Chiddingly Primary School

Chiddingly Primary School

Dates of inspection: 2 nd – 5 th June 2003

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Chiddingly Primary 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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Chiddingly Primary School

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Muddles Green Chiddingly Lewes Postcode: BN8 6HN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Heather Rogers

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Dates of previous inspection: 4 th - 5 th June 2001 Chiddingly Primary 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

30600 Brian Espiner Registered inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art Design and technology 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? 9614 Carolyn Webb 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? 32285 Gale Bruce Team inspector Science Music Physical education Religious education Foundation Stage Educational inclusion How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22779 Anne Shannon Team inspector English Geography History Special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Chiddingly Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Chiddingly Primary is a small, mixed, community school of 89 pupils in rural East Sussex. Pupils’ backgrounds are varied, although many parents are employed in agriculture. There are no pupils from ethnic minorities and no pupils have English as an additional language. Twenty four pupils are on the register of special educational needs (SEN), which is a slightly above average proportion, and four pupils have Statements of SEN, a large number for a small school. There are four classes, that is, reception, Key Stage 1, lower juniors and upper juniors. Attainment on entry is broadly average. The school failed its inspection in 1999 but was judged to be satisfactory in 2001.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides its pupils with a sound education. Standards are generally in line with national expectations throughout the school. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and sometimes good. Management is good overall, and the headteacher is a very good, inspiring leader. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The headteacher leads the school very well, ensuring clear educational direction. • Personal development and relationships are good. • The quality and range of learning opportunities are good. The very good range of extra- curricular activities supports and extends these opportunities very well. • Procedures for monitoring pupils’ personal and academic progress are good. • The community makes a very good contribution to pupils’ learning, as do the very constructive relationships with partner institutions. • Parents are very supportive of the school. The school’s links with parents are very effective and parents’ involvement has a clear, positive impact on its work. • The school’s leadership and management are good overall.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Teachers do not always expect enough of pupils, in the standards that some can achieve and in the presentation of work. • Except in English and mathematics, assessment is not often used well to guide the curriculum, so planning does not always cater sufficiently for individual and group needs. • Teachers do not always use the final class session in lessons to assess and extend learning. • The marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent and does not always give suggestions for improvement. 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

The school was last inspected in May 2001, and special measures, deemed necessary in 1999, were no longer necessary. The report had four major recommendations. The first was to raise the standards achieved by gifted and talented pupils. The school has introduced a policy for more-able pupils, and some pupils in Year 6 go to Ringmer Technology College for master classes in mathematics and science. However, there is no register of the gifted and talented, so not enough evidence could be gleaned to make a judgement on the school’s progress so far. The second recommendation was to raise teachers’ expectations and use assessment better. This has been tackled but not enough progress has been made. The other recommendations concerned planning at the Foundation Stage and developing the role Chiddingly Primary School - 8 of the governing body; progress has been good in both areas. Since the inspection,

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

standards have risen in line with those nationally. Teaching and learning remain satisfactory and leadership is still very good. Overall progress since the last inspection has been satisfactory and since the 1999 inspection it has been very good.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

compared with Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

2000 2001 2002 2002 English B E A B well above average above average A B mathematics A E* B C average below average C D science A E A B well below average E

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STANDARDS

As the numbers in each year are so small, the results of only one or two pupils can alter the overall results quite dramatically. Good results one year, followed by disappointing results the next, are not at all unusual in small schools. Consequently, the poor results in 2001, when mathematics was in the bottom five per cent of schools nationally (this is the meaning of the E* grade), were not nearly as worrying as it might appear, as the year had a high proportion of pupils with SEN. Similarly, the school’s good results last year were largely because pupils were generally more able. Results this year will not be as good as they were last year. Standards in the present Year 6 are in line with the national average in English, mathematics and science. Attainment in music and in speaking and listening is above national expectations, and not enough geography was seen to make a judgement. In all other

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STANDARDS

subjects, standards are in line with national expectations. Over time, standards are rising in line with the national trend. At the end of the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, standards are broadly average. Since pupils enter school with average attainment and leave with average attainment, progress is satisfactory throughout the school for all pupils, including those with SEN. Standards in the presentation of work are not high enough. In consultation with the local education authority (LEA), the school sets targets for the proportion of Year 6 pupils reaching the expected level in English and mathematics. These targets are challenging but realistic, and should be reached this year.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Attitudes are satisfactory. Pupils like school. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is satisfactory and often good. No pupils have been excluded in the last year. Chiddingly Primary School - 9 Personal development and relationships Personal development and relationships are good. Pupils enjoy taking the initiative and being responsible. A particularly good example of this is in research homework in upper juniors. Relationships are good, between staff and pupils and amongst pupils themselves. Attendance Attendance is above average and pupils are punctual. Procedures for assuring attendance are very good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching and learning are satisfactory in English and mathematics and in the associated basic skills of numeracy. In the basic skills of literacy they are good, and literacy is supported well in other subjects. In information and communication technology (ICT), teaching and learning are satisfactory, although it is not used enough in other subjects. Music is taught well. In all other subjects, teaching and learning are satisfactory. However, in all subjects other than English and mathematics, the use of assessment to guide the curriculum and cater for the different needs of groups and individuals is not always satisfactory and teachers do not always expect enough of pupils. While some marking is very helpful, it is inconsistent and not all marking gives comments to aid improvement. Homework is used well at Key Stage 2, particularly in upper juniors, where pupils often learn independently. Another

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

strength in learning is that pupils always know what they are trying to do, because teachers always share the learning objectives of the lesson with them.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum This is good throughout the school, greatly helped by very good extra-curricular activities and the very good contribution of the community and partner institutions. Provision for pupils with special educational needs This is good throughout the school, including the provision for those with Statements of SEN. The very good special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), shared with partner schools, is enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is good in all areas. The local rector contributes well to the provision for spiritual development. It is also planned for in other areas, such as in opportunities to cradle chicks or make bread. Moral and social aspects are continually reinforced. Indigenous culture is catered for well, and the school works hard to prepare

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

pupils for life in our multicultural society. Chiddingly Primary School - 10 How well the school cares for its pupils Welfare provision is satisfactory. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good, especially in English and mathematics, but in other subjects assessment is not used well enough to guide the curriculum. The school is aware of this.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has very effective links with parents and the quality of information provided for them is good. Parents contribute well to their children’s learning at home and at school, and the impact of their involvement on the work of the school is good.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher leads the school very well. In the short time since she took up her post, she has instituted necessary changes and has had the full backing of parents, staff and governors. She delegates well to subject co-ordinators, who have started to observe lessons in their subjects as well as monitoring teachers’ planning and pupils’ progress. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and where it needs to improve. They are dedicated and hard working, take a full part in shaping the direction of the school and fulfil their responsibilities well. The school’s evaluation of its performance This is good. Data from national tests is analysed well. The school development plan is sensible and well thought-out, although it needs to be developed further to take more account of

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

pupils’ learning and progress. The strategic use of resources Financial planning supports educational priorities well. The principles of best value (competition, comparison, consultation and challenge) are applied well and all large items of expenditure are put out to tender.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing matches the demands of the curriculum. The school has increased the provision of classroom assistants and plans to increase it further. Accommodation is satisfactory, although the acoustics in the hall, originally built as a sports hall rather than a general- purpose school hall, are atrocious and there are no windows or wall bars. The high ceilings in the old school building make it expensive to heat. Resources are satisfactory overall, and good in many subjects. Chiddingly Primary School - 11

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improved

• Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • The school is led and managed very well. • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • Behaviour in the school is good. • Children like school. • The school works closely with parents. • The school expects children to work hard and achieve their best. • Parents are kept well informed about how their children are doing. • The school does not provide a range of interesting activities outside lessons.

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improved

The inspection team is happy to agree with most of the positive opinions of parents. Although behaviour is often good, it is satisfactory overall. Although five questionnaire answers indicated some dissatisfaction with activities outside lessons, this was actually the opinion of only three sets of parents. In fact, the provision of activities outside lessons is very good. A few parents expressed concern about teaching and learning and about progress, but these are satisfactory. Some parents also expressed concern about homework. This is never less than satisfactory throughout the school, and is good in juniors. Chiddingly Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. In all small schools, results in annual tests can vary widely from one year to the next and do not reflect the education provided by the school as much as the proportion, in any particular year, of generally more-able pupils and those with SEN. There is little to be gained from comparing one year with the next. In the 2002 national tests for 11 year olds, the school’s results were well above average nationally and above average for schools with a similar proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals. This dramatic improvement from the previous year, where results were well below average, can be explained almost entirely by the general ability of pupils in the different years. Results in the 2002 Year 2 national tests were also well above average. In mathematics, the school was in the top five per cent nationally. But there were only six pupils. Inspection evidence shows that the test results were correct

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

and the present Year 3 pupils are very able. Analysis of attainment on entry and results of national tests in Years 2 and 6 show that pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school, and this is far more important than results from year to year. In previous years, girls have generally attained better than boys, especially in English, where there has been as much as a five-term gap, which is not unusual in small cohorts. However, no great differences were evident during the inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In English and mathematics, over three-quarters of the present Year 6 pupils are attaining at least Level 4, the level of the National Curriculum that 11 year olds are expected to reach. In mathematics, a third of these pupils are working at the higher Level 5, which is the level expected of 14 year olds. In English, the proportion reaching Level 5 is much lower. In science, over 90 per cent are reaching the expected level, with 15 per cent reaching the higher level. This profile broadly matches the national average, and represents lower attainment than last year, as there are more pupils with SEN.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Standards in speaking and listening are in line with expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and above expectations at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils listen attentively and express themselves well. This progress does not happen by accident and can be attributed to good teaching. Standards in the other areas of English are satisfactory throughout the school, although pupils in Years 3 and 4 are reading at a higher level than expected as they are generally able pupils. Children are enthusiastic readers and read for pleasure. Juniors understand how to use the contents, index and glossary in non-fiction books. Older pupils write for a wide range of purposes. Presentation of work is generally below that usually seen in schools and is unsatisfactory. This extends to subjects other than English. The spelling of a large minority of pupils is also below average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Pupils are good at turning problems expressed in words into the mathematics necessary to solve them. However, they are not given enough opportunities for investigational work or for mastering strategies to make mental arithmetic easier. With these provisos, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of all areas of mathematics throughout the school. In general, they enjoy the subject, concentrate on their work and make satisfactory progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Standards in all areas of science are in line with expectations at the end of both key stages. There is an appropriate emphasis on scientific enquiry but older and more- Chiddingly Primary School - 13 able pupils rarely choose their own method of experimentation or the equipment necessary to do it. In ICT, standards are generally in line with expectations in Year 6 but pupils are still catching up with work missed lower down the school. For example, they have not sent an e-mail from school for the last two years at least, and are only just starting to explore a screen version of the program used to control a floor robot in Year 2. Plans show that the present Years 3 and 4 will be introduced to this program before the end of the year, and it rightly belongs here, although Year 6 were taking it further.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Not enough geography was seen to make a judgement. In all other subjects standards are in line with expectations. The headteacher found out only recently that, because of the discontinuity of management, Year 6 pupils have not been given swimming lessons. As an emergency measure, she arranged for those who cannot swim 25 metres unaided (the national expectation for 11 year olds) to join Year 5 pupils in their swimming lessons this term. At the time of the inspection, the school was unable to predict the proportion that will be able to swim the required length by the time they leave school. Standards in gymnastics are adversely affected by the lack of wall bars in the school hall.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. All pupils with SEN make sound progress in relation to the targets set for them in their individual education plans and some make good progress, achieve their targets and are taken off the register. They have good attitudes to school and work hard during lessons. There is no register for gifted and talented pupils but some pupils have been identified as being more able and attend master classes at the local secondary school. Displayed work from these lessons, in tessellation, envelopes of curves, and water wheels and turbines, shows high attainment for Year 6 pupils.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Assessment information shows that attainment is broadly average when children first start school although this can vary owing to the small intake. Children make satisfactory progress throughout the year and most achieve the Early Learning Goals, the standards that children of this age are expected to reach by the time they transfer to Key Stage 1. Progress is satisfactory for all pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. The school successfully imbues pupils with positive attitudes and values that support those of their parents. Registration provides a calm, quiet start to the day and the atmosphere is generally happy and purposeful. The majority of pupils are enthusiastic about school and arrive on or before time in the mornings. Their attendance is good and above the national average.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Behaviour at school is only satisfactory overall, due to a few who can display a lack of respect for non-teaching staff and others who find it difficult to concentrate for the whole lesson. When lessons are interesting and capture their attention, such as one observed in reception when amongst other activities a group was making bread, behaviour is good. Asked why the bread had ‘got bigger’ one exclaimed ‘it’s got aired’, which described the process very well. Pupils know they should work hard and most endeavour to do so. The majority tried to please their teacher in a Key Stage 1 physical education lesson and were keen to demonstrate their skills at imitating jugglers, tightrope walkers and acrobats. However, the poor acoustics in the hall made it difficult for some to hear and silly behaviour resulted from a few. In assembly, again due in part to the poor acoustics and the bleak hall, a significant number of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils show little respect when asked to reflect. Pupils know what is expected of their behaviour and value the rewards they can receive. They are keen to be named a Chiddingly Primary School - 14 superstar at the Friday assemblies. They acknowledge that the effective sanctions are fair, and none have been excluded during the past year. 11. In the playground, well-supervised play can be boisterous and ball games are vigorous but none of the behaviour observed during the inspection was malicious or harassing, and pupils show concerned if one of their number is hurt.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ relationships with each other and with adults and their personal development are good. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and to care for others from the time they arrive. Children in reception are proud to take charge of the registers and to assist their teachers in the classroom. All carry out their tasks conscientiously and carefully. Older pupils enjoy the greater responsibilities with which they are entrusted. Setting out the hall for assemblies, clearing tables and acting as monitors for the tennis court are popular activities. Pupils are interested in other faiths, traditions and cultures and are aware of those less fortunate than themselves. All, whatever their circumstances, are included in activities wherever possible.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Members are pleased to represent their class on the school council and keen to make good decisions affecting the school and how it is run. The head boy and girl as ex- officio members take turns to take the chair and all make notes. Representatives are particularly proud that it was their idea to ask pupils to submit a plan for the school garden and they organised the Blue Peter Appeal. However, whilst they ask their class what should be discussed, there is no timetabled opportunity for them to feed back on the decisions made. The council is a good but recent innovation and still too adult-led and directed, which the headteacher recognises and plans to change.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Through visits, for instance to the accident and emergency department at the local hospital, and regular visitors such as PC Kate, pupils learn of the difficulties they may face outside their village school environment and how best to deal with these. Whilst well prepared for the transfer to secondary school some are still apprehensive about the size of that school and the behaviour they may encounter. They trust their visit before the end of term will give them more confidence and allay their fears.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Teaching and learning are satisfactory throughout the school in all subjects, and good in music. Of the 29 lessons observed in the inspection, none were less than satisfactory, eight were good and two were very good. Good lessons were observed in every class, and the best observed teaching took place in lower juniors. The judgement made on teaching and learning from the analysis of pupils’ work over the academic year was confirmed by the observation of lessons. The results in national tests, widely varying from year to year, were also explained as the natural variation in the ability of pupils, magnified statistically by low numbers in each year. The satisfactory progress of all pupils throughout the school in every year can be accounted for by the satisfactory teaching in every class. Pupils in the present lower juniors are making better progress because they are more able and the teacher is

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

taking advantage of this well. Teaching and learning were satisfactory at the time of the last inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Strengths in learning are in junior pupils’ interest, concentration and independence, and in pupils’ knowledge of their own learning throughout the school. All teachers share the learning objectives with pupils at the start of the lesson, so they know exactly what they have to do and what the outcomes should be. In good lessons, these objectives are revisited regularly. For example, in a good Key Stage 1 religious Chiddingly Primary School - 15 education (RE) lesson about the different vestments used in Church of England ceremonies (presented by the local rector, himself a very good and very interesting communicator) the class teacher interrupted well at relevant times to ask questions, bringing pupils back to what they had to learn. The teacher and rector worked well as a team and between them they ensured that learning was focused and relevant. In junior classes, pupils’ independence is stretched and tested, particularly in upper

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

juniors, by some very good and inherently interesting homework exercises, particularly in humanities. Pupils respond very well to the trust placed in them to do their best. So they do their best, and produce some good work. Teachers’ use of homework is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. The marking of work is sometimes good, with comments given to help pupils improve. The school has a new marking policy that emphasises this, but not all teachers are using this fully.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers’ planning is based on the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and largely on government-recommended schemes of work in other subjects. The final part of lessons in literacy and numeracy is to bring the class together to review what has been learned, in order to extend this and suggest ways forward. In English, and in some other subjects where this lesson structure is used, this ‘ plenary session’ is not always being used rigorously enough. For example, in a Key Stage 1 English lesson on ‘The Rainbow Fish’, or in a Key Stage 2 English/history lesson based on the story of Romulus and Remus, this final session was not challenging enough or timed well enough. Except in English and mathematics, teachers do not always use assessment well enough.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Planning in subjects other than English and mathematics does not always use assessment to take account of individual or group needs in the tasks that pupils are given. Teachers always take some account of pupils’ individual needs in academic subjects, and rightly give different support or resources according to those needs. However, the content of the lesson itself is not always differentiated enough for different ability groups, and the scrutiny of pupils’ work showed this quite clearly. For example, Key Stage 1 work in science over the year showed little difference in what was required of Year 1 pupils and the more-able pupils in Year 2. This is just one example but it highlights a general problem in what teachers are expecting individual pupils to achieve. This is shown further in teachers’ general expectations of standards of presentation of pupils’ work, including spelling, which are not high

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. The quality of teaching is never less than satisfactory, sometimes good and occasionally very good. All children have equal access to a good range of learning experiences that are based on the national guidance for young children.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Pupils with SEN are given very good support by the very effective SENCO and the learning support staff. These play a vital role in managing the pupils and guiding them in their learning activities. All have very good relationships with the pupils and they offer unobtrusive but effective support and, as a result, pupils make sound progress. All lower-attaining pupils receive support in lessons from teaching assistants who help them develop their spelling, reading and numerical skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. One very good lesson, taken by the headteacher with reception children, exemplifies the good teaching and learning that takes place in the school. In a day concerned with hens and chickens with reception children, this lesson specifically included planning for provision for their spiritual development. They were given eggs to Chiddingly Primary School - 16 contemplate, and then encouraged to stay silent and listen. Children heard the ‘peep- peep’ from a box containing young chicks (the grand-chicks of the headteacher’s own bantams), and the chicks were produced to shining eyes. Children handled them very gently and with reverence. The children divided into three groups, with different activities concerning chicks - painting, drawing, and using the smart board. All children were caught up in the enthusiasm and tried their hardest. They learned well, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

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PUPILS?

22. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided for the pupils are good. No overall judgement was given in the last inspection. Working with two neighbouring small schools, a two-year curriculum map, showing how units of work are to be timetabled for mixed-aged classes, has been developed. This close working also allows for the sharing of resources and staff development opportunities. In the Key Stage 1 class, Years 1 and 2 pupils are sometimes separated in what they are taught and opportunities to exploit the advantages of a mixed-year class are missed. The school is aware of this, and staff training on making the most of a mixed-year class has already started. In the other classes the years are better mixed and the benefits of having mixed years outweigh the drawbacks.

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PUPILS?

23. The school provides religious education for all pupils in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus and the school complies with statutory requirements by providing a daily act of collective worship. Policies and schemes of work exist for all subjects and the personal, social and health education curriculum includes sex and drugs education. Arrangements for personal, social and health education are satisfactory. Lessons are regularly timetabled and circle time is used for children to explore their ideas and concerns. Pupils in junior classes identify someone to be the personality of the week and each Friday there is a Super Stars assembly to celebrate pupils’ achievements. The school aims to give high priority to providing equal opportunities for all and pupils of all attainment levels and backgrounds are valued.

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PUPILS?

24. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been given due emphasis and have contributed well to the teaching of basic skills, particularly in literacy. Pupils are given worthwhile opportunities to use their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects and adequate links are made between subjects to make learning relevant to pupils. For example, pupils in Year 2 use measuring skills to measure the height of plants. The use of Additional Literacy Support materials helps to boost the attainment of some pupils in Year 3 who are withdrawn from class for short periods and taught in small groups.

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PUPILS?

25. The school makes good provision for pupils with SEN throughout the school. Procedures are very well organised. The requirements of the New Code of Practice for special needs are fully met. The co-ordinator works effectively with all members of staff. The SENCO is responsible for organising the support the special needs pupils have and she ensures that they have full access to the curriculum. Four pupils have Statements of Special Educational Need and the school has ensured that their needs, as specified in the statement, are fully met. Individual targets are reviewed regularly to monitor each pupil’s progress towards the learning targets and to set new ones. The school also ensures that provision matches the individual pupil’s education plan. Pupils’ progress is very carefully tracked and if targets are not met the SENCO investigates the reason. There are many initiatives to give extra support to pupils; for

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PUPILS?

Chiddingly Primary School - 17 example, the additional literacy strategy. The school ensures that there is full inclusion in all activities for the pupils on the SEN register.

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PUPILS?

26. The school’s provision for extra-curricular activities is very good and makes a significant contribution to the breadth of the curriculum that the school provides. Sporting clubs that are seasonal, such as football, netball, badminton and athletics, add to the range of other opportunities that include drama, guitar, recorder and cycling proficiency clubs. In addition to a good range of visits for classes including Pizza Express, a theatre visit to see ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and a local hospital visit, a residential experience is available for the older pupils every other year to the Isle of Wight. This is organised with the older pupils of a neighbouring school. Relationships with local schools are very good. As well as the linked primary schools, Chiddingly also works closely with Ringmer Community Technology College. Advanced skilled teachers from Ringmer have worked with the school to support the

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PUPILS?

science curriculum and two pupils attend master classes for mathematics and science. Year 5 pupils have the opportunity to attend booster classes in the summer holiday prior to Year 6.

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PUPILS?

27. There are very strong links with the church and the local community, and these extend and enrich the quality of the curriculum. The rector contributes to school life by taking collective worship once a week and during the inspection talked with pupils in Years 1 and 2 to explain the wearing of his various vestments. Villagers and parents come into school to help with reading, tell about local history and explain about their own religious festivals. The children contribute to village life by maypole dancing at the village fair and joining in the village arts festival. As part of the village twinning with a French village the school is making links with the French village school.

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PUPILS?

28. The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The family, the school, the church and the local community are viewed as important partners in ensuring this development. To foster spiritual development, pupils in Years 5 and 6 reflected on what is special about themselves. Reception children showed wonder at handling baby chicks and in making bread and, in assembly, pupils reflected on their own talents and how they might use them to help others. Pupils’ ideas are listened to and they learn to value themselves and others through the caring atmosphere fostered by the school.

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PUPILS?

29. Provision for pupils' moral development is good. The principles distinguishing right from wrong are promoted well and consistently by the school staff who are themselves good role models. Behaviour is generally satisfactory, both within and beyond the classroom. Any incidents of inappropriate behaviour are responded to positively and pupils are asked to consider the effect of their behaviour on others. Pupils are reminded regularly of the need to show respect and be well mannered, helpful, caring and polite by all members of the school community.

p.17

PUPILS?

30. The provision for pupils' social development is good. Pupils are encouraged to work co-operatively and support and help others wherever possible. Pupils are given good opportunities to exercise responsibility and undertake a number of regular duties in all classes. Older pupils assist with assemblies by setting up equipment and helping the youngest children with hand gestures to accompany songs. The older pupils often play with younger ones during play-times. The school council meets regularly and involves representatives from reception to Year 6. It gives them valuable opportunities to develop confidence and expression. For example, the school council has been involved in reviewing the behaviour policy for the school. This helps them to see how Chiddingly Primary School - 18 each can play a valued and useful part in the running of the school. Adults and children relate well to each other. Residential visits give pupils opportunities to relate

p.17

PUPILS?

to each other and adults in a less formal context. Fund-raising for charities such as the Blue Peter Appeal helps pupils to see that they have responsibilities towards a wider society.

p.18

PUPILS?

31. The provision for pupils' cultural development is good. Pupils have appropriate opportunities to learn about Western European traditions and they develop an understanding of the diversity of other cultures. A good range of visits and visitors has provided pupils of all ages with a good awareness of their own culture and that of other countries. Visits have been arranged from African drummers and Spanish flamenco dancers. Multicultural development is promoted through studies of contrasting communities in geography and the study of other world faiths in religious education. The school is organising a Global Citizenship week in July to allow pupils to find out about the cultures of other countries.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The school has satisfactory procedures to promote pupils’ health, safety and welfare and follows the county guidelines for child protection. The policy has just been re- written and the headteacher is arranging training for all staff. All staff participated in one day training last September and at least one of the two with full, up to date first aid certificates is always on the premises. Practice is good. Risk assessments are carried out regularly and the very competent and dedicated caretaker deals with what she can on her daily round. She also runs craft classes for pupils and accompanies them to their swimming lessons. Good security measures are in place. However, the school is concerned about the public footpath running alongside the playground which enables people and their dogs to use the playing field. The school has been informed of some minor health and safety matters that include the unsuitable

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Systems for promoting attendance are very good. Parents know that regular attendance and punctuality are important to their children’s education, and that they should not take their children on holiday during the term. Monitoring of attendance is very thorough. Registers are checked at 9.30am and, if no reason for absence has been received, the secretary makes a telephone call home. The education welfare officer visits the school at least once each term and is appropriately involved when, rarely, this is necessary.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The school has satisfactory systems to promote good behaviour. Expectations are high, rules well known and pupils understand why these are necessary. Teachers are quick to deal with inappropriate behaviour and pupils believe that any sanction they are given is fair and that it will work. Negotiation and agreement prove successful in the majority of cases, and there are no behaviour logs currently in use. Monitoring of behaviour is good through teachers’ knowledge of pupils and neither bullying nor racist remarks are tolerated. Exclusion is rarely necessary.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Procedures for promoting pupils’ personal development are good. A family atmosphere prevails and all are encouraged to care for others. Younger pupils take charge of the registers and are expected to assist their teachers. Appointed responsibilities are mainly for those in Years 5 and 6 and include acting as monitors for assembly and the tennis court. School council members are elected after a democratic vote and governors decide who should be head boy and head girl. For these positions pupils submit written applications, detailing why they feel they would Chiddingly Primary School - 19 be suitable. Monitoring of pupils’ personal development is ongoing and formally recorded in the annual reports .

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Children with SEN are given good support. The school identifies pupils with special needs at a very early stage and makes appropriate provision. Individual education plans contain well-matched targets, which are guided by detailed assessment of pupils’ difficulties. This information is used effectively to plan suitable work and has a positive effect on pupils’ progress. Individual education plans are reviewed at least termly and where needed more frequently. They are used as a working document by the staff. The SENCO regularly looks to see whether targets have been met and, if not, looks for the reason. The school works closely with the LEA’s support services such as those for speech and language and the educational psychologist.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school has made good progress in monitoring and assessing pupils’ academic performance and achievements since the last report when it was judged some improvement was still needed. In several areas there has been improvement.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Baseline tests are used when the pupils start in reception. Literacy and numeracy are assessed well and pupil tracking is in place, although the school feels it may need to be developed further. A record of individuals’ attainment is passed on to the next teacher. The school is using a range of commercial tests to assess attainment from Year 1 upwards. These are mainly language related in Key Stage 1, and optional standardised assessment tests in Years 3, 4 and 5. The results of these tests are also recorded on individual records and used to track the progress of each pupil. This information is used to predict the progress of individual pupils for the coming year. Teachers make notes on their weekly planning about the progress and attainment of individuals and this guides the future planning. However, their use of assessment information to plan the next step in learning in science and the foundation subjects

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

needs to be tighter. The government recommended ‘best fit’ assessment does not feed into planning sufficiently for skills progression to be assured. This is an area the school plans to improve.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The marking policy has recently been revised so that a positive comment on the work is given as well as a target for improvement. Teachers’ marking is beginning to follow the new policy and often informs the pupil how to improve his or her work. However, this is not always done for the foundation subjects. There is good provision for pupils with special needs to be supported in the classroom. The teaching assistants are well trained and committed and make a valuable contribution to the learning of the pupils in their care.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The school has established a very good rapport with parents, who are very pleased with the links and relationships they enjoy, and value the quiet enthusiasm of the new headteacher. They like their many opportunities to see teachers and demonstrate their strong support for the school through very good attendance at open afternoons and consultation meetings. At school events and productions their numbers are overwhelming with all eager to see what their children can do. Many help both in and outside school. Parents assist their children with work at home wherever they can and the use of the home-school contact book is an effective means of communication between home and school. Chiddingly School Association runs very popular entertaining and fund-raising events, such as Easter fairs, jumble sales and the 50/50 club. It also supports parents by providing coffee and refreshments at consultation

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

meetings. They raise over £2000 each year to provide additional resources and Chiddingly Primary School - 20 treats for children, which include the Christmas party when presents are provided. Many parents and teachers are involved. The headteacher considers the association to be one of the school’s great assets and appreciates their recent big ‘plant up’ around the site.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. Parents receive a good quality and range of information about events, future dates and their children’s progress, although a significant minority indicated through the questionnaires that they were not happy with their children’s progress. Parents like the annual reports which detail what children can do, and the opportunity to see staff after these have been received. The prospectus and governors’ annual report contain useful and well-arranged data, although neither mention access for those with physical disabilities. Regular news and other letters ensure that all are well informed. If any parent needs additional information or help with form-filling or anything else the secretary is always willing to provide this.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The school works closely with parents when their child is put on the register for SEN. The parents’ views and opinions are sought and are considered when drawing up targets for the child to achieve. An ‘open door’ policy operates where parents are able to discuss their child’s progress with the SENCO, who meets parents to explain and discuss the targets set for their children.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. When the headteacher was appointed in the summer of 2002, she took over a school that had seen a succession of headteachers and little stability in management since the inspection in 1999 when the school was put into the ‘requiring special measures’ category. During this time, one very good headteacher had been at the school for five terms and had successfully improved the school to such an extent that it was taken out of the ‘special measures’ category in 2001, although the school still had much to do. In fact, the headteacher had been so successful that he was offered the headship of a large beacon school and, unsurprisingly, moved on. The other headteachers had also been successful but were there for one term only and changed so often that their initiatives had no time to take proper root. In her two terms at the school, and with her avowed intent to stay for some time, the current headteacher has forged an effective

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

unit with a real team spirit. Highly committed, enthusiastic and with seemingly boundless energy, she has very good leadership skills, and has the full backing of pupils, parents, staff and governors. The school has a genuine shared commitment to improve and a good capacity to succeed.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. After the 1999 inspection, the governors made an important and wise decision. Rather than have a teaching head and deputy or assistant head, they decided, absolutely correctly in this case, that money would be better spent on a headteacher with little permanent teaching commitment and no assistant. This management structure is unusual, with just the head and a flat structure beneath her. Should the headteacher be out of school, there is a rota of other staff to take on the responsibility. This is a very good method of emphasising their importance in the school management structure, thus increasing the overall importance of teamwork. The advantages of this structure far outweigh the drawbacks. The school is not reliant on supply teachers. The headteacher takes over the reception class on a regular basis, releasing that teacher, a French specialist, to take French in other classes. In turn,

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

this releases other class teachers to spend time co-ordinating their subjects. The headteacher also takes other classes for a day to enable co-ordinators to observe lessons in their subjects in other classes. In this the school is ahead of most other Chiddingly Primary School - 21 schools, with co-ordinators assuming a full part in managing their subjects. Overall delegation is very good and all staff contribute well to the management of the school.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The school was awarded ‘Investor in People’ status in 2002, so the annual round of performance management is well established. Teaching staff are appraised every year. The appraisal follows observations of lessons by the headteacher, who also uses them in the management of her own subjects. Targets are given to teachers for the next year, including in-service training needs, and these are tied firmly to the school development plan. The school plans to appraise all staff within the next year and include this in the annual cycle. At the moment, the headteacher appraises teaching assistants, but this will be delegated to teaching staff.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. There is a sensible and comprehensive school development plan. All teaching staff contribute to it. Governors are actively involved from the start, so they have a satisfactory understanding of where the school could improve. They also have a good understanding of the school’s strengths. All items in the development plan include targets, action, responsibility, resources, costs, monitoring and success criteria. Financial planning is tied well to educational priorities, and the principles of best value are applied well. The plan itself could be improved further by stressing improvement in pupils’ learning and progress more than is done at present.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The management of SEN is very good. The SENCO is very experienced and committed to seeing that these pupils fulfil their potential. She is committed to introducing strategies that will further improve the provision for special needs in the school. The school’s approach is very well organised and designated funds are used appropriately. Most of the support staff are experienced and some have had training. All staff work closely with the co-ordinator who ensures that they are all aware of the procedures. Parents are kept well informed and are invited to all reviews. Very good records are kept and there is good liaison with the secondary school when pupils transfer at the age of 11. A governor is designated as the person responsible for overseeing SEN and she plays an active role. She meets the SENCO regularly and reports back to the governing body.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school was criticised in the last two inspections for not involving the governing body enough. It is now fully involved in shaping the direction of the school, and is effective in fulfilling its statutory duties. Governors are passionate in their commitment to the school and work very hard for no reward other than the knowledge that they are putting something back into the community. The committee structure is sensible and organised well, with all committees meeting in good time to produce minutes and ensure that other governors can read these before the next meeting of the full body.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The governors’ finance committee works closely with the very competent school bursar. All school finance is dealt with well electronically, and the school uses new technology satisfactorily. All specific grants are used for their intended purposes. The few minor recommendations of the latest LEA audit were acted on immediately. There is a budget surplus of about eight per cent and this is sensibly earmarked to increase the number of teaching assistants and to deal with damp in the old building.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. Staffing matches the demands of the curriculum. The reception teacher has a contract that varies from part-time to full-time depending on the number of children. This is possible only through the good will and dedication of this teacher, and the school is very fortunate in being given this unselfish flexibility. The school has sensible plans to increase the number of teaching assistants. The induction of new Chiddingly Primary School - 22 staff is good. Teachers new to the school reported that they were given everything they needed to fit in easily and were supported well. Now that the school has stability in leadership and staffing, there is good potential for initial teacher training.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Accommodation is satisfactory. The school grounds are an asset, with a pond and a field as well as hard-play areas, one of which is a tennis court that doubles as a football pitch. Classrooms are attractive but, as the Edwardian rooms are expensive to heat, the school has sensible plans to lower the ceilings. The hall was built as a community sports hall and taken over only later as the school hall. Whilst it is good for its original purpose, games such as five-a-side football and badminton, it is unsatisfactory as a general school hall. The acoustics are wetter than in any cathedral, so much so that it is difficult to hear what people are saying, even in a one- to-one conversation. In assemblies and physical education (PE) lessons, this makes it difficult for presenters to keep pupils’ attention. There are no windows and no wall bars, and the whole place is dreary. Resources are at least adequate to teach the full

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

National Curriculum in all subjects, and they are good in art, design and technology (DT), mathematics and music. The local library and museum services contribute well by lending resources for art, history and geography. At the Foundation Stage, resources for creative development are limited.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. All inspection teams are required to make a judgement on how the school’s aims and values are reflected in its work. This judgement would be ‘good’. However, the school’s ‘Vision Statement’ is vague, and expressed in language that is far too flowery. It needs revising. Chiddingly Primary School - 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

53. In order to improve further, the school should:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) expect more of pupils, in the standards they can achieve and in the presentation of work; (paragraphs 18, 65, 82, 90)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) use assessment better to guide all subjects of the curriculum and plan for individual and group needs; (paragraphs 18, 38, 82)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) use the whole-class session at the end of lessons better, to assess what pupils have learned and to extend their understanding; (paragraphs 17, 68)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) be more consistent in marking pupils’ work, so that comments for improvement are included wherever necessary as a matter of course. (paragraphs 16, 39, 68, 74)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

All these recommendations echo what the school has already identified as being important for improvement, expressed in the school development plan or other initiatives.

p.23

Other things the school should consider

• Seek to improve the acoustics in the hall. (paragraphs 10, 51)

p.23

Other things the school should consider

• Place more stress on pupils’ attainment and progress in the school development plan. (paragraph 46)

p.23

Other things the school should consider

• Plan for more investigational work in mathematics and place more emphasis on strategies for making mental arithmetic easier. (paragraphs 4, 71)

p.23

Other things the school should consider

• Enable older and more-able pupils to plan their own experiments and choose their own equipment in science. (paragraphs 5, 81)

p.23

Other things the school should consider

• Improve resources for creative development at the Foundation Stage. (paragraphs 51, 61)

p.23

Other things the school should consider

• Review and revise the school’s Vision Statement to make it easier to understand. (paragraph 52) Chiddingly Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 70

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 7 28 66 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than three percentage points.

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 89

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 4 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 4

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 24

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence % %

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Chiddingly Primary School - 25

p.24

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

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

Boys n/a n/a n/a Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School n/a n/a n/a at NC level 2 or above National n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys n/a n/a n/a Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School n/a n/a n/a at NC level 2 or above National n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

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

p.25

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 n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys n/a n/a n/a Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School n/a n/a n/a at NC level 4 or above National n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys n/a n/a n/a Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School n/a n/a n/a at NC level 4 or above National n/a n/a n/a

p.25

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Chiddingly Primary School - 26 Information for these tables is not available due to the small cohort. Chiddingly Primary School - 27 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.25

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

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

p.27

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

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.27

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

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.27

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

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.27

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

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.27

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

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

p.27

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

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.27

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

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

p.27

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

No ethnic group recorded 0 0 0 The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Chiddingly Primary School - 28 Teachers and classes Financial information Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

p.27

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

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.2 Financial year 2002-3

p.28

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

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17

p.28

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

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 216,000

p.28

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

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 216,641

p.28

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

Total aggregate hours worked per week 84.5 Expenditure per pupil 2,610

p.28

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

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 22,819

p.28

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

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Balance carried forward to next year 22,178

p.28

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

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

p.28

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

Total number of education support staff 0

p.28

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

Number of pupils per FTE adult 0 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.28

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

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6

p.28

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

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

p.28

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

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.28

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

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.28

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

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Chiddingly Primary School - 29

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Questionnaire return rate Number of questionnaires sent out 89 Number of questionnaires returned 22

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know My child likes school. 45 50 0 0 5 My child is making good progress in school. 32 50 18 0 0 Behaviour in the school is good. 23 73 5 0 0 My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 23 59 14 0 5 The teaching is good. 55 27 9 0 9 I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 36 50 9 0 5 I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 32 0 0 0 The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 45 45 5 0 5 The school works closely with parents. 55 36 9 0 0 The school is well led and managed. 45 55 0 0 0 The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 41 5 0 0 The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 45 23 0 5 Chiddingly Primary School - 30

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54. Children are admitted to the reception class full time in the term in which they become five. Prior to this the children attend mornings only from September. During the autumn term, when only a small number of children attend full time, the reception children work with Years 1 and 2 in the afternoons. The reception teacher’s contract fluctuates between part and full-time to accommodate the needs of the school and children. The school is extremely fortunate in having a teacher prepared to do this. At the time of the inspection there were 15 children on roll, all full-time. Most children have play-school experience prior to school and good links, together with clear induction procedures, ensure a smooth transition into school. Children with SEN are identified promptly and given sensitive support. The adult : pupil ratio of 1:7 has a significant positive effect on the opportunities for learning.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. The school has recently enlarged its accommodation and is making good use of it to create the environment for learning that young children need. A secure outdoor area augments the indoor accommodation but insufficient use is currently made of this. Curriculum planning for the reception class covers the Early Learning Goals and the teacher works with the teacher of Years 1 and 2 to ensure that the planning for the reception cohort is linked to the planning for Key Stage 1. This was demonstrated in science where both classes were looking at what plants need to grow. Planning was identified as a key issue in the last inspection and is now beginning to be addressed to ensure children have opportunities to learn through play and talk as well as more formal teaching.

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

56. Children’s development in this area is satisfactory overall, reflecting the satisfactory teaching. The children enter school with a degree of confidence and this develops so that they are able to speak in groups to express their thoughts and ideas. They relate well to each other and the adults who work with them. Children confidently approach a relatively unfamiliar visitor to share something they have found. They enjoy the interesting activities that are provided and this helps them to feel secure and happy in their surroundings. They are, however, often over-dependent on adults around them for help and support and so do not acquire some of the important positive attitudes to learning that they need; for example, a sense of competence and control in the course of learning, a willingness to persevere when things are difficult and the ability to make informed decisions and choices in the course of their work. Children are

p.30

Personal, social and emotional development

encouraged to use the conventions of courtesy and politeness from an early stage. The teacher models the language of social conventions and consistently encourages co-operation and politeness through a range of activities that promote collaboration through play and talk. The majority of children behave well. They understand something of the differences between right and wrong and are developing an understanding of the consequences of their actions on others. For example, a child who reduced another to tears by refusing to let him play in the role-play area went to tell him when he had finished so that he could have a turn. Chiddingly Primary School - 31

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

57. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and occasionally good. Most children develop their vocabulary so that they can describe objects, make increasingly elaborate statements and retell their experiences. However, their speaking skills are in advance of their listening skills and about one half of the children find it difficult to listen carefully during whole-class discussions and to respond appropriately to instructions. More-confident children are keen to answer questions, ask questions of their own, or pass comments. All children enjoy sharing books with their teachers. They follow the events in stories closely as the plot unfolds when they listen to stories being read aloud. They look closely at the illustrations and can use them to predict what might happen next. As a result of these experiences, children learn that pictures and words convey meaning. Children are already aware of how books work but do

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

not turn readily to them. Books used to stimulate work, or those in the reading corner, are rarely used by children during free-choice time. Most children know their initial sounds, can find rhyming words and the higher-attaining children read some commonly used words. However, the children’s knowledge of key vocabulary is not secure enough to support their individual independent writing and it is not reinforced, for example, in displays around the room. The lack of a well-resourced writing area with examples of different kinds of writing and the lack of opportunity for children to practise and experiment with writing during free-choice time slow the progress that could be expected. For example, an opportunity to develop the children’s own writing was missed in the role-play area which was set out as a garden centre. This could have been labelled with shop signs, price lists, plant labels and opportunities for

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Communication, language and literacy

children to write orders and take telephone messages.

p.31

Mathematical development

58. Mathematical development is in line with national expectations with teaching satisfactory and occasionally good. Children confidently count to at least ten, with the higher-attaining children counting well beyond this. The teacher uses class registration for one-to-one correspondence and to practise adding one more and one less to sandwich numbers when an extra child stayed for dinner, making seven altogether. However, other opportunities to develop mathematics are missed. For example, the role-play area was developed as a garden centre with a shop till and money. This would have given a good opportunity to practise the recognition of numerals and the addition of small numbers if the flowers and plants had been priced. Many children can identify simple two-dimensional shapes such as a square, circle, rectangle and triangle and recognise the language of position. However, many found it difficult to use this positional language in the small group activity to create a similar

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

59. Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is a little above the levels expected for their age by the end of the reception year, reflecting sound teaching. During the inspection, the range of activities for children to acquire skills in scientific understanding was good. The first-hand experiences provided allowed the children to develop curiosity, independence and confidence. They planted potatoes, onions and beans in a small outside area and discovered that plants need water and light to grow. Children made bread and discussed what made the bread rise and changes before and after cooking. They looked carefully at chicks, handling them gently and taking great care not to frighten them. One child was able to name the different body parts of a hen, including the ‘comb’, and some knew that not all eggs have chicks in them. Chiddingly Primary School - 32 Children demonstrated average standards for their age when making models from

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

construction equipment and using computers but there was little use of other ICT equipment such as programmable toys or tape recorders. The children had little to say when asked about where they live or what they pass on the way to school.

p.32

Physical development

60. The sound teaching ensures children develop their small motor control well; for example, when children are using scissors, glue, pencils in creative activities, sieves when baking, and the mouse when pointing to words on the computer monitor. Opportunities to work and play in the outdoor area allow children to develop the co- ordination of their larger movements by playing on tricycles and other large toys. This also contributes to their understanding of time, distance and speed. However, the use of the outdoor area is underdeveloped for some areas of the curriculum. Although most children listen carefully and respond appropriately to instructions, a minority found this difficult and appeared not to understand or to hear when working in a whole-class session in the hall. As a result of patient reminders of what was required, children eventually responded appropriately and showed a developing

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Physical development

control over their bodies as they moved in various ways to portray their imaginative ideas of the movement of a hen and a fox as part of their work inspired by ‘Rosie’s Walk’. They showed a growing awareness of their own space in relation to others and began to control the speed of their movements and to develop confidence when climbing. The children know the importance of warming up their bodies before exercising and were encouraged by the teacher to feel their hearts at different points in the lesson to understand how the blood is made to circulate faster.

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Creative development

61. Sound teaching ensures children soon learn to control mark-making tools such as brushes, felt-tips and pencils. Although children are introduced to ready-mixed paint at an early age, there are insufficient opportunities for them to mix their own or select the size of brush or the shape of paper for their pictures. There was little evidence of children using their imagination to make up their own stories when using the role-play areas and small-world equipment. This may have been a result of the limited, and unsatisfactory, resources to develop these skills. The children enjoy singing and happily sang a response to the calling of the register, enthusiastically sang an alphabet song and joined in songs in assembly when they knew the words.

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ENGLISH

62. The results of the national tests for seven year olds in 2002 showed that attainment in reading was well above the national average. This was a very small cohort and inspection findings are that the present seven year olds’ attainment is in line with expectations. Attainment in writing in 2002 was above the national average but inspection findings are that attainment is now average. Attainment of 11 year old pupils remains in line with national expectations. During the inspection there was no noticeable difference observed in the attainment of girls and boys. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress and attain at levels appropriate to their abilities.

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ENGLISH

63. By the age of seven, pupils have developed satisfactory speaking and listening skills. Most pupils can listen attentively and talk with some confidence. Pupils by the age of 11 have good listening skills and have acquired more confidence in speaking. They talk enthusiastically about favourite books and authors and often choose to read in Chiddingly Primary School - 33 their free time. Older pupils demonstrate that they have listened carefully by giving relevant responses to teachers’ questions.

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ENGLISH

64. Overall, pupils’ attainment in reading is within national expectations and the majority make at least satisfactory progress. At Key Stage 2, pupils read accurately, talk about what they have read and give reasons for their choice of book. Pupils of all abilities are positive about reading and enjoy any opportunities to read and talk about books. More-able pupils, by the age of 11, read at the level appropriate for their ability. They talk about their enjoyment of reading. Higher-attaining pupils read with fluency and interest from books they have chosen and have satisfactory library skills. By the time they reach lower juniors they know how to use the contents page to locate information in non-fiction books and how to use the index and glossary. Year 6 pupils use the Internet to locate information for topics in history and geography. Pupils were observed in groups reading aloud with confidence. The older pupils’ knowledge of

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ENGLISH

authors is satisfactory because they are introduced to a wide range of authors and styles in the literacy hour. This range of texts contributes to pupils’ cultural development but pupils’ personal choice is often limited to the same author and subject. Teachers use the first session of the literacy hour well to show pupils how to develop their ideas in their writing. This was demonstrated during a Years 3 & 4 lesson where the class were looking at the story of Romulus and Remus. Years 1 and 2 pupils were observed responding enthusiastically to the story of “The Rainbow Fish”.

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ENGLISH

65. By the age of seven, pupils’ attainment in writing is average. Higher-attaining pupils are beginning to develop a narrative style in their writing and usually use capital letters and full stops correctly. Lower-attaining pupils are still struggling with letter formation and have a limited vocabulary. Pupils of average ability in Year 2 have untidy writing and few join their letters. By the age of 11, pupils write in many forms and for different audiences and their attainment is broadly in line with national averages. Looking at pupils’ work across the key stages shows that pupils make satisfactory progress in their use of vocabulary, dialogue and punctuation. Presentation of work is unsatisfactory, as many pupils are slow to develop handwriting skills. The school has recently introduced a new handwriting scheme that is linked to spelling to address this. Spelling is also a weakness among many pupils.

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ENGLISH

66. The school has identified the need for more specific teaching of writing skills and opportunities for pupils to apply these skills in more extended work of their own. Writing journals have been introduced for the lower juniors and the co-ordinator can already see that they are having a positive effect. During the inspection older pupils were observed engaged in writing their own episodes for a story. Literacy lessons are well planned. The skills pupils have acquired during their literacy lessons are used well in other areas of the curriculum, for example, in history and geography. Older pupils researched aspects of Tudor life and wrote quite well about such topics as Henry VIII’s wives.

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ENGLISH

67. Pupils listen well during whole-class learning. Pupils in groups and those working on their own concentrate appropriately and show good collaboration skills when working together. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good. Teachers value the contribution that pupils make to class discussions. Progress made by pupils with a statement of SEN is satisfactory. Work is planned for them and experienced teachers and support staff give them additional provision. Pupils with special needs achieve well in lessons because of the good additional support. Chiddingly Primary School - 34 68. The quality of teaching is always sound and sometimes good. In good lessons, the pace of the lesson is brisk. Work is well matched to the individual’s ability with more- able pupils being challenged. In other lessons the work does not provide sufficient challenge for the more able. The planning in both key stages is effective with clear

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ENGLISH

aims; learning objectives are clear and the pupils know what is expected of them and what they will learn by the end of the lesson. Lessons are well structured and teachers have well-established routines for presenting the phonic work at the beginning of the literacy hour lessons. Teachers use a range of appropriate teaching strategies to meet the needs of most pupils and achieve the lesson objectives. The good teaching has lively interaction, which holds the pupils’ interest and encourages them to take an active part in the learning. In the majority of lessons the conclusion is not used well to check pupils’ understanding and to clarify any misunderstanding. Day-to-day marking lacks consistency and there is insufficient comment telling pupils what they need to do to improve their work. This is particularly evident in pupils’ pieces of writing. Assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress in English is good

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ENGLISH

and the information is used well to plan for the next stage in learning.

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ENGLISH

69. Resources for the subject are satisfactory. A range of fiction books is kept in each classroom and non-fiction books are housed in the library area. Many of the books are old and need replacing, which the co-ordinator is doing as funds become available. Leadership of the subject is good. The literacy hour has been successfully implemented. Homework is used well, particularly in literacy through humanities subjects in upper juniors.

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MATHEMATICS

70. Standards in mathematics are in line with the national average in Year 2 and in Year 6. Pupils enter the school and leave it with broadly average attainment, although this varies greatly from year to year because of small numbers. Progress is satisfactory throughout the school, and this is ensured by teaching that is satisfactory and sometimes better. Standards are similar in the different parts of the mathematics curriculum, although pupils do not do enough investigation and there is not a great enough emphasis on strategies for making mental arithmetic easier. No difference was found in the attainment of girls and boys. Information and communication technology is used well to support learning in shape and space, and used satisfactorily to support the other mathematical areas. Some evidence was found of mathematics being used in other subjects, for example, measurement in DT. Strategies for supporting numeracy are satisfactory. There has been a satisfactory

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MATHEMATICS

improvement in mathematics since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

71. Almost all Year 6 pupils accurately add and subtract hundreds, tens and units with carries. They understand the equivalence of simple fractions and are starting to understand the connection between fractions, decimals and percentages. They can use a protractor to draw and measure angles - the school is ahead of most in this, as protractor use is notoriously difficult. Pupils construct and interpret bar charts confidently, and have started to do the same with line graphs. Most pupils can carry out short division by the standard method and carry on arithmetic sequences with simple decimal and negative common differences and starting points. More-able pupils use Venn diagrams confidently to categorise different polygons and have started to use letters for unknown quantities in equations. In general, pupils have a good understanding of finding the relevant mathematics in problems given in words

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MATHEMATICS

but they do not have enough opportunities to investigate, for instance, patterns in arithmetic or geometry that lead to algebra. Pupils have a satisfactory facility with mental arithmetic and most know their times-tables to ten. Their knowledge and Chiddingly Primary School - 35 understanding of strategies to make mental arithmetic and the consequent written mathematics easier are underdeveloped.

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MATHEMATICS

72. In Year 2, almost all pupils understand ‘odd’ and ‘even’. They are beginning to have a real understanding of place value and can say what is one, ten or 100 more or less than a given number. Most pupils can count in ‘2’s and know their two, five, ten and three times-tables. They are starting to work out some quite difficult problems concerned with money, understand doubling and trebling (albeit with varying degrees of accuracy), and are starting to understand simple fractions. More-able pupils solve problems concerning weight accurately and have started to understand negative numbers through a consideration of temperature.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

73. The mathematical standards of the present Years 3 and 4 pupils are above expectations, as both cohorts are generally more able (and specifically more able mathematically) than most pupils of this age nationally. The teacher knows this and challenges them well. The lesson seen in lower juniors was very good, although the amount of work recorded in pupils’ mathematics books was less than that seen in other classes or in other schools generally.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

74. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, both in mathematics generally and in the associated basic skills of numeracy. Lessons were observed in all three classes, two of which were satisfactory and the other, mentioned previously, was very good. However, the judgement is based mainly on the analysis of pupils’ work and progress in this academic year. Progress has been satisfactory, so teaching and learning must also be satisfactory over time. Teachers have a good understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy, and they are starting to use the new units of learning that the strategy now provides, especially in juniors, where the teachers have had training. Lesson planning is sensible and takes account of the needs of individuals and groups, based on a good knowledge of the pupils and what they can do. This is more effective at Key Stage 2 than at Key Stage 1. The use of homework is satisfactory

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MATHEMATICS

throughout the school and sometimes good, starting with simple number bonds in addition, and progressing through subtraction and multiplication tables to solving problems in upper juniors. Marking is not always used to give suggestions for improvement.

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MATHEMATICS

75. The very good lesson provides a good example of what constitutes very good teaching and learning. This was with lower juniors, and initially concerned the understanding of large numbers and rounding. The teacher had considered her examples very well, so that they drew the pupils into considering all the possible options of rounding up or down. Pupils were totally absorbed and worked very hard. The next part of the lesson concerned reflective symmetry. The teacher had considered this very well, and different tasks were given to groups of pupils appropriately. Year 3 pupils, generally very able, were asked to look at the symmetries of capital Roman letters on their own. Year 4 pupils had different tasks, dependent on their ability, and the teacher concentrated her attention on them. The teaching assistant supported pupils with SEN in both years very well. All pupils enjoyed their learning and responded by working hard. They were inspired by the

p.35

MATHEMATICS

teacher’s enthusiasm and their learning was very good.

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MATHEMATICS

76. Subject management is good. The headteacher, who co-ordinates the subject, was a mathematics co-ordinator for several years in her previous schools, and brought this experience with her. She is knowledgeable and enthusiastic, monitors teachers’ plans and pupils’ progress, and observes teaching and learning in lessons. She has instituted a system of tracking the progress of every pupil in mathematics, so the Chiddingly Primary School - 36 school will know what pupils need to be given to improve. The statistics will also guide necessary changes in its provision.

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MATHEMATICS

77. Staffing matches the demands of the curriculum, and the school, sensibly, plans to increase the number of teaching assistants for mathematics. Accommodation is satisfactory, and resources are generally good.

p.36

SCIENCE

78. Evidence from lesson observations and pupils’ work indicates that pupils’ attainment in science is in line with national averages by the end of Years 2 and 6. No significant differences in the attainment of boys and girls were observed. The results of the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2002 were well above average. When compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, these results were above average. Results over previous years show wide fluctuations. This is a result of the small cohort size within the school.

p.36

SCIENCE

79. Teaching is mainly satisfactory and occasionally good. Teachers demonstrate appropriate subject knowledge and there is satisfactory teaching of the key scientific vocabulary and essential facts. The curriculum map has recently been reviewed. Work is appropriately planned using Qualifications and Curriculum Authority units and commercially published materials. Resources are carefully prepared to prevent any unnecessary delays in the transition from whole-class instruction to group activities. In the lessons seen there were appropriate strategies to involve all pupils in discussions and pupils usually behaved well because they were actively involved in the learning process.

p.36

SCIENCE

80. This term the whole school has been considering living processes with the emphasis on plants. Reception children have been busy planting potatoes, onions and beans and watching then grow. Most of the children understand that the plants need to be kept watered in order for them to grow well. In Years 1 and 2, the pupils carried out an investigation into conditions for the healthy growth of plants. After discussion and the close observation of a wilting plant, the pupils decided plants needed water and light to grow well. Two plants were then deprived of either water or light for the pupils to observe the following week. The pupils considered the question how would they know if they had been right in their predictions and decided to have two control plants for comparison. In Years 3 and 4, pupils build successfully on what has gone before and extended this work to include investigations to see if heat and soil were

p.36

SCIENCE

necessary for growth. The pupils understood the principles for a fair test and the need for only one variable. In Years 5 and 6, pupils considered the role of plants as producers in food chains and were able to identify primary and secondary consumers.

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SCIENCE

81. The school has been working hard to develop scientific enquiry as part of the curriculum and has been well supported by Ringmer Community College. Pupils carry out a wide range of investigations using systematic recording sheets which help to guide the investigational process. However, pupils do not always design enough of their own experiments as they tend to be closely prescribed by the teacher, with all children answering the same question. There are too few opportunities for pupils to ask their own scientific questions, follow their own lines of enquiry and make informed decisions and choices about investigative methods. This is particularly important for older and more-able pupils, who have little opportunity to choose their own equipment.

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SCIENCE

82. The co-ordinator, who was recently appointed to the role, has made a satisfactory start. She has developed a science policy and has monitored teaching and learning Chiddingly Primary School - 37 to identify accurately the areas that need to be improved for each teacher. There are no opportunities to monitor or evaluate teachers’ planning or children’s work at the present time. The science curriculum is balanced and it makes a sound contribution to pupils’ personal and social development. Assessment procedures are still developing, particularly for formative assessment. This should be based on identifying how well pupils are achieving learning intentions by providing feedback and involving pupils in improving their learning. Tests from the National Council for Educational Research are to be introduced to assess pupils’ progress at the end of each unit of work. There is scope for more detailed guidance for planning for the

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SCIENCE

different ages and attainment levels of pupils, in order to ensure that all are provided with an appropriate challenge.

p.37

ART AND DESIGN

83. Standards in art are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages, although there are few large art projects that rely on collective efforts. There is also too little emphasis on the work of well-known artists. Pupils are quick to mention the work of Picasso, but this is because of his historical connections with the village rather than his work itself. Pupils have access to a wide range of materials. At Key Stage 1 they produce rubbings of bricks, pastels and paintings of flowers and plants, block prints with powder or poster paint, symmetrical butterflies by folding, work with wax crayon and colour wash, and charming ducks and suns with paint and tissue paper. The work is in line with national expectations, with the expected variation in standards. There is an emphasis on colour use in lower juniors, as well as collages and prints using polystyrene tiles. Drawings of Abraham support work in RE. Some

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ART AND DESIGN

sketchbooks show good progress in draughtsmanship from year to year. Upper juniors have produced some good, carefully considered paintings of the school. They make coil pots out of clay and paint them, and some of these are very attractive. Some sketchbooks are underused.

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ART AND DESIGN

84. No art lessons were seen during the inspections, so no judgement on teaching and learning can be made on observation alone. However, standards are such that it can be concluded that teaching and learning are at least satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

85. Subject management is satisfactory. The co-ordinator, who took over the subject only recently, is not a specialist. However, she is enthusiastic and will attend the next available course for art subject leaders provided by the LEA. She has already observed lessons in other classes and checks planning and pupils’ work. Resources are good, as the school’s own resources are supplemented by borrowing from the LEA’s art and museum services. Work in art supports cultural development satisfactorily, and sometime well. Information and communication technology is used well in ‘painting’ programs, mainly at Key Stage 1.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

86. Standards in DT are in line with expectations. The school places a sufficient emphasis on the plan-do-review process essential to the subject and pupils understand its nature and its importance. At Key Stage 1, they produce satisfactory wheel-and-axle structures for “Incy Wincy Spider” and make puppets. In food technology they make cookies. In lower juniors, pupils evaluate torch design and look at the uses of torches. They take purses apart to find their design, and make some inventive purses out of paper that serve as models for cloth ones made later. Pupils in upper juniors design and make competent slippers, using material samples and evaluating their product. Year 6 pupils remembered enjoying making brownies and Chiddingly Primary School - 38 Egyptian lemonade, handbags and pop-up cards, as well as working with cams. Pupils reported having had little use of woodworking tools, and had never used a

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

hammer or saw at school. The school reported that this was in line with LEA recommendations, but it does little to make pupils aware of safety issues in using woodworking tools before they go to secondary school. At the time of the inspection, they were looking forward to a DT taster day at Ringmer Technology College.

p.38

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

87. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Two satisfactory lessons were seen, one at Key Stage 1, where pupils were making models of playground equipment, and the other in lower juniors, where pupils were making paper purses. Attainment in both these lessons was variable but satisfactory. The lessons were planned carefully, with both teachers having prepared demonstration models. The models were just suggestions and did not stop pupils from experimenting and using their imagination.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is timetabled to observe lessons in the next academic year, and already looks at teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. She hopes to attend courses for DT managers when the LEA provides them. Assessment procedures are not consistent and assessment is not used to provide different work for different ability groups. Resources are good and used well.

p.38

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

89. Due to the way the subjects were timetabled during the course of the inspection no history or geography lessons were seen at Key Stage 1. Therefore, no firm judgements can be made on teaching and learning or standards because of insufficient evidence, since there was little previous work to be seen. Planning shows that a suitable range of topics is studied. No geography lessons were seen at Key Stage 2, and not enough evidence was gathered to be able to make a judgement on standards throughout the school. History lessons were observed in both Key Stage 2 classes. Standards in history are judged to be in line with national expectations. This reflects the satisfactory teaching and learning in the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

90. By the age of 11, pupils have studied a range of periods in history. They show a satisfactory understanding and knowledge of chronology and are competent in using a timeline placing Romans, Vikings, Tudors and Victorians correctly. Pupils have a sound understanding of what is meant by ‘BC’ and how time is measured. They use secondary sources of evidence well to find out about the past. Older pupils worked independently on a homework topic about an aspect of Tudor life. They talk enthusiastically about their favourite period of history and give sound reasons for what appeals to them about that time. They have some understanding of injustices that some groups have suffered in the past. Pupils have the opportunity to use the Internet using a search engine and links to find relevant information. Presentation of work is often untidy and careless.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

91. In one lesson observed with lower juniors, teaching was good. The work was well planned for all abilities, including support for a pupil with learning difficulties. Resources were well used. There were good links with literacy in this lesson where pupils were using reference books to find out about Roman gods and goddesses. One group of pupils worked with a parent helper using a BBC web site to research the topic. In another lesson with the older pupils there was a good link to their next topic, a geographical one on rivers, when they were studying the effects of the flooding of the River Nile in Ancient Egypt. Chiddingly Primary School - 39 92. The school makes good use of the LEA library and museum service and recently Key Stage 1 pupils had the emporium (a glass case of old toys) in their classroom to support their work in history. Year 2 pupils talked enthusiastically about this during the

p.38

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

93. Both co-ordinators are new to the school this year and have other curriculum responsibilities. Consequently, there is a weakness in the co-ordination of these subjects as neither subject has had a high priority. Both co-ordinators have identified areas for improvement. Both need to attend suitable courses to help them develop their role as co-ordinators.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

94. There are important links with two similar schools in the area. A suitable scheme of work has been devised for the mixed-year groups, which is to be shared by all three schools. This will also help with the resourcing of the subjects. Homework is used well in both subjects, particularly in upper juniors, where pupils respond very well to the challenges given them to be responsible for their own learning and research, and produce work of a high standard.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

95. Standards in ICT are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Year 2 pupils use word processing to write whole sentences, and they use the mouse and keyboard confidently. They understand about hierarchical ‘branching’ databases. They use painting programs and can program a floor robot to ‘rescue’ teddy bears and find their way, as Martians, from one planet to another round the solar system. Year 6 pupils can combine text and graphics and use ‘Word-art’ to produce attractive headings. They are conversant with data handling programs and spreadsheets. Pupils are confident in using several search engines to find information on the Internet. All pupils have started to use the new interactive whiteboard (the smart board). Although all aspects of the ICT National Curriculum are covered, pupils in upper juniors are still catching up in some areas. For example, during the inspection

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

they were being introduced to Logo , a program that is very useful in promoting knowledge and understanding of shape and space. This is a screen version of the program used to control the floor robot in Key Stage 1. Although Year 6 pupils moved quickly to using the ‘repeat’ command, which is about the right level, they should have met the program in lower juniors as a continuation of the work they did at Key Stage 1. This, in fact, was planned for lower juniors a fortnight after the inspection. Year 6 pupils have not regularly sent e-mails from school, and have not sent any since being in lower juniors, although there are plans for pupils to send e-mails to pupils at the school in the French twin-village.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

96. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Two lessons were seen in juniors and one at Key Stage 1 that was combined with mathematics. All were satisfactory. In the Key Stage 1 lesson, pupils were very interested and engaged in controlling the floor robot using forwards, backwards and turning controls. This was reinforcing their ideas about right and left, position and distance, as well as teaching them about sequencing control commands logically. The lesson in upper juniors was linking these commands to geometrical figures and reinforcing ideas of angles in degrees. In lower juniors, where a governor was helping on one of her regular visits, pupils were learning how to design and produce a questionnaire in order to build up a database. Although learning was satisfactory, the teacher did not have a particular database program in mind, so to some extent she was putting the cart before the horse. She

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

knew that this was the case, and was confident that she could find a suitable database to extend pupils’ learning, having already dismissed the databases that the Chiddingly Primary School - 40 pupils had used previously as being of the wrong kind. All teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and are confident in using it and teaching it.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

97. Leadership and management are good. The enthusiastic and knowledgeable co- ordinator observes lessons in other classes, checks teachers’ planning and monitors pupils’ progress. Assessment procedures are not consistent and the co-ordinator plans to develop them. Resources are satisfactory and getting better as the school, justifiably, has made this one of their priorities. Although the new smart board is being used well to support other subjects and the Internet is also used, the use of ICT in other subjects has only recently become significant and needs to be expanded. At the time of the last inspection, standards were improving but still below expectations. Standards and provision have improved well since then, and greatly in the last four years.

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MUSIC

98. Pupils’ attainment in music is above that expected at the end of Years 2 and 6. The quality of singing across the school is good. During assemblies and in hymn practices pupils sing a range of hymns and songs. They sing with enthusiasm, enjoyment and commitment as a result of good teaching, which helps them to understand and bring out in their singing the meaning of the words. They listen carefully to instructions and explanations and respond appropriately. All pupils, including those with SEN, achieve well and make good progress as they are given opportunities to join in singing and music-making with instruments. As a result of the good singing the school decided to make a CD of songs ‘Chiddingly Sings’. The pupils described this as an exciting and memorable experience visiting the recording studio. The event was mainly sponsored by Wealden District Council and allowed the school to make a profit for school funds. Following the success of this project a

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MUSIC

group of Key Stage 2 pupils were asked to sing part of the backing track for an animated film video made by a local film producer.

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MUSIC

99. The school makes effective use of both teaching staff and peripatetic music teachers to provide instrumental tuition. Nearly one third of the pupils at the school learn to play musical instruments including recorder, guitar, violin and clarinet. In their class lessons pupils are provided with opportunities to sing songs, explore rhythms and use percussion instruments. There are worthwhile opportunities for pupils to listen to music and this makes a useful contribution to their musical appreciation and their knowledge and understanding of the elements of music.

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MUSIC

100. The quality of the teaching and learning is good overall. Music is generally well taught throughout the school. Learning objectives are shared with the pupils and effective explanations and demonstrations enable pupils to develop a good grasp of the key elements. The main emphasis of the work is on singing, playing and performing skills. There are fewer opportunities for creating and developing musical ideas.

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MUSIC

101. Co-ordination of the subject is very good. The co-ordinator has a clear programme for evaluating standards and has clear views of how she wants to improve the subject further. Her own confidence and enthusiasm for the subject make a significant contribution to the way that music is taught and the standards that are achieved throughout the school. The resources for music are good and include a good range of tuned and untuned percussion and recorders. The subject contributes very well to pupils’ cultural development. Chiddingly Primary School - 41

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

102. The standards reached by the end of Years 2 and 6 are in line with those expected nationally for pupils aged seven and 11. All pupils, including those with SEN, make satisfactory progress in their learning. Only two lessons were observed during the inspection but discussions with pupils indicate that they have a satisfactory knowledge of the skills and tactics required for striking, field and invasion games. Evidence from photographs also shows pupils involved in team games and swimming.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

103. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 explore basic skills, actions and ideas with increasing understanding. They remember and repeat simple actions, demonstrating increasing control over their movements whilst dancing a tightrope walk. The pupils are able to demonstrate satisfactory balancing techniques, jumping and twisting with control. They explore their movements and combine them in different sequences. Most join in sensibly and avoided collisions. Pupils are aware of the need to warm up and cool down before and after physical activity and have a satisfactory awareness of how exercise affects their bodies and why dance is a healthy exercise. They also understand they need to wear appropriate clothes and that being hygienic is good for their health and safety.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

104. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 consolidate the skills that they have learned lower down the school and perform actions with increasing control and consistency. In the observed lesson they considered running techniques in order to develop consistency in a number of events. They had to set their own targets to improve their performance. Pupils demonstrated a clear understanding of why physical activity is good for their health.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

105. The quality of teaching of physical education is satisfactory. Teachers have sound subject knowledge and pay appropriate attention to health and safety, with clear warm-up and cool-down routines. However, teachers make insufficient use of pupil demonstrations or pupils’ assessment of each other’s work to offer ideas for improvement. The co-ordinator, who is new to the post, is aware of this and hopes to introduce self-assessment into the teaching programme. She has recently written a PE policy. The planned curriculum covers all the required aspects although the lack of wall bars in the hall limits the opportunities for hanging and swinging movements in gymnastics. Only pupils in Year 5 have access to swimming lessons. There are good opportunities for pupils to take part in extra-curricular activities, including opportunities for football, netball, badminton and athletics. The pupils also have the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

opportunity to take part in competitive sporting activities involving other schools with some success.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

106. At the age of seven and 11, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of RE are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. The teaching of RE is never less than satisfactory and is often good.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

107. By the end of Year 2, pupils know as much as is expected about the celebrations and festivals that occur over a year in the Christian calendar. They know about their local church, having enacted a wedding there, and during the inspection had the opportunity the see and hear about the different vestments worn by the local rector for different occasions. They know about other world religions, including Judaism and Islam, and are able to compare prayer hats and skullcaps, mosques and Chiddingly Primary School - 42 synagogues. Their ability to communicate their understanding of something being special is good.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

108. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 showed much maturity and understanding in a discussion on ‘What is faith?’ and were able to suggest sensible questions they might ask of someone who has a strong faith. They listened well to the story of the life of Mother Teresa and were able to produce some interesting suggestions for a suitable epitaph. By studying the traditions of Sikhs, Hindus and Jews, pupils gain knowledge of other values and beliefs. By the age of 11, pupils’ knowledge of the customs of other faith groups such as Muslims has deepened. During the inspection, the oldest pupils were discussing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca to understand that beliefs, ideas and feelings can be expressed in a variety of ways.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

109. The co-ordinator has rewritten the curriculum map, matching it to the agreed syllabus and Qualification and Curriculum Authority units. She has recently purchased some books and photo-packs but realises addition artefacts are needed to bring the subject to life. She is beginning to monitor lessons but this is at an early stage and has not yet had a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning. The subject is enhanced by the close links with the church. Pupils worship in the church at special times like Christmas and the rector makes contributions to pupils’ understanding during assemblies.

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