Other · Ofsted report

Littleham Church of England Primary School

Inspected — · published 18 Jun 2003 · URN 113370

Original PDF ↗

Summary

No overall grade in this framework

What we read, and from where

Click a reading to see it highlighted in the report.

URN verified
113370

Page 1 of 43

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

Join free to get a short, plain-English summary of any report.

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+15Mostly positivemore positive than 32% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseexcellentgood progressmake good progresspositivevery wellimprovedeffectiveeffectively

Criticismbelownot alwaysweaknesslowlimitedweaknessespoorslow

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings19132w+19
What needs to improve2484w−19

Strengths

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Concerns

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

Next steps

Quoted from the report. Tap to see it on the page.

What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 43
Words of findings: 21,407; longer than usual (typical 1049)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 47, typical 45
Average sentence: 19 words
Next steps: 8; typical 5
Hedged sentences: 9%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 87%What needs to improve 11%About the inspection 2%

Full report text

LITTLEHAM CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 12 th March 2003

p.1

LITTLEHAM CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 247356 Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

LITTLEHAM CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School and Nursery

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School category: Church of England Voluntary Controlled

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Littledown Close Littleham Exmouth

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Ms Cathy Lynaghan

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 th January 1998 Littleham C of E Primary - 4

p.3

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

3832 John Ayerst Registered inspector English Art and design Music English as an additional language What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9646 Geraldine Osment Lay inspector The well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents?

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

22729 Robert Arnold Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education Special educational needs Educational inclusion How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

23999 Catherine Davey Team inspector Children in the Foundation Stage Mathematics Geography History Religious education Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Littleham C of E Primary - 5 The inspection contractor was:

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn, Herringston, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9PU

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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:

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.5

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Littleham C of E Primary - 6

p.5

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

p.6

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Littleham Church of England Primary School is a smaller than average Voluntary Controlled school with 134 boys and girls of 3 – 11 years of age. It is situated on the outskirts of Exmouth in Devon and most of the pupils come from the adjacent housing estate, which is recognised as an area of considerable economic and social disadvantage. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (32.4%) is above average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs (42.2%) is well above average. The number of those with a Statement of Special Educational Needs has increased this year and is now above average (2.7%). Several pupils have dyslexia, a number have moderate or severe learning difficulties, some pupils have emotional or behavioural difficulties, a high number need support with speech and communication problems, some pupils have autism and a few have physical disabilities. There are no pupils at present from ethnic minority backgrounds and none who speak

p.7

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

English as an additional language. Taken together, pupils’ attainment on entry is very low. In addition, a higher than average number of pupils come to, and move on from, the school during their Primary years.

p.7

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The headteacher has been in post for two years. Following the last inspection in 1998 the school went through a period of significant instability with the protracted illness of the then headteacher. Standards declined during that period. Since the arrival of the present headteacher, staff have worked hard to raise standards, particularly in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and, when the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in these small year groups is taken into account, standards are improving. The school now makes good provision for its pupils across a very wide range of attainment and, while standards are generally low, this represents good achievement for many of the pupils, who come to the school with a very low starting point. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and most of them achieve well in the core subjects. The school is very effective in

p.7

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

promoting an inclusive society for all of its pupils. Much of the time and energy of the headteacher and the staff are taken up with resolving problems rooted in the social and emotional backgrounds of some of the pupils, and creating a calm environment for learning. This is a very caring school. The staff have established good standards of behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. The headteacher has chosen well her strategies for improvement and the school is moving forward significantly. It is now an effective school and provides good value for money.

p.7

What the school does well

• Teaching is good in English, mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6 and as a consequence of the good teaching pupils achieve well in those subjects by the end of Year 6. • The leadership and management of the school are good. • As a result of the good care and provision for their personal development, pupils’ attitudes to learning, their personal development and relationships throughout the school are good. The school makes very good provision for promoting good behaviour and pupils are well behaved. • Provision for the spiritual, moral and social development of pupils is very good. • The special educational needs of pupils are identified early, which helps class teachers to meet their needs as soon as possible. • Provision for pupils in the Nursery is very good. Littleham C of E Primary - 8

p.7

What could be improved

• Not all teaching matches the quality of the best, particularly in subjects other than English, mathematics and science and in Years 1 and 2. • The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. • The quality of, the use of and the procedures for setting up individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs. • Attendance. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.8

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made sound improvement in the period since the last inspection in 1998. Most of the issues identified in the last inspection report have been addressed, but some of the improvements in provision have yet to affect the overall standards of attainment. The quality of teaching has improved. Pupils’ achievements are now good in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave the school. Since the last inspection, the leadership and many of the staff have changed. The new headteacher, with close support from the local education authority, has now re-established a stable staff who are working hard to raise standards and to help pupils achieve successfully. The management has a good understanding of the schools’ strengths and weaknesses and the action needed to carry improvement further. The school is well on course to meet its rigorous targets.

p.8

STANDARDS

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

p.8

Key

2000 2001 2002 2002 English E E* E D Mathematics C E E E Science D E E D well above average above average average below average well below average A B C D E

p.8

Key

The national test results for 2002 for Year 6 pupils show that standards for English, mathematics and science were well below the national average. In 2001 the results for English were among the lowest five per cent nationally. In 2002, in comparison with schools with a similar economic background, standards were below average in English and science and well below average in mathematics. In tests for pupils at the end of Year 2, their attainment was well below average in reading, writing and mathematics, and teachers’ assessments for science also show standards that are well below average. In comparison with similar schools standards were below average in reading and writing, and well below average in mathematics. These comparisons do not, however, take into account the large proportion of pupils in the small year groups with special educational needs, the very low standards on entry or the relatively high

p.8

Key

number of pupils absent from school. In addition, a considerable number come to the school late from other schools. For example, nearly one third of the pupils taking the tests at the end of Year 6 in 2002 had joined the school during the year and a significant number of them had special educational needs, which had a considerable adverse effect on the Year 6 results.

p.8

Key

From the evidence of work seen during the inspection, pupils’ attainment at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 is well below average in most subjects, but the majority of pupils are achieving well over their Littleham C of E Primary - 9 time at the school. A few higher attainers regularly the higher levels in national tests. In the lessons seen in physical education and religious education standards were average in response to some very good teaching. By the end of both Years 2 and 6 standards in art are below average and in history well below average, but in both cases pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. In information and communication technology standards are lower and achievement is unsatisfactory. Evidence from teachers’ assessment records and work seen signals a steady improvement in pupils’ achievements in English, mathematics and science.

p.8

Key

In general, children’s attainment on entry to the Nursery class is very low. Although only a minority of children are likely to attain the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1, this represents a good level of achievement during their early years. The school has worked hard over the past two years to raise the quality of its provision in English and mathematics and has been most successful in Years 3 to 6. In response to teaching that is often good or very good, pupils make good progress in lessons at this stage, although the achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2, where teaching is sound, is satisfactory. At all stages, but particularly in the Foundation Stage, the gains that pupils make in lessons are not always retained into the next lesson and this constrains their progress over time.

p.9

Key

Pupils with special educational needs achieve well overall. Where teaching is good, in the Nursery and in Years 3 to 6, they and the higher attainers make good progress. In the Reception Year and in Years 1 and 2, where teaching is satisfactory, higher attainers and pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Attitudes are good and pupils are keen to contribute in lessons because they know that their efforts will be recognised. On occasions pupils are frustrated by their limited language skills.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. The high number of pupils with behavioural problems integrate well into classroom activities.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff, are good. Pupils work and play together harmoniously and are encouraged to raise concerns and express opinions on what the school could do to improve.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Attendance Unsatisfactory. Non-attendance adversely affects pupils’ learning.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The good relationships between all people in the school have a significant impact on the good achievement made by pupils.

p.9

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

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

p.9

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

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. In addition to lessons observed, the work in pupils’ books and the records of teachers’ planning and assessments indicate that standards of teaching are particularly good in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, and in the Nursery and Years 3 to 6. As a result, pupils make good progress in the core subjects and achieve well over their time in school. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well in English and mathematics lessons, but Littleham C of E Primary - 10 strategies to promote the skills across the curriculum are not yet firmly established, largely because pupils’ skills are underdeveloped. Similarly the use of information and communication technology in other subjects is not consistently established.

p.9

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

In good and very good lessons, teachers plan with clear learning aims that focus precisely on the different needs of all pupils in the class. Teachers ask searching questions that extend pupils’ learning and require them to make intellectual and creative effort. Teachers are confident in the subject matter. They have high expectations of pupils. A good variety of strategies are used, which match the content of the lessons and support learning well. In subjects other than English, mathematics and science, teaching is mostly satisfactory and planning for progress is less successful because it often focuses on the content to be taught, rather than the learning aims of the lesson for the different groups in the class. In some lessons for pupils in Years 1 and 2 teachers do not monitor the learning of all pupils sufficiently when they are working with the very competent learning support assistants. On very few occasions the

p.10

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

lack of sufficient knowledge of the subject leads to unsatisfactory teaching. In general, teachers at all stages do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to share the responsibility for their own learning, so they do not develop sufficiently as independent learners.

p.10

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

In most lessons the teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good, particularly in Years 3 to 6, where teachers use prior assessments well to match tasks to pupils’ needs. However, teachers do not consistently make sufficient use of the pupils’ individual education plans to focus learning on their needs.

p.10

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a satisfactory curriculum that is broad, balanced and relevant. All statutory requirements are met. Good provision is made for extra-curricular activities. The provision for children in the Nursery is very good.

p.10

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Overall satisfactory. Pupils achieve well because class teachers plan their learning well. Individual education plans are not, however, sufficiently detailed and parents and pupils are not involved enough in the setting of targets.

p.10

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The school promotes spiritual, moral and social development very well. Cultural development is satisfactory and pupils are appropriately prepared for life in a multi-cultural society.

p.10

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares very well for its pupils and makes very good provision for promoting good behaviour. Pupils learn well because they are happy and secure in the school.

p.10

Aspect Comment

The school works hard to promote its links with parents and provides good information about the school and the progress of their children. Some parents respond well and make a significant contribution to their children’s progress, but the response is not consistent. Links with the local community and relationships with other educational establishments are good and make a useful contribution to pupils’ learning. The school has the confidence of its community. Littleham C of E Primary - 11

p.10

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good leadership and management by the headteacher and key staff. The quality of subject leadership is mixed; it is good for English and mathematics, but not fully effective for other subjects. Consequently, teaching and learning are not consistently effective across the curriculum.

p.11

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors monitor the work of the school well and have a good awareness of its strengths and weaknesses.

p.11

Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has a clear and accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses and is now refining its strategies for development. It has focused particularly on the development of writing at all levels and is now planning to improve provision across the curriculum.

p.11

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school uses its funds well to develop and improve its curricular provision.

p.11

Aspect Comment

Following a period of close local authority supervision, during which the present headteacher took up her post, the school is now moving forward with growing self-confidence. Staff are enthusiastic, highly motivated and committed to raising standards. There are sufficient staff and they are used well. Accommodation is good and provides an attractive environment for learning. Resources are satisfactory. The school applies the principles of best value satisfactorily and, overall, has very good potential to improve further.

p.11

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • They consider that their children are making good progress in school. • Behaviour is good. • The teaching is good. • They are kept well informed about how their children are getting on. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • The school expects children to work hard and achieve their best. • The school is helping children to become mature and responsible. • The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. • The amount of work to do at home. (Some wished for more and a broadly similar number for less). • The leadership and management of the school.

p.11

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with the positive views formed by parents, but found that the provision for homework was generally good and that the school is led well. No other issues were raised by parents, either at the meeting for parents or in writing. Littleham C of E Primary - 12

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. At the last inspection in 1998, test results for pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 were well below average. Following that inspection standards fell further during a time of disruption caused by staff changes. In the last two years staffing has stabilised with the appointment of the new headteacher and the school has worked to improve standards. In the latest tests, they are similar to those of the previous inspection; they are well below average in all subjects tested at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 in comparison with schools nationally.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In comparison with the results of similar schools, the tests for the end of Year 2 in 2002 show that, while standards in mathematics are well below average, those in reading and writing are higher, but still below average. At Year 6, in comparison with similar schools, the results in English and science are below average, and they are well below average in mathematics. The comparisons do not, however, take into account the large proportion of pupils in the small year groups with special educational needs, the low standards on entry or the relatively high number of pupils absent from school. In addition, nearly a third of the pupils taking the tests in the Year 6 group were new arrivals to the school during Years 3 to 6 and a number of those pupils also have special educational needs. All of which had a considerable adverse effect on the Year 6 results.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The numbers taking the tests in any one year are small and no one year can be judged in isolation, but last year’s results show an improving trend on the previous year for both Years 2 and 6, when the numbers of pupils with special educational needs in each year group are taken into account. In recent years the relative performance of boys and girls has differed considerably from year to year. The school’s records show that this is due to the make-up of individual year groups in the context of small overall numbers.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. From the evidence of work of the current pupils, attainment in English and mathematics is well below average at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Attainment in science is well below average for Year 2 and below average for Year 6. Written evidence is limited for other subjects, partly because pupils tend to write at a very slow pace. In the lessons seen in other subjects, attainment is generally below or well below average.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Pupils enter the school with very low standards of attainment, particularly in skills of communication, language and literacy. During their time in the Foundation Stage, in response to the teaching provided, they make very good progress in most lessons in the Nursery and satisfactory progress in lessons in the Reception Year. The children are very well supported by the learning support assistants, both in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2, which contributes significantly to their progress in lessons. Often, however, they are unable to retain the gains made from lesson to lesson, particularly in the early years, so that progress over time is constrained. Consequently, pupils enter Year 1 with improved language skills, but standards in the other areas of learning are still very low. Sound progress in all subjects is made during Years 1 and 2, leading to satisfactory achievement by the end of Year 2. In Years 3 to 6, in response to the good

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

teaching at this stage, progress improves and achievement is good by the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science in comparison with standards on entry.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils enter Year 1 with well below average attainment in spoken English. All adults in the school work hard to improve language skills. They engage pupils in dialogue at every opportunity and seek to extend pupils’ vocabulary and expressive skills. Overall, pupils’ achievement in speaking and listening is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6, where teaching is good and increased maturity enables pupils to retain and consolidate better the progress made in each lesson. By the time they are in Year 6, pupils’ speaking and listening skills are broadly below national expectations. Littleham C of E Primary - 13 7. Overall, the achievement of pupils in reading is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, although the standard in reading is well below average in the current Year 2. Pupils achieve well in reading in Years 3 to 6, where standards overall have improved to below average. By the end of Year 6,

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

higher-attaining pupils read fluently and accurately with expression and understanding and reach a secure standard for their age.

p.13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In writing, pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2, and good progress over Years 3 to 6, so that, although standards are still well below average by the end of Year 6, this represents good achievement for pupils in relation to their very low prior attainment. In Years 1 to 2 pupils mainly produce short pieces, or a sequence of sentences. Basic skills are established for most by Year 6. Where possible pupils in the upper part of the school write for a variety of purposes such as note taking, story telling, description, poetry and scriptwriting, but often in practice this comes out in a similar reporting style. There is good evidence of redrafting in Years 5 and 6. Handwriting skills, grammar and spelling are generally weak for many pupils and the pace of writing is often very slow.

p.13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Standards in mathematics are well below average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. However, most pupils achieve well by the time they leave school. Years 1 and 2 pupils work to develop their numeracy skills through regular practice, but by Year 2 only higher attaining pupils can identify number bonds to ten. By the end of Year 6 most pupils use simplified methods to solve multiplication problems, and higher attaining pupils used both simplified and standard methods to find the answers to written problems. The strong focus on numeracy has meant that wider experience and development of mathematical skills are constrained. Pupils use their number skills well across the curriculum, but because their skills are relatively low, most of the work is at a basic level.

p.13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In science, standards are well below average by the end of Year 2 and still just below average by the end of Year 6. Pupils in Year 2 know about some physical changes associated with growth in humans and plants, and they investigate the properties of material. By Year 6, some pupils are clear about the necessity for fair testing in their investigation. Most carry out investigations connected with the verification and relevance of data connected to air and combustion. While most pupils can identify the different parts of a plant, only a few can describe the uses of those parts.

p.13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology by Year 6 is well below average and achievement is unsatisfactory. While most pupils use the computers to word process and for basic data entry, other aspects of the subject are not so well covered and standards are lower.

p.13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. For most pupils the pace of writing is very slow, so that the amount of work produced is limited. Consequently, it was not possible to see enough examples of pupils’ work to make an overall judgement on standards in most other subjects. In the lessons seen, standards were generally well below expectations at all levels. In lessons seen in physical education and religious education, however, in response to some very good teaching pupils achieved average standards. In physical education pupils were able to analyse their actions and refine and improve their turning movements. In religious education they knew about significant events in the life of Jesus and in older classes they showed appropriate knowledge and understanding of world faiths. In art and design there were sufficient examples of pupils’ work on display to indicate that, while a sound progression of skills is evident as pupils move through the school, standards are below

p.13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

p.13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. Literacy and numeracy skills are developed well in literacy and numeracy lessons. Because skills are limited for many pupils at every stage and pupils lack fluency in their reading, writing and number skills, the use of literacy and numeracy to support learning in other subjects is limited. Even so, literacy and numeracy skills are improving and there are examples of good practice. The use of information and communication technology in other subjects is inconsistent; it is good English, mathematics and history, but limited in other subjects.

p.13

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well overall. In response to the quality of teaching, they make very good progress in the Nursery, good progress in Years 3 to 6, and satisfactory Littleham C of E Primary - 14 progress in the Reception Year and in Years 1 and 2. In literacy and numeracy achievement is good due to support given by learning support assistants and the organisation of curriculum content. Lessons in other subjects sometimes contain inappropriate work, which is not matched to the needs of the lower attaining pupils and requires a high level of adult input. Where this is unavailable pupils struggle with the writing and reading content.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Since the arrival of the present headteacher, the school has worked hard and effectively to establish good attitudes and behaviour among its pupils of all ages, and to foster their personal development. As a result standards in these areas are good and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils are keen to attend school and most enjoy learning. They enjoy participating in the good range of extra-curricular activities on offer and take pride in their successes. Pupils want to do well because they know their efforts will be valued. This was clearly evident in a very good history lesson in Years 3 and 4, when pupils were positively bursting to impart information about their recent visit to a local museum. Pupils usually listen carefully to the teacher, although sometimes their emotional and behavioural problems make it difficult for them to concentrate. Teachers give frequent opportunities for pupils to respond by asking thought provoking questions.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Even so, some pupils’ low command of language makes it difficult for them to raise questions for themselves and they become frustrated when trying to explain their opinions. For example, Year 5 pupils struggled to find the correct mathematical vocabulary to describe how to find the area of a rectangle, despite very good teaching. Very good provision in the Nursery class means that children joyfully participate in the many and varied activities provided.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils are thoughtful, caring and polite, and because they are taught to formulate and observe rules, their behaviour in class and around school is good. There have been no recorded instances of bullying and no pupils have been excluded during the past year. A significant number of pupils have emotional and behavioural difficulties. This is managed well by teachers, because they work hard to establish a calm atmosphere conducive to good learning. Lapses do occur, however, in a minority of lessons when the school’s behaviour policy is not consistently applied, or when planned activities do not suit the needs of the pupils. The majority of parents agree that pupils behave well in school. All staff make a good contribution to improving pupils’ behaviour as was evident when a lunchtime supervisor gave pupils a quiet time to resolve their differences amicably. Parents and pupils sign ‘positive behaviour’ agreements.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff, are good. Pupils work and play together harmoniously and a ‘the worry box’ allows pupils to raise concerns and express opinions on what the school could do to improve. These suggestions are then taken to school council meetings. This makes pupils feel that they are making a valuable contribution to the life and work of the school. Pupils work well together in pairs and small groups and are willing to listen to others’ points of view and act upon them. As an example, Year 5 pupils debated the merits or otherwise of vivisection. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 took turns fairly and waited patiently for their turn during a dice game because the teacher explained the rules clearly.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils respond very well to the good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They are often mature in their response in lessons when they are asked to reflect on abstract, underlying issues to the matters under discussion and they have good opportunities to develop their personal skills. Teachers work hard to develop pupils’ confidence to take responsibility and to use initiative. For example, membership of the school council involves making important decisions. Pupils happily fulfill jobs around school, such as distributing playground equipment and maintaining the school garden. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 take on extra responsibilities, such as the answering of the telephone or manning the reception desk. Residential visits enable pupils to practise their social and independence skills in a different setting. Pupils are tolerant of others’ mistakes and celebrate each other’s successes. This was

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

clearly evident when a lower attaining pupil in a Year 6 class took great pride in receiving praise when she succeeded in solving a multiplication problem. Parents support inspectors’ views that the school helps pupils to become mature and responsible. More opportunities now need to be provided for pupils to take responsibility and use their initiative in lessons. Littleham C of E Primary - 15 19. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in the life of the school. Their peers often respect their views. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour to learning are good. They are keen to attend and work hard once there. They display very positive attitudes towards their work and the staff. They are friendly towards visitors and readily willing to share their learning and successes with others. They are proud of the progress they make and value the involvement in the wider community of the school.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Attendance is unsatisfactory, which is not as good as reported at the previous inspection. Attendance rates were low compared to other schools both in the school year ended 2002 and for the last half term. A reason for this is that parents take their children out of school for term time holidays. There are a number of pupils who are regularly late for school and this is disruptive for them as they can miss important aspects of their literacy and numeracy lessons. Non-attendance and lateness adversely affect the learning of the pupils concerned.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The quality of teaching is good overall; it is good in the Foundation Stage and for pupils in Years 3 to 6, and satisfactory for those in Years 1 and 2. In just half of the lessons seen during the inspection the teaching was good or better, mostly in English, mathematics and science. It was very good, and occasionally excellent, in a quarter of lessons. There were very few unsatisfactory lessons. This is an improvement on the last inspection when there were fewer very good lessons. Pupils’ learning is also good; they make good progress in most lessons and they achieve well over their time in school. Even so, pupils do not sufficiently share the responsibility for their own learning in most lessons. Consequently, they tend to rely too much on their teachers and do not develop enough independence in their learning, so that opportunities for them to follow their own initiatives and extend points of interest are missed.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. The school has worked hard to improve its provision in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and standards of teaching are generally higher in those subjects. Opportunities to see lessons in other subjects were limited. In the lessons seen in art, history, information and communication technology, music, physical education and religious education the teaching was satisfactory overall, but there was some unsatisfactory teaching seen in music and religious education, and some very good teaching in history. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well in English and mathematics lessons, but less successfully in other subjects, largely because pupils’ skills are underdeveloped and some work at a slow pace. The use of information and communication technology in other subjects is also limited. It is good in English, mathematics and history, but there is little evidence of its effective use elsewhere.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. In very good and excellent lessons, teachers have very good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter and of the way in which pupils learn in the subjects. The teachers plan lessons with clear learning aims that focus precisely on the different needs of all pupils in the class. Teachers ask ever more searching questions to extend pupils’ thinking and understanding, which brings a rigour to the learning and to which pupils readily respond. In these very good lessons teachers break down tasks into manageable sections so that the high proportion of lower attainers, many of whom have a limited attention span, can apply themselves successfully to each task and feel the reward of achieving success. In a very good English lesson for Year 5 pupils, for example, they were extending their writing skills and focusing on myths and legends. The story used as an exemplar was carefully dissected to help pupils investigate and understand how language was

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. In good lessons teachers use assessment from previous work well in their planning, and tasks match pupils’ needs. Aims are clear so that pupils know what is expected of them, they rise to the challenges and acquire skills and understanding well. A good variety of strategies are used, which match the content of the lessons and support learning well. For example, in a good lesson on story writing with the Year 3 and 4 class, the main points of a traditional story were carefully identified to provide pupils with a framework for writing their own story. Each section was clearly understood by all pupils before the teacher moved on. Littleham C of E Primary - 16 25. In all lessons, relationships are very good and teachers have high expectations of the pupils’ behaviour. Staff are caring and considerate of their pupils and value their contributions, so that pupils feel confident in their learning. The quality of the homework, in terms of extending the pupils’

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

learning and improving their progress, is mostly good, as is the quality of marking.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. In those lessons that are less than good, but still satisfactory, planning for progress is less successful. For the most part this is because teachers focus more in their planning on the content of the lesson rather than the intended learning outcomes. In Years 1 and 2 very good use is made of a large number of very able learning support assistants, who cover most, if not all, of the work in lessons by working with small groups of pupils with similar levels of attainment. The work is successful, but frequently lacks the direct input of the teacher to recognise opportunities to challenge and extend pupils’ learning. Too often teachers stay with their own group and do not monitor pupils’ learning in the other groups. On a very few occasions teachers’ lack of subject knowledge, or in the case of music, sufficient skills, leads to unsatisfactory teaching.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. At present there are no pupils for whom English is an additional language in the school, but there have been a few over the years. The school has appropriate structures in place should such a need arise in the future.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. In most lessons the teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good, particularly in Years 3 to 6, where teachers use prior assessments well to match tasks to pupils’ needs. Individual education plans are not sufficiently detailed so teachers tend to work to the needs that they have identified, and for the most part this works well. Grouping of pupils with special needs in literacy and numeracy lessons is effective especially when an adult supports less able pupils. There is some very good work being undertaken by teaching assistants but this is not always monitored closely enough.

p.16

STUDENTS?

29. The school provides a satisfactory curriculum, which meets all statutory requirements and follows the guidelines for religious education in the locally agreed syllabus. The curriculum provided is broad, relevant and generally well balanced. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Most previous criticisms have been successfully addressed. Scrutiny of teachers’ planning indicates that, over time, full National Curriculum coverage is obtained. There are sound up-to-date policies and schemes of work for subjects, except for design and technology where the new policy is not yet established. The school makes good use of schemes of work from both the local education authority and national guidance. In English and mathematics, planning overall is good, and has improved since the previous inspection.

p.16

STUDENTS?

30. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is good. It is based on the nationally defined areas of learning for children of this age. Teachers plan carefully in accordance with the early learning goals and provide good opportunities for both child-initiated and adult-led activities. There are good opportunities for purposeful play, whole class and group work. Teachers share plans effectively with support staff and parent helpers, who make a positive contribution to the curriculum. Children transfer easily from the Nursery to Reception class because the curriculum is planned to build on what they already know.

p.16

STUDENTS?

31. Equality of opportunity in the curriculum is good. The school gives very good attention to ensuring that the curriculum is accessible to all pupils regardless of their gender, race, background or ability. The school is committed to inclusion for all. There is an expectation that all pupils should have full access to all activities. This was well illustrated during a physical education where a pupil with complex special educational needs took a full part in the lesson, very well supported by a learning assistant. Disabilities are treated with respect by both staff and pupils. The curriculum is sufficiently flexible to enable all pupils to make good progress and take a full part in all the school has to offer through provision of additional literacy teaching. There is a high number of support Littleham C of E Primary - 17 staff, who provide effective support to individuals and small groups and this has a positive effect on

p.16

STUDENTS?

32. The school makes good provision to extend its curriculum by offering pupils opportunities to take part in a good range of extra-curricular activities. At different times of the year pupils are able to become involved in activities such as art, football, netball, tag rugby, cricket, gymnastics, caving, kayaking, abseiling, gardening, the choir and recorder groups. Good links are established with the community. A local policeman frequently visits the school as part of his community duties and takes the cycling club. Good use is made of the local amenities. For example, pupils visit places of interest, such as museums and art galleries, to extend their horizons or to use as a starting point for a series of lessons. In addition, residential visits extend pupils’ experiences and provide useful opportunities for social development.

p.17

STUDENTS?

33. Provision for personal and health education is good, and for social education it is very good. The well-written policy provides a clear framework and the school has recently introduced a scheme of work, which teachers are beginning to incorporate into planning. Topics such as the awareness of drugs abuse and sex education are covered well. The school provides pupils with frequent opportunities to take responsibility. For example, pupils take turns as members of the school council and, in caring for their environment, maintain the school garden. Opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, and to use their initiative in lessons, are less well developed.

p.17

STUDENTS?

34. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good overall: it is very good for spiritual, moral and social development and satisfactory for cultural education. This is an improvement on the previous inspection. The style of teaching seen in many lessons makes an important contribution to pupils’ spiritual development, because they are encouraged to consider and to reflect on matters that are not immediately apparent and have deeper significance. For example, the teacher in the Reception class made very good use of some birds eating outside the window to reflect on the life of birds and animals. In assemblies pupils are also encouraged to reflect on non-material aspects of life and to develop spiritual awareness. The assemblies include an act of collective worship and often raise moral or social issues for pupils to consider.

p.17

STUDENTS?

35. The provision for moral and social development is closely linked to the well-planned personal, social and health education programme. In this, and frequently on other occasions, staff work to develop pupils’ awareness of right and wrong, and encourage pupils from an early age to be good listeners and to value each other's contributions. Teachers and other staff are good role models in highlighting the importance of good relationships in an inclusive, secure and well-ordered community. Pupils’ contributions to lessons are always valued and opportunities taken to build self-esteem.

p.17

STUDENTS?

36. Pupils are given opportunities to develop a good sense of personal responsibility and initiative in a variety of ways. Pupils’ views are sought and considered carefully through, for example, the school council. Particular achievements are regularly celebrated and, through positive reinforcement of good behaviour, the school focuses on developing a sense of worth in all its pupils. This is a very effective and important factor in fostering pupils' enthusiasm for the school. A significant number of pupils enter school with emotional and behavioural difficulties but, because provision for social development is very good, pupils soon learn to co-operate and share and learn rapidly to live together in peace and harmony. Pupils’ interpersonal skills are further developed when they participate in residential visits and fund-raising activities such as the ‘Swim a Mile Raise a Smile’ campaign.

p.17

STUDENTS?

37. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils learn about and are encouraged to celebrate their own cultures. The school works very well to use the local resources, such as museums and libraries. Provision is made for raising pupils’ awareness of world cultures and they are prepared for life in a multi-cultural society, but there is room for further development to combat the relative isolation of the school’s rural situation. Even so, in art and design and in music pupils learn about the cultures and life styles of people across the world. In religious education they learn about the different beliefs and attitudes to be seen in other religions such as Islam and Judaism. Littleham C of E Primary - 18

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and personal development is satisfactory. The school has only just begun to monitor progress and procedures systematically and these are not yet firmly embedded.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school takes very good steps to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety. The headteacher and a governor undertake risk assessment and health and safety checks; these are reported to the governors’ building committee and appropriately acted upon to ensure that pupils and staff work in a safe environment. Pupils are well supervised at break and lunchtimes and lunchtime supervisors have received training to play games with the pupils that help to ensure harmony when they are not in lessons. The school has very good arrangements in place for child protection issues. The headteacher is the named person and has received suitable training.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. There are good procedures in place to monitor and promote good behaviour and eliminate oppressive behaviour. The consistency with which staff apply rewards and sanctions is a major contributor to the good behaviour in the school. All staff manage the pupils in a consistent manner so they know how they are expected to behave and there is no confusion when taught by different teachers. The good procedures for monitoring behaviour are contributing effectively to pupils’ good attitudes to learning.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are effective. Through the school council, personal, social and health education provision, acknowledgement of success during assemblies and the work of the pastoral care team, pupils are developing confidence and maturing as they move through the school. There are high numbers of pupils entering the school throughout the year, but the very good system of care and welfare ensures that they settle quickly and happily into school routines. All of these good procedures are contributing positively to pupils’ good attitudes to learning.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Although the rate of attendance is unsatisfactory the school has good procedures in place to monitor and improve it. The school analyses reasons for absence and together with the education welfare officer works closely with families to help them to get their children to school regularly and on time. The good procedures to monitor attendance have not yet had an impact on raising the rate of attendance but they are ensuring that parents and carers are made aware of their legal obligations.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are satisfactory although the information is not always used as fully as it could be. Good procedures are in place in English and in mathematics sound procedures are established. However, assessment in other subjects is informal, and in science the arrangements are inconsistent. Progress books for tracking achievement in English provide good information for teachers to plan from. In the previous inspection, assessment was described as ‘meeting requirements’, but information, monitoring and evaluation were not used sufficiently to inform teachers when planning programmes of study or setting targets for improvement. Although information collected has improved, systems to use the information effectively have yet to be fully established. Overall, the use of information gained from the testing and recording is satisfactory. Predicted National Curriculum levels are now used for pupils in Year 6 in English, mathematics

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

and science. The school keeps detailed records regarding screening tests in English and mathematics and baseline information is collected for pupils entering the school. Standardised assessment tests and optional national assessments are administered and results recorded. Extensive analysis is carried out on the available data and some information informs the setting of groups in English and mathematics, but currently little use is made of these to predict future learning needs. The school has already recognised this as an area for improvement.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Teachers keep detailed planning files with large quantities of information about subject coverage and pupils’ levels of attainment. This information is used for writing reports to parents. Numerical targets for individual pupil progress have been established in English and mathematics. The school has plans to produce specific learning targets, based on National Curriculum standards, for all aspects of English and mathematics and make them available to pupils and their parents. This Littleham C of E Primary - 19 should enable teachers to provide specific tuition for individuals or groups, enable pupils to know what they have to do to improve and help parents in their understanding of their child’s progress. Some teachers use lesson evaluations to good effect to inform their next stages of planning, but this is not consistent practice across the school. There is a good assessment policy but it is not

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. All pupils who have special educational needs have individual education plans, which are reviewed half yearly. The quality of these individual education plans is very variable. Some are unsigned and undated, and a variety of different handwriting adds to the unsatisfactory presentation. The quality of targets in these plans is variable and also does not provide a way of tracking progress. The targets set are not always appropriate to the needs of individual pupils and some are not sufficiently specific or concise. Some targets are repeated and are not written using vocabulary that is easily accessible for pupils or parents. Pupils often do not know their targets or get copies and are not involved in setting them. All statutory requirements for special educational needs pupils are completed. Annual reviews are carried out and involve parents appropriately. The identification of pupils with special educational needs is good.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Although there was a very low turnout for the parents’ meeting and a low response to the pre- inspection questionnaire those parents who responded expressed positive views of the school. Parents are comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. The majority of parents feel that the school keeps them well informed about how their children are getting on. The inspection team agrees with them. Reports give parents good information about the progress their children are making in English, mathematics and science, targets for improvement that are set and the level at which their children are working in comparison with national averages. Parents and carers are invited to termly parent/teacher consultations, but they do not always take up this opportunity to meet their child’s teacher. Induction procedures for children into the Nursery are good and help families to feel comfortable and welcome in school. The pastoral care team provide

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

good support for families through the parent partnership where visiting speakers talk to parents on issues they are concerned about. The team make home visits and a family notice board has been set up. Parents are invited to family lunches and to help in classrooms, for which the school provides useful guidance notes. Other information for parents is also good. They receive letters from teachers telling them what their children will be studying and regular newsletters keep families up to date with the life of the school

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents are informed each time targets on individual education plans are reviewed. They are either sent copies or receive them when they attend meetings held in school. However, a sample of individual education plans inspected indicates that few parents respond to copies sent home. There are good links with local authority support services and these are used appropriately by the school when pupils’ individual needs cannot be fully supported.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The parent teacher friends’ association is a small group of parents who support the school through fund-raising and social activities. The association has provided funding towards swimming lessons and organises discos for the pupils, a summer fete and Christmas bazaar with a working party of parents who make things to sell. In response to the pre-inspection questionnaire, 25 per cent of the parents said that their children do not get the right amount of work to do at home. The inspection team judges homework to be appropriate and well organised although some parents do not give regular support to their children’s reading at home. The home/school agreement is written so that parents, carers and children know what is expected of them and what they can expect from the school. There is a weakness, however, in that families do not always ensure that their children attend school or are punctual at the start of the day. The previous report judged that the

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

involvement of parents contributed positively to the quality of education provided. This inspection finds that the school provides many opportunities for parents and carers to be involved in their children’s education but the take-up is low; consequently parental involvement is unsatisfactory and is not effectively impacting on standards of learning. Littleham C of E Primary - 20

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The leadership and management of the school by the headteacher and key staff are good, which is similar to the findings of the last inspection under the previous headteacher. Since her arrival the present headteacher, the assistant headteacher and staff have worked hard to re-establish stability in the school and to raise standards, particularly in English and mathematics. Attainment is improving, although still well below national expectations. From the evidence of this inspection, however, the majority of pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment by the end of Year 6. It is to the credit of her staff that they have a very strong commitment towards raising the quality of the school’s provision and that they have worked with their headteacher to improve all aspects of the school. Strategies are in place to improve standards further. For example, good assessment procedures and the use of test data to set targets for pupils in English have helped to establish the

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The headteacher provides a strong and clear educational direction for the school. The immediate priority for the past two years has been to raise standards in the core subjects of English and mathematics, and this is being achieved. The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance in these subjects are good and have led to effective action for improvement. For example, pupils’ assessments in English and mathematics are analysed in detail to show particular areas for improvement and action taken, either by the class teachers or by management when appropriate, to focus on and strengthen those areas. Overall, the school’s strategies for performance management have made an effective contribution to school improvement and the raising of the quality of teaching. The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work in other subjects is now to be developed.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. At present the school is exceeding its stated aims. On her arrival the headteacher rightly recognised the need to raise standards and all of the staff work to this end as a high priority. In addition, all of the adults of the school spend considerable time dealing with the many, and sometimes severe, social and personal problems of their pupils. This is a very caring school. The school aims, however, focus on the caring aspects of the school, but do not refer to standards or, for example, to helping pupils to achieve their potential, even though this is what the school does. There is a need to revise the school’s aims.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher and staff create a very positive and inclusive ethos where pupils come to school to enjoy learning. All staff, under the strong leadership of the headteacher, take care to value all pupils and to ensure that every opportunity is taken to include them all in the full life of the school. Pupils are valued and they in turn value each other, so that the school is a strongly inclusive society. While there are no pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds in the school at present, the inclusive nature and policies of the school would naturally provide respect and welcome to such pupils should they arrive.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The governing body is very supportive of the school and governors understand its strengths and weaknesses. The governors are mindful of their responsibilities and fulfil their statutory duties well. They regularly review the school’s performance and work closely with the headteacher and staff to improve the provision the school makes and the standards it achieves. This is an improvement since the last inspection. A number of governors regularly visit the school to work with pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The staff work to a strong sense of teamwork and relationships are good. The senior team, consisting of the headteacher and the assistant headteacher, monitors teaching and pupils’ work, mostly in English, mathematics and science. The monitoring, evaluation and development of teaching is good, but there is room to develop teaching further by improving the monitoring and consistency of good teaching across the curriculum.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Subject leadership of English and mathematics is good, but leadership of other subjects is of variable quality. The leadership of science is unsatisfactory. Because the school’s priorities have been on these areas, opportunities for the co-ordinators of other subjects to take initiatives have been constrained. Little monitoring of teachers’ or pupils’ work in the subjects has taken place and assessment generally awaits development. Even so, teachers plan to schemes of work set out in Littleham C of E Primary - 21 all subjects by the subject co-ordinators. The senior management is aware of the need to develop further the role of subject co-ordinators as the school moves on to improve the provision for subjects across the curriculum.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. Development planning has been in abeyance while the school has been under the close support of the local authority. The governors have recently accepted a brief interim plan, which appropriately identifies the main areas for improvement and sets out strategies for its implementation. Overall this brief plan is of good quality. The school development plan covers the necessary areas well, appropriate priorities are planned and costed, and success criteria are identified. The plan identifies the needs for professional training and development, and effective provision is made.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The school seeks successfully to set the best value when purchasing goods and services. Financial management is good and resources are used well to support development. All monies provided for specific purposes, such as those provided for pupils with special educational needs, are used well. The governors have planned a larger than usual carry forward of funds for the current financial year. This is an entirely appropriate decision to cover anticipated increases in staffing costs, due to expected changes in staff and the need to provide cover.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Leadership and management of special educational needs provision is good overall and the pupils make good progress. There are, however, a number of weaknesses. Although roles and responsibilities are clearly defined in the schools’ special educational needs policy, there remains confusion over exactly who does what. It is unclear who monitors the teachers, the individual education plans or the teaching assistants who deliver the individual or small group tuition. There is a specialist special educational needs teacher working with individual pupils regularly each week. It is this person who reportedly oversees the individual education plans, works with teachers to set targets, links with parents and attends meetings, but she is not the identified person responsible for special needs in the school. There is a need to clarify this situation so that monitoring of special educational needs provision can be improved. The monitoring of individual

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

education plans and their effective use in teachers’ planning is currently unsatisfactory.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The governing body is fully involved with issues regarding special educational needs and fulfils all its statutory duties. External support is sought where appropriate when school resources cannot meet individuals’ needs. All staff are very aware of pupils with special educational needs and understand the system for identifying pupils' difficulties. Teaching assistants provide a valuable and valued resource in helping special educational needs pupils to achieve.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Staffing levels are good. The school is able to recruit sufficient staff and there are enough teachers to meet the needs of the school. The number of support staff is above average, they provide support of high quality and contribute significantly to the good achievement of lower attainers and pupils with special educational needs. Teachers are well matched, through their qualifications and experience, to meet the demands of the curriculum. Provision for staff development, through the monitoring and training of both teachers and support staff, is effective, and the school has established the process of performance management well. Good arrangements are in place for the induction of newly qualified teachers and for teachers new to the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school provides satisfactory accommodation. Classrooms are of adequate size but the school has few spaces in which small groups of pupils can work. The library is not large enough for pupils to extend their independent research skills. The Nursery, which is a recent addition, has an attractive building and a very good outdoor play area for the youngest children. The hall is a good size for physical education and to promote pupils’ personal development through the opportunity to eat together at lunchtimes. The caretaker and cleaners keep the school clean and well maintained. Displays are colourful and celebrate the work of pupils. The playground and large field provide very good outdoor accommodation with good space for physical education lessons and for pupils to play at break and lunchtimes. The pupils’ respect for the accommodation is reflected in their enthusiasm for school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. Resources are satisfactory overall. A recent priority has been to provide an appropriate number of computers and this has been achieved. The distribution of the computers around the school Littleham C of E Primary - 22 means, however, that access to them is still limited and infrequent. Reading materials for both individuals and groups to support the school’s literacy strategy have been recently improved. Resources across the school are mostly well organised and accessible; they are used well to support learning.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The day-to-day administration of the school is good and good use is made of technology and management information systems. The administrative staff meet the bureaucratic demands well and they make an effective contribution to the smooth running of the school. Over their time at the school, pupils of all levels of attainment achieve well. The quality of teaching is good and pupils make good progress in most lessons. The school is working in very difficult social conditions and overall, provides good value for money. Littleham C of E Primary - 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

64. To continue to raise the standards of work and improve further the good quality of education provided in many aspects of the school, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Seek to improve the quality of teaching and learning so that it is consistently good in all subjects and in all years by: - Improving the role of subject co-ordinators so that all subjects are led effectively. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 55) - Monitoring the teaching in all subjects rigorously to identify areas for improvement. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 55) - Ensuring that teachers regularly monitor the learning of pupils when they are working with the learning support assistants. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 26) - Introducing and developing strategies to help pupils become more responsible for their own learning. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 21)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum by planning opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in all subjects. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraphs 13, 22 and 119)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the quality of, the use of and the procedures for setting up individual education plans by clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of staff with specific involvement with special educational needs, and ensuring that all teachers use the individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs, so that they become a more powerful tool in focusing the learning of pupils with special educational needs. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraphs 45 and 58)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Seek to further improve attendance, particularly the attendance of those pupils who are regular absentees. (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 42)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weakness should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

REVISE THE AIMS OF THE SCHOOL SO THAT THEY PROPERLY REFLECT THE SCHOOL’S WORK TO RAISE STANDARDS AND PUPILS’ ACHIEVEMENTS (This weakness is mainly discussed in paragraph 51)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(AREAS (1), (2) AND (4) ABOVE ARE RECOGNISED BY THE SCHOOL AS REQUIRING IMPROVEMENT) . Littleham C of E Primary - 24

p.23