspection evidence shows that it was not a unique one, as the subject coordinator has been working with other teachers with pupils of different ages to produce other large-scale designs in a similar way.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

104. As a result of good teaching and of the high profile given to the subject, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. Many pupils make very good progress. Pupils in Year 1 produce very attractive displays of moving objects, shadow puppets and, by adapting the skills learnt when making a whole-class large model of a camel for the school play, pupils in one class produced their own sailing ship frameworks for their pirate project using cane, fabric and paper. Amongst the artefacts made by pupils in Year 2 are moving vehicles with axles and wheels. Pupils modified their designs during the making process after experimenting with different ways of fixing the wheels. The completed vehicles were tested for efficiency by rolling them down slopes. Pupils in Year 6 have completed a lengthy planning-and- making process in a project on model homes; they discussed the location of their

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

model home, internal design features and measurements. By a process of discussion and evaluation, they made design choices and worked collaboratively to complete a class model which included wooden roof trusses, carefully constructed cardboard wall Penpol Community Primary School - 46 and roof sections and wall and floor designs which were generated and produced using computer software. By using computer desktop-publishing skills, the pupils produced a very attractive booklet recording the whole process.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105. A new assessment system has been introduced. The accommodation provided in the temporary classrooms is unsatisfactory for the quality of work which teachers are encouraging pupils to produce; there is insufficient storage space in these classrooms and very little worktop space.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. Standards of attainment in geography are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, and have improved significantly since the last inspection, particularly for pupils in Key Stage 2.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. By the end of Year 2, pupils develop a good understanding of their own environment. They can plan a route from home to school, naming the main features and producing a simple map. They visited Hayle and St Ives and produced a simple street plan to record the places seen. Work such as this also provides good scope for pupils to develop literacy and artistic skills. Pupils make excellent use of information and communication technology and display very advanced skills for their age when producing class topic books on Hayle. Older pupils extend their learning and develop awareness of other cultures through a comparative study of life in Chembakolli, an Indian village. They evaluate similarities and differences in customs, climate, physical and human features. Pupils develop their map skills well to identify the characteristics of settlements and recognise different beaches on an Ordnance Survey map. By Year

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GEOGRAPHY

6, they identify and write about their favourite holiday destinations where very good links are made with literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology to record their work, including the use of pie charts.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. The quality of teaching is good and has improved significantly since the last inspection, when there was a high proportion of unsatisfactory teaching. The quality of teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ learning, including those with special educational needs. The use of fieldwork and open-ended activities, where very good cross- curricular links are made, is a motivating factor and enhances pupils’ learning by giving them first-hand experiences. Pupils appreciate the relevant range of opportunities offered, including the use of secondary sources to gain information. They are enthusiastic about numerous outside visits, such as finding buried treasure on the local headland, the study of St Ives and the residential trip to Plymouth. These visits successfully promote pupils’ spiritual and social development. Teachers manage their pupils very well, plan effectively, have good subject knowledge and use support staff

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GEOGRAPHY

and resources well to support pupils’ learning. The new coordinator is enthusiastic and is keen to develop the subject. However, she currently has no opportunity to monitor teaching and learning and has identified the need to improve resources to further support pupils’ learning. New assessment procedures have recently been introduced to help monitor pupils’ progress and match work more effectively to different abilities. However, the marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent and targets to help pupils improve are rarely identified.

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HISTORY

109. Standards are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and have been maintained since the last inspection. Penpol Community Primary School - 47 110. By the end of Year 2, pupils are developing a sense of chronology and a real awareness of the differences between the ways of life now and in the past. Pupils compare life in Victorian times with those in the present, including how school life has changed. Good use is made of artefacts and video films to support pupils’ learning. Pupils learn about the everyday life of famous people and events in the past such as Samuel Pepys, Charles I and the Great Fire of London. In Years 3 to 6, pupils’ knowledge of daily life and customs of various periods in the past is extended by studies of the Egyptians, ancient Greece, Vikings, Tudors, Victorians and World War II. Pupils’ learning is reinforced effectively by first-hand experiences and visits to places such as Falmouth

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HISTORY

Maritime Museum, Truro Museum, Godolphin and Helston, where there are good opportunities for dressing up and role-play activities.

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HISTORY

111. The quality of teaching is good overall and has improved since the last inspection. In the best lessons, teaching and learning are effective because the teachers carefully plan interesting activities which capture the imagination of all pupils, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs. In these lessons, teachers have high expectations, good subject knowledge and the pace of lessons is brisk. As a result, pupils are very well motivated and challenged by the tasks set and enjoy handling artefacts from the past. Where teaching and learning are less successful, but nevertheless satisfactory, time is not used as effectively and insufficient attention is given to challenging and stimulating all pupils. As a result, a few pupils lose interest and concentration which has a negative impact on their learning. Assessment procedures have recently been introduced to record pupils’ achievements, but teachers’ marking is

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inconsistent and targets to help pupils improve are rarely identified. The coordinator is enthusiastic, but has no opportunity to monitor teaching and learning. She has done much to ensure there are good quality resources and good cross-curricular links with many subjects including literacy and information and communication technology which support pupils’ learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

112. The improvements in the school’s provision for information and communication technology and the standards achieved by pupils throughout the school since the last inspection are outstanding. From a situation where standards were below expectations, the curriculum was limited, resources were inadequate and insufficient use was made of computers to support the wider curriculum, there has been a complete transformation, brought about by the headteacher’s vision, the expertise, enthusiasm and massive commitment of the subject’s coordinator, the willingness of the staff and the support of the governing body. Throughout the school there is evidence of exceptionally good use of new technology, pupils are making excellent progress in acquiring new skills, and standards are very high indeed and well above those found in most schools. New technology is being used creatively and imaginatively to support work in all subjects of the curriculum, to celebrate pupils’ work

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

and to develop in pupils an excitement and enjoyment of learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

113. By the end of Year 2, standards in all aspects of the curriculum for information and communication technology are well above average, and pupils of all abilities are making excellent progress. Pupils are adept at using new technology to find things out and to exchange and share information. A class of pupils in Years 1 and 2, for example, logged on to the Internet, found maps and aerial photographs centred around the location of their home, investigated the maps and photographs at different scales, and then used a page-layout program to produce an information sheet for their geography project containing a map, an aerial photograph and a written explanation. The pupils worked quickly, very competently and showed a mastery of skills well above those expected for their age. In Year 2, pupils produce written work for various subjects and Penpol Community Primary School - 48 show a highly developed ability to set out and present their work attractively,

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

incorporating digital images and clip art, using attractive borders and altering the font, style, colour and size of their text.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. Similarly high standards are evident throughout the school. Pupils in Year 4, for example, were given the task of investigating and presenting information about the months in which pupils in each class were born. They worked in different ability groups using various programs to enter data of varying complexity. At the end of the two sessions allocated to this task, they had produced an astonishing variety of graphs and pie charts, portraying the data in many different permutations and, during the closing session, they engaged in animated discussion about which were the most helpful ways of illustrating the data and what the data showed. These two lessons also illustrated how well the school caters for pupils of different capabilities. A group of pupils with special educational needs, working with a teaching assistant, made very good progress in learning how to produce a variety of pie charts using a limited range of data. A group

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

of more able pupils worked with the teacher to present a more complex range of data using a spreadsheet program. The work produced by all groups of pupils was displayed at the end and provoked a very effective discussion on how to present data in the most effective way.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

115. By the end of Year 6, pupils are working at a very advanced level in all aspects of the subject. In an excellent lesson in Year 6, for example, the pupils assimilated a great deal of new information as the teacher explained how to use an animation program, and then set to work vigorously to produce animated sequences to illustrate a poem. There are abundant examples of work produced using computers, ranging from impressive volumes of writing in which individual pupils have explored different techniques to produce imaginative writing, to an outstanding compilation of work produced in connection with a design and technology project to build a dream house. In this project, pupils have used a computer-aided design program to design all aspects of their house and a page-layout program to produce detailed descriptions of each of the rooms in the house. The pupils’ competence is extended even further by the wide range of

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opportunities available to them outside normal lessons. A number of pupils, under the guidance of the subject coordinator, have built new computers from component parts. Some pupils have been trained to act as technicians, setting up programs, sorting out problems and managing files. One pupil had a major involvement in setting up the school’s intranet. Others operate lighting decks and remote microphone systems in school productions. Yet others film, edit and produce films of the school’s major productions and performances and then use advanced editing programs to manipulate digital images. The well-attended computer club, which runs every lunchtime, provides further opportunities for the pupils to practise skills learnt in class or to explore new programs. During the inspection, a group of pupils were putting together the next colourful edition of the school newsletter, producing a very professional appearance.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

116. The quality of the teaching varies according to the expertise and confidence of the teachers but, overall, is very good in both key stages. The lessons observed during the inspection ranged from excellent to satisfactory but, in every class, it is evident that the vision of the headteacher and subject coordinator is being implemented enthusiastically by the teachers and is having a significant impact on pupils’ learning. Expectations in some classes are exceptionally high, and pupils rise eagerly to the challenges given by their teachers. The excellent lesson, in which pupils in Years 1 and 2 discovered maps and aerial photographs centred around their own home, was full of vitality. The teacher moved the pupils on at a very fast pace, and the pupils responded with hard work, enjoyment and a wonderful sense of discovery which not only contributed to the development of their information technology skills, but also to their understanding of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Penpol Community Primary School - 49 geography and to their personal development as they experienced the fun and enjoyment of learning. The subject coordinator provides an excellent model for other teachers. He provides clear, explicit, but also demanding introductions to the lesson, but also involves pupils at every stage, checking that they have understood by asking them to explain new steps and procedures in their own words. Expectations are crystal clear. For example, pupils were told that they had five minutes in which to produce their first two pictures for their animation sequence, which helped to ensure that no pupil wasted time tinkering with unnecessary and unproductive aspects of the program. Because all of the pupils were technically competent and able to make progress on their own, the teacher was then able to use his time to provide further challenge for individual pupils and make constructive comments to others which helped them to

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

improve. Pupils worked hard and rose to the challenge. In contrast, even though pupils made satisfactory progress in even the weakest lessons, the difference in the challenge provided for pupils in a few classes is noticeable. In these classes, teachers are much less explicit about what they want the pupils to achieve, and they allow pupils to spend too long on unproductive experimentation.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

117. A very good feature throughout the school is the way teachers put the teaching of new information technology skills into a context which helps pupils’ learning in other subjects. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to extend their literacy and numeracy skills through the use of information and communication technology, although some opportunities, which present themselves readily, are not exploited. In one lesson, for example, pupils were told to ignore the red wavy lines, which indicated incorrectly spelt words, when a very quick use of the spell-check facility would have helped pupils to improve their spelling. Nearly all teachers reinforce pupils’ learning very well by asking pupils to explain procedures to others or to recap at the end of the lesson what they have learnt or to explain what difficulties they have overcome. Learning is extended through work carried out at home or, for those who do not have access to a

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computer at home, at the school’s lunchtime computer club. In Year 4, for example, the class’s homework display board contains evidence of research on the Internet and poems and writing produced by pupils at home. The pupils respond very well to the high profile given to the subject and carry out their tasks eagerly and enthusiastically. They pay attention well, absorb new instructions quickly and show very responsible attitudes when working on their own or with a partner. Their very positive response makes a significant contribution to their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

118. The subject coordinator has provided outstanding leadership since assuming responsibility for the subject just under two years ago. He has not only analysed the school’s needs very carefully but has used his own expertise to acquire a much more appropriate range of equipment and resources than is seen in many schools. The new computer suite is sufficiently spacious and practical for teachers to accommodate different teaching arrangements. The suite is used so well and so frequently, that plans are already well advanced for the construction of a second suite. One area for improvement could be the installation of more computers in the infant classrooms, to provide the younger pupils with the opportunity to use a computer for short tasks which do not merit groups of pupils having to move to the computer suite. Interactive whiteboards and digital projectors are used very effectively in a number of classrooms

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

as well as the computer suite, and there are plans to install similar facilities in each classroom. The range of learning opportunities provided is excellent, and the use of information and communication technology imbues every aspect of school life. The school’s own intranet, which is continually being developed and updated, is quite exceptional. Here, pupils and staff have access to an astonishingly wide variety of resources, all chosen for their appropriateness and relevance to the whole curriculum. The capacity of the main servers is sufficient to store videos which teachers can Penpol Community Primary School - 50 access directly from their computer and project using a digital projector. The set-up of the intranet is attractive and exciting, but also easy to understand, so that material is quickly and easily located. A fast, high-quality colour laser printer serves all areas of the school, and the numerous displays of full-page digital photographs not only serve as

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very important focuses for learning, but also produce a stimulating learning environment which celebrates pupils’ work. The school uses its technological expertise to produce DVDs, videos and CDs of performances and major school productions, and to produce high-quality literature for distribution to parents. The school has made huge progress over the last year, and is now equipping it pupils very well indeed to live in a technological age.

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MUSIC

119. Standards in music are above average at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils achieve very well as they move through the school. Music plays a very important part in the life of this school which makes the most of the musical talent and expertise of staff and pupils. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn to play instruments, which a significant number does. These pupils make very good progress and are an inspiration to younger pupils. The school has a choir of over 70 voices, that has a strong reputation of success in the area, as well as a school band with over 30 pupils playing a range of instruments that includes saxophones, clarinets, violins and recorders.

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MUSIC

120. By the end of Year 2, pupils sing a range of songs from memory. They sing with good pitch and a good sense of dynamics, knowing when to sing quietly and loudly. Pupils listen attentively to music and portray their enjoyment. Pupils in Year 1 have been exploring how sounds can be made. They have appropriate recollection of specific vocabulary such as ‘loud’, ‘soft’, ‘high’ and ‘low’. After selecting a percussion instrument to play, they pay close attention to the teacher, listen carefully, follow her directions, and express great delight at their resulting success. These young pupils are confident to devise signs for high and low sounds, loud or soft and stop. They make good progress in following these when they make music, particularly when combining the musical elements of pitch and tempo. Individual pupils use their notation to give effective instructions to others. In Year 5, pupils perform their parts in a class

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ensemble situation that combines voices and instruments. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved and make good progress playing tuned instruments such as the xylophone. Pupils listen to recordings of their performance and evaluate them, making valuable suggestions for improvement. Using the pentatonic scale, pupils develop their ideas confidently, with an awareness of how different parts fit together to achieve an overall effect. They concentrate well and play their respective parts at the correct times. An enjoyment and love of music are nurtured effectively in these sessions through the expertise of the teacher and the use of good-quality resources, such as a sixteen-track recording studio. The sound produced along with a pupil playing on his guitar was of a very high standard. The composing element of the curriculum is developed well throughout the school, resulting in pupils’ ability to

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compose songs for groups as well as class musical pieces.

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MUSIC

121. The quality of teaching is very good overall. The school makes good use of the specialist staff available to guide the teaching of music. This results in pupils having very good attitudes towards music making, the confidence to try new skills and enjoyment in their lessons. Lessons are well planned, imaginative, captivating and challenging, particularly in Year 5. This contributes very effectively to the quality of pupils’ learning since concentration levels are maintained throughout and pupils want to carry on, even at home time! Music played in assemblies is chosen well by teachers to Penpol Community Primary School - 51 set the tone and support the theme of these occasions, and helps pupils to develop a good appreciation of different types of music.

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MUSIC

122. The subject is managed well by the subject coordinator who gives helpful and enthusiastic support to colleagues. The subject policy places an appropriate emphasis on enjoyment and encouraging a love of music. The school is very successful in this, as evidence of pupils’ formation of ‘pop groups’ shows. Pupils are very confident to perform to each other in their outdoor theatre at break times, and many give up their Saturday mornings for rehearsals or recordings at school with the music coordinator, deputy headteacher and other members of staff. The coordinator and deputy headteacher successfully combine their talents to write musical performances for the school and community. A small part of a rehearsal for the summer performance was seen during the inspection. Singing was of very high quality, in particular the soloists who perform with confidence, clarity and feeling. Challenging duets and groups

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harmonising with the choir are very effective and of a very high standard. The school make the best use of very limited accommodation to present these very high quality performances.

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MUSIC

123. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop and share their musical expertise. After-school clubs, musical events and festivals, as well as the school performance, successfully support pupils’ personal, social and cultural development as well as developing their musical skills. The choir and instrumentalists have been very successful in obtaining the Elizabethan Trophy in Cornwall five times in six years.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

124. It was only possible to observe outdoor games lessons during the inspection. Pupils in Year 2 and in Year 6 demonstrate levels of attainment that are above expectations in a range of games skills, in their ability to evaluate and improve their performance and in their knowledge of the importance of exercise and the effects it has upon their bodies. Pupils in Year 6 also demonstrate an above average ability to combine skills and techniques. A number of pupils, especially amongst the older ones, demonstrate individual skills which are well above expectations. Evidence from school photographs, teachers’ planning and talking to pupils about the many physical activities offered to them, indicate that standards in other areas of the physical education Programme of Study are similar to the skills observed in games lessons. However, the inadequate size of the school hall is not conducive to promoting higher standards in indoor

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activities, such as dance or gymnastics, especially with classes of older pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

125. The headteacher coordinates the subject, and his enthusiasm for physical education is shared by many of the teaching and support staff. This enthusiasm is reflected in the excellent range of extra-curricular sporting activities on offer and the numbers of pupils attending. The school is involved in a large number of events and competitions and has a rich history of achievement.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

126. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and make sure that enjoyment is an integral part of lessons. Pupils’ love of physical activity and challenge is nurtured throughout their time in school and, in all lessons observed, all pupils displayed huge amounts of enthusiasm for the activities they were engaged in. At the same time, they are able to organise themselves quickly and sustain physical effort and concentration throughout the lesson. Lessons always include a warm-up and a series of activities that are designed to change or increase the amount of challenge. Pupils in Year 2, for example, started by throwing and bouncing a large ball towards a partner, then they ran with it whilst passing, then they worked in threes throwing, catching, running and turning as they moved up the field. Pupils in Years 5 Penpol Community Primary School - 52

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and 6 practised individual cricket skills of throwing, catching, fielding, bowling and batting before progressing to mini-cricket games. A significant strength of the teaching is the pace of the lessons and the extent to which pupils are kept active and given maximum practice time for various skills. As a result of the good teaching, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. The complete Programme of Study is provided, including dance, gymnastics, swimming and outdoor pursuits. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 use a local swimming pool on a rotational basis and, when participating in residential activities, pupils in Year 6 have opportunities for activities such as orienteering, dry snowboarding, mountain biking and surfing. A new assessment system is being developed to record pupils’ progress and attainment. A significant strength of the school is the effort made to make sure that everyone is included in activities, including those with special educational needs in this area of learning. A special early morning club has been set up to help pupils who have difficulties with control and coordination. During the inspection, a disabled pupil was given wonderful support by her assigned helper to enable her to join in with her classmates with all the activities on offer. Another strength is the support and

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encouragement given to those who are specially talented. Several pupils pursue sporting activities outside of school and, very often, this is a result of the school recognising individual talents and making the necessary contacts for them or advising them about opportunities available. These talented pupils are integrated very well into lessons and are often used to demonstrate skills or to help less capable pupils. There are occasions, however, when it would be more appropriate to plan more difficult tasks within lessons for these more capable pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

128. No lessons were observed with older pupils during the inspection. However, from pupils’ written work, particularly in Years 5 and 6, it is clear that standards are above the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus at the end of Years 2 and 6. This is an improvement on the findings of the last inspection, where standards were in line with expectations. Pupils make good progress in their learning about the beliefs and practices of those who follow the Christian and other world faiths.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

129. Pupils are given many opportunities to learn about world faiths and are always encouraged to consider their own responses to the rituals, ceremonies and beliefs they learn about. Their ability to reflect upon their own experiences and those of others is developed to a good standard. By the end of Year 2, pupils identify ways in which they are special and put into simple words their love of the world. They reflect well upon a range of relationships and learn to be appreciative of special people in their lives and more famous people, like Mother Theresa and Mahatma Ghandi. They make comparisons between major festivals in different faiths. Beliefs and myths of important events are evaluated, such as the Christian story of the creation compared with that of the North American Indians. From their writings and pictures, pupils enjoy stories from different religious traditions. They are very familiar with symbols used by the Hindu

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religion, such as the Mehndi and Rangoli patterns. Pupils make good progress towards understanding the distinctive features from different religious traditions. Through consideration of the Christian celebration of Christmas and the Hindu celebration of Diwali, the festival of light, pupils demonstrate a growing understanding of symbolism of different faiths.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

130. Throughout the school pupils are taught about the major religions of the world, in particular Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Sikhism, planned progressively within a two-year rolling programme. By the end of Year 6, pupils have good knowledge of the festivals of different religions, the places of worship, the key people and the holy books, Penpol Community Primary School - 53 and an insight into the way of life of people from different cultures. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress over time. The depth of pupils’ reflections is a significant feature throughout the school and contributes very well to pupils’ understanding of feelings. This is portrayed well in a pupil’s poem based on Jesus’ saying ‘love one another’, which expresses deep thought and feeling. Pupils study in detail the subjects of forgiveness, friends and values, and good reference is made to Bible stories such as ‘The Good Samaritan’, the Crucifixion, the

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‘Parable of the Unmerciful Servant’ and the Lord’s Prayer. Individual thoughts and expectations demonstrate confidence in explaining their perceptions.

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131. Lessons, teachers’ plans, the work displayed and pupils’ books show that teachers provide a balanced religious education programme based on good subject knowledge. Good use is made of individual teacher’s expertise to teach many of the pupils in the junior phase, and this has a positive effect on the standards pupils achieve. Teachers use a variety of interesting methods to enthuse the pupils. Visits to places of worship, such as to the church, and visitors to the school enhance pupils’ understanding of the differences in values and beliefs of other faiths.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

132. Teachers make effective links with literacy and information technology, practising the skills taught through reading stories and encouraging pupils to write independently and retrieving information from the Internet to support their learning. The pupils take pride in presenting their work, and they enjoy the variety of approaches which teachers encourage them to use. Pupils are expected to think for themselves and make connections between stories they hear in everyday life.

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133. The subject coordinator has worked hard and successfully raised the profile of religious education across the school. She is interested and motivated to continue to take the subject forward and provides good support for staff. Resources are adequate to meet the demands of the curriculum.

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