Tansley Primary School

TANSLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 31 st March – 2 nd April 2003

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TANSLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Tansley Primary School - ii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Goldhill Tansley Matlock Postcode: DE4 5FG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Joe Woods

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1997

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. Tansley Primary School - iii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 14591 R Perkin Registered inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education Educational inclusion English as an additional language The characteristics and effectiveness of the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Teaching and learning Key issues for action

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

13723 J Overend Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers 32347 J Brighouse Team inspector English Geography History Religious education The quality and range of opportunities for learning

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

17907 M Bowers Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology The Foundation Stage Special educational needs Leadership and management

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Primary Associates Limited Suite 13 West Lancashire Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale WN8 9TN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Tansley Primary School - iv

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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? 5

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Tansley is a smaller than average primary school with 99 pupils on roll, ranging from 4 to 11 years of age. Year groups vary considerably in size and there are significantly more boys than girls. About one fifth of the pupils have joined or left the school at times other than the usual since September 2000. All pupils are of white British heritage and have English as their mother tongue. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs (13 per cent) is below average but the proportion with statements of educational need (3 per cent) is well above average. The range of special educational needs includes dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. Children start school with attainment levels that vary considerably both from year to year and within year groups; overall children’s attainment on entry is broadly at levels expected for their

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

age. Most of the pupils are from the local village with some from outlying farms and an increasing number from outside the school’s catchment area. The school has achieved the Basic Skills Quality Mark, the Supporting Environmental Education Award, the Eco Schools Bronze Award and the Health Promoting Schools Award.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Tansley Primary is a very good school. Most pupils attain good standards and achieve well; those who have special educational needs make very good progress. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good and relationships are excellent. Teaching is good overall with much that is very good. Leadership and management are very good with some excellent features. The school gives good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What the school does well • The headteacher’s excellent leadership has developed an extremely clear educational direction that is very well reflected in the life of the school and is shared by the whole staff team and the very effective governing body; • Most pupils achieve well and standards are above average in English, mathematics, science and most other subjects because of the good teaching. Pupils who have special educational needs in particular make very good progress because of the very good provision made for their needs; the help given to pupils with statements is excellent; • Pupils’ maturity, responsibility, behaviour and attitudes to school are very good and their relationships excellent because of the very good provision for their personal development; • The school makes very good use of its money because of its excellent financial planning and its very clear educational priorities.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What could be improved • Children in reception do not have enough opportunities to experience activities that promote their independent learning or to develop their physical skills by playing in a suitably challenging outdoor play area with large play equipment; • The lack of a school hall means that the facilities for gymnastics and dance are very limited. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Improvement since the last inspection in October 1997 has been very good. Standards of attainment have improved in many subjects and been maintained in English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ behaviour has significantly improved as a result of the much better provision for pupils’ personal development. There has been a marked improvement in the quality of teaching with much being very good and none being unsatisfactory. The key issue relating to assessment procedures and schemes of work and their use in teachers’ planning for different abilities has been very well resolved. Provision and progress for pupils who have special educational needs have improved considerably. The curriculum for the reception children has improved in some respects but is still lacking in some ways. Leadership and Tansley Primary School - 2 management have improved and now have some excellent features. Considerable improvements have

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

been made to the accommodation but the lack of a hall still compromises standards in aspects of physical education.

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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

compared with Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

National test results do not always reflect the good standards in English, mathematics and science seen in the present Year 6, largely because the small year groups mean that a single pupil who under- performs or has special educational needs has a significant effect on the overall figures. For example, the fact that there were two pupils with statements of special educational needs, one other pupil with special educational needs and one pupil who joined the school only two months before the tests accounts very largely for the 25 per cent of pupils who did not reach the expected level in English, mathematics and science. A good proportion of pupils attained the better than expected level in English and in science, the proportion was very good. Boys performed markedly better than girls in 2002 and have done over the past three years. Trends need to be taken cautiously because of the small numbers involved and the high number of pupils with statements but overall the trend for all core subjects is below

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STANDARDS

the national trend. The school met its realistic targets in 2002 and is in line to exceed its targets for English and science and meet them in mathematics in 2003.

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STANDARDS

Pupils in the present Year 6 are on course to exceed the levels expected in all subjects except physical education. Standards of literacy and numeracy are above average. Attainment in gymnastics and dance suffers from the lack of a hall though, because of the school’s efforts, pupils’ attainment in physical education overall is at expected levels for their age in Year 6 and in Year 2. Pupils’ standards in Year 2 are above average in writing, speaking and listening and art and design and at expected levels in reading, mathematics, science, information and communication technology, religious education, design and technology, geography and history. There was insufficient evidence to make judgements about standards in music in Years 2 and 6. Children in reception make steady progress and met the early learning goals by the time they start Year 1; in creative development, they surpass them. Pupils who

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STANDARDS

have special educational needs achieve very well. Average and higher attaining pupils and those identified as gifted and talented achieve well.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils take part in lessons and other activities very enthusiastically and discuss their learning with great enjoyment.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils’ behaviour is very good in lessons, in the playground and around the school. They are very well aware of the effect of their actions on others and show great respect for each other. The school is a Tansley Primary School - 3 very orderly community.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils respond very well to the many opportunities to take on responsibility and their relationships are excellent.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good. Levels of attendance are above average and there is no unauthorised absence. Pupils arrive at school punctually and ready to work.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Good Good

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching and learning are good overall. Well over a third of the teaching observed was very good and there was no unsatisfactory teaching. English, mathematics and science are well taught and the teaching of literacy and numeracy is good so that pupils’ basic skills develop well. Teachers provide very good opportunities for writing, speaking, listening and numeracy in other subjects. The teaching of information and communication technology is good and teachers use it very well in other subjects. The teaching of personal, social, health and citizenship education is very good and has a very strong positive effect of pupils’ personal development. Pupils with special educational needs are very well taught and the teaching of pupils with statements of special educational needs is sometimes excellent. These pupils are very well motivated and make very good progress as a result; their learning benefits particularly from

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

the very effective help they receive from expert and very well used classroom assistants. Teachers manage pupils very well, largely because of the excellent relationship they have with them, so that behaviour in lessons is very good. Teachers’ planning is very thorough and is particularly strong in taking account of the full range of needs within the class. Such very good planning ensures that reception children benefit from working alongside the older pupils in their class; however, they do not have enough opportunities to take part in activities that sufficiently promote their independent learning. Teachers are very good at adjusting their teaching in the light of their observations and assessments during lessons. Older pupils in particular work very hard and creatively with very good levels of interest, concentration and independence.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum meets statutory requirements. Pupils enjoy a very rich and relevant set of learning experiences, benefiting from very strong contributions from the community, very good educational inclusion for all pupils and very good quality activities outside lessons. The curriculum is satisfactory for reception children but does not promote their independence sufficiently.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Teachers and support staff know the needs of these pupils very well and plan very effectively for them.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good. An atmosphere of tolerance and respect for the feelings and beliefs of others is enhanced by excellent opportunities for pupils’ social development and very consistent messages about right and wrong. There is very good support for multicultural understanding and the school’s anti- racist policy is very well applied. Tansley Primary School - 4 How well the school cares for its pupils Very well. This is a very caring school, which very effectively ensures pupils’ welfare.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school works in partnership with parents Very well. Parents have extremely positive views of the school and there are very effective links with parents that ensure their involvement in their children’s learning has a very strong impact.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. Excellent leadership from the headteacher has ensured a very strong working team that shares a very clear set of priorities that are put into practice very effectively.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very well. A very well led governing body knows the school very well and plays an appropriately active part in shaping its direction.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Very effective procedures for monitoring and developing teaching and very thorough systems for evaluating pupils’ performance ensure that the school’s self-evaluation leads to very effective action.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good. Excellent financial planning takes very good account of best value principles, consulting parents and pupils and working consistently to improve standards. Spending relates very closely to the priorities in the school development plan.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources is satisfactory. There is a good match of teaching and other staff to meet the needs of the pupils and there are at least satisfactory levels of learning resources in most subjects. There is no suitable space for developing skills in aspects of physical education and only limited resources for children’s physical development in reception.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• The quality of leadership and management. • They would feel comfortable in approaching the school with problems or suggestions. • The behaviour in the school. • The teaching, which has high expectations of their children and is helping them become mature and responsible. • Facilities for physical education. • The information they receive about their children’s progress.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection strongly confirms the parents’ positive views. It also judges that parents receive good quality information about their children’s progress. It sees the lack of a suitable hall as having an adverse effect on standards in gymnastics and dance. Tansley Primary School - 5

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. By the time the majority of pupils leave the school, their standard of attainment in most subjects is above average and they have achieved well during their time in the school. This marks an improvement since the last inspection. The very small numbers concerned make the statistics from national tests unreliable because of the distorting effect of a single under-performing pupil, a pupil with special educational needs or one who recently arrived at the school. Consequently, the results in 2002 did not reflect the good standards in English, mathematics and science seen in the present Year 6. In fact, credit goes to the quality of teaching that enabled one of the statemented pupils to achieve the nationally expected level in English and the late arrival to achieve that level in English and mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The results of national tests and assessments for seven-year-olds in 2002 were similarly detrimentally affected by the presence in a very small group of three pupils with special educational needs and one recent arrival; consequently, performance in mathematics, reading and science were well below the average for similar schools. However, because the school successfully targeted standards in writing, a high proportion of pupils achieved the level above that expected. Most pupils in the present Year 2 are on course to attain above average standards in English, particularly in writing and speaking and listening, and to attain at expected levels for their age in mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress to reach standards in English, mathematics and science that are marginally below the national level. This is because of the very good quality of the targets set in pupils’ individual learning plans and the very good help they receive from both teachers and classroom assistants. Currently one fifth of the Year 6 pupils who have special educational needs are on track to achieve the national levels by the end of the year.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school’s literacy strategy has been effectively implemented and is having a significant effect on standards in English throughout the school, particularly because teachers are adept at planning suitable activities for the full range of age and ability in their classes. The school has recently targeted writing as a priority and this has had a positive impact on standards, which are now good by the end of Year 6. Very good opportunities for pupils to write not only in English lessons but also in other subjects have led to a considerable rise in the number of pupils achieving good standards in writing. The regular use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ writing also has a beneficial effect. Standards in reading are also above average and a number of initiatives such as the use of male ‘buddy readers’ from the local high school have helped to motivate boys in particular. Because teachers

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

provide frequent opportunities for pupils to work together and to share their views with each other in class, standards of speaking and listening are good throughout the school. Pupils learn to express themselves clearly and confidently as teachers skilfully ask questions that challenge individuals.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Similarly very good use of numeracy in other subjects has had a positive effect on standards in mathematics. The school’s numeracy strategy is effective. Regular practice in mental mathematics, an emphasis on the application of mathematics to everyday situations, often in other subjects such as design and technology or Tansley Primary School - 6 geography, and frequent problem-solving opportunities are raising standards. Lower attainers and pupils with special educational needs benefit from sometimes excellent small group sessions where they work in exciting ways to reinforce their number skills.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The school analyses boys’ and girls’ performance carefully and takes good account of all pupils’ interests and needs in planning for lessons. In recent years, there have been more girls than boys with statements of special educational needs and this, in small year groups, has had an effect on the figures relating to boys’ and girls’ attainment.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. All teaching staff have at least one subject co-ordinator role and all are making a positive impact on standards in their subjects. For example, in science, a high proportion of eleven-year-old pupils reached the higher level in the national tests in 2002 and this is likely to be repeated this year because of the thorough grounding pupils receive in the basic scientific skills of investigation. A strong emphasis on first- hand experience gives pupils the confidence to make realistic predictions and explain the reasons for their findings. Expert leadership in science has ensured that teachers cover the ground well so that pupils learn at appropriate levels.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils’ above average standards in information and communication technology result from frequent opportunities to use computers for work in other subjects. This frequent practice supports the direct teaching of skills and enables higher attainers to reach standards that are sometimes well above those expected for their age. The above average standards in art and design are brought about by the very good practice of the subject co-ordinator, which has promoted a rich variety of opportunities for pupils to enjoy stimulating activities. The resulting good teaching helps to develop pupils’ skills in the subject systematically while at the same time promoting learning in other subjects such as history and science. Because teachers are well acquainted with the need for pupils to plan and research their design projects carefully and then to evaluate stringently what they have produced, pupils achieve good standards in design and technology by the end of Year 6. Pupils’ good work in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

geography and history also benefit from rich contributions from other subjects so that their skills develop alongside understanding and insight. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about standards in music.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The school works very hard to ensure that pupils reach at least satisfactory standards in physical education. However, the lack of a hall that is suitable for gymnastics and dance means that pupils’ development in these areas is very limited. Since the last inspection, the village hall has been used for dance and floor work but the hall is not very big nor does it have any large apparatus.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Children in reception make sound progress and are on target to achieve the expected early learning goals in all areas of learning by the time they complete their reception year; in creative development, most surpass those goals. However, they do not have enough opportunities to choose activities or to work independently because many activities are not permanently available for them; consequently, their personal development is not as good as it might be. Their physical development is limited by the lack of an enclosed outdoor play area where they learn from using large equipment. The present facilities are an improvement since the last inspection but are not sufficiently well developed to provide the necessary learning opportunities. Tansley Primary School - 7

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils’ attitudes to school and to their work are very good. There is a happy and purposeful atmosphere in the school and this has a positive effect on the pupils’ attitude to school life and their learning. Their personal development is very good and their relationships with adults and each other are excellent which results in very good behaviour in lessons and around the school. All parents at the pre-inspection meeting and those who responded to the questionnaire felt that pupils’ behaviour is excellent and were sure that the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. They also felt that their children like school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. In reception, the children have very positive attitudes towards their work and are usually very well behaved. They respond very well to their teacher or other adult helpers. Pupils throughout the school are very enthusiastic about their learning and those heard reading during the inspection showed great enjoyment of their books. The pupils work with very good levels of concentration, as seen in a Year 2 physical education lesson where they also showed great care for each other’s space and their efforts made a significant contribution to the success of the lesson and the progress they made. In a science lesson with Years 5 and 6, pupils’ involvement was very good and remained so even when some found their predictions had been very wrong.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils with special educational needs have very good attitudes to learning. They concentrate well, are keen to answer questions and contribute to classroom discussions. They want to learn and form excellent, positive relationships with the adults who work with and support them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils’ behaviour is very good. At playtimes and in the lunch hall, it is very amicable. Pupils show very clearly that they understand what is acceptable behaviour and are very willing to comply with the high standards of behaviour that are expected of them. Pupils with behavioural difficulties are very well managed so that there is minimal disruption to their own and others’ learning. The very good behaviour supports pupils’ progress and enables the school to hold assemblies and conduct physical education lessons in cramped conditions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Relationships between all members of the school community are excellent. Pupils and staff work very closely together in a caring and tolerant atmosphere, which improves the quality of life in school for all. The children have responded with great enthusiasm to the ‘Give racism the red card’ scheme and to all the systems and procedures to prevent oppressive behaviour and ensure inclusion and friendship for all.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils make very good progress in their personal development. They take very seriously the many responsibilities around the school. They are particularly conscientious about their role as ‘playground buddies’ and enjoy selling the fruit for the healthy school scheme. They regularly choose and initiate charity events. Pupils are encouraged to make choices and show initiative in lessons and respond very well to these opportunities. In a design and technology lesson in Years 5 and 6, they individualised and improved their slipper designs and in a science lesson they found ways to improve their experiments on vibration and pitch. The school council gives pupils responsibility and a ‘voice’ and is regularly consulted by the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance is above average and is judged to be good. There is no unauthorised absence and the children really want to come to school and so are punctual. Tansley Primary School - 8

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection and is now good. This is largely as a result of the very good systems for monitoring and developing teaching instigated by the headteacher. The unsatisfactory teaching has been eradicated and well over a third of teaching is now very good. Some excellent teaching was also observed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers manage the mostly mixed age classes with skill. Planning systems are consistent and very good. Teachers take full account of the often wide range of age and ability within each class by planning suitable activities and support for the different groups. Teachers’ very well developed procedures for assessing pupils’ needs within lessons enable them to change tack when necessary, in order to reinforce or clarify learning. Planning is particularly challenging for the teachers who have classes that include pupils from two key stages, where the needs of the two groups are often quite distinct. For example, the teacher of the class that includes children in their reception year and pupils in Year 1 solves the problem well when both groups are working together. The teacher uses activities that involve learning that is relevant to both groups. She questions individuals cleverly to ensure that they

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

learn at appropriate rates and levels. The use of the classroom assistants in these sessions is also effective. Learning is also good for the pupils in Year 1 when they are working separately with the teacher. However, the layout of the classroom is less helpful to the younger children when they are working as a separate group. While the teaching is satisfactory, adults do not always make the most of opportunities to allow children a broad enough choice of activity or to work independently either individually or with a friend.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers fully understand the nature of the challenges presented by the pupils in their classes who have special educational needs. In particular, the help given to pupils with a statement of special education needs is excellent. Teachers are mindful of the targets in these pupils’ individual education plans and plan accordingly. This ensures that the learning is relevant to their needs and enables teachers to assess their levels of confidence and understanding quickly and accurately. These pupils are supported by enthusiastic and skilled support assistants, who keep them on task by providing further explanations and using visual equipment to help them understand the learning activity. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in classroom activities. Teachers frame questions carefully to ensure that these pupils contribute to the introduction to lessons. Their speaking and listening skills, self-

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

esteem and confidence are particularly well developed when their contribution provides the focus for discussion, as, for example, in a very productive personal, social and health education lesson. In this lesson, an issue raised the previous week by a pupil who has special educational needs was explored by the whole class, enabling the pupil to develop his insight into the issue and apply his new learning to the moral and practical issues raised. Group work is carefully planned and prepared to enable these pupils to work at their specific boundaries of learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers apply the school’s literacy and numeracy strategies well. They also have a good, and sometimes very good, level of subject knowledge so that they are confident in helping pupils of all levels of ability. This shows itself particularly well in subjects such as science, geography and art and design where teachers use the expertise of the subject co-ordinators to good effect.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Pupils develop the basic skills of most subjects systematically because of the teachers’ consistent use of the schemes of work in planning their lessons and Tansley Primary School - 9 because of the frequent opportunities pupils have to apply those skills in other subjects. The methods that teachers and classroom assistants use often stimulate high levels of interest, particularly in the older pupils. For example, pupils in Year 4 responded to Longfellow’s poem, ‘The Tide Rises’, by producing very evocative computer generated paintings that caught the feeling and meaning of the poem very well. Activities that add physical movements to intellectual learning about, for example, place value for pupils with special educational needs, stimulate excellent levels of interest and participation and clarify knowledge and understanding extremely well. For instance, throwing different coloured balls in the air a requisite number of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

times to represent the number of hundreds, tens and units reinforced their learning of the concept very effectively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The very good behaviour that helps make the lessons so productive is due largely to the teachers’ very good class management skills. They have very high expectations of behaviour and apply the school’s rules so consistently that pupils know exactly where they stand and consequently respond very positively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. A significant contribution to pupils’ learning is made by the very good quality classroom assistants and support staff who are used very effectively for the most part both in the classrooms and in working with small groups of pupils or with individuals. Teachers plan with them and they use the same consistently constructive approach as the teachers. As a result, pupils respond to them very positively and thoroughly enjoy the individual attention they receive.

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PUPILS?

25. The quality and range of the learning opportunities provided for the pupils are good overall and for Years 1 to 6 are very good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The significant strengths of the curriculum are its relevance to the pupils and the high priority which is given to pupils’ personal and social development. The curriculum for Years 1 and 2 is very good at building on what pupils already know and stimulating their thinking and creativity. Equally the curriculum for Years 3 to 6 continues to build and promote pupils’ independence in learning. The school is successful in its aim to provide pupils with a broad range of experiences both within and outside lessons, to motivate them and to provide them with the skills to become effective learners.

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PUPILS?

26. The curriculum for children in reception is satisfactory and takes account of the six required areas of learning but there is limited provision for them to experience activities that promote their independence. Children benefit from the example of the older pupils in the class when they work together because the teacher carefully establishes pairs and groups so that both age groups benefit. The range of permanently set up activities is sometimes rather limited so that the reception children, while they always have some choice, do not have enough opportunities for independent choice. The restricted provision for outdoor play also limits their physical development to some extent.

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PUPILS?

27. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all that happens in the school. In English and mathematics, they have individual education plans of very good quality that are used effectively by the staff to plan appropriately challenging activities. Often, extra language and mathematics sessions are organised to ensure that these pupils make the progress of which they are capable. These, led by learning support assistants, often make very effective use of resource packs that are Tansley Primary School - 10 based on the personal research of one of the teachers. The school works hard to meet the social needs of pupils with symptoms of autism and emotional and behavioural difficulties but is limited by the absence of a permanent specific social development activity area.

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PUPILS?

28. The school’s literacy and numeracy strategies are consistently and effectively implemented and standards are consequently good. Pupils are taught as whole classes or grouped according to ability as applicable to the task. This ensures effective learning and challenge when appropriate. Very good use is being made of ‘catch up’ programmes, booster classes and intervention strategies to assist those children needing extra support. Good provision is made for the teaching of basic literacy skills although a more structured programme for assessment and target setting in reading similar to that employed for writing would enhance this provision further and enable similarly good standards to be achieved in reading. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their numeracy skills through problem solving and through using their skills in other subjects such as geography and science. Information and communication technology is very well used, for example,

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PUPILS?

to support other subjects, to research and to motivate pupils. The new information and communication technology suite is timetabled effectively to ensure that all classes have the opportunity to practise skills and develop their confidence and independence.

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PUPILS?

29. The curriculum not only meets the statutory requirements but is also effective in providing additional activities suitable for children of different ages and needs. Very good use is made of resources within the community and a variety of other activities are planned to contribute to pupils’ learning. Pupils visit local churches and other religious buildings in Derbyshire as part of their work in religious education. In conjunction with history and geography topics, pupils make village studies, look at streams and rivers and travel to a nearby village to visit the Arkwright Mill. There is also a biennial residential visit. Visitors into school are numerous and their contribution to the curriculum is wide reaching. Former governors and parents come in to help in the library, work on literacy and sporting activities and give support on school grounds projects. Local clergy regularly participate in school life by taking

p.14

PUPILS?

assemblies or making contributions to religious education lessons. The school also uses experts from the community such as the fire and police service. Experts in art, music and dance work with the pupils and some very good work was displayed on ‘Friendship’ done with a visiting artist. Pupils not only benefit from their links with the local community but they also derive a sense of citizenship as they raise funds for local causes and charities. These opportunities are very effective in helping pupils to understand what it means to be part of a community.

p.14

PUPILS?

30. The school has good relationships with partner institutions. Links with local high schools offer ‘Buddy Readers’ and ‘Buddy Writers’ systems, which serve to enhance pupils’ learning; the latter was initiated and developed by the primary school. These initiatives together with other visits, such as science days, all help to smooth the transfer to high school.

p.14

PUPILS?

31. The range of activities provided for pupils outside school hours is very good. Effective use has been made of extra grants to provide sporting and dance opportunities for older pupils as well as some excellent outdoor play facilities for all such as chess boards, playground markings, hoops and skittles. There are clubs provided in information and communication technology, dance, drama, French and a wide variety of sports and games, all of which play a significant part in the pupils’ social and personal development and support learning in a range of subjects. Tansley Primary School - 11 32. The personal, social and health education aspect of the curriculum is a particular strength of the school. This is often linked to or permeates every other subject in the curriculum. Through initiatives such as ‘Fair Trade’, ‘Red Nose Day’ and ‘Give racism the red card’, pupils develop principles of right and wrong, show initiative and take

p.14

PUPILS?

responsibility. A striking example of this was in work where children had been asked to give their own definition of the word ‘Inclusion’. There were many deep thoughts offered which were epitomised by the phrase ‘Inclusion is never leaving anyone out!’ The school’s practice in this area is very good and teachers are very careful to ensure the full participation of all pupils, whatever their particular needs.

p.15

PUPILS?

33. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is very good. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection and is now a strength of the school.

p.15

PUPILS?

34. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. The school provides high quality assemblies in which themes such as good and bad and right and wrong are sensitively explored and linked well to the school’s Golden Rule system. Deep questions are often asked of the pupils. For example, a Year 1 class was asked, ‘How do you think God felt when He flooded the world?’ This type of question leads pupils to reflect on their own feelings as well as those of others. Through the curriculum, pupils are similarly encouraged to reflect on their own and others’ beliefs and thus learn a sense of value for others and for themselves. Work in poetry and art offers pupils an insight into the aesthetic world and they are given the opportunity to explore their own emotions through, for example, writing their own prayers. Teaching styles are promoted which value pupils’ questions and give them space for their own

p.15

PUPILS?

ideas. A climate is provided where all pupils can grow and flourish.

p.15

PUPILS?

35. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. The school ensures that pupils know and understand the codes of conduct and that they are given opportunities to contribute to their own class rules. Rewards are used consistently and fairly to reinforce good work and good behaviour. Issues of moral importance are explored in structured discussions, through debate and through the School Council. Pupils are encouraged to initiate fund raising for local charities, to explore major moral issues such as anti-racism and fair trade in their lessons, and to apply lessons learned in their daily lives. Through their relationships with each other and with adults, pupils show consideration and respect and demonstrate an awareness of the consequence of their own actions.

p.15

PUPILS?

36. Pupils’ social development is outstanding and provision for this area is excellent. There are many opportunities for pupils to work together in social settings, in class groups, out of school clubs and on educational visits and holidays. There are many systems in place in the school to develop pupils’ social skills. For example, the ‘Buddy System’ gives older pupils the responsibility for helping others who need support or company. Circle Time provides pupils with experience of taking turns to comment about an issue. The School Council teaches pupils the rules of debate and the nature of decision making. The ‘Friendship Bench’ provides experience of comforting and communicating with pupils who feel left out. These activities all help to promote responsibility and personal development. Pupils describing the playground ‘Buddy System’ explained that they were ‘there to help unhappy people’ and that the ‘Friendship Stop’ was ‘where children go when they are sad or have no-

p.15

PUPILS?

one to play with’. Through all these systems and the responsibilities children are given, positive values are developed and pupils develop a sense of community based on common values. Tansley Primary School - 12 37. The school provides very well for the cultural development of its pupils. Good use is made of the local area to help them understand their cultural heritage. This has included visits to local mills, churches and a Sikh temple. The school provides various themed days to extend pupils’ cultural experience. A prime example of this was ‘India Day’ when pupils shared food, cultural songs and music and were given the opportunity to dress in traditional costume by a visiting speaker. Cultural activities are well planned and permeate the entire curriculum. For example, Year Six pupils were keen to show the hats they had made in art and technology as part of a project looking at Caribbean culture. Pupils also gain cultural experiences and awareness

p.15

PUPILS?

through music, drama and topics such as ‘Fair Trade’ and ‘Give Racism a Red Card’.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school takes very good care of its pupils. Staff provide an extremely supportive environment within which all pupils are fully valued and can flourish. This greatly boosts their confidence as learners. Many improvements in this area have taken place since the last inspection, particularly to aspects of assessment, which was reported as a key issue.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school meets statutory requirements very effectively by providing a safe place for pupils and adults to work. Fire, first aid and other health and safety procedures are made clear to all visitors by the enthusiastic and very effective co-ordinator. The school makes very good use of available expertise from the Local Education Authority and from the health and safety governor. Staff have participated in training courses to further raise awareness of where dangers may occur. Risk assessments are in place for many aspects of the school including all educational visits and there is generous provision of qualified first aiders. The co-ordinator regularly monitors the buildings and the accident book and staff training is kept up to date. Medical needs of pupils are very well attended to and pupils are taught about keeping themselves safe at appropriate points in the curriculum. The school has a ‘Healthy Schools’ award for

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

its role in encouraging long term healthy habits, for example, by providing fruit snacks and by creating sun awareness.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Procedures for child protection are also very effective. The co-ordinator has recently been retrained and ensures that all adults who work with the children are aware of the child protection policy. They understand the need for early notification of any concerns. The school also has systems in place to ensure that pupils have the confidence to speak out in a very supportive environment.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school has good procedures to monitor and promote good attendance and punctuality. A close eye is kept on absences, helped by the computerised record system and weekly monitoring. There is a praiseworthy policy of ringing home on the first morning of an absence at 9.15am that helps to restrict unauthorised absence as well as providing a check on the pupils’ well-being.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Good behaviour is very actively promoted by all staff through their consistent application of the behaviour policy and by ensuring that pupils are familiar with school rules and with the principles behind them. ‘Circle Time’, when the children sit and discuss issues that affect them, is very well used to ensure that all pupils understand the rules and what is appropriate behaviour. ‘Golden Time’, where good behaviour is rewarded by pupils choosing their own activities, is reported by the pupils to be a very good motivator of good behaviour. The playground buddies help to ensure that all Tansley Primary School - 13 children enjoy positive play experiences. The school is also using the ‘Time for Me’ scheme and training to help children with behavioural difficulties. The school works very hard to eliminate racist behaviour or oppression of any sort including involvement in ‘Give Racism the Red Card’. It also uses the work of the drama group

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Pupils’ personal development, which is very carefully promoted, is also monitored and recorded through the personal, social, health and citizenship education programme and reported in some detail to parents in the end of the year reports.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress and the information is put to good use. Individuals’ progress is carefully tracked and predictions made for the following term’s achievement. This guides the target setting and grouping in English and maths. Targets and groupings are adjusted when the regular assessments show the need. These procedures have had a marked effect in improving progress in English and mathematics. The achievements of children in reception in all the areas of learning are carefully assessed and recorded and used well to help plan for future lessons. In Years 1 to 6, pupils’ work in all other subjects is also regularly assessed against specific criteria so that teachers are clearly aware of what individuals have learned and what needs to be done to ensure that all the learning objectives have been met.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The support of the school for pupils with special educational needs is now very good because teachers provide appropriately graded work and because of the very high quality support provided by the classroom assistants. There is very careful planning to ensure the inclusion of all pupils in all activities at an appropriate level. Carefully drawn up individual education plans include specific and relevant targets that identify the next steps in the pupils’ learning. These are based on earlier teacher assessments. The special educational needs co-ordinator regularly assesses pupils’ progress against these targets and, when necessary, uses a good array of diagnostic tests to check judgements. Help, opinion and advice are sought from such outside agencies as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists and specific programmes are often provided. Early identification of pupils with special

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

educational needs is achieved through regular discussions between class teachers and the special educational needs co-ordinator who observes particular pupils in question and analyses the progress they have made with the class teacher prior to a decision being made.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Since the last inspection, the school has continued to enjoy very good relationships with its parents and the partnership with them is a strength of the school. Parents have noticed many improvements since the last inspection, including the premises and computer facilities, and appreciate the school’s continuing efforts to improve. Their overwhelming support is seen in their responses at the inspection meeting and through the questionnaire. Several also took the time to write letters in praise of aspects of the school. All parents particularly appreciate the ease with which they can approach the school with any concerns and they are sure that the leadership and management of the school are good. The only minor areas of concern are in being kept well informed about their children’s progress and the provision of after school activities. The inspection endorses the parents’ positive views and judges the

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

concerns to be unwarranted. Tansley Primary School - 14 47. The school provides good information for parents through day-to-day contact, regular newsletters, two parent-friendly prospectuses and a comprehensive governors’ annual report to parents. All are written in a clear format, give a lively view of the school and help parents to help their children make the best use of their time in school. Parents’ evenings are reported to be well attended and parents have a choice of day and time of their appointment. There is good curriculum information provided and parents receive topic information at the beginning of each year. Curriculum evenings have included a recent mini-course on the ‘read and write away’ partnership. The school has communicated its homework policy clearly to parents and enables them to contribute effectively to their children’s learning at home. There are good arrangements for informing the parents of children in reception about their

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

children’s progress. The end of year written reports to parents appear to be in a briefer format than for many schools. However, they meet legal requirements and include an indication of progress and both the child’s strengths and areas where further work is needed.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents of pupils with special educational needs have appropriate additional reviews of their children’s progress and are kept very well involved and informed. They have very high levels of confidence in the programmes of work the school provides for their children and are fully supportive of the school’s efforts. Parents are invited to attend termly reviews and have sight of any new individual education plans provided for their children. These parents are very appreciative of the support they receive from all staff.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The school values its parents, canvasses their opinions and listens carefully to their concerns. Parents’ opinions acted on have included development of the school uniform and more recently a review of the possibility of a school Internet site. Parents are active and enthusiastic fund raisers for the school and there is good support for the Friends of Tansley events. They have recently been able to buy outdoor furniture and sports equipment after consulting with the school. Parents help to run the popular school discos and help with after school activities, the library, on trips and as requested. Parents feel welcome to volunteer to help in classrooms and have provided valuable assistance on special days such as with the willow weaving and India Day.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The overall quality of leadership and management is very good. The headteacher has provided excellent leadership and has kept the school abreast of new developments. Many new initiatives have been introduced that have resulted in improved standards for lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. The vision for the school - a happy place to learn where pupils achieve their highest potential - has been achieved. The deputy headteacher helps the headteacher in the day-to-day management of the school. As a member of the senior management team, the deputy headteacher supports the headteacher in creating an environment where staff are empowered to take responsibility for and have pride in their teaching and the management of their subject responsibilities.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Very good work by the subject co-ordinators contributes strongly to the standards in most subjects. Their role has improved significantly since the last inspection. They play an important part in developing and planning guidelines and, through observation of teaching and reviewing pupils’ work, they have a clear view of standards in their subjects and offer good advice to other teachers. Many provide good examples of teaching in their own subjects and have developed teaching resources and schemes Tansley Primary School - 15 of work that ensure a consistent approach to the teaching of their particular subjects. The management of provision for children in reception satisfactorily enables their steady progress in a mixed age class, making good use of opportunities for them to work alongside the older pupils. The management does not, however, make best use of the organisation of the classroom to ensure that reception children develop their

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The management of provision for special educational needs is very good. The school has successfully implemented the latest Code of Practice. All staff are fully aware of the policy and procedures and use them effectively. The co-ordinator ensures that individual education plans are of a high quality and are regularly updated. She carefully monitors their use and the progress the pupils make as a result.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The contribution made by the governing body is very good. Through its committee structure, the governors fulfil their legal requirements. Governors are very proud of their school and play an important part in its development and improvement since the previous inspection. There are close links with subject co-ordinators through meetings with the curriculum sub-committee and governors visit the school frequently. As a result, governors are very well informed about the school’s strengths and areas for development and the decisions taken by the governing body have made a positive impact on standards and quality of education. For example, while they are fully aware of the effect on national test figures and on the school’s budget, they have taken a conscious decision to continue to accept pupils with special educational needs in to the school. They attend training and check to see that the school is up to date and responds to any new legislation. They are fully committed to

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

providing an education that meets the needs of all the pupils and, together with the senior management team, have been instrumental in providing an ethos of high achievement.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school’s plan for improvement is a well set out document which provides clear objectives to lead the school forward. It is drawn up by the headteacher following staff analysis of areas for development. Subject co-ordinators are fully included in the planning process as they feed their action plans into the school development plan. The school also considers information contained in documents circulated by The Office for Standards in Education. Governors consider the notion of ‘value added’ and carefully analyse the annual standard assessment test results. Through this ongoing debate between the governing body and the senior management team, the development plan is reviewed and adjusted to maintain the progress towards the vision of excellence expressed in the school’s aims. There has been very good progress in the development of leadership and management since the previous inspection and this has resulted in the raising of standards through the enrichment of

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

provision. The more able pupils have made at least good progress whilst pupils with special educational needs achieve very well.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The overall management of the budget is excellent. Spending is linked to priorities in the school improvement plan and governors have planned very well to maintain the current staffing structure. This includes additional learning support staff to enable some pupils to be supported in class and to be taught in small groups. The strength of the financial planning has been the building up of a higher financial reserve than usually seen to provide for a fall in numbers on roll and a consequent loss of income. This careful planning of a three-year budget cycle has enabled the school to set an acceptable budget for the next financial year and to have a small carry over. Tansley Primary School - 16 56. Overall monitoring of spending is excellent. The school’s administrative staff are efficient in checking on spending on a day-to-day basis and on providing information about the overall financial situation. Information and communication technology is

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

used very well to identify patterns in spending and accurate information can be located quickly. Specific grants are spent correctly in the best interest of the pupils, as, for example, in the provision of facilities and resources for information and communication technology.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The principles of best value are applied very effectively in major spending decisions. The analysis of the school’s performance has led to challenging targets being set to raise standards further. The headteacher is constantly looking for ways to move the school forward. Governors analyse the effect that spending has on standards in the school, for example, the spending on additional support staff (specially designated funds relating to statements) and the increase in standards in lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. Consultation is carried out before any major spending decisions are made.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school is sufficiently staffed with teachers who provide a good balance of expertise and experience. Teachers are supported by a good number of classroom assistants who work well in partnership with them. They provide unobtrusive support for individual pupils who are taught as part of the class.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Arrangements for professional development of staff are effective and training is closely linked to the needs of the school. Procedures for Performance Management are in place and appropriately supporting the development of the quality of teaching and learning. Arrangements for the induction of newly qualified staff fully meet national requirements.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Accommodation is satisfactory; however, there are unsatisfactory aspects, largely related to the lack of a hall. In spite of vigorous efforts by the governing body, the issue regarding a lack of a hall has not been resolved. This impinges on the day-to- day running of the school; for example, the classroom for pupils in Years 5 and 6 is used as a dining hall. Consequently, pupils’ work has to be tidied away to ensure that tables are available for midday lunches. The lack of a hall also makes it difficult for the school to teach educational gymnastics or dance and present arrangements are unsatisfactory. Assemblies have to be taken in classrooms and there are no permanent facilities for some pupils with special educational needs to have a quiet time away from the classroom and develop specific social and developmental skills.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Good improvements since the previous inspection include the provision of a new computer suite, which has made a very good contribution to the raising of standards in the subject for both staff and pupils. Accommodation for pupils in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall, although the outside play area is not fully operational to provide for children’s social and physical development.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The quality and range of learning resources is satisfactory overall. They are very good in information and communication technology and good in English, mathematics, science, design and technology, music, geography, history, religious education, art and design and special educational needs. They are satisfactory in the library and in the Foundation Stage, where greater numbers of wheeled and pedalled toys are required. They are unsatisfactory in physical education, because there is insufficient apparatus and equipment for educational gymnastics. Tansley Primary School - 17 63. The many strengths of the leadership and management of the school ensure that its mission statement and aims are reflected in all aspects of daily life. Pupils learn to grow together in a happy and caring school. They are taught to be friendly and to share with and respect each other.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

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

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- Improve the provision for children in reception by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a. Creating a classroom environment that enables children to make choices and to involve themselves in more activities that promote their independent learning;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b. Further improve provision for the children’s physical development by providing a suitably challenging outdoor play area and resources. (paragraphs 19, 26, 61, 67-68, 75)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school should also take account of the following issue:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- Seek alternative or additional accommodation and resources to enable standards in gymnastics and dance to be improved. (paragraphs 60 and 129) Tansley Primary School - 18

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 34

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 99

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 0

p.22

Attendance

% % Tansley Primary School - 19 School data 5.3 School data 0.0

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.23

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Tansley Primary School - 20

p.23

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 14

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (85) 86 (85) 79 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90(91)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 ( 85) 86 (85) 86 (80) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.24

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

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

p.24

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 16

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 75 (76) 75 (76) 75 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 75 (71) 63 (76) 75 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.24

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

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

p.24

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

* Please note. Test and examination data is excluded from inspection reports if there are 10 or fewer pupils. This also applies to year groups of boys and girls separately. Tansley Primary School - 21

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 2 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: YR– Y6 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.8 Financial year 2001-02 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.4 Average class size 24.5 £ Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 208,381 Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 205,472 Total aggregate hours worked per week 98 Expenditure per pupil 1916 FTE means full-time equivalent Balance brought forward from previous year 13854 Balance carried forward to next year 33,738 .

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Tansley Primary School - 22 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Tansley Primary School - 23

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 56 40 0 0 4

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 79 19 0 0 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 46 38 10 0 6

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 48 37 12 2 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 17 0 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71 25 2 0 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 54 38 8 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 81 17 0 0 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 71 27 0 0 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 46 37 12 0 6

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer and may not total 100.

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Parents at the meeting were very concerned that the school had not had enough help in upgrading facilities for physical education. Tansley Primary School - 24

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Children start school in the September after their fourth birthday. Currently seven children attend full time in the reception group, which is part of the Year 1 Class. The school uses the early learning goals and the national guidelines for children in the Foundation Stage for the children in reception.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. The school has good links with the local pre-school group, which many of the children have attended. Children from the group visit the school every two weeks. This enables staff to work together on the Foundation curriculum.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. While standards of attainment can vary significantly from year to year, results of tests given to children soon after they arrive at the school confirm that attainment is typical of children at this age. Currently, most children are working securely on the fourth stepping-stone in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and creative development. In these areas of learning, one third of the pupils are beginning to access the National Curriculum. Achievement is less advanced in physical development and personal and social development. Overall, reception children are achieving satisfactorily and overall are on target to meet all the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. The fact that the reception children are taught alongside Year 1 presents some difficulties in the organisation of the programmes of work that are entirely relevant to their needs. Whilst the planning for the reception group is detailed and often based in practical activities, it is difficult for the teacher to organise enough regular learning activities where children deepen their understanding by play, talking, observing, planning, questioning and reflecting as they respond to others in their group. The emphasis is placed on the more teacher directed learning activities. Whilst these are planned well and skilfully delivered, children do not always benefit from those activities that promote independence, awareness of others and the ability to choose a task and concentrate on it over a period of time to gain confidence and competence.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

69. The quality of the more directed teaching and the resulting learning is good. However, because role-play activities such as purchasing and paying for items at the ‘shop’ or exchanging money at the ‘bank’ are not always available as a choice for the children, the teaching of number work is not systematically supported by practical activities. Consequently, the quality of teaching for this group of reception children is satisfactory overall. Good use is made of visits and walks round the locality to promote children’s knowledge of the world around them. Classroom assistants are skilled and enthusiastic and provide good quality help for all children. They regularly work with groups of children and give good support to those who have difficulty understanding what is expected of them. Staff make helpful daily assessments of children at work, which are conscientiously recorded in the children’s files and are

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Personal, social and emotional development

70. Children are happy to come to school and have very positive attitudes to their work. Routines are well established so that children know what is expected of them and they behave very well. They are confident learners, but, while they usually get on very well with their classmates, they often find it easier to work on their own than to co- Tansley Primary School - 25 operate with another child to share an activity or complete a task. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers and other staff sometimes offer too much help and this restricts children’s opportunities to show their independence. Children pay reasonably close attention during quite lengthy sessions of teacher explanation. Staff reinforce the school’s values well throughout the day as small incidents arise. Praise is used well to motivate children and good story telling provides opportunities for children to explore their feelings about, for example, the importance of being helpful

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Communication, language and literacy

71. Children enjoy listening to stories, which are told skilfully by adults. Staff display a positive attitude towards reading and books. Children enthusiastically re-examine the story through role-play where they communicate using simple vocabulary. They are encouraged to take books home and to share them with their parents. Most children know that print carries meaning and higher attaining children are able to read simple texts. Adults engage children in conversation, developing their speaking and listening skills, and many confidently answer questions or contribute during whole class discussions. Children enjoy structured discussion times and careful planning by the teacher ensures that, for example, children consider how ‘God felt after He had sent the flood to destroy the Earth.’ Most children write or attempt to write their names although they do not have opportunities to practise this everyday. Although the school

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Communication, language and literacy

has produced clear and effective guidelines to support the development of emergent writing and early conventional writing, children do not have regular daily opportunities to write independently at a specific writing corner or involve themselves in writing during the role play activities. The National Literacy Strategy guidelines are effectively adjusted to the needs of the reception children as they learn the initial letter sounds. Slower learning and more advanced children use the computer to practise these initial sounds and to improve their spelling and reading skills.

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Mathematical development

72. Children count to 10 and higher attainers count to 30 and beyond. They count in sequences of two and higher attainers remember the counting repetition for 10s and fives. They are making good progress to develop their understanding of number value and know how the value of seven can be accumulated. They arrange visual material into towers of four and three and five and two. The more advanced children divide the number nine into five and four and four and five. However, they do not have opportunities to investigate this new knowledge further. Direct teaching includes Numeracy Hour techniques that are adjusted to the levels of maturity of the children. However, they are not underpinned by sufficient practical activities where children can explore number values prior to being taught more formally. Children do have opportunities to thread shapes to form patterns according to colour and mathematical shapes and to record their work. Children extend their mathematical

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Mathematical development

vocabulary and have good understanding of ideas such as ‘taller and shorter’. They regularly practise the formation of numbers so that they are beginning to be able to record their number activities accurately. Tansley Primary School - 26

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. The children are enthusiastic and curious about the world around them. They enjoy their visits to the local village and church. They are intrigued by the changing seasons and appreciate that springtime brings new life. They study growth from seeds and know that they require water, warmth and light to encourage them to grow. Children manipulate construction kits to create model farms and assemble models of houses and homes using recyclable material. They know how to use the mouse and the keyboard to activate the computer. Children know of the events in the story of Noah. Teaching is good. Very good planning enabled children to paint, experience water play and build an ark. These activities were well supported by adults. Children use the school environment to develop an understanding of early geographical skills such as location as they follow Barnaby Bear’s journeys. They examine old and new toys

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

and photographs to develop a sense of history.

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Creative development

74. Children have limited opportunities to take part in role-play. The link between this activity and children’s language development is not secure. Teaching is better when children observe, sketch and paint leaves and flowers as part of their investigations into growth. They gain good skills when they finger paint and shade and merge colours using pastels. They use their imaginations well when working with construction kits to create models that represent their own ideas. Their finished products are often of good quality. However, the planning of activities, and to some extent the teaching, is concerned with producing a recognisable end product and often overrides the need to allow children to experiment and explore for themselves. Children join in singing with older pupils during assemblies and enjoy singing a variety of number and action songs.

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Physical development

75. Children have satisfactory skills with pencils, crayons and small tools, which are generally held correctly and used accurately. Children work with a sound range of equipment such as jigsaw puzzles, construction kits and malleable materials with enjoyment and skill. They handle the tiny joining pieces of construction kits very capably and show good co-ordination skills when threading objects on to laces to create patterns. In physical education, children show sound control over their bodies. They move around the village hall with confidence and pace, changing direction and using space well. They incorporate balancing and stretching movements into their activities. Teaching is satisfactory and the best use is made of a very limited environment with insufficient apparatus to stimulate children. Adults pay careful attention to safety on the journey to the village hall and during the lesson. They use

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Physical development

demonstrations well to show the children what to do. Although the outside play area has been improved since the previous inspection, children still have only limited opportunities to extend their co-ordination through pedalling vehicles, climbing and sliding.

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ENGLISH

76. By the end of Year 2, standards are above average, particularly in writing and speaking and listening. By the end of Year 6, standards are above average in all aspects of English. Overall achievement is good. Time allocated to teaching English is carefully planned and, as a result of this and good teaching, most pupils make good progress through the school. The national tests for 2002 indicated that a higher Tansley Primary School - 27 proportion of eleven-year-old pupils attained scores above the national expected level than nationally. This is a similar picture to the previous inspection. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and are catered for very well in English. For the past three years boys have performed better than girls. However, trends need to be viewed with caution as numbers are low, there have been several new children admitted to the school and the proportion of pupils with special educational needs

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ENGLISH

has been high. Thus recent results have been particularly affected by factors outside the control of the school and all staff have worked hard to overcome these issues. ‘Target groups’ or booster groups have been created to help those children needing an extra push to reach average standards and these have been very effective. Teaching is good overall and in many cases very good and the monitoring of teaching and learning has made a major contribution to the standards of English in the school.

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ENGLISH

77. Standards in speaking and listening are good at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Teachers have high expectations of children and encourage them to talk and discuss their ideas and share their opinions, which are valued. Discussion is a feature of most literacy lessons in both infant and junior classes and this is having a good impact on writing particularly in Years 5 and 6. This was evident when children were discussing how to identify the features of a good story and, when they had highlighted a particular story opening, they said, ‘It hooks you in straight away.’ Speaking and listening are also high on the agenda in other areas of the curriculum. In a religious education lesson, pupils were encouraged by astute questions from the teacher to ask in-depth questions of their own regarding the Holy Qur’an. One child asked, ‘Where do you think the very first real Qur’an is, Miss?’ Similarly children in an infant

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ENGLISH

class were able to articulate clearly the meaning of a ‘phoneme’ and use their knowledge to perform an activity in a small group.

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ENGLISH

78. Standards in reading are above average by the end of Year 6. By the age of seven, pupils reach the expected level for their age group but the proportion of pupils achieving the higher level in reading is below the national average whereas in writing the proportion is above. The school has adopted several strategies for enhancing pupils’ reading and extra time is given for literacy activities each day when groups of children read with the teacher or a member of the support staff. Shared reading sessions are helping pupils to read with good levels of expression and to take appropriate account of punctuation. A good example of this was seen in Years 2 and 3, where pupils were asked to read sections of ‘The Fox and the Grapes’ fable by Aesop. Similarly in a Year 4 guided reading session, the teacher through her own example carefully encouraged a higher attaining group to tackle successfully and read well the challenging text in the poem, ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’. Most pupils

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ENGLISH

enjoy reading and are encouraged to take books home, although there is a variation in their commitment to reading at home and reading diaries are not always filled in by parents.

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ENGLISH

79. Good progress in reading is made by those who receive extra help either through following programmes for their special educational needs or through ‘booster’ groups to help them raise standards to an average level. Basic reading skills and strategies are taught systematically and pupils’ reading development is tracked and recorded satisfactorily. However, the teaching of reading in the school and the pupils’ subsequent learning does not benefit from the very good practice in assessment and target setting being used in the writing.

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ENGLISH

80. Standards in writing are good at the end of both Years 2 and 6, with many pupils working at levels beyond the expectation for their age. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 experience a wide variety of types of writing both in literacy lessons and in other Tansley Primary School - 28 subjects. Punctuation and spelling are secure and pupils are able to structure sentences correctly using interesting vocabulary. By Year 2, they are writing at increasing length and are able to make lists, write instructions and poems and retell familiar stories. Teachers show sensitivity in their marking and use their knowledge of each child to move them on to the next stage in their development in writing.

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ENGLISH

81. By Year 6, pupils’ skills in writing have developed well because teachers throughout Years 3 to 6 have high expectations of the pupils and use a wide variety of strategies to encourage and challenge through well planned and well resourced activities. For example, in a lesson with Years 5 and 6, pupils’ imagination was captured by the use of some gruesome character pictures. These helped pupils of all abilities to produce some very good pieces of description using sophisticated vocabulary and sentence structure.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils throughout Years 3 to 6 write for a variety of purposes and for a wide range of audiences. Much of the work seen was of a high standard and pupils are encouraged to use complex sentences, adverbial clauses, similes, metaphors and imagery in their own writing. An excellent example of a Year 5 pupil attempting a story setting demonstrates this when he wrote, ‘The subtle tune of Jack Dawson’s harmonica rang across the bewildered farmhouse.’ Similarly, Year 6 pupils’ work on persuasive writing included an attempt to persuade someone to buy an ice cream dream machine: ‘One lick and you’re in heaven!’ Information and communication technology is used effectively to support writing and pupils’ word processing skills are very good by Year 6.

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ENGLISH

83. Pupils’ handwriting skills have developed well by the age of seven and are generally very good throughout Years 3 to 6. Pupils in most cases present their work tidily and teachers set high expectations in terms of presentation and setting out of work.

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ENGLISH

84. In all classrooms, displays are used to prompt pupils in their writing. Relevant information, such as ‘Tricks of the Trade for Writing’, is prominently displayed and well used by the pupils.

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ENGLISH

85. All classes use a well structured system for assessment in writing in line with school policy. Half termly writing assessments lead to group and individual targets being set which are constantly reviewed and discussed with the children. This has had a strong positive impact on writing standards. The high focus for writing given by the school over the past few years has led to a significant improvement. Pupils’ reading progress is regularly assessed and their needs identified so that those who need extra help can be supported in small groups. However, the target setting that is having such an impact on writing standards is not yet applied to reading. The co- ordinator and headteacher have given monitoring a high profile and feedback to teachers and subsequent discussion has led to new policy. The effective co- ordinator has a good understanding of the broad strengths and weaknesses of the subject because she checks teaching and learning well.

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ENGLISH

86. Overall the quality of teaching is good. Very good teaching was seen in both infant and junior classes. Pupils with special educational needs are consistently taught very well. The quality of support from classroom assistants is also of a very high standard, both in supporting individuals and in leading groups. Teachers’ class management is very good and they create a calm, encouraging and positive atmosphere for learning. Teachers show themselves to be good listeners and pupils’ questions and answers are treated with respect and consideration. Teachers’ own skills of speaking and listening provide a good model for the pupils, who respond to Tansley Primary School - 29 that example well. Teachers’ planning, particularly where they have a mixed age group, is very thorough and assessment is used well to inform future planning; consequently, most pupils learn well because the work they are set is relevant to

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MATHEMATICS

87. By the end of Year 2, standards in mathematics are average. By the end of Year 6, standards are above average. Overall achievement is good. This represents a good improvement since the previous inspection when achievement was satisfactory. This rise in standards of achievement is due to:

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MATHEMATICS

§ better teaching, especially in the quality of explanations and questioning; § higher expectations of performance, particularly for average and lower attaining pupils; § very effective help to raise the attainment levels of those finding difficulties in mathematics; § accurate assessments and careful tracking of pupils’ progress; § very good help for pupils with special educational needs, enabling them to make very good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

88. The results of 7 and 11-year-olds in national tests have fallen in comparison with the national average since the last inspection. In the most recent tests, the overall performance was below average for both 7-year-olds and 11-year-olds. However, these groups included a large percentage of pupils with special educational needs who made very good progress but did not achieve the national level. A significant percentage of pupils joined or left the school during the previous three years. Those who joined the school in the final year had not benefited from the high quality of teaching available and took time to settle into routines. Recently a number of more able pupils left the school immediately prior to the administration of the national tests, depriving it of the high quality standards they had achieved. The school has a small number of pupils in each academic year and one pupil totalled 6.66 per cent of the

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MATHEMATICS

89. Most pupils in Year 2 are currently on track to reach at least the expected level for their age and overall an average number of pupils are working towards achieving the higher level. This represents sound achievement in terms of the standards these pupils attained at the age of five. The great majority of the current Year 6 have a sufficiently good grounding in mathematical skills to achieve the expected level and the percentage demonstrating examples of higher-level work is above that found in most schools. This is the result of good progress from the results these pupils attained as seven-year-olds.

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MATHEMATICS

90. Many Year 2 pupils are competent in sequencing numbers and are developing a sense of number pattern and place value. They have good knowledge of the properties of two-dimensional shapes and accurately handle money addition. Higher attaining pupils extend their knowledge to include more complex two-dimensional shapes and recognise the patterns of equivalent fractions. These pupils make accurate estimations of metric weights and use scale to check their work. Pupils with special educational needs add and subtract tens and units but they are not yet secure in dealing with carrying ten units to the tens column. They know about right angles and recognise lines of symmetry. These mathematical skills are used Tansley Primary School - 30 effectively in other subjects so that pupils learn the practical applications of their skills as, for example, drawing accurate plans for their work in design and technology.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Pupils in Year 6 have a good grasp of place value and common number operations. Their good knowledge of number bonds and times tables gives them confidence and accuracy when completing complex multiplication and division exercises. They apply their knowledge of fractions, decimals and percentages when calculating probabilities of simple events or working with money. More advanced pupils accurately work with decimals, calculating to two decimal places confidently. Pupils use their competence in collecting, presenting and interpreting data well in other subjects; for example, in their geographical studies, they construct line and bar graphs to compare the rainfall between St. Lucia and London. Pupils with special educational needs follow the same curriculum but calculate less complex examples.

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MATHEMATICS

92. Pupils carry out mathematical investigations confidently. They investigate, for example, the difference in value between positive and negative numbers and work to identify a formula that explains a general rule identifying a pattern-sequencing programme.

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MATHEMATICS

93. While there are differences within individual year groups between the overall attainments of boys and girls, the pattern over time shows that this is a reflection of individual abilities and both girls and boys are making good progress. A strength of the school’s approach is the attention given to improving the basic skills and confidence of the pupils who find mathematics difficult.

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MATHEMATICS

94. The overall quality of teaching is good and leads to good learning throughout the school. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. The National Numeracy Strategy is well established in the school and teachers are confident in its application. Lessons are very well planned and teachers have clear objectives for what they want pupils to do by the end of the session. This helps both teachers and pupils to focus on the key ideas and contributes to the good progress made in many lessons and to the effective gains in knowledge and understanding over the course of a topic.

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MATHEMATICS

95. Lessons begin with practise in mental mathematics and most of these sessions are conducted at a brisk pace that captures pupils’ attention and sets the tone for the lesson. In the better lessons, pupils are challenged to explain their thinking and to share with others the mental strategies employed. Explanations of new work are clear and based on good or very good teachers’ knowledge of the subject. Very good use is made of visual material, which holds pupils’ attention and helps them to understand the ideas. Classroom support assistants are fully involved in learning activities, often helping pupils with special educational needs and those working in close proximity. There are excellent examples of classroom support assistants working with groups of pupils with special educational needs linking physical activities with mathematical development. For example, pupils run round to a count of 50 and

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MATHEMATICS

then complete a line dance routine, counting the steps they perform. Other activities take place in the staff room with different coloured balls representing hundreds, tens and units, the objective being to choose the correct coloured ball and throw and catch it the requisite number of times to make up a given number, for example 582. These activities, which have been initiated and developed by the school, enhance the pupils’ development of number skills and improve their concentration.

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MATHEMATICS

96. Teachers organise lessons well and there is a smooth movement between the whole class sessions and group or individual tasks. Pupils are given the information and Tansley Primary School - 31 resources they need so that they can quickly settle to their work. In all lessons, there are different levels of tasks to cater for the range of attainment. A strength in the teaching is the accurate use of assessment of pupils’ progress to plan lessons and prepare group work.

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MATHEMATICS

97. In the most successful lessons, teachers question pupils thoughtfully to ensure that individuals are challenged; for example, in a Year 2 class, pupils had to hold answers in their heads, then double or halve them. Teachers analyse pupils’ answers to assess their levels of confidence, accuracy and understanding. Pupils enjoy their mathematics. They rise to the challenge of the subject and work conscientiously, concentrating well to complete the tasks. Much of the work is well presented, indicating high levels of pride in their achievement. Teachers continually identify good opportunities for pupils to use computer software to underpin their learning in mathematics. This adds to their levels of interest and pupils work well together to complete the tasks.

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MATHEMATICS

98. The concluding part of lessons, when the class is brought back together, is managed effectively. Teachers use this time well to reinforce the key teaching points by exploring further examples to tackle any weaknesses they have identified in the group work and to move the pupils’ thinking forward.

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MATHEMATICS

99. The leadership and management of mathematics are very good and the subject has improved since the previous inspection. The National Numeracy Strategy is well established and good levels of resources and staff training have been provided. Information and communication technology is used well to support learning in mathematics lessons throughout the school. Pupils’ progress is checked carefully and regularly and test results are analysed thoroughly to see what aspects of teaching need improvement. The quality of work is monitored well and this has contributed to the progress made in teaching and learning since the previous inspection.

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SCIENCE

100. Standards in science are above average by the end of Year 6 and broadly average by the end of Year 2. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils achieve well. Those who have special educational needs make very good progress, many of them reaching expected levels for their age by the time they leave the school. Higher attainers make good progress and in the national tests for 11-year- olds in 2002, well over half reached the above average level.

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SCIENCE

101. The extensive and well-regarded subject expertise of the very effective co-ordinator, who has published lessons and articles on the web and in educational magazines, has enabled her to ensure a consistent approach to the teaching of the subject throughout the school. There is a strong focus on the accurate use of scientific language and an emphasis on investigation that ensures that pupils’ knowledge and understanding are applied in practice. So for pupils in Year 2, for example, work on convex and concave mirrors involved very much hands on experience and was recorded clearly in words and pictures. Pupils of all ages and abilities are encouraged to predict what will happen and then, after recording their results, to comment on possible reasons for the success or otherwise of their predictions. This helps to reinforce their understanding of the scientific processes involved. More is expected from higher attaining pupils in the way of the methods used and the

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SCIENCE

scientific understanding shown in their explanations. Pupils are encouraged to record their investigations in a variety of ways, often using the computer for tables and Tansley Primary School - 32 graphs. Even the younger pupils are encouraged to use their own words to describe their findings and to define the terms they are using: for instance, a Year 2 pupil wrote that a shadow ‘looks like a ruff picture of you coloured in black’.

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SCIENCE

102. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ accuracy. Pupils gain experience of accurate measurement, for example, using temperature, weight, length and other measures. Consequently, Year 2 pupils are able to show which material will make Barnaby Bear the most water-proof raincoat for his visit to Niagara Falls by showing in a table how many millilitres of water each material lets through. Pupils have a clear understanding of how to ensure that their tests are fair and how important this is.

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SCIENCE

103. Because of the practical nature of many of the activities, pupils have very positive attitudes to the subject. One lower attaining boy was most frustrated when he did not have enough time to complete his investigation. Teachers stimulate pupils’ interest by presenting them with interesting material and challenging tasks. Several of the pupils in Years 5 and 6, for example, were intrigued when they found that their predictions were completely wrong about whether the sounds produced by a ruler would be higher or lower depending on the length of the vibrating bit; this made them work all the harder to understand the reasons why. Pupils work very well together and behave very well because they want to find out things and because the teachers treat them as responsible people.

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SCIENCE

104. Pupils in Year 6 are very well prepared for their move to the local high school by their use of a particular format for recording their findings. This is the one that they will use when they start Year 7 and it provides a very sound base for their investigations while still allowing higher attainers to produce independent work that allows them a measure of choice. Consequently, pupils are led to produce carefully thought out explanations such as ‘We think that the softer the material the more absorbent; therefore the quieter the sound.’

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ART AND DESIGN

105. Standards are above those expected by the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils of all levels of ability achieve well. Higher attainers are effectively challenged and pupils who have special educational needs are very well supported.

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ART AND DESIGN

106. Very effective leadership from the co-ordinator has encouraged teachers to take risks and to promote pupils’ independence. This has had a strong positive effect on standards and on the range of work that pupils do. The very rich curriculum benefits from its integration with other subjects. The skills of art and design are systematically developed while, in many cases, purpose is given to the activity by its use in another subject; the journey sticks made from natural materials by pupils in Year 1, for instance, served to help Barnaby Bear on his travels. Pupils in Year 4 produced original work in paint and collage on the theme of journeys which was then reflected in work using a paint program on the computer. Pupils used the medium very cleverly to achieve the required effect with computer generated lampposts taking on a more threatening, abstract effect than the painted originals. The regular use of information

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ART AND DESIGN

and communication technology in art is a strength. Work with a visiting artist on sculpting in willow enhanced the grounds of the school and provided stimulating art for succeeding generations of pupils while the striking life-size paper sculpture produced by pupils working with another visiting artist reflects the family ethos of the school very effectively. Pupils experience the art of a variety of cultures through Tansley Primary School - 33 events such as India Day, when they made good quality collage, beadwork and embroidery They have also studied masks from Africa and Romania before producing their own masks.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. Teaching is good overall and sometimes very good. It is based on confident subject knowledge that enables teachers, for example, to allocate resources appropriate for particular styles of work. In a Year 4 lesson, a group painting in the style of Van Gogh used large brushes while those working the style of Monet used small brushes. Teachers ensure that very good use is made of sketchbooks to practise skills, to prepare for finished works of art and to experiment with textures, colours and techniques. Much of the work in sketchbooks is of very good quality. Teachers assess pupils’ work against carefully chosen learning objectives at the end of each topic, and then use that information to plan the next stages of learning, ensuring that pupils of all levels of ability make good progress. Pupils are very well motivated and have high levels of interest in the subject because tasks are stimulating and often

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ART AND DESIGN

very practical. They are keen to produce work that is original and are interested in the works of the great artists and in how they were achieved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. Standards are broadly at expected levels by the end of Year 2 and above average by the end of Year 6. Standards have improved since the last inspection. Pupils of all levels of ability achieve well and the quality of teaching and learning is good.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. Teachers have confident subject knowledge and careful checking by the co-ordinator ensures that a consistent approach is taken that leads pupils through each stage of the design process. So, for each project, pupils decide on a design brief, research the project thoroughly, sometimes using the Internet to obtain relevant information and draw up an annotated initial design. Having planned the materials they are going to use, pupils develop their skills by going through a series of practical focussed tasks to help them decide on, for example, how they will fasten pieces together or fix the wheels on their vehicles. After making their model, pupils test it for effectiveness against the criteria they have identified, making sure that the tests they use are fair. They undertake the final stage of the process, which is evaluating the model and the whole process to see how improvements can be made, with sensible judgement and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

good knowledge and understanding. Pupils sometimes use the computer to record their plans and sketchbooks are used for preliminary sketches and for trying out ideas.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. Pupils work in a very professional way during lessons, responding very well to the teacher’s high expectations and showing very high levels of interest. Pupils take good account of issues of safety and work together very well. They discuss their designs and the process of putting them into practice with pride, honesty and insight.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. Standards by the end of Year 2 are similar to those found in most schools. By the end of Year 6, pupils are attaining above average standards and have made good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, especially when they are supported by an adult who is able to help them with reading and written tasks. This picture is an improvement since the previous inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. Pupils in Year 2 have a sound knowledge of their local area and their village. They have studied in depth a village in India, considering what life would be like there and Tansley Primary School - 34 compared it to their own village. They have also considered what life would be like in an Indian city such as Bombay, using the computer to record some astute thoughts about this. Pupils in Year 6 are very knowledgeable about environmental issues such as the effects of climate and weather on peoples’ lives in different parts of the world. As part of their work on St Lucia, pupils in Year 4 have made their own books about different aspects of the island and produced relief models of islands. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have researched key facts about St Lucia from both books and the Internet. They are able to talk knowledgeably about where the island is, its main crops and industry and its climate. They are able, for example, to quote its lowest daily

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GEOGRAPHY

temperature in comparison to that of Great Britain.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. Teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 are good and one excellent lesson was seen, where children of all abilities made very good progress. In this lesson, pupils identified and described settlements both in St Lucia and in their local area. The enthusiasm and expertise of the teacher led children to engage in map reading skills to a high level. Through careful assessment, she was able to challenge some of the more able pupils into using six figure grid references, with full understanding.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. There is a strong emphasis on the local environment and good use is made of field trips to local places of interest such as rivers, streams and villages. Through such visits, the subject is made real and relevant to the children. This links well to other work going on in the school relating to ecology, a grounds survey and grounds improvement plans and work to do with ‘Fair Trade’. The work in this area was connected to ‘Red Nose Day’ and Year 6 pupils described how they had written to a contact in Ghana for information and subsequently worked out the cost of going to school there by costing out books, pencils and uniforms.

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GEOGRAPHY

115. Leadership and management are very good. The co-ordinator has excellent subject knowledge and exudes enthusiasm. She has also had a set of her own geography lesson plans published by the Department of Transport and recognised by a national newspaper. She offers support and guidance to colleagues and has developed planning and introduced a new assessment system where teachers can identify pupils’ strengths and inform the next steps in their teaching. She has a very good understanding of the next steps needed for further developing the subject.

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HISTORY

116. Standards are at expected levels by the end of Year 2 and above average by the end of Year 6. This marks an improvement since the last inspection. All pupils achieve well. There was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made on the quality of teaching.

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HISTORY

117. Effective leadership and management ensure that learning is systematic. Throughout the school, pupils develop their knowledge and understanding of the lives of people in the past and, through the study of key dates, periods and events in British history, they have started to learn a sense of time. The two-year planning cycle at for Years 1 and 2 and the four-year cycle for Years 3 to 6 ensure that all pupils are taught the full curriculum. Newly introduced assessment procedures give teachers a sound knowledge of what their pupils understand and enable them to plan more precisely for their needs.

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HISTORY

118. Pupils have a good understanding of the different ways they can find out about the past and are given suitable opportunities to research topics on the Internet and using CD-ROMs. Older pupils’ attitudes to history are very positive and they Tansley Primary School - 35 enthusiastically described the subject as ‘cool’ and ‘wicked’. They have good knowledge and understanding of every day life in Tudor times, describing entertainment, houses, food and witchcraft in great detail. They are aware of the evidence relating to the Roman invasion and the effect of the Romans on our country.

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HISTORY

119. Good use is made of the local area and pupils visit local historical sites such as Arkwright’s Mill. Visitors to school are also used well and pupils greatly appreciated the learning they had gained from a former member of staff who talked about being an evacuee. Literacy lessons are also used well to reinforce history work. Pupils write diaries in the style of Samuel Pepys and compile biographies of Tudor monarchs or characters of Tudor times like William Shakespeare.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120. Standards by the end of Year 2 match those expected for this age range. They are above average by the end of Year 6, particularly in the development of multimedia skills. Overall achievement is good. The school has improved its standards and provision for the subject since the previous inspection because:

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

§ computers are used regularly in many subjects across the curriculum; § teachers have good confidence and subject knowledge; § the school has benefited from the expertise of a support worker for information and communication technology, shared with other local schools; § the computer suite has improved resources and enabled skills to be taught to large numbers of pupils at the same time.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. Pupils in Year 2 are confident users of the computer. In Year 1, they are using word- processing well to manipulate text during their literacy work, for example, correcting simple sentences. They confidently use the mouse and understand how to save and print their work. Year 2 pupils explore the facilities of a painting program to create works in the styles of famous artists, comparing their computer generated work with that produced by hand.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. Older pupils use computers for a good range of purposes. In design and technology, they use word processing to sequence the assembly procedures for constructing their model hats. Many pupils use computer graphics to create their detailed designs. Older pupils browse the Internet to collect information about St. Lucia during their geographical studies. These charts, photographs and information tables are good sources of information and enable pupils to word process detailed geographical accounts of the life and economy of the region. Very good links have been made between geography and mathematics as pupils use the data handling applications to compile line graphs of temperature and bar charts of rainfall as they compare the climates of St. Lucia and the United Kingdom. The oldest pupils use the computer to write in a range of styles. They compose direct to screen and edit their work conscientiously to produce high quality scripts that often include relevant illustrations.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

For example, pupils’ poetic writing about the moon included an illustration of a moonlit scene that effectively reinforces the mood of the poem. Pupils use information and communication technology to monitor natural conditions and to control sequences of lights in traffic lights.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in this subject because teachers, learning support assistants and classmates help them in their Tansley Primary School - 36 work. Teachers confidently set up ‘pair work’ so that one pupil supports another. Working in the computer suite, pupils are helpful and caring to one another and often assist if someone is ‘stuck’.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. Teaching and learning are good. Pupils are highly motivated and sustain their concentration, taking care of the machines. Teachers organise pupils effectively in the computer suite. Following their training, they are knowledgeable, confident and plan activities well. For example, in a lesson involving Year 2 and Year 3 pupils, the younger children completed an art task using pastels to create a desert scene. Older pupils used commercial art software to create a similar scene to include a snake. The teacher challenged pupils to experiment with all the available art tools and to use the erase function. Consequently, pupils experimented with spray and shading techniques to achieve the desert effect. In a lesson with older pupils, the teacher quickly revised the skills learned during a previous lesson before the task of incorporating sound into their multimedia presentations was introduced. Because

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

there was good organisation, pupils had sufficient time to work in pairs to practise the new procedures. The teacher moves around the class to assess pupils’ levels of skills and to give support and instruction where necessary.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. Very good use is made of information and communication technology in classrooms as well as in the computer suite. There are sufficient numbers of available computers to enable them to be used in almost all subjects. Throughout the inspection, these machines were in constant use. This ensures that pupils practise their skills in a variety of learning situations. For example, pupils expertly change the style and size of letters to enhance their writing. They create a variety of diagrams to order mathematical information about the qualities of two and three-dimensional shapes. They use the Internet to access factual information in science and save all their work to their own files and prepare presentations on scientific topics for other pupils to learn.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. The subject co- ordinator regularly monitors teachers’ planning, the use of the computer suite and the quality of the work produced by the pupils. She has developed an effective assessment profile that identifies the levels of achievement for each pupil. The quality of resources for teaching and learning is very good. This enables all applications of the subject to be taught according to the school’s programme of activities.

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MUSIC

127. There was insufficient evidence to make judgements either about standards of attainment or the quality of teaching and learning. There is a sound music curriculum and pupils have opportunities to sing and perform for a variety of audiences such as the congregation of the local church at Christmas and local pensioners during their parties. About 30 pupils learn to play the recorder and other pupils benefit from regular visits from a cellist and a singer. Pupils experience a broad range of music from a variety of cultures, creating their own Haka, for instance, after listening to Maori music and producing their own body percussion after listening to music from the Cheyenne people and the Caribbean. Leadership and management are good. The co-ordinator provides effective support for other teachers and there are very good assessment procedures in place.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Tansley Primary School - 37 128. Standards are overall at expected levels by the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Standards are above average in swimming and, for a large proportion of pupils, in games. Standards in dance are broadly at expected levels, though pupils’ progress is inhibited by the space available. Standards in gymnastics are not at the level expected because of the lack of a suitable space. While the school makes the best possible use of the village hall, it is not big enough for the use of large apparatus. Pupils of all levels of ability, including those with special educational needs, make steady progress in most areas of the subject. Pupils who are identified as talented in particular sports are given opportunities to play for teams attached to the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

129. Effective leadership of the subject ensures as broad a curriculum as possible and has set up effective assessment systems that inform planning well. The school works very hard to ensure that pupils reach at least satisfactory standards in physical education. Virtually all pupils can swim at least 25 metres by the time they leave the school because of the opportunities provided in Years 5 and 6 for pupils who are not able to swim after the regular sessions in Year 4. Efficient use of the school’s playground and field helps to develop good skills in games that are then further developed through a variety of extra-curricular activities and opportunities for competitive sports. However, while the school makes best possible use of the village hall for gymnastics and dance and the dance club operates effectively in the computer room, the lack of a large space such as a hall means that pupils’ progress

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers have confident subject knowledge and very well developed class management skills so that pupils work very hard and behave very well. The teachers’ enthusiasm is shared by the pupils who compete very well while still maintaining very high standards of sportsmanship. Pupils are very concerned that everyone participates and enjoys the activities, taking great care to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive their fair share of praise and showing concern when they feel unable to participate.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

131. Standards have improved since the last inspection and are now above those expected by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils of all levels of ability achieve well.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

132. Pupils make good progress throughout the school in learning facts about the faiths studied and in developing their own understanding about messages from religion. In Years 1 and 2, work is planned on a two-year cycle and children are given good opportunities to build on their own experiences as well as learn about aspects of faiths such as Christianity and Judaism. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 work to a planned four year cycle which ensures that they cover the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus and allows them to make some in depth studies of religious buildings, key figures of faith, worship, beliefs and values. They do this through clearly defined topics, which are assessed regularly.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

133. A particular strength of the curriculum is its strong links to personal, social, health and citizenship education and to other subjects where issues can be effectively explored. A very good example of this is in Year 1, where the pupils were linking the story of Noah’s Ark and God’s promise to making their own promises and exploring their own feelings. Through a sensitive approach from the teacher, pupils were encouraged to walk up the ‘rainbow path’ to make their own promise. Teachers also extend pupils’ understanding of concepts such as friendship, caring and charity work Tansley Primary School - 38 through reinforcing these in lessons. A high quality of discussion takes place, particularly for older pupils. For example, those studying the Qur’an were encouraged to think about something that was special to them and, through the teacher’s astute questions, they were able to share personal thoughts on books, possessions and

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

134. Pupils throughout the school develop a good understanding of the different faiths they study. They learn, for example, about the different buildings of Christianity, Islam and the Sikh religion and how they are used in practices and worship. Good use is made of local resources and children make visits to local churches and the Sikh Gurdwara in Derby as well as watching suitable videos. This enables them to make comparisons and to reflect on different practices, rituals and beliefs connected to worship in varying faiths. Pupils are also encouraged to reflect and discuss, being given good opportunities to express their thoughts and ideas as they progress through the school. These opportunities are valued by both staff and other pupils. Pupils in Year 1 demonstrated their feelings about the power of prayer by writing their own prayers; one child wrote, ‘Dear God, please help me shut up in class’. Pupils in

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Years 4, 5 and 6 reflected on the important aspects of the start of their lives in their current topic on ‘beginnings and endings’.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers use good questioning to guide discussion successfully and to help pupils build on past learning. Teachers are also skilful in helping pupils to develop their own ideas and to value the ideas of others. Good use is made of stories to deepen pupils’ understanding and displays reflect the variety of work done and the links made with other subjects. Good examples of this are the artwork related to the topic of Signs and Symbols and the effective use of information and communication technology to record versions of poems and prayers.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136. Effective leadership and management provide teachers with support and training and with consistent procedures for planning and assessment.

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