Luston Primary School

LUSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 – 3 December 2002

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LUSTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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LUSTON 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. Luston Primary School - 3 - December 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Westland View Luston Herefordshire

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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 J Millward

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1997 Luston Primary School - 4 - December 2002

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Team members

18824 J Heap Registered inspector 9327 S Vincent Lay inspector 22380 P Parrish Team inspector

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Team members

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Luston Primary School - 5 - December 2002

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 18

Luston Primary School - 6 - December 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a small primary school that serves pupils aged four to eleven years from a socially mixed background. There are signs of social deprivation. Most pupils live in the village of Luston and the surrounding area; an increasing number come from the nearby town of Leominster. The local area is rural with a large majority of private housing. With 54 boys and 59 girls on roll, the school is smaller than most of its type in England. Within this pupil population is a group of 8 Travellers. All of the pupils are white and none are learning English as an additional language. Twenty-one (19 per cent) pupils are on the register of Special Educational Needs. This is broadly average, but no pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Needs. A wide range of disabilities is represented in this register. Fourteen pupils (12 per cent) are entitled to free school meals and this is below average. The attainment of children entering the reception class is below average. Three of the five classes cater

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

for pupils from more than one age group. There has been a high level of pupil and staff movement in and out of the school in recent years. The number on roll has been consistent in recent years.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective and caring school that has areas for improvement. Its success in raising standards recently has been rewarded with two school achievement awards. Because of the good quality of teaching pupils enjoy school and their work and they relate very well to each other and adults. Particularly good relationships have been developed with the parents of Traveller children and the school ensures that all pupils benefit equally from what it provides. Overall, leadership and management are sound. Given children’s attainment on entry, the quality of teaching and the standards achieved by the 11-year-olds, the school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and achievement is good. • Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal development are good. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. • This is a caring school that caters well for all of its pupils. • Parents’ views of the school are good.

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What could be improved

• Provision and standards in information and communication technology are not good enough. • Pupils’ do not have enough skills, or opportunities, to find information for themselves. • Governors have too little impact on the direction of the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in January 1997. Since that time there has been satisfactory improvement. In relation to the key issues identified in the previous report: - schemes of work now cover all areas of the curriculum; - procedures for judging pupils’ levels of attainment and rate of achievement are now good; - the heavy managerial and teaching commitments of the headteacher have been arranged with greater balance. However, there is still scope for making better use of the strengths and expertise of governors; - the school improvement plan contains appropriate priorities and identifies important issues such as increasing the effectiveness of the Governing Body. Luston Primary School - 7 - December 2002

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

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Key

The analysis of the school’s test results must be treated with caution because of the small numbers taking tests. Because each pupil’s results contribute several percentage points to the overall score, the school’s performance can appear to vary dramatically. Over the last three years, however, a clear underlying pattern is seen of above average standards at 11, rising at the same rate as the national trend. Boys and girls do equally well. Pupils achieve well over time from their below average attainment on entry.

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Key

Results for seven-year-olds need to be treated with similar caution and for the same reasons. Again, when results are judged over the last three years, they exceed the average. Proportions of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 are well above average in writing and science, above average in reading and average in mathematics. There is no significant difference in attainment between boys and girls.

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Key

Standards of work seen during the inspection are average in the Reception Year and above average for seven and eleven year olds. Pupils achieve well, including Travellers and those with special educational needs. Standards are at the expected level for the majority of pupils, however more should be expected in information and communication technology. In fact, pupils do not have sufficient skills, knowledge and understanding to become truly independent learners. This is most noticeable in their retrieval of information through technology and the more traditional library. The school’s targets for 2003 are ambitious, but achievable.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The vast majority of pupils are enthusiastic learners who try hard.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. In almost all situations pupils behave well and responsibly. This leads to an orderly school where most pupils show maturity and reliability. There have been no exclusions recently.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good. Pupils respond well to responsibility, but greater attention needs to be given to providing them with the skills and knowledge to learn independently. Relationships are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance is in line with the national average. Luston Primary School - 8 - December 2002

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

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

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

Overall, the teaching and learning are good. Every teacher in the school produced at least some good teaching. The teaching of English and mathematics is good and the headteacher provides a good role model with his very good work in mathematics. Analysis of pupils’ work and the rate of pupils’ achievement show teaching to be effective even though many of the lessons observed were satisfactory. Teachers plan lessons well and this helps to achieve a brisk pace. Through the accurate judging of pupils’ levels of attainment, teachers match work precisely to individuals and use resources effectively. The main area for development is to challenge the highest attaining pupils and help them become more independent in their learning. However, in some of the satisfactory lessons, over- ambitious teaching led to confusion for the pupils.

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

The majority of pupils have all their needs met well. Those with special educational needs are making good progress towards the targets set for them. Across the school learning is good, and in Years 4 and 5 it is very good in mathematics. Additional literacy support for pupils having difficulties is effective.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum is generally well planned and meets the needs of pupils. However, improvements are needed in the development of skills, knowledge and understanding in information and communication technology. There is a good range of activities outside lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. There is early identification of special needs. Good individual education plans are regularly reviewed and provide good guidance for teachers. Additional literacy support is effective.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. The school provides satisfactory spiritual and cultural guidance. Teachers and other staff use assemblies, lessons and other informal times to reinforce the very good moral and social values of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. The checking of academic performance, personal development and attendance is effective.

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Aspect Comment

Partnership with parents Overall, parents’ views of the school are good, but there is unease amongst a significant number of parents about the quality of decision- making and the way that decisions are communicated. Luston Primary School - 9 - December 2002

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher and key staff provide sound leadership and management. There is a common purpose and the headteacher delegates tasks appropriately. Auditing of subjects by co-ordinators is improving and having a good impact on provision and standards in most subjects.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their legal responsibilities soundly and have a clear view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. However, their role in shaping the direction of the school is unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. There are strong procedures for the checking and tracking of pupils’ attainment and progress. The school correctly identifies areas for improvement, but the remedial measures are vague because the aims do not provide enough clarity for evaluation and action.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Specific grants are used appropriately. The school has adequate procedures and practices to ensure value for money in the buying of services and resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The approachability of staff. • The expectations the school places on pupils of hard work and achievement. • The quality of teaching. • The progress their children are making. • The range of activities provided outside lesson times. • Leadership and management. • Behaviour. • Closeness of home/school partnership.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the majority of parents’ positive views. However, the expectations placed on the highest attaining pupils could be higher, particularly in the development and use of their independent learning skills. In relation to the areas for improvement: - the range of activities outside lesson times is good, given the small number of staff; - the vast majority of pupils are well behaved and pupils feel that staff deal effectively with those pupils who do show challenging behaviour; - there are strengths and shortcomings in the leadership and management and partnership with parents. The school is aware of the shortcomings, most particularly in relation to communication with home and this has become a focus for improvement in the school improvement plan. Inspectors find that the governors do not evaluate the work of the school well enough. This is mainly because the school’s aims have not been

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

revised for some time and there are important issues that are not present, such as achieving the highest standards and developing a strong partnership with home. Luston Primary School - 10 - December 2002

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

1. In most respects standards in English, mathematics and science have been maintained since the last inspection. The vast majority of parents who returned the parents’ questionnaire are happy with the standards their children are attaining. A minority of parents who attended the meeting with inspectors are concerned that the highest attaining pupils are not achieving well, but inspection evidence does not confirm this, except in relation to the acquisition of independent learning skills.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

2. The small number of pupils aged seven and eleven makes it inappropriate to look at percentage proportions of pupils’ attainment in national tests. Because each pupil would equate to several percentage points, and would give an unclear comparison with schools where there are many more pupils. However, some guidance and analysis are possible when looking at the trends in results over the last three years. In that time, standards for seven-year-olds exceeded the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Eleven-year-olds, in the same period produced results that exceeded the national average in English, mathematics and science. Results in 2001 were broadly similar. The overall trend in these results is broadly in line with the national trend.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

In relation to work observed during the inspection:

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

3. Early judgements of children’s attainment indicate that, on average, they enter the school with attainment levels below those usually expected for this age. This is particularly the case with spoken communication. Achievement is good in the Reception Year.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

4. In English, standards throughout the school are above expectations in most aspects of reading and in writing. Standards are generally high enough, with the exception of the acquisition and use of library skills, and the standard of spelling for the average and lower attaining pupils. Speaking and listening are average by the age of seven and for most pupils this represents good achievement since starting school. Pupils read fluently and accurately and the highest attaining pupils are particularly expressive when reading aloud. All pupils in Year 6 have favourite authors and books and explain their reasons. They read with understanding and talk at length about what goes on in the book. Most pupils write maturely and younger pupils are progressing quickly. In Year 6, pupils present their written work well and give the reader a satisfying amount of detail that makes them want to read on. For example,

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

one pupil wrote: ‘It was a dark and eerie night, the moonlight flashed through the swaying branches of the trees. Shattering the midnight silence, an owl hooted in the distance.’

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

5. Standards in mathematics are above expectations. Most seven-year-olds have the expected number skills and they use them to work out number sums and simple problems. Pupils successfully estimate length and work out the perimeter of simple shapes. All pupils know a satisfactory range of two-dimensional shapes, and higher attaining pupils recognise more complex and irregular shapes. By the age of 11, skills, knowledge and understanding have continued to progress well and the higher and average attaining pupils are working above the expected level. Pupils develop a Luston Primary School - 11 - December 2002 good knowledge of the relationship between vulgar fractions, decimals and percentages. Pupils handle data skilfully, for instance, when developing frequency tables and drawing a variety of graphs. Higher attaining pupils are good at using and applying their skills to solve problems.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

6. In science, standards are above expectations and pupils achieve well. Eleven year olds set up their own experiments and use their skills, knowledge and understanding to predict, observe and record their results, as when they work out the amount of air in different soils. All pupils are comfortable describing experiments and looking for and interpreting results. Seven year olds have good opportunities to experiment and problem-solve and, generally, they make fair assumptions and comparisons when testing variables, such as what happens to bread before and after heating?

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

7. Standards in literacy are good, and writing skills are used well in other subjects. This is most evident in history and science. • Year 2 pupils write interestingly about where the Vikings came from and when they came to these shores. • Year 6 pupils produce good, long pieces of writing about the Romans. and they skilfully compare and contrast that era with the present day. • Year 2 and 6 pupils produce good descriptive writing about experiments. Standards of presentation are generally good. However, spelling lacks accuracy amongst average and lower attaining pupils. Numeracy skills are used adequately to classify, compare and measure in subjects such as science and design and technology.

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Standards in English, mathematics and science exceed expectations and

8. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their prior levels of attainment. They are given work that is carefully matched to their levels of attainment, and challenging targets are set. The clearly identified learning objectives ensure that pupils and learning support assistants have a clear understanding of the tasks set. The significant improvement in the standard of pupils’ work since September reflects their good progress. Pupils from the Traveller communities are making good progress and the visiting liaison officer and their parents appreciate this. Pupils’ levels of attainment are judged soon after arrival and they are given work that is appropriate for them, regardless of whether it is in the highest or lowest attaining groups.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

9. This whole area of pupils’ performance continues to be a strength of the school. This confirms the positive views of the parents, as they have been expressed in returned questionnaires and in their meeting with inspectors.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

10. Pupils throughout the school have a very positive attitude to learning and they like coming to school. This makes a significant contribution to their good achievement and the above average standards which they achieve. In almost all cases, pupils respond well to teaching and participate in the great majority of lessons with eagerness; they want to learn and are ready to work hard. Pupils enjoy their lessons and concentrate well.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

11. Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and all members of staff, are very good. Pupils work well together and share ideas and equipment sensibly. Pupils who are new to the school, for instance some of the Travellers, are soon made to feel very welcome and this is greatly appreciated by their parents. It is here that the vast Luston Primary School - 12 - December 2002 majority of pupils show sensitivity to the needs of others and consideration for other peoples' feelings, values and beliefs.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

12. Behaviour, both in and out of the classroom, is good. In fact the vast majority of pupils are very well behaved, but a small minority of pupils in Year 2 do not maintain the generally high standards. Pupils play well in the playground and move around the school in a very orderly manner. Most pupils show appropriate levels of respect for people and property. There have been no exclusions in recent years.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

13. Pupils’ personal development is good. They feel part of the school community and take on responsibility whenever it is offered. Older pupils, in particular, are developing independence in their learning, and use opportunities to plan their own work productively. However, this does not go far enough, particularly in relation to their acquisition of information retrieval skills, such as those associated with use of the computer and the library.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

The quality of teaching and learning is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

14. The school has undergone many changes in staffing in the years since the last inspection. Nevertheless, the quality of teaching remains good and this judgement is supported by: - ninety-five per cent of the parents who returned the inspection questionnaire; - improved results that have been rewarded with two school achievement awards; - evidence from the analysis of work that shows seven and eleven year olds learning and achieving well; - the views of the Traveller parents who feel that their children make good progress in a short period of time.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

15. During the inspection, over half the lessons were good or better; one lesson was very good and one lesson was unsatisfactory. Every teacher in the school produced some good teaching. A major support to teachers is the effective tracking of pupils' achievements. This provides significant guidance about each pupil’s targets, the setting up of groups and pupils needing additional support. This has been a recent and successful initiative.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

16. Teaching and learning are good in the Reception Year. Children settle to their tasks quickly and achieve well from the generally low starting point. Staff plan well for the range of activities that they are offering and the management of the children is good. The quality of the teamwork, teacher and learning assistant, is good. The teacher has a good knowledge and understanding of how these young children learn and this guides her effective choice of activities and the skilful deployment of resources.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

17. Overall, the teaching of English and mathematics is effective. There is clear evidence in the work of seven year olds that pupils at all levels of attainment are learning basic skills well, and that pupils’ reading and writing, and number skills and knowledge are improving quickly. The main reasons for this are: - good planning that emphasises targeted and practical support in relation to clear learning objectives; - good questioning; - effective use of resources, such as individual whiteboards in mathematics, so that teacher and assistants can check understanding and gauge progress. Luston Primary School - 13 - December 2002 18. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 builds well on the skills, knowledge and understanding gained in the earlier years. The analysis of 11 year-old-pupils’ work shows above average attainment for the time of year and this is due to: - good planning that is related to national strategies and provides clear learning

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

objectives, so that pupils know and understand the task and are challenged by the activities; - teachers manage lessons well and have high expectations of behaviour; consequently pupils are well behaved, retain their concentration and persevere; - because the judging of pupils’ levels of attainment is good, pupils build well on their prior skills, knowledge and understanding.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

19. In the very best lesson, a Year4/5 mathematics session, the above mentioned attributes were clearly present. Furthermore, the teacher established a very brisk pace and asked searching question about bar charts that pupils responded to very well. The end of lesson discussion clearly illustrated the hard work and achievements of pupils at all levels of attainment. Also, highly appropriate work with spreadsheets aided the gathering of data.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

20. Very occasionally, lessons have more shortcomings than strengths. For example, in a Year 5/6 music lesson the teacher’s lack of subject knowledge and understanding led to: - low expectations that meant pupils did not meet the learning objective of ‘singing with clear diction’; - unclear feedback to pupils on how they were doing; - slow pace of teaching and learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

21. Homework is used effectively in most classes to reinforce learning in lessons, most particularly in reading and mathematics. In classes where there have been several temporary teachers, the approach to homework has been inconsistent and parents at their meeting rightly raised this with inspectors.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

22. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs promotes their learning well and they receive appropriate class-based support. Individual education plans are well understood and teachers give sufficient attention to their implementation. Some pupils are taught away from the class for short periods, mainly to boost successfully their basic skills. For example, two Year 6 pupils who are good readers but have difficulty retaining facts were taught well because: - their shortcomings had been accurately identified; - the learning support assistant was well-briefed, so that she could ask good, searching questions; - pupils’ personal experiences were used to illustrate the vocabulary being developed; - expectations were high that the pupils will develop good independent reading skills.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

23. Provision for the moral development of pupils is a strength of the school. There is a very positive school ethos and a strong sense of community, facets that are much appreciated by the parents from the Traveller communities. Pupils are sensitive to the needs of others and there are many examples of their being supportive towards others. In one of the assemblies, pupils were asked to remember that children in other lands, such as those in Manyatta School in Africa, do not have the same opportunities as many Luston pupils have. The pupils are encouraged to help them Luston Primary School - 14 - December 2002 actively through fund-raising, and the links with the school have been established for 13 years. Very good attention is paid to the development of a good code of behaviour and this is a strong feature throughout the school. Pupils are trusted not to damage property, and attractive artefacts and displays are available for them to touch, admire

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

and use. They have a clear understanding of right and wrong and they have opportunities, mainly in personal and social education lessons, to debate moral issues at their own levels. The staff continually promote the values of honesty and respect, and therefore pupils learn to respect others and property. This process starts as soon as they arrive in the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

24. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good and also a strength of the school. The school does much to encourage the good standards of social behaviour and pupils have well-developed and good social skills. Relationships are very good and are a result of the high standards expected of all and the mutual respect that is shown by all. They talk and work with other pupils and adults confidently. The quality of playground furniture and markings encourages confidence and risk-taking. Lunchtimes and the meal itself are valuable and orderly social occasions. The school does much to encourage high standards of social behaviour through the reward system. The school has a range of awards and some of these are presented to pupils in recognition of their consideration for the needs of others. The school's staff and all adults who work with pupils provide good role models. The personal and social

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

education programme rightly covers issues such as family values, caring for others self-awareness and personal esteem.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

This is a caring school that caters well for all of its pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

25. The school continues to provide a welcoming, reassuring and positive environment within which pupils feel valued and supported. The staff are keen to do their best for their pupils and relationships within the school are very good. Pupils and parents have given direct testimony about these strong features of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

26. Teachers know their pupils well and procedures for monitoring their academic progress and personal development are good. Pupils' academic development is recorded in the individual progress records and on the school-wide tracking device. These processes have a good effect on pupils’ learning and achievement and assist teachers in the accurate matching of work to individual pupils’ needs. In addition, any welfare concerns are discussed at the regular staff meeting. The support provided by all members of the school community makes a very positive contribution to the learning environment and the standard of work the pupils are able to achieve.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

27. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are effective and most parents are confident that any incidents of inconsiderate behaviour or bullying are dealt with firmly and sympathetically. Pupils clearly understand the school rules and the associated rewards and sanctions. For example, pupils who try consistently hard look forward to receiving badges, stickers and a merit certificate.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

28. Procedures for child protection are effective. The headteacher is the named person, and he has received appropriate training recently. Members of staff know the procedures and how to make referrals, when necessary. Governors undertake twice- yearly risk assessments of the school building and the routine health and safety checks of fire fighting and physical education equipment meet statutory requirements. Advice has appropriately been sought about road safety, in the knowledge that there is a potential problem at home time. The local police constable has also been alerted and he makes periodic checks. Luston Primary School - 15 - December 2002 Parents’ views of the school are good.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

29. The majority of parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire are happy with what the school provides. This overall view is supported by the small but interested group that came to the meeting with inspectors. Although some parents raised several issues where they would like to see improvement, the overall view of the meeting is that Luston is a good school. Most of the areas causing concern can be traced back to shortcomings in communication. Inspectors would agree with this analysis and, in fact, the school has identified it as an area for improvement in the coming year. Governors have a significant part to play in this by emphasising the importance of good, regular and clear communication with parents and they should make this clear by making it an aim of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

30. The returned questionnaires make it clear that children like attending the school. Parents are pleased with the progress that their children make and they can see that this is brought about by the good teaching. Central to this view are the high expectations that are placed on their children and the approachability of staff, particularly when there is a concern about their children’s achievement. Inspectors agree with these positive views. Some parents are concerned about behaviour in the school, but the evidence gained from lesson and other observations, and from talking to pupils and staff, is that the majority of parents (81 per cent) are right to believe that behaviour is good. Equally, whilst there are shortcomings in aspects of leadership and management and the closeness of the school’s partnership with parents, overall the majority of parents are right to support the management of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

Furthermore, the majority of parents (79 per cent, with a further 10 per cent unsure) are right to be satisfied with the range of activities provided outside lesson times.

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Pupils’ attitudes and relationships are very good. Their behaviour and personal

31. The parents from the Traveller community are very pleased with the school. This is because: - their children like coming to school and they feel happy and secure; - they feel that their children are making good progress in a short period of time; - parents and children get a lot of support, both academic and pastoral; - the school is highly approachable and communicates well; - they approve of the values and attitudes being taught to all pupils, which means there is no antipathy towards them as a specific group. These views are strongly endorsed by the local authority officer who supports these communities.

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Provision and standards in information and communication technology are not good

32. The school has maintained many of the positive aspects of provision and standards in information and communication technology identified in the last report. Parents who attended the meeting with inspectors recognised the acquisition of newer computers as a recent improvement. However, provision and standards have shortcomings and the school has rightly identified these in the school improvement plan as areas for significant development.

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Provision and standards in information and communication technology are not good

33. Firstly, the use of information and communication technology throughout the curriculum is too narrow. There is evidence of word-processing, for example in Year 2 story writing and in art criticism in Year 6. Furthermore, the highest attaining pupils in Year 6 have produced some interesting and lively poetry and they have written up their findings about the effects of waves on the coastline in geography. In a Year 4/5 Luston Primary School - 16 - December 2002 mathematics lesson on data handling, a spreadsheet was used for tallying. Throughout the school there are some useful programs that support reading. However, this is too narrow and further work needs to be done in: - developing pupils’ skills in retrieving information about topics they are studying; - supporting mathematics and science investigatory work; - developing pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding of how to produce information that has words, pictures and data.

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Provision and standards in information and communication technology are not good

34. Secondly, there are too few resources in each classroom for pupils to practise new skills on a regular basis. However, the school is successfully beginning to focus on this problem through its policy of acquiring interactive whiteboards. These are beginning to be used to introduce a wider range of skills and knowledge, but they need to be supported by enough computers for pupils to use at the same time, and also by a good range of programs.

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Provision and standards in information and communication technology are not good

35. Thirdly, teachers’ skills, knowledge and understanding are being soundly developed through training and confidence is rising. This is particularly noticeable in their use of the interactive whiteboards to support teaching in a range of subjects. Nevertheless, this training ought to be broadened so that teachers comfortably introduce the use of computers into a wide range of subjects and learning opportunities. At present, many of the staff would not see the range of opportunities open to them.

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Pupils’ do not have enough skills, or opportunities, to find information for

36. In the main this relates to the retrieval and use of information, mainly through information and communication technology and the library. The school is aware of these shortcomings and has plans to make improvements. The plans relating to information and communication technology have previously been discussed. The library, at present, is underused because: - there is no set timetabling of the room for the development of skills and knowledge; - the room is used as a base for those pupils who need additional support, and this reduces the time for others to go in. The school is having a new area built that will be used for small group work and this will free the library, which is used for these purposes at the moment.

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Pupils’ do not have enough skills, or opportunities, to find information for

37. The majority of pupils in Year 6 have insufficient knowledge of basic library classifications, such as the numerical Dewey system. However, some pupils are knowledgeable about classifying by alphabetical order. Other shortcomings include a lack of knowledge about: - a book index; - key headings; - chapter headings.

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Pupils’ do not have enough skills, or opportunities, to find information for

Governors have too little impact on the direction the school is going.

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Pupils’ do not have enough skills, or opportunities, to find information for

38. The report on the previous inspection identified strengths and weaknesses in the work of the Governing Body. The governors remain supportive and committed to the school. However, the mission statement lacks clarity and there remains significant doubt about the role they play in the strategic development of the school. Luston Primary School - 17 - December 2002 39. Central to this lack of impact is the failure to review and update the school’s aims on an annual basis. Consequently, omissions make their role as evaluators and ‘critical friend’ very difficult to achieve. For instance: - there is not an aim that relates directly to achieving of the highest standards; - there is not an aim to prepare pupils for life in a multicultural society; - there is a lack of an aim to develop a high quality partnership with parents. The present list of aims is to be properly found in the school’s brochure for parents

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Pupils’ do not have enough skills, or opportunities, to find information for

and at the beginning of the school improvement plan. However, the language used is made difficult to understand by too much jargon. It is not surprising that some parents consider the quality of communication from the school to be lower than it ought to be. Furthermore, governors are unclear about the fact that the school’s forward planning is their responsibility, and they rely too heavily on the headteacher and senior staff.

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Pupils’ do not have enough skills, or opportunities, to find information for

40. These shortcomings mean that governors have difficulty in: - measuring the rate and extent of success in the initiatives undertaken; - communicating clearly to parents the forward-looking vision for the school, the successes and the shortcomings; - identifying priorities and solutions.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

To develop this effective school further, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve provision and raise attainment in information and communication technology by: - increasing the use of information and communication technology throughout the curriculum; - improving the resources, so that all pupils have their full entitlement; - developing teachers’ expertise and skills. (Paragraph: 32, 33, 34, 35)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve pupils’ independent learning skills by: - increasing their access to the library and computers; - developing their skills, knowledge and understanding of how to find and use information. (Paragraph: 36, 37)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve leadership, most particularly in respect of the governors’ influence over the direction of the school, by: - reformulating the aims of the school to make them clear, unambiguous and challenging; - evaluating the school’s performance through the detailed analysis of parents’ and pupils’ responses; - communicating the school’s vision, successes and shortcomings to parents, and modifying planning so that shortcomings are made priorities and solutions are made clear to all concerned. (Paragraph: 38, 39, 40) Luston Primary School - 18 - December 2002

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 6 50 39 6 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than five percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/a 113

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/a 14 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/a 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/a 21

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 16

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 14

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Luston Primary School - 19 - December 2002

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 6 9 15

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys NA NA NA Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls NA NA NA

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

Percentage of pupils School 87 (78) 100 (94) 93 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys NA NA NA Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls NA NA NA

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (94) 93 (89) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 3 10 13

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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 NA NA NA Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls NA NA NA

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

Percentage of pupils School 85 (73) 77 (82) 100 (100) 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 NA NA NA Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls NA NA NA

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

Percentage of pupils School 62 (59) 62 (82) 69 (73) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Luston Primary School - 20 - December 2002

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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 0 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 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.45 Financial year 2001/02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 300,827

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 276,264

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 44.35 Expenditure per pupil 2,322

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 17,564 . Luston Primary School - 21 - December 2002

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.23

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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) 0.0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Luston Primary School - 22 - December 2002

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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. 45 51 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 20 63 10 4 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 20 67 12 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 33 55 12 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 49 43 8 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. 41 53 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 22 53 16 0 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 33 43 14 8 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 37 53 6 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 49 12 0 10

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