Lawford Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

LAWFORD CE VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr Christopher Gray

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LAWFORD CE VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 - 22 January 2003

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LAWFORD CE VA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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LAWFORD CE VA 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. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Long Road Lawford Manningtree Essex Postcode: CO11 2EF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 December 1997 Lawford CE VA Primary School - 4

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Team members

21037 Christopher Gray Registered inspector 9010 Gail Ellisdon Lay inspector 8534 David Price Team inspector

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Team members

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Lawford CE VA Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Lawford CE Primary is situated in the village of Lawford in the north-east corner of Essex. The catchment area is large, but thinly populated, except for the area closest to the school. The school, recently faced with a falling birth-rate in the area, has worked hard to market itself effectively. Many parents have chosen to send their children to Lawford and, as a result, the school now attracts children from a wider area. The school is for children aged five to eleven and currently has 202 full-time pupils. This is an average size for primary schools and is similar to that at the last inspection. Children’s attainment when they enter Reception has recently declined slightly, but is a little above average overall.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Most pupils’ socio-economic circumstances are higher than the national average. Approximately five per cent of pupils are entitled to receive a free school meal, which is below average. The percentage of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds is similar to most schools. One pupil speaks English as an additional language and is at the early stages of learning English. There are 22 pupils on the special needs register; at approximately 11 per cent of the school’s roll, this is below average. However, the percentage of pupils (1.5 per cent, or three pupils) with statements is average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Lawford CE Primary is a good school which is justifiably popular with parents. Pupils work hard and have very good attitudes to their work. The standards they achieve when they leave the school are well above national averages in English, mathematics and science. The overall quality of teaching is good. The school is very well led by the headteacher and senior staff. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. Music is also a strength of the school. • Pupils are enthusiastic learners. Their behaviour and personal relationships are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal development. • The quality of leadership of the headteacher and senior staff is very good. • The quality of teaching is good across the school. • Parents have very good opinions of the school.

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What could be improved

• Teachers could make more use of the final sessions of lessons to challenge pupils’ thinking and help them to see what they have learnt. 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 1997, when there were six key issues. Three of these were about management, its use of monitoring and associated professional development. Very good progress has been made on these issues, as is shown by the rising standards and the better teaching observed during this inspection. The other three issues concerned the curriculum, planning and assessment of pupils’ progress. These issues have been well dealt with and tracking pupils’ progress is an important part of the school’s work, contributing to rising standards.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In addition, overall results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 are high and continue to rise in line with the national trend. Teaching is considerably better than it was at the last inspection. The overall improvement since the last inspection has been very good. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The table indicates that pupils’ attainment in the 2002 National Curriculum tests was well above the national average in English and science and above average in mathematics. Compared with those of similar schools, results are well above average in English and average in mathematics and science. A comparison with national trends shows that the school’s overall results are improving at a similar rate to national standards, at the same time as being considerably higher. Current standards, as found by the present inspection, show that attainment is well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Pupils are on course to meet the school’s targets for the National Curriculum tests this year. This shows that pupils are achieving well. Through a detailed analysis of pupils’ progress, the school is able to set pupils challenging, realistic targets for attainment. The inspection also finds that current

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Key

standards in English, mathematics and science are on course to be above average by the end of Year 2. Music is a strength throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have a great enthusiasm for school and there is a very good learning ethos in all classes.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in classrooms, round the school and in the playground is very good. Pupils know that teachers expect high standards of behaviour and they respond very well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships in the school are very good. All groups of pupils mix easily and there is a friendly atmosphere in the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good - well above the national average. Even so, the school is striving to improve further by reducing holidays taken during term time.

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

Quality of teaching Good Very good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 8 The key ingredient in the teaching at Lawford Primary is teachers’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attainment. Pupils know that teachers expect high standards of behaviour and the very good relationships between them produce mutual trust. Partly because pupils are so confident and secure in the classroom, they enjoy their learning and achieve well. Teachers match work carefully to pupils’ abilities and prior learning and this enables them to progress at a good rate. Staff explain clearly to pupils what they will learn in each lesson and explain to them how it connects with previous lessons. Literacy and numeracy are well taught and pupils use these skills in many other subjects. Teachers’

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

planning for pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language is effective in meeting their needs and assistants give good support. In a few lessons, insufficient time is allowed for the final session; in others, the final session does not give pupils enough opportunity to draw conclusions from what they have learnt.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school teaches all the subjects it is required to and makes good use of the school day to give the pupils a broad curriculum. It is enhanced by a good range of extra-curricular activities, visits out of school and visitors to the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The special needs co-ordinator organises support for pupils efficiently and her work and very good teaching ensure that pupils make good progress. Teachers and assistants provide good help for them in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very few pupils come into this category but the school ensures that good support is available for them.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting were unanimous in asserting that attendance at Lawford Primary is making their children into responsible and caring people. The few pupils with disabilities are very effectively integrated into classes; this greatly enhances not only their own personal development but also that of the other pupils in the class.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides good care and welfare and is a secure environment in which parents and pupils have much confidence.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff In her short time in the school, the headteacher has led the whole school community very effectively in a close analysis of strengths and weaknesses, which has enabled the production of a clear and relevant development plan for a six year period. She is well supported in achieving the school’s targets by hard-working senior management and staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors keep themselves abreast of how the school is doing and are increasingly involved in determining its future development.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school carefully analyses the performance of pupils each term and uses its findings to drive the process of school development, in order to raise standards still higher.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of The school uses staffing, resources and accommodation efficiently. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 9 resources There is a good understanding of the principles of best value.

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improved

• Their children like school and make good progress. • Behaviour in the school is good; the school is helping children to become mature and responsible. • There is a good, caring ethos. • The school is well led and managed and teaching is good. • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • Parents would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • The range of extra-curricular activities. • Information on children’s progress. • The amount of homework.

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improved

The inspection team endorses parents’ positive comments. Inspectors find that the number and range of extra-curricular activities is good for a school of this size. The school plans to respond to the issue of information about pupils’ progress by giving parents more information about children’s targets. On the issue of homework, the small number of parents concerned are divided between those who think there should be more and those who would like to see less. The school plans to make its expectations clearer so that parents will know what to expect and when. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 10

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

science. Music is also a strength of the school.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

1. Pupils’ results at the expected level (Level 4 and above) in the 2002 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 were well above the national average in English and science and average in mathematics. Results at the higher level (Level 5) were in the top five per cent nationally in English and above average in mathematics and science. One pupil achieved a Level 6 in mathematics and another did so in science. The school met its target for English but not for mathematics; both were realistic and challenging targets.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

2. The average points score (where pupils’ attainment at all levels is taken into account) shows that results compared with all schools were well above average in English and science, and above average in mathematics. Measured against similar schools, the results were above average in English and average in mathematics and science. The trend in English and science has been broadly upward over the last five years; that in mathematics was downward from 1998 to 2000 but has been rising since. The overall trend of improvement is similar to the national trend.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

3. The school’s analysis of its results led to a number of initiatives to raise attainment in mathematics, and these have been at the forefront of priorities in the school development plan. The rising trend and the findings of the current inspection show that these have been successful. Attainment in Year 6 is now well above average in all three subjects and the school is on course to meet its targets of 90 per cent of pupils achieving Level 4 and above in English and mathematics in this year’s National Curriculum tests. This is a big improvement on the last inspection, when standards in English, mathematics and science were found to be above average by Year 2 but only average by Year 6.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

4. Standards in Key Stage 1 in the 2002 National Curriculum tests, based on the average points score, were well above average in reading, average in writing and above average in mathematics. The cohort of pupils contained a greater number of pupils with special educational needs than has been usual in the school and results were lower in writing and mathematics than in previous years. Standards in writing became a focus in the current school development plan and a number of initiatives, such as observing practice in other schools, have proved successful. The inspection finds that current standards in English, mathematics and science are on course to be above average by the end of Year 2. This is a little lower than standards in 2001 and 2000 and reflects the change in attainment on entry caused by the widened catchment area.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

5. Pupils in Year 6 write widely in a variety of styles throughout the curriculum. In a very good English lesson, they were learning to write a kenning - an Anglo-Saxon form of poem which describes a person or thing by a series of actions. For example, higher-attaining pupils wrote about a pop-star,

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

The reader has to identify the subject. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 11 6. In science, pupils use their own words to describe experiments. They have a good understanding of what constitutes a fair test and are clear that only one item can be altered in each of a series of tests. They write predictions and make hypotheses, though some need more encouragement to draw conclusions from what they have done. Pupils’ past work showed that they had conducted an experiment into making lighting circuits with different thicknesses of wire. Pupils of all abilities described clearly the experiments which they had devised and what they were trying to discover, though the recording of what they had learnt was not as consistent. One higher-attaining pupil wrote a very advanced conclusion, touching on the properties of resistance in a circuit.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

7. In mathematics, pupils of all abilities have a good understanding of number and the four rules of arithmetic. Year 6 pupils use times-table knowledge in mental and written calculations and many have quick recall of this information. Pupils understand and use the concepts of mean, range and median; for example, in an information technology lesson, Year 6 pupils were constructing a spreadsheet to calculate the average height of boys and girls and draw conclusions from their findings. Many were able to explain why including the teacher’s height would skew the results.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

8. Statistical evidence from National Curriculum test results suggests that boys have performed better than girls in Key Stage 2, but the other way round in Key Stage 1. However, the school is unusual in having great variation in the numbers of each sex in particular year groups; for example, in 2002, 9 boys and 21 girls took the Key Stage 1 tests and 11 boys and 19 girls the Key Stage 2 tests. The current Years 1, 2 and 5 also have considerably more girls than boys. This imbalance means that the data on the performance of the sexes is less reliable than in most schools. A corroboration of this can be seen by looking at the Year 6 boys from last year, whose verbal reasoning scores were higher than those of most of the girls. Again, the four pupils who gained places at grammar school were all boys.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

9. None the less, the school has examined its work in the light of this data and has made changes designed to motivate Key Stage 2 girls further. No significant differences in the performance of boys and girls were apparent during the inspection, either in lessons or in the pupils’ past work.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

10. Music is a strength of the school and is well organised by the co-ordinator. There are four lunch- time recorder groups, with pupils playing descant, treble and tenor instruments, and two choirs. Boys and girls are equally enthusiastic participants, and the junior choir annually takes part in the Rotary’s ‘Magic of Christmas’ concert and also entertains local elderly people. Key Stage 1 pupils produced a Nativity play entitled ‘Humph The Camel’ at Christmas and those in Years 5 and 6 performed the ‘Hosanna Rock’. A concert is held every summer. Forty-three pupils receive tuition in musical instruments, although the actual period of tuition (ten minutes) is too short for the teaching to be fully effective.

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Pupils’ attainment is well above average by Year 6 in English, mathematics and

11. The standard of classroom music is equally impressive. An excellent lesson for Year 5 pupils began with a performance by the whole class of a piece of music they had composed themselves to depict a storm at sea. A girl acted as conductor, running her baton slowly over a graphical score, made by pupils in a previous lesson. Groups of pupils used their voices and parts of their body to produce the sounds of seagulls, the wind and the waves. The performance was of high quality, involving every child with complete focus. When the piece finished, there was an appreciative silence of some duration, which the pupils are used to describing as a magic moment . This is exactly what it was, and it was not the only one in the lesson. The main focus was on Burundi drumming, and the children learnt the tribal significance of master drummers. By the end of the lesson, they were able to play complex rhythms in three parts and compose some

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

12. Almost all the parents who responded to the questionnaire or who attended the pre-inspection meeting spoke highly of pupils’ behaviour and agreed that the school is helping them to develop Lawford CE VA Primary School - 12 well as individuals. 13. The school makes very good provision for pupils to develop morally and socially. Teachers have high expectations of how pupils will behave and pupils generally respond very well. If they should not, there is a clear system of sanctions, including the provision of ‘bubble time’. This enables any child to ask for a meeting with the headteacher or other staff to discuss problems; parents are very impressed at how effective this can be. The school council contributes to the school development plan. Older pupils show prospective parents round the school and contribute to presentation evenings for incoming parents with great confidence.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

14. Opportunities for spiritual moments are planned into lessons and assemblies. An example of this from a Year 5 music lesson is quoted above; another example is provided by younger pupils’ experience of newly-hatched chicks. Photographs from this lesson appear in the school’s prospectus. There are many examples of opportunities for pupils to appreciate and celebrate their own culture, as in last year’s Golden Jubilee picnic, or the musical performances described above. The school now provides well for pupils to learn about other cultures, which is an improvement on the last inspection. This provision is planned into the curriculum - for example, African drumming in music, the work of Martin Luther King in information technology and history and studies of world religions in religious education.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

15. Pupils respond very well to this provision. They are polite and courteous to visitors, yet friendly and welcoming at the same time. The youngest children happily discuss what they are going to choose for their school lunch. Older pupils confidently explain what they are learning in a lesson or offer constructive criticism of other pupils’ work in music. Behaviour in classrooms, round the school and in the playground is very good. The effective integration into classes of disabled pupils is of great benefit to the personal development of all the pupils, because it teaches children how to behave responsibly and fairly to others who are not as fortunate as they are.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

16. The quality of relationships between adults and pupils and among the children themselves produces a very happy and productive learning environment. Pupils want to learn and this contributes significantly to the good progress they make.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

The quality of leadership of the headteacher and senior staff is very good.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

17. The last inspection reported that progress was good in Key Stage 1 but satisfactory in Key Stage 2. Standards in English, mathematics and science were above average by Year 2 but only average by Year 6. The school has worked hard and successfully since that time, and especially since the appointment of the new headteacher nearly 18 months ago, to improve provision at Key Stage 2; standards are now well above average in English, mathematics and science by Year 6. Pupils make good progress across the school and teaching is of a better quality overall than at the last inspection. All adults work hard to make the school a welcoming place with a strong sense of a united community.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

18. The headteacher’s accurate appraisal of, and vision for, the school have been key in this very good improvement. Shortly after her appointment, the headteacher led the whole school community in a careful analysis of strengths and weaknesses. From this, she led the process of producing a detailed and relevant action plan. Standards have risen because of the rigorous approach to the monitoring and improving of teaching and because of detailed analysis of pupils’ standards of attainment and of what was holding them back. The deputy head and co-ordinator for Key Stage 1 have been closely involved in this work, and subject co-ordinators have also been enabled to contribute to a firmly-established overview of standards. Governors are well informed about the running of the school and have a clear view of what the school does well and of its priorities for development. This has allowed the school to take a longer-term view of development,

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

spread over six years. This is particularly appropriate, as the school is likely to face the problem of falling numbers again in that time.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

19. Financial planning is very good and is led by a commitment to raising standards by retaining good teachers. For this reason, when it proved difficult to appoint a suitable full-time teacher for Year 5, governors and the headteacher decided to set up a job-share between a part-time teacher and the Lawford CE VA Primary School - 13 headteacher herself. This is working well and lesson observations show that pupils make consistently good progress in this class. Governors have a good understanding of the principles of best value, as shown by the comparison with the results of other schools and the work done with those whose results were better. The amount carried forward from last year’s budget exceeds recommendations because it is being used to rehouse the information technology suite, which currently has too few computers, and to rebuild the school’s entrance, which is cramped and difficult to find.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

The quality of teaching is good across the school.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

20. The quality of teaching in the school, overall, is good. In the lessons observed, it was very good or better in 52 per cent of lessons, good in a further 26 per cent and satisfactory in 21 per cent. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. This represents very good improvement on the last inspection, when only 14 per cent of teaching was very good or better and 14 per cent was unsatisfactory.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

21. The key ingredient in the teaching at Lawford Primary is teachers’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attainment. Pupils know that teachers expect high standards of behaviour and the very good relationships between them produce mutual trust. The headteacher is confident to “appeal to the children’s honesty”. They in return “trust the school.” This means that there is a studious atmosphere in all classrooms, where pupils show that they want to learn. Even when lessons are not exciting, pupils’ behaviour is consistently good. This is because they know that their teachers like them and they reward their trust with mature attitudes to school. The example, quoted above, of the Year 5 music lesson shows how very high expectations of both behaviour and attainment produced excellent learning for all the pupils.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

22. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can do and they plan their lessons to match work to pupils’ ability and prior learning. An example of this was seen in a very good literacy lesson in the Reception class. The objective was for all pupils to write some type of sentence or group of words, connected with the book they had been reading together. Less able pupils were helped to group words, using word cards chosen from the wall by the children. Some could already make a sentence while others could see with help that the words they had grouped were not complete sentences. A few have not yet reached that stage. Higher-attaining pupils were working on their own, making up spoken versions of the story, using props such as plastic vegetables and animals. When they had decided on the story, they attempted to write them as little books. The children learnt very well in the lesson because the teacher and assistant ensured that all

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

activities, even though apparently freely chosen by the pupils, were focused on the lesson objective and presented suitable challenge to each child.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

23. One reason for the good improvement in teaching since the last inspection has been teachers’ improved planning, based on a detailed analysis of what pupils are to learn in each lesson. Teachers and pupils know and use in every lesson three acronyms: WALT - we are learning to ; WILF - what I am looking for and TIB - this is because . This has helped teachers focus on why they are teaching a particular lesson, rather than simply deciding which activities pupils will undertake. This technique was used well in a Year 1 information technology lesson. The pupils were told at the outset that they were learning how computers can be used to turn data into pictograms. This was done by using information about their favourite foods, in order for Monkey to prepare a party for them. After a demonstration by the teacher on the interactive whiteboard, pupils had to explain the WILF to a partner and how to create the pictogram. The teacher made

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

many references back to the WALT, so that the pupils were clear about what they were to achieve when they went into the computer suite. In a very good science lesson in Year 2, the WALT - making an electric circuit with a bulb which would light - was augmented with a different WILF for each of three ability groups. Lower-attaining pupils had to ensure that a circuit contained batteries the right way round, average pupils were asked to explain why a circuit would not work, and higher-attaining pupils had to explain why the bulb lights and record it in a circuit diagram.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

24. Weaker aspects of teaching relate to the use of time and the TIB aspect of planning. This is Lawford CE VA Primary School - 14 discussed below.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

Parents have very good opinions of the school.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

25. Many parents choose Lawford Primary in preference to closer schools. Some have even moved house to be close enough for their children to attend. This, the positive response to the questionnaires and the strong expressions of satisfaction expressed by parents at the pre- inspection meeting show that parents are very pleased with the school. They especially like the way their children grow up to be considerate and responsible and they value the Christian ethos of this Church of England school.

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are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal

26. A few parents think there are not enough extra-curricular activities. However, inspectors find that the number and range (more than twelve clubs) is good for a school of this size. A small number of parents would like more information about how their children are progressing and the school plans to respond to this by giving parents more information about pupils’ targets. A few parents are dissatisfied with the amounts of homework, though some think there should be more and some less. The school plans to make its expectations clearer so that parents will know what to expect and when.

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Teachers could make more use of the final sessions of lessons to challenge

pupils’ thinking and help them to see what they have learnt.

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Teachers could make more use of the final sessions of lessons to challenge

27. As reported above, teachers have improved their planning considerably since the last inspection by focusing on what they want pupils to learn. They have done this using three ideas, WALT, WILF and TIB, described above. The first two are used well in lessons. Teachers explain what pupils are going to learn and pupils are generally clear about what they are doing and how it fits in with previous learning. But the TIB - this is because - idea is not used consistently, particularly at Key Stage 2.

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Teachers could make more use of the final sessions of lessons to challenge

28. Most lessons are divided into the three sections modelled by the literacy hour, namely an introduction by the teacher, activities undertaken by the pupils and a final, whole-class session, usually referred to as the plenary . Teachers do not always leave enough time for the plenary, often because they have spent too long on the first section of the lesson. This means the plenary has to be rushed or omitted, reducing the effect of pupils’ learning.

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Teachers could make more use of the final sessions of lessons to challenge

29. On other occasions, teachers use the plenary simply as a reprise of what has gone on during the activities, without seeking to consolidate what pupils have learnt or to help them to draw conclusions. This was also evident in the sample of pupils’ science work in Year 6. Some of the pupils had written careful explanations of experiments they had designed, but had not drawn out clear conclusions of what they had learnt. Pupils need more guidance in how to sum up what they have learnt, by being reminded of the lesson’s objective. The most effective use of the plenary also leads pupils on to see how their understanding will develop in future lessons, but few examples of this were observed.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

30. To improve further the standards of work and the quality of education provided, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) † Make more effective use of plenary sessions by: • ensuring that an appropriate balance of time is allowed for the teacher’s introduction, pupils’ activities and the final session; • giving pupils more opportunities to evaluate what they have learnt and draw conclusions, by Lawford CE VA Primary School - 15 referring back to the lesson objective; • challenging pupils to extend what they have just learnt by the use of questions which lead on to what they will learn in future lessons. (Paragraphs 27-29)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

† denotes an issue already highlighted as a priority in the school’s development plan.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Numbers in brackets indicate a reference to the main paragraphs where the weaknesses are discussed.) Lawford CE VA Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 19

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than five percentage points. The total of percentages does not come to 100 because of rounding.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 202

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 22

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Attendance

School data 3.7 School data 0 Lawford CE VA Primary School - 17 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 18

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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 9 21 30

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (90) 83 (90) 93 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (90) 93 (100) 80 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Separate totals for girls and boys are not given in the above table as fewer than 11 boys took the tests, meaning that individuals could be identified.

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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 11 19 30

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 10 10 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 13 18

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (93) 77 (79) 97 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 10 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 16 16

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

Percentage of pupils School 87 (86) 87 (86) 87 (86) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Lawford CE VA Primary School - 19 Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.4 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 487,289

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 463,718

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 176 Expenditure per pupil 2,378

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 20,579

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 44,150 Lawford CE VA Primary School - 21

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Lawford CE VA Primary School - 22

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 56 37 4 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 62 34 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 46 11 3 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 52 14 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 52 41 4 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 37 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 31 54 9 1 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 52 40 0 3 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 43 3 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 36 40 11 1 13

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