Redlands Primary School

REDLANDS 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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REDLANDS 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. Redlands Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Michael Prior

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 12 January 1998 Redlands Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

23482 Diana Mackie Registered inspector Art and design Information and communication technology Music English as an additional language What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 1311 Barry Wood Lay inspector How high are standards? b) 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? 8864 Peter Clifton Team inspector Geography History Science How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

15236 Morag Thorpe Team inspector Design and technology Mathematics Physical education Foundation Stage 32153 Maureen Panichelli Team inspector English Religious education Special educational needs Redlands Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Redlands 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? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Redlands Primary School caters for pupils aged four to 11 years old. Most pupils live locally in a residential area of Fareham that includes a range of owner-occupied and rented properties. About 30 per cent of pupils come from outside the catchment area. There are 289 pupils on roll, 39 of whom are in the Reception classes. Most children have attended some sort of pre-school education. There is a broad range of attainment when children start school at four years old but, overall, their attainment is below that typical of children of this age. There is significant mobility (nearly 13 per cent) of pupils within the school year. Nearly 19 per cent of pupils are registered as eligible for free school meals, and this is broadly in line with the national average. The school has evidence to show that more families are eligible to apply but do not do so. Very few pupils are from ethnic minority heritages, and there is no predominant

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

minority. Three pupils are in the early stages of learning English as an additional language. Thirty-nine per cent of pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs for learning, physical or behavioural difficulties. This is well above the national average and includes the designated provision for two pupils who have statements of special educational need. Staffing now seems settled, but the turnover of staff has been high in the last two years, when six teachers have left and been replaced.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an improving and very effective school where standards are rising and pupils achieve well from a below average start. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain in line with national expectations in mathematics and science but there is some way to go in English. Pupils enjoy school and behave very well in lessons. There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development, and relationships are very good. The quality of teaching is very good with examples of excellent teaching, and pupils are well supported by classroom assistants. The headteacher provides very good leadership and he is very well supported by the deputy headteacher. The governors fulfil their duties well and work conscientiously in the service of the pupils. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• By the end of Year 6, standards are well above national expectations in physical education and above national expectations in art and design and music. Standards are above national expectations in mathematics, art and design and physical education by the end of Year 2. • Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. They enjoy school and have very positive attitudes towards their work. • The quality of teaching is very good, with examples of excellent lessons. The teachers work very well together as a team to present lessons of high quality. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. Pupils are encouraged to be increasingly responsible and mature and to be thoughtful for the needs of others. • The curriculum is broad and exciting so that pupils enjoy a wide range of interesting activities. • The headteacher gives very good educational direction for the school, with a clear focus on raising

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What the school does well

standards and providing a rich variety of experiences that stimulate pupils’ interest. • The governors monitor the work of the school well. They ensure that the right priorities are followed up so that the school is driven forward systematically and well.

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What could be improved

• *Standards in writing are below national expectations by the end of Year 6. • *Higher-attaining pupils are not challenged enough in English and science. • *Provision for pupils who join the school other than at the normal time of first admission needs to be developed further. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. *The school has already identified these issues and has them in hand.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school had made very good progress in addressing the key issues raised at the last inspection in January 1998. Teachers now regularly evaluate lessons, assess pupils’ attainment and progress and Redlands Primary School - 8 ensure that pupils know what they are to learn in lessons. Appropriate schemes of work are now in place for information and communication technology (ICT) and religious education, and standards now meet national expectations. The quality of teaching in the Reception classes is now very good and children are making good progress. Throughout the school, pupils’ handwriting and general presentation of their work is now generally good. The governing body conscientiously meets the full range of its responsibilities. There are now well-organised daily acts of collective worship and provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. In addition to these improvements, the quality of teaching has improved greatly, and pupils now

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

benefit from consistent and interesting ways of teaching and learning. The school has the very good capacity to improve further.

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

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Key

The above table shows that pupils’ attainment was below or well below the national averages in all three subjects in 2002. Because of better management and improved teaching, a brighter picture is now evident and pupils achieve well. By the end of Year 6, standards are now in line with national expectations in mathematics and science. They are below national expectations in English because of pupils’ weak skills in writing. Over the past four years, the trend in the school’s test results has been below the national trend, which has been upward. Targets set with the local education authority were met in mathematics in 2002 but were not met in English. A similar picture emerges in 2003. However, as improvements are gaining pace, the school’s capacity for better results is growing.

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Key

By the end of Year 2, the school has achieved particular success in mathematics, where standards seen during the inspection are now above national expectations. In reading, writing and science pupils perform in line with national expectations. The well-directed provision of challenging work for higher-attaining pupils has led to a higher proportion of pupils exceeding the levels expected for their age. In the 2002 national tests and assessments, pupils’ results were below average compared with all schools nationally in reading and writing and in line with the national average in mathematics. Compared with similar schools nationally, Redlands’ results were below average in reading and mathematics and well below average in writing. The school’s trend has been generally steady over the past four years, against a rising national trend. The outlook is now much brighter, and pupils’ achievement from starting in the Reception

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Key

classes to the end of Year 2 is above average compared with schools in the rest of the county.

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Key

By the end of Year 6, standards are well above national expectations in physical education and above national expectations in art and design and music. By the end of Year 2, standards are above national expectations in mathematics, art and design and physical education. By the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are in line with national expectations in design and technology, geography, history and ICT, and pupils achieve in line with the expectations outlined in the locally Agreed Syllabus for religious education.

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Key

By the end of the Reception year, children reach the Early Learning Goals in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy and physical development. They exceed Redlands Primary School - 9 the goals in mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Their very positive attitudes help them to achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall, and very good in lessons As a result, there is a purposeful working atmosphere in the classrooms and teachers can get on with lessons uninterrupted. Behaviour in the playground is good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are thoughtful for one another and show very good levels of responsibility. They become increasingly aware of life in contemporary British multicultural society.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory, and broadly in line with the national average.

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

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

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

The overall quality of teaching is very good, with examples of excellent teaching. There was no unsatisfactory teaching during the inspection. As a result of the very good teaching, pupils learn at a very good rate and achieve well. Teachers manage the pupils very well so that pupils concentrate, work hard and enjoy success. Classroom assistants support pupils well during group work and give particular support for pupils with special education needs. Teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. Literacy and numeracy are promoted well throughout the school. The overall quality of teaching in English and science is good. It is very good in mathematics. The quality of teaching is very good in physical education and good in art and design, design and technology, history, ICT and music. It is satisfactory in religious education. The teaching meets the needs of all pupils and promotes equal

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

opportunities for them to achieve well. Pupils from ethnic minority heritages and those who speak English as an additional language are valued and encouraged so that they enjoy success and achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Pupils benefit from a wide variety of activities so that they enjoy learning and achieve well. Provision for extra-curricular activities is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. This is an area that the school is working hard to improve, with extra support for pupils who join the school late.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The school’s inclusive and welcoming atmosphere helps these pupils to integrate quickly into school life and acquire English at a good rate.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ Very good overall. Pupils are encouraged and supported very well so Redlands Primary School - 10 personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development that they become increasing mature and responsible. Through the school council, they help to create a happy, productive and achieving school. They are well prepared for life in modern multicultural society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very well. The staff and governors ensure that pupils learn and play in a secure and safe environment where all staff care for them well.

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Aspect Comment

Relationships with parents are good. Parents have very positive views of the school and links with them are good. They are encouraged to participate in school through helping in class and supporting school outings and events. Most parents help their children with homework, but a significant minority do not do so; this has a negative effect on their children’s progress. The quality of information provided for parents, particularly about their children’s progress, is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher leads the school very well. The deputy headteacher supports him very well, promoting a climate conducive to learning, with well motivated teachers and pupils. The senior management team and key teachers work together very effectively.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Well. Governors manage the school well through a well-organised system of committees so that all statutory requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The headteacher and governors monitor the work of the school systematically and address priorities for development rigorously. Clear goals for improved standards are set and shared with the school community.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Specific funding for special educational need and staff development is allocated and spent wisely.

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Aspect Comment

There is a good number of suitably qualified and experienced teachers and support staff. Lunchtime, caretaking and administrative staff contribute well to the work and ethos of the school. Accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory. Resources are obtained at the most competitive prices and the school uses them in the best possible way to achieve its aims.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well led and managed. • The teaching is good. • Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • Their children like school. • The school expects the pupils to work hard and achieve their best. • The pupils make good progress. • The school is helping pupils to become mature and responsible. • The pupils do not get the right amount of homework • Parents are not kept well informed about how their children are getting on. • The school does not work closely enough with parents. • The school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree wholeheartedly with the parents’ positive views of the school. The amount of homework set is judged to be satisfactory overall, but it is not set consistently in all classes. Overall, information for parents is satisfactory, but more information could be given on pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. The school does its best to work Redlands Primary School - 11 closely with parents, and they say they are comfortable in approaching the school. The range of activities outside lessons is very good compared with that seen in many schools. Redlands Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. There has been good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in art and design, history, information and communication technology (ICT), music and physical education. Overall standards in English, mathematics and science have not improved by the end of Year 6, but a brighter picture is emerging as there is more thorough teaching, more regular monitoring of pupils’ progress and fewer changes of teachers. The high quality of the teaching is the main factor in the improvements made over the past year, and clearer analysis of the needs of groups of pupils has led to big improvements in pupils’ attainment in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Children are admitted into the Reception classes in the September before their fifth birthday, with attainment levels that are below national expectations for their age overall and well below national expectations in writing. They are given a very good start to their learning and make very good progress. By the time they enter Year 1, most children achieve the nationally expected learning goals in overall communication, language and literacy, exceeding them in reading, but with below average writing skills. Most children exceed expectations in mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development and achieve the expected goals in personal, social and emotional development and physical development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve well and standards seen during the inspection in mathematics and science are now in line with national expectations. Overall attainment in English is below national expectations. Pupil’s attainment is above national expectations in speaking and listening, broadly in line with national expectations in reading and below them in writing. Most pupils are confident in exploring non-fiction books and looking for information. Pupils in the current Year 6 have not benefited from the good grounding for writing that now exists in the school, but they write for a satisfactory range of purposes in English lessons. Opportunities for them to develop their writing in other subjects varies between classes. Pupils achieve well in mathematics because the school has, over the past few years, implemented the National Numeracy Strategy very effectively. In science, pupils are progressing faster and they gain knowledge and understanding at a better

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

rate because of the school’s increasingly practical approach.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. By the end of Year 2, standards in English are in line with national expectations in speaking and listening, reading, writing and science. They are above national expectations in mathematics. The school emphasises the step-by-step teaching and learning of letter sounds and patterns so that pupils make good gains in reading, writing and spelling. Pupils enjoy reading and experience a wide range of texts so that they practise their skills in all areas of the curriculum. Most pupils use capital letters and full stops confidently to demarcate sentences and develop satisfactory levels of writing to express ideas or show a sense of narrative. In mathematics, pupils build effectively year by year, acquiring a broad range of strategies to solve problems and explain their methods of working. In science, practical investigations help pupils to gain skills of scientific enquiry and a deeper understanding of life processes and living things, materials and their properties and physical

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils achieve standards expected for their age in ICT. Teachers are gradually increasing the opportunities for pupils to use and enhance their skills in ICT in all subjects, so that ICT becomes more relevant as a tool for learning. Standards in art and design and music are above national expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6. In physical education, standards are above national expectations by the end of Year 2 and well above by the end of Year 6. In design and technology, geography and history, standards are in line with national expectations in Years 2 and 6. In religious education, pupils achieve in line with the expectations outlined in the locally Agreed Syllabus.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress overall. Their progress is good when they are taught by the school’s co-ordinator for special educational needs. Pupils are fully included Redlands Primary School - 13 in lessons through the support given by teachers and classroom assistants. Pupils who are gifted or talented achieve well because they are suitably identified and supported. Pupils from ethnic minorities achieve in line with their peers and those who speak English as an additional language soon integrate into the school and achieve in line with their classmates. In all lessons observed during the inspection, no significant difference was noted in the attainment of boys and girls.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Pupils’ very good attitudes show a major improvement since the last inspection. They are well developed by the school’s very strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision. Pupils clearly enjoy school – they said ‘ they love it, it’s like a second home’. Their enthusiasm for learning increases as they progress through the school, and most pupils are very keen to be involved in lessons, activities and clubs. Throughout the school, most pupils show a high level of interest, listen well and are responsive to their teachers. A few pupils display passive attitudes, but most pupils are determined to try hard and want to do well, even when their weak writing skills hamper their efforts. Pupils with special educational needs generally have similar attitudes, and pupils new to the school soon pick up the positive attitudes of the rest of the class.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. In the Reception classes, children enjoy school, want to learn and behave very well. The staff ensure that children soon adapt to the routines and have ample opportunities to talk to adults and get the help they need. Children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are very well supported and encouraged to take part in group activities so that they achieve as well as their peers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. The school’s very good provision for moral development and the staff’s very good management of behaviour mean that pupils behave very well in lessons. All classes are calm and productive and there were very few observations of unsatisfactory behaviour. Behaviour around the school is good, and pupils play together peacefully. The school carefully investigates challenging behaviour and deals with it firmly; a small number of incidents, mostly associated with a small minority of boys in Years 5 and 6, is recorded appropriately by the headteacher. The school has occasionally excluded pupils, but incidents of bullying, sexism, racism or theft are very rare. Parents are very pleased with the way their children behave.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Relationships in the school are very good, and have improved since the last inspection. Teachers are positive role models. Pupils and classroom staff trust and respect each other strongly in a harmonious, caring and inclusive community. Throughout the school, from the Reception classes onwards, teachers promote very effective teaching and learning. The staff listen well to pupils. Older pupils and lunchtime supervisors have established an agreed code of behaviour during the lunch break, through discussion and listening to each other’s points of view. Pupils are confident with each other and work well together in pairs or in groups. They listen to each other when sharing ideas and appreciate each other’s successes. Boys and girls of all ages get on well together, irrespective of their backgrounds or time at the school. The ‘Funky Friends’ and the ‘Friendship Stop’ have been introduced so that lonely pupils are quickly helped by sympathetic older pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Pupils are courteous and chat to visitors sensitively.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Since the last inspection, the school has worked hard to improve all aspects of pupils’ personal development and it is now very good. The very good provision for personal, social and health education is having a positive impact on the life of the school. Children in the Reception classes quickly gain confidence and show independence. In all classes, pupils are treated with respect as individuals, so that they become sensible and mature in their actions and attitudes. They feel challenged by schoolwork and react well to their personal targets. All pupils benefit from the school council; this discusses real issues, communicates effectively, and presents it work in a lively way in assemblies. Pupils gain a wider understanding of caring for others and for their community through contributing to a range of charities. They support a wide range of clubs and activities enthusiastically, and are competitive in inter-school events. Pupils develop a growing sense of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

responsibility for looking after themselves and getting on with other people during well-planned residential visits. Redlands Primary School - 14 12. Over the past few years since the last inspection, attendance has been above the national average, but it is now only satisfactory. Holidays taken during term time adversely affect the attendance rate. One in eight pupils has poor attendance and the majority of poor attending

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils have special educational needs. The school is taking steps to work with parents to improve attendance. Most pupils arrive on time and there is a purposeful and happy start to the school day. Registers are completed briskly and effectively at the beginning of each session.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

13. Learning is placed firmly at the heart of the school’s work, and pupils achieve well because of the high quality of the teaching. During the inspection, the overall quality of teaching was very good, with some excellent teaching. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen, nearly half of the teaching was very good or better and nearly one in eight lessons was excellent. From the headteacher’s records of monitoring of lessons, the quality of teaching has improved tremendously over the past two years. A fine set of teachers, some of them relatively inexperienced, now teaches with enthusiasm, flair and commitment to raising pupils’ achievement. Experienced teachers share their expertise generously and the staff works together as a well-tuned and balanced team. There has been a big improvement in the standard of teaching since the last inspection, when more than 16 per cent of the teaching was unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching in the Reception classes is very good, with very good features in all aspects of teaching, especially lesson planning, with clear and achievable learning targets and tasks set for children of different abilities. Children are very well managed and teachers have high expectations in terms of standards of children’s work and behaviour. Teachers achieve a good balance of whole- class, group and individual teaching in most areas of learning. Work is planned so that pupils in mixed-age classes are grouped by ability. As a result, all pupils build effectively on what they already know and understand. The classroom assistants play a valuable role in the teaching, especially when they work intensely with small groups of children.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. Throughout the school, basic skills are taught very well because teachers use a variety of approaches and resources during lessons. Teachers have a very good understanding of the national strategies for the teaching of literacy and numeracy. As a result, pupils make good progress and achieve well. Clearly defined learning goals are shared with the pupils at the beginning of lessons, and a pattern of teaching has emerged which is used in most lessons in all subjects. Teachers have established routines so that the maximum use is made of time. Clear, direct teaching is followed by practical or written activities and a final whole-class session in which learning is consolidated and teachers skilfully tease out pupils’ thoughts and help them to clarify their ideas. This routine helps pupils to anticipate and plan for what is expected of them. For example, they know that, in the last part of the lesson, they are likely to be asked to explain what

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

they have done and learnt. This helps them to concentrate and get work done on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching in mathematics is very good. Teachers make good use of information from assessments so that the level and pace of lessons are very well matched to pupils’ needs. Lessons are lively and brisk and pupils achieve very well because there is no hiding place – teachers ensure that all pupils work as hard as possible. In a lesson in Years 3 and 4, for example, the teacher helped all pupils to forge ahead, learning at a very good pace as they explored how many stones Pharaoh would need to surround more and more ponds in his garden. Pupils were given opportunities to explore independently and take responsibility for their own learning. Higher-attaining pupils quickly saw a pattern of numbers emerging and were expected to draw a table to record their findings. Other pupils were given the first part of sentences that they had to complete; for example, ‘I have found that ………‘. Lower-attaining pupils used small plastic

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

bricks to construct the garden and then count the ‘stones’. Every pupil worked hard and progressed well in the lesson. The self-esteem of pupils from ethnic minority heritages is raised as teachers include tasks such as this, which demonstrate that mathematical problems exist everywhere. Redlands Primary School - 15 17. Teaching is very good in physical education because of the teachers’ very high expectations. The high quality of teachers’ planning and their secure knowledge, understanding and skills mean that pupils are given very clear instructions and have very good models to follow as teachers demonstrate the movements required. Because of the high standard of the teaching, pupils have excellent attitudes to physical education and their behaviour is very good;. They listen attentively and are keen to succeed. All pupils are very well included in all aspects of physical education; the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

provision for pupils with special educational needs is well thought-through to ensure that activities are planned for everyone to benefit at his or her own level. The higher-attaining pupils, including those who are gifted and talented, are given ample opportunities to extend and hone their skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. In art and design, design and technology, geography, history, ICT and music, the quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers ask probing questions and extend pupils' knowledge and understanding effectively. Activities are well chosen for their level of interest and opportunities for pupils to progress well. For example, in a design and technology lesson in Years 1 and 2, pupils loved experimenting with a range of pins and clips to find different rigid or flexible methods of joining materials. Teachers are imaginative. In an excellent music lesson for pupils in Years 3 and 4, for example, the teacher got pupils to look at Vincent van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ picture and use it as a musical score, with different sounds for the stars, the sky and other features. In religious education, teaching is sound. The subject is not ‘brought to life’ as much as other subjects, but pupils achieve satisfactorily and there are plans for development of a more lively approach.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Subjects are linked together very well, bringing relevance to pupils’ learning. Literacy and numeracy are used and promoted well in all subjects. Increasingly, teachers plan for pupils to use ICT for word-processing, ordering information and research in many lessons, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers’ very good management of the pupils is a significant feature in all lessons. Pupils behave very well, are ready to learn and are productive in lessons. They can get on with tasks confidently because teachers give clear instructions. The high quality of the teachers’ own speech provides a very good model for the pupils. Teachers ensure that the content of lessons takes sufficient account of the vocabulary required. This is very helpful for pupils who speak English as an additional language; for example, when pupils in Years 5 and 6 were drawing and moving shapes in during a mathematics lesson. There were some difficult words, such as ‘quadrant’ and ‘translate’, which the teacher conveyed very well. Relationships are very good, and teachers are often to be seen chatting with pupils during break and lunchtimes. They like being with the pupils, who flourish because they know they are valued.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers’ marking of work is usually good. There are often encouraging remarks and helpful comments on work that give pupils a clear indication of what they have done well or what they need to improve. Occasionally, there is not enough of this; for example, in science. Targets set with pupils are followed up so that individual progress is tracked and pupils are aware of how they are getting on. They enjoy the challenge and become increasingly responsible for their own learning. In ICT, for instance, pupils mark off a chart when they have completed tasks and understood new ideas. Teachers relate very well to pupils and are always keen to encourage effort and celebrate success.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The school’s manager for special needs provides a good role model for the other teachers. Her teaching of these pupils is very good. She teaches pupils in small groups or individually and focuses on specific needs, so that pupils make good progress. There is focused consideration for pupils in all lessons, but teachers do not always pay enough attention to specific areas for improvement identified on pupils’ well-written individual education plans. Classroom assistants give good support for pupils, but teachers sometimes provide tasks in which pupils watch and contribute orally but do not read or write enough. This is being picked up as part of the enhancement programme for pupils who join the school late. Teachers always make sure that pupils are included in question and answer sessions, praise their efforts and value their contributions. As a result, pupils feel valued and know that their successes are recognised.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Redlands Primary School - 16 22. Homework is usually set regularly and parents say they enjoy the tasks that are sent home. In discussions, pupils say that the amount of homework is ‘just right’ and it helps them to he better at their work. The picture of teaching and learning is a very positive one that gives the school the very good capacity to raise standards further and act as a school from which other schools could learn. Redlands Primary School - 17

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TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The quality of the curriculum is good with particular strengths in the Foundation Stage and mathematics. All subjects are given sufficient time and the range of activities within each curriculum area is good. Subject managers have recently reviewed the quality of the plans and from this have begun to rewrite units of work. This is progressing well. New units have links with other subjects identified. For example, the history unit on ‘homes’ identifies the opportunities for links to be made in numeracy, ICT, literacy, geography and drama. The National Curriculum is fully in place and the curriculum for religious education closely follows the locally Agreed Syllabus. The strategies used for teaching literacy are good; they are very good for numeracy. The school has identified ICT as an area to be developed across all subjects because although standards have been improved considerably since the last inspection, the integration of the subject so that it is a

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

regular tool for learning needs to be embedded.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The curricular provision for children in the Reception classes is good with some very good features. Teachers plan the curriculum very effectively and make it highly relevant for the children. Teachers and classroom assistants plan imaginative activities for children to explore and learn inside and outside the classrooms. They thoroughly and successfully prepare children for their transition to Year 1. Teachers make very effective use of the school grounds and the local area. Pupils benefit from a wide range of visits and of visitors to the school. This enhances their learning, especially their knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The headteacher has a very clear and accurate view about the quality of the curriculum. The school is active in reviewing what is in place, and making further developments and there is therefore a climate of continuous improvement and innovation. The curriculum is enhanced through a variety of visits within the locality and further afield. Local experts are used to add relevance and provide specific skills; for example, when musicians and theatre groups visit the school, and local football and cricket teams coach the pupils. There are special events in science, and a study of the locality forms an important part of the history and geography curriculum. The curriculum is further enhanced as a result of the very good range of after-school and lunchtime clubs; for example, there are well-attended clubs for chess, recorder, choir, gardening and gym.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. Provision for pupils in mixed-age classes is considered carefully and pupils of similar ability are grouped together in lessons so that they progress well and build effectively on earlier learning. The school successfully includes all its pupils. All pupils are interested in lessons because of the creative nature of the curriculum and the use of practical experiences to make it more relevant. Pupils have opportunities to learn in a range of different ways, including ‘hands on’ practical sessions, drama, exploring the Internet, working in groups to solve problems and working quietly on their own to express their ideas in drawing or writing. These features help to raise the self-esteem of all pupils, regardless of their background or ethnicity. One parent has recently written to the school to praise the efforts made to include her children. The school has recently appointed a co- ordinator for gifted or talented pupils. Groups of pupils are withdrawn to develop specific skills, and

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

letters have been sent to parents that explain what the school is doing. This encouraging development includes plans to write specific individual education plans for the pupils and to monitor their progress regularly.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. Community links are strong. Local clubs and businesses, the Royal Navy and the local council all contribute. The school choir has sung at a residential home for the elderly. There are very good links with other local schools; for example, pupils from the local special school gave a performance at Redlands recently and this was greatly enjoyed.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. It includes appropriate sex education and guidance for pupils about the misuse of drugs and helps pupils to become increasingly responsible and mature. The school council promotes the idea of citizenship and taking part in communal decisions. Personal, social and health education often provides opportunities for challenging injustice. For example, in a good lesson seen in Years 5 and 6, pupils were invited to construct Redlands Primary School - 18 lists of human rights for children. Their discussion showed insight and reflection on basic human rights and a respect for themselves and others.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very good and reflects the caring ethos that permeates the school and its work. Spiritual development is promoted well through religious education and assemblies, as well as opportunities to respond to works of art and music. Assemblies provide a good setting in which pupils can reflect on their own and others’ lives. They have a strong spiritual element, encourage empathy with others and an understanding of their own and others’ beliefs. An assembly celebrating the Chinese creation story involved pupils in movement and music and made reference to the creation stories of other faiths. Spiritual awareness is apparent across the curriculum - in physical education lessons pupils are taught to consider the wonder of the human body, in science and geography the animal kingdom and natural world are explored. In literacy lessons, where text from the story ‘Carrie’s War’ was

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

explored, spiritual issues were considered with great sensitivity. Music is used well in assemblies and pupils are encouraged to listen carefully.

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. The difference between right and wrong is taught effectively and most pupils have a good understanding of what is appropriate behaviour. The calm approach adopted by all staff and careful investigation of problems which arise, supports the school’s policy of mutual respect between adults and pupils. Good behaviour is rewarded and teachers use praise and encouragement to motivate pupils. All pupils are aware of the four rules for good behaviour and the house points system promotes a sense of belonging and responsibility. The caring ethos of the school emphasises tolerance of the needs and feelings of others. The school is involved with many charities. These are well supported by the efforts of pupils who sometimes suggest ways to raise money for different causes.

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The impact and provision for social development is also very good. Pupils are often asked to collaborate in pairs or small groups in lessons. Monitors are given responsibility for tasks such as taking registers or working in the library. The school council provides a very good opportunity for pupils to voice their opinions and have them acted upon. Their presentation in an assembly successfully showed the rest of the school what they do and how they achieve their aims. A buddy system called ‘Funky Friends’ helps solve issues with relationships and in the playground a ‘Friendship Stop’ supports pupils and helps them with problems. There are good links with the local community through the church, the local naval base and home for older residents. Pupils have recently been involved with the development of a local shopping area and their work on this included literacy and artwork.

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good and attention is given to promoting the cultural traditions of countries worldwide as well as valuing the school’s particular local heritage. In history lessons, pupils are offered a wide range of relevant experiences of past cultures that enhance the quality of their learning. Their understanding of a variety of contemporary cultures is further enriched through geography lessons and by residential and day visits. The school’s own ‘arts week’ provides opportunities for learning about the art, music and drama of other cultures through workshops and performances. There are frequent visits from theatre groups and musicians, and pupils have listened to English folk music and worked with local professionals on poetry, dance and African art. Displays around the school help pupils to celebrate their learning about a good range of different cultures and faiths. Comprehensive provision in art and music introduces pupils to many

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

cultures and forms of expression. Visiting speakers from different religions enhance pupils’ knowledge and understanding of a range of faiths.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The good provision for pupils’ support guidance and welfare has been improved in all aspects since the last inspection. The headteacher and other staff know the pupils well, and the sense of trust and mutual respect are significant features of the school. Staff take on their pastoral role enthusiastically and with total dedication. Pupils feel well supported and safe in the inclusive and well-integrated school community. They believe that they are well looked after. Many older pupils Redlands Primary School - 19 promote the caring culture and positive ethos of the school by taking care of the younger ones, particularly those who have transferred from other schools. Pupils’ happiness and confidence contribute greatly to the very good levels of learning, and the values and attitudes that the school encourages are greatly appreciated by most parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The school has a wide range of policies for support, guidance and welfare, but some are in need of updating. A well-written staff handbook gives good guidance on welfare issues, and is particularly helpful for new staff. Outside education and health agencies provide appropriate support for pupils on a routine basis or if there are specific problems. The school nursing service has supported the school well with routine medical checks and staff training. Sex education is effectively taught in the school and there have been no pupils withdrawn by parents from these classes.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Procedures for child protection are good, and comply with local requirements. All staff have received refresher training in formal procedures; this guarantees a professional approach to concerns. The school receives good support from outside agencies.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The headteacher and a conscientious governor have produced good health and safety procedures. These have been implemented thoroughly, and information is to be recorded using the local education authority’s new system. The school site is very clean, and safe, as proved by the low accident rate. Staff treat safety issues vigilantly in the classroom and in their teaching. The school recognises that some corridors are cluttered and is exploring new ways of storing equipment. Accident procedures are well defined but not enough staff are trained in first aid and there is no dedicated medical room. Administrative records are sufficient; they are updated regularly to support medical emergencies and to help in dispensing medication for pupils with chronic conditions.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Procedures for monitoring the personal and social development of pupils are satisfactory overall. They are excellent in the Reception classes, where they are used very effectively by teachers and classroom assistants. In the remainder of the school, procedures are informal, and focus more on pupils with problems than on the average pupil. They rely on individual teacher’s classroom experiences and subsequent informal discussions with the headteacher or review at staff meetings. Pupils have targets for their own personal and social development and the investigation of styles of learning for older pupils assists them in their self-development. Where there are causes for concern, parents work with staff and if necessary professional agencies are involved. The school has satisfactory provision for special educational needs; this allows pupils to make sound progress through well-written individual educational plans with attainable targets.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school has good procedures for monitoring and improving attendance. Most parents conscientiously bring their children to school, and the school telephones parents when reasons for absence are not received. A high priority is given to monitoring and analysis of registers. Although pupils do not receive awards for good attendance, most pupils attend well and this significantly contributes to their achievement and enjoyment at school. The school uses support from the local authority educational welfare service effectively.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are very good. Throughout the school, teachers understand them well and are skilled in managing behaviour so that classes have a purposeful and harmonious atmosphere, where pupils achieve very well. Class rules are displayed prominently. Provision for moral development is reinforced through assemblies. A ‘house’ system is used in the school. This captures pupils’ interest and house points make a positive contribution to good behaviour. A headteacher’s award raises the self-esteem of pupils and encourages personal responsibility. ‘Golden time’ awarded for being good has a positive impact on pupils’ behaviour; ‘reflection time’, metered out to poorer behaved pupils, gives them a chance to review their errors and make apologies. Sanctions are considered to be fair by pupils and parents. The headteacher and staff are alert to any challenging behaviour and keep good records of incidents and

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

outcomes. Very good procedures to rectify problems of this sort mean that any excluded pupils get back to school without embarrassment. Redlands Primary School - 20 40. Procedures used to monitor and assess pupils’ work in Years 1 to 6 are satisfactory. The development plan identifies clear targets for improving the quality of information the school holds. Actions to meet these targets are on track and help teachers to plan more effectively for learning. Much of the change that has taken place has occurred over the past year. The quality of information is satisfactory in English and science, good in mathematics and very good in the reception classes. In mathematics, test results have been analysed and strengths and weaknesses identified. In other subjects, procedures are not as well developed and there is not enough information about pupils’ attainment in each year. In lessons, teachers are clear about the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

pupils’ strengths and weaknesses, and they use this information well to alter curricular provision on a day-by-day and week-by-week basis. The good quality of the information that teachers obtain from pupils through skilful questioning enables this to be done effectively. The school is taking increased care to ensure that pupils who join the school later than at the usual time of entry are monitored more closely. Analyses of test results has indicated that these pupils do less well than pupils who spend the full primary years at Redlands.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. In the Reception classes, procedures for assessing children’s attainment and progress are excellent. Each piece of written work is assessed according to the Early Learning Goals and the system is very easily implemented and very effective for measuring children’s progress. An excellent feature is the use of levels of attainment on entry to predict attainment by the end of Year 2. This is used as a very good indicator of the value added to children’s education.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Pupils who have special educational needs are very well provided for when working with the specialist teacher and make satisfactory progress in lessons, when they are usually supported by classroom assistants. Throughout the school, teachers mark pupils’ written work diligently and often praise pupils for their efforts and achievements. They make particular comments about what they have achieved, usually based on the intentions set out at the beginning of the lesson. However, comments made that encourage further development are not yet sufficiently detailed or precise enough in all subjects for pupils to make a positive response. Opportunities are being missed to involve pupils in their own learning and development.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. The partnership with parents has improved from the generally sound levels observed at the last inspection. A majority of parents actively support the school, and recognise that the efforts made by the headteacher and other staff are developing the school effectively. For many pupils this relationship contributes well to their achievements and the quality of their learning. Parents’ views of the school have improved and are now very good. In particular, they show approval of staff, with high regard for the headteacher and other teachers. They appreciate the school’s ethos and its approachability. They see that their children like school, and try hard to do good work and to make good progress. Inspectors confirm parents’ positive views.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. There are very good links between parents and staff in the Reception classes. Parents interviewed said that their children are very happy at school and the teachers are very approachable. There are excellent systems that enable those parents with children beginning school to meet the class teacher within a few weeks of starting so that any concerns are dealt with quickly. As a result, children feel very secure and adapt well to the routines of school. The quality of information about what the children are learning is very clear and parents are given regular and informative reminders so that they can help their children at home. Teachers encourage children to take their reading books home, and have guided parents in how they can help their children to read. While the majority of children benefit very well from this additional support, there is a significant number, mainly lower-attaining children who, according to records, are not heard to read regularly at home.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. The relationship between the school and parents of pupils with special educational needs is good. Parents are invited to meetings to discuss the review of individual education plans and are kept informed of their children’s progress on a regular basis. The dedicated governor for liaises with the special needs co-ordinator and keeps the governing body informed of all special needs initiatives. Redlands Primary School - 21 46. A small minority of parents have a number of concerns, but there are no areas of significant dissatisfaction. Parents are concerned about homework, which inspectors found was variably set but satisfactory. Parental concerns about information on progress and working closely with parents were partially justified as pupils’ annual reports do not contain enough information on subjects other than English, mathematics and science. Parents’ concerns regarding the range of extra-curricular

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

activities were not justified, as there is a very rich range of clubs and activities, both sporting and non-sporting, for pupils to join.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Although the school does not have a policy specifically for parents, the school’s aims and other policies show that it wants to build a strong partnership with them. The school’s links with parents are good. The school has built good relationships with the majority of parents; the headteacher and staff are happy to meet parents on the playground at either end of the school day. The school operates an ‘open door’ policy and most parents feel that the school is approachable. Many parents attend the celebration assembly held each week and the class assemblies held twice yearly.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents have a good influence on the work of the school. Many of them help in the classrooms or assist in extra-curricular activities. Four parents are enthusiastic governors and they have a good knowledge of the school. A vacancy for a fifth parent governor has proved difficult to fill. The Friends of Redland School raise significant funds by involving the parents and other members of the community in a variety of events. They have contributed well to pupils’ development by funding theatre groups, buying equipment for information control technology and supporting the ‘Funky Friends’. They have also helped pupils in ‘arts week’ to produce T-shirts with personal designs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The quality of information for parents is satisfactory overall. The prospectus and annual governors’ report to parents conform to statutory guidelines and are documents of good quality. The school’s website is colourful and represents the personality of the school well. However, there are not enough notice boards for parents. Parents cannot easily find out what is being taught in class, and it would help if they had easy access to a display of policies. Written communications to parents, including the monthly newsletter, respect the role of parents and are effective in letting them know what is going on in the school. Annual reports have positive features; they let parents know their children’s abilities and their performance in core subjects. Information on progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science is, however, insufficient and impersonal. Reports contain too little reference to performance against targets and do not specify new targets. Reports

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

seek the views of parents, and pupils are encouraged to contribute their thoughts as well. Parents have good access to pupils’ records of educational achievement at the end of each term.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Parents make a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ learning at home and at school. Many parents sign the home-school agreement and most parents support the school well by improving the attendance and punctuality of their children. They have a satisfactory view of homework through homework diaries, and most help their children. They have been given sufficient time to discuss their children’s progress at information evenings. Parents of children entering the Reception classes or transferring from other schools are given good induction information and this helps them and their children to settle quickly into the day-to-day routines of the new school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. There has been very good improvement in the leadership and management of the school since the last inspection. There is clear commitment from the headteacher, governors and staff to continuous improvement that drives the school forward rigorously. The headteacher provides very good educational direction. Together with the conscientious deputy headteacher, he motivates teachers very well to work together in teams. Initiatives are kept on course and are not allowed to drift or lose impact. The senior management team and subject managers ensure that agreed strategies for teaching and learning are followed and that there is frequent monitoring of pupils’ progress. Clear goals are set for teachers and pupils; the headteacher has high expectations of himself, his staff and the pupils. Whilst recognising the importance of high academic standards, the headteacher, governors and staff also place a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. All pupils,

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Redlands Primary School - 22 regardless of social background, race or learning difficulties, are fully included in all aspects of school life. Pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language are welcomed, supported and integrated so that they perform as well as their peers. Girls and boys work and play together harmoniously; the inspectors noted that they achieve equally in lessons. The school’s aims are evident in its daily life and there is a clear sense of vision among governors and staff. There is an atmosphere within the school of mutual respect, understanding and high expectations.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage (the Reception classes) is very good, with some excellent features. Consequently, here has been a big improvement in provision since the last inspection. The manager for this stage of education identifies priorities very well, sets targets for improvement and monitors and reviews progress very effectively. Particular strengths are in the manager’s analytical overview of the curriculum and the ways in which she has developed partnership teaching and, therefore, consistency of approach between the two classes.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school tracks each pupil’s progress and monitor how groups of pupils are performing. As a result of this, the school has recognised that pupils who join the school late (later than the normal time of admission in the Reception classes) do not do as well as those whose education is solely at Redlands. There are a number of initiatives in hand to remedy this, including more regular monitoring of these pupils’ progress and more clearly focused support for them. However, the school recognises that the process needs to be stepped up to give identified pupils stronger and more consistent support if they are to achieve at least expected standards in English and mathematics.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The governors support the headteacher and staff wholeheartedly and all work very well together. Governors monitor the curriculum well to ensure that statutory requirements are met. The curriculum throughout the school is well balanced, richly enhanced with interesting activities and relevant. Monitoring by subject managers has been very helpful in English and mathematics. It has supported the successful introduction of the literacy hour and the daily mathematics lessons so that pupils benefit from new ways of teaching and learning. There is a rolling programme of monitoring for all subjects, so that teachers are supported when there need to be improvements, and good practice is shared.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school development plan enables the school to build on its successes and shows a continuous, well-organised programme for improvement. It clearly directs the attention of governors and staff to those areas that require focused attention to help pupils to achieve higher academic standards. The plan includes issues such as the teaching and learning of writing and ICT and the targeting of higher- attaining pupils to help them to achieve more. The latter initiative has been successful in Year 2, where a greater proportion of pupils than in previous years now perform at a higher level than expected nationally for their age. There has been less success by the end of Year 6, but the school is on a well-directed path to do better next year. Targets set with the local education authority for results in the national tests for Year 6 were ambitious for 2003 and are not likely to be met in English, but pupils are on course to meet the targets set for mathematics.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Subject managers are accountable to the governors for improvements agreed for inclusion in the school development plan, and all teachers are now included in the well-embedded process of performance management. There is excellent support for teachers new to the school who are well advised and supported so that they quickly integrate into the school’s ways of teaching.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. A significant feature of the governors’ effective management of the school is their successful appointment of a team of talented teachers. There is a good number of teachers and classroom assistants for the proper teaching of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage, the National Curriculum and religious education. After a number of changes of teachers over the past two years, staffing is now settled and the teachers’ skills are well matched to the pupils’ needs.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The management of provision for pupils who have special educational needs is well organised, with an increasing amount of monitoring. The school’s co-ordinator for special educational needs meets regularly with the support staff and provides relevant training for them. More closely monitored work including reading and writing is in hand for pupils who need extra help when they join the school Redlands Primary School - 23 late. There are good links with specialist services outside the school who offer advice and practical help where needed.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The well-organised system of school self-evaluation helps the headteacher and governors to set out a clear pattern of review linked to the school’s finances. They then consider whether the best value has been obtained from the way money has been spent. Strategic planning is of good quality, as governors look ahead to probable and possible developments in the next few years. They consider the predicted number of pupils who will be joining the school and anticipate the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

income which the school is likely to receive. They then look at the implications, such as the required number of teachers and support staff and the availability of learning resources and accommodation.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Financial planning is good. The school maximises on the skills of the headteacher, the governors and the school administrative staff. There is regular professional advice from the local education authority so that governors have up-to-date information on how the school’s budget is being spent. Each heading in the budget is discussed regularly and there are clear plans for any funds carried forward from year to year. Minor recommendations in the last auditor’s report were dealt with effectively. Possibilities for extra funding are well researched. The school’s administrative staff are effective and efficient so that day-to-day business is managed well and teachers are not disturbed during lessons. ICT is used effectively to support the keeping of general school information, financial records, curricular planning and records of pupils’ progress.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Overall, there are enough resources to teach all subjects of the National Curriculum. Resources are good in the reception classes and in history, art and design, music and physical education. Staff make good use of them to support pupils’ learning, and pupils use them sensibly. The stock of books is of good quality because of the policy of regularly discarding out-of-date and damaged items. Under the management of an enthusiastic librarian, the library is an excellent resource for all pupils.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school is bright and welcoming. The school has enough accommodation to teach the National Curriculum. The classrooms are light and airy and the hall, computer suite and library are good supporting facilities. The ambience of the school is greatly enhanced both by high quality displays, and cleaning of a high standard done by an energetic caretaker and her staff. External facilities are satisfactory, with a pleasant field and sufficient hard playground areas. The school has access to a field within walking distance of the school but this has no changing or toilet facilities. There are not enough toilets for the number of pupils, and the school does not have a dedicated medical room, so that pupils who are feeling ill have to wait in a main access corridor. The headteacher and governors are constantly seeking extra funds to enhance the accommodation further. A plan is in hand for the building of a specific area for the teaching of music and drama and the extension of the

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. With average funding per pupil, this is now a well-managed school where pupils achieve well and behave very well because of the high quality of the teaching, the exciting curriculum and the very good leadership of the headteacher and key staff. Bearing these features in mind, the school provides good value for money.

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

63. In order to improve the school further, the governors and staff should:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) * Improve standards in writing by the end of Year 6 by:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Providing more opportunities for pupils to write in subjects other than English • Providing a greater range of writing activities during lessons • Ensuring that all pupils complete the written tasks which are set in lessons Redlands Primary School - 24 • Providing more challenge for higher-attaining pupils in English (Paragraphs 81, 82, 96, 139)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) *Provide more challenge for higher-attaining pupils in science by

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Giving them more opportunities to record and present findings • Raising the expectation of the writing they produce in lessons (Paragraph 96) Redlands Primary School - 25 (3) *Further develop provision for pupils who join the school later than the usual time of admission in the Reception classes by monitoring their progress more closely and ensuring that they get appropriate support to achieve as well as possible (Paragraphs 40, 53)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

*These issues have been identified and are being dealt with by the school

p.25

The governors should also consider the following for inclusion in the action plan:

• The provision of more toilets ( Paragraph 61) • Improved provision for first aid (Paragraph 36) Redlands Primary School - 26

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 44

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 289

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 52

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 113

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 18

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

p.26

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 1.5

p.26

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Redlands Primary School - 27

p.26

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 22 20 42

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.27

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

Boys 17 17 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 18 17 16

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (84) 81 (80) 83 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 18 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 16 15

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (84) 81 (96) 79 (84) 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 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 22 27 49

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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 13 15 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 18 21

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

Percentage of pupils School 63 (70) 67 (64) 84 (89) 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 13 15 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19 20 21

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

Percentage of pupils School 65 (64) 71 (66) 80 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Redlands Primary School - 28

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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 0 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 1 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) 12.9 Financial year 2001/02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 656,239

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 664,006

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 243 Expenditure per pupil 2,156

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 28,748

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 20,981 Redlands Primary School - 29

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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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) 0

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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. Redlands Primary School - 30

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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. 49 43 6 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 30 59 9 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 25 55 10 8 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 50 15 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 28 5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 36 4 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 37 48 13 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 56 42 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 41 50 4 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 34 48 9 3 6 Redlands Primary School - 31

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Since the last inspection, there has been very good improvement in teaching and curricular provision for children in the Reception classes. Children are now very well taught in a welcoming environment and provided with an imaginative, interesting and relevant curriculum. The teaching overall is now very good, and some excellent lessons were seen during the inspection. The staff work very well together as a team, and classroom assistants play a significant role in the teaching of groups of children. Equal opportunities are promoted through a range of carefully directed and self-chosen activities for all children to develop academically and socially. The manager for the Foundation Stage of education (children in Nursery and Reception classes) provides very good leadership. When children start school at the beginning of the Reception year, their skills and knowledge vary widely, and a significant number of children do not have the language skills

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

expected for their age. They achieve well and soon catch up because of the very good teaching. By the time they join Year 1, children exceed the expected levels for their age in mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. A significant proportion of children exceed the levels expected in speaking and listening and reading. Overall standards in communication, language and literacy, personal, social and emotional development and physical development are in line with those expected by the end of the Reception year. Higher- attaining children are challenged well, and children with special education needs are well supported. Children who speak English as an additional language receive sensitive and well-focused support. As a result, all pupils achieve well, enjoy school and get a very good start to their education.

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Personal, social and emotional development

65. Children make very good progress in this area of learning due to the very good teaching, the very positive way in which they are welcomed to school each day, and the consistency of approach used to help them to become confident learners. By the end of the Reception year, children achieve the expected goals for this aspect of the curriculum. The classrooms are arranged so that children select resources independently from a very attractive range. They have regular opportunities to choose activities and are responsible for putting away the equipment. There are many well-planned opportunities for children from both classes to play and learn together; for example, when they share the ‘garden centre’ and take part in the ‘umbrella activities’ that develop their reliance on each other. Activities for small groups, led by teachers or classroom assistants, help children to develop their social skills, especially in taking turns and listening to each other.

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Personal, social and emotional development

66. Children work very well both in small groups and independently. Great care is taken to include all of them in lessons, and in the wide range of visits. All staff develop good relationships with the children and make sure that children know and understand the acceptable standards of behaviour. They use praise when it is deserved and ensure that children know how their behaviour can be improved. As a result, children respond very positively because they enjoy learning and because of the consistency of approach. Children are involved in school assemblies and, from a very early stage, know that they are part of a larger school community. They receive awards for achievement and effort and begin to understand some of the different customs and religious practices of children from different faiths.

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Personal, social and emotional development

67. The manager has developed an excellent recording system that is used throughout the Foundation Stage for monitoring the levels of children’s social and personal interaction. In this way teachers are able to find out whether children observe, play with one specific friend or work and play confidently in different groups. This information is used to guide the levels of support and encouragement and ensures that no child consistently works alone, not benefiting from shared activities. Redlands Primary School - 32

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Communication, language and literacy

68. Most children progress well and achieve the goals set in this aspect of learning by the end of the Reception year. Higher-attaining children exceed the Early Learning Goals and are already working within the National Curriculum. Most of the other children exceed the expected levels in speaking and listening and in reading. Standards are not as high in writing because standards on entry were below those expected for four-year-olds. Lower-attaining children and those with special educational needs have not yet reached the Early Learning Goals in reading, writing and some aspects of speaking and listening.

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Communication, language and literacy

69. The majority of children enjoy books. They handle them carefully and read well. Most children listen conscientiously to stories, understand the sequence of a story and appreciate humour. They read sentences accurately and use a wide range of reading skills. Higher-attaining children read simple texts confidently and fluently, express opinions about books and are confident when attempting unfamiliar words. They read with very good expression and bring stories to life; they read fiction and poetry books and begin to look for information in non-fiction books. The teaching of reading is excellent; teachers match the range of books very well to children’s abilities and record the small stages of development in rigorous detail. The lower-attaining children, including those with special educational needs, read a small number of familiar words accurately and begin to use knowledge of sounds to help them to pronounce unfamiliar words. The higher-attaining and

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Communication, language and literacy

average-attaining children benefit from the excellent provision for the home-school reading partnership. All parents are regularly encouraged to listen to their children reading at home and the majority of children benefit from the very high level of parental involvement. However, a significant number of children, especially in the lower-attaining groups, do not benefit from consistent, regular reading at home.

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Communication, language and literacy

70. Children have made very good progress in writing over the year. They have progressed very well in their ability to form letters and hold pencils with an accurate grip. Handwriting of the higher- attaining children is good. Their letters are well formed, legible and consistent in size. Many of them write independently and for a wide range of purposes. The average-attaining children hold pencils accurately and their writing is satisfactory in most respects but they do not write as independently as the higher-attaining children. A significant number of lower-attaining children do not always form letters correctly, even when copying from teachers’ examples.

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Mathematical Development

71. By the end of the Reception year, children achieve very well and exceed the levels in this area of learning because of the many well-planned opportunities for them to learn about number, shape and pattern and to use ICT. They apply their skills, not only in the mathematics lessons, but also to other areas of the curriculum, such as knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development. The majority of children count from zero to 100, and during the lessons, counted speedily from zero to 30 and back. Most children know many addition and subtraction facts to ten, the higher-attaining children extend this to 20. They recognise most coins and the majority of children know how to give change. They understand the fractional parts, halves and quarters, and tell the time to the hour and half hour; higher-attaining children extend this to quarter to, and quarter past. They recognise a wide range of two- and three-dimensional shapes and straight and curved

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Mathematical Development

72. Teaching is consistently very good and the teachers know individual children’s levels of attainment and rates of progress because of the exceedingly rigorous assessment and monitoring systems developed by the manager. The very well planned activities, taught at a very brisk pace, promote very good rates of learning. Teachers and classroom assistants support pupils with special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language, very well, and there are very good challenges for higher-attaining children. The majority of children exceed the Early Learning Goals and are working within the National Curriculum.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Redlands Primary School - 33 73. The teaching and learning in this area of the curriculum is very good in all respects. As a result, children achieve well and exceed the expectations set out for their age. Teachers and classroom assistants give children a very rich variety of activities that enables them to wonder at, learn about, appreciate and value the world in which they live. During the inspection, children were involved in a wide range of activities based on the ‘garden centre’. The teachers were the garden centre owners and the children designed seed packets that showed illustrations and names of flowers and details about them. Through these activities children learned the names and purposes of most parts of flowering plants. They used a computer program to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the stages of growth of a flowering plant.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

74. Children’s learning is very well developed by the investigative approach to learning about plants, the environment, themselves and the importance of healthy lifestyles. Children use ICT for a wide range of purposes; for example, they use art, mathematics and literacy programs. They know that switches control a wide range of machines; for example, CD players, video recorders and washing machines. During the activities with plants, they understood how living things changed over time. From previous work on toys, they increased their knowledge and understanding of the differences between modern and older style toys and, therefore, how styles and hobbies change over time. After studying the local environment, they produced maps of the area and learned how to follow directions. Children have many opportunities for making models from construction kits and the teachers extend children’s knowledge of different cultures and religions through a wide range of

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Physical Development

75. The quality of teaching is very good and the available resources are used very effectively. Consequently, children make very good progress in nearly all aspects of physical development and reach the goals expected by the end of the Reception year. All children use a very wide range of movements when they create sequences of low and high shapes. They use a wide range of pushing, pulling and rolling movements as they concentrate on moving along the floor. By contrast, they jump very high using their arms for momentum and land lightly, taking care to bend their knees. They combine these movements into well planned sequences. This very good quality learning reflects the teacher’s very good personal skills, clear instructions and excellent pupil management. Children use the available space in the secluded area well when riding a variety of wheeled equipment with very good control and sense of direction. They throw balls with increasing

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Physical Development

accuracy and have good hand and eye co-ordination. Children handle construction equipment, paintbrushes and scissors with good levels of dexterity and accuracy. Children with learning or behavioural needs are given very good support and encouragement and as a result make the same levels of progress as other children in the class.

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Creative Development

76. Children achieve well and exceed the levels expected for their age by the end of the Reception year. The overall quality of teaching is very good and staff are very imaginative in the ways in which they encourage children to express their ideas and feelings. Staff ensure that the classrooms and outdoor areas are used very effectively to extend children’s creativity and speaking and listening skills. During the inspection, the children successfully took on the roles of people who were buying and selling seeds in the ‘garden centre’. They asked some relevant questions, such as ‘When will these seeds grow?’ and ‘In which month will they flower?’ All staff interact very well with the children, skilfully extending their language and stimulating their imagination. In art, children are encouraged to experiment when mixing paints; for example, when they produced very good pictures of flowers in the style of Vincent van Gogh. They mixed colours accurately to match those in the

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Creative Development

famous painting, and showed very good awareness of size and proportion when painting the stems, leaves and petals. The overall standard of painting in the Reception classes is well above that expected.

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Creative Development

77. Teachers develop children’s musical skills very well. In the music lesson observed, children sang with accurate pitch and a good feel for rhythm. They recognised changes in pitch and duration of notes. Each child created rhythms for the titles of different books, and their partners listened and Redlands Primary School - 34 repeated them accurately. They selected a wide range of instruments to interpret and give atmosphere to the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, and in this way the children very successfully combined their literacy and musical skills. Children have frequent opportunities for singing rhymes and jingles and also for singing hymns for assembly.

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ENGLISH

78. Standards are rising throughout the school but, by the end of Year 6, pupils’ overall attainment is below national expectations in English. Standards are above national expectations in speaking and listening, broadly in line with standards expected nationally in reading and below national expectations in writing. This is an improvement on standards in 2002, when pupils’ performance in English was well below average compared with all schools nationally. In speaking and listening, standards are now better than at the time of the last inspection, in reading they are not as good and in writing they are similar. By the end of Year 2, standards are in line with those expected nationally in reading and writing. In speaking and listening, handwriting and spelling, standards have improved and are now above national expectations. This is an improvement on standards attained in the 2002 tests and standards seen at the last inspection, and a greater percentage of

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ENGLISH

pupils are now exceeding the levels expected nationally for the age group. Throughout the school, pupils for whom English is an additional language make good progress and achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress in lessons, but good progress when taught by the special needs co-ordinator in groups or on a one-to-one basis.

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ENGLISH

79. In speaking and listening, pupils in Years 1 and 2 listen well to the teachers and each other. Pupils make good progress in developing their speaking skills because questioning is used well to encourage them to explain their answers or opinions. Pupils discuss their favourite stories by the author Nick Butterworth and give reasons for their preferences. They know about characters, themes and settings. Pupils listen attentively and talk confidently when working in pairs or in small groups. In a Years 3 and 4 lesson, pupils were keen to talk about what had happened in the story and made good predictions about what would happen next. By Year 6, most pupils are confident speakers and there are many opportunities for speaking and listening in other subjects. In Years 5 and 6, teachers use every opportunity to develop pupils’ skills through skilful questioning, discussion and debate. In a good lesson, pupils responded well to a role-play where one pupil

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ENGLISH

acted as the main character in the story and was questioned on her thoughts and feelings. Throughout the school, pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds contribute well to discussions. Classroom assistants regularly monitor the responses of all pupils in lessons so that teachers can ensure that all are included during question and answer sessions.

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ENGLISH

80. Standards in reading by the end of Year 2 are in line with national expectations. Higher-attaining pupils read fluently and with confidence. They use a range of approaches for working out unknown words, including sounding out letters and reading ahead. They know how to use the contents and index pages, demonstrating an appropriate knowledge of alphabetical ordering. Average and lower- attaining pupils have a good grasp of letter sounds and know how to use them to build up words. Effective teaching of letter sounds and spelling supports reading well. In one very good lesson, pupils worked on spelling patterns and the use of prefixes and were all given opportunities to read and write. They made good progress that was assessed by the teacher. Pupils read to teachers and classroom assistants and take books home on a regular basis and there are many opportunities for reading together during lessons. By Year 6, higher-attaining pupils are confidently

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ENGLISH

reading a range of challenging texts that include non-fiction books and poetry. Average-attaining readers read well, can discuss books and authors and know how to get information. Lower- attaining pupils are supported in lessons by classroom assistants so that they make steady progress. They can read some books well but still need guidance with ways to tackle unknown words in order to become fluent readers. Reading is promoted well across the curriculum. Teachers use the end of the lessons well in encouraging pupils to read out their work to the rest of the class. The role of the librarian has been important in encouraging reading, and pupils have positive attitudes throughout the school. The librarian teaches library skills effectively and pupils change books on a weekly basis. Redlands Primary School - 35 81. By the end of Year 2, writing is satisfactory overall, signifying good achievement for the majority of

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ENGLISH

pupils. More able pupils’ writing is well structured and imaginative. They use descriptive vocabulary and their punctuation, including the use of speech marks is good. Average and lower- attaining pupils can retell stories and write instructions and recipes. They use capital letters and full stops and make good attempts at spelling. There is some evidence of writing in other areas of the curriculum, but this varies between classes. This is also the case in Years 3 to 6 where opportunities for writing are not always exploited. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ writing covers a wide range including poetry, letters, stories, instructions and reports. In Years 5 and 6 pupils develop their knowledge of writing styles effectively when writing diary entries and most pupils respond well to the challenge to complete entries in the required style. Pupils with special educational needs are not sufficiently challenged when they are not asked to write enough, and

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ENGLISH

tasks are not fully completed. This is also the case in other classes where pupils of all abilities work in groups and ideas are written down by one pupil or adult. More able pupils are not always sufficiently challenged; they need consistent ‘pushing’ to move them on more quickly. The faster progress of pupils has been hindered in earlier years because of frequent changes of teachers.

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ENGLISH

82. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Where teaching is good or very good, teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the subject and high expectations of achievement. Lessons are planned effectively, considering the needs of all groups, and pupils are managed well. The teachers’ own speech provides a good role model for pupils, and staff encourage pupils to use specific vocabulary in other subjects. This attention to good speech is of great benefit to pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Skilful questioning and a brisk pace in lessons ensure the concentration and involvement of all pupils. These qualities were seen in a Years 5 and 6 lesson where pupils showed their appreciation for each other’s work and responded well to the expectations of the teacher. They were able to extend their knowledge and vocabulary and made good progress in achieving the lesson objectives. Where teaching is less effective,

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ENGLISH

although still satisfactory, tasks are not clearly matched to the needs of each group and not all pupils are sufficiently challenged. Too many pupils are passive in group work, missing good opportunities for exploring texts and organising their own written work.

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ENGLISH

83. Handwriting is taught systematically across the school and by Year 2 many pupils have learned to join their writing. By Year 6 most pupils have developed a neat cursive style. ICT is used appropriately for word processing and pupils increasingly read from CD-ROMs and the Internet as they look for information in a range of subjects. The teaching of spelling is good and often linked to homework opportunities. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is variable, but at its best is supportive and gives pupils targets for developing and improving their work. Pupils enjoy the subject because of the good teaching and curricular provision. All pupils are assessed on a regular basis, although the results of tests are not analysed sufficiently at present to inform future planning or developments. The headteacher has assembled the information that is to be discussed with all staff so that weaker areas of pupils’ performance can be tackled with increased rigour. The

p.35

ENGLISH

performance of groups of pupils is now identified, showing, for example, that pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds achieve as well as their peers.

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ENGLISH

84. The subject is very well co-ordinated by two managers who are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They set a good example through their own very good teaching. They monitor standards by observing teachers, looking at planning and organising training for all staff. Integrating pupils new to the school, especially when they have special educational needs, is challenging for staff. The school is increasingly aware that this is an area where improved provision is necessary.

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ENGLISH

85. Resources are satisfactory and the need for more challenging texts for pupils in Years 3 to 6 has been identified. The library is very well stocked and attractively organised, and there is a very good range of fiction and non-fiction. The books reflect the multicultural make-up of contemporary Britain, so that pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds enjoy reading and know that their cultures are valued. The curriculum is enhanced by visits from theatre groups, World Book Day, ‘book swaps’ and liaison with the local library. Book weeks, involving input from authors and poets, are planned for future development. This broad and stimulating provision contributes significantly to the pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. Redlands Primary School - 36

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MATHEMATICS

86. The teaching and learning of mathematics are a particularly successful area of the school’s work. There has been very good improvement in standards, the quality of teaching and the leadership and management of mathematics since the last inspection. Mathematics is a rapidly improving subject across the school, especially with the greater emphasis on investigative work in all classes. By the end of Year 6, most pupils now achieve well and attain in line with national expectations, with an increased number of pupils exceeding expectations. This is an improvement on the school’s performance in the 2002 national tests, when results were below the national average. Standards in Year 2 have also improved since last year, when they were in line with the national average. Standards are now above national expectations. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good

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MATHEMATICS

progress across the school because the planning matches their abilities, and they are very well supported by classroom assistants. Higher-attaining and gifted and talented pupils achieve well and make very good progress because of the high level of challenge in most lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

87. The high standards in Year 2 are reflected in pupils’ knowledge and understanding of place value to over a thousand, their very good mental recall of multiplication tables and their ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers mentally and three-digit numbers on paper. Pupils apply their number skills very effectively to all aspects of measurement. They classify a wide range of two- and three- dimensional shapes using a range of properties including symmetry. During the inspection, pupils used ICT to produce graphs from data they had previously collected. They interpreted the information accurately and justified their findings. Throughout Years 1 and 2, pupils are very confident mathematicians who rise to the interesting challenges set by the teachers, try different approaches when solving problems and show high levels of mathematical thinking. Pupils solve problems involving money, time, measurement and fractions. Achievement is good, considering

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MATHEMATICS

pupils’ below average standards on entry to the Reception classes.

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MATHEMATICS

88. By Year 6, pupils make very good progress in using a wide range of methods for problem solving and in conducting investigations of various aspects of mathematics. Pupils make notably good progress in plotting co-ordinates, in using positive and negative numbers and in extending their knowledge by constructing shapes in each of the quadrants. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 used what they knew of the angle properties of triangles and quadrilaterals to find angles of more complex shapes. The majority of pupils have a very good understanding of the equivalence of fractions, decimals and percentages and apply their knowledge when solving challenging problems. Pupils enjoy mathematics and show a show a strong sense of curiosity and determination as they tackle problems. Because of their good mental skills in all aspects of mathematics, they are confident in applying a variety of different strategies for solving mental problems. In their written work, pupils

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MATHEMATICS

present results in very well organised ways; they justify their reasoning and manipulate numbers easily and confidently.

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MATHEMATICS

89. Pupils show tremendous enthusiasm for mathematics, especially when there are opportunities for practical work and investigations. They have exceedingly high levels of motivation and are very well behaved. Pupils’ relationships with each other and their teachers are very good. They are confident when applying their skills to other subjects, such as geography and science. The effective use of numeracy throughout the curriculum enhances pupils’ understanding of the importance of number in everyday life, and gives them opportunities to apply and extend their knowledge. The school has very successfully and rigorously introduced the National Numeracy Strategy. This is reflected in the wide variety of methods chosen by pupils for calculations involving large numbers. They look for ‘shortcuts’ that help them to solve problems quickly; for example, they recognise patterns in numbers and shapes, estimate to the nearest ten or 100 and identify doubles or near doubles. As

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MATHEMATICS

they face knotty problems, they choose from a wide range of mathematical processes when multiplying and dividing, and explain and justify their reasoning. Mathematical language has been very well developed and taught, and it enriches pupils’ understanding and confidence in problem solving. ICT is incorporated well into the teachers’ planning, so that pupils solve puzzles, makes charts, graphs and geometric patterns. Redlands Primary School - 37 90. The overall quality of teaching is very good and there was no unsatisfactory teaching during the inspection. There are strengths in all aspects of teaching. Teachers have very secure knowledge and understanding. This is reflected in clear explanations and very good teaching of basic and advanced skills that contribute to pupils’ very good levels of understanding. Lessons are very well paced, challenging and maintain pupils’ interest. The well-planned work for groups of pupils within

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MATHEMATICS

lessons and when pupils of similar abilities from Years 5 and 6 are taught together contribute to the high level of challenge for all pupils. Sufficient time is given for revision of earlier learning and as a result pupils consolidate their learning very well. Teachers question pupils effectively when assessing their understanding and challenging their thinking. Teachers’ expectations of what is to be learnt are always shared with pupils and checked at the end of lessons. Consequently, pupils know how well they have achieved. Homework is set at a challenging level, extending what has been done in class. The high quality of support given by classroom assistants, including those who support pupils with special educational needs, contributes positively to pupils’ achievements. The assistants are closely involved in the planning of lessons and take responsibility for the learning of groups of pupils. Where the teaching was judged to be excellent during the inspection, it was

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MATHEMATICS

exemplified by very high expectations and robust challenge, together with excellent organisation and management. These qualities contributed to the excellent gains in new learning in the lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

91. The very good leadership and management by the subject manager have driven up standards and raised the profile of mathematics in the school. Her effective monitoring of teaching and planning and her influence in establishing a very good range of assessment procedures gives the school secure evidence on which to build improvements. Target setting is well founded on clear information about each pupil. Daily planning and curricular changes are based on sound analysis of monitoring and assessments, and the school is constantly seeking ways of improving the teaching and learning.

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SCIENCE

92. The school has made good progress since the last inspection. A key issue - to improve investigative work - has been robustly addressed; this is now a strong feature in the school and in this respect progress has been very good. Much of the change has come about over the last two years and the school is now very well placed to continue this improvement.

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SCIENCE

93. By the end of Year 6, attainment seen at the inspection is broadly in line with national expectations, but not enough pupils reach higher levels of attainment. Significantly, written work is not always a true reflection of what pupils know or understand. Discussions in lessons generally show a higher level of attainment than that shown on paper. Pupils have a good grasp of scientific enquiry. They plan experimental work, collect and consider results and know the importance of observation and measurement. The more able pupils in Year 6 can discuss experimental error, and what can be done to reduce it. Overall, pupils in Year 6 have a satisfactory understanding of life processes. They learn about, and can write and talk about, the functions of the heart and lungs and the importance of a healthy diet. Their understanding of electricity and of forces is less secure, even that of the higher-attaining pupils. Teachers’ expectations of the quality and quantity of pupils

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SCIENCE

writing need to be higher. This is particularly so for the more able pupils.

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SCIENCE

94. In 2002, teachers’ assessments of the attainment of pupils in Year 2 indicated that standards were low in comparison to the national average. There has been significant improvement, and pupils’ attainment is now broadly in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2, with a significant proportion of pupils now achieving at the higher level. Through investigation and discussion, pupils gain a satisfactory range of knowledge and skills for their age. They know about differences in materials, are aware of the forces of push and pull, know that living things need food for growth and see that shadows are made by casting light on objects. Teachers make learning fun so that pupils look forward to lessons and are interested in science.

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SCIENCE

95. Overall, pupils with special education needs make satisfactory progress. Progress is better when they have the direct support of the teacher or of a teaching assistant. They work with confidence during practical sessions and participate well in discussions. During the inspection, no significant Redlands Primary School - 38 difference in the performance of boys and girls was noted. There are some particular strengths in pupils’ understanding. Pupils use first-hand experiences to answer scientific questions, thinking about what they will do, and then making and recording their observations. In the classroom, boys and girls are equally involved, keen to share their understanding and to participate. The weaknesses are clear from looking at the pupils’ work. Overall, writing in the subject is not good enough. Too many worksheets are used and this reduces the opportunities for pupils to write at

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SCIENCE

length or in a particular style. The drawing of graphs is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, but needs to be further developed higher up the school, particularly by higher-attaining pupils.

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SCIENCE

96. Teaching is good throughout the school. It is both creative and refreshing. Overall, teachers have a thorough understanding of learning in science. They offer pupils many opportunities to handle and to use equipment; for example, when pupils tested reflective surfaces they had ample time to explore and develop their understanding and record their observations. In Years 1 and 2, pupils’ learning in a lesson on materials was enhanced by the use of a microscope to study fibres in materials. A classroom assistant worked patiently with groups of pupils, whose curiosity was stimulated as they peered through the lens. Drama is used well to develop ideas about predators and prey. Class discussions are always very well managed, with an inclusive approach for all pupils. Teachers ensure that all ideas are respected and valued. During the inspection there were very few occasions when the behaviour of pupils had to be corrected. Generally a look or quiet

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SCIENCE

word from the teacher was enough to gain pupils’ concentration. As a direct result of this good teaching, pupils have very positive attitudes to the subject and look forward to the next lesson.

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SCIENCE

97. Occasionally, pupils do not have the prior knowledge expected by the teacher, and this slows down learning. Also, teachers do not always make it sufficiently clear what they expect to be achieved within the time given. When they do, pupils achieve well; for example, when a group of higher- attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2 explored how paper is made. Their learning was well supported by a clear introduction by the teacher, good questioning and clarity about what the pupils were expected to achieve – in this case a presentation to the rest of the class. ICT was used very effectively as pupils searched for information on the Internet. Other pupils used reference skills acquired in English lessons to find information in books. The resulting presentation was of high quality.

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SCIENCE

98. There are well-annotated curricular plans. These are a strength because opportunities for using ICT and investigative science have been well threaded through the units. These have been produced over the last two years. A whole day was recently given over to develop the pupils’ ideas about sound and light. This was very successful. Teachers mark work and often give praise encouraging pupils to do well. On some occasions, the learning is noted with a specific comment about an idea that has been understood. This provides pupils with information about how well they are getting on. Developmental points explaining what needs to be done to improve are not yet used well enough to track improvement week-by-week.

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SCIENCE

99. Leadership of the subject is now having a positive impact on attainment in the school. The school has worked effectively with external advisers over the last two years to identify weaknesses and make changes. This has been successful. The subject manager has identified three areas for further development, scientific enquiry, the use of ICT and the development of monitoring of teaching in the classroom. The school’s capacity to improve the quality of provision in science is very good.

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ART AND DESIGN

100. Standards have improved since the last inspection. In Year 2 and Year 6, pupils’ attainment is now above national expectations. Although little teaching was seen, evidence from pupils’ work demonstrates that they have benefited from good teaching and progressed well.

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ART AND DESIGN

101. In Years 1 and 2, pupils become increasingly skilled in using a wide range of techniques and materials including pencils, crayons, charcoal, paints and fabrics. Their observational drawings and work on pattern become more detailed as they grow older. Pupils are encouraged to observe carefully before they do very good detailed drawings of faces. By the time they reach Year 2, pupils Redlands Primary School - 39 draw well-observed, detailed pictures; for example, when they sketched flowers in a science lesson. Pupils benefit from teachers’ encouragement to explore texture, colour and line. A significant feature of pupils’ work is the way it links very well with other subjects. In religious education, pupils learnt about the Hindu festival of Holi. They then created beautiful, vibrant pictures of the story, using oil pastels on black paper. The same artistic technique was use to draw bright, arresting

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ART AND DESIGN

pictures of the Great Fire of London, which had been studied in history. Amusing spotted patterns, made with finger prints, were used by teachers to extend pupils’ vocabulary, and the display is labelled with words such as ‘spiral’, ‘horizontal’, ‘cross’, ‘star’ and ‘arch’.

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ART AND DESIGN

102. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ work is of good quality. Work with textiles is particularly good. Working with a visiting artist, pupils made beautiful African patterns on material, using a simple batik technique. During the inspection, an artist worked with pupils making simply constructed masks that are to be decorated to add character and colour. Pupils are keen on art and design, and their enthusiasm is clear as they talk about their work. They present their work with commitment and pride, and teachers display it attractively. A very good variety of prints of work by well-known artists is displayed in the corridors and halls, providing inspiration and artistic knowledge for the pupils. Pupils with special educational needs gain self-esteem and success in a subject that does not rely on their ability to read or write. Literacy is developed well in art and design as pupils extend their vocabulary of colours, materials and techniques. Mathematical

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ART AND DESIGN

shapes and patterns are developed as pupils explore texture and design. Pupils’ competence in ICT is extended as they explore the use of shapes, lines and colours in computer drawing packages.

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ART AND DESIGN

103. Teaching is good overall. Artistic techniques are taught well so that pupils are able to express their ideas in many ways. Teachers encourage pupils to use their imagination and explore materials and colours to create interesting effects. The teaching of art and design is led well by the enthusiastic and well-informed co-ordinator, who monitors teachers’ planning and pupils’ finished work. Pupils’ work is displayed very attractively so it is given value and provides examples for other pupils. A system for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress is closely linked to the taught curriculum and supported by a detailed portfolio of annotated work. The scheme of work is based on national guidance and emphasises features, such as observational drawing, which are strong in the school. Resources are good and teachers make good use of a wide range of objects and features in the school environment for sketching.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

104. By the end of Years 2 and 6 most pupils attain standards that are broadly in line with national expectations. These are similar to those found during the last inspection. Little teaching was seen during the inspection. Judgements are therefore based on the analysis of pupils’ work and displays, pupils’ written plans and evaluations, and discussions with pupils and the subject manager. From this evidence, pupils make good progress in most aspects of the subject. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is similar to that of their peers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 made well-finished models of cars. They constructed the bases of their cars carefully with accurate corners and wheels that rotated. During a very good lesson in Years 1 and 2, pupils identified flexible and rigid joints, and related them to how parts of books are joined together and how windows open and close. Pupils concentrated well, and both boys and girls were keen to succeed with the task. They extended their work to designing a cat flap for a door. They worked very neatly and accurately, measuring skilfully and scoring card so that there were no unsightly creases. Teachers prepare work that takes pupils’ learning on at a good pace. For example, pupils’ understanding of design and technology in everyday life was developed as they designed menus to promote a healthy diet. They became more aware of how the subject links with healthy eating, which they have studied in science.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. In Years 3 to 6, pupils make good progress in focused practical tasks such as designing and ensuring that finished products reflect their designs. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 incorporated their knowledge of pneumatics into the design and construction of models of strange monsters that Redlands Primary School - 40 moved. A range of techniques was employed and there were good links with pupils’ learning in science. Evaluation of products is well promoted, and literacy is developed appropriately. In Years 5 and 6, pupils evaluated fruit bread, asking a wide variety of questions before making their own bread. Pupils are encouraged to consider the problems that they encounter and how they might be remedied, and teachers encourage pupils to suggest how they might improve their products. The practical use of products is a good feature of work in design and technology, for example, pupils in Year 6 made very well designed puppets to dramatise their production of ‘Macbeth’. The work

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

extended their skills, their understanding of materials and their analysis of the characters in the play. In addition, it added to their oral skills and cultural development. Respect for different heritages is promoted in links with other subjects; in religious education, for example, when pupils made Advent rings and when they planned a Passover meal.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. The subject manager has a very good knowledge and understanding of the requirements for the subject. The curriculum is broad and balanced and based on national guidance. There has been little staff training but some is now planned. Particular strengths in the school’s teaching of design and technology, which is good overall, are the use of numeracy in measuring activities and the incorporation of art and design into the design elements. There are many opportunities for pupils to use their scientific knowledge when they study hinges, methods of joining materials, and wheels and axles. Work for pupils who speak English as an additional language is carefully planned so that they achieve as well as their peers. The subject manager monitors teachers’ planning and pupils’ work but has not yet monitored teaching. This is anticipated in the school’s rolling programme of monitoring. At present, there is not enough use made of ICT to support learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

The satisfactory range of resources is easily accessible and well used.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. During the inspection, only two geography lessons were observed. Judgments have therefore been based on scrutiny of samples of pupils’ work, discussions with pupils in the classroom and scrutiny of work on display. By the end of Years 2 and 6, attainment is broadly in line with expectations, with strengths in geographical enquiry. Progress since the last inspection has been good.

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GEOGRAPHY

109. By the end of Year 2, pupils become increasingly aware of human and physical features in the world around them. They see how people have influenced the environment. In a good lesson in Year 2, pupils compared the town of Fareham and the nearby village of Wickham. Following a visit to Wickham, pupils compared these two places. They described ‘old’ buildings; for example, they recalled that they often have ‘bendy’ roofs with plants growing over them. Pupils have carried out an imaginative study of buildings, looking at different types of window, and taken pictures of these with a digital camera. They used the information they collected to draw charts comparing various features. Both boys and girls talked confidently about how they would like to change each place. They expressed preferences for the area they would like to live in and gave reasons why. Pupils with special educational needs made satisfactory progress in the lesson.

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GEOGRAPHY

110. By the end of Year 6, pupils develop appropriate skills in interpreting maps. They become more aware of the importance of location in understanding places. They know that being near the sea has affected the development of the area in which they live. In an interesting lesson in Year 6, pupils studied maps of Fareham to decide how they would like to see it developed. They produced imaginative and very persuasive writing expressing different views about Market Quay, a new development. They accessed aerial photographs using the Internet, and labelled them appropriately. They explained their views about environmental change and asked a range of challenging questions.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. Given the range of evidence and the interest and enthusiasm of pupils, the quality of teaching is judged to be good. Teaching is inclusive – teachers ensure that all pupils in the class are involved and have opportunities to contribute. In Years 1 and 2, pupils with special educational needs are supported well by teaching assistants, and their understanding developed appropriately through active discussion. A strength is the teachers’ very good questioning skills; for example, when younger pupils were asked to explain their preferences, one pupil answered that he would like to Redlands Primary School - 41 live in Wickham because it is ‘interesting and old’. Older pupils gained confidence in justifying choices that they had made as a result of the sensitive questioning and effective recapping on what had been learnt. The teachers strive to make the lessons relevant and interesting for the pupils.

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GEOGRAPHY

Teachers engaged pupils in role-play and this stimulated good discussion about the subject. Overall lesson planning is good, but initial information for completing tasks is not always clear enough.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. The curriculum is enhanced through visiting speakers and visits to local places; for example, the Fareham town manager came in to talk to the older pupils about the Market Quay development and proposed to return to the school to hear their ideas. Plans for units of work had been reviewed over the last two years and were undergoing further development. The current unit on ‘In The Country’ shows good development of skills and an imaginative range of activities. During an assembly the local vicar talked about a forthcoming trip to Africa and intends to set up an e-mail link with a school there.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. Leadership by the subject manager is effective; curriculum plans have been developed with the teachers and resources are available to support the work. Books, daily plans and teachers’ records have been monitored. This information has been used to develop a general view within the school about standards of attainment, but needs to be developed further so that there is a clearer understanding of strengths and weaknesses in each year group. In order to raise levels of attainment the school should develop the use of ICT, strengthen the monitoring of teaching and learning and improve the information available in the school about standards.

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HISTORY

114. By the end of Years 2 and 6, attainment is now broadly in line with national expectations, with strengths in historical enquiry. This concurs with standards reported at the time of the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress and are supported well in lessons.

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HISTORY

115. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make sound progress. They become more aware of the passage of time, showing an increasing sense of chronology. As they study homes in different periods of history, pupils distinguish between aspects of past lives and their own. They tried to imagine what home life was like a long time ago and how it is different today. They have developed good skills of historical enquiry by looking at and talking about artefacts. Both boys and girls made good observations to answer questions. They suggested the use of coal to keep an old iron hot, and suggested good reasons for it being difficult to use. In Years 3 to 6, pupils become more aware of characteristics of past periods and recognise changes within them. In Year 4, pupils explored the beliefs, attitudes and experiences of the Ancient Egyptians. They selected and linked information from a range of sources, including the Internet and a good range of books. There were some good

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HISTORY

links with other subjects; for example, when learning about what people believed happened after death, pupils made canopic jars – a link with art and design - and wrote instructions for an apprentice embalmer – a link with literacy. In Year 6, there were good links with geography as pupils studied Roman settlements and wrote imaginatively about the effect on the host country. They explored the consequences of the settlement and the changes that still affect the landscape today.

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HISTORY

116. Teaching is good and, as a result, pupils clearly enjoy the subject. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 make the subject come alive with good use of role-play; for example, when pupils dressed up as Victoria and Albert and then answered questions about what it was like in Victorian times. This made pupils think about what home life was like then. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well developed. This is due to the effective management by teachers and to the creative and imaginative lessons they prepare. The teachers used artefacts skilfully to engage and interest pupils. An enamelled chamber pot caused much curiosity. Lesson planning is very good. It links well with previous work and uses a variety of strategies that encouraged active learning in the classroom. Pupils behave well and listen carefully to the teacher and each other. Teachers use resources Redlands Primary School - 42 thoughtfully and have a good knowledge and understanding of history and they explain and question

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HISTORY

children well. This stimulates good discussion.

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HISTORY

117. The subject manager has made a major contribution to the subject over the past two years. External advice has been sought and well used. Units of work have been rewritten with good links to other subject identified. Resources have been developed well, in particular the costumes used for role-play are excellent. There are good links with the local museum and the history centre. A good range of trips helps to enliven the subject. Clear priorities have been established. These are to develop classroom monitoring, continue to develop history units of work, develop the use of the Internet for historical enquiry and use pupils’ attitudes as a key monitoring measure. There is also a need for the school to develop assessment procedures so that there is a better understanding about standards in the subject throughout the school. The capacity to improve and develop in history is very good.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

118. Since the last inspection, there has been a big improvement in standards. Attainment in ICT is now in line with national expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6. This is due to greatly improved resources and better levels of teachers’ knowledge and confidence. Pupils throughout the school, including those with special educational needs, are now making good progress through well- informed teaching and appropriate support. 119. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 open programs independently and understand technical vocabulary such as ‘space bar’, ‘mouse’, ‘click’ and ‘text’. Higher-attaining pupils correct and reorganise simple text. Pupils in Year 2 can use various icons to retrieve information and access the Internet to find information. ICT is used very effectively in art, when pupils draw pictures and make repeating patterns. There is a wide variation in pupils’ attainment. Higher-attaining pupils collect information

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

and create a range of interesting graphs about traffic surveys and favourite fruit. Lower-attaining pupils know what to do when they are asked but lack confidence and need constant support to achieve success. Good support is given by classroom assistants, and teachers monitor pupils’ progress well in lessons to ensure that they all achieve some measure of success. Standards are improving rapidly, particularly in Years 3 to 6. In Years 3 and 4, most pupils use equipment and software competently and are able to explore simulations and manipulate databases. Many pupils demonstrate good word-processing skills and know how to use many of the editing functions. They write poetry, stories and instructional text on screen. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 input data and insert graphics into text. In geography, pupils in Year 6 collected information about the weather and created attractive and informative graphs.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that ICT is being used increasingly in other subjects, but more needs to be done. In English, literacy skills are developed effectively with older pupils through the production of extended stories using word-processing. Throughout the school, pupils are developing research skills and using CD-ROMs to support their learning; for example, in history, when pupils investigate life in Ancient Egypt. The subject manager works well with teachers to identify where pupils’ acquired skills can be used to support and extend learning. Pupils are very interested in ICT. They are generally well motivated and enjoy their lessons, though a few need help and prompting. They co-operate willingly with their peers, sharing ideas and machines and trying hard to complete tasks. Most pupils persevere, concentrate and want to succeed. They show very good levels of responsibility as they fill in record sheets when they complete work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. The quality of teaching is good, reflecting the teachers' subject expertise and knowledge. As a result, most pupils gain confidence to use technical vocabulary and give reasons for choosing certain approaches and applications. In Years 5 and 6, teaching is challenging and rigorous, expectations are high and the pace is brisk. As pupils created a website giving information about their experiences at Redlands School, they took great care to choose background colours, attractively arranged boxes for text and pictures and decided on bold, arresting text for the titles. They entered into discussions and made decisions after much thought and negotiation with their partners. During such activities, teachers praise and encourage pupils’ efforts and progress, and are usually quick to notice when pupils need individual help. Redlands Primary School - 43 122. Planning has improved and helpful schemes of work based on national guidance have been

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

introduced. The school has made good use of training opportunities offered nationally by the government. The subject manager has worked with all teachers to ensure that there are consistent ways of teaching and that all staff, including classroom assistants, have a good grasp of the principal programs used in the school. There is good provision for ICT in the suite of computers and all classrooms are also equipped with machines. The range software is good because the subject co-ordinator liaises well with other subject managers to acquire appropriate programs to support pupils’ learning. The development of pupils’ skills in control and monitoring are clearly identified as an area for improvement, and work is increasingly linked with science and design and technology, where there are interesting links with these aspects of ICT. Portfolios of pupils’ work are maintained systematically to exemplify good practice. This is especially helpful for teacher who are

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MUSIC

123. Standards have improved since the last inspection and are now above national expectations by the end of Year 6. Standards remain in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2. Music now has a high profile in the school and the subject is very well managed by a gifted and enthusiastic teacher. His expertise and enthusiasm ensure that all pupils benefit from thorough teaching of all elements of music outlined in the National Curriculum. Standards in Years 1 and 2 are set to rise as these elements are increasingly included in all lessons.

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MUSIC

124. No class teaching was seen in Years 1 and 2, but pupils join enthusiastically with older pupils to sing in assemblies. Evidence from photographs, teachers’ planning and pupils’ annual reports shows that pupils have benefited from well-organised lessons which have enabled them to listen to a variety of music, create music of their own and perform for a range of audiences. They evaluate their work by listening and then work together to improve their performance. Throughout the school, pupils have opportunities to listen to and appreciate a varied range of musical styles, as music from a range of cultures and traditions are played during assemblies. For example, pupils listened to ‘Adiemus’, by Karl Jenkins to help them to gather their thoughts and settle down for collective worship.

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MUSIC

125. In Years 3 to 6, pupils make very good progress and achieve very well in lessons. In Years 3 and 4, the headteacher led a seamless lesson in which pupils were fully engaged throughout. They concentrated very well as they practised using their voices in a variety of ways, singing softly or loudly, making short or long sounds. Boys and girls sang with equal enthusiasm and attention to ‘getting it right’. The lesson included a narrative folk song that required some sustained singing in two parts and a bright, short action song, ‘A sailor went to sea, sea, sea’. Because of the high quality of the teaching, the performance of these songs was of a very good standard. Pupils with special educational needs thoroughly enjoyed the lesson because of the teacher’s constantly high expectations and the joy they experienced in hearing lovely sounds.

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MUSIC

126. High levels of concentration were also seen in a lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, taken by the subject manager. After a stimulating and well-organised introduction to the main part of the lesson, the teacher expected pupils to create short pieces of music, using the pentatonic scale and recording their work in a simple graphic form that others would be able to follow. Pupils were encouraged to evaluate their performance and improve it. Pupils’ skills for performing are well developed by the end of Year 6. A recorded performance of ‘Joseph’s Technicolour Dreamcoat’ shows how pupils sang in a variety of styles with a good sense of pitch, rhythm and dynamics. They captured the mood of each part of the story and sang with confidence and style. The soloists were assured, so that the story was conveyed clearly and there was a sense of theatre and drama.

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MUSIC

127. A large number of pupils learn to play musical instruments. Most pupils show commitment and determination as they practise at home and persist in overcoming the difficult early stages of controlling instruments. Notes in their music diaries show that these pupils persevere and win through to become confident performers. During the inspection, the school band, which includes Redlands Primary School - 44 stringed, woodwind and brass instruments, played very well indeed during an assembly. In another assembly, led by a Years 5 and 6 class, pupils played intricate and interesting Chinese music on tuned percussion instruments, having learnt about the pentatonic scale during class music lessons.

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MUSIC

128. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. It is very good for pupils in Years 3 to 6, where the headteacher and the subject manager teach all classes. Some teaching is excellent. High standards are expected and pupils respond with enthusiasm. Lessons are of a brisk pace with every moment being used effectively. The warm-up activities at the start of lessons ensure that pupils’ voices are not strained. Lessons are used very effectively not only to support pupils but also to increase the expertise of class teachers as they watch the specialist teachers. This very effective strategy is supporting non-specialist teachers well. Teachers strengthen pupils’ knowledge and understanding of key musical elements and terms by using them consistently in lessons. In Years 3 and 4, the teacher used ‘piano’ and ‘forte’ for ‘soft’ and ‘loud’. Teachers’ planning includes opportunities for pupils to use ICT for composition; this is an area which the

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MUSIC

subject manager already has in hand for improvement. Looking for information about composers or instruments on the Internet provides valuable opportunities for pupils to extend their literacy skills.

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MUSIC

129. A significant feature in the musical activities in the school is the enthusiasm of all the staff, who join in the singing and participate in action songs. Pupils benefit from having such good role models, and pupils who speak English as an additional language pick up the infectious atmosphere and soon participate equally enthusiastically. Resources for the subject are good, with an interesting variety of instruments from a range of cultures. These help pupils to make interesting noises that stimulate their imagination and widen their musical experiences. The self-

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MUSIC

esteem of pupils from ethnic minority families is raised as they see instruments from around the world used creatively. Pupils’ spiritual development is very well enhanced in music lessons and assemblies, as time is given for listening and reflection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is well above national expectations, and attainment by the end of Year 2 is above national expectations. There has been very good improvement since the previous inspection. Discussions with pupils and the subject manager show that pupils achieve high levels of success in swimming and a wide range of outdoor and strenuous activities, such as quad-biking and orienteering. Progress is very good overall, and pupils benefit from the wider range of activities available at Redlands than at most primary schools.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. The wide variety of activities reflects the school’s very strong commitment to encouraging healthy lifestyles, sporting and physical skills, and spiritual, moral and social and cultural development. In a dance lesson for Years 1 and 2, pupils moved with very high levels of agility and creativity reflecting the wide range of movements made by cats; this was performed after watching the video of the professional production, ‘Cats’. All pupils moved very imaginatively yet within the challenges set by the teacher; for example, some curled their bodies, others moved their legs up to their hands and added their own interpretations to the movements they had observed. A particular strength was their ability to work in pairs and ‘mirror’ each other’s movements. All pupils achieved very high standards in their paired and group performances, and in the quality of their evaluation of their own performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. By Year 6, pupils have refined their movements and become even more creative; for example, in one excellent dance lesson, they created sequences of very high quality based on the 60’s style of jiving. Their footwork and agility and their ability to anticipate their partners’ moves and to plan the sequences was impeccable. Standards were well above those expected. Their strenuous and imaginative performances reflect excellent attitudes, enthusiasm and teaching. Pupils achieve very well in the majority of lessons. In an athletics lesson, pupils in Years 5 and 6 were taught the techniques for passing the baton in relay races, and the importance of short and speedy runs and of positioning, very well. They improved these skills during the lesson, and developed good levels of expertise. In a games lesson for Years 3 and 4, pupils learned to bowl, bat and catch. They Redlands Primary School - 45

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

bowled underarm and over-arm very well. They positioned themselves well and, in most cases, caught the ball confidently and successfully because the skills were taught very well. Standards in swimming are high because pupils in Years 3 and 4 benefit from the regular use of the swimming pool at a naval base nearby.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. Teaching is very good. Teachers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the subject. The high standards in all aspects of physical education reflect very high expectations of the teachers, excellent planning and the very effective use of teacher demonstrations. Pupils understand the importance of using power in their arms, bending their knees, and landing lightly when jumping. They achieve very well in a wide range of ball skills with particular strengths in knowing about position, possession, marking, and passing. Pupils have excellent attitudes to physical education; in most lessons their behaviour is very good. They listen attentively and are keen to succeed. All pupils are very well included in all aspects of the subject. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good because of the high level of direct support, and the specialist equipment available. As a result these pupils achieve very well. Higher-attaining and gifted and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

talented pupils also make very good progress because of the high levels of challenge and excellent opportunities for them to excel.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. The curriculum is very well planned and enriched with many extra-curricular activities and visits. Pupils benefit from the school’s very good involvement with the local community and with places further afield; for example, the Isle of Wight. Beginning in Year 2, pupils have the opportunity to participate in three residential visits during their years at Redlands. They participate in an exceedingly wide range of physical and strenuous activities, and pupils in Year 5 and 6 take part in orienteering. Pupils who, for personal reasons, do not wish to take part in residential visits are provided with a similar range of activities in and around the school. Parents have shown tremendous admiration for the school’s success in this respect. Pupils are very enthusiastic about physical education and many of the pupils interviewed during the inspection praised the school for the wide range of activities it provided. The school’s commitment to equality of opportunity is

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

excellent. It is reflected in the emphasis it places on mixed gender activities and the successful inclusion of pupils from all ability groups, and in ensuring that all pupils who want to take part in residential visits are enabled to go.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. The subject manager provides excellent leadership and management. In the short time since her appointment she has made a significant contribution to curricular planning and to teachers’ confidence in teaching the subject well. Through discussions with teachers and through monitoring their subject planning well, she has successfully identified areas where additional guidance was needed and developed a combined programme of dance and literacy activities. As a result, teachers are more confident in teaching dance, and the subject now makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ development in literacy and drama. She has raised the profile of physical education and identified the resources and community involvement needed to develop the school’s provision further. The community makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ learning. In addition to support from the Royal Navy for swimming facilities, they benefit from coaching by professionals

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

from Southampton Football Club and Hampshire County Cricket Club. Pupils benefit from taking part in a wide range of competitions and tournaments with neighbouring schools, especially in football, netball and cricket. School-based resources are of a good quality and accommodation is good. All are extremely well organised and effectively used.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils attain standards which are in line with those expected in the locally Agreed Syllabus. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils for whom English is an additional language and those with special educational needs attain similar standards due to the support they receive from teachers and classroom assistants.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. By the end of Year 2, pupils know about special times and places and are developing an awareness of God. They learn about Christianity through the life of Jesus, Christian festivals and rites of passage such as marriage and baptism. A good lesson in Years 1 and 2 drew on pupils’ own Redlands Primary School - 46 experiences of birth as a special time when a visiting governor brought her baby into the classroom. Pupils asked good questions which furthered their understanding and the teacher extended pupils’ knowledge of Christianity on the church and baptism. Hindu stories celebrating the festivals of Holi and Diwali begin to develop pupils’ understanding of Hinduism, although there is not sufficient depth of coverage to ensure secure knowledge.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. By the end of Year 6, pupils have developed their religious understanding to a satisfactory level overall, although their knowledge is not always secure in all religions covered. In a very good Years 5 and 6 lesson pupils demonstrate their knowledge of Christian concepts and can discuss their feelings and ideas on their definition of God readily. The stimuli of music and colours encourage expressive ideas and pupils are able to encompass these in simple poems. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 develop their understanding of Christianity and Judaism and have some knowledge of Islam. They explore the differences between Christian and Jewish Harvest Festivals and the similarities and differences between Christians and Muslims. Sacred texts and the lives of religious leaders are also investigated and pupils are introduced to the concept of the way in which religion can change lives.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory and teachers have positive relationships with the pupils and mostly manage pupils’ behaviour well. Where teaching is good, pupils are interested, well motivated and keen to learn. Teaching is less effective, although still satisfactory, when the needs of the pupils are not matched to tasks or where learning opportunities are not fully developed. The coverage of the curriculum varies between classes and some pupils are not given opportunities for extended writing to develop their ideas and understanding. Links with art are used very well and pupils’ paintings and drawings are reflective.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. The school provides an appropriate curriculum for religious education in accordance with the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. The curriculum is enhanced by visits to local churches, a synagogue and mosque. The local vicar takes an assembly on a fortnightly basis and this contributes to the knowledge and understanding of the pupils in Christian teaching. The management of the subject is satisfactory and overseen at present by an enthusiastic teacher. The monitoring of standards and progress is underdeveloped. Planning is satisfactory and is linked effectively to the school’s scheme of work. Good links are made between religious education and some assemblies and this is one of the ways in which religious education contributes to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.

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