Sundridge and Brasted Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 25 th September 2002

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ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Road Sundridge Sevenoaks Kent

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body, Sundridge & Brasted CEP School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Sir David Milman Bt

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 3

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

19227 Paul Missin Registered inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, design and technology, physical education. English as an additional language. What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9588 Tony West Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 19142 Audrey Quinnell Team inspector Science, art and design, geography. Children in the Foundation Stage. Educational inclusion, including race equality. 23434 Marie Gibbon Team inspector English, history, music, religious education. Special educational needs. How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Phoenix Educational Consultants ‘Thule’ 60 Joy Lane Whitstable Kent CT5 4LT

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Subject responsibilities 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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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Sundridge and Brasted CEP School educates boys and girls aged from four to 11 years. There are currently 87 pupils on roll, 36 boys and 51 girls. This is much smaller than most other schools of the same type. One pupil speaks English as an additional language but is not now at an early stage of language acquisition. This pupil receives some support provided by a special government grant for ethnic minority pupils. This proportion is low. Five pupils are from designated traveller families. Most other pupils are from a white ethnic background. Nineteen pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register (22 per cent). This is broadly average. Two pupils have statements of special educational need (2.2 per cent). This is above average. In the last school year, 13 pupils joined the school other than at the usual time of admission and four left at other than at the usual time of transfer. This is high. Eight pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals (nine per cent). This

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

is below average. At the time of the inspection, five boys and ten girls attended the Foundation Stage full-time. A separate pre-school playgroup shares the school site. Data from the entry to the school tests show that there is a wide variation in the quality of each intake. Broadly, when they enter the school, most children are achieving standards that are average for their age. The school was in Special Measures from 1998 to 2000. Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) have regularly monitored the school, most recently in July 2000. In 1999 – 2000, the school received an Achievement Award for the progress made. In this school year, groups are small thus making statistical comparisons and analysis of trends unreliable.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Sundridge & Brasted CEP School is an effective and improving school. The good leadership of the headteacher, the effective challenge and support provided by the governing body, and the cohesive and committed staff team enable most pupils to make good progress as they move through the school. The standards achieved in the national tests and teacher assessments for seven-year-olds in 2002 in writing, mathematics and science were excellent, and standards achieved in science across the school are above average. However, consistently high attainment in Year 6 is yet to be achieved. The current Year 6 group is achieving below average standards in English, average standards in mathematics and above average standards in science. Overall, teaching and learning are satisfactory across the school. The school is providing sound value for money.

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What the school does well

• The strong ethos of the school which seeks to value and promote the full development of each individual pupil, clearly underpins its work. It effectively encourages the good attitudes and behaviour and the very good relationships evident in the school community. • The good leadership of the headteacher, the effective support provided by the governing body and the work of the whole staff team ensure that the school is now well placed for further improvements to be made. • The effective teaching and the challenging and well-managed curriculum provided for children in the Foundation Stage enable them to make a good start to their time at school. • Pupils across the school achieve standards in science that are above those expected for their age. • The good provision for pupils with special educational needs enables them to make good progress towards their individual learning targets. • Parents have a very positive view of the school and the good links established with the parents

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What the school does well

and the local community support the school’s work well.

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What could be improved

• The standards achieved in literacy in Year 6, particularly in writing, are not high enough. There is a lack of consistency across the school in recording the progress that pupils make in reading. • The standards achieved in Year 6 in information and communication technology, history, music and religious education are too low. • Procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of teaching and learning across the school and for recording the progress that pupils make in some subjects other than English, mathematics and science are not sufficiently detailed, systematic or rigorous. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 6

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since the school was last inspected by HMI in July 2000, it has made a good overall improvement. Good progress has been made in addressing most of the key issues identified in the report. The roles and responsibilities of the special educational needs co-ordinator have been revised and now provision for these pupils is good. The leadership provided by the headteacher and the governing body has been improved and there have been important improvements in the quality of teaching across the school. The standards pupils achieve have been raised in several areas, particularly in science. However, the improvement in standards has not had a full impact across the whole curriculum or a sufficient influence on literacy in the current Year 6. Taking into consideration the good leadership of the headteacher and governing body, and the commitment of the whole staff team, the school has a good capacity for these improvements to be continued.

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STANDARDS

The very small year groups in this school make the statistical analysis of national data at this school unreliable. One pupil can represent as much as ten per cent in the national figures. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, as compared with all and similar schools, standards were above average in science and average in English. Standards in mathematics were above average as compared with all schools and well above the average in similar schools. Since 1997, as compared with the national rate of improvement, improvement in science has been well above average, in mathematics it has been broadly average, but in English it has been well below average. The school met its targets in 2002 for the number of pupils expected to reach the average Level 4 in English and mathematics. The similar targets for the expected attainment in 2003 are significantly lower. The findings of this inspection are in line with these lower predictions. Current Year 6 pupils are on course

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STANDARDS

to achieve above average standards in science, but below average standards in English, information and communication technology, religious education, history, and music. In English, insufficient opportunities are provided to develop pupils’ writing skills fully and there are shortcomings in the school’s approach to reading. In the other subjects, pupils are not taught topics to a sufficient depth for average standards to be achieved. Pupils achieve average standards in the remaining subjects. In Year 2, pupils achieve above average standards in English and science and average standards in all other subjects. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve above average standards in all areas of learning, except in their physical development where standards are average. Pupils with special educational needs, travellers’ children and the pupil with English as an additional language make good progress and achieve good standards compared with their previous attainment.

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STANDARDS

All pupils achieve soundly and make at least satisfactory progress as they move through the school. Most children are achieving average standards when they enter the school, although this varies significantly from year to year. The good provision in the Foundation Stage enables them to make good progress. This is continued into Years 1 and 2. Overall, progress is sound in Years 3 to 6, although the current Year 6 group have made good progress in several important areas.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils listen attentively, follow instructions carefully and are eager to be involved in their learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils are consistently polite, friendly and welcoming to visitors. They handle and manage resources and equipment well.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils co-operate very well with each other, share their views and opinions confidently, and value each other’s contributions. They have very good opportunities to take initiative and personal responsibility.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Attendance is well above the national average. Pupils enjoy coming to school. The good attitudes and behaviour that pupils demonstrate and the very good relationships evident in the school contribute significantly to the school’s open, friendly and welcoming ethos. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 7

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

Quality of teaching Good Satisfactory Satisfactory Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning across the school is satisfactory, with several good features. During the inspection, 25 lessons were observed. Teaching and learning were very good in two, good in 15 and satisfactory in eight. The highest proportion of good and very good teaching was observed in the Foundation Stage where all the teaching was at least good and nearly a quarter was very good. The main strengths in teaching across the school are in the positive way in which pupils are managed, the clear, focused lesson planning and teachers’ good subject knowledge. These strengths and the good response encouraged from the pupils have a good impact on the quality

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

of their learning. Most pupils settle quickly to their work, are well motivated and keen to do well and are prepared to try new concepts and skills. The teaching of mathematics, including numeracy, is good and of English, including literacy, is satisfactory. In some subjects, teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve, especially in Year 6, are too low. Other minor shortcomings are when teachers do not ensure that they have pupils’ full attention before explaining new work or giving instructions, and where the pace of the lesson drops and some pupils become inattentive. Good and very good features of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage include the warm and welcoming environment created by the teacher and her assistant and the sensitive but firm way that children are treated. Planning is carefully matched to the recommended areas of learning. Pupils with special educational needs, travellers’ children and the pupil with English as an additional

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

language are taught well. Teachers meet the needs of children in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 well and satisfactorily in Years 3 to 6.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a good range of broad, balanced and relevant learning opportunities. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are well established. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is well matched to their age and abilities. The school also provides a good range of offsite visits and visitors to the school, and a good range of extracurricular clubs which enrich the curriculum. There are shortcomings in curricular provision for information and communication technology, music and religious education.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision and support are good. Pupils’ individual learning plans identify appropriately small steps in their learning and they are regularly reviewed and revised. Pupils are supported well by the close and effective co-operation between class teachers and teaching assistants. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The pupil who has English as an additional language has been supported well, now no longer needs specific support and has full access to the National Curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is good overall. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop social awareness and responsibility, such as in the school council, the caring crew and offsite and residential visits. Provision for pupils’ moral development is good. All adults in the community successfully reinforce the school’s high expectations and encourage a caring and Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 8 responsive community. Provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory. How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils are cared for well. Procedures to ensure their protection and welfare are good. An important strength is the way in which staff know all pupils and their families well. As a result of this provision, pupils feel safe, secure and valued. Assessment procedures in mathematics

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Aspect Comment

and science are good. However, procedures for assessing achievement and recording the progress that pupils make in some other subjects are less well developed. Parents now have a very positive view of this school. Parents are provided with a good range of information about its work and they are pleased with the openness of the school to their queries and concerns. The contribution of parents and the links which the school has established with the local community support its work and contribute towards the school’s welcoming ethos, the quality of the school community and the standards that pupils achieve.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. Strengths in the headteacher’s leadership are the way in which the clear ethos of the school successfully underpins all its work, and the way in which the whole staff team is conscientious and committed to the school’s continued improvement. The headteacher is well supported by the senior teacher and other staff. The recently revised school development plan is focused on appropriate improvement issues.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Issues are discussed well in governors’ full and committee meetings. Governors use their individual skill and expertise well to support the school. The chair of governors is particularly effective in the way he encourages, supports and challenges the headteacher and other governors. The governors are now important critical friends of the school. They fulfil all their statutory duties except that a small group of pupils who are withdrawn for extra support do not receive their entitlement to an act of collective worship each day. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school makes good use of assessment data to monitor its work and has made raising standards a clear priority. Target setting in English, mathematics and science is beginning to provide clear attainment goals. Whole school procedures for monitoring teaching and learning across different subject areas are not carried out with sufficient

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Aspect Comment

rigour or regularity. The strategic use of resources Good. The school uses its resources well. Funds for special educational needs provision, especially for pupils with statements of special educational need are used well. Financial systems in the school are secure and careful attention and considered discussion go into devising and managing the annual budget. The headteacher is well supported by the school’s finance officer and the chair of the governors’ finance committee. In their discussions on school expenditure, governors seek to ensure that the school gets value for money in decisions that are made. Overall, the school’s resources and accommodation are satisfactory. Although the buildings and site are cramped, good and imaginative use has been made of what the school has. Teachers and support staff are effectively deployed and work well together to support the standards that pupils achieve and the progress they make.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The standards pupils achieve. • Children are known well by all members of the staff team. • Behaviour is now good. • The headteacher and all staff are very approachable if needed. • The school has improved significantly in recent years. • There were no significant features of the school’s work that parents would like to see improved.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The findings of the inspection confirm parents’ positive views of the school. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Most children enter the Foundation Stage at average levels of attainment although there is significant variation between different years. The children make good progress and are likely to achieve above average levels of attainment by the end of the Foundation Stage in their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, and in their creative development. They are likely to achieve average levels of attainment in their physical development. The lack of a sufficient number and range of large wheeled toys and other appropriate outdoor equipment for this age is limiting the children’s physical development. 2. Several factors make the analysis of statistical data at this school unreliable and data and trends should be used with caution. The very small year groups means that an individual pupil can represent

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

as much as ten per cent in the national figures. Variations in the ability range of different year groups can distort the school’s overall profile and make comparisons between years very difficult. In the previous year, 13 pupils joined the school other than at the usual time of admission. This is high for a small school. 3. In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2002, overall standards in reading, writing and mathematics were very high. When compared with all and similar schools, standards were among the top five per cent of schools nationally in writing and mathematics, and well above average in reading. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected levels in the teacher assessment in science was also among the top five per cent of schools nationally. Trends in achievement since 1997 have shown significant variations between years from well above to well below average. There are no significant

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

differences in the attainment of girls and boys. 4. The findings of this inspection are that the current Year 2 pupils reach above average standards in English and science and average standards in all other subjects except in physical education where there was insufficient evidence on which to make an overall judgement. These findings represent an improvement in standards in English and science since the HMI inspection in 2000 when standards were judged to have been satisfactory across Years 1 and 2. Standards have improved in English and science as a result of the increased effectiveness of teaching in these subjects and the carefully planned and managed curriculum which is followed. The judgements of this inspection are in line with the school’s own assessment of the standards currently being achieved in Year 2. 5. In the national tests for eleven-year-olds in 2002, compared with all and similar schools, standards

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

in English were average, and in science, they were above average. Standards in mathematics were above average compared with all schools and well above the average of similar schools. The progress made by the current Year 6 pupils since their tests when they were seven was very good in mathematics and science, but well below the level expected in English. High standards in science and the good progress being made in mathematics is the result of good, focused teaching and effective co- ordination of the subjects. There are no significant differences between the performance of girls and boys. The school met its targets for the percentage of pupils reaching the average Level 4 and above in English and mathematics in the national tests in 2002, and the lower ones predicted for 2003 are in line with the findings of the current inspection. 6. The findings of this inspection are that the current Year 6 pupils are reaching above average

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

standards in science, average standards in mathematics, geography, art and design and design and technology, and below average standards in English, information and communication technology, religious education, history and music. There was insufficient evidence for an overall judgement to be made about standards achieved in physical education. This judgement is similar to the findings of the most recent HMI report which also found that standards were below average by Year 6, especially in English and literacy. The initiatives in English started by the school have not yet been successful in raising overall standards, but particularly those in writing. The high standards in science and the good Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 11 progress made in mathematics are the result of good, well-planned teaching and good curriculum leadership. Standards in those subjects that are below average are the result of lack of depth in the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

units of work which are taught and because of lack of effective access to sufficient computers in information and communication technology. 7. Across the school, all pupils achieve satisfactorily and make at least sound progress. Most children achieve average standards when they enter the school, but there is significant variation between different years. Most make good overall progress in the Foundation Stage and achieve standards above those expected for their age by the end of the Reception year. The current Year 2 pupils have made good progress since entering Key Stage 1. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 make sound progress overall, and achieve satisfactorily. However, despite achieving standards which are below average in several areas, pupils in Year 6 have made significant gains in their learning in several important areas from a lower than average position when they were seven. 8. Overall, pupils with special educational needs achieve standards which are appropriate to their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

abilities and make good progress towards their targets, particularly those relating to personal and social development and behaviour. A good number of pupils require less support as they move through the school and some are removed from the special educational needs register completely. The school is justly proud of the very good progress made by one of the pupils who has a statement of special educational need. This is an indication of the good care and support by staff and pupils and also the strong productive, partnership between the school, parents and outside agencies. This judgement indicates an improvement in progress since the last inspection when it was judged that pupils with special educational needs should be making better progress. The school no longer requires the formal support of the behaviour support services. Staff regard this as a good indicator of the good progress pupils with behavioural difficulties have made.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The single pupil with English as an additional language and the traveller children attain good standards according to their previous learning. This has been achieved through the carefully targeted support they have received from teachers and outside agencies.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. Since the last inspection, pupils’ attitudes in lessons have improved and, during this inspection, in nearly three-quarters of the lessons seen, pupils’ attitudes towards their learning were good or better. Pupils listen attentively, follow instructions and settle quickly to the tasks given. They are very eager to be involved, to contribute and to learn. The great majority of them concentrate and work hard, independently and in differing group situations. However, in a few lessons a minority of pupils lost their concentration and occasional bouts of immaturity affected a small number of older boys. 11. Pupils are trusted; they are aware of right and wrong and comply with school and class rules. If any disruption does arise, members of staff handle the affair very well and limit any effects. The pupils follow the excellent role models provided by all members of staff, by being polite and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

courteous and having good relationships with everyone. They form orderly queues, wait their turn and open doors for others. No examples of any oppressive behaviour, bullying, sexism or racism were seen during the inspection and the majority of pupils understand the impact of their behaviour on others. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection. The pupils handle resources such as musical instruments, computer equipment and books very well and there were no instances of damage or graffiti seen during the inspection. 12. Pupils’ personal development and the relationships established are very good. When pupils work in groups, they share their views and opinions well and they value each other’s work. In lessons observed during the inspection, pupils worked well in a variety of different group situations. In a science lesson, pupils co-operated very well whilst examining one another’s teeth and then shared

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

ideas and comments when identifying animal skulls in the same lesson. The opportunities for them to take initiative and personal responsibility are good. The pupils willingly accept opportunities to help others, assist in preparing for lessons or tidying up afterwards. Pupils are very keen to support one another and, at break times, they join the ‘caring crew’ looking after pupils who may be upset or Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 12 lonely. The newly formed school council is providing the opportunity for pupils to be involved in the running of the school. Pupils are encouraged to undertake collections for a range of charities. 13. Children in the Foundation Stage settle into school well and enjoy coming to school. They have positive attitudes to their work and play. They are well behaved and are learning to interact well with each other. Children have a good relationship with their teacher and other adults in the school. The

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

teacher ensures that they have many good opportunities to develop their independent learning. 14. Attendance at the school is very good. For the period 2000 to 2001, attendance of 95.6 per cent was well above the national average of 93.9 per cent and unauthorised absence of 0 per cent was below the national average of 0.5 per cent. The school confirmed that for this year, the predominant causes for pupils’ authorised absences were illness, medical reasons and additional family holidays. During the inspection, a small minority of children were late for morning registration and the school is monitoring the families whose children are repeatedly late for school. The registration of pupils at the start of sessions is handled efficiently and the pupils settle down to work quickly. 15. Pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. Opportunities provided in collective worship develop pupils’ spiritual awareness. The lighting of a candle helps them to focus on what is being

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

discussed and to create a calm and special atmosphere. There is an appropriate focus on Christianity in the hymns pupils sing and in the prayers which conclude morning assembly. In some classes, pupils are given appropriate opportunities to express their own responses to religious ideas when they write their own prayers about events such as the Harvest Festival. All pupils in the school take part in church services, which celebrate the major events in the Christian calendar. Pupils have respect for what other people say and understand and respond to opportunities such as those offered in assemblies for prayer and thoughtful expression of feelings. They are beginning to show that they can respond to the feelings of others when older pupils write about the feelings of children sent abroad without their families in Victorian times. Younger pupils develop an appreciation of the natural world when they

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

write prayers to God at Harvest Festival time. Older pupils are developing their creative awareness when they write poems in response to their study of Henri Rousseau’s painting of a tiger. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 experience something of the excitement of discovery when, in the style of the archaeologist, Howard Carter they explore a sandbox in search of hidden treasure. 16. Pupils’ moral development is good. As a result of taking part in discussion about school rules, pupils understand why they are necessary and how they help them to distinguish right from wrong. Older pupils understand the importance of the school’s emphasis on respect for each person and their property when they reflect on their own actions and responses in personal and social education. Younger pupils understand the importance of being kind and helpful to others when they undertake small tasks in the classroom. Teachers respond promptly to moral issues as they arise and are

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

consistent in their reflection of the school’s ethos. This was evident in a discussion in a Year 5/6 lesson when the teacher led an impromptu discussion regarding an incident which had taken place the previous day. Through skilful questioning, the teacher guided pupils’ answers and comments to reinforce the need to treat others as they would like to be treated themselves and to tell the truth. 17. The social development of pupils is very good. Pupils appreciate the caring and supportive family ethos of the school and feel valued and recognised as individuals. This helps them to recognise their part in maintaining the values the school promotes. Representatives from each class take part in the school council and, from a young age, they begin to understand how to listen to the views and ideas of others and to think about the best decisions for themselves. They are polite when they talk to adults and generally considerate in their dealings with each other. They appreciate that they have

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

responsibilities to each other and to care for each other. Older pupils take part in the ‘caring crew’ teams which help younger or lonely pupils during lunchtime and break time. All pupils willingly undertake tasks which help the smooth running of school routines. These range from taking the register to the office to working the overhead projector and cassette player during assembly. They take care of their own property and the property of the school. Pupils also appreciate their responsibility in the wider community. They organise entertainment for the older members of the community and for the school governors and the whole school takes part in church festivals and community celebrations such as Pancake Day and the Easter Egg Hunt. Pupils’ awareness of the Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 13 wider community is also well supported by the charities which they support each term. Residential visits for pupils in Year 6 help to encourage independence and confidence.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Whilst their experiences of their own and Western European culture is good, their awareness of the multicultural society in which they live is more limited. They experience and begin to appreciate the richness of their own culture when they take part in events and celebrations in the local area. Through their studies in subjects such as geography, history and religious education, they learn about customs, traditions and beliefs which are different from their own. They extend their understanding and knowledge of the world around them when they research the traditions and customs of other countries in Western Europe on European Day and when they learn about celebrations in other cultures such as Diwali and the Chinese New Year. The school benefits and appreciates the few members of the school community who have links with other cultures and ensures that the experiences they offer are shared with pupils in the class or in the school. An

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

example of this was the project undertaken by a pupil from the Philippines who compared her school in the Philippines with her history topic of schools in Victorian times. During the World Cup tournament pupils studied the countries involved in the tournament.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

19. Across the school, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. This was similar to the judgement of the most recent HMI inspection which noted that teaching was at least satisfactory in almost all lessons seen. A key issue at the last inspection to improve the quality of teaching by focusing on outcomes and raising teachers’ expectations has only been partially successful. In the current inspection, no unsatisfactory teaching was observed, nearly three-quarters of lessons were good and almost one in ten was very good. This teaching profile was achieved very close to the beginning of a new school year and in a situation where most teachers had changed classes and year groups and were still becoming familiar with new pupils and a different curriculum. As there were no specific judgements on the quality of teaching in several subjects, no direct comment can be made on improvement since the last inspection in this report.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

20. The strengths in teaching in the current inspection and the impact which these have on pupils’ learning show how important strengths have been consolidated and extended since the last inspection. The relationships established in class and the management of most pupils are still good. The learning intended in the lesson is clearly shown in teachers’ planning and is consistently shared with pupils during the lesson. Introductions and instructions are given clearly ensuring that pupils know what is expected of them. This helps to ensure pupils’ knowledge of, and commitment to, their own learning. Improvements have been made in the quality and impact of the summing up carried out at the end of lessons. The previous report noted that concluding sessions were often too rushed not allowing sufficient time for reflection or evaluation. Lessons are now ended effectively with a useful time of repetition and consolidation. Across the school, teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

they are familiar with the recommendations of the respective Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The use of homework to support pupils’ learning is satisfactory. Teachers do not consistently ensure that some National Curriculum subjects, other than English, mathematics and science, are taught to a sufficient depth in Years 3 to 6. The effectiveness of the teaching of reading across the school is limited by the lack of agreed procedures for recording the progress that pupils make. Other shortcomings in teaching, in otherwise satisfactory lessons, are when teachers do not insist on pupils’ full attention before explaining new work, and in lessons where the pace of teaching drops and this encourages inattention and off-task behaviour. 21. The quality of teaching and learning for children in the Foundation Stage is consistently good with some very good features. Teaching of this quality means that children learn at a rate appropriate

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

to their abilities and they make good progress. The teacher and teaching assistant know the children very well as individuals and are skilled at developing warm relationships. The teacher’s planning is good and is carefully matched to the recommended Early Learning Goals, which link appropriately to the subjects of the National Curriculum. The teacher plans well for indoor and outside play. Although the outdoor area adjoining the classroom is narrow and limited in size, the teacher makes a good effort to overcome this shortcoming by planning for a set amount of time to be spent on the larger Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 14 playground each morning. However, this limits their independent learning, as they all have to go out to the large playground at the same time. The well-organised routines enable the children to become used to the pattern of the day and they respond well to the high expectations for behaviour,

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attentiveness and to follow instructions. All adults in the Foundation Stage class listen with interest to what the children have to say and, when working with them, demonstrate good skills in helping the children to develop their language for communication. A strength of the teaching in the Foundation Stage is that the teacher and the teaching assistants form a very effective team, which helps the children to learn well. 22. In Years 1 and 2, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. In the lessons observed in the inspection, teaching in over six out of ten lessons was good. The two teachers who are job sharing the Y1/2 class work well together and make positive contributions to pupils’ learning. In these year groups, teaching is good in English and science and satisfactory in all other subjects, except in physical education where there was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made. There were

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no separate judgements about the quality of teaching and learning in subjects in the last inspection but important improvements have been made in the quality of teaching since then. Teachers and pupils are now clearer about the purpose of individual activities and group work is now more carefully organised and matched to pupils’ ability. 23. A numeracy lesson to pupils in Years 1/2 showed several features of good teaching which had a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Pupils were settled well after playtime ensuring that no time was lost at the beginning of the lesson. The learning intended was shared with the pupils and they were clearly made aware of the teacher’s expectations. The focus of the lesson was to reinforce pupils’ understanding of place value and to develop their appreciation of partitioning numbers in preparation for the more formal recording of addition and multiplication work. The teacher devised an interesting

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practical demonstration involving hard boiled eggs and egg boxes to show pupils what groups of six and twelve were like. Most pupils were soon able to record the number of eggs shown by knowing the number of eggs ‘hidden’ in the egg box and counting on. This work was further developed through appropriately challenging extension and reinforcement activities which were enjoyed by the pupils. As a result, all pupils made important gains in their learning. 24. In Years 3 to 6, the quality of teaching is also satisfactory. In the 12 lessons observed during the inspection, one was very good, six were good and five were satisfactory. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. In these year groups, the quality of teaching and learning is good in science and mathematics, satisfactory in English, history, geography, art and design and design and technology, but unsatisfactory in information and communication technology, religious education, and music.

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There was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made about teaching and learning in physical education. The effective teaching in science is explained by the high profile which the subject has in the school and the very good support and encouragement provided by the co-ordinator. Across the school, teachers introduce concepts and key vocabulary well, and ensure that appropriate attention is given to fair testing and other investigative work. The careful, planned work based on the National Numeracy Strategy in mathematics and the good leadership of the co-ordinator ensure that pupils’ needs are met well. The good teaching in Years 5/6 ensure that the current Year 6 pupils are making good progress although not yet attaining national standards in their work. In information and communication technology, pupils do not have sufficient effective access to the computer suite nor to a sufficiently detailed and progressive curriculum. In history and religious education teachers have not

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developed topics to a sufficient depth for the current Year 6 pupils to achieve average standards. 25. A science lesson to pupils in Year 3/4 illustrated several further features of good, effective teaching. The focus of the lesson was on the names and functions of human teeth. The success of the lesson was based on good, clear planning and a range of interesting and challenging activities supported by well-chosen artefacts. The pupils were introduced well to the names of different teeth and as pupils bit into a banana and a carrot, they were encouraged to look at the different marks they made. They then careful and sensitively observed different teeth in their partners’ mouths. Pupils were then able to identify carnivores and herbivores from the shape of their teeth shown in photocopies of their skulls. Pupils’ ability to observe closely and to make predictions and judgements as a result of this information was developed well through this lesson.

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Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 15 26. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils well and, in the supportive, caring atmosphere which pervades the school, pupils feel recognised and valued as individuals and positive about their learning. Staff work closely together to plan, discuss and monitor pupils’ progress through both formal and informal contact. Teaching assistants are generally used effectively in all aspects of work in the classroom both in whole class sessions and in small group and individual work. Teachers organise their groupings and activities carefully to ensure that pupils have good opportunities to work alongside and with their peers and are, as a result, well involved and included in all aspects of lesson activities. Teaching assistants monitor the pupils they work with carefully and their comments and

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observations are used to plan future work for pupils which is well matched to their needs. 27. The quality of teaching and learning for the pupil with English as an additional language is good. The pupil now has a sufficient use of English to have full access to the National Curriculum. Travellers’ children are also taught well. They are also sensitively involved in all school activities. During the inspection, a parent was justifiably pleased with her children’s progress.

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28. Overall, the school provides a good range of broad, balanced and relevant learning opportunities that promote its aims well. A similar judgement was made in the school’s previous inspection. It includes all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education is taught according to the locally agreed syllabus. Statutory requirements relating to the curriculum are fully met. Total weekly teaching time meets the pupils’ needs and the time allocations are appropriate for different subjects, including pupils’ personal and social education. Appropriate schemes of work and policies are in place for all subjects. They are reviewed regularly as part of the school’s planned review cycle. The curriculum framework makes good use of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, the locally agreed syllabus and curriculum guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to establish long term and medium term plans. These and the teachers’ weekly plans are monitored

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regularly by the headteacher and subject co-ordinators. There is appropriate provision for the mixed age classes in the school and for further adaptation and refinement through teachers’ evaluations and the monitoring of subject co-ordinators. However, topics in information and communication technology, history, music and religious education are not consistently taught to a sufficient depth. 29. The National Literacy Strategy has been fully and soundly implemented. Teachers are confident in its management and have adapted it to meet the needs of pupils in the school. Literacy skills are satisfactorily developed across the curriculum. There are good opportunities in science for informative writing and for the formal recording of investigations, and in art, pupils write thoughtfully about their responses to the work of artists such as Henri Rousseau and Kandinsky. However, there are some shortcomings in the use of literacy skills across the curriculum. For example, there are limited

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opportunities in subjects such as history, geography and religious education for older pupils in Years 5 and 6 to write at length and to develop their writing skills progressively. The focus on developing the special vocabulary related to different subject areas is evident in a range of subject such as science, mathematics, art and history. It does not, however, receive consistent emphasis in all subjects to ensure that pupils are able to use them in their writing. Opportunities for older pupils to respond personally in subjects such as music, religious education and history are too limited. 30. The National Numeracy Strategy is well established and is having a good effect on the standards achieved by pupils in mathematics. Numeracy skills are developed well across a range of subjects. For example, older pupils use bar charts to review their class’s response to an author’s books; pupils learn to use a range of timelines in history and to use chronology correctly; they explore shapes and their

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symmetrical rotation in the work of artists such as Kandinsky and, in science, they record and use a range of measurements. 31. The school has a good inclusive ethos for all pupils. Pupils who have special educational needs and the pupil who speaks English as a second language are integrated very well within the school community. There is a statement for equal opportunities in all revised subject policies. The school has Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 16 a good Race Equality policy. Pupils’ personal and social development is appropriately covered within the curriculum for science, religious education and physical education programmes. However, the school has recently begun the introduction and implementation of planned units of work which follow national guidelines. The school believes these will provide a more structured approach and enable more effective monitoring of the provision. 32. The quality and range of the learning opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage are good.

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The curriculum provided takes full account of the recommended areas of learning. A strong emphasis is placed on high quality first-hand experiences. Appropriate focused teaching, linked to literacy and numeracy, is carefully planned for and introduced effectively to the children. Although the outside area is limited and lacks a covered area, the teacher overcomes these problems by good planning. She plans for the children to spend a set amount of time on the large playground each morning and in the hall each afternoon. Resources are satisfactory, but there are insufficient good quality large wheeled toys and appropriate climbing apparatus for outdoor play. 33. Curriculum provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers and support staff have a good understanding of pupils’ needs and know their pupils well. Pupils’ work is identified as clear targets on their individual learning plans. These indicate appropriately small learning steps.

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Teaching assistants have been well trained to provide focused support in literacy and numeracy and to help these pupils to develop their learning and personal skills in order to take part in school activities more effectively. 34. The curriculum offered by the school is enhanced by a good range of additional opportunities. Literacy and numeracy are effectively supported by the Additional and Early Literacy programmes and the Springboard Mathematics programme. Additional funding has in the past enabled the school to provide useful opportunities through extension classes for more able pupils in literacy and numeracy but this is not secure for the future. Booster classes are offered to pupils in Year 6 prior to their national tests. Older pupils take part in residential visits to places such as the Arethusa Activity Centre which not only extends the curriculum but also enables pupils to develop their independence

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and their social skills. The school employs an additional part time music teacher to support the music provision of the school and, in the summer, pupils’ experiences are enhanced by a ten week cricket course. Throughout the school, pupils are introduced to simple elements of other European languages such as French and German and an after school German club is offered. Events such as, World Book Day, European Day, visits from specialists such as artists, writers and musicians and visits to a good range of places such as the Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood and the Hastings Sealife Centre, extend and enhance the curriculum well. 35. The school has a good range of after school clubs and activities for all ages. These include a school choir and a range of clubs such as, recorders, art, German chess and computer. Sporting opportunities are offered in netball, athletics and football. Pupils participate in the Sevenoaks Music

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Festival, concerts at Sevenoaks School and the inter schools Kwik cricket competitions. Pupils enjoy all these opportunities and participate enthusiastically. 36. There are good links with the local community that make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning and experiences. The school values and encourages pupils and members of the community’s participation in both school and community events. This contribution is integral to the ethos of the school, which encourages pupils to feel confident in, and benefit from, the whole community. Pupils regularly visit the two parish churches with which the school is connected and the two vicars visit the school on a weekly basis to take part in assemblies. They take part in the Christmas, Easter and Harvest celebrations in the church and, at the end of the school year, there is a Leavers’ Service for those pupils who are going on to secondary school. Pupils take part in village events such as the egg

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rolling competition and the Easter egg hunt and help to decorate the church Christmas tree. Pupils’ social skills are enhanced through their organisation and entertaining of visitors such as the school governors and older members of the community. Visitors to the school include volunteer readers and older members of the community who recount childhood experiences and share interesting memorabilia. Members of the local police force, road safety officers and fire officers make a useful contribution to pupils’ personal development. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 17 37. The school has good links with schools in the local area and with the schools which pupils attend after they leave. There are appropriately close links with the pre-school provision within the school’s grounds which enable pupils to transfer smoothly from this phase to begin their school career. The school takes part in the local small schools cluster events such as sporting activities and musical

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festivals and has appreciated support from the local consortium for special educational needs and for the use of a neighbouring school’s swimming pool. The school contributes to, and benefits from, its links with Sevenoaks School, whose 6 th Form students provide tuition in recorder playing to all the pupils in Year 4. Pupils visit the school for music concerts, in which they also take part, and for theatrical performances, such as The Wind in the Willows . Pupils visit the secondary school which most pupils attend both for pre-transfer visits and for ‘taster’ days in science and sport. Staff at both schools liaise prior to transfer and ensure that relevant information is transferred appropriately. 38. Overall, the school provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Although no specific judgement was made in the school’s previous inspection in 2000, comments were positive and, from the evidence of the current inspection, the school has built effectively on this

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basis. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. School assemblies are carefully planned to encourage pupils to think about their feelings and responses and, in religious education, pupils learn about the important principles and traditions of both Christianity and other major faiths in the world. Provision for pupils’ moral development is good. All pupils in the school have been involved in the formulation of the simple rules, which form the basis of school life and the ethos of the school. This respect for others and their property is clearly reflected in discussion between all adults in the school and pupils. Right and wrong are clearly taught and, as a result, pupils have a secure awareness of the school’s expectations and a framework for their own conduct and relationships. 39. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good and is a strength of the school. The

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ethos of the school places respect for individuals as a high priority and the caring framework created by the school includes the whole school community. Very good relationships between adults and effective teamwork form a good social model for pupils and encourage pupils to work well together and to be considerate towards each other. Pupils are given very good opportunities to take on responsibility in the school community. The school council has two representatives from each class and includes the discussion of issues selected by pupils in each class. Older pupils take turns in being members of the ‘caring crew’ who help and play with younger pupils and any who might be feeling lonely or unhappy. Older pupils act as monitors and help with school assemblies and all pupils undertake the usual tasks of taking registers to the office and collecting lunch boxes. These responsibilities are undertaken willingly, are appreciated by teachers and increase self-esteem.

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40. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Opportunities for pupils to explore their own and western culture are good. Pupils take part in a good range of local festivals and celebrations and the school organises a European Day in which classes represent different European countries. In their work in art, pupils explore the work of Western artists such as Kandinsky and Rousseau and, in music, they learn about composers such as Wagner. Their awareness of their own culture in the past is well supported by visits to places such as Lullingstone Roman Villa and to Igtham Moat when they study the Tudor period. In their work in English, pupils in Year 6 have prepared and performed an adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream . However, the opportunities for pupils to learn about cultures outside Western Europe are more limited and, whilst satisfactory, do not sufficiently focus on preparing pupils to live in a multicultural society.

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41. As in the previous inspection, the provision for the care of pupils in the school is good. All members of staff show concern for the well being of pupils. The quality of information kept on each pupil is detailed and comprehensive and members of staff know pupils and their medical and personal needs well. The school is supported well by health professionals and other agencies. The school identifies and deals well with any hazards found on site and health and safety checks and inspections are regularly undertaken. The school’s health and safety policy is being re-written and administrative arrangements with health and safety are also being improved. The governors and members of staff Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 18 take their responsibilities in this area seriously and undertake regular safety checks and risk assessments. Assessments are also undertaken of all school trips in accordance with the local

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authority guidelines. 42. A member of staff has been trained to administer first aid and the school’s procedures for the care and treatment of pupils are good, despite the lack of a first aid room and few trained first aiders. Thorough precautions are in place for dealing with emergencies arising from pupils’ medical conditions and for dealing with accidents and injuries. The school’s arrangements for child protection are good. The policy and procedures follow the guidelines of the local committee for the protection of children. The headteacher is designated as the person responsible for child protection and other members of staff are regularly trained to ensure they understand the school’s arrangements and procedures. The school monitors pupils very well, especially if there is any concern about their welfare. In line with local authority guidance, police checks are undertaken on new staff and helpers.

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43. The school’s ethos, the high quality of teaching and the consistent use of positive behaviour strategies support the good behaviour seen throughout the school. The monitoring of behaviour is handled consistently well by the staff and this results in the absence of any oppressive behaviour. The school has good procedures in place for encouraging good behaviour, with staff able to use appropriate rewards or sanctions. Midday meals supervisors use the yellow and red card system as a sanction system for behaviour. Assemblies, class activities and the use of circle time are used to reinforce good behaviour. The pupils devise their own code of conduct rules; stickers are used to praise and encourage and the ‘golden chair’ is used in assemblies to reward ‘star’ pupils. The school is good at monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour and parents and carers confirm that their children feel safe in the school. Parents also confirm that there are few incidents of bullying or racism

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and that the school deals with any issues speedily and sensitively. 44. Children in the Foundation Stage are cared for well. They feel secure and are very happy to come to school. The children share good relationships with their teacher, learning support assistants and other adults in the school. Soon after children enter the Reception class they are assessed using a procedure designed specifically for this age range. The evidence from this provides a precise insight into the stage of development of each child, which enables the teacher to plan activities to meet their needs. There is good ongoing assessment of children through close observations and recording. 45. Overall, the care and support of pupils with special educational needs are good. The school has made good progress towards implementing the new stages of support as outlined by the new Code of Practice. Teachers and teaching assistants know the pupils they work with well. The supportive ethos

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of the school, which emphasises respect for all, is well reflected in the good involvement of all pupils in class and all school activities. Their contributions in lesson are valued and their achievements are given good recognition. This is particularly true of the pupils who have a statement of special educational need and ensures that these pupils develop their confidence and skills well. There are effective procedures for the identification of pupils with special educational needs which benefit from early identification in the Foundation Stage and good relationships with parents. Reviews of pupils’ progress against their targets take place regularly and appropriate records are kept of their progress. There is good liaison with a range of outside agencies. 46. The monitoring of attendance and punctuality is very good, and this strongly supports the pupils’ welfare, their learning and progress. Although the school does not make calls home on the first day of

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any unreported absence, any unauthorised absences and lateness are followed up speedily. For day- to-day recording of attendance, the school uses manual registers that comply fully with all requirements for coding and reporting attendance. The school communicates well with parents on arrangements for timekeeping and is monitoring pupils’ lateness. The educational welfare officer provides the school with good support and this is helping the school in its endeavours to maintain and improve attendance levels still further. There are incentives in place to improve pupils’ attendance and punctuality and the children appreciate the recognition of their efforts to be in school and on time. 47. The procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are also good. The teachers and support staff have good knowledge of pupils’ needs and they are working in class to improve pupils’ personal development. The personal, social, health and citizenship education

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Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 19 curriculum is being developed, based on national guidelines. The school has a policy on sex education and a policy and procedures on substance misuse. Pupils join in a range of events in the school that contribute to their personal development including raising money for charities, visits and extra- curricular activities. There are opportunities for pupils to develop independence and to use their initiative, most notably through membership of the newly formed school council. 48. Overall, procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and recording the progress they make are satisfactory. The school has a good assessment policy and marking code. Marking is consistent across the school. It is often congratulatory and has helpful comments on how pupils can improve their work in order to raise their standard of attainment. The school uses a good range of assessment procedures

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for writing, mathematics and science. It makes good use of this information to raise standards of attainment in mathematics and science. Data from the statutory end of key stage test results for pupils in Years 2 and 6 are analysed, and the information is used to inform future planning in order to raise pupils’ attainment. The school has introduced targets for individual pupils in English, mathematics and science, which are linked to National Curriculum levels. The school has initiated a clear system for tracking individual pupils’ development. Assessment procedures and the way that information is used are good for children in the Foundation Stage, special educational needs, science, mathematics and writing. Assessment procedures and the use of assessment are satisfactory for reading. However, procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and recording the progress they make in design and technology, history, music, religious education, physical education and information and

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communication technology are insufficiently developed.

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49. Parents’ views of the school are very good. The school has established good links with parents and provides good information for them. Their contribution to the school is good, as is the impact of their involvement on its work, and their contribution to pupils’ learning is satisfactory. Parents are invited to help and support the school, and attend assemblies, performances, curriculum events, briefing meetings, parents’ evenings and open afternoons. Parents are able to communicate with the school on a daily basis by seeing members of staff, by arranging appointments or by using the pupils’ comment books. The information provided for parents is good. Parents are provided with weekly newsletters and day-to-day class and school information. 50. Parents confirm that the school handles pupils’ start to the school well and appreciate the careful introduction of children entering the Foundation Stage as they begin school. Parents have

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opportunities each term to discuss children’s progress with teachers and parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept well informed of pupils’ progress. The school communicates with parents on attendance and timekeeping in writing and by telephone, and follows up unannounced absences. Parents confirm that the school is welcoming, encourages parent helpers, operates an ‘open door’ policy and that the relationships between the school and parents have improved significantly. 51. At their meeting, parents were confident that teachers would respond positively to any suggestions or complaints, as an example, football for boys had been organised by school following a comment made by a parent. A great majority of parents in their questionnaires felt that they are well informed about pupils’ progress. Annual reports are detailed, include all appropriate information, and show that teachers know their pupils well. They list pupils’ achievements, and most include examples

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of how pupils can progress. Parents confirmed that the information they receive is helpful. 52. Parents’ contribution to pupils’ learning at school and at home is satisfactory. Comments made by parents at their meeting were that homework in the school was variable. Inspection evidence confirmed that homework is not always used consistently to enhance pupils’ work. Although there were few parents in the school supporting activities during the inspection, parents are welcomed in school. They support clubs and extracurricular activities, assist school trips, operate the school library, help with the walking bus and organise fund-raising and social events through the Friends’ Association. This active organisation has raised substantial funds for the school. 53. Induction procedures for children starting school are good. Prior to starting in the Reception class, the children and their parents are invited to come into school for three afternoons. Their parents are

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Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 20 invited to a meeting to hear about what their child will experience and to receive the school’s documentation. Good relationships with parents are quickly established and parents are welcome to come into the school to help. 54. The school has good relationships with the parents of pupils with special educational needs. Parents value and appreciate the good care and support their children receive. In a small school there is close informal contact and this complements well the appropriate arrangements that are made for regular formal meetings and contact with parents. Where parents are not able to visit, the school ensures that they have clear written information to keep them aware of any changes in the provision for their children. Parents find the staff and the school easily available for contact both on a formal and informal basis.

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55. The headteacher’s leadership and management of the school are good. This is an improvement since the HMI report in 2000 when they were judged to have been sound. Several of the strengths identified in the HMI report have been maintained and consolidated. A warm and welcoming attitude pervades the school and the whole staff team is conscientious and committed to the school’s continued improvement. A significant feature of the headteacher’s leadership is the way in which she has ensured that the ethos of the school has been successfully embedded in all aspects of its work. She has done this very well. The mission statement, through which the school recognises the importance of caring for each pupil in a Christian atmosphere, is prominently displayed around the school. It is a part of each subject policy document and underpins the school improvement plan. More importantly, the ethos of the school is clearly expressed in the caring and sensitive way in which all staff treat

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pupils and each other. 56. The process of planning for the improvement of the school is good. The school has developed useful procedures to ensure that staff, parents and governors are appropriately involved in the process of devising the improvement plan. Improvement priorities are discussed at regular staff meetings and the governing body ensures that school improvement issues are discussed at all committees and at their full meetings. The improvement plan which is currently being used does not emphasise sufficiently the importance of raising standards in the school and does not have a sufficiently detailed future forecast. These were also weaknesses noted in the HMI report of 2000. However, these shortcomings have been addressed in the future plan which is currently being prepared. 57. The governing body makes a good contribution to the management of the school. Its committees are well organised and ensure that school issues are discussed well. The interest and expertise of

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individual governors are used well. The chair of governors is particularly well involved with the school. He has provided the governing body with important awareness raising training. He has monitored and evaluated the work of individual teachers and supports and challenges the headteacher well in her role. Other governors are involved well and are committed to the school’s work. These strengths enable the governing body to have a clear view of the school’s strengths, a realistic view of where it needs to improve and to act as effective critical friends. The school’s budget is carefully managed. The process of devising and agreeing the annual budget is secure. The headteacher is supported well by the school’s finance officer and, through the work of the finance committee, the governors maintain a good view of the school’s expenditure. Governors ensure that when purchases or improvement are made that they get good value for money. Governors ensure that all statutory

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requirements are met, except that not all pupils attend a daily act of collective worship. This is prevented by withdrawing a small group of pupils for extra tuition during this important time. 58. An important strength in the leadership and management of the school is the way in which all staff are fully involved in, and committed to, the development of the school. The openness and inclusiveness of the headteacher’s leadership style have created a warm, friendly atmosphere in the school. Staff are well informed about school activities through regular staff meetings, and the close links between the co-ordinators’ subject action plans, staff meeting agendas and school development priorities ensure that they are all fully involved in the school’s improvement. Performance Management procedures have been implemented well. Teachers’ objectives are also related to school improvement priorities. The headteacher has worked hard and successfully to extend Performance

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Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 21 Management procedures to include all support staff. This has been well received and has had a beneficial impact on the school’s work. For example, discussion about roles and responsibilities with one teaching assistant has led to further improvements in the support given to pupils with special educational needs. Also discussions with another teaching assistant have helpfully led to an enhanced role for her in managing the science resources. These important initiatives have helped to share and delegate areas of responsibility in this small school. 59. Procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of teaching and learning across the school are insufficiently regular or rigorous. From 1998 to 2000, the school was regularly visited, supported and inspected by HMI and local education authority officers. During this time, the school’s work, including teaching and learning, was thoroughly monitored and assessed. However, since 2000, the

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headteacher and the co-ordinators of the core subjects have had some opportunity to carry out lesson observation and sampling of pupils’ work but the approach has not been consistently planned. There is no agreed timetable for this and the decision that the work of some subjects will only be monitored and reviewed when they become school improvement priorities is not sufficiently regular. 60. The leadership and management of the provision for children in the Foundation Stage are very good. The teacher responsible for the Foundation Stage is the Reception class teacher, who has a very good understanding of how young children learn. The quality of relationships within the Foundation Stage department is very good and together all the adults form a very effective team. The indoor accommodation is small, but is brightly decorated, inviting and well organised. The outdoor area is narrow and restricted and lacks a covered area for inclement weather. Learning resources are

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satisfactory to support the children’s learning indoors, but there are insufficient large wheeled toys and other appropriate equipment for outdoor activities. 61. Special educational needs provision is managed well by the co-ordinator who is the headteacher. She has a good overview of the provision. There is a good partnership with the special educational needs teaching assistant who, together with the co-ordinator, maintains careful and well organised records of pupils’ progress and dealings with outside agencies. The school fully meets the requirements of the new Code of Practice for special educational needs. There is a designated governor who has a good understanding of her role and works effectively with the school to offer support. Funds allocated to the school are used to good effect. Other teaching assistants are well qualified and well motivated. They form an effective partnership with teachers. They know pupils

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well and this is strengthened by their roles as midday supervisors. 62. Overall, the school’s accommodation is satisfactory. The main part of the school consists of Victorian classrooms and a converted school house. The building is cramped and the playgrounds are sloping and on two separate levels. Some difficulties in accommodation still remain. The school hall is small, which makes its use for physical education activities for older pupils difficult, pupils have to use a narrow, steep stair-case to use the library and computer suite, and there is no separate medical or welfare room. However, the school has redeveloped its buildings and site in imaginative ways and now makes good use of the accommodation which it has. An old air-raid shelter has been converted to provide a classroom on one side of the playground. One of the larger main classrooms has been subdivided to enable the creation of a separate classroom for the Reception children. This room now

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

has easy access to a narrow, but separate outside activity area. A new computer suite and school library has been established in an upstairs room in the old school house. 63. The teachers and support staff are well matched to the demands of the curriculum. Teachers are appropriately qualified and experienced. The teaching assistants are effectively deployed and support teachers well. They relate well to teachers and pupils, positively promote pupils’ learning and add to the effectiveness of teaching across the school. Overall, the school provides a satisfactory range and number of learning resources. However, there are deficiencies in the number of appropriate fiction books for pupils in Years 3 to 6 and in the resources available to support the teaching of music in Years 3 to 6. The lack of sufficient, appropriate outdoor play and activity resources for the Foundation Stage limits children’s physical development.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

64. In order to continue to improve the quality of education provided by the school, the

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teaching of reading across the school by;

Writing - focusing further on the development of writing skills within and outside the literacy hour; - further developing opportunities for pupils to write extended pieces of work across different curriculum areas. Reading - ensuring that procedures for recording the progress made in the acquisition of pupils’ reading skills are consistently applied across the school. See paragraphs 6, 20, 29, 79 – 91.

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technology, history, music and religious education by;

- raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve, - ensuring that concepts and skills are taught systematically and progressively across the school, and; - in information and communication technology, increasing the effectiveness of pupils’ access to the computer suite and strengthening links with other subjects. See paragraphs 6, 20, 24, 111, 115, 116-130, 134-137.

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technology, history, music and religious education by;

3. Establish more rigorous and regular procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of teaching and learning across the school . See paragraph 59

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technology, history, music and religious education by;

4. Improve the procedures for monitoring pupils’ attainment and the progress they make

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through the National Curriculum in information and communication technology, music,

physical education, history, design and technology and in religious education. See paragraphs 20, 24, 48

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Improve resources in music, in fiction books in Years 3 to 6, and for outdoor play and activity in the Foundation Stage. See paragraphs 1, 63, 76

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Ensure that all pupils attend the daily act of collective worship. See paragraph 57 Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 23 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Percentage 0 8 60 32 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points. Information about the school’s pupils

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 87

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 8 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 19

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

English as an additional language No of pupils

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 13

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 4

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 24 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 4 7 11

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

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

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Percentage of pupils School 91(82) 91 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

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

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Percentage of pupils School 91 (71) 100 (71) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (72) 89 (74) 89 (82)

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)* Table and data omitted because of small year groups. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 25 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

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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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

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

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

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

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

No ethnic group recorded 18 0 0 The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 26 Teachers and classes Financial information

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.1 Financial year 2001-2002

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 247386

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 246740

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Total aggregate hours worked per week 108 Expenditure per pupil 3286

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Balance brought forward from previous year

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Balance carried forward to next year 13752 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

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

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 27 Results of the survey of parents and carers

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Percentage of responses in each category

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

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

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

My child is making good progress in school. 72 28 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

Behaviour in the school is good. 67 33 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 56 33 6 6 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 67 28 6 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 11 6 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 89 11 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

The school works closely with parents. 61 33 0 6 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

The school is well led and managed. 78 17 0 0 6

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 94 6 0 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 67 22 11 0 0

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

§ Pupils achieve good standards. § Children are known well by all members of the staff team. § Pupils’ behaviour is now good. § The headteacher and all staff are very approachable if needed. § The school has improved significantly in recent years. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 28

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. The school has maintained the good provision for children in the Foundation Stage since the previous inspection. The well-organised, day-to-day routines established by the teacher enable all children to feel secure and safe and to grow in confidence. The consistently good teaching is having a positive impact on the children’s learning. 66. Children are admitted to the Reception class at the start of the autumn term during the year in which they become five years old. They attend on a part-time basis for the first week and then start full-time during the coming two weeks at the parents’ discretion. They are taught within a warm, caring, supportive environment where they feel safe and secure. Many of the children have attended the on-site nursery before starting in the Reception class. By the end of the Reception year, the children make good progress from their average starting point. Most are on course to achieve above

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

average attainment in all areas of the Early Learning Goals except in their physical development. This is mainly due to the lack of sufficient outdoor large wheeled toys and appropriate clambering equipment.

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Personal, social and emotional development

67. The children are achieving good standards in their personal, social and emotional development. They are likely to achieve above average attainment in this area of learning by the time they leave the Reception class. The children are constantly encouraged to feel confident about what they can achieve through praise, smiles and gestures. Their behaviour in and around the school is good with only a few disagreements. Children work and play beside each other well. They are learning to co-operate well with other children. They show a good understanding of classroom procedures and respond well to them. They are aware of the teacher’s high expectations of them and respond well. When given opportunities to choose activities for themselves, children do so in a sensible way and most sustain concentration well for their age. They use magnetic name tabs to self-register when they come into class in the morning and to show which activity they are using during independent learning sessions.

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Personal, social and emotional development

The many opportunities to do this are good, which enhances their independent learning. They settle well to the more structured activities, such as literacy and numeracy, and show the ability to concentrate for an appropriate length of time. The children attend to their personal hygiene appropriately and most are able to undress and dress themselves independently before and after physical development lessons. 68. Personal, social and emotional development is promoted well in all areas of learning and the planning is thorough. A strength of the teaching is the warm, caring relationships that adults develop with the children, which helps them to feel secure and to grow in confidence. The adults provide very good role models for the children, always treating each of them with courtesy and respect to which they positively respond. There are very good opportunities to develop the children’s independent learning. The children enjoy the many moments of fun and time for reflection, which help to

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Communication, language and literacy

69. This area is taught very well. Most children, including those who have special educational needs, make good progress and are on course to achieve above average standards in this area of learning. All adults make very good attempts to communicate with all children in the Foundation Stage. They talk to the children individually, in groups and as a class to help all children extend their vocabulary and start to use their language and communication skills for a range of purposes. All adults show the children that they value their efforts at communicating. Most children are eager to talk about the things that interest them, such as their imaginative stories when riding the hobbyhorses. They enjoy listening to stories. The teacher has introduced Big Book sessions in preparation for the literacy hour in Year 1. The children enjoy the story of Peace at Last and use the illustrations well to extend their

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Communication, language and literacy

understanding of the story. Most children understand the concept that pictures carry meaning. Some are learning that spoken words and print can have the same meaning and that, in the English culture, Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 29 text is read from left to right. In the good phonic work sessions, they are learning to say initial phonic sounds correctly. When the teacher sounds out simple, three-letter words, such as h-e-n, a few are already able to link these together and eagerly read the words, which is above average attainment at this early stage of the Reception year. Linking the phonic work with correct letter formation is good, as this helps to reinforce the children’s understanding of both concepts. 70. Many of the children have weak pencil control. However, the teacher is providing many good opportunities for the children to write and paint with a variety of differently sized pencils, pens and

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Communication, language and literacy

brushes, which strengthen their hand control. A few children make a good attempt at writing their own name. The acceptance of developmental writing is very good as this enables the children to be confident and to feel they are writers. Children are encouraged to take books home to practise their early reading skills. They have good listening skills and listen carefully to instructions. 71. Children are provided with a good range of purposeful activities to develop their use of language for reading, writing and speaking and listening, whatever their stage of development. The children are provided with good role-play areas, such as the Doctor’s surgery. These are used well, often with an adult involved to extend the children’s vocabulary. The children are provided with paper and pencils for a range of activities, including when acting out the role of doctor and writing a prescription. The teaching assistants are used effectively with small groups, when direct teaching is involved. They are

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Communication, language and literacy

well briefed and assist the teacher in maintaining ongoing assessments of individual children’s progress. The programme of work is well structured and linked to the National Literacy Strategy for young children. Classroom displays are rich in language clues intended to reinforce learning and a good emphasis on language development is evident throughout the whole programme of work.

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Mathematical development

72. This area is taught well and, by the end of the Reception year, most children are on course to achieve standards that are above average for their age. The teacher is helping the children to develop their mathematical understanding well by providing a structured programme of practical experiences, which enables them to make good progress. The teacher uses every opportunity to extend the children’s understanding and reinforcement of basic skills through practical experiences. She ensures that all adults in the Foundation Stage class use correct mathematical vocabulary and provide many activities, which build upon the children’s understanding at that time. Questions are used skilfully to encourage children to organise their thoughts and build on their understanding. The work is planned and organised well. Tasks are appropriate to extend the children’s mathematical understanding in order for them to achieve well.

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Mathematical development

73. The children are learning to recognise the differences in sizes of many things and to use correct mathematical language to describe these. The practical experience to choose and hold a soft toy animal before describing the size of its ears is good, as this enables the children to see and feel for themselves. They confidently use words such as big, little, long, short, enormous and puny. Many can count by rote numbers to ten and some can count beyond this. These skills are practised regularly when singing nursery rhymes, number jingles and playing sorting and ordering games. When acting out rhymes while singing, Five currant buns in the baker’s shop the children experience counting and early addition and subtraction in a practical way. The teacher and her assistants provide good support by using mathematical language whenever this is appropriate, such as, ‘How many times did I clap?’ and, ‘How many more beads do you want to put in your shaker?’ The children experience working

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Mathematical development

with sand and water, filling and emptying containers of different sizes. They enjoy using the large sand timers to know when it is time for them to be able to change places with someone on the tricycle. This is a good introduction for them about time, as they are learning how long it takes for one, two and five minutes to pass as well as encouraging sharing.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

74. On entry to the school, the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world are average for their age. During the Foundation Stage, the teacher effectively builds upon the children’s knowledge, helping them to learn more about the world around them. The teaching and learning are good and most children are on course to achieve beyond the expected standard by the end of the Reception year. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 30 The teacher provides a good range of planned activities, most of which start with what the children already know, and this enables them to extend their understanding and knowledge of the world well. The teaching and learning of skills to use a computer competently are good. The use of correct vocabulary and practical demonstration extend the children’s learning well of this form of information and communication technology. 75. Many activities are planned and organised well in order that the children can gain in their

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

understanding through practical experiences. The children learn at first hand about the school surroundings by going on a listening walk with a teaching assistant and then report back to the class about the sounds they have heard. During their walk, they draw and write about the sounds they hear. Their writing and drawings range from recognisable letters and images to marks on the paper, but they all confidently read these back to the class as if there are actual words on the paper. This good activity not only extends the children’s understanding of how they hear and about activities in and around the school, but also provides a very good reason for them to speak, listen and to write. They are learning about the passing of time by the use of the sand timers and by learning about how much they have changed since being a baby. Children enjoy using their skills to explore and make models with construction toys and different materials. They confidently use the computer mouse when moving

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

items on the screen and turning the tape recorder on to listen to stories and songs. They use magnifying glasses to look closely at their hands before drawing them. Children enjoy taking David Bear home and then tell the class about his adventures, such as going to the hairdressers and to the park . After hearing the story of Funny Bones, the children drew x-ray pictures of themselves and pretended to take x-rays of the dolls.

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Physical development

76. By the end of the Reception year, most children are on course to achieve average standards in this area of learning and the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. In an indoor activity lesson observed during the inspection teaching and learning were good. The teacher’s planning was clear and detailed. She skilfully established her high expectations from the beginning of the lesson. The lesson began with a stretching, bending and jogging warm-up, and children were encouraged to find their own space as they found their own pathway around the hall, marching, jogging and then striding like a giant. They were then encouraged to move expressively around the hall to piano music played at different tempos. The result was that children felt confident, prepared to try new skills and developed their movement skills well. The teacher works hard to minimise some accommodation and resource difficulties and deficiencies. The indoor hall is small and this does not fully allow children to move

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Physical development

freely in their physical development lessons, and restricts their development and understanding of the use of space and awareness of others. The outdoor playground, which the class sometimes uses, is some distance away from the classroom. The outdoor activity area adjacent to the classroom is narrow. The children also do not have access to a sufficient number and variety of large wheeled play equipment and there is a lack of outdoor large apparatus to balance and climb on. These disadvantages limit the progress that children make in this area of learning. 77. The teacher provides the children with many opportunities to develop their hand control through the use of a good range of mark-making tools, and cutting and gluing activities. Although many children have weak pencil control at this early stage of their Reception year, the varied opportunities provided are likely to enable most of them to achieve the Early Learning Goals in this part of their

p.30

Physical development

physical development. They enjoy manipulating construction kits to make models of aeroplanes and lorries. Most are able to dress and undress themselves, but some need help with buttons and zips.

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Creative development

78. The children make good progress in developing their creative skills and most are on course to exceed the nationally recommended levels of attainment by the end of the Reception year. The quality of teaching and learning is good and activities are well resourced and organised. The children enjoy a good range of practical activities, which enable them to experiment, to explore creatively and imaginatively. For example, the children helped to make the play dough, which they enjoyed rolling and twisting into a doll, cakes and a long, thin snake. Role-play activities are carefully planned and enable the children to play out imaginary situations well. They enjoy using appropriate resources and Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 31 dressing up as the doctor or patient in the Doctor’s surgery, which extends their imaginative play. They enjoy making music and using their own, newly made percussion shakers to accompany their

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Creative development

singing. They can follow a simple rhythm set by the teacher clapping her hands.

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ENGLISH

79. Pupils achieve standards in Year 2 that are above average, but standards achieved in Year 6 are below average. Standards in speaking and listening are average across the school. Standards have risen for seven-year-olds since the last inspection but have remained the same for eleven-year-olds. The findings of this inspection are broadly in line with the school’s results in the 2002 national tests. The test results in Year 6 in 2002 were average. The school has set realistic targets for the current group of pupils in Year 6 and Year 2 which represent an appropriate level of challenge. The school is on line to meet these targets. 80. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2. In Years 3 and 4, good achievement is maintained. However, the achievement of the current Year 6 group has been adversely affected by the experience of a less stable school environment in their earlier years. These pupils entered Year 3 with well below

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ENGLISH

average standards in reading and below average standards in writing in the national tests. Although a small number of pupils reach above average standards, the earlier experiences of a significant number of pupils have not provided them with a secure grasp of basic skills and this has affected their rate of achievement. They are achieving satisfactorily. Pupils with special educational needs achieve standards appropriate to their ability as a result of the caring ethos of the school and the well focused support they receive from their teachers and teaching assistants. 81. Across the school, standards of speaking and listening are average. The school’s mission statement of respect for all is consistently reinforced by all staff, and pupils quickly learn that this includes listening carefully to each other and to their teacher. Most pupils listen productively to instructions and explanations. A few older pupils, mainly boys, do not listen so effectively and need

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ENGLISH

additional reminders from their teachers. With good support and encouragement from their teachers, pupils learn, from the early years in the school, that their contributions are valued. In this atmosphere, pupils answer questions willingly and confidently and contribute to paired and group discussions usefully. Most speak audibly and clearly and they receive clear guidance from their teacher on how to communicate with their audience. This was seen in a Years 5/6 literacy lesson where pupils used their voices expressively. Some older above average pupils explain their ideas in more detail and use an appropriate range of vocabulary but some lower attaining pupils need supportive encouragement and questioning to help them develop their contributions effectively. The school provides useful opportunities for pupils to experience speaking to a range of audiences. Pupils across the school are encouraged to respond to questions in whole school assemblies. Although planning in the subject

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ENGLISH

indicates that discussions and debates are appropriately included in pupils’ experiences, it was not possible to observe these activities during the inspection. A noteworthy example of the school’s provision was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream . 82. Standards in reading are above average by Year 2 and below average by Year 6. Pupils in Year 2 are confident in handling and talking about books and some are able to identify other books by the same author and illustrator and talk about why they like them. They evidently enjoy the books they read in class as was seen in the spirited joint reading of ‘My cat likes to live in boxes!’ Above average pupils read aloud confidently and have a good range of strategies for reading unfamiliar words. Lower attaining pupils know their letter sounds and are able to read familiar words clearly. Although most pupils are interested in the books they read in class and take home from school,

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ENGLISH

several are limited in the range of books they experience outside school. 83. Above average pupils in Year 6 are confident, fluent readers who are able to talk about some of the main elements of the book they are reading. However, they are not able to discuss their reading in any detail and are only just beginning to acquire the more complex skills of making deductions and drawing inferences. Average pupils have a straightforward approach to discussing their reading and they talk about their preferences in general but are not able to develop their responses in detail or to compare books or authors. They generally read clearly and correctly and talk about the plot or the main ideas of the books they are reading. Whilst both above average and average readers read their Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 32 books accurately and with generally appropriate level of understanding, their reading range and

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ENGLISH

stamina are limited. Below average pupils need support to help them read more complex vocabulary and although they understand some of the strategies for reading less familiar words they are not always secure or confident with them. Some of these pupils are reading books which are more suitable for younger pupils. Although the vocabulary level is appropriate, the content is not. The school is aware of the need to find books which are more appropriate to the age of lower achieving pupils. 84. Standards of writing by Year 2 are above average but, by Year 6, they are below average. In Year 2, pupils write for an appropriate range of purposes. From the analysis of pupils’ previous work, they retell traditional tales, write instructions on how to perform simple tasks, write letters home about a school visit, accounts of their holidays, school events such as the sponsored walk and a brief range of sentences based on their reading in class. At this early stage in the year, the full range of writing skills

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ENGLISH

are not yet evident in pupils’ work. However, above average pupils are organising their writing in coherent, simple sentences sometimes using capital letters and full stops. Most simple words are spelt correctly and pupils use their knowledge of letter sounds to spell less familiar words. They form their letters clearly and consistently in size and some are beginning to join their letters neatly. Average ability pupils are beginning to write in sentences, spelling simple words correctly and sometimes using full stops. Below average pupils are aware of how sentences are constructed but usually write in brief statements or simple phrases. Most of their writing communicates meaning. They form their letters generally correctly but sometimes include an inappropriate mixture of upper and lower case letters. An analysis of their work this year shows that they are developing their skills at a good rate and making observable progress in the first few weeks of a new school year.

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ENGLISH

85. Analysis of work completed in the previous year indicates that pupils in Year 6 write for a satisfactory range of purposes. They write formal and informal letters, write additional verses to poems such as The Pied Piper of Hamelin , write persuasively to raise support for endangered species or to present a point of view; and write descriptions of friends and narratives based on themes such as haunted houses or ghosts. Above average pupils write with a lively confidence using descriptive language energetically and sometimes effectively. They are aware of paragraphs and generally use them appropriately. Expression is mainly clear and accurate but the range is sometimes limited. However, the expectations of the amount and quality of written work produced by older pupils are not always consistently high. There are also some weaknesses in spelling and punctuation in the work of pupils with otherwise above average features in their work. Average pupils often have a lively style of

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ENGLISH

writing but the vocabulary is not always appropriate to the task or the tone of the writing. Ideas are expressed in a straightforward style and there are sometimes significant weaknesses in spelling and in the accuracy of punctuation, including the use of direct speech. Some are aware of paragraphs and use them intermittently in their work. Sentence structure and expression are generally coherent and expression is mainly focused on an everyday range of vocabulary. There are variations in the use of accurate punctuation and spelling and some sentence structures are incomplete. Standards of presentation are too variable in older pupils’ work. Some pupils use a neat, joined, fluent style of writing which shows a pride in its formation and appearance but too many pupils’ writing is carelessly formed and untidy in its appearance. Pupils take more care with work which is to be displayed and this gives them appropriate opportunities to edit and refine their work. However structured planning,

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ENGLISH

drafting and editing are not consistently evident as good practice. 86. Standards of literacy are average across the school. The development of literacy across the curriculum is generally satisfactory. In science, there is a clear focus on using appropriate scientific vocabulary and in pupils’ organisation of their recorded investigations. This clarity of focus and high expectations are a good model for other subject areas where expectations are not so high or so consistent. Standards of presentation are variable from class to class and teachers’ expectations are not always consistently reinforced. There is a good use of special terms in subjects such as art and history, where teachers identify key words in the lesson and draw pupils’ attention to them at appropriate intervals. This was evident in a Year 3 lesson where the key word ‘archaeologist’ was written in large type and referred to during the lesson. However, there are missed opportunities for older pupils to

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develop their skills of writing at length and their use of a wider range of more formal and complex structures in subjects such as history, geography and religious education. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 33 87. The quality of teaching and learning is good in Years 1 and 2, and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6, with some good teaching observed in Years 3 and 4. In the school’s previous inspection, no judgement was made about the quality of teaching so no specific comparisons can be made. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed in the current inspection. Where teaching is good, secure subject knowledge is evident in teachers’ clear and interesting introductions and explanations. In the best lessons, there is a brisk, purposeful pace. Lessons are well matched to pupils’ needs and they are given a clear understanding of what they are expected to learn. Teachers plan their lessons carefully and in good detail and in the best planning include National Curriculum levels to support the

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assessment of pupils’ learning. 88. Several features of good, effective teaching were seen in a lesson in Year 3/4 where the focus of the lesson was on changing verb forms from the present to past tense. In the clear introduction to the lesson, the teacher explained the intention of the lesson and what she expected pupils to be able to do by the end and quickly reviewed pupils’ previous learning on the forms of both regular and some common irregular verbs. The main activity, which was related to text work on the related themes of extinct and endangered animal species, was appropriate and challenging. The teacher was well supported by experienced teaching assistants who ensured that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, were well involved and took part in all their group’s activities, including the discussion in the plenary session. By the end of the lesson, pupils had progressed well and were more

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confident and secure in their understanding of how past and present tenses are formed and used. 89. Weaknesses in teaching occur when the pace of the lesson is comfortable rather than challenging and, as a result, some pupils lose their concentration. This was evident in a Year 5/6 lesson where the time spent reading a playscript to the class was too long so that the lesson lost some of its effectiveness and pupils’ attention wandered. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and use a good range of supportive comments but some do not sufficiently address basic errors which keep recurring. On some occasions when teachers identify errors, there are no evident strategies for pupils to correct and improve their work. This was also referred to in the school’s previous inspection. Expectations for the standard of presentation are not high enough in some pupils’ work even when comparison with earlier pieces indicates that pupils can achieve a better quality of work. These factors inhibit the rate

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at which some pupils improve their literacy skills. 90. The subject is well led by an experienced co-ordinator. She is a committed senior member of staff who has worked hard to develop the subject since her appointment three years ago. She has a good understanding of the priorities for the subject. The coordinator has monitored teaching, teachers’ planning and, with other members of staff, monitors pupils’ writing at the end of each term. She has begun to look closely at test results to identify areas for improvement but this process is in its early stages. The National Literacy Strategy is effectively implemented and is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. Teachers maintain useful records of pupils’ progress in writing in the termly pieces of work which are assessed according to National Curriculum criteria. However teachers’ use of National Curriculum levels is sometimes over generous,

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particularly in the allocation of grades in older pupils’ work. Errors in spelling and punctuation and inaccurate use of vocabulary are not sufficiently taken into account. Although there are good procedures for assessing writing, the procedures for assessing reading are not consistent throughout the school nor do they provide sufficient information to monitor pupils’ progress during the year. The school is currently reviewing the procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress in reading during the year. Good whole school tracking records of pupils’ reading and writing exist which provide clear patterns of pupils’ progress from year to year. Pupils’ individual targets are based on these records but, in the case of reading, provide the only benchmark during the year. Teachers maintain their own individual records of the development of pupils’ reading skills but systems are not coherent across the school.

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ENGLISH

91. Although the school has sufficient resources to teach the literacy hour lessons, the range and number of books available in classrooms are not sufficient to cater for all pupils’ needs and some lower attaining pupils are reading books whose content is inappropriate for their age. The range of books to challenge and extend more able readers is also too limited. In Years 1 and 2, resources are satisfactory because they are well supplemented by the teachers’ own resources. Whilst the range of Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 34 books in the non-fiction section of the library is satisfactory, the number and range of fiction are not sufficient to supplement the choice available in the classrooms. The use of information and communication technology in the subject is underdeveloped. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ social and moral development and a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ spiritual and

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MATHEMATICS

92. In Years 2 and 6, pupils achieve average standards. This is similar to the judgement made in the HMI report in 2000 in Year 2, but represents an improvement in Year 6. The current inspection judgements are in line with the school’s most recent targets for the likely achievement of the current Year 2 and Year 6 pupils in the national tests in 2003. These targets are significantly lower than those achieved in 2002. In the national tests in 2002, pupils in both Years 2 and 6 achieved high standards. In Year 2, the overall standards achieved were among the top five per cent of schools nationally, and in Year 6, standards were well above those expected in all schools. In 2002, the school’s target for the proportion of pupils reaching average levels in the tests for eleven-year-olds was ambitious and was met. The lower figure for 2003 is explained by a different group of pupils and is evidence of the

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fluctuations that can be expected in very small year groups from one year to the next. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs and the pupil with English as an additional language make good progress. 93. Pupils in Year 2 achieve satisfactorily, but the achievement of pupils in Year 6 is good. In Year 2, pupils have a sound understanding of number as they add and subtract numbers to 20, round numbers involving hundreds to the nearest ten, and work out money values up to 90p. An important strength is the way in which pupils are encouraged to work practically. For example, useful mental and written calculations are carried out as pupils use the Pop-In Café, and pupils have good experience of measures as they measure different parts of their own bodies, such as the waist, head, wrist and foot to the nearest centimetre. During the inspection, in a Year 1/2 lesson, the teacher’s clever use of a

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MATHEMATICS

number of hard boiled eggs and egg boxes provided pupils with a very good practical demonstration of partitioning numbers as they were able to add the numbers of eggs in different combinations. 94. In Year 6, pupils are attaining satisfactory standards but have made good progress from the below average results which this group attained in the national tests when they were seven. These pupils now have a sound understanding of place value as they use numbers including thousands and decimals to two decimal places. Pupils accurately add common fractions and know the decimal equivalent of several fraction families. An important reason for the good progress made by pupils in Year 6 is the further promotion of practical work and real life problem solving. This was a weakness identified at the last inspection and the school has responded well in this area. For example, pupils have investigated mathematical problems such as the number of different combinations of colours in a

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MATHEMATICS

complete football kit and the importance of ratio in gears. 95. The quality of teaching and learning is good in Years 3 to 6, and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. In all the lessons observed, teaching was at least satisfactory, with several good elements. Across the school, teachers’ planning is detailed and full. The specific learning intended is shown and this is shared with the pupils at the beginning of the lesson. Planning identifies the key vocabulary to be used and teachers ensure that it is introduced clearly and appropriately reinforced. Lessons follow the recommended National Numeracy Strategy format, with an oral introduction, an activity time and a summing up at the end. A minor weakness is that the oral introduction in some lessons is not taught at a sufficiently brisk pace to fully develop the speed and accuracy of pupils’ mental work. In Years 3 to 6, teachers demonstrate good, confident subject knowledge. A strength of the teaching, which

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MATHEMATICS

improves the learning of all pupils, is the thorough way in which the work of pupils of all abilities is planned and developed. Good provision is made for higher attaining pupils. These pupils have been carefully identified and a separate educational plan has been devised for their work. During the inspection, the extension work that a group of Year 6 pupils was doing in the computer suite was appropriately challenging. Class arrangements are sufficiently flexible to allow a more able younger pupil to join an older class for his mathematics work. Good provision is also made for booster classes and individual special educational needs support during lessons. Teachers work well with their Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 35 respective teaching assistants to improve the quality of pupils’ learning. However, occasionally, the quality of teaching is limited by a lack of effective management of pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

96. The subject is led well by an experienced co-ordinator who is about to begin a period of maternity leave. She has a good understanding of the work of the subject across the school, and has had some opportunity to monitor and support teaching and learning in the classroom. The priorities for development in the subject for the year are outlined on a clear and useful action plan. The good leadership and the effective implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy are important reasons why progress is continuing to be made in this subject. Assessment procedures are thorough and the data collected are used well. The results of school’s own tests and optional national test papers are analysed and appropriate booster and extension work is provided. An example of the effective use of day-to-day assessment was seen during the inspection as a Year 5/6 teacher assessed that pupils had not fully understood concepts from one lesson and refocused the following lesson to repeat and

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MATHEMATICS

reinforce what had been covered. Assessment data are also used to set targets for pupils. These are set out on clear proformas which are available to pupils and shared with parents. Target setting is effective and provides the school with clear information about the likely achievement of each pupil and records the progress they make according to National Curriculum criteria. Numeracy skills are developed well across a range of subjects and information and communication technology supports the subject satisfactorily. For example, pupils in the previous Year 6 used computers to draw different graphic representations of data such as the class’s favourite reading books. Pupils in the current Year 6 complete a spreadsheet to show the range of pocket money received in the class.

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SCIENCE

97. In Years 2 and 6, pupils achieve standards above those expected for their age. This represents an improvement in standards since the school’s previous inspection. From the low starting point four years ago, the school has made good improvement in this subject and has maintained above average standards over the past two years. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve good standards compared with their previous attainment, as they receive good in class support. The pupil who has English as a second language achieves well, and receives good, appropriate in-class support. This inspection finds no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls, both of whom achieve above average standards. 98. Across the school, pupils achieve well. In Years 1 and 2, all pupils enjoy their work and are inspired by the enthusiasm of their teachers. In the Year 1/2 class, pupils receive an appropriate

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approach to investigative science. For example, after talking about their five senses, pupils enjoyed feeling, smelling, using magnifying glasses to look at objects and guessing the position of a musical instrument being played behind them. Other pupils sort materials into different uses and they are aware of how a complete electrical circuit is required to make a bulb light. In Years 3 to 6, pupils learn about the different shapes and uses of their teeth. This work gave pupils the opportunity to work together to look carefully at a partner’s teeth to see the molars, canines and incisors. Other pupils know the names and functions of the main parts of flowering plants, and how we can see as a result of the process of light entering the eye. Across the school, pupils’ experimental and investigative skills are developed well. There is good evidence of progression in the development of investigative skills

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SCIENCE

as pupils move through the school. 99. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good throughout the school and promotes good progress. Lesson planning is good and the activities provided indicate that pupils’ learning is well organised. In all lessons, pupils are well supported and secure in their understanding of what they are going to learn. The management of pupils is good and, as a result, all pupils settle well to their work and make good progress. Teachers are confident in their knowledge of the subject and this results in good learning. Throughout the school, a strong emphasis is given to the teaching of experimental and investigative science. Teachers’ planning shows a good balance between investigations, factual learning and recording. 100. In Years 1 and 2, teachers introduce well the concept of a fair test. They emphasise the importance of using the correct scientific vocabulary when pupils are asked to give an explanation of

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SCIENCE

their work. This not only improves the pupils’ knowledge and understanding but also enables the Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 36 teacher to recognise any misconceptions the pupils may have and help to clear them up. Pupils are appropriately reminded about the importance of careful observations and often provided with an appropriate outline for recording the results. 101. The strength of the teaching and its impact on pupils’ learning in Years 3 to 6 were well illustrated in a very good lesson in the Year 5/6 class, based on an investigation into the effects of forces and the direction in which they act. The teacher explained that the lesson was to be about how the effect of several forces may act on one object, which enabled the pupils to know what they were to learn. Pupils investigated the forces acting on several objects which were suspended on a string line by a variety of means, such as an elastic band, a magnet, or a spring. The teacher challenged them to

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SCIENCE

note the forces acting on each item and then to use a force meter to test out their theories practically. The teacher’s high expectations, carefully targeted questioning and very good use of resources captured and maintained the interest of all pupils by making learning both relevant and extremely enjoyable. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, learnt from this lesson, as they were well supported by the learning support assistants and were encouraged to talk about and share their ideas. 102. The co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge and provides very good support for colleagues. There is a good, new policy and scheme of work which provides very good coverage of all aspects of the subject and clear guidance for teachers. Assessment procedures are good and include an end of unit assessment for each pupil, which is closely related to the National Curriculum requirements. Appropriate links with numeracy, literacy and information and communication

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technology were evident during the inspection. Learning resources are good for science. The subject fully meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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ART AND DESIGN

103. Pupils achieve average standards by the age of seven and eleven. These judgements are based on the observed lessons, an analysis of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning throughout the school. Pupils who have special educational needs and the pupil with English as a second language also achieve average standards due to the good in-class support which they receive. 104. Across the school, pupils achieve satisfactorily. Pupils use sketchbooks soundly to develop ideas and to record observational drawings. In Years 1 and 2, pupils stick string, matchsticks or lollipop sticks onto card blocks and dip these into paints before printing with them to create either repeating patterns or abstract pictures. Some pupils overprint their design with a second colour to produce effective artwork. They use two-dimensional coloured paper shapes to create Kandinsky- style pictures. Some pupils add small boxes stuck under the shapes to form an interesting three-

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dimensional effect. In the lesson on investigating shape and pattern, pupils folded and cut rectangular coloured paper very well to create interesting patterns before sticking these onto a black background. 105. In Years 3 to 6, younger pupils make good observational drawings of fruits and vegetables, which are then used as the basis for their ideas to make interesting collages from a wide range of materials. Older pupils develop their skills further with detailed attention to proportion and movement in their good observational drawings of people, such as a skater. Many produce high quality pencil drawings of shoes with good attention to line and detail after learning the technique of how to use shading and cross-hatching to create a three-dimensional effect. Throughout the school, pupils are given appropriate opportunities to explore and choose a wide variety of materials and they make satisfactory progress.

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ART AND DESIGN

106. The quality of teaching and learning across the school is satisfactory with some good features which promote satisfactory progress. Good features of teaching were observed in lessons across the school. These included, clear explanations by the teachers, so that pupils know exactly what is expected of them and skilful questioning, which challenges pupils to find ways of improving their work. Teachers are confident in their knowledge of how to teach the basic skills of drawing. This enables pupils to learn this skill well and enhances their artwork. Teachers ensure that pupils refine their skills and show increasing confidence in using various media and techniques. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 37 107. The co-ordinator has made a positive contribution to the improvement of the subject since taking up the post last January. She has good subject knowledge, which is enabling her to provide good support for other teachers. She has written and later updated a good policy for art and design to

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ensure that it meets the needs of the school. She has introduced and organised the buying in of a published scheme of work to ensure the progression of skills across the school. The co-ordinator gives informal advice to colleagues and monitors displays. She has started to monitor classroom practice. She has introduced the idea to study one famous artist each term to help pupils gain an in-depth understanding of the life and work of the artist. Plans are in place for pupils to study Inuit art in conjunction with their sculpture artwork. Teachers create good relevant links with other subjects, such as information and communication technology and mathematics. For example, pupils in Year 5/6, using their knowledge of Kandinsky, used information and communication technology well to create similar computer-generated images and also the creation of two and three-dimensional mathematical models. Pupils’ artwork based on Rousseau’s Tiger in a storm has been displayed in Sevenoaks

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ART AND DESIGN

library. Resources and the use of information and communication technology are satisfactory. Throughout the school, colourful displays are used effectively to enliven classrooms and enhance communal areas. Art makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. In Year 2 and Year 6, pupils achieve average standards. Pupils with special educational needs and the pupil with English as an additional language achieve standards that are in line with other pupils. There was no specific judgement about standards achieved in the most recent HMI report so no comment can be made on improvement since then. Because of the way in which the timetable is organised, it was not possible to see any lessons taught but judgements have been made following discussions with staff and a scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ past work. 109. In Years 1 and 2, some pupils investigate the function of different parts of a vehicle before making their own model with wheels and axles. Others design and make a picture with moving parts and arrange a colourful card, paper and cotton wool collage showing an attractive representation of a fruit dessert. In Years 3 to 6, pupils analyse a range of commercial packaging and make models of

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

different teddy bears using salt dough. These have been particularly carefully and attractively finished with bright paint and varnish. As they make their models of different musical instruments and different wheeled vehicles, pupils carried out useful evaluations of their work which included asking, ‘What I thought of my model’ and ‘How could it be improved?’ 110. The quality of teaching and learning across the school is satisfactory. Teachers’ planning is sound. The use of the nationally recommended scheme of work, and the transfer of details from a rolling, two-year curriculum plan to clear half termly plans are secure. A scrutiny of previous work indicated that topics were taught and developed to an appropriate depth. 111. The subject is soundly managed by the co-ordinator and teaching follows a recently reviewed policy statement. There is an appropriate curriculum time allocation for the subject and taught units

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

alternate with those of art. As a result, no lessons were being taught during the time of the inspection. Some evaluation of planning is carried out but there are no agreed, whole school procedures for assessing what pupils can do or to monitor the progress they are making through the elements of the National Curriculum. This is a weakness. The co-ordinator has compiled a useful and interesting portfolio of pupils’ previous work. Resources for the subject are satisfactory overall, although the co- ordinator has rightly recognised the need to increase the range and variety of construction kits available for pupils. There is insufficient use of information and communication technology skills in this subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. In Years 2 and 6, pupils achieve average standards and make satisfactory progress. Due to timetabling arrangements, it was not possible to observe the teaching of geography during the inspection. Judgements are based on the analysis of pupils' work throughout the school, teachers' planning and discussions with pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and the pupil with English as an additional language achieve similar standards to other pupils. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 38 113. Across the school, pupils achieve satisfactorily. Pupils in Year 1/2 have a satisfactory understanding of the natural features of their local area and the need to care for the environment. They draw simple maps, such as their route to school. More detailed map work is linked well to their history project about Florence Nightingale. Pupils learn how different weather conditions affect the earth and compare the local area with the seaside. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 use a sound range of

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geographical skills to help them to investigate places and environments. For example, pupils in Year 3/4 show a sound understanding of the functions of a key to identify features on a map of Chembakoli village and can devise a different type of key for the area. They compare the similarities and differences between the environments of a school in England with that of a school in India. Older pupils’ appreciation of the importance of towns is developed soundly as they design and make a three- dimensional town. They realise the importance of the many different aspects in a town, such as the need to have sufficient housing, green spaces, schools and shops, work and transport to create a sustainable environment. They can identify different countries on a map of the world and use a key and co-ordinates to find areas on a map or globe. 114. The quality of teaching and learning is at least satisfactory across the school. In Years ½,

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GEOGRAPHY

teachers use the school’s surroundings well to extend pupils' understanding of the geographical features of the local area. In Years 3 to 6, teachers encourage a wider geographical appreciation. Pupils enjoy the unit of work ‘What’s in the news?’ They bring in items of news from newspapers, magazines or the Internet, which are displayed on a class news board. This is encouraging them to develop awareness about both local and worldwide geographical issues. Year 6 pupils undertake research projects and make good use of secondary sources of evidence, such as the Internet to download information on different regions in the world, such as Japan and Germany. Pupils enjoyed the school’s European Day , which enabled them to discover much about the geographical features of the different countries. They enjoyed tasting some of the different foods grown in those countries. Geographical skills are linked well with pupils’ mathematical skills when they design a graph to show

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GEOGRAPHY

the rainfall in Delhi. 115. The co-ordinator has been in post for almost four years and has good subject knowledge. She has written a good new policy and has produced a good draft scheme of work to improve pupils' standards of attainment in geography. The new scheme is based on work covered in school combined with aspects of the national guidelines for geography. It is linked well to the National Curriculum programmes of study and is being implemented satisfactorily. Assessment procedures and the use of assessment to inform curriculum planning are satisfactory. Resources are satisfactory, but the co- ordinator realises that there is a need to update some of the maps. Opportunities to use information and communication skills are underdeveloped. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the study of the environment and other cultures.

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HISTORY

116. Standards are average at the age of seven and below average by the age of 11. Judgements are based on the lessons seen, a scrutiny of pupils’ recorded work, discussions with teachers and scrutiny of their planning. In the school’s previous inspection standards were judged to have been at least sound. Current indications are that pupils achieve satisfactorily as they move through the school. A number of pupils in Year 6 do not have a secure foundation for many of their literacy skills and this has had an adverse impact on their work in history. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support and are well included in all activities in the lessons and are, as a result, making good progress. 117. Pupils achieve satisfactorily across the school. Most pupils in the current Year 6 entered Year 3 with a significant proportion achieving below average standards in literacy. Since then, most have

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HISTORY

made at least satisfactory progress. Above average pupils in Year 6 reach average standards. In Years 1 and 2, pupils develop a sound appreciation of how things change over time as they observe how children’s toys have been different in the past. They know important facts about the Great Fire and the development of London. In Years 3 to 6, pupils appreciate different aspects of Victorian England, such as the development of the railways and the importance of the Great Exhibition. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 39 118. Across the school, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, but evidence of good, effective teaching was also observed during the time of the inspection. In Years 1 and 2, teachers provide interesting resources and activities and use questioning effectively to extend pupils’ learning. This was seen in a Year 1/2 lesson where pupils were learning how to make observations about new

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HISTORY

and old houses. Further features of effective teaching were seen in a Year 3/4 lesson where pupils were learning about the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun by Howard Carter. The lesson was well organised and pupils were well involved because of the teacher’ own personal enthusiasm and the interesting strategies and range of activities she used to encourage pupils to take part. There was a real sense of excitement when the teacher gave pupils an opportunity to ‘dig’ in the sandbox and uncover their own artefacts. By the end of the lesson, pupils volunteered to be archaeologists themselves and answered questions about the artefacts they had examined. Across the school, there are useful links with art in such topics as the Tudors where younger pupils explored and made their own Tudor portraits. 119. Where teaching is less effective, the pace of the lesson is slower and the organisation of the lesson, while clear, is not sufficiently purposeful or sharp. Analysis of older pupils’ recorded work

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HISTORY

indicates that teachers’ expectations are not always sufficiently challenging and there are some missed opportunities to consolidate and develop pupils’ literacy skills. Although aspects of chronology are appropriately covered, older pupils do not have sufficient experience of exploring a range of evidence or recording their knowledge and understanding in sufficient depth or detail. Opportunities are missed for pupils to use information and communication technology in their research topics 120. The subject is well led by an enthusiastic co-ordinator who also provides a good model in her own teaching for other members of staff. There have been no opportunities for her to monitor teaching but she has been able to monitor planning and pupils’ work when the subject is part of the school’s rolling programme of monitoring in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. Although descriptions of National Curriculum levels are used in the end of year report to parents, there are no

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HISTORY

formal systems of monitoring or recording pupils’ attainment. Teachers evaluate their own planning in relation to pupils’ responses and this enables them to respond to any identified needs. However, this is not sufficiently focused on the progressive development of pupils’ skills. Resources in the subject meet the needs of the curriculum and are usefully supplemented by resources from the local community and the local authority learning resources facilities. The curriculum is appropriately enhanced by visits to places of interest in the local area such as Knole and the Lullingstone Roman Villa. Older members of the community visit the school to talk about their wartime memories and their childhood toys and pupils visit the World War II Museum in Shoreham. Information and communication skills are insufficiently used. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. Pupils in Year 2 achieve average standards but pupils in Year 6 attain standards that are below average. The most recent HMI report noted that standards were improving but from a comparatively low level. Progress has been most securely achieved in Years 1 and 2. Pupils with special educational needs make progress which is similar to other pupils. 122. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve satisfactorily. They have appropriate opportunities for developing their skills in different elements of the subject. They are aware of the different functions of several computer keys and they write and print their names using fonts in different styles and sizes. Pupils generate colourful patterns using art programs. They make and print pictograms showing the number of vehicles in a traffic survey and the variations in hair colour in the class. They devise programs to move a robotic toy forwards and backwards. Overall, the progress made by the present

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Year 6 pupils is unsatisfactory. A scrutiny of pupils’ previous work shows that they have been introduced to some elements of the subject. For example, they have written and printed instructions for making a sponge and have devised graphs to show the juice content of various fruits. Previous Year 6 pupils used the Internet successfully to access information about a project on Jamaica; others devised and printed a school magazine and some made e-mail contact with a school in Kenya. However, the scrutiny of work and conversation with current Year 6 pupils indicated that they had not Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 40 had sufficient access to computers nor to a systematically taught curriculum for average standards to be achieved. Most were unsure of useful word processing facilities such as cut and paste and how to import pictures into text. They had not had sufficient experience of using data to distinguish between

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

a spreadsheet and a database. 123. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, and unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. As there was no opportunity for observing information and communication technology work in Years 1 and 2, judgements have been made from a scrutiny of previous work and teachers’ planning. These indicate that, although pupils are introduced satisfactorily to an appropriate range of concepts and skills, several are not developed to a sufficient depth. Observation of some group work for pupils in Year 5/6 revealed some weaknesses in approach and organisation which has not led to a sufficient improvement in standards in theses year groups. Pupils were adding data from a class pocket-money survey, and a group, supervised by a teaching assistant, was using the computer suite for their computer work. However, it was clear that most were unused to logging on the program themselves and the effectiveness of the beginning of the lesson was

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

limited, as most had to wait for support from other pupils before getting started. Although some showed reasonable keyboard and computer mouse skills, the lesson had to end after a few minutes as the teaching assistant had duties to attend to elsewhere in the school. The effect of this on pupils’ learning was that this group did not have sufficient access to computers to develop their skills or to make satisfactory progress. 124. Planning in the subject follows an agreed two-year curriculum plan, which indicates where the different elements of the subject are to be taught. Teachers transfer these details to a half-termly plan. These are clear and appropriate. However, there is insufficient monitoring and support of teaching and learning and insufficiently rigorous assessment procedures to show whether and how effectively each unit has been taught. The co-ordinator is planning to introduce some nationally

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

recommended assessment tests to match each taught unit. The small computer suite is timetabled for all classes to use but not all time is used effectively. A useful portfolio of completed work has been established. The work of the co-ordinator is supported well by a part-time, specialist technician. A previous technician helped the school to set up an interesting web site which contains information about the school and examples of pupils’ topic work. School newsletters are usefully attached to the web site for parents to access. The level of resourcing of computers to pupils is broadly in line with the national average. There is evidence from the displays around the school of good use of the school’s digital camera to promote interest in the subject. There are insufficient planned opportunities to use information and communication technology skills across other curriculum areas.

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MUSIC

125. Standards are average for pupils’ ages in Year 2 but below average by Year 6. Inspection judgements are based on the one lesson seen in the Year 1/2 class, discussions with teachers and pupils in Year 6, observations in assemblies and evidence from the school video. In the school’s previous report, there was no reference to standards in music. Pupils with special educational needs and the pupil with English as an additional language are well included in all lesson activities. Their confidence is built up well through these experiences and, as a result, they make good progress in developing their knowledge and skills. 126. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are achieving satisfactorily. However, pupils in Years 3 to 6 have had a more limited range of experiences and they have not built their knowledge and skills appropriately for their age. They do not make sufficient progress. Opportunities for pupils to develop their

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MUSIC

performance skills through singing are developed satisfactorily across the school. This is done, for example, through the school’s Pageant festival, assemblies, the school choir and in class. In assemblies, younger pupils sing with enthusiasm and energy and, whilst there is a generally appropriate regard for melody and rhythm, some older pupils do not respond with the same interest. Evidence from a school video and a governor’s monitoring report indicate that pupils are able to sing in rounds and follow a range of rhythms and melodies. All pupils in Year 4 learn to play the recorder during the year and have the opportunity to join a recorder club. Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 41 127. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Year 2 and unsatisfactory in Year 6. In a sound lesson seen in the Year 1/2 class, pupils were learning to follow symbols to make simple rhythms using percussion instruments and to select and use their own choice of symbols. The teacher

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MUSIC

had planned and organised the lesson carefully with instruments placed in the middle of a circle of pupils. This enabled the lesson to begin purposefully and helped pupils to listen productively. In a simple but effective activity, pupils were able to review their knowledge of percussion instruments and select and name an instrument of their choice. Pupils were interested in the activities and most were able to create patterns with two or three simple sounds and symbols. The teacher managed the group well, despite some end-of-the-day restlessness, and this helped pupils to make steady gains in their learning. 128. Discussions with pupils in Year 6 and observations of older pupils singing in assemblies indicate that, although a good number are interested in music, there are some pupils whose skills and knowledge have not been developed progressively and they are not so effectively motivated. The range of music to which pupils listen and their ability to talk and write about features of music have

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MUSIC

not been sufficiently developed. Similarly, the range of opportunities to construct their own compositions and to record, evaluate and improve their work has also been too limited. Analysis of teachers’ planning and discussions with staff indicate that, although there is generally appropriate coverage of the different elements of music, the focus tends to be too superficial. Teachers have insufficient confidence and expertise in developing older pupils’ skills and knowledge. 129. The co-ordination of the subject is sound and is currently in the process of transition. The new co-ordinator is interested in the further development of the subject and is beginning to acquire an understanding of the role. Subject planning is based on a commercial scheme, which covers the requirements of the National Curriculum and provides a range of recorded resources to supplement those of the school. Planning is monitored and teaching in the subject has been monitored by one of

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the governors. There are currently no formal systems of assessing pupils’ attainment throughout the year and no procedures for recording the progress they make. Resources for the subject, whilst generally appropriate for younger pupils, are not currently sufficient to meet the needs of the curriculum for the development of older pupils’ composition and appraisal skills. There are some useful links with other subjects to enhance pupils’ experiences, such as the planned unit of music and movement within the physical education curriculum. In design and technology, pupils make their own percussion instruments, such as shakers made from papier-mâché. However, information and communication technology skills are used insufficiently in this subject. 130. Pupils’ experiences in music are enhanced by opportunities such as the visit of musician Carol Noakes who played and demonstrated a range of instruments including instruments from other

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MUSIC

traditions and cultures. Members of the choir and those who are learning to play the recorders benefit from the opportunities to attend music festivals and concerts in local schools. The school appreciates the contributions of a part time music teacher who visits the school once a week to teach singing and the 6 th form students from Sevenoaks School who teach the recorder to pupils in Year 4. The subject makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ social and moral development but does not make sufficient contribution to their cultural and spiritual development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. Because of the way in which the timetable was organised, it was only possible to see a single gymnastics lesson being taught in Year 1/2, so there was not sufficient evidence to make judgements about overall standards being achieved. As a result of this and the fact that the previous HMI report did not make any specific references to standards achieved in this subject, it will not be possible to make a judgement about progress since the last inspection. The school indicates that most pupils achieve the expected standard in swimming by the time they leave the school. 132. There was insufficient evidence across the school for an overall judgement to be made about the quality of teaching and learning. The quality of teaching in the single lesson observed in Y1/2 was satisfactory. This was a gymnastics lesson where pupils were spinning and sliding on the floor and then over different pieces of apparatus. The teacher’s planning was full and her introduction made

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appropriate reference to the importance of attentive listening and some health and safety issues. The Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 42 progression in activities was developed well and pupils were encouraged in their work. The small size of the school hall restricted the space available but there were missed opportunities to enable pupils to be more active in their work. 133. Teachers are supported by a policy statement which has recently been revised. Work in the subject is based on the nationally recommended scheme of work which is planned on a two-year rolling programme. This shows how all the elements of the subject are to be taught across the school. Swimming is planned for all pupils in Years 3 to 6. However, currently, swimming is not taking place because of renovations in the pool which the school uses. Normal swimming arrangements will recommence as soon as possible. Assessment procedures are insufficiently developed. There is a

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

satisfactory range of indoor and outdoor resources for pupils to use. The space available in the school hall is limited by its small size. This is further restricted by the use of the hall to store other items of equipment. Opportunities in the subject are enhanced by the provision of extracurricular clubs. Those for football and hockey were seen to operate during the time of the inspection. Clubs for athletics, netball, and Kwik cricket are organised at other times of the year. There are also opportunities for competitions with other schools in football, netball and athletics. Adventurous activities are promoted during the Year 5/6 residential visit to the local outdoor activity centre. These all provide good contributions to pupils’ wider social development.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

134. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding by the age of seven meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. By the age of 11, pupils’ knowledge and understanding are below those expected for their age. There was no specific reference to standards in religious education in the HMI report in 2000. During the time of the inspection, it was only possible to observe teaching in one lesson due to curriculum arrangements. Judgements are based on the lesson seen, analysis of pupils’ recorded work during the previous year and the work undertaken this year, planning in the subject, discussion with staff and interviews with pupils in Year 6. The school has a caring and supportive ethos, which encourages pupils to respect the ideas and opinions of others. Together with collective worship the subject makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ personal development by the age of seven but is less well developed in Years 3 to 6. Pupils with special educational needs are well involved in lessons

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and achieve well because they receive good support from their teachers, teaching assistants and other pupils. This enables them to achieve as well as their peers. 135. Pupils enter the school with varying understanding and experiences of religious traditions and practice. Overall, they achieve satisfactorily and some achieve well by Year 2 but they do not make sufficient progress by the end of Year 6. In Years 1 and 2, pupils appreciate some of the main features of a Christian church, and they are aware well of some simple symbols associated with other world faiths. In Years 3 to 6, pupils are aware of some stories from the Bible, such as the Prodigal Son, and they know the daily and yearly routine of a typical Muslim family. The analysis of pupils’ work across the school indicates that aspects of the locally agreed syllabus are appropriately represented in their recorded work. However, there is insufficient detail and depth in the work of older pupils to

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develop their understanding and knowledge progressively. In discussion with pupils in Year 6, it was clear that, although they have a generally appropriate awareness of some of the main features of the Christian faith, such as Bible stories and their significance, they were not able to describe the most important features of a Christian church. Their recall of their most recent work on other faiths was superficial and often insecure. However, despite the superficial quality of the learning of older pupils, their responses to questions and their attitudes and behaviour in collective worship show a good level of respect and a clear awareness that religious belief has value and is important to many people. 136. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. The teaching in the single lesson observed in Year 1/2 was satisfactory. Pupils were

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confident in offering their responses to their teacher’s questions about how they should behave on a visit to their local church. This was the result of good relationships in the class and the teacher’s good encouragement for them to be well involved in discussion. She gave them useful opportunities to record their own and each other’s ideas on whiteboards. The school’s ethos of respect for all was evident in pupils’ responses and pupils showed that they understood that the church was a special Sundridge & Brasted CEP School 43 place where people talked to God. By the end of the lesson, the teacher had established an appropriate basis for their visit and consolidated pupils’ understanding that the church was a special place. However, teaching in Years 3 to 6 does not develop topics to a sufficient depth to enable average standards to be met. 137. The subject is soundly led by a co-ordinator who is new to the role and is developing her

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understanding of the needs of the subject well. She has taken part in training for the role and recently reviewed the school’s curriculum. She has identified clear and relevant priorities for the development of the subject, including supporting the development of teachers’ confidence and expertise in the subject. The coordinator has undertaken informal monitoring of pupils’ work. She has monitored planning but has not had opportunity to monitor teaching in the subject. There are no formal systems for assessing and recording the progress that pupils make. Book resources for the subject are generally satisfactory and the school makes good use of the local authority’s learning resource facility as required. The school recognises that there are currently insufficient links with literacy in the subject and has recently purchased new resources to develop these opportunities. The school has good connections with the two local churches and the local clergy who take part in collective worship,

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providing good support for pupils’ learning in religious education. Pupils visit the church for the main celebrations in the Christian calendar and for occasions such as the Leavers’ service in the summer. This ensures that pupils have good opportunities to build up their knowledge of traditions and beliefs of the Christian religion as they move through the school. However, information and communication technology skills are not used sufficiently in this subject.

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