St Luke's Primary School

ST LUKE’S JUNIOR SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr D A Hill No: 3692

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ST LUKE’S JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 23 rd January 2003

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ST LUKE’S JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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ST LUKE’S JUNIOR 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. St Luke’s Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: St Luke’s Terrace Brighton Sussex Postcode: BN2 9ZE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 St Luke’s Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

03692 Mr D A Hill Registered inspector Information and communication technology Design and technology Music What sort of school is it? How high are standards? 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? 08992 Mr J Vischer Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 28071 Mr A Williams Team inspector Science Geography History English as an additional language 21992 Ms J Newing Team inspector English Religious education Special educational needs How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

18596 Mrs S Owen Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Physical education Educational inclusion including racial equality The inspection contractor was: Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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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: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Luke’s Junior School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated to the east of Brighton in the district of Queen’s Park and overlooks the city. The school building is 100 years old this year. The pupils come from a wide catchment area with an increasing number coming from the nearby education action zone. The area is distinctive for its cultural, social and economic diversity. At present there are 340 pupils on roll, 175 boys and 165 girls, with more boys than girls in Years 5 and 6. There are three pupils who are at an early stage of English language acquisition and a further 15 pupils with English as an additional language. Currently, the percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (25.3 per cent) is above the national average, and there is an average percentage (19.4 per cent) of pupils with special educational needs, with under one per cent having a statement of special educational needs, below the national average. A feature of the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

school is the wide ability range. Attainment on entry, which is average, based on Key Stage 1 results, shows an improving attainment level over the last four years. The school aims to develop all pupils to their full potential in a happy, caring environment. This is achieved successfully. The school received a letter of congratulation from the Secretary of State as being one of the top 50 most improved schools nationally, and by the award of Beacon status in 2001.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. Attention has been fully paid to the key issues in the last report. Standards have risen in almost all subjects and teaching shows a marked improvement. Pupils have good attitudes to school; their personal development and relationships are very good and they readily take on responsibility. Assessment, monitoring and evaluation of achievement are strengths. The headteacher is a very good leader, being supported well by the deputy headteacher, staff and governors. The school provides very good value for money. It has rightly been designated a Beacon School.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Standards are above average in English, mathematics and science and in art and design, design and technology, music, physical education, religious education, history and geography. • Lessons are very well planned and follow well-designed schemes of work with the result that the teaching is good. • Relationships and personal development are very good. • Moral, social and cultural development are promoted very effectively. • The leadership and management of the school by the headteacher and deputy headteacher are of high order.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Teaching, learning and application of ICT. • The fabric of the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

When the school was last inspected, in June 1997, the headteacher had only been in post for a short time. Since then, there have been considerable improvements in the standards achieved and the overall quality of education of the pupils. Teachers have appropriately high expectations and pupils are well challenged. The high quality of planning and the introduction and appraisal of schemes of work in all subjects have led to a substantial improvement in the quality of teaching. Assessments are used to inform future planning and to track pupils’ progress. Both school, staff and individual pupil targets are set and these are monitored and form the basis for further developments. Detailed costings of developments are made to ensure cost effectiveness. Improvements have been made to the outdoor play area to give added interest. St Luke’s Junior School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English A B B A well above average above average A B Mathematics A B C B average below average C D Science A B B A well below average E

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STANDARDS

There has been some variation in standards achieved by pupils over the last three years and this reflects the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1. When taking account of prior attainment (not shown in the table above), standards in English were very high and well above average in mathematics and science. A notable feature of the 2002 results was the high percentage of pupils gaining the higher Level 5 in English, mathematics and science, above the national average. Many of the pupils attaining the lower Level 3 or below, were pupils with special educational needs. Inspection evidence indicates that, currently, standards being attained by Year 6 pupils are well above average in English and above average in mathematics and science. Pupils with special educational needs are making very good progress; those with English as an additional language are making good progress.

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STANDARDS

Through a thorough analysis of results, and by pupil tracking systems which are in place, certain changes have taken place in order to improve mathematics scores. A booster group has been formed and there is increased importance placed on mental mathematics. There is also more attention being given to teaching mathematics through practical and investigative means. In both mathematics and science, there is no difference in the achievement of boys and girls. However, in English in 2001/2002, boys achieve higher than girls, especially in writing tasks but not at the expense of girls. In all other subjects, standards have improved since the last inspection. They are now well above average in art and design and design and technology and above average in history, geography, music and physical education. In religious education, standards are well above those expected as outlined in the locally agreed syllabus. Overall, standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are below those

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STANDARDS

normally found. The school is aware of this with improvements featured in the school improvement plan. It is well placed to effectively implement the plan and this will lead to higher standards in ICT.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils are happy and self-confident, enjoying their lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave well, although there are a few pupils who have behavioural difficulties. These pupils are managed well by the staff. There have been a few pupils excluded because of very poor behaviour.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Relationships, between staff and pupils and between pupils, are very good. Personal development of pupils is also of a very good standard.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is satisfactory, being in line with the national average.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils’ personal needs are understood well by staff. The personal, social and health education programme is of good quality. A key feature of behaviour management is the consistent approach by all St Luke’s Junior School - 8 staff. The school works closely with the education welfare officer, but the importance of punctuality and attendance needs to be more actively promoted.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is very good in one-quarter of all lessons and in three-quarters it is at least good. Two excellent lessons were seen and there were no unsatisfactory lessons. Teachers plan work thoroughly and involve pupils through the use of good questioning techniques that demand careful listening. The needs of all pupils are met through the good teaching of literacy and numeracy and using these to enhance learning in other subjects, for example in science, history and design and technology. More able pupils are well challenged. Teachers’ expectations are high, with very good use of ongoing assessments to further the work. All pupils are taught to use self-assessment techniques which further develop their understanding of what needs to be done to improve their work. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good, and those with English as an additional language, good. Groups made up of pupils withdrawn

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

from the class for specialist teaching make a valuable contribution to the progress of the pupils. In almost all lessons, not enough use is made of ICT.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a rich and varied curriculum which is broad, balanced and meets the statutory requirements.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is very good and pupils make very good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The provision for the very small number of pupils who receive additional support is good and they make good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development For moral, social and cultural development, provision is very good. For spiritual development it is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes very good care of its pupils. Good quality training in first aid and in risk assessment has taken place.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents’ views of the school are very positive. Information to parents on future learning intentions for pupils are very good and the flow of information is well supported by school and class newsletters. Parents are given every opportunity to visit the school to talk with teachers and see their child’s work. St Luke’s Junior School - 9

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership and is supported well in leadership and management by the deputy headteacher.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are fully committed to the school’s aims. Many are new to the governing body and are increasingly involved in the life of the school and are aware of its strengths and areas for development. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Evaluation of teaching, learning and pupils’ progress and attainment is thorough with action taken in areas requiring improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Finances are controlled carefully. Care is taken to apply the principles of best value.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school is well staffed with curriculum co-ordinators increasingly developing the monitoring of teaching in their subject area. Resources are excellent. Accommodation is unsatisfactory and is in urgent need of improvement. This impacts on the school’s intention to be fully inclusive and open for all pupils.

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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

• Their children like school. • The teaching is good. • They feel comfortable approaching the school. • Their children are expected to work hard. • The school is well led and managed. • Information about their children’s learning. • Partnership between the school and parents. • The number of activities and clubs beyond the school day.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspection evidence supports parents’ positive views. However, inspectors judge that the arrangements that the school makes, to let parents know about how well their children are progressing, are better than most primary schools, with access to class teachers being good. The school works hard to establish a strong partnership with parents and intends to further strengthen this, although the school building, with offices and classrooms housed on different levels, makes the school appear less welcoming to parents. A very good range of school visits supplements after-school clubs. Inspectors feel that extra-curricular provision is good. St Luke’s Junior School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. In 2001, the school received a School Achievement Award and a letter from the then Secretary of State for Education congratulating the school on becoming one of the top 50 most improved schools nationally. The school was also awarded Beacon status in 2001.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. At the time of the last inspection in 1996, composite judgements calculated for the school showed that standards achieved by pupils were requiring some improvement. Since then, standards have continued to rise, but there has been some variation between years. This variation is also evident when examining the standards on entry of pupils into the school at seven years of age, although these show a continuing rise over the last four years.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. In 2002, standards attained by Year 6 pupils, when compared with schools nationally, are above average in English and science and average in mathematics. When compared with prior attainment at seven years of age, English test results are very high and are also well above average in mathematics and science. In comparison with schools with a similar percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, English and science results are well above average and for mathematics above average. In 2002, a quarter more boys than girls took the tests but there was no overall difference in the performance of boys and girls. Boys performed better than girls in English and girls performed better than boys in mathematics and there was little difference in science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The success in English and mathematics is attributed to the thorough implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The adoption of school schemes for other subjects, which have been adapted to the needs of the pupils, have also led to marked improvements. By adopting these schemes and by ensuring there is consistency of approach throughout the school, learning is continuous and progressive. In order to further improve mathematics, pupils are set by ability in Years 5 and 6 and a group, mainly boys, has been created especially to improve the scores of those not fulfilling their potential. These initiatives are having a beneficial effect on raising standards. There is increased importance placed on mental mathematics, although in some lessons too much time is being spent on this aspect to the detriment of other work.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The high standards achieved in English are also the result of importance placed on the correct use of Standard English, clear diction and the emphasis given to reading. Each day a period (about 20 minutes) is set aside for individual or group reading and pupils are expected to read regularly at home. A feature of English is the high attainment by boys, especially in writing, with a majority obtaining the higher Level 5. St Luke’s Junior School - 11 6. There is a considerable amount of time allocated to English, mathematics and science. An important feature of the work in these subjects is that they are used in a variety of cross-curricular activities and often used in history and mathematics in drawing up plans in design and technology. In comparison with English and mathematics, science is allocated a very small amount of curriculum time (seven per cent), well below the national average. The very good 2002 science results are the outcome of very careful

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

planning of science topics and a clear emphasis on practical investigation and experimentation. From an early age, pupils are taught the importance of fair testing and how variables can be controlled.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Currently, standards in Year 6 are high, especially in English. In mathematics, pupils are on track to attain higher than average levels as a result of better teaching of smaller groups of pupils. Year 6 teaching is also benefiting from the good level of teaching in Years 3, 4 and 5. In Year 4, some pupils are at present working at Level 5 in English and mathematics, well above that expected for their age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In all other subjects of the curriculum, with the exception of information and communication technology (ICT), standards have improved since the last inspection. They are well above average in art and design, design and technology and religious education and above average in history, geography, music and physical education. Despite there being no school playing field, pupils compete successfully in inter-school competition, especially in cross-country running. Although there is no co-ordinator at present for music, standards are good because of the previous high quality in-service work and the existence of a clear progressive scheme. In religious education, standards have improved due to the careful adoption of the locally agreed syllabus and by the use of artefacts to enliven the teaching. In history and geography, standards have risen as a result of giving pupils more first-hand experiences, especially through

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

fieldwork and by integrating case activities, such as reading and writing, into the history and geography curriculum. In all these subjects, the work of the co-ordinators in monitoring the planning, assembling work portfolios and being active in providing in- service training have all been paramount in the success of the subject.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In ICT, progress has been unsatisfactory. A reason given is that the school has only recently commissioned an ICT suite, but opportunities have not been taken to use classroom computers to enhance learning. The school is aware of this and the development of ICT is the principle focus in the school improvement plan. Nevertheless, the limited development of skills and the insufficient use of ICT across the curriculum are a key issue.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. One area where pupils have benefited from the use of ICT is with special educational needs. Various groups of pupils have used ICT to booster their basic skills, for example in wordprocessing. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, all make good progress, with most pupils with special educational needs making very good progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. This is a continuously improving school where standards continue to rise. The school trend of improvement continues to be well above the national trend. Inspection findings suggest that this will continue, especially with the greater use of ICT to aid the broadening of pupils’ learning across the curriculum.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils have good attitudes to school across all year groups. They are happy, self- confident boys and girls who work and play well together. Relationships between staff and pupils and pupils themselves are very good. These high standards, which are reflected in the high number of positive responses from parents to whether ‘my child St Luke’s Junior School - 12 likes school’ in the pre-inspection questionnaire returns, are a strength of the school. However, this is not reflected in the attendance figures which are only satisfactory.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils settle quickly at the beginning of the day during registration. In most lessons pupils’ constructive attitude and enthusiasm helps drive the lesson forward and persists even when the focus of a teacher’s question is not clear. There is a small minority of pupils, particularly in Year 6 who can lose this positive approach to learning. Pupils try hard, they are proud of their achievements and ready to talk about them. They are confident and interested in being challenged, usually involving themselves in activities well. Pupils like to show initiative and a willingness to generate fresh approaches to problems beyond what would be expected. The older pupils have a very positive attitude towards the self-assessment notes in their exercise books and refer to them regularly without prompting. Pupils take pride in carrying out their monitor responsibilities, especially in Year 6, and enjoy being part of the school community.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

These positive attitudes have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Behaviour, both in lessons and around the school, is generally good although minor incidences of unsatisfactory behaviour were observed. There are a small number of pupils admitted from other schools who have behavioural difficulties. The temporary exclusions reflect isolated examples of poor behaviour which are dealt with firmly. Three of the eight exclusions were for one pupil. There were no incidents of oppressive behaviour with regard to bullying, sexism or racism noted during the inspection. In assemblies pupils behave well although sometimes in their eagerness to leave the hall they do not always exhibit self-restraint. Pupils are willing to approach visitors and greet them in a friendly way. In the playgrounds pupils play boisterously but generally stay within their zoned area, for example for football, and have developed a facility to play safely on the sloping surface. At the end of play pupils respond promptly to the whistle,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

queue patiently and enter school quietly. At lunchtimes pupils show good behaviour in the dining hall, and eat their packed lunches sensibly in the school hall.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Relationships are very good between pupils and between staff and pupils. During lessons pupils unselfconsciously help others and work co-operatively together in pairs and in groups. In the various playgrounds pupils show a good level of respect for others who might not share their own priorities in activities. These very good relationships are clearly seen at the school council meetings where different ethnic minorities are well represented and where suggestions are valued from any age group. The new class councils also reveal a high level of mutual respect, where pupils put hands up as a matter of course and listen patiently to one another.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Attendance is satisfactory. Authorised absences are in line with the national average. Unauthorised absences are well below the national average. There are a few latecomers and, because lessons start promptly, these pupils are not as ready to learn as the majority. Standards of attendance are the same as at the time of the previous inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teaching is always at least satisfactory and in the majority of lessons observed it was good, very good or excellent. Teaching is very good in one quarter of all lessons and in three quarters it was at least good. There were two excellent lessons and no unsatisfactory ones were observed. This is an improvement since the last inspection when there were a small number of unsatisfactory lessons. Since that inspection, several of the staff are new to the school, two being newly qualified teachers. The deputy headteacher has been in post for two terms. Last year the school lost four experienced teachers through promotion or relocation. St Luke’s Junior School - 13 18. In all four year groups there are examples of good or very good teaching, with no subject where examples of good teaching were not observed. In ICT, the one lesson observed in the ICT suite was of good quality but, in other lessons, ICT was either not

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

used or underused. The best teaching was observed in English where staff have a clear understanding of the literacy strategy, which has been implemented effectively. The reading element is being taught separately, a decision made by the staff and co- ordinator to further improve reading. Group reading is taught well with good clear questioning to ensure text and style and their effects are well understood. During these sessions, other pupils continue with reading, knowing that they should not interrupt the teacher. With the teaching of writing, teachers take great care to ensure all pupils are involved at an appropriate level with tasks designed to take account of ability levels. Teachers are good role models, for example in their careful use of clear diction and in their handwriting, both on the board and when commenting on pupils’ work in workbooks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Most of the mathematics teaching is at least good; staff have implemented the National Numeracy Strategy well. However, some lessons are too long with insufficient interaction with pupils. This is particularly the case in the mental mathematics element of the lesson when this part sometimes takes too much time. It is a lack of pace in the lesson which often marks the difference between a satisfactory and a good lesson. At other times, the lesson timings are too long with teachers ‘stretching’ the activities to fit into the time set aside. This was observed particularly in two lessons, a science lesson and a physical education lesson which were both over an hour long. In both instances, the teachers worked hard to maintain motivation while the interest and enthusiasm of the class waned.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The good quality of lessons is the result of a number of factors. Subject co-ordinators have clearly defined roles with subjects audited and evaluated annually. They are expected to lead staff development sessions on a regular basis in order to keep all staff up to date with new thinking. An example of the way developments are embraced is the use of the Beacon partnership to include training on pupils’ learning styles.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Attention is also given to ensuring consistency across the school, for example in behaviour management and in marking work. Both of these are carried out very well. There are a number of pupils from disturbed home backgrounds who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. When they are observed in and around school, staff react quietly, giving advice and guidance to the pupils. In this way, pupils are helped to conform to norms of behaviour. Year group teams work hard to ensure a consistent experience is given to each year group. Fundamental to this are the schemes of work which are in place and are used as planning tools. Good planning is effectively raising standards. A good example of this is the use of the locally agreed syllabus in religious education.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The marking of work is exemplary. A great deal of attention is given to praise and encouragement, but also in helping pupils overcome difficulties and move on to the next stage of learning. The development of pupils’ self-assessment and targets throughout the school is most effective and is instrumental in raising standards. These assessments are used by teachers to plan their next lesson and this leads to progressive learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The school works hard to encourage home learning and this is successfully undertaken by nearly all pupils. However, there are also a number who are not encouraged by parents to develop their learning at home, especially in classes with younger pupils. The school is aware of this and takes care not to overburden pupils. The homework policy is adhered to by all teachers. It is reasonable and designed to help the learning of pupils through both the home and school. St Luke’s Junior School - 14 24. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. It is good for pupils whose English is at an early stage of acquisition and is good or very good for pupils whose English is an additional language. When pupils require extra help, this is available, both through the special educational needs teacher and through the learning support assistants. All work very closely with class teachers in following and developing

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

individual education plans. When withdrawn from lessons for extra support, the pupils are given work similar to the rest of the class. A most interesting development is the ‘afternoon club’. This is in the form of a tutorial unit, which is attended by pupils largely for behaviour modification. A pupil has to earn the ‘right’ to attend by behaving well in the morning, earning a number of ‘ticks’. He or she then attends two afternoons a week for an hour in which they not only cover the work in class but are involved in games designed to help them see the importance of taking turns, listening to other’s views and abiding by the rules. Careful records are kept of the progress of these pupils, which is reviewed regularly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. In all subjects, teachers are supported well by an excellent range of resources which are used appropriately. These help to bring the subject alive. However, the teaching is adversely affected by leaking roofs, ill fitting window frames, an ineffective heating system and walls which clearly show dampness. Sometimes, pupils’ work on display is spoiled by rainwater but, despite these difficulties, staff work hard to create interesting and lively classrooms and corridors where work is very well displayed.

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PUPILS?

26. The quality and range of learning opportunities for all pupils are good as is the quality of the statutory curriculum, which covers all areas of the National Curriculum and religious education. The curriculum has a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy and the teaching of basic skills. However, by using cross-curricular opportunities, the school provides its pupils with a wide ranging curriculum, for example the use of English in religious education and history, and of mathematics in science, design and technology and geography.

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PUPILS?

27. There has been a significant improvement in curriculum provision and planning since the last inspection. This is mainly as a result of the provision of schemes of work for all subjects, implementing a whole-school assessment policy, setting individual targets for improving attainment and through the introduction of pupil self-assessments. Only in ICT has there been a lack of progress.

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PUPILS?

28. Curriculum opportunities for pupils with special educational needs are very good. There is a wide range of provision aimed at meeting all pupils’ academic and emotional needs, for example ‘the afternoon club’. The time pupils spend in small groups withdrawn from the main class is carefully planned so that they receive their full entitlement. Their progress is carefully monitored against the targets in their individual education plans. Pupils with English as an additional language and those from ethnic minority families are well integrated and well supported with appropriate work given.

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PUPILS?

29. Additional support for all pupils with special educational needs is of good quality. Teaching support assistants provide very good support, both within small groups withdrawn for specialist teaching and in class lessons. The scheme of work for personal, social and health education is nearing completion. Each strand has been carefully researched, discussed with parents and pupils so that all have ownership. This is very good improvement since the last inspection when inconsistency in planning was highlighted as a weakness. St Luke’s Junior School - 15 30. The school has implemented the National Literacy Strategy very effectively and this has had a significant impact on the rise in standards in English. Literacy is used very well across the curriculum, with pupils encouraged to record accurately and write imaginatively. Good links between subjects are established so that pupils’ learning is coherent.

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PUPILS?

31. The school has implemented the National Numeracy Strategy well but standards are not as high as in English. Further work is needed to make learning more interactive, especially during the mental mathematics section of the lesson. Lessons are planned using guidance from the National Numeracy Strategy.

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PUPILS?

32. There are occasions when too much time in one block is allocated to a subject. For example, in some classes science is allocated one block of time of one and a half hours. When the lessons are overlong, pupils’ enthusiasm and interest declines with a subsequent drop in achievement during the lesson.

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PUPILS?

33. There is good provision for extra-curricular activities. Some parents expressed concern that this might not be so, but inspectors feel that the school provides rich, relevant learning opportunities in addition to various afternoon clubs. Many professional visitors, artists, poets, musicians, dancers are invited to work with teachers and pupils, and this enriches the learning opportunities. Theatre groups enhance the learning, for example in history, Roman Day, Egyptian Day and Victorian Day, and the Travelling Planetarium in science. Members of the community share their experiences, for example, grandparents talk about being an evacuee in the Second World War. Visits to places of interest linked to pupils’ studies enrich the learning opportunities.

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PUPILS?

34. There is very good equality of opportunity for all pupils to learn and achieve. Teachers of pupils of the same age plan together and the needs of individual pupils are carefully considered. All teachers conscientiously support the school’s emphasis on editing, evaluation and self-assessment and the consistency of approach is a strength of the school.

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PUPILS?

35. The school’s provision for personal, social and health education is very good and is improving rapidly since the appointment of the present co-ordinator. A sex and relationships programme has been piloted and is now in place for all year groups. The drugs awareness programme has been updated and the new programme will be in use after half-term. The consistency with which all adults support the programme is a strength in the provision.

p.15

PUPILS?

36. The community makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning, for example, publishing the history of the school over the last hundred years, working with Brighton and Hove football club to improve boys’ writing and participating in the Brighton Festival. The gifts from Harvest Festival were sent to help homeless people and the vicar was invited to talk about the ‘Shelter’ project.

p.15

PUPILS?

37. The school has very good relationships with the infant school and the secondary school to which most of the pupils transfer. Pupils with special educational needs visit the secondary school to become familiar with the science laboratories. Visits for all pupils are arranged and, in addition, teachers from the secondary school visit the primary school. Through its work in the Beacon Partnership, St Luke’s has a significant influence in four other primary schools.

p.15

PUPILS?

38. The overall provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good, although provision for the spiritual aspect is least effective. There has been an improvement in moral, social and cultural development since the last inspection. St Luke’s Junior School - 16 39. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is satisfactory. The school does much to develop a climate and ethos in which all pupils' can grow and flourish and staff provide good role models in promoting respect for one another and by valuing pupils' contributions in class. The provision for their spiritual development occurs mainly through religious education and the personal development programme. Planned opportunities in other curriculum areas are few. However, there are good examples in art and design when in Year 3 the teacher asked pupils to reflect on the feelings of the artist being studied and, in Year 4, when a pupil spoke about one of his pictures he had

p.15

PUPILS?

entitled 'Nightmare'. The part played by collective worship in providing pupils with opportunities to develop spiritually, is not sufficiently developed. Whilst stories are told linked to a theme, opportunities for pupils to reflect on them, in order to see the relevance of them in their own lives, are limited.

p.16

PUPILS?

40. Provision for pupils' moral development is very good. The school ethos statement encompasses a strong moral code and all adults provide good role models. The very good relationships and respect between all adults and between adults and pupils are a noticeable feature. There is a very clear moral code promoted through the successful behaviour management programme that is consistently carried out. Pupils clearly know what is expected of them and have a well-developed sense of what is right and wrong. An example was seen in literacy when pupils were encouraged to think about moral issues when writing a sequel to the Jack and the Beanstalk story and whether it was right for Jack to 'end up rich'. The inclusive nature of the school promotes racial equality and pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds are fully integrated in all aspects.

p.16

PUPILS?

41. Social development is very well provided for. There is a very strong sense of community where everyone is valued. Class councils and a school council provide opportunities for pupils to be involved with decision making within the school and promotes a sense of citizenship. The great emphasis the school puts on self- evaluation and assessment encourages pupils to take responsibility for their own learning. Teachers promote the values of being considerate and helpful to one another and, in class, pupils show they can work together co-operatively. Throughout the school, pupils are encouraged to take responsibilities, examples of which are when they act as escorts for visitors, and when older pupils look after younger ones through the 'buddy' system at playtime. An anti-bullying policy is currently being developed taking into account the views of the pupils.

p.16

PUPILS?

42. Provision for cultural development is very good. Pupils build a strong awareness of their own culture through visits and visitors. For example, in producing a booklet about the life of the school over the last hundred years, past pupils have played a part in its production. They take a very active part in the annual Brighton Festival which celebrates music and art. Knowledge and understanding of other cultures as well as their own is very well addressed through the curriculum by linked themes. For example, a topic on Zambia provides the focus for work in art and design, music and dance which is explored and celebrated in an African day. Pupils visit museums and theatres in association with their project work. The high quality displays around the school make a significant contribution to the school's multicultural provision and enhance pupils' cultural awareness.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school takes very good care of its pupils. Child protection procedures are good. All staff are made aware of the importance of vigilant and careful monitoring. Links with the local Education Welfare Officer are good with reliable liaison and regular half-termly visits. Health and safety procedures are good in the classrooms, and the fabric of the school is effectively monitored by a former member of staff, the headteacher, caretaker St Luke’s Junior School - 17 and a governor representative. Good first-aid organisation and training ensures that pupils are treated effectively and the result of their treatment is monitored. Careful records are kept and good procedures in place to inform parents.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school offers very good welfare and support for all pupils. This is reflected in the way that pupils with special educational needs and pupils from ethnic minorities are so well integrated into the daily life of the school. The school behaviour policy is very clear about the programme the school operates and these procedures are carried out very well. Staff are very patient and listen well and, as a result, pupils are ready to talk to them if a problem arises. Moreover, a culture of self-reliance is actively promoted by the school through, for example, the self-assessment notes in pupils’ exercise books, which means that pupils feel encouraged to initiate action to remedy a problem. A system of individual improvement awards operates consistently across the school, and pupils are encouraged to perform well or improve their behaviour through achievement awards, which are regularly celebrated in weekly assemblies.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Safe routines for lining-up, going into the school buildings and moving around the school are good. Pupils are often involved in ensuring that school routines such as lunchtime seating rotas are effectively carried out. Through the ‘buddy’ system Year 6 pupils also help ensure the safety and personal welfare of younger pupils by accompanying them in the playground, and act as a further resource for help to the staff on duty. The level of adult supervision in the playgrounds is satisfactory.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The monitoring of attendance is satisfactory. Staff are conscientious in marking the register on time and in ensuring that late pupils report to the office. The headteacher, administrative officer and the Educational Welfare Officer ensure reasons for absence are obtained. There are no unauthorised absences, however, late pupils after 9.30am are not recorded as unauthorised absences . A ttendance is not actively promoted which may partly explain why pupils’ attendance figures are not as good as their attitudes towards school. Punctuality and good attendance are promoted in the prospectus, and reminder letters are sent to offending pupils’ parents but these are not sufficient to foster a proactive approach to attendance.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The school has made significant progress since the last inspection when the monitoring of academic progress was satisfactory. It now has a very good assessment policy that is reviewed annually and the way it now organises and uses information on pupils’ attainment is very good. Staff assess and monitor very well the needs and progress of pupils requiring additional support.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. Very good assessment systems have been carefully introduced throughout the school over a period of time. These have contributed to the rising standards by Year 6. When pupils start in Year 3 they begin assessments using school materials in spelling, reading, writing, mathematics, science and handwriting. These are in addition to the statutory tests at the end of Year 6. The information from these tests is organised very well so staff can track the progress of individuals, classes and year groups and helps the governors set challenging statutory targets for Year 6 pupils. This information helps the school compare its performance with national and other local schools’ performance.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. A very strong feature of the school is how it builds assessment into all schemes of work and expects teachers to plan assessment into their normal classroom teaching. The school places great emphasis on assessing pupils’ skills and understanding of their work and of not simply testing knowledge, and this it does very well. It also involves pupils very well in assessments of their own learning. This very good system, linked with very good marking of pupils’ work, where teachers write constructive comments about the work, allows pupils to know how well they are doing and how to St Luke’s Junior School - 18 improve. Recently the school has developed its systems further by introducing a tracking system of pupils’ progress to monitor an individual pupils’ academic progress during the time the pupil is at the school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The results of tests are very well analysed. For instance, the deputy headteacher analyses the results of the national tests for Year 6 and writes a report on what pupils know well and what might be improved. This allows the school to improve teaching by helping teachers identify where they have been successful or less successful and to plan for the future. Test and attainment analyses also help identify different pupil groupings for teachers to use in their mathematics lessons. These are then used to identify groups of pupils who would benefit from additional work in literacy and numeracy.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ personal development are very effective. Teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the individual personal circumstances of the pupils in their class. Consequently they are often able to give support and special attention to pupils when, for example, they are experiencing difficult circumstances at home.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. Parents’ views of the school are very positive. The return rate of the parent questionnaires is above average with a good attendance at the parents’ meeting prior to the inspection. There are very good links with parents at the time their children move up from the infant school. The headteacher has established a tradition of being available to parents. This is reflected in the questionnaire responses, for example, where the vast majority feel they would ‘be comfortable approaching the school with a problem’. At the parents’ meeting, however, a significant minority of parents were unhappy about how well informed they feel about how their child is getting on and whether the school works closely with them. Inspectors judge that the formal arrangements the school makes to let parents know about how their children are progressing are better than most primary schools and access to class teachers is also good, particularly at the end of the school

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

day. In addition, pupils’ annual reports are good because parents are well informed about what their child needs to do to improve. The school also gave parents the opportunity to express their views in a recent survey on the quality of reports.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. Information to parents on what their children will be learning each term is very good and is supported by school and class newsletters. Regular workshops with a curriculum theme are held throughout the year. Open afternoons are held for parents to visit the school during the day as well as parents evenings every term. These evenings are well attended and the school makes reasonable arrangements for those who cannot attend to ensure that information is relayed or subsequent meetings with teachers are arranged. The school ensures that separated parents receive individual information. The combined school prospectus and annual governors’ report to parents is a concise and useful document. The parents’ notice boards are well sited and contain good relevant information. Overall, these positive links have improved since the last inspection.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. A significant minority of parents feel that out-of-school activities are limited. Inspectors judge that, although the number of after-school clubs may be only what might be expected, this provision, coupled with the very good range of school visits, makes for good provision overall. The school makes certain that all pupils have equal access to school trips through financial support using the school fund.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. Parents’ involvement in the work of the school is good. Parents can be relied upon to support the active and well-established Friends Association events. Even though large St Luke’s Junior School - 19 sums of money are not raised these funds are put to good use, for example the well- targeted playground refurbishment which has improved pupils’ safety and well-being. These events provide a vital community link which involves grandparents, previous pupils, or friends and relations of existing pupils and members of staff. For example, the successful Film Nights when pupils dress up as ushers are always very well attended. Parents regularly attend school celebrations and awards ceremonies.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The contribution of parents to children’s learning at school and at home is good. Although there are few regular helpers in the classroom parents are much involved with helping on school visits, providing transport and in the curriculum-themed weeks that the school holds. A small minority of parents are unhappy with homework. Although parents find the homework diaries a useful way to communicate with the class teacher the consistent application of homework varies in the different year groups. Overall, inspectors judge that the quality and use of homework is satisfactory. Parents have also been invited to respond to questionnaires on homework policy.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. When the school was inspected in 1997, the headteacher had only recently been appointed. Since then he has twice appointed a deputy headteacher, the first gaining promotion to headship in 2001. The key issue relating to improving school development planning, to further promote pupils’ attainment, has been accomplished successfully and planning is thorough and clearly designed to lift attainment in those areas highlighted by the process of analysing pupils’ attainment. The evidence from the work on establishing the ICT suite shows the care taken to evaluate spending decisions for their cost-effectiveness.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The leadership of the school is very good and firmly in the hands of the headteacher who is careful to create a staff who share the vision of a self-evaluating school. To this end, he leads weekly staff meetings with a formal agenda and which are timed to last one and a half hours to enable discussion to take place. This strategy has led to staff feeling fully involved in improvements and an ethos which is based on critical analysis of both teaching and learning. Change is brought about through clear thinking of current issues and by the headteacher’s own self-advancement in his reading and analysing of new ideas which lead to improvement in standards. Very good staff appointments have been made, a core feature being to create a personal specification, collecting evidence of competence through observing the applicant teach and by rigorous and searching interviews. Induction arrangements for new teachers are thorough and designed to

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

achieve a smooth entry into the life of the school. The headteacher also firmly believes in the importance of himself acting as a role model. He takes assemblies, seeks the views of pupils and undertakes performance management in a serious, professional manner. Also, along with the deputy headteacher, he leads the monitoring of teaching.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The deputy headteacher is largely responsible for managing the day-to-day life of the school and for managing change. She acts as a sounding board, both for new ideas and for ideas from staff. One of the many qualities shown is her ability to be a good listener and to transmit information. In addition, she is an excellent teacher and is, therefore, a very good role model. Her pupil performance analysis is very detailed, not only in assessments made, but also in the resultant actions to be taken to lead to improvement.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are a very strong team. They are fully aware of where the school’s strengths and areas for development lie and are very much aware that the effectiveness of the governing body is limited, as it is in a transitional stage with a number of local authority vacancies and with several newly appointed governors. The chair of governors and headteacher both feel that the governing body St Luke’s Junior School - 20 needs to be strengthened with the addition of someone who will represent ethnic minority interests. Each governor has responsibility for monitoring an area of the curriculum and most other responsibilities are covered well, except that no governor is solely responsible for covering finance. Careful watch is kept of the school finances. A bursar has oversight of the financial arrangements of the school, working closely with the headteacher and other governors.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school is supported well by the local authority advisory service with regular visits made by the link inspector. The Beacon School status is being used well to further enhance the teaching and learning in this and four other schools. The school is at present examining the possibility of involvement with the Excellence in Cities Initiative, seeing this as a further development to raise standards.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school development plan is constructed well with achievable targets. Planned developments are carefully selected and costed to achieve value for money. Staff training is of a very good standard. There are clear systems in place to support staff development in all subjects and aspects of the life of the school. Appraisal of staff is taken very seriously and carefully considered feedback is given to all teachers on the quality of their teaching.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Curriculum co-ordinators provide strong subject leadership. A development of their role is planned in which they will take a more active role in monitoring teaching in their subject. All staff have a curriculum responsibility to which they bring expertise, giving advice and guidance to staff and are expected to lead staff meetings in their curriculum area. The leadership and management of special educational needs are very good. The special educational needs co-ordinator has considerable expertise and experience and a warm personality, which enable her to form good relationships with teachers, teaching assistants, parents and pupils. Individual education plans are of high quality with specific targets, which are reviewed regularly. Documentation is organised well so that it is easy to extract information. There is good liaison with other agencies. The large team of teaching assistants is managed very well and supported effectively. The

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

governing body keeps an overview of the provision made for pupils with special educational needs and for those pupils with English as an additional language. The school takes great care to make sure that these pupils are well provided for in order for them to make at least good progress. Administrative support is very good. The school office is organised efficiently, thus freeing the headteacher, deputy headteacher and teaching staff to concentrate on the teaching and learning. St Luke’s Junior School - 21 64. Accommodation is unsatisfactory. The building is 100 years old and showing its age, with a roof that lets in rain, fungus growing on walls, window frames that are ill-fitting and a heating system which is inefficient. There is no accommodation where pupils can change for physical education or games and no games field. As the school is on the upper two floors of a three-storey building, and as there are no lifts, pupils in

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

wheelchairs cannot be accommodated. That the pupils achieve so well is a tribute to the staff working in such poor conditions who make every effort to overcome these difficulties. A very good example of this is the work that has been put in to turn a barren playground into a place where pupils can sit quietly, play games and admire the planting schemes which are in place and which give added interest.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. Resources are excellent. They are well organised and easily available. There is a programme to substantially add to the ICT software.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

66. The governing body, headteacher and staff should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) * Urgently raise standards in ICT by: - ensuring the ICT suite is used by all classes as soon as possible; - introducing the scheme of work now; and - develop further use of ICT across all subjects in class work. (Paras: 8, 9, 11, 18, 27, 75, 79, 82, 85, 92, 107-111, 117, 127)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) The governors, headteacher and senior staff should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- seek ways of obtaining authority to improve the fabric of the building so that it is weatherproof, the heating is adequate and teaching is not disrupted. (Paras: 25, 64, 116, 123)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* In school development plan St Luke’s Junior School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

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 more than one percentage points.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 340

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 86

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 66

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 15

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 9

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 11

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 St Luke’s Junior School - 23 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Luke’s Junior School - 24

p.22

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 49 32 81

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)

Boys 40 34 43 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 23 29

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (81) 72 (83) 89 (91) 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)

Boys 37 38 46 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 24 27

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 74 (84) 77 (82) 90 (90) 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

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.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 4 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 2 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No ethnic group recorded 13 0 0 St Luke’s Junior School - 25 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.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.45 Financial year 2001/2

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 818,491

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 12 Total expenditure 813,845

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 266 Expenditure per pupil 2,325

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 7,417

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 12,063

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4.4

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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.25

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Luke’s Junior School - 26

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 52 41 5 0 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 30 57 8 0 5

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 52 10 0 4

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 48 14 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 32 2 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 51 48 0 0 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 36 53 10 0 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 49 44 2 1 5

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 48 45 4 0 4

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 52 20 3 6 St Luke’s Junior School - 27

p.26

ENGLISH

67. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests, standards in English for pupils aged eleven were above the national average and well above those in similar schools. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level, Level 5 was impressive. Currently, standards are high. Standards at the last inspection were judged to be satisfactory so this represents very good improvement. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress due to the quality of systems that are in place to identify and meet their needs. Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress and are spread through the ability levels. One pupil who has been recently admitted to the school with very little knowledge of English is making very good progress through the additional support he is receiving.

p.27

ENGLISH

68. The school has implemented the National Literacy Strategy very effectively resulting in well-structured lessons with clear learning objectives. The school has developed a systematic approach to editing, evaluation and self-assessment which is taught from Year 3 to Year 6 and this is having a significant impact on standards. Pupils set their own targets from these evaluations which feed into their overall literacy target. Since receiving Beacon Status the school has been working with four other schools to help them raise standards in English through a stimulus skills approach. Essentially, this is providing a very good range of stimulating experiences for pupils, such as the involvement of professional poets, artists, storytellers, dancers and actors along with very consistent systematic teaching of basic skills. The outside professionals work with teachers and pupils, experiences which are then followed by special days or special

p.27

ENGLISH

weeks with a particular focus, for example a writing week. As often as possible, pupils are provided with ‘real’ reasons for writing. As a result they put in maximum effort and produce their best work. The success of this approach lies in the fact that each initiative is very carefully thought out, discussed, costed and agreed. Training is given, time is allocated, resources are provided and the initiative is rigorously monitored. The result is a very consistent approach which is a hallmark of this school.

p.27

ENGLISH

69. Standards in speaking and listening are good. Pupils have frequent opportunities to develop these skills across the curriculum. For example, in a geography lesson pupils clearly explained what they were finding out about Africa when looking at an atlas and, in religious education they shared their knowledge about saints. A group of Year 5 pupils were very articulate when talking to inspectors about their school. Year 6 pupils discussed a proposal from the local education authority to increase homework and used words such as ‘outrageous’ and ‘preposterous’. They listen attentively in a large group, for example, to stories in assembly.

p.27

ENGLISH

70. Standards in reading are above average. The oldest pupils read aloud confidently with expression and understanding. They talk about books they have read and their favourite authors. They are developing skills of deduction and inference. Guided reading is organised exceptionally well in this school. It is timetabled outside the literacy hour and pupils have specific tasks to complete each week on the book being read. This provides a good link with writing. Marking is of a very high standard and linked to pupils’ group reading targets. Books cover a range of genre and are matched well to pupils’ interests and abilities thus encouraging a desire to read for information and enjoyment. Attractive displays around the school promote reading well. Although there is no designated room for a library, books are stored attractively in the wide corridors. Pupils visit the library as a class and as individuals and are developing appropriate library

p.27

ENGLISH

skills. Reading tests are held twice yearly and indicate that pupils are making good progress. St Luke’s Junior School - 28 71. Pupils achieve very high standards in writing many of the oldest pupils working within Level 5. Pupils in Year 3 have considerable difficulty in planning a story but past work shows that they understand the structure and the importance of the setting and the characters. Pupils in Year 4 are learning to use expressive language to create mood. Some of the writing on ‘Eeylops Owl Emporium’ demonstrates that pupils understand strategies for creating suspense and using powerful vocabulary, such as ‘To the floor, Harry fell in fright’, ‘gloom shot by a sudden light’. Year 5 pupils use proper nouns, pronouns and similes effectively in their poetry writing. Year 6 pupils know the features of report writing – ‘The Jarrow Crusade’, ‘Destruction at Pompeii’ being examples of good quality work. They are learning about the structure of persuasive text and are

p.27

ENGLISH

beginning to construct a balanced argument with an introduction and a conclusion. They are able to write a modern extract from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and then continue in the style of Shakespeare.

p.28

ENGLISH

72. Handwriting is taught, practised and assessed systematically so that, by Year 6, pupils write with a pen in a legible joined script. As part of its work within the Beacon Partnership the school is introducing a writing scheme which is closely linked with spelling and requires pupils to join their letters in the infant school in order to help dyslexic pupils.

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ENGLISH

73. Spelling rules and patterns are taught within the literacy hour. As pupils assess their own work they identify mis-spelt words and these words are the ones learnt for homework each week. By Year 6 most pupils have developed appropriate spelling strategies, use dictionaries and thesauri confidently so that their work is not marred by careless spelling mistakes.

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ENGLISH

74. Teaching in English is mostly good or very good with a small amount of excellent and satisfactory teaching. Throughout the school, all the lessons observed were planned well with clear learning objectives, which were shared with the pupils. Teachers have high expectations and work is matched well to pupils’ prior learning. Higher attaining pupils are challenged and those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are well supported. All these pupils make very good progress and achieve well. In the very good and excellent lessons, the pace is very brisk, teachers engage the pupils effectively ensuring active learning. As a result, pupils are enthusiastic and keen to learn. They work very conscientiously with sustained attention resulting in very good learning. Where there are relative weaknesses, the pace of lessons is slow and some lessons are too long. This restricts progress. There are

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ENGLISH

many examples of effective marking when teachers offer helpful comments about what pupils have achieved and set clear targets for improvement. Homework makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ learning.

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ENGLISH

75. Literacy is used very well to support learning in other subjects; history, geography, science and religious education. High quality displays in classrooms, corridors and hall demonstrate this clearly, but the use of ICT is underdeveloped, especially for wordprocessing and presentation.

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ENGLISH

76. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, are very effectively included within the provision for English. Teachers plan for and support these pupils well in whole-class lessons. Learning support assistants are of good quality and have a strong impact on the good progress the pupils make.

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ENGLISH

77. The co-ordination of English is excellent and makes a very significant contribution to the very good improvement since the last inspection. Rigorous monitoring and professional development and support are achieving consistency. Introducing new initiatives in a St Luke’s Junior School - 29 carefully planned way so as not to overburden staff, and the commitment of teachers to try out new ideas, are important factors in the school’s success. Resources are very good and, apart form ICT, are used effectively to provide interesting lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

78. Results in the 2002 National Curriculum tests for eleven-year-olds were close to the national average but when compared with similar schools they were above average. The number of pupils achieving at the higher Level 5 was above average. Although there has been a decline in attainment compared with the national average over the past three years inspection evidence supports the school's belief that there will be an improvement in 2003 with a greater proportion of pupils achieving Level 4. New teaching arrangements have been introduced to support pupils who need extra help. In lessons observed, reviewing pupils' work and discussion with pupils, the standards are above average. The proportion of pupils achieving at higher levels is an improvement on the last inspection when higher attainers did not achieve as well as they should.

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MATHEMATICS

79. By the age of eleven, pupils are very confident in aspects of number and can multiply and divide correctly decimals by 10 and 100, calculate successfully temperature changes in negative numbers and know how to multiply numbers with two digits. They have sound recall of number facts. They are able to spot patterns and relationships between numbers and the majority of pupils are beginning to express these in algebraic terms. They know most properties of shapes. They are familiar with a range of graphs and charts to present data and have used them in other curriculum areas such as geography and science. However, they are sometimes unsure which would be the best graph to use to represent particular information. ICT is not used to develop their knowledge of data-handling packages.

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MATHEMATICS

80. The quality of teaching throughout the school is good overall. Five out of every six lessons observed were good or better. This is an improvement since the last inspection when the quality of teaching was deemed satisfactory overall. Lessons are well planned based on guidance from the National Numeracy Strategy and effectively adapted to suit the needs of the class. Teachers' clear explanations of objectives for the lesson and teaching points help pupils to get to work quickly and to learn. Activities are well chosen to engage pupils and higher attainers are appropriately extended by the tasks and by the high quality questions which are a feature of the best teaching. Such questioning challenges all pupils to think and, along with the investigative nature of many of the tasks, is providing opportunities to develop their problem-solving skills. When addressing the whole class, particularly in the mental start to the lesson, there is

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MATHEMATICS

insufficient interaction between the teachers and all pupils and opportunities are lost for pupils to share their thinking with others or to practise skills required for the lesson. When this happens there is lack of pace or excitement and pupils sit passively, sometimes losing concentration. However, there is an increased importance being placed on mental mathematics and, when taught well, this is having a beneficial effect on raising standards. Assessment procedures are used well to track pupils’ progress and to highlight where improvements are required.

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MATHEMATICS

81. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. These pupils benefit from positive support from learning support assistants. Teachers effectively adapt tasks and provide resources to aid calculation so pupils achieve well. As for all pupils, teachers’ expectations of pupls with special educational needs are high. Achievement of higher attainers is good. Pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds or with English as an additional language make equally as good progress as others. There is no difference in attainment for boys or girls.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The co-ordination of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has rightly focused on the St Luke’s Junior School - 30 analysis of data and other information to identify areas of weakness in order to improve. Monitoring is carried out through scrutiny of planning and classroom observations. This needs to focus more on the areas for development to ensure improvement. The school is aware that insufficient use is made of ICT to enhance mathematics teaching and the co-ordinator will make this a priority for staff training. The subject is well resourced both centrally and within classrooms. The pupils experience the full range of coverage of the mathematics curriculum with good emphasis being placed on mathematical thinking.

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SCIENCE

83. Results in the 2002 national tests for eleven-year-olds were above the national average and well above those for similar schools. Half of the pupils obtained the higher Level 5. Standards of attainment for pupils in Year 6 are above average, an improvement from the time of the last inspection when they were judged to be average. This is because pupils regularly receive good teaching in lessons that are well planned, well resourced and concentrate on developing pupils’ investigative skills. All pupils make good progress, including those with special educational needs or who have English as an additional language.

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SCIENCE

84. In Year 3, pupils know the reasons humans have a skeletal frame and the names of some of the major bones. They make good links with Egyptian mummies from their history lessons. They show how well they have developed their investigative skills when they use a ‘railings test’, an experiment to see how sound vibrates through the railings in school. Pupils have a ‘tug of war’ to learn about forces, together with experiments to float plasticene in water and drop spinners through the air. Year 4 pupils learn about thermal insulators and ways they can keep a cup of tea warm. In carrying out these experiments their knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts increases and enables them to make good progress. They are able to carry out experiments such as finding out which type of magnet can hold the most paper clips and how the temperature of water varies over time. The latter makes good links with measurements

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SCIENCE

and graphs from their mathematics lessons. Year 5 pupils also make good links with their mathematics lessons when they use graphs and tables to show which materials reflect or absorb light, and with their geography lessons when they learn about the planets and seasons. They know where the heart and other major organs are in the body, and after experiment know that exercise makes blood pump faster around the body and increases pulse rates. Year 6 pupils have a good knowledge of parts of plants and are able to dissect a flower to find out the structure and purpose of the different parts, including the reproductive cycle. They have a good knowledge of some of the scientific vocabulary associated with plants such as ‘photosynthesis’ and ‘chlorophyll’. Using microscopes linked to computers to look at parts of the plants’ reproductive system has good links with their ICT lessons. Experimentation on the speed of

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SCIENCE

dissolving certain substances, how to plan and carry out an experiment, how to make a fair test and how to record and write up their results are all well understood and carried out competently by pupils, especially in Years 5 and 6.

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SCIENCE

85. Teaching overall is good with some very good teaching, especially in Years 5 and 6. Good features of the teaching are planning and teachers’ knowledge of the subject. Teachers make good links with pupils’ learning in other subjects, including ICT and mathematics and have high, but realistic, expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. This was observed in a lesson on plants when the computer microscope was used to good effect to enable pupils to observe the shape of pollen grains. Teachers always tell pupils what they are to learn in the lesson and make most lessons interesting, for instance when pupils in Year 5 make little booklets such as ‘Horrible Science, Terrible Tastes’ and ‘The Sun, Moon and Planets’, or when pupils perform experiments. When teaching is satisfactory, lesson pace is slower with teachers talking too much and pupils not engaged fully. This is sometimes due to lessons being

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SCIENCE

St Luke’s Junior School - 31 too long. Teachers use resources well in lessons and increase opportunities to learn more when for instance they make trips to Wilderness Wood, excursions to find minibeasts and the visit of a drama group to teach forces. ICT is not used sufficiently to aid recording. A feature of the very good teaching is the creative way in which science topics are presented leading to very good learning and instilling in pupils an interest in science.

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SCIENCE

86. Leadership is good. The very good scheme of work and the concentration of the school on teaching investigative skills and using scientific language are successful in raising standards. There is a very good school-wide assessment system in place, allowing teachers to monitor pupils’ progress in their acquisition of scientific skills, which is built into the scheme of work. Pupils know how well they are progressing from the assessments they make themselves about their own learning. Pupils’ test results are analysed, strengths celebrated, weaknesses identified and teachers informed with the information to be acted upon. The co-ordinator monitors pupils’ work and teachers’ plans in a systematic and thorough way, and these allow him to have a good knowledge of standards within the school. He has forged good links with a local secondary school to improve liaison between the science department there and St

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SCIENCE

Luke’s. Teachers from the secondary school visit to find out how science is taught in the primary school and some pupils from Year 6 visit the science laboratories to aid their eventual transfer to that secondary school. Science resources are good, both in quality and quantity, are readily available to teachers and used well by pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN

87. Overall, standards in art and design are well above average. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards were in line with those expected nationally. Work on display and in portfolios shows some to be of high quality across all year groups; of particular note is a portfolio of paintings in acrylics based on the work of impressionist painters.

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ART AND DESIGN

88. A detailed scheme of work has been put in place since the last inspection and ensures continuity and progression in all aspects over the years. Teaching units are coherently organised so that pupils explore ideas and learn processes and techniques as they move towards the finished outcome. Some of the work is linked appropriately to topics or themes in other subjects such as Egyptians. In one display, mathematical shapes have been the subject for learning about shading to create a three-dimensional effect using chalks. All pupils have sketchbooks that are used effectively to practise techniques.

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ART AND DESIGN

89. Of the three lessons observed, the quality of teaching ranged from satisfactory to very good. Lessons are well planned and prepared and a good range of vocabulary is used by both teachers and pupils. In the most successful lessons all pupils were interested and eager to take part. They were thoroughly engaged in the task and the calm, quiet atmosphere allowed pupils to concentrate as they worked. Good questioning provoked children to think about their work and what they needed to do. In the best lesson the teacher displayed very good knowledge and feel for the subject being able to draw from the Year 3 pupils an inner reaction and empathy to an artist's work. Pupils with special educational needs and ethnic minorities make the same very good progress as others. However, in one lesson in Year 5, the unsatisfactory attitudes and behaviour of a small group of boys meant they made less progress than they should, although the rest of the

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ART AND DESIGN

90. Pupils show a very good level of knowledge as they discuss colour, pattern, line and tone. An example of this occurred in one class when Year 3 pupils explained how they would shade and blend their pencil marks to create a smoky sky. Pupils take great St Luke’s Junior School - 32 pride in their work and learn to evaluate it. This was evident when Year 6 pupils talked about their paper mâché pots and bowls designed and decorated in the style of Clarice Cliff. Pupils are taught to evaluate their work and that of others.

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ART AND DESIGN

91. The art and design curriculum is enhanced by opportunities outside those which are offered by the scheme of work. The school takes part in the annual Brighton Festival, which has a focus on art and music, and in the year 2000 work from the school was displayed in the Millennium Dome, reflecting the high standards pupils achieve. A ceramic mosaic on the playground wall celebrates the millennium and was made by pupils under the guidance of a parent who is an artist.

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ART AND DESIGN

92. The subject is very well managed by a well-qualified and knowledgeable co-ordinator. She has clear ideas as to how to continue to move the subject forward. She rightly identifies the insufficient use of ICT within the subject and plans to introduce more units of work to address this. At present, only in Year 5 is ICT used by pupils to good effect to create designs after the style of Kandinsky using the ‘Dazzle’ program. The co- ordinator is aware that assessment procedures could be improved with a portfolio of samples of pupils’ work assessed against the requirements set out by the National Curriculum. The subject is well resourced and books reflect artwork from different countries and continents. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93. At the time of the last inspection, standards in design and technology were average. No lessons were seen in the subject during this inspection, as it is not taught during this half term. Inspection evidence though, gained through analysis of pupils’ previous work, talking to pupils and teachers and looking at photographic evidence, shows standards which are well above average, representing a considerable improvement since the last inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. This improvement has been brought about by the careful development of a scheme of work based on national guidance, in-service training of teachers and the provision of good quality resources. In these ways, the issues in the last report have been addressed and improved upon, although the use of ICT has yet to be developed. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, make very good progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

95. By the time the pupils leave Year 6, they will have planned, made and evaluated a variety of products ranging from designing sandwich snacks, making torches that work, musical instruments and making biscuits, to carefully designed structures, such as bridges which are then tested for their load bearing capacity. All of the work throughout the four years is recorded carefully with an increasing sophistication in the working drawings and evaluated comments on the topic being covered. This varies from comments by a Year 3 pupil on sandwich snacks, ‘it tasted not how I planned it out’, to a Year 6 pupil who had examined a variety of structures and who had commented that ‘it would not be long before the leaning tower of Pisa collapsed if it wasn’t shored up’.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

96. Pupils enjoy the opportunity which design and technology offers them to design and make. They use an increasing range of tools and materials and are confident in using techniques to strengthen, join and assemble components. In manufacturing, they increasingly use more resistant materials in their constructions, having a good knowledge of safety aspects when working with sharp tools. In food technology, pupils know the importance of cleanliness and of the dangers of cross contamination between raw and cooked foods. St Luke’s Junior School - 33 97. The co-ordinator is very aware of the need now to develop pupils’ experience in systems and control using ICT. She is due to take on this subject responsibility from another member of staff who has successfully developed the subject and the competence of staff through staff training. Work is displayed well, resources are appropriately stored, labelled and in good condition and the portfolio of work, with

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

teacher and pupil evaluative comments, is a useful tool in further developing standards of work. The tracking of pupils’ progress in design and technology is at an early stage and the intention is to further develop this along with more formal opportunities for assessment.

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GEOGRAPHY

98. Standards in geography for pupils in Year 6 are above average. This is an improvement from the time of the last inspection when standards were judged to be average. Pupils make good progress and because the work of pupils with special educational needs or who have English as an additional language is well matched to their needs and is given additional support by the teacher, their peers or support assistants, they also make good progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

99. Pupils in Year 3 know about simple mapping skills and they make good links with their art lessons when their introduction to aerial plans is aided by sketching a pair of training shoes from above. They know about keys and how to use them. When learning about the weather they make good links with mathematics when they draw charts about the different types of weather and good links with literacy when they write, for instance:

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GEOGRAPHY

‘When the sun shines Inside is calm, Outside is fun’, and

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GEOGRAPHY

‘When the tornado spins Chimneys crack Cars smack’

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GEOGRAPHY

100. Year 4 pupils know about rivers from their source to their mouth. They are able to locate rivers on Ordnance Survey maps and follow their routes. They make further good links with literacy when they draw a map based on the ‘Harry Potter’ book they use in their English lessons. They are aware that Africa is a continent and is made up of different countries, and can use atlases to locate them. They know the flag of Zambia is symbolic of the country’s mineral wealth, its different peoples and the country’s independence. This work makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural and moral development. Year 5 and 6 pupils link their historical skills well with a study of Brighton from its early days to a thriving tourist city and learning about modern Greece in Europe and about Ancient Greece. Eleven-year-olds know planets affect the earth’s weather and about the effects of pollution to individuals and to the world.

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GEOGRAPHY

101. Teaching is good overall, with some of it very good. Planning of lessons is good, time is usually used well and teachers provide a good range of interesting activities. Sometimes the length of the lesson as timetabled is overlong and the pace of learning drops. In a good Year 4 lesson the teacher was supportive but allowed pupils to develop their geography skills by clever questioning. As a result pupils made good progress. In another very good Year 3 lesson, the teacher’s clear description of the work pupils had to do allowed them to draw correctly an aerial plan of objects placed on their desks.

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GEOGRAPHY

102. Leadership of the subject is good. Teachers have a very good scheme of work from which they plan their lessons and this ensures all pupils are taught the necessary skills, St Luke’s Junior School - 34 knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum. Teachers assess pupils’ progress very well in learning geography skills and this and the co-ordinator’s monitoring of teachers’ plans and pupils’ work allow the standards of work across the school to be known and, if necessary, improved upon. Resources are very good in both quality and quantity and used well to support pupils’ learning. They are stored well, clearly labelled and are easily accessible. Staff plan a wide range of trips to places such as Wilderness Wood and residential visits to the Isle of Wight and Blacklands Farm and these make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Pupils’ learning about Africa, and especially Zambia, is well enhanced by visits of African drummers for a

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GEOGRAPHY

drumming workshop. This, together with learning about the Indian village of Chembakoli makes a very good contribution to pupils’ cultural development.

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HISTORY

103. Standards for eleven-year-old pupils are above average and an improvement from the time of the last inspection, when standards were average. This is primarily because teachers plan their work well. Most teaching is good and most pupils are keen, interested and concentrate well. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, make good progress, especially when given additional help by learning support assistants.

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HISTORY

104. Pupils in Year 3 have a good knowledge of the Ancient Egyptians, knowing well where Egypt and the River Nile are and they make good links with geography lessons when they use and draw maps of their location. They know that knowledge of this period is based on evidence found and they interpret well some of the evidence, such as hieroglyphics, wall paintings and writing of Ancient Egyptians. Pupils in Year 4 have a good knowledge of the Romans and Saxons. They know about Roman toys and games and are able to talk about games from that period and compare differences with current day toys. In Year 5, pupils have a good knowledge of the origins of Brighton, learning how it changed from being a small fishing port to a busy tourist city. Pupils looked at ancient maps and drawings of Brighton in 1545 and used these and other reference sources well. Changes to buildings on the sea front have been studied, for example

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HISTORY

they know St Nicholas Church is the oldest church in Brighton. Year 6 pupils show in their writing great empathy with those who took part in the Jarrow March and, when visiting Newhaven Fort, they learned about World War Two. This helped to bring history alive to them and made a valuable contribution to their learning. They are able to recall famous events in history from England winning the Football World Cup to the Gunpowder Plot and about characters ranging from Elvis Presley and Adolf Hitler to Julius Caesar and King Henry VIII. They have a well-developed sense of chronology. They know archaeologists help us find out about the past such as when graves are opened and artefacts found. They are knowledgeable about artefacts, and can recall during one of their lessons finding mystery objects such as Tudor clay pipes. Pupils in Year 5 make good links with their art lessons when they paint Tudor portraits and good

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HISTORY

links with religious education when they performed their Tudor Christmas assembly.

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HISTORY

105. Teaching overall is good. Teachers plan most of their lessons well and pupils respond enthusiastically. At the beginning of the lesson pupils are told what they are expected to learn and this sets high targets for pupils to achieve. Teachers use their questioning skills well and this helps most pupils concentrate. In a Year 6 lesson on Ancient Greece, the teacher used resources effectively, thereby helping pupils to make sound progress. Where teaching was less successful, the pace of lessons was slow, teachers talked for too long and too much time was spent dealing with minor incidences of unsatisfactory behaviour.

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HISTORY

106. Leadership of the subject is good. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ plans and pupils’ written work. She also speaks to different groups of pupils to find out what they St Luke’s Junior School - 35 have learned. There is a very good history policy and scheme of work from which teachers plan their lessons. Pupils’ learning of skills is regularly checked, assessments made and pupils routinely record what they have learned. Levels of resources are very good and are well stored. The quality and use of resources make a significant impact on learning. The school sensibly supplements its own resources with loans from the local education authority collection. The good range of trips and visitors, including members of pupils’ families and former pupils to talk for instance about World War Two, makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

107. Progress since the last inspection has principally involved setting up the ICT suite and staff training. At present, there is very little use of ICT across the curriculum and, although pupils possess basic ICT skills, these have not been taught regularly to a programme of work. Hence, the pupils’ achievement in the use of ICT at present is unsatisfactory, although pupils with special educational needs make good progress when using ICT in their work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

108. The gaps which occur in pupils’ basic ICT skills reflect the relatively poor provision made in the past. In only one or two classes is ICT being used and many missed opportunities were observed. In a Year 4 class, where pupils were finding out about Zambia, a CD-ROM was used to help pupils find out more about Africa, but this use was not integral to the lessons. In Year 6, pupils have learned how to create multimedia presentations linking text to illustration as part of their topic work on Ancient Greece. In another Year 6 class, ICT is being put to very good use by a special educational needs pupil to present work in an acceptable form. In this class, a computer microscope is used very effectively to show pupils pollen grains in their science lesson on plants. In the special educational needs base, computers are also used effectively to assist the learning of pupils. The best work was seen in a Year 5 class who were using the ICT

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

suite for only the second time. Pupils used the program ‘Dazzle’ to good effect; creating, altering and developing images in the style of the artist Kandinsky. They are able to select tools to create different effects and, at the end of the lesson, had to evaluate their work. A very good feature of this work was the link to the preparatory sketchbook drawings. This lesson was taught by the ICT co-ordinator, who clearly knows her subject well and teaches the subject by building on skills progressively. St Luke’s Junior School - 36 109. Due to various problems during installation, the ICT suite was only commissioned for use during the week of the inspection. Prior to this, much of the co-ordinator's time has been taken up with in-service training for the staff and by ordering the various items for the suite. A very careful selection has been made, with due attention placed on obtaining value for money. The result is a very well equipped suite, appropriately

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

furnished and with sufficient machines for use by a full class. A timetable has been drawn up for each class to use the suite on a weekly basis and a variety of appropriate, good quality software has been purchased. Each classroom has a computer, but these are at present underused. In addition, there are a number of laptop computers for staff and pupil use. Teachers use these effectively to record and analyse pupils’ attainments and progress and for planning and display purposes.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

110. The subject development plan is well constructed and sensibly phased so that, by March 2003, all staff will be fully trained in the use of ICT and of the suite. It is also the intention to interview all pupils in order to gather information about the expertise they have gained from home in order to programme their skills to meet National Curriculum attainment targets. The scheme of work is to be fully introduced at the start of the next academic year. At that time it is also planned to establish parent/community links in the use of ICT, this being seen as a way to strengthen the home/school partnership.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

111. Future planning is good. The programme has been thoughtfully put together and should lead to ICT being taught effectively in its own right and as an aid to other curricular work. It is, however, disappointing that so little has been achieved using the ICT resources within classrooms.

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MUSIC

112. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ achievements in music are above average and this is an improvement since the last inspection. The standard of singing continues to be good with work on composition and notation of a high standard. Pupils recognise and correctly name the instruments of the orchestra, listen intently to recorded music and are knowledgeable about music from different cultures.

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MUSIC

113. The good quality of the work is aided by following a detailed scheme of work, which is supplemented by an ‘Ongoing Skills Scheme’, and by a comprehensive and progressive collection of ‘Songs and Rounds’. Teachers have gained expertise through staff training, which took place in summer 2002, and, as a result, they are confident in each teaching their own class. The quality of teaching overall is good due to the very good guidance given by the previous co-ordinator.

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MUSIC

114. Music is often linked to a topic. For example, during the Year 5 study of the Tudor period, pupils analysed and composed in the style of ‘Greensleaves’, finding out about instruments of the period and how the sounds were made. They also expressed opinions of the music and how it differs from today’s music. In Year 6, a learning intention is given, for example notation with five variations of a particular tune. This is accomplished successfully. Another class in Year 6 combined music with movement to illustrate the story of Theseus and the Minotaur. They selected appropriate music, listening carefully to translate the music into movement reflecting different methods of travelling. An outcome of this was the way in which tension in the music was reflected in tension in their movements and the story was brought more alive in this way.

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MUSIC

115. At present, the school is without a music co-ordinator as the previous co-ordinator left in July 2002. It is the intention to appoint a new one for September 2003 but, because of the quality of the skill training previously undertaken and because the leadership of the school sees the value of music, the subject has not been allowed to lapse. The school orchestra continues to perform and all pupils in Years 3 and 4 are expected to learn to St Luke’s Junior School - 37 play the recorder. There is also a recorder club, a samba band and a large choir, giving pupils further opportunities to develop their skills. The services of the local authority peripatetic music team are available for lessons in string instruments. Assessments are made regularly of progress made.

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MUSIC

116. There is much evidence to show that pupils enjoy their music lessons and are keen to develop their skills. At times it is not possible to perform these skills, for example when space in the hall is taken up for collecting water coming through the ceiling and pupils places have to be rearranged. Even in these conditions they perform well.

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MUSIC

117. Resources for music are comprehensive and of very good quality. Pupils take great care with these. They are also given the opportunity to operate tape recorders to accompany singing, but ICT is not used regularly. Pupils with English as an additional language are encouraged to give examples of their musical culture and to improve their English through the singing of rhyming songs and rounds. Those with special educational needs make good progress because of the enjoyment they have in music making and by the extra help they receive. Music is seen as an important part in the life of the school and good attention is given to it.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

118. Provision for physical education across the school is good. Of the three lessons observed during the inspection, evidence from these, from analysis of portfolios and discussion with pupils indicate that most pupils attain above average standards overall. This is an improvement on the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. Pupils have the opportunity to experience the full range of National Curriculum requirements which are laid out in a clear scheme of work. More adventurous pursuits such as canoeing, abseiling and rock climbing are provided for older pupils through residential trips. There are strong links with the receiving secondary school which is designated a specialist sports college and teachers and pupils benefit from this facility. The good progression and achievements in swimming are facilitated by the organisation of blocked units of work over all year groups using the nearby swimming pool.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120. Pupils in Year 6 work well together in pairs using facial expressions and hand and body movements to good effect in a dance sequence based on an ancient Greek legend. Most pupils can satisfactorily evaluate their own work and that of others. A few pupils, both boys and girls, reach very good standards because they take on the role of the character particularly well. However, a small number of boys find this very difficult and their unsatisfactory attitude impedes their progress and learning so that it is not as good as the others. This was also the case in a Year 5 lesson practising the skills required for tennis when a minority of boys achieved less than they should through lack of concentration.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121. The quality of teaching observed ranged from satisfactory to very good. In the best lesson in Year 6, the teacher's very good subject knowledge and understanding of the subject was skilfully used to encourage and engage pupils through a very well-crafted lesson. Tasks undertaken by pupils clearly linked together and built towards a final outcome in which pupils reached good standards. However, in another lesson seen in Year 5 the teacher was less successful in holding pupils' attention, consequently pupils worked less purposefully and the overlong time allocation contributed to the lack of pace. In the better lessons pupil demonstrations are used effectively to improve performance of others and due emphasis is given to commenting on and evaluating outcomes. Lessons are well planned. St Luke’s Junior School - 38 122. The subject co-ordination is good. The co-ordinator has put together a range of useful

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

documents and portfolios, as well as a detailed scheme of work, to support staff and to ensure continuity and progression. Assessment and evaluation are carried out through pupil interviews, the outcomes of which are recorded and this is an effective arrangement, designed to improve pupils’ knowledge of their learning and to provide them with targets for future improvement. Resources are well organised and managed. The physical education curriculum is enhanced by a range of extra-curricular activities and sports tournaments. Equal opportunities are given to both boys and girls when, for example, five girls play in the school football squad. Achievements are celebrated in whole-school assemblies and all pupils show due pride in these whether or not they take part. The school is looking to future opportunities through their Beacon status to further develop links with the specialist secondary school to improve teaching expertise

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

123. Accommodation for physical activities is limited but resources are very good. There are no changing facilities, and water leaking from the roof curtails the safe use of hall space. There is no grassed area but this difficulty is overcome to some extent through the use of a nearby park.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

124. By the age of eleven, pupils attain standards well above those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils make very good progress in the acquisition of knowledge and skills and an understanding of how a person’s belief affects their life. The school’s philosophy of pupils producing a quality piece of work at the end of each unit of work was clearly evident. For example, Year 6 pupils produced individual booklets of very good quality about Moses, the leader, covering different aspects of his life. Excellent collages accompanied the writing of younger pupils on a range of creation stories. High quality displays in classrooms and corridors show that pupils’ work is valued and promotes the subject well. Pupils have a good knowledge about the beliefs, celebrations and traditions of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism and this makes a significant contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

development. Standards are higher than at the last inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

125. Pupils listen attentively in lessons and demonstrate good speaking skills. For example Year 4 pupils present a prepared talk on belonging to a group, explaining how they can be recognised, what they have in common and the responsibilities that they have, linking these to Bible stories.

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126. The overall quality of teaching is good, varying from satisfactory to very good. The weakness in the satisfactory teaching is that the pace is too slow and pupils begin to lose interest. All lessons are well planned with clear learning objectives. Teachers have good subject knowledge and engage the pupils by asking searching questions. There are high expectations of all pupils; the higher attaining pupils are challenged and those with special educational needs and English as an additional language are well supported. As a consequence, pupils of different abilities make good progress. Where teaching is very good in Year 4, the lessons are highly motivating, pupils participate fully and consequently make good progress.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

127. The co-ordination of religious education is good and this has had a significant impact on the rise in standards. The scheme of work is an extremely helpful document giving very good guidance to teachers. Hence, teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence has improved. There is a wide range of resources, books, videos and artefacts, which are used effectively to plan interesting lessons. Good links have been made with other curriculum areas, for example, art and design, and literacy is used very well. There is room for developing the use of ICT. Assessment of pupils’ progress is developing well St Luke’s Junior School - 39 and the use of this information is being put to good use in, for example, amending lesson plans. Religious education makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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