Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 9 th – 12 th December 2002

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SCHOOL

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

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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. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School category: Methodist voluntary controlled

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Emerson Road Ribbleton Preston Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev A Farrar

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 2000 Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 2

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Aspect responsibilities

25349 George Derby Registered inspector Design and technology Information and communication technology Science Special educational needs What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further?

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Aspect responsibilities

9002 Nancy Walker Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 27426 Terry Aldridge Team inspector Art and design Geography History How high are standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well is the school led and managed?

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Aspect responsibilities

22380 Penny Parish Team inspector English English as an additional language Educational inclusion Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

30540 Peter Tuttle Team inspector Mathematics Music Physical education

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Aspect responsibilities

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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? 9 - 12

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 32 - 48

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Ribbleton is an average-sized voluntary controlled Methodist junior school. Currently, 243 pupils from seven to 11 years of age attend the school. Although the school has a strong Christian foundation, all pupils’ faiths are strongly celebrated. No matter their race, religion or capability, all pupils are welcomed and included in the school ‘family’. A high percentage (49 per cent) of families belong to minority ethnic groups – mainly Pakistani and Indian – and a large proportion of pupils have faiths such as Islam and Hinduism. Just three pupils are at an early stage of learning English, and just under a half of pupils speak Urdu, Punjabi or Gujerati at home. The school has a higher-than-average rate of pupils who are admitted or who leave the school over the course of a year. A well-above-average percentage (40 per cent) of pupils have special educational needs (SEN). An above-average number of pupils (nine) have a

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Statement of Special Educational Need. These pupils have a wide range of needs, including emotional and behavioural difficulties, communication problems and hearing impairment. An average percentage of pupils (22 per cent) are entitled to receive free school meals. In the areas from which pupils come there are very high levels of unemployment, deprivation and child poverty. The overall attainment of pupils on entry to the school is well below average and sometimes very low. The school has been part of a local education action zone and is now part of an ‘excellence cluster’ group. The school’s main purpose is to develop the talents received from God and to learn and grow by caring and sharing.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a sound, caring school which is in a process of transition, from having a relatively stable staff to managing a number of teachers new to the school and staff who are new to their roles as co-ordinators. All staff have a strong, shared commitment to the pupils and to making the school a better place in which to learn. The school celebrates pupils’ personal achievements well. Pupils feel valued and enjoy school. The high-quality display of pupils’ work significantly supports their self-esteem. While pupils’ academic standards are below average, these have improved over the last four years and pupils have achieved well in the recent past. Some changes now mean that pupils’ achievements are currently sound. The teaching is satisfactory overall, with good teaching in reading, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT). The headteacher and senior staff provide strong

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

leadership and sound management. The school provides sound value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school is highly committed to supporting all pupils and including them in all aspects of school life, no matter what their ability, special educational or language needs. • Standards and provision have improved well in mathematics and science; pupils now attain standards in line with pupils of a similar age in ICT, a significant achievement. • Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards their work and their behaviour is generally good; all benefit from the very successful racial harmony in the school. • The school is good at raising pupils’ self-esteem and valuing their achievements. • The leadership by the headteacher and senior staff team is good. • Governors support the school well and have a good understanding of where it needs to improve. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 5

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What could be improved

• Standards – these could be raised even further, especially in English, through increasing the levels of attendance, good or better teaching and improving learning opportunities; in English there needs to be more emphasis on pupils’ speaking and writing; in all subjects there should be more emphasis on key skills, such as the use of ICT to support learning, thinking skills and problem- solving activities. • The role of the senior management team and the monitoring role of co-ordinators. • The rigour, pace and quality of some systems and procedures in the school. • The provision for pupils with SEN, especially the strategic development of the provision, the quality of pupils’ targets, how pupils’ progress is checked, and how some pupils are included in lessons. • Assessment in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. • The involvement of parents in the school’s work and the information in pupils’ reports.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made sound progress in addressing the key issues from the last inspection in 2000, when it was removed from special measures. Standards have continued to rise well in mathematics and science, although there is still some way to go in English in speaking, and writing. Reading standards are average. There is evidence to suggest that teaching has been stronger in the recent past, but on this inspection, and from pupils’ work, teaching is sound and the percentage of good or better teaching needs to improve to raise standards further. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory and links adequately to medium-term plans where objectives clearly outline what pupils are to learn; long-term plans are currently being reviewed as there are some gaps in subject provision. Not all planning, however, identifies what teachers expect different groups of pupils to learn. The information gained from the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

school’s tracking of pupils’ progress has helped the school focus on important areas for improvement. The new temporary senior management team have not yet got a specific role in supporting the headteacher, although governors are now more involved in helping the school to improve. It has a strong commitment and a sound capacity to improve further.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The Year 6 national tests in 2002 and previous test results showed an improving trend over time in mathematics, were steady in English and although improved in science overall, fell compared to the previous year. The trend, overall, was broadly in line with the improvements schools made nationally. The percentage of pupils gaining the higher level (Level 5) in the tests in mathematics was average and the percentage of pupils attaining the higher level in mathematics and science has been improving year- on-year; it has been fairly steady in English but fell slightly last year. Ribbleton 2002 Year 6 results, when compared with the pupils’ 1998 Year 2 results, confirm pupils’ progress to be sound over time. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 6 From the pupils’ work seen during the inspection , standards are below average in English, mathematics and science and below what they should be in design and technology and geography.

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Key

However, pupils’ achievements, including those with SEN and English as an additional language (EAL), are sound because of the good personal support they receive from staff. Although the school’s challenging targets indicate it is aiming for even higher attainment for its pupils in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2003, these are unlikely to be reached. The school was also unsuccessful in reaching the targets set for last year, partly because of the high turnover of the pupils in that year. Over the past three years, girls did better than boys by a greater margin than nationally. The school is addressing boys’ under-achievement and has put specific plans in place to support those pupils with EAL who significantly underachieve. The gap in the attainment for these pupils is closing.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils generally show interest and enthusiasm, and respond well to the work provided.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Satisfactory. Behaviour is good in most lessons and around the school; some problems with pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties are related to a lack of challenge in lessons, not simply their special educational needs.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils show good levels of confidence and are keen to accept responsibility. They show respect for other pupils’ values and beliefs. Relationships are good and especially strong between the pupils from different ethnic communities.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Below average. In relation to other local schools, it is above average. Attendance is affected by religious holidays during term-time.

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

The teaching is sound overall. Although there was some unsatisfactory teaching nearly half seen of all teaching was good or better. All teachers have a strong commitment to their pupils, know them well on a personal level and have good relationships with them. Support staff make a great contribution to helping individuals and groups, especially pupils with SEN and EAL, to make satisfactory progress. At times, support staff expertise is not fully utilised by teachers during whole class parts of lessons. Teaching is effective in reading, mathematics, science and ICT where teachers’ expertise and commitment to making the learning interesting are very apparent. In English overall, and other subjects, it is satisfactory. Some teachers expect a great deal from pupils, while others sometimes expect too little. Where there was some unsatisfactory teaching, this was mainly due to the management of the

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

class and the match of work to the children’s needs. Literacy and numeracy skills are adequately promoted through other subjects, although greater emphasis on vocabulary would lead to higher attainment. Pupils are managed adequately overall, although some with SEN are not sufficiently included in lessons. Planning identifies what different pupils will do, but mostly does not specify what Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 7 teachers expect different groups of pupils to learn. Teachers rely heavily on their powers of explanation and use few other ways, such as demonstrations or ICT, to help pupils learn. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 8

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The opportunities for learning are broad and relevant overall. The balance and content of activities are being revised because there are gaps and some subjects are narrow. More attention needs to be paid to ensuring that key skills which underpin learning are reflected in planning and teaching. The school meets all the legal requirements to provide the National Curriculum and religious education. Although good provision is made for ICT as a subject, its use to support work during lessons in other subjects is underdeveloped. Good provision is made for activities outside lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) Satisfactory. Sound management of the provision and good work by teaching assistants provide good support for the majority of pupils. However, not all pupils are adequately included in lessons, through work appropriate to their needs. Individual education plan targets are too general in most classes. There is scope for further improvement in pupils’ achievement, given the resources and commitment the school has.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) Satisfactory. Pupils are well supported by teaching assistants and provision is soundly managed. Pupils’ language levels are not specifically assessed, although the school keeps a careful watch on pupils’ progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Good. Spiritual development is well promoted through assemblies and also through the expression of the school’s values on a daily basis. The good provision for pupils' moral development is well supported by the 'code of conduct'. The school has a good sense of community and the active school council contributes to good opportunities for social development and good citizenship. The provision for cultural development is good overall. Pupils have developed a good awareness of the rich diversity of multi-faiths and traditions. Provision for learning about the local heritage is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Sound. Child protection arrangements are sound overall, although some staff have not had any formal training. Health and safety procedures are satisfactory, although formal procedures are at an early stage of development and there are no risk assessments when pupils go on visits. The educational and personal support and guidance are good although no formal recording systems are in place. While there is some inconsistency in the application of the school's behaviour policy, overall procedures are good. Assessment is sound but procedures in a few subjects are just being introduced.

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Aspect Comment

The school has worked hard to build its relationships successfully with parents and they now view the school’s work positively. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Sound. The headteacher strongly leads the relatively new staff team. She had previously built a strong team which has helped to raise standards. Staff share the school’s values and work effectively together. The headteacher has a strong commitment to ensuring that high standards are reached and a clear view about how to achieve this. School development is adequately thought out with relevant priorities. Management is sound. The temporary senior management team lack clear roles and responsibilities, at present. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Sound. They have a good understanding of the school’s work and what needs to be done to improve. They are beginning to identify more wide- ranging responsibilities, such as more direct monitoring of the school’s work, although some areas are well defined, such as their role in supporting SEN.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Sound. A reasonable check is kept on the quality of teaching by the headteacher, although this needs to be more rigorous. Co-ordinators have monitored their subjects well in the past, producing helpful evaluations of most aspects of provision, except the teaching. Many of the current co-ordinators are now new to their roles and have not had time to check on provision in their subjects. Good use is made of information to evaluate performance and set targets for improvement. The headteacher provides governors with good-quality information about the school’s performance. The strategic use of resources Sound. Effective planning enables the school budget to be spent wisely. All resources are managed efficiently. The school’s finances are monitored well, although the checks on the cost effectiveness of aspects of provision, such as SEN, are limited.

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Aspect Comment

The staffing, accommodation and resources for learning are satisfactory; external space is very limited and the ICT room layout restricted. The high level of support for pupils is from staff who are skilled and experienced. The school applies the principles of best value soundly.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Most parents like nearly everything about the school and are very supportive of its work. They particularly identify that teaching is good, that staff are approachable if parents have a problem or a suggestion, and that the school expects children to work hard and do their best. • More information about their children’s progress; • The amount of homework; • How well the school works in partnership with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors mostly agree with parents' positive views about the school. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although nearly a half of it is good or better. Inspectors find the information in reports is often limited to what pupils have studied or enjoyed and does not give a clear indication of progress. Homework provision is sound overall but amounts vary between classes; diaries are not being used effectively to involve and include parents in their child's education. The school aims to work more closely with parents and the school is now in a position to build on the good relationships which exist. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 10

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Pupils’ current and previous results

1. Although standards overall were well below average in the 2002 national tests at the end of Year 6, these were average when compared with schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. Although the school’s results indicate well-below-average attainment over the past four years, this is not the full picture; the school has worked hard to raise pupils’ attainment and has been successful in doing so. Since 1998, results have risen considerably in mathematics and science. They have been mostly steady in English. In science, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level (Level 4) and above has doubled. In mathematics, it has increased by over a third. In English, it has varied but has been around 60 per cent; gains have been made in the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level (Level 5) in English. However, these have been small in comparison to the increase in the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level in mathematics and science.

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Pupils’ current and previous results

These have been significant and have increased from around 0 per cent to 28 per cent. Pupils have achieved well in the recent past. Some changes, mainly relating to staffing, now mean that pupils’ achievements are currently sound.

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Pupils’ current and previous results

2. The trend, overall, was broadly in line with the improvements schools made nationally over the past five years. National data show that Ribbleton 2002 Year 6 results, when compared with the pupils’ 1998 Year 2 results, confirm pupils’ progress was average both in relation to schools with similar results nationally in Year 2 and also when compared with schools with similar intakes of pupils.

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Pupils’ current and previous results

3. In 2002, the strongest results were in mathematics and, although below average overall, the percentage of pupils who attained the higher level (Level 5) was in line with the national average. Standards in English and science were well below average Because of the spread of ability of pupils in each year group and the low levels of attainment with which pupils enter the school, results are attained across all National Curriculum levels in the national tests. These range from levels below the national expectation (and sometimes well below) to levels which are above. Although this is the case, for some individuals this represents good or very good achievement over their time in the school, especially for some pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need. In relation to schools with a similar intake of pupils, results in English and science were average and in mathematics were good.

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Pupils’ current and previous results

4. The improvements made generally in provision and pupils’ increased test results are as a result of the impact of the support the school has received since it went into special measures in 1998 and the tenacity of the headteacher in her quest to raise attainment. However, the challenge now is to ensure that staff new to the school, new to a particular year group, and/or new to their roles as co- ordinators, provide the same high-quality provision that has been apparent from work and results seen previously. Staff have a strong commitment to pupils and to improving provision to enable standards to rise even further. Some staff, however, inexperienced in teaching or who lack sufficient knowledge of how to plan, organise and manage pupils with an extremely wide range of needs, require further guidance and support. This has been recognised by the school and some help has been recently provided. This now needs to extend further.

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Pupils’ current and previous results

5. The school thoroughly analyses pupils’ results in national tests as well as pupils’ responses to the school’s own tests carried out throughout the year and at the end of each year. It is vigilant in watching for trends and responding to these through additional support or changes in practice. It responds well by targeting specific groups through purposeful actions and additional support identified in the school improvement plan. For instance, it has recognised that boys from minority ethnic groups underperformed compared to their counterparts in last year’s tests. Plans put in place have been recently adapted as recent assessments now show that it is mainly the girls from Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 11 minority ethnic groups that need most support. This is because they find it hard to acquire high- level language skills. Overall, girls at Ribbleton generally do better than boys in the national tests

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Pupils’ current and previous results

and to a greater extent than the national picture. Although there is a difference in attainment between pupils from minority ethnic groups and white pupils, the gap is closing. This is a result of the school’s recognition and the strategies it has put in place to tackle underachievement, particularly that of boys. In addition, many of the pupils identified as having special educational needs are also boys.

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Pupils’ current and previous results

6. The school sets challenging targets which have been mostly reached or exceeded in the past but not currently. Target setting for the school is fraught with difficulty, as pupils arrive and leave the school at times other than usual, and this affects the projections made. Up until the 2002 tests, the targets had been significantly exceeded in science; in mathematics and science they have been missed by a small number of percentage points in the 2001 and 2002 tests. Current targets for 2003 are unlikely to be reached. This relates to the make-up of the current Year 6 groups and the occasional difficulties staff have in meeting the diverse range of needs and managing and organising the pupils or their activities.

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Standards in the work seen during the inspection

7. From the work seen during the inspection, pupils’ attainment is below average in English, mathematics and science by Year 6. This, to some extent, reflects the different make-up of this Year 6 group compared to the previous one. Standards in lessons, and in pupils’ previous work, are promoted through sound provision and teaching. Pupils’ achievements are sound overall and the pupils make satisfactory progress over their time in the school. The narrowness of parts of the curriculum affects their overall achievement. However, their achievements are good in reading, mathematics and science, and sound in speaking and listening and writing. Pupils could do a lot better in these two aspects of English if wider opportunities were provided, and the limitations here hinder them from attaining even more highly. In ICT, pupils’ standards are in line with those expected for their age by Year 6, a good achievement. The pupils make good progress because of

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Standards in the work seen during the inspection

the effective teaching, good resources and support by the current and previous co-ordinator and from the local EAZ. With the exception of geography and design and technology, in most other subjects pupils reach the expected level for their age by Year 6. In geography, the subject has had a low priority and the programme of work does not enable pupils to study the subject to the depth required. In design and technology, the lack of attention with which all elements of the subject are studied and the limited challenge in lessons results in pupils’ attainment being lower than it should by Year 6; evidence from other year groups shows that pupils have studied the subject well and their attainment is as expected for their ages. In both these subjects, pupils’ progress is unsatisfactory. In music, it was not possible to make a judgement about pupils’ attainment owing to a lack of records relating to their attainment and progress. The small amount of singing was

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Standards in the work seen during the inspection

8. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory throughout the school. The well-targeted support given by teaching assistants helps the pupils to make adequate progress alongside their peers. It is not possible to make a judgement on the progress made in relation to targets in their Individual Education Plans (IEPs) as these are far too broad to evaluate. Teachers’ own evaluations, which often say ‘ongoing’, confirm this.

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Standards in the work seen during the inspection

9. Pupils with English as an additional language make sound progress overall and achieve satisfactorily. Those who are in the early stages of learning English make good progress in relation to prior attainment and achieve well. Results in national tests for Year 6 in 2002 showed that girls in this group reach the nationally expected levels for their age in the same proportion as all other pupils but that boys tend to underachieve. The school has made adjustments to the English curriculum to improve its appeal to boys and has provided extra help with learning vocabulary in mathematics and science. As a result, the most recent assessments indicate a good improvement for the boys. The school’s expectations for these pupils are as high as for all pupils; they are generally suitably challenged and supported and this enables most to reach their Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 12 potential. The higher-attaining pupils of all ethnic backgrounds are not always sufficiently

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Standards in the work seen during the inspection

challenged in English, with the same tasks set for them as for the average pupils. There is no significant difference between the attainment of different ethnic groups or between these and the pupils who are white.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Most pupils have positive attitudes towards school and their work, behave well and form good relationships. Their personal development is good. The good attitudes, standards of behaviour and relationships reported in the previous inspection have been maintained.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Most pupils' attitudes to school are good. Of the parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire, almost all stated that their children liked coming to school and this was confirmed by discussions with pupils during the inspection. Year 6 pupils confirm that school plays an important part in their lives. For example, most like school and look forward to returning at the end of holidays because of the range of activities that go on. Positive attitudes are evident in the good levels of enthusiasm seen in lessons, especially when the work set is interesting and challenging. In most lessons, the majority of pupils listen and concentrate well and setttle quickly to their tasks, as in a Year 4 art lesson when pupils worked very productively to create a picture using warm-coloured tissue paper to create a sky scene for a nativity scene. Many pupils show good levels of interest in the wider aspects of school life in the extensive range of clubs and activities,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

such as football, computer, choir, dance and drama, and recorder. Many are actively involved and co-operate, share and perform well together.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils report that their favourite subjects and lessons are those where they are practically involved, such as physical education, art and design, design and technology, using computers and music. Lessons and subjects are not so popular where there is a lot of writing needed, such as literacy, geography and recording of science experiments, although history is popular because lessons and activities are interesting. In most year groups, pupils have a positive attitude to reading. The best attitudes and behaviour occur in lessons where expectations are high, work is demanding and pupils are busy and engaged in a variety of activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Behaviour in classrooms and in and around the school during lunchtime and playtimes is usually good. Most pupils move around the school and into the hall at lunchtimes and for assemblies in an orderly manner. The good and reliable behaviour of most pupils is an important element in the prevailing positive atmosphere for learning. In most lessons, nearly all pupils are well behaved except for a small number who have emotional and behaviour problems, although these are mostly managed well by teachers. In a small minority of lessons where behaviour falls below this good standard, activities do not provide enough challenge and interest for the pupils. There was absolutely no sign of any bullying or racist or sexist behaviour during the inspection and pupils work and play harmoniously together. Exclusions are rare, with only one in the previous school year, and most teachers and other adults work hard to modify pupils’ behaviour. Pupils take good

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

care of property and resources and help keep their school in attractive condition. The parents’ questionnaire responses support this positive picture, with almost all of parents clearly indicating that behaviour in the school is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Most pupils who have special educational needs have a positive attitude to school and are usually interested and enthusiastic in their lessons. They are fully involved and included in all the range of activities that the school provides and this has a marked effect on the development of their self- esteem. Most behave well in lessons and in small groups. Behaviour is usually good at lunchtime and in the playground and is no different from that of other pupils. Those pupils identified with behavioural problems are mostly well supported and behaviour is appropriately modified. Occasionally, some pupils with SEN show behaviour which poses a problem for staff to manage; there are no behavour plans to provide guidance and sometimes staff rely on their own instincts, rather than a measured and consistent approach. However, most pupils show very good respect for the work and feelings of others and are positive about their achievements.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 13 15. Pupils with a language other than English as their home language are very well involved in the social life of the school. Racial harmony is excellent between all pupils. Those in the early stages of learning to speak English are supported well by staff and pupils, helping them to gain in confidence.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Relationships between adults and pupils and among pupils are good and have been maintained at this level since the last inspection. There is a good rapport between teachers and pupils in many classes and this has a positive impact on their learning. Adults act as effective role models and set good examples. They place high importance and emphasis on respecting the feelings, values and beliefs of others, emphasised, for example, in assemblies, so that pupils have a good understanding of such aspects. They clearly have ownership of the code of conduct, ‘Treat others as we would like to be treated’, and have the ability to apologise to each other and ‘to make a fresh start’. They mix very well together, regardless of background, race, language or special educational need. Teachers value pupils' work and what pupils do, and praise and reward effort and good work.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils' personal, moral and social development is good. Most pupils know and calmly carry out the daily routines expected of them. The strong Methodist tradition of the school means that there is good emphasis on these aspects. Most pupils enjoy speaking with visitors, and show concern for others if they are ill, fall in the playground or are otherwise upset. When given the opportunity, pupils willingly take on responsibility and show initiative. For example, members of the school council, carry out their roles seriously and older pupils show good responsibility during assemblies controlling lights and operating the overhead projector. In classrooms, most pupils are willing to take on roles such as returning registers to the office, giving out equipment or tidying up after lessons. There are missed opportunities in some lessons for pupils to take responsiblity, such as organising equipment in science, or to reflect on their work at the end of lessons. In Year 6 in

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

design and technology, product evaluation is also limited.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The school's overall attendance figure has fallen and is now unsatisfactory. At just under 93 per cent, it is below the national average of 94 per cent but it is comparable to, and often better than, similar schools within the local ‘excellence cluster’. Even though very many pupils attend regularly, the overall attendance figure is negatively affected by the amount of authorised absence on religious and cultural grounds. In addition, at least 10 pupils across the school have haphazard and even nil attendance, which reduces the attendance figure even further.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. The majority of pupils arrive on time and often with minimal adult intervention and this is a credit to them. When they are slightly late, they hurry themselves along, doing whatever they can to catch up lost time and to get to their class as quickly as they can. They are clearly happy to attend school and 95 per cent of parents confirm this.

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The quality of teaching across the school

20. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. This is the same as the judgement made in the last inspection. The school has appointed a number of new teachers since then and most co- ordinators are new to their posts. This, to some extent, has affected the quality of teaching, which, judging from pupils’ work and test results, is likely to have been stronger in the recent past. Teaching was best in Year 5, where all the teaching was satisfactory or better and where the highest proportion of good or better teaching was seen during the inspection. Unsatisfactory teaching was mainly seen in Year 6. Teaching in Year 3 and Year 4 had both strengths and weaknesses, but nevertheless was satisfactory overall. However, the proportion of good or better teaching needs to be increased in order to raise pupils’ attainment further, and unsatisfactory teaching needs eliminating. The school has addressed the unnecessary depth to which teachers

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The quality of teaching across the school

planned their lessons, identified in the last inspection; this was considered too time consuming Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 14 but had helped teachers think carefully about what they were teaching. It has now simplified the planning arrangements.

p.15

The quality of the teaching of subjects

21. The teaching of English (including literacy skills) is satisfactory. It is good for reading and sound for promoting pupils’ speaking and listening skills and their writing. Teaching follows the principles laid down by the National Literacy Strategy. At times, however, teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to discuss in pairs or groups and this weakness also has an impact on their ability to write at length in sufficient depth. Pupils read frequently to adults and the teaching of reading is generally good, in the part of the literacy lesson that deals with the examination of a shared text. In mathematics (including numeracy) the quality of teaching is good and it also follows the principles laid down by the National Numeracy Strategy. Mental starters to lessons are brisk and generally challenge pupils well. They help pupils to practice and build on skills learned previously. Teachers also develop pupils' knowledge and understanding of mathematical

p.16

The quality of the teaching of subjects

language well. The teaching of science is good and a significant strength is the co-ordinator’s knowledge and the way teaching is supported. The teaching is strengthened in Year 6 by her knowledge, especially of how to promote investigation and experimentation. The teaching of ICT is also good. This is because of improved computer resources, increased staff knowledge resulting from the training teachers have received, and the strong support from the present and previous co- ordinator.

p.16

The quality of the teaching of subjects

22. The teaching of art and design is satisfactory, with some good features seen in Year 4. In design and technology, too little teaching could be seen to make an overall judgement. In one lesson seen it was good and in another it was unsatisfactory. However, judging from pupils’ work and teachers’ planning, it is generally at least satisfactory and often good. However, by Year 6, the challenge in lessons is limited and pupils’ progress tails off as a result. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the full programme of study are also limited. It is not possible to make an overall judgement on the quality of teaching in geography as the subject was not taught at the time of the inspection. However, from looking at teachers’ planning and work samples, it is evident that there have been weaknesses in teaching. This has led to pupils’ attainment in Year 6 being below expectations. The teaching of history is satisfactory and although it is not possible to make an

p.16

The quality of the teaching of subjects

overall judgement from the one lesson seen in music, the teaching in this lesson was very good. The teaching of physical education is satisfactory, although in one lesson seen it was unsatisfactory because of weaknesses in class organisation and pupil management. However, there were strong features in some other lessons seen.

p.16

The quality of the teaching of subjects

23. Literacy and numeracy are usually adequately promoted in lessons, although the attention given to reinforcing, correcting or developing pupils’ understanding of grammar, punctuation and vocabulary varies across the school. In some lessons, subject vocabulary is not sufficiently promoted, leading to a lack of pupils’ understanding; sometimes pupils do not see important words in written form and, therefore, do not spell them accurately. Phonic skills are promoted effectively and teachers now provide reasonable opportunities for extending pupils’ writing in other subjects. Pupils’ numeracy skills are utilised well in other subjects such as science, design and technology and ICT. Although teachers use a variety of resources to help pupils understand what they are learning, there is a lack of use of ICT in general to support pupils’ learning in subjects and to reinforce pupils’ ICT skills. It is improving but much more needs to be done.

p.16

Other features of teaching

24. The teaching in most subjects follows the structure of the literacy and numeracy lessons, although there is variation in the length of the sessions at the beginning and ends of lessons. Some of the plenary parts, at the end of the lessons, are far too short, giving little time for assessment or reinforcement of what pupils have learned; in others the introduction is occasionally too long. There are times in introductions when support staff sit for too long without anything purposeful to do, although many use their initiative and explain to and question pupils at this time. Teachers Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 15 generally make it clear what pupils as a whole will learn and will do. The most effective ways that pupils learn are not always well considered and in some introductions teachers talk for far too long and do not use enough visual material to support pupils who need to learn in this way. On the

p.16

Other features of teaching

other hand, many lessons use a wide variety of visual aids and really grab the pupils’ attention. This is especially the case in ICT where teachers’ demonstrations (despite limitations of the room) are a strength.

p.17

Other features of teaching

25. Teachers’ management of pupils is satisfactory. It is generally effective in Years 3 and 5 but some teachers have difficulty in Years 4 and 6. The teaching in some lessons was judged to be unsatisfactory because of this. Pupil management is built on the firm foundations of the good relationships that staff have established with pupils and the commitment that staff have to helping pupils to do their best. Most pupils respond well to this. There are examples of well organised and challenging lessons throughout the school, where pupils respond positively to teachers’ clear expectations and work extremely productively. For instance, in a Year 3 mathematics lesson, all groups were planned for well, with work which made them think hard about the mathematical ideas involved and resulted in them working intensively on their activities. However, some pupils take advantage if lessons are not well organised or lack challenge and some staff find the small number

p.17

Other features of teaching

of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties a problem to manage. Strategies for their management are not always clearly defined and behaviour plans are often not in place. Teachers have considered well the possible effects of the limited space in the ICT room on pupils and make appropriate adjustments to their lessons. The small number of pupils occasionally seen misbehaving in other lessons work really well in ICT lessons; this is because the work is challenging interesting and involves pupils well.

p.17

Other features of teaching

26. Teachers’ knowledge of the subjects and how to impart knowledge to the pupils is satisfactory. There are experienced staff who know the pupils well and have very good knowledge of how to make activities meaningful for pupils. Weaknesses often reflect the inexperience of some staff, and, in some cases, the lack of knowledge of how to deal with such a wide range of pupils’ needs.

p.17

Other features of teaching

27. Planning is satisfactory, although there is not always enough attention given to the needs of higher-attaining pupils. Teachers challenge pupils reasonably and ask probing questions which are relevant to their needs and capabilities. However, activities planned and outcomes stated are often for all pupils and planning for groups of pupils of differing attainment is limited. Furthermore, although the school’s planning format draws teachers’ attention to most of the key features in lessons that need to be promoted, key vocabulary for pupils to learn (including spelling) and how spiritual, moral, social and cultural development might be promoted are not included.

p.17

Other features of teaching

28. Pupils with special educational needs are soundly taught and their learning is satisfactory. A significant strength is the informal knowledge staff have of their pupils and the personal support they give. Pupils respond well to this and often work hard as result. The impact of what they receive in lessons is, to some extent, limited by the quality of the learning targets in their IEPs. These are usually far too general and are not the most important things that a pupil needs to learn to overcome the barriers to learning. However, although satisfactory overall, teaching is not always successful for those pupils withdrawn in Year 4 for separate teaching. Particular strengths in teaching are the way pupils are taught in small steps, ensuring they build well upon what they have learned previously. This gives them confidence in their own capabilities and raises their self- esteem. Sometimes, there is a lack of challenge for pupils and work not sufficiently matched to

p.17

Other features of teaching

their needs. Occasionally, pupil management is problematic, resulting in pupils not involved with their work, creating difficulties for other pupils. Overall, pupils benefit from the separate teaching, although the rationale for some pupils chosen for this approach is not always clear and their needs could be better met by a teaching approach which clearly matched their needs in their own class base. There is an effective working relationship between the special educational needs co- ordinator, class teachers and support staff, and pupils are well supported on an individual basis.

p.17

Other features of teaching

29. The support provided for pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory overall because their needs are similar to those of most other pupils. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have a Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 16 greater need for their teachers to explain unusual vocabulary but mostly this is remembered and progress is smooth. In all year groups, provision for all pupils, including those with English as an additional language, is limited with regard to practice in speaking in pairs or small groups. For the small number of pupils who are in the early stages of speaking English, who have recently arrived in England, there is no assessment system to help staff to plan for their specific needs. Two teaching assistants based in Year 3 speak Punjabi and Gujerati and this is helpful in extending pupils’ understanding. However, for pupils joining the school later and at an early stage of English,

p.17

Other features of teaching

the same support is not readily available.

p.18

Other features of teaching

30. Homework is satisfactory overall. However, the amount varies between classes and homework diaries are not always used in the way they are intended. Feedback to pupils generally helps them to improve, although marking in writing insufficiently points out the positive elements.

p.18

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

31. The curriculum is reasonably broad and balanced, all statutory requirements are met and provision for literacy and numeracy is satisfactory overall. Strengths only just outweigh weaknesses, however. Pupils are provided with a sufficiently wide range of experiences that assists them in their growth as responsible young people. There are areas for improvement, however. Although the school has provided extra teaching time in Year 6 to help to develop pupils’ vocabulary, more could be done in most lessons to provide pupils with further opportunities to develop their speaking skills to an average level. Skills in information and communication technology are not included often enough within other subjects. Insufficient time is made available for religious education in some classes and, therefore, pupils are not able to develop their knowledge and understanding in sufficient depth in these classes. As the school improves in programmes of work and moves

p.18

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

towards a suitably broad curriculum after concentrating on English, mathematics and science when it was placed in special measures, there is still some imbalance between subjects over the year. For example, equal time has yet to be secured for history and geography. The programme of study for design and technology is narrow in parts.

p.18

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

32. Everyone is valued; the school aims high to include all pupils in lessons and school life in general. It prepares pupils well for life in a multicultural community. The school gives careful attention to ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who do not speak English as their first language, have an equal opportunity to become involved in all of its activities. It has a clear policy that is subscribed to by all staff. There are times, however, when the school works hard to provide the same curriculum for its pupils when modifications to suit the needs of the pupils would be more appropriate, such as when a pupil with a Statement of Special Need is included in literacy lessons at a highly inappropriate level or when all pupils complete the same work which is too easy for the higher-attaining pupils. The school’s use of a high number of teaching support assistants is generally arranged well to meet the needs of pupils but there are

p.18

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

instances where pupils do not get a fair share of the teacher’s time. Some pupils with special educational needs are taught mainly by support staff and some groups formed for guided reading practice work always with support assistants and are insufficiently monitored by class teachers to ensure that teaching is focused in the best way possible on their needs.

p.18

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

33. There are secure, whole-school, long- and medium-term planning systems in place which ensure sufficient coverage of the National Curriculum and the National Literacy and National Numeracy Strategies. Teachers' planning is based on the Numeracy Strategy and each component is included in numeracy lessons. To improve the effectiveness of the strategy, teachers should ensure enough time is devoted to the plenary session, so that pupils can consolidate their new learning. Literacy is generally planned well in line with strategy guidance, although some introductions and plenary sessions need improving. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 17 34. There is an adequately planned systematic approach to personal, social, health and citizenship education, which includes sex education and teaching about the dangers of drugs. Information and communication technology skills are planned for and taught discretely, but the contribution of

p.18

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

technology and computer work to improve learning across the curriculum is not fully developed.

p.19

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

35. Across the school, staff plan together in year groups and this generally ensures that pupils in parallel classes cover the same material. Lesson planning is satisfactory but not tight enough to meet the specific needs of all pupils. This is partly because assessment systems, where they exist, do not always yield specific information on skills which can be used to set clear targets for teaching and learning according to pupils’ needs. The individual education plans for the pupils with special educational needs do not provide sufficiently clear targets for learning. Teachers include curriculum objectives in their lesson planning but these are sometimes too general to support different levels of attainment. The outcome is that some pupils do not achieve as much as they could.

p.19

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

36. Most subject co-ordinators see planning and are well placed to check subject coverage across the school but they do not currently check balance within subjects. For example, there is a need to see how teachers are planning to develop speaking skills in all subjects and how problem-solving work is developed in science and in mathematics. There are few opportunities provided for pupils, particularly those who attain at higher levels, to find out through research in books or from using the computer. Homework is well used to reinforce reading, spelling, and the development of number tables but needs to be provided more consistently.

p.19

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

37. The school makes adequate provision for pupils with special educational needs. A significant factor in their satisfactory progress is the help they receive from support staff. The curriculum is inconsistently modified for their needs in some classes, although it is satisfactory overall. Strong support is provided for targeted pupils in Years 4 and 6 and large groups are taught literacy and numeracy skills separately from the class group to better meet their needs. The provision organised achieves this reasonably well. Individual support is also given to focus on pupils’ individual needs. However, some teachers regard the responsibility for pupils with special educational needs in their class as lying with the special educational needs co-ordinator and insufficiently adapt and modify plans to meet their pupils’ needs.

p.19

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

38. The school makes suitable provision for the high number of pupils with English as an additional language, whose needs usually dove-tail with the needs of the majority of pupils with lower-than- average speaking skills. Appropriate strategies are put in place for the small number of pupils in the early stages of learning English requiring extra support with learning, although the current long- term absence of the language support teacher is presenting some difficulties.

p.19

Pupils’ opportunities for learning

39. The curriculum is enhanced by a wide range of extra-curricular activities, which are well supported by pupils. These include opportunities for pupils who choose to develop their skills to a higher level in sports, music and computer skills. Pupils in Year 6 have the opportunity to join a residential visit to the Lake District, a valuable focus for the development of personal and social skills in addition to extending the curriculum. Groups of pupils with specific interests are encouraged to take them further, such as the group of pupils who meet in the library most lunchtimes to play bridge. Some of the pupils without a computer at home use computers at lunchtime to supplement their work in lessons. A daily ‘Breakfast Club’, for both infant and junior pupils, provides a good start to the day. Other clubs are sometimes arranged for both schools and reflect the good liaison which is currently developing between the staff of the two schools.

p.19

Links with the community and partner institutions

40. School data identifies a dip in progress for pupils in Year 3 and both schools are working to smooth the transition. Liaison between teachers in Year 2 in the infant school and Year 3 in Ribbleton is good and improving. For example, the junior school has helpfully adapted its stock of reading books to include the published scheme in use at the infant school. The schools are Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 18 working towards similar liaison on the teaching of mathematics. For the Year 6 pupils, liaison with the local high schools prior to transfer ensures that visits are made by most pupils to their new schools and records are passed on to smooth the transition. Other links with the local community are satisfactory and similar to those found in most schools. Educational visits are a current focus for expansion, being valued by the school as a means to widening the pupils’ experience. These

p.19

Links with the community and partner institutions

are enabled by a local business which kindly volunteers to provide funding to help the school meet the costs.

p.20

development

41. Provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good overall and contributes significantly to their personal development. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development was judged to be sound. To effect further improvement, the school could usefully provide guidance to identify how it can be even more effectively promoted through guidance in each subject policy.

p.20

development

42. Provision for pupils' spiritual development is good. Assemblies, singing practices, collective acts of worship, stimulating displays around the school and the celebration of pupils' achievements all make a good contribution to pupils' spiritual awareness and the raising of pupils' self-esteem. In addition, opportunities in a range of lessons such as mathematics, ICT, science and art have a positive effect on pupils’ development. Good examples of the raising of pupils' self-esteem were seen in physical education and music lessons. The expression of sheer delight at achieving a new skill in a games lesson and beaming faces after singing and performing music on Viking legends are two examples. Having more time for personal reflection during whole-school assemblies would contribute further to this area of pupils' education. In a discussion with Year 6 pupils, they identified the need to listen to music by different composers during assemblies and to reflect on

p.20

development

43. Provision for pupils' moral development is good. They understand the difference between right and wrong. Agreed class rules are displayed in all teaching areas and there is a whole-school 'code of conduct'. The rewards given and sanctions taken with regard to the code are fully understood by the pupils. The teachers provide good role models and set high expectations of good behaviour. Lessons on personal, health and social education make a good provision for moral development of pupils. The theme at the time of the inspection was 'caring and sharing' and pupils in Year 4, in their literature studies, discussed the change in the moral character of Scrooge in the story ‘A Christmas Carol’. In religious education, pupils study the different world faiths; teachers focus on moral standards and how people are instructed or guided in how to behave in different religious stories. Many teachers and support staff show a keen awareness and have good strategies to aid

p.20

development

pupils who occasionally have behaviour problems.

p.20

development

44. Provision for pupils' social development is also good. The school has a good sense of community and older pupils are given opportunities to collect weekly totals of team points and deliver and collect registers. There is an active school council, made up of two representatives from each class. Pupils make visits into the local community to sing Christmas carols and the school choir takes part in the Preston Festival. These visits help to develop pupils' awareness of good citizenship. There are many sports clubs and the Year 6 pupils attend a residential centre, in Coniston in the Lake District. Pupils generally work well together and there is good evidence of collaborative learning in lessons. In gymnastics, pupils work well in pairs and as a result they make good progress in developing skills. In some lessons, teachers use a system of 'speaking and listening partners'; this provides a good opportunity for pupils to express and share ideas with

p.20

development

each other. Pupils who do not find learning easy (such as those with special educational needs) and those for whom English is an additional language are well integrated in a supportive environment. However, further opportunities need to be provided for pupils to become more independent and to be able to use their initiative. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 19 45. The provision for cultural development is good overall. Pupils have developed a very good awareness of the rich diversity of multi-faiths and traditions celebrated in their own community. Pupils' awareness is being enriched through a study of the different faiths in religious education lessons. Good displays around the school celebrate festivals and times of fasting and reflection; the Hindu and Sikh festival of light, Divali, the Islamic Ramadan fast and Eid-ul-Fitr greetings cards are prominently displayed along with the Christian celebration of Christmas. Pupils learn about the

p.20

development

ancient cultures of Egyptians and Vikings in their history studies and as part of geography, pupils study life in a village in Kenya. Provision for learning about the local heritage is satisfactory. There are missed opportunities as there is no local study unit taught within the geography/history curriculum.

p.21

The school’s pastoral care and welfare

46. The care that pupils receive is satisfactory. There are some strong features in what the school does to care for its pupils but there are also some weaknesses.

p.21

The school’s pastoral care and welfare

47. The school has satisfactory child protection arrangements. Several members of staff, including the headteacher, have had training in child protection and know the signs of abuse. They do all that they can to provide appropriate support for pupils who may be at risk of harm. Although other staff have not had any formal training, they know the pupils well and are quick to notice any changes in their wellbeing and to report their concerns. However, some of the non-teaching staff, for instance, most lunchtime supervisors, have not been given any help in knowing what signs to watch for or who to report any concerns to. The school's policy document is also very brief and there is limited guidance for members of staff who are not familiar with the signs of abuse. The school's recording system is adequate, but it is not easy to pick upon any trends and patterns from the information and it relies very much on the headteacher's own knowledge of each case.

p.21

The school’s pastoral care and welfare

48. Procedures to ensure pupils' health and safety in school are satisfactory. The newly appointed teacher with overall responsibility for this has a very secure knowledge and understanding of good practices and clearly has good intentions to tighten up procedures. However, in the absence of any inherited established system or records, fresh written procedures and records are in the early stages of development. Nevertheless, staff are watchful and they notice when something presents a hazard so that remedial action can be taken. For example, because of the limited outdoor play area, older pupils now play at separate times to younger pupils, and a one-way system operates into and out of the hall at lunchtimes.

p.21

The school’s pastoral care and welfare

49. Fire drills are practiced termly and formal risk assessments of the school are also carried out termly. However, there is currently no procedure to ensure that staff carry out a written risk assessment before taking pupils out of school on an educational visit and so reduce as far as possible any potential risks to pupils' health and safety. The school has agreed that this must be addressed immediately. Pupils are adequately supervised at break and lunchtimes but they have limited play equipment and so they are left to their own devices to make up their own games. These are not always appropriate for their age or type of play surface they have. For example, they play 'piggy back' and they run wildly and engage in combat-style activities.

p.21

The school’s pastoral care and welfare

50. The educational and personal support and guidance that pupils get on a day-to-day basis is good. There are good relationships between pupils and with most teachers, and parents confirm that their children are happy to come to school. Most teachers have a gentle approach to pupils and they listen patiently to their contributions in discussions in lessons. Consequently, pupils grow in confidence and are able to ask and answer questions without fear of humiliation. There are a number of opportunities in school for pupils to take responsibility and to learn to work together as part of a small group or team. Parents are particularly pleased with the school's success in helping their children to become mature and sensible young people. Nevertheless, the school does not have any formal recording system to be able to monitor pupils' personal strengths or Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 20

p.21

The school’s pastoral care and welfare

weaknesses and, in turn, identify what can be done to help pupils to reach their potential as individuals. Teachers rely on their informal knowledge of the pupils and previous information in annual reports. The potential of individual education plans to provide this for pupils with special educational needs is lost because targets in them are too general.

p.22

The school’s pastoral care and welfare

51. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are sound. However, attendance levels are now below average, mainly due to absence for religious festivals and also long holidays abroad. However, unauthorised attendance is about average. Whenever a pupil fails to turn up at school without notification, administration staff are extremely quick in following this up. Punctuality is promoted very well indeed and so pupils are developing good routines and can organise themselves well.

p.22

The school’s pastoral care and welfare

52. There are good procedures to promote the pupils’ good behaviour. Even though there is some inconsistency in the application of the school's behaviour policy and a lack of behavioural guidance for pupils with behavioural difficulties, overall, teachers generally have high standards of what they expect from pupils and so for most of the time a calm environment exists where pupils can learn. The school has good procedures to prevent bullying. Through the school's personal, social and health education programme, pupils are taught in lessons about responsibilities and friendships, and they learn how to be a better friend themselves. The Year 6 pupils have been trained by outside experts in how to be a 'buddy' to younger pupils. However, this initiative does not entirely function, at present, because pupils in Years 3 and 4 play separately from pupils in Years 5 and 6.

p.22

educational needs

53. Since the previous inspection the school has worked hard on reviewing its procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress. These are sound overall, mainly due to the strength of these in the subjects the school has concentrated on in raising standards. The school monitors pupils’ achievements adequately and supports them well in their academic progress.

p.22

educational needs

54. The school is still at the stage of refining many of its assessment and recording systems in order to support their progress even more effectively. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment in mathematics and science are good overall and provide useful feedback to teachers as they plan future work. In English, assessment systems are satisfactory overall. Although they provide overall levels of attainment with regard to the requirements of the National Curriculum, which are useful in checking the success of the school’s provision, feedback to teachers and pupils is less useful. Importantly, specific skills attained and those that need targeting in future lessons are not clearly identified. This means that both pupils and teachers are insufficiently clear on the next steps.

p.22

educational needs

55. A planned programme of statutory and non-statutory tests is followed throughout the school in these subjects. The results are analysed carefully, and used to set whole-school targets, to track individual pupils’ progress and to set challenging targets for improvement. Target setting is problematic for the school because of the movement of pupils in and out of the school at unusual times. Good use is made of this information for identifying pupils who need additional support for literacy or numeracy and those who require additional support for their special educational needs.

p.22

educational needs

56. Assessment procedures for subjects other than English, mathematics and science are not yet in place and consequently the use that can be made of assessments to inform future planning is very limited. The school is now beginning to develop its procedures for these subjects. Although there are some teacher-devised assessments linked to what pupils have learned at the end of a topic, these need to be linked to whole-school assessments for the subject and more systematically tied into National Curriculum levels. For pupils in the early stages of speaking English, there is no assessment system to guide teaching and learning or to check progress. In addition, targets for these children are not set in relation to their specific language needs. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 21 57. Portfolios of pupils’ work have been developed in many subjects. However, much of this is not annotated or assessed in relation to National Curriculum levels and does not help teachers to gain

p.22

educational needs

58. The support provided by the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) to enable teachers and teaching assistants to produce clear targets for those pupils who need help is not entirely effective. The key to the pupils’ success is the personal support they receive from staff. Targets are far too general in many cases and this makes monitoring of pupils’ progress very difficult. Evaluations of plans by teachers say ‘ongoing’ and do not identify the progress made. Some teachers’ IEPs are clear, specific and measurable, however. Staff are generally aware of the needs of pupils with SEN in their class and usually work well towards their individual targets. There is a strength in the ‘informal’ knowledge they have of their needs and circumstances. However, a small number of staff regard the support and guidance to be provided for these pupils coming from the SENCo or other SEN staff and do not take enough responsibility themselves. This is seen in a

p.23

educational needs

lack of match of work in some lessons for pupils with SEN. A teaching assistant works satisfactorily with small groups of pupils and withdraws them from their class to undertake work specified in their Individual Educations Plans, which are numeracy and literacy based. However, these pupils regularly miss out on the full aspects of teaching their peers receive and which is part of the literacy and numeracy strategies. The school endeavours to involve parents of these pupils in the setting and reviewing of targets, although attendance by parents is reported to be low. The procedures for the Annual Review of the progress of pupils with a Statement of Educational Need are carried out appropriately. However, documentation does not always provide a sufficient view of progress made and some pupils’ Statements are not up to date and have inaccurate information.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. The school has continued to work hard at building good relationships with its parents and has been successful at doing so. As a result, parents now have a positive view of the school and are pleased with much of what the school does. This is a considerable improvement on the views of parents a few years ago. Parents are particularly pleased with the school's expectations of their children to work hard and to do their best; also with how the school helps their children to become mature and responsible young people. Nevertheless, a significant number of parents are unhappy with how the school keeps them informed of their child's progress. Inspectors agree with parents and believe they are justified in their perceptions.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. The quality of information for parents, particularly about pupils' progress, is unsatisfactory. Parents are invited to attend parents' afternoons in October and in July to discuss their child's progress. However, these are too far apart and there is a long gap when parents are not aware of how their child is doing. The quality of the information in the end-of-year reports to parents is limited in most classes. Reports include a grade for effort and one for standards in some subjects. However, the latter does not relate to National Curriculum levels and so could be misleading for parents. Some reports inform parents well of what their children have learned, understood and can now do in some subjects, but the majority do not. They simply concentrate on whether or not the child likes the subject and the effort they put into their learning. Reports are also often extremely brief. For example, in a music report a comment such as 'X joins in

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

sensibly', clearly does not tell parents anything about the child's progress or attainment in music for the entire year he has studied it!

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. Regular letters to parents adequately inform them of the general life and events of the school as well as what is being taught in lessons. However, they are not produced in a user-friendly style and sometimes the language is full of educational jargon and unhelpful to parents. Correspondence is not translated into other languages and so many parents need help to read them. School staff speaking Punjabi and Gujerati are on hand to provide support if necessary. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 22 62. All of the correspondence with parents, as well as homework diaries, is not being used effectively to involve and include parents in their child's education because it does not give any suggestions or ideas of how parents can help. This is an opportunity going to waste.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

63. Although documents are not translated into the home languages of families for whom English is not their first language, the contribution of parents to their children’s learning is satisfactory. Parents support the school in their views and in helping where they can with the information they are given. For example, the vast majority of parents support the school's behaviour and attendance expectations. They also help to provide valuable resources through collection of supermarket and other retail vouchers. However, less than 50 per cent of parents attend class and celebration assemblies, although this may well be because the onus is on pupils to remind parents of these events. Nevertheless, only about 60 per cent of parents attend parents' meetings and not one parent attended an afternoon session held by experts in the school on 'surviving kids'. Parents’ attendance at their children’s reviews of their targets in individual education plans or at

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

64. Despite the weaknesses in what the school does, and in some parents' response, the school is now in a position to build on the good relationships which exist between the two parties to create a more effective partnership by improving the quality and timing of information for parents. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 23

p.24

Leadership and management

65. Since the previous inspection, there has been a period of significant change within the senior management and staff of the school. This has resulted in many co-ordinators being new to their subject roles and the appointment of some inexperienced teachers.

p.25

Leadership and management

66. Overall, the leadership and management provided by the headteacher, senior staff and the governors are satisfactory. The headteacher has led the school well through a difficult period despite the period of considerable movement of staff and changes within the senior management team. She continues to provide good leadership and clear direction for the work of the school, setting clear priorities and targets and a strong determination to improve standards, especially in English, mathematics and science. She has cultivated a positive, caring and orderly teaching and learning environment, while continuing to develop staff and governors’ responsibility and ownership.

p.25

Leadership and management

67. The work of the school is reflected well in the aims, which are based on Christian values committed to educational excellence whilst developing talents for the benefit of each child and the good of the community. These aims are clearly reflected in the work of the school and there is a strong commitment to improvement and including all pupils, especially those with special educational needs and those from minority ethnic groups. However, the practice of including these pupils is not entirely successful; although satisfactory overall, some teachers do not sufficiently plan for their needs, seeing the responsibility for meeting their needs as lying with the SENCo.

p.25

Leadership and management

68. The school improvement plan, which has involved staff and governors since its inception, clearly identifies the school’s priorities and is a useful tool for continued development and raising standards. However, the criteria for checking on the success of the plan are rather general in places and make some actions difficult to evaluate.

p.25

Leadership and management

69. The management of the school is satisfactory overall. Staffing changes have meant that the senior management team is fairly new and some staff are temporary. Although offering support to the headteacher, the team has an insufficiently defined role and has not yet become involved enough in the strategic planning and monitoring of the school’s performance. It now needs to take a more active role in the monitoring and development and review of policies and procedures to ensure all staff know and follow the same practice. For example, there is no staff handbook, induction policy for new staff or guidance for temporary staff. Although there are regular staff meetings, there is no formal agenda and minutes do not always clearly indicate decisions made and who is to take responsibility for their action and monitoring. All subject co-ordinators, except for science, art and religious education, are very new and have not yet had the time to fully manage their subjects.

p.25

Leadership and management

Although they are enthusiastic and committed, there has been little opportunity for them to monitor the quality of teaching, learning and standards in their subjects and identify areas for improvement; this is an area for further development. In addition, there are no specific plans for them to do so, as yet. However, a good ethos of teamwork has been developed and this offers firm hope for the future.

p.25

Leadership and management

70. The headteacher has been instrumental in setting up sound procedures for monitoring and evaluating the school’s work. This has involved lesson observations and scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work. These are not currently rigorous enough to focus clearly on what needs to be done to improve the quality of teaching and learning in all subjects. For example, the reasons for inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievements across and within year groups, and the lack of challenge in the work given to the above-average pupils have not been fully recognised or acted upon. While staffing issues are one of the reasons for this, there are also some general weaknesses in teaching. Increasingly effective use is being made of pupils’ performance results in national tests to raise standards. A thorough evaluation of the national test results at Year 6 has been effective in identifying weaknesses in pupils’ English, mathematics and

p.25

Leadership and management

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 24 science attainment and clearly identified areas for improvement in teaching, which now need to be monitored.

p.26

Leadership and management

71. The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities satisfactorily and is becoming increasingly involved in the work of the school. A key target in the school’s improvement plan is to increase the govenors’ knoweldge and to increase govenors’ ability to account for the school’s work. The governing body is well led by the chair and works well with the headteacher and staff, based on an open exchange of information and views. Governors are justifiably pleased about how their role is developing. They have a good working knowledge of the school’s strengths and the improvements made in the past two years. The governors’ role in relation to raising standards and monitoring the curriculum is less well developed. While individual members now have subject links and receive annual subject reports from subject co-ordinators, monitoring work has not yet developed to the stage where the school is being fully held to account in relation to standards. The governing body

p.26

Leadership and management

plays a satisfactory role in shaping the direction of the school overall. Involvement in setting the broad strategic direction for the school is through the school improvement plan and takes the form of reviewing the draft plan created by the headteacher and staff.

p.26

Leadership and management

72. All staff are fully involved in identifying appropriate priorities and targets. Subject leaders prepare annual statements about their subjects and prepare clear action plans which feed into the school improvement plan. Overall, there is a clear commitment to raising standards. The capacity to succeed is currently satisfactory; there is a greater need for more rigorous and focused monitoring of procedures and standards by the headteacher, senior management staff and governors and also in taking effective action to remedy weaknesses.

p.26

Leadership and management

73. The impact of performance management is satisfactory overall. Sound procedures are in place. Eligible staff have passed through the threshold and the first cycle of staff’s objectives have been reviewed. The practice of focusing individual objectives around key elements of the school improvement plan and school targets is a positive feature, contributing effectively to whole-school improvement while creating a sense of common purpose.

p.26

Leadership and management

74. Overall, the provision and support for pupils with special educational needs is soundly managed. Annual Reviews of pupils’ Statements of Special Educational Need are conducted appropriately. The administration and record keeping for this large number of pupils are satisfactory. The headteacher tracks the progress of pupils with special educational needs, and provides useful information on how these pupils compare with the rest of the school. However, the SENCo could be better informed if she had the total overview of the provision. Advice and guidance for teachers are appropriately provided by the SENCo, although there are weaknesses in the way teachers formulate their pupils’ IEP targets. The strategies for supporting pupils are generally well thought out and pupils receive good-quality individual help from support staff and teachers. An improvement plan for this area of this work is being developed, although actions to enhance SEN

p.26

Leadership and management

provision are not currently part of the whole-school plan. In addition, there is not always a clear rationale for pupils to receive specialist teaching in groups separately from the rest of the classes.

p.26

Leadership and management

75. The school’s provision for the pupils with English as an additional language is overseen by the language support teacher. Although she was absent at the time of the inspection, discussions with the headteacher indicate that the teacher has suitable systems in place to meet the needs of these pupils. Test results are analysed to check for any differences in the attainment of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, and provision is suitably adjusted to resolve any weaknesses identified. The lack of assessment systems suitable for the small number of pupils in the early stages of English means that targets for teaching and learning lack clarity.

p.26

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

76. Over the past year, there have been major changes in the staffing structure at the school. Three teachers were appointed, and one established teacher took on the role of acting deputy headteacher. The appointments were as a result of the previous teaching staff being promoted to Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 25 positions in other schools. Overall, the number, experience and match of teaching staff to their roles is satisfactory. There has been an increase in the numbers of learning support assistants. Parents have expressed their satisfaction with the very good numbers and the effective work of these assistants in supporting their children's education. The school is in a period of transition with regard to staffing and teacher responsibilities but, even considering the overall changes, the match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is good.

p.26

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

77. Sound, practical procedures are in place to support new members of staff. A newly qualified teacher is receiving good guidance and support from her appointed mentor, the headteacher and the year-group partner. Staff training is effectively planned to meet the needs of the individual teachers and the needs of the school. There is clear documentation to show the outcomes of training. Curriculum co-ordinators write an annual review for their subjects, targets for the following year are documented and training needs are identified from this. There are no formal written policies to show the procedures for the induction of new staff, nor is there a staff handbook or policy to guide temporary or supply teachers in their work; these are points for the school to address.

p.27

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

78. The school is an old building on a very compact site; accommodation is satisfactory. It is well cared for and much is being done to make it a stimulating and interesting place for the pupils to be. There is a new computer suite with a good range of equipment to support the information and communication technology curriculum. However, the long, narrow design of the room makes it difficult for pupils to move around and there is insufficient circulation of air within it. The outside playground is unsatisfactory, considering the numbers and the ages of the pupils at the school. There are split breaktimes to allow the pupils to make the best possible use of the small space. The grassed area, shared with the infant school, has poor drainage and cannot be used for most of the school year. There are plans to provide additional facilities when the demolition work (of the church and associated buildings) around the school is completed. However, these plans are still at

p.27

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

79. Overall, the school has a satisfactory range of resources for the needs of the curriculum. They are generally of satisfactory quality and accessible for all. Resources for information and communication technology include a purpose-built computer suite with an ample number of computers. Resources for geography are unsatisfactory. There are insufficient large maps and atlases to enable the geography curriculum to be taught effectively, and this has some negative influence on pupils' learning.

p.27

The school’s strategic use of resources and financial planning

80. The strategic use of resources is satisfactory. Financial control is good and the school’s administration on a day-to-day basis is also good. The issues from the last financial audit, carried out by the local education authority, have been addressed well. The headteacher and governors have good procedures to plan and oversee school finances and the budget. Governors regularly review the school’s spending and keep a careful track of expenditure. They ask probing questions to ensure that every penny counts.

p.27

The school’s strategic use of resources and financial planning

81. Governors use best value principles in the decisions they make and this is effective in the way procedures for obtaining services and supplies for the school take account of getting the best value for money. They compare Ribbleton results with schools locally as well as the local education action zone (EAZ) and challenge themselves to do better even though their standards are very favourable when matched against schools in the EAZ. Consultation occurs informally with the school council, although the school is less strong at seeking the views of parents.

p.27

The school’s strategic use of resources and financial planning

82. Funding is adequately linked to necessary improvements, as a result of agreeing improvement plan priorities. Additional funding from EAZ initiatives have supported the school well, such as in the provision of ICT equipment. The identified priorities and associated actions in the school improvement plan are reasonably costed, although occasionally these are too general. Governors’ Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 26 work would be even more effective if they could assess the cost-effectiveness of expenditure fully, such as in terms of the impact such spending had on pupils’ progress. The considerable sum of ‘standards’ fund money, such as for special educational needs and ethnic minority achievement, is appropriately spent but its use and impact need to be much better evaluated by governors. The school’s finance is tight and the headteacher and governors spend a long time writing bids for

p.27

The school’s strategic use of resources and financial planning

additional sums to ensure that finance can be focused in areas of need.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve the educational standards and rectify the identified weaknesses, the headteacher, senior management team and governing body should:

p.28

average or well below what they should be for pupils’ ages, by:

• improving the quality of teaching so that unsatisfactory teaching is eliminated and the amount of good or better teaching, needed to raise attainment further, is at least in line with schools nationally; that planning identifies what different groups of pupils (including those who are higher attaining) will learn and is based on an ongoing knowledge of their learning;

p.28

average or well below what they should be for pupils’ ages, by:

• ensuring that the curriculum is well balanced and that the content of each subject is sufficiently broad; that co-ordinators check that the time allocated to subjects is adequate to ensure at least satisfactory progress and reasonable standards, especially in subjects where pupils’ attainment is limited;

p.28

average or well below what they should be for pupils’ ages, by:

• that planning builds in further opportunities for pupils to develop skills in speaking and writing, problem solving in mathematics, the use of ICT, working with others, and their thinking and problem solving and for all these to support learning and performance in subjects;

p.28

average or well below what they should be for pupils’ ages, by:

• improving pupils’ independent learning and initiative;

p.28

average or well below what they should be for pupils’ ages, by:

• ensuring sufficient challenge for higher-attaining pupils; and

p.28

average or well below what they should be for pupils’ ages, by:

(Paragraphs: 1-9, 16, 19-28, 29-33, 84, 85, 98, 99)

p.28

school by ensuring that:

• the school completely audits what it has in place, identifies areas where formal procedures are needed (such as for staff induction, health and safety – risk assessment, meetings with staff, and the monitoring of pupils’ personal development), and instigates systems for these areas;

p.28

school by ensuring that:

• there are clearly identified roles for the senior management team (including the deputy headteacher) in supporting the headteacher and in improving/monitoring the school’s work and pupils’ standards;

p.28

school by ensuring that:

• co-ordinators have training and time to monitor all aspects of the work of their areas, including the quality of teaching; and Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 27 • governors have systems for measuring the cost-effectiveness of provision, especially where large sums of money are spent, as with SEN.

p.28

even better by ensuring that:

• all staff have a shared understanding of the school’s commitment to including all pupils with SEN in mainstream classes - how they should support this and contribute to pupils’ progress;

p.29

even better by ensuring that:

• there is a clear rationale for where pupils are to be included in lessons and when they are to be taught separately;

p.29

even better by ensuring that:

• the development plan identifies how the provision for SEN pupils is planned to improve and is part of a whole-school approach;

p.29

even better by ensuring that:

• the work of staff in relation to teaching and supporting pupils with SEN is monitored regularly;

p.29

even better by ensuring that:

• there is an understanding of the role of individual education plans for pupils with SEN and that only those things which are distinct and different for pupils to learn are included as targets in a clear and measurable way;

p.29

even better by ensuring that:

• Annual Review reports identify clearly where pupils have improved and are based on up-to- date Statements of Special Educational Need;

p.29

even better by ensuring that:

• pupils with SEN are taught by a teacher for sufficient time and have equal access to all aspects of the teaching of literacy and numeracy; and

p.29

even better by ensuring that:

• work takes account of pupils’ individual needs and capabilities.

p.29

in place by ensuring there are:

• ways of identifying what pupils have learned in the short, medium and long-term against specified learning outcomes;

p.29

in place by ensuring there are:

• collecting information about pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding so that their long- term progress (usually over the whole year) is summarised and helps to identify the stage or level of their attainment;

p.29

in place by ensuring there are:

• using an analysis of the information collected in the short, medium and long term to plan future work; and

p.29

in place by ensuring there are:

• by using the information to set individual pupil targets to help pupils be clear about what they need to do to attain an improved level of skill and National Curriculum levels.

p.29

the reports to parents clearly help them to understand what pupils know, understand

and can do, and what they should do next to improve. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 28 (Paragraphs: 57-62) Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 29 In addition to the key issues above, the following less important issues should be considered for inclusion in the school’s action plan:

p.29

the reports to parents clearly help them to understand what pupils know, understand

• Improve the outdoor accommodation and layout and ventilation of the ICT room. • Produce risk assessments for visits. • Provide guidance for teachers new to the school and for established staff (such as through a staff handbook). • Provide better availability of bilingual support staff for pupils at an early stage of language acquisition.

p.31

the reports to parents clearly help them to understand what pupils know, understand

* recognised by the school and identified in the school improvement plan. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 30

p.31

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 42

p.32

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

p.32

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 243

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 53

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 9

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 95

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 112

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 25

p.32

Attendance

% % Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 31 School data 6.9 School data 0.3

p.32

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.33

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 32

p.33

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 24 34 58

p.34

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.34

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

Boys 11 14 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 23 24

p.34

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

Percentage of pupils School 58 (62) 63 (54) 70 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.34

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.34

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

Boys 11 11 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 19 25

p.34

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

Percentage of pupils School 57 (59) 54 (59) 70 (73) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.34

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 33

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 36 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 3 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 34

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.6 Financial year 2001-2002

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 640,033

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 17 Total expenditure 650,507

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 328 Expenditure per pupil 2,561

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 29,275

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 35

p.36

Percentage of responses in each category

Number of responses in brackets Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 44 51 4 0 0

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 42 2 4 4

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 59 9 0 0

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 47 16 0 0

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 49 49 0 0 2

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 60 36 2 0 2

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 49 40 7 0 4

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 44 49 2 2 2

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 56 38 2 2 2

p.37

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 45 41 5 0 9 Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 36

p.37

ENGLISH

81. Standards in the national tests at the end of Year 6 have been well below the national average over the past four years, although these have been average when compared to schools with pupils from a similar background. The percentage of pupils reaching the expected level (Level 4) and above and the higher level (Level 5) have been steady overall; between 58 and 65 per cent of pupils reached the expected level over this time. Results rose well up to 2000; since then, results have fallen slightly to a level seen in 1999.

p.38

ENGLISH

82. Standards seen during the inspection for pupils in Year 6 are below the national average overall but have improved on the well-below-average results achieved in national tests for 2002. As at the time of the inspection in 2000, standards in reading are close to average but are below average in speaking and in writing. The attainment of girls is consistently better than that of boys, with a difference that is greater than average nationally. Through the attention giving to supporting pupils, there are signs within the school’s data that the gap between the attainment of boys and girls is beginning to close, with standards for boys from ethnic minority backgrounds improving well.

p.38

ENGLISH

83. The school sets itself challenging targets, but in 2002, these were not quite reached. Targets set for 2003 are challenging and closer to the national average but are unlikely to be fully met. Nonetheless, pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall. They achieve well in reading and soundly in speaking and writing, compared with their well-below-average attainment on entry to Year 3. Progress is improving in writing through the school and school data, supported by inspection evidence, indicates that standards are rising year-on-year. For most pupils currently in Year 6, achievement is high enough with regard to previous attainment but there is more that can be done to help pupils to fully meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The provision for higher-attaining pupils in particular lacks sufficient challenge overall. For pupils in Year 5, standards are close to those expected nationally, indicating that future national test results are

p.38

ENGLISH

likely to be significantly higher. Overall, the quality of teaching in English is satisfactory and where it is good, such as in reading, it supports pupils’ understanding and progress well.

p.38

ENGLISH

84. Almost half the pupils speak English as an additional language and most other pupils have limited language skills, speaking with a narrow range of vocabulary and a restricted fluency on entry to Year 3. This presents a challenge to the staff of the school and a need for a clear focus on the extension of pupils’ speaking skills to enable them to communicate well enough and to understand what they read and to write at a suitable level for their age.

p.38

ENGLISH

85. For the pupils who speak English as an additional language, progress is sound and most pupils speak English at an equal level to other pupils in the school at least by the time they reach Year 4. The provision for, and the teaching of, speaking and listening skills is sound overall. In Year 3, most pupils have a lower-than-average command of language for their age, tending to communicate in briefer-than-average statements and to need more questions from staff to elicit their observations and opinions. The teacher, for example, needed to use sequences of questions to enable pupils to express their understanding of a book giving information about birds. In Year 4, as part of their work on A Christmas Carol , pupils, including those with English as an additional language, suggested more easily a range of adjectives to describe the Christmas turkey, or adverbs to add interesting detail to their work. There are insufficient opportunities in most classes

p.38

ENGLISH

for pupils to take part in discussions on a daily basis, such as through shared preparation in pairs, to help them to improve their speaking skills. Occasional speaking tasks, listed within the school’s long-term plans, are not always carried out. There are exceptions and some teachers organise opportunities for pupils to discuss their work in pairs before responding to questions to the class or completing written work. For example, in a Year 4 class, pupils became increasingly Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 37 inventive as they devised a play-script in pairs, and presenting it to the class enabled them to practise using good expression to enhance the meaning. Good relationships within the class and with their teacher enabled the pupils to feel confident. In one Year 5 class, where teaching was very good, pupils were extremely well motivated and worked very hard in the time available to

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ENGLISH

produce a full scene in play-script form for the story of Wind in the Willows . However, in many lessons, pupils are listening for at least half of the lesson without opportunities to contribute beyond short answers to questions posed by the teacher. In classes where teachers provide frequent opportunities for discussions, pupils’ speaking skills are noticeably higher. The small number of pupils in the earliest stages of speaking English do not always have access to the bilingual support staff available in the school.

p.39

ENGLISH

86. In reading, standards are higher because pupils read frequently to adults, individually, in small groups and as a whole class. Pupils appreciate the daily opportunity to read their books silently at the beginning of afternoon school; one pupil said that ‘reading cools you down after rushing about outside’. Most pupils take books home to enable extra practice. Teaching is generally good in the part of the literacy lesson that deals with the examination of a shared text. For example, pupils in Year 6 were helped to examine in depth the meaning of poems linked to World War II. These were compared with an extract from Goodnight, Mr. Tom , a novel based on the evacuation of children during the war. Pupils looked at the adverbs describing the way things were said, such as ‘harshly’, ‘adamantly’ and ‘robustly’, trying to imagine the effect on the evacuees. Pupils in Year 3 used information texts to find out as much as they could about robins

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ENGLISH

and hedgehogs, noting ‘surprising information’, such as the fact that hedgehogs have poor eyesight. However, opportunities are missed to set tasks for the pupils which require them to use books independently to find out more. The school library is not organised to enable pupils to locate books through the use of a standard classification system and this means that opportunities are limited for older pupils to develop independent research skills. For pupils in Year 3 and for the lower-attaining pupils throughout the school, close attention is paid to continuing the good start to learning letter sounds and blends that is made in the infant school. This ensures that most pupils can deal easily with unfamiliar words met in their reading, although at the earlier stages in the school, pupils need more support than usual in learning to understand what they read. The small number of pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language

p.39

ENGLISH

find this aspect very difficult but working on a daily basis within a small group with a teacher helps them to make at least sound progress.

p.39

ENGLISH

87. In the majority of lessons observed, the teaching of writing was satisfactory overall but an analysis of pupils’ past work indicates strengths in teaching spelling and punctuation. However, the depth of study evident in the study of texts for reading is not generally applied to the teaching of writing. Weaknesses in the provision to extend the speaking skills of the pupils extend to the teaching of writing. Pupils make insufficient progress in learning to describe and include interesting detail, and they get too few opportunities to write in different styles, such as presenting a persuasive argument or writing letters of complaint or support. There are some exceptions, such as the letter written by pupils in Year 5, as part of science work, to convince a friend that air exists even though it cannot be seen. Higher-attaining pupils in particular are generally not sufficiently challenged. Their work is generally identical to other pupils, with extension activities planned but

p.39

ENGLISH

rarely reached because the time allowed for whole-class work tends to over-run and to eat into the time available for independent work. Extra time has been allocated to teaching writing within other subjects, such as history, and this is working well, to the benefit of both subjects. For example, pupils in Year 3 worked in stages on describing the Egyptians’ view of the after-life in preparation for a continuous prose account later in the week. Writing linked to history work has been found to develop a greater interest in writing for boys. Although pupils’ writing is regularly assessed, there is more work to be done on setting individual or group targets for future teaching and learning. In some classes, general commitments are made by pupils to improve their writing but the means of doing this are not made sufficiently clear. When marking the pupils’ writing, teachers do not point out sufficiently well the successful elements, to enable pupils to build on

p.39

ENGLISH

their strengths, or the targets for development. The quality of handwriting varies between classes but most pupils can write in neat and legible joined writing when working at their best. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 38 88. Literacy skills are satisfactorily included in other subjects, and opportunities are found to extend reading practice, such as through projecting the words for hymns on to a screen during school assembly. Information and communication technology is increasingly used to support learning in reading and writing but this is an area for further development.

p.39

ENGLISH

89. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and because of this pupils generally want to do their best. Sometimes expectations are limited and pupils, such as higher attainers, are not sufficiently challenged. Good support is provided for pupils to read and to ‘decode’ words through work on sounds. There is also a strength in the teaching of punctuation and spelling. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to extend their writing skills, although there has been good attention to provide more writing opportunities in other subjects. Teaching and learning could be significantly strengthened by setting pupils specific targets for improvement.

p.40

ENGLISH

90. Teaching assistants work conscientiously to help the pupils with special educational needs to make satisfactory progress in relation to previous learning. Their progress is limited, however, by the quality of the individual education plans. These plans provide targets that are not broken down into sufficiently small steps to provide clear guidance for both teaching and learning. Some pupils with special educational needs or who have English as an additional language are taught their literacy skills separately from the rest of the class to which they belong.

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ENGLISH

91. The quality of teaching of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language is satisfactory. A group of these pupils from Year 4 and another, smaller one, from Year 5/6 are taught separately from the rest of their peers every morning. Although the teaching is fairly methodical in the approach and aspects of work are emphasised so pupils have opportunities to practice skills again and again, it is sometimes dull and some pupils’ interest fades. The introductions take far too long while the plenary session at the end of the lesson is too short to be a useful time for assessment or reinforcement of what pupils have learned. The management of pupils with behavioural difficulties is occasionally problematic and they are not always successfully dealt with. However, work is not always sufficiently matched to the needs or planned differently for different attainment groups. This means it is too easy for some and they

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ENGLISH

finish early and have little more to do. The group of Year 5/6 pupils are taught by a support assistant; they are satisfactorily taught specific skills in topics which are related to the content of their individual education plans. However, they do not have access to the same teaching as the rest of their peers and miss out on the full aspects of literacy teaching.

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ENGLISH

92. The subject is managed satisfactorily but there has been some lack of continuity due to changes in staff. The new co-ordinator has worked hard to organise and supplement reading resources, including a greater range of non-fiction to interest boys more in their work. Resources are generally adequate but texts for class use are not always of a large enough size to be read easily by the class. Teaching and learning are regularly checked by the headteacher during lessons but systems are not yet rigorous enough to ensure that feedback to staff sets targets for development. Tracking systems are not sufficiently linked to specific skills to maximise pupils’ opportunities for learning.

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MATHEMATICS

93. From inspection findings, the pupils’ standards throughout the school are below average overall. The results of the 2002 National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 6 reflected similar standards. However, when compared with schools with a similar intake of pupils, the standards attained by the pupils in the tests were above average. In the 2002 tests, the percentage of pupils attaining the higher level (Level 5) reached the national average and when compared with similar schools, was well above the national average.

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MATHEMATICS

94. The results in the national tests have increased year-on-year, with the percentage of pupils attaining at the expected level for their age (Level 4) and above rising each year from 39 per cent Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 39 in 1998 to 63 per cent in 2002. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher level (Level 5) has increased also each year from 0 per cent in 1998 to 28 per cent in 2002. However, in the past two years the school has missed the targets it set for Year 6 pupils by a small percentage. Overall, there has been good improvement since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

95. Considering that pupils enter the school with well-below-average standards in mathematics, they make good progress and most achieve well. This mirrors the findings of the previous inspection that standards are improving at a good pace, but they could be higher. Pupils with English as an additional language - approximately half of all pupils - make equally good progress and achievement. There is no significant difference between the standards achieved by boys and girls.

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MATHEMATICS

96. In the present Year 6, pupils with high and average attainment have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding in number skills, shape and space and data handling. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection that indicated that pupils’ ‘knowledge of number facts is weak'. Pupils are proficient when finding patterns in number sequences and readily build up and reduce numbers, moving through zero into negative numbers if needed. They accurately calculate the perimeter and areas of shapes, using the correct units of measurement. Pupils who do not find mathematics easy, mainly those who are lower attaining or have special educational needs, develop skills in calculating perimeter and area measurement but are not as secure. Pupils in Year 6 develop their problem-solving skills. An example seen involved pupils finding out information and interpreting data from bar-chart graphs they had constructed, following an

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MATHEMATICS

investigation of the heights of pupils in their class. Pupils accurately calculated the mean, mode, median and range of the heights. Pupils who do not find learning in mathematics as easy calculate the next number in a series using a simple algebraic rule such as if the Number=6 the New Number = Last Number + 5 giving 6, 11, 16, 21, 26 correctly. These pupils can also work out the mean and mode of a simpler group of numbers and are able to work out less complex problems. Apart from these examples, there is little evidence to show that pupils of all capability levels are given enough problem-solving exercises, and standards are below those expected for this age group. The school is aware of this and has targeted this area of mathematics for development and improvement.

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MATHEMATICS

97. All pupils in Year 5 of all ability levels, including those with English as an additional language, have a secure knowledge and understanding of place value to a thousand. The average and higher-attaining pupils are competent in multiplying and dividing numbers by 10 and 100; pupils who do not find mathematics easy are not as accurate. However, all pupils use the partitioning of numbers well in working out multiplication problems. In calculating 347 x 8, pupils split the sum into 300, 40, 7, and multiply each number by 8 to give 2400 + 320 + 56 adding to 2776. This gives another good indication that pupils have a secure understanding of place value. In one lesson, higher- and average-attaining pupils made good progress and gain a better knowledge and understanding of square numbers and how to form them. The extra support given by a learning assistant, who made good use of practical apparatus in teaching pupils who did not find

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MATHEMATICS

mathematics easy, ensured that the pupils made equally good progress. Most pupils have a sound knowledge of fractions and show they understand equivalence and can reduce fractions to their lowest terms. Higher-, average-attaining and some pupils who do not find mathematics easy, convert fractions and mixed numbers into decimals accurately; the analysis of pupils' previous work shows good examples such as 7/10 = 0.7 and 2 + 7/100 = 2.07. However, pupils' progress and achievement are restricted when a teacher uses incorrect terminology; improper fractions and mixed fractions were being used instead of mixed numbers. Pupils of all ability levels accurately find the perimeters of quadrilaterals and simple polygons. In calculating and converting time, pupils who do not find mathematics easy are not able to convert 12-hour clock times to 24-hour times. Pupils in Year 5 are not being given enough opportunities to use their mathematical skills

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MATHEMATICS

in problem solving and this is a weakness in planning for these pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

98. Higher- and average-attaining pupils in Year 4, including those with English as an additional language, have a secure knowledge and understanding of number. They double numbers readily, work out multiples of 2, 5 and 10 accurately, and find money totals with accuracy. All this shows Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 40 an early grasp of decimals and calculation of division problems, including those involving remainders. With the support of a 'fraction wall', pupils also identify equivalent fractions. They show a good understanding of the relationship between division and fractions. Work for pupils who do not find learning mathematics easy is matched well to their needs and they make good progress, even though they are attaining well below what is expected for their age. In a very good example, one pupil who earlier in the term could not work out the subtraction of numbers in tens

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MATHEMATICS

and units, could subsequently calculate 234 - 79 = 155. With good support and work to meet their needs, these pupils are beginning to grasp the idea of numbers smaller than one. They understand the series of fractions from 1/2 through to 1/6 and identify that 2/4 is the same as 1/2. Pupils are now developing a working knowledge and understanding of data handling and how to present information on different types of graphs. In one lesson, pupils made good progress in using a computer program to depict a column graph on the number of books read by groups within their class. They begin to develop their problem-solving skills when the teacher asks them to interpret data shown in their graphs. There are more examples of problem-solving activities in this year group but more activities are needed if pupils are to achieve the required standard for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

99. Higher- and average-attaining pupils in Year 3 have a good understanding of place value in three- digit numbers. They show a good understanding of the mathematical language associated with addition and subtraction. They have a good grasp of the properties of three-dimensional shapes, showing a secure understanding of points, faces and edges; one higher-attaining pupil uses the term ‘vertices’ correctly. Pupils who do not find learning mathematics easy make steady progress. It is evident that some struggle with the language of mathematics and the terms used. Teachers and assistants give good support and guidance to these pupils, some of whom use English as an additional language, helping them to make progress. Overall the standards achieved by pupils in Year 3 are below average for their age but considering the very low standards on entry, they make good progress and achieve well overall.

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MATHEMATICS

100. The quality of teaching is good overall. In one lesson, the teaching was unsatisfactory, however. Teachers in the main follow the structure of the National Numeracy Strategy. Where teaching is good or better, the work planned matches the abilities of the pupils and is challenging. Mental starters to lessons are brisk, as in a Year 6 lesson when pupils counted in 9's from various starting points. This quickly led to pupils finding patterns in the answers they found. At times, these introductions can be too short, however. Organisation and management of staff and resources are good. Teachers make good use of praise and encouragement and stimulate learning by the good use of questioning; this also helps to consolidate understanding. Pupils respond positively and are keen to learn and make good progress. Teachers develop pupils' knowledge and understanding of mathematical language well. This is particularly helpful for aiding

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MATHEMATICS

pupils who have English as an additional language to learn and progress in mathematics.

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MATHEMATICS

101. Teachers' subject knowledge is generally sound. However, pupils struggled to grasp ideas in one lesson where the teacher's understanding of a number convention was insecure. In a lesson where a group of pupils with special educational needs was taught separately, the lack of planning for the different needs of the pupils, the brisk pace and expectations for learning being too high resulted in pupils not learning enough. In lessons where the teaching is less successful, but nevertheless satisfactory, the time devoted by teachers to reviewing learning in the plenary session is far too short and this limits pupils' opportunities to consolidate their knowledge and understanding. Pupils throughout the school have good attitudes to learning, both in full class lessons and in targeted groups. They behave well and co-operate with each other, showing good moral and social skills.

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MATHEMATICS

102. Overall, the teaching of pupils who find mathematics difficult (mainly those with special educational needs) is satisfactory. This is mainly because of the high quality of help support staff give such pupils. In one lesson, the teaching was limited and pupils did not learn enough. However, some pupils who are taught separately by a support assistant do not have access to full numeracy teaching like their peers. They carry out work, often practicing skills over and over Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 41 again which relate to aspects of the individual education plans. However, the work is too narrow and there is no mental starter which enables the pupils to develop their mental recall skills and there are limited problem-solving activities.

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MATHEMATICS

103. The recently adopted scheme of work to support teaching and learning is beginning to have a positive effect. Teachers assess pupils' prior knowledge before each unit and then re-assess progress and achievement at the end. The school also uses regular tests, including end-of-year tests, to assess pupils' progress and achievement. An analysis of the results is used well, at year-group level, to identify pupils who need extra support to achieve a level appropriate to their age and capability. Previously, the school identified that the standards achieved by boys with English as an additional language were much lower than those achieved by a similar group of girls. This is not now the case, with both achieving equally as well.

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MATHEMATICS

104. The management of mathematics is in a period of transition and is sound overall. The co-ordinator is new to the post and is receiving training and support. She has identified the need for more planning for, and inclusion of, problem solving in the mathematics curriculum and this is a now focus for the school. The co-ordinator does not have a role in the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning; this is carried out by the headteacher. This is now an area for the co- ordinator to develop. Resources are adequate. Computers are insufficiently used to support learning, however. Assessment procedures are good and the use of assessment to inform planning, sound. Numeracy is adequately used in other subjects such as science, design and technology and ICT, although it could be extended further across the curriculum.

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SCIENCE

105. The provision for science has improved well since the last inspection in 2000. Although over the past four years standards have generally been well below the national average, compared with similar schools they have been average. Even though pupils’ standards in the national tests at the end of Year 6 have been at this level, over time they have improved significantly and attainment in science is still rising. The overall standards are affected, however, by the low attainment of pupils in general (including those pupils with special educational needs), as well as the large number of pupils who are admitted or leave the school throughout the year.

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SCIENCE

106. In 2001, standards improved significantly and the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level for their age (Level 4) and above was the highest reached by the school in science for many years. In the 2002 tests, this percentage fell back to the figure seen in 2000. However, over the past four years, the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 and above has doubled from a very low figure of 34 per cent seen in the 1998 tests. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher level (Level 5) and above in the tests has also risen significantly since 1998 when just two per cent of pupils attained this level. In the 2002 tests, 28 per cent reached the level. Although this is still below the average nationally, it is above average when compared with similar schools.

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SCIENCE

107. The school has set realistic and challenging targets to improve attainment in science and in 1999 to 2001 greatly exceeded those set. However, in 2002 it missed the target by a small percentage. The school strictly interpreted the recent guidance for the helping pupils with reading difficulties in the national tests, which meant that those pupils who had not had regular support in class could not have it in the tests. The school views this as a major factor in the lower-than-expected percentage reaching Level 4 and above in the tests.

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SCIENCE

108. The school’s good analysis of the test results and of pupils’ progress shows that pupils generally achieve well and those with SEN and pupils with EAL also do well. This is confirmed by inspection findings, and pupils’ attainment by the time they reach Year 6 is below average. All achieve this well because of good teaching and a strong willingness by most of the pupils to learn. The level of attainment reflects the make-up of the group, which has a significant proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The school has also identified that pupils with English as an additional language sometimes struggle to understand the more complex Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 42 scientific ideas behind the vocabulary and this year’s analysis has shown that girls are particularly affected. Last year, boys from minority ethnic groups struggled with scientific ideas. Appropriate support has been provided and pupils with EAL make good progress, although their

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SCIENCE

standards are below average, like the rest of the pupils. Although girls have done better in the past, there was no significant difference in the attainment of girls and boys seen in the inspection or between children of different ethnic minorities.

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SCIENCE

109. The school provides systematic opportunities for practical investigative and experimental work and teachers are confident in planning and providing such work. This has resulted in pupils developing reasonable skills in scientific enquiry and the setting up of tests. This area of science was identified as a weakness by the co-ordinator in the past and she has put much work into supporting teachers. This, and the attention to scientific vocabulary (which could be developed further still), has been the major contributory factor in pupils’ rise in attainment. Their knowledge of fair testing progresses well over their time in school, although some in Year 6 who know what constitutes a fair test, still find it difficult to set up one.

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SCIENCE

110. In Year 3, pupils use simple equipment and make observations about the absorbency of different types of paper, such as tissue and a paper towel. Pupils enjoy testing and ‘finding out’ and tackle the activities with enthusiasm. Although there is a lack of guidance on how to test the paper, mainly due to the teacher’s lack of experience, pupils add the water reasonably carefully and wait for it to soak in. They report their observations well and identify the paper which is most absorbent. Some pupils’ prediction skills are limited because they are not encouraged to do so. In Year 4, the pupils work on circuits, testing the effects of modifying a simple circuit and predicting what the effect will be if there are two bulbs or if more than one battery is added. Some pupils are not completely confident about the features of a fair test but teachers take the opportunity to reinforce this and explore pupils’ understanding and misunderstandings. Pupils

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SCIENCE

use their knowledge to test and some higher attainers predict the effects quite accurately. They know that two batteries increase the brightness of the bulb, for instance. Lower-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are supported well and pupils can systematically check what they are doing and draw conclusions from their work.

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SCIENCE

111. Pupils develop their understanding of solids, liquids and gases in Year 5 and test features of materials to identify their key characteristics. They know that some materials, such as liquids change shape easily and that some materials ‘flow’. There is a good emphasis on key vocabulary throughout the school but there is not always attention given to ensuring pupils see the written form. Consequently, some pupils struggle with spelling. In Year 6, the emphasis is very much on pupils thinking about how they set up an investigation and the identification of the variables in a fair test. Most have a basic understanding of this, although pupils with special educational needs need a lot of help. Higher attaining pupils quickly relate cause and effect and know that they must explain the reason for things happening. They know that sugar dissolves more quickly in hot water than in water at room temperature. Most pupils identify the variables that could affect

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SCIENCE

the rate of dissolving, such as type of sugar, the amount of stirring and the amount of water, although only few can state them all. Pupils find data difficult to interpret, although the school has recognised this and there are now more opportunities to record and interpret it.

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SCIENCE

112. The quality of teaching is good and especially so in Year 6 where the co-ordinator, who has specialist science knowledge, teaches the subject. Lessons are well organised, with materials readily available, although in some lessons too much time is spent giving materials and equipment out to pupils rather than them gathering this up for themselves and deciding what they will need. There is usually good support for pupils with special educational needs by support staff and this helps them learn well. However, in some classes, introductions do not always take account of their needs and there is too much talk by the teacher. In a Year 4 lesson, the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs took a long time to get down to the practical work because the considerable verbal explanation by the teacher somewhat ‘went over their heads’. What pupils will learn is usually made clear but insufficient reference is made to the

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SCIENCE

targets set for pupils over the period they are taught the topic. In some classes, there is not Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 43 enough emphasis on pupils making a ‘prediction’, although there is good use of pupils’ recording their results in tables and explaining verbally what they have found.

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SCIENCE

113. Work is usually well matched to the needs of different pupils. However, some lower-attaining pupils and those with SEN do not always understand what they are asked to do and in some cases just copy results. Reasonable use is made of ICT to support learning and some staff use the ICT room for instance, to link the recording of data and the construction of graphs. In a Year 5 lesson, pupils typed data about the amount of the different gases in air onto a spreadsheet. They were confident in their ICT skills and quickly produced a block graph of their data. However, key science words were not sufficiently emphasised and the use of ‘particles’ to describe the amount of the different gases led to the use of extremely large numbers and some confusion over this idea. Although there is meant to be a focus on girls from monitory ethnic groups who find scientific vocabulary and ideas a struggle, nothing in particular was provided for them. However,

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SCIENCE

the high level of adult support does allow staff to provide reasonably quick assistance where it is needed.

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SCIENCE

114. The subject is well led and managed by a confident co-ordinator who has done much to improve the subject and pupils’ attainment. The monitoring of pupils’ work and test results helps the school to be aware of the issues that need addressing and where pupils are doing well. The medium-term assessments, designed by the co-ordinator in relation to what pupils have learned, enable progress to be tracked well and any learning issues relating to pupils and classes are identified. Checking on the quality of the teaching has taken place in the last year, but not recently. However, the subject is identified as a priority for further development in 2004 and an intense focus is intended. The school has used ICT resources such as a data logger in the past but has identified that more needs to be done to use ICT as part of pupils’ investigations. Much has been done to support pupils’ preparation and implementation of investigations and

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SCIENCE

experimentation through written guidance and through the recording of results using tables and ‘frames’. However, more use could be made of ICT for this purpose, especially for lower attaining pupils and those pupils who struggle with writing in English in general. Resources are satisfactory and are well used.

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ART AND DESIGN

115. By Year 6, standards are broadly similar to those expected for pupils’ age. The school has managed to maintain standards over recent years when the school’s thrust has been on raising standards in English, mathematics and science. Most pupils, including those identified as having special educational needs and English as an additional language, have a sound understanding of basic skills and techniques, and achievement is satisfactory. There is no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls or of different cultural backgrounds. No mention was made of art in the last inspection report so it is not possible to make a judgement on improvement in provision since then.

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ART AND DESIGN

116. Although standards of Year 6 pupils are broadly similar to those expected nationally, the quality of artwork varies across the school. The subject is now soundly planned but has not always been taught, planned or organised with sufficient rigour and depth. This has meant that pupils have varying degrees of skills and knowledge, with the progress of those with a natural ability being a lot better. Currently, standards are higher in one Year 4 class, where they are good, than in other year groups because of the influence of the subject co-ordinator. Pupils’ work is well displayed so that pupils know that their efforts are valued. Across the school, the use of sketchbooks as a design tool for recording observations and developing techniques varies. They have not been used effectively in all classes to develop an awareness of design, colour, shape and form or to modify and improve work. Most pupils have a sound awareness of famous European artists such as Van

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ART AND DESIGN

Gogh and Monet but have not had sufficient opportunities to talk about and look at examples of art from other cultures. There have been few opportunities for them to think about how they feel, and to appraise what they like and dislike in pictures. This has meant missed opportunities to develop spiritual awareness and the joy that can be gained from looking at artwork. Although Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 44 pupils have had some experience of using clay, there have been insufficient opportunities for pupils to work in two and three dimensions or experience a range of materials, tools and techniques.

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ART AND DESIGN

117. The quality of teaching and learning seen was satisfactory overall, with some good teaching seen in a Year 4 class. Where teaching was not so good, it was because pupil management was unsatisfactory and there was a lack of pace and rigour. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject and the skills and techniques involved varies and the need for training has been identified. Teacher expectations and teaching methods are satisfactory overall and most pupils acquire basic knowledge and skills. Planning is satisfactory, with teachers of similar-aged classes working together to ensure pupils receive similar experiences. Most pupils enjoy their art lessons and work well, showing good concentration and level of interest, as was seen in Year 4 where warm-coloured tissue paper was used creatively to form a background to a nativity silhouette picture. One class had made effective use of an art program on the computer to

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ART AND DESIGN

practice this idea and produced some pleasing results. However, generally, the use of information and communication technology is not well developed and is an area for improvement. Most teachers support pupils well with encouragement and praise but assessment procedures vary and there are examples of undated and unfinished work in sketchbooks, which impedes the progress pupils make. Good links have been made with other curriculum areas and there is some good quality-work linked to the Vikings, especially in a Year 4 class, and the Egyptians.

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ART AND DESIGN

118. The co-ordinator provides sound leadership and management and offers effective support to colleagues. Because the subject has not been a priority, there has been no recent monitoring of teaching and learning or of standards across the school. The subject is soundly planned, using national guidance, to ensure pupils receive a balance of activities and develop necessary skills. However, although the co-ordinator informally monitors planning, there is no procedure to ensure that planned lessons are taught effectively; this is an area for development. Whole-school assessment records have yet to be produced, although there is some monitoring at the end of units, but procedures are not consistent across the school. A collection of pupils’ work is being developed, although this does not show National Curriculum levels, which would help teachers make clearer judgements and raise standards. The school has recently worked with a local artist

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ART AND DESIGN

and children’s illustrator, which raised the profile of the subject within the school and provided some interesting history wall murals based on pupils’ designs. There is a satisfactory range of materials and resources, which are readily accessible. There are regular art competitions organised by the co-ordinator, which raise the profile of the subject; for example, pupils designed a greetings card for Eid and for the Christmas concert programme. The co-ordinator is also responsible for organising displays around the school, which are often good. These show pupils that their work is valued and raises their self-esteem.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 is below what it should be. Good-quality work is generally seen throughout the school and self-evaluation / critical appraisal of their work is usually emphasised well. High-quality displays of pupils’ work show the good depth to which the subject has been studied in most parts of the school. Levels are attainment are reasonable for pupils’ ages until Year 6. Here progress dips and is unsatisfactory. The expectations of the teachers in Year 6 are lower than they should be and pupils undertake some aspects of design and technology work which do not sufficiently challenge them. Parts of the programme of study, such as control, are insufficiently emphasised.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120. In Year 3, pupils investigate the construction and purpose of packaging and effectively appraise the design in relation to its function. Some higher-attaining pupils consider the role of flaps, face layout and joining materials. Work on the design and making of sandwich snacks relates well to a balanced diet in science. Year 4 pupils construct high-quality angle-poise lamps related to their work in electricity in science. They use simple switched battery circuits and consider the most effective material to use as reflectors. They evaluate their effectiveness and ability to bend Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 45 to point the light source where it is needed. Year 5 pupils have covered a wide range of work. Their work on bread and recipes for different breads results in really good analysis of ingredients, the effects of these on the type of bread produced and detailed presentations in the form of a

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

spreadsheet and graphical work stemming from it. Pupils clearly benefit from educational visits to ( Sainsbury’s in this case) and visitors related to their topics, especially when looking at the process of bread making. Torches have been examined and the different types examined, with a good depth of evaluation to their effectiveness. Photo frame design work results in pupils identifying strength, stability and the ability to stand up as key features that they need to achieve in their constructions. By Year 6, pupils make clocks. The standard to which they make them is very variable; some have taken great care with their constructions, ensuring the clock movements are fixed well. However, some are weakly constructed and need to be repaired before work can proceed further. Evaluation is a weak feature of the work in Year 6, is superficial and does not lead to a real understanding of how products can be improved. Design is similarly a weak feature

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

121. Because of timetabling arrangements, little teaching of design and technology could be seen during the inspection. Only two lessons could be observed. The quality of teaching in the lesson in Year 4 was good, although in the Year 6 lesson it was unsatisfactory, mainly due to the ineffective management of the class and to little focused design and technology work being expected of the pupils. There is a lack of understanding of the full programme of study. Although it is not possible to make a judgement on the quality of teaching from direct observation, in most years, from the pupils’ work and teachers’ planning seen, it is at least sound and often good. From the work seen, the teachers’ subject knowledge is generally strong and shows a good understanding of the different aspects of the subject and how they should be promoted during lessons. However, from observation, there are missed opportunities to reinforce the language and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

vocabulary used. Lessons are adequately planned overall, although there is little attention to what different groups or individuals will do or learn or to those with SEN. In one lesson, a pupil was expected to copy information which was totally beyond the pupils’ understanding. Pupils are usually managed well and teachers’ discipline is firm, although class organisation does always not take account of the large numbers of pupils and the potential danger of walking around the room with sharp implements. The introduction of guidance sheets for the design, make and evaluate process has helped pupils to record their findings and evaluate work more thoroughly.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. The co-ordinator is new to managing the subject but has already identified that there have been aspects of control work in the subject not previously covered and that time allocation has not always been sufficient to cover all the units that should be studied. Planning is being adjusted to take account of these issues. Design and technology is soundly led and managed. Although portfolios of work are being built up, he has recognised that work needs to be assessed and a National Curriculum level assigned to it as evidence of pupils’ progress. Assessment and tracking pupils’ progress is just beginning. The co-ordinator has not had an opportunity to monitor pupils’ work, planning or teaching but recognises that this is an important part of his role. No time is planned for this purpose, at present. The use of ICT is limited.

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GEOGRAPHY

123. Standards by Year 6 are below those expected for pupils’ ages. Most pupils including those identified as having special educational needs and English as an additional language, do not achieve as well as they should because geography has had a low priority in the school. They do not make sufficient progress in the development of skills and knowledge as they move through the school. All pupils are, however, fully involved and included in all activities and there is no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls or of those from different cultural or linguistic backgrounds. No comment was made about geography in the last inspection report so it is not possible to make a judgement on progress since then. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 46 124. There was limited current evidence on which to make a judgement about standards as the subject is not due to be taught until next term. However, from samples of work from last year and talking

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GEOGRAPHY

to pupils, it is evident that standards are below those expected.

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GEOGRAPHY

125. By Year 6, pupils have limited knowledge of how people can cause damage and improvement to the environment and the effect on people living in particular areas, but find it difficult to express their views. Most can locate places in the world in an atlas or on a map but their understanding of different scales and using co-ordinates is below expectations. They are aware that places in different parts of the world experience different weather patterns but their understanding of different lifestyles, for example, living in Kenya compared their own area of Preston is limited. They have had limited experience of using large-scale maps or aerial photographs or of drawing maps. Their knowledge of Preston, and of places and features of the British Isles is below expectations. Year 4 pupils have an awareness of different types of settlements and how these came about and the importance of transport and communications. Year 3 pupils have learnt that weather affects what

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GEOGRAPHY

we do and have used travel brochures to find information about weather in different locations.

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GEOGRAPHY

126. It is not possible to make an overall judgement on the quality of teaching as the subject was not taught at the time of the inspection. However, from looking at teachers’ planning and work samples, it is evident that there that there have been weaknesses in teaching in the past. Lesson plans do not always clearly indicate what pupils are expected to do and learn and there is little indication of challenge for different capability groups, with all pupils undertaking the same task. For example, evidence in pupils’ Year 3 workbooks shows differences in coverage and the picture is similar in Year 4. There is evidence of unfinished work and teachers’ marking does not give sufficient guidance as to how pupils can improve their work, thus hampering the progress they make.

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GEOGRAPHY

127. The co-ordinator has only very recently taken over responsibility for geography and was new to the school at the beginning of the term. She provides sound leadership and management, support and guidance for colleagues but has insufficient release time to fully manage the subject. The plan of work showing topics to be undertaken each term across the school uses national guidance but is under review as it does not currently provide sufficient breadth and balance and there is insufficient local study. The subject alternates on a termly basis with history but the current plan does not give geography equal status. There is no formal monitoring of planning or of the quality of teaching and, at present, there are no plans to do so. This is an area for development as the school has not identified the strengths or weaknesses in teaching or ensured that the planned curriculum is being taught with sufficient rigour and depth. Assessment

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GEOGRAPHY

procedures are not clear or consistent enough across the school and there is a lack of reference to the National Curriculum levels showing what pupils should be achieving. A collection of work samples is being developed but these are not annotated with National Curriculum levels; this would provide teachers with a better understanding of National Curriculum standards. The range of resources to support teaching is unsatisfactory and the co-ordinator has identified the need for new atlases and large-scale maps. There is currently no list of resources available and an audit needs to be undertaken so that resource weaknesses can be identified and addressed. The use of ICT to support learning is limited.

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HISTORY

128. Standards of pupils’ work by Year 6 are broadly similar to those expected for pupils’ ages. Most pupils, including those identified as having special educational needs and English as an additional language, achieve satisfactorily and make sound progress as they move through the school. All pupils are fully included in all activities. History alternates with geography on the timetable and the termly planning is currently under revision to provide a better balance of activities. No judgement was made about history at the time of the last inspection so it is not possible to comment about improvements in the subject. However, the school has successfully managed to maintain standards despite its strong emphasis on English, mathematics and science over the past two years. Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 47 129. By Year 6, pupils compare and contrast their lives with those of people from the past. They are

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HISTORY

aware, for example, that Christmas time during the Second World War years was different from their own because of rationing and the threat of bombs. They undertake independent research, making sound use of primary and secondary sources of evidence, to find out about aspects of the Second World War. However, they are less secure in their understanding of historical interpretation and the way that facts and information are presented. Pupils have covered a good range of units as they have moved through the school and have a sound understanding of British history and the impact that invaders and settlers and periods such as the Tudors and Victorians have had on its development. History is a popular subject across the school and most pupils say they enjoy their lessons. This enthusiasm was clearly reflected in a Year 5 class where pupils used drama effectively to act out scenes from Victorian Life, making good use of a range of

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HISTORY

dressing-up clothes and other resources. In a Year 4 class, pupils have a good understanding of life in Viking times and have produced some good-quality written and artwork which clearly displays their interest and motivation. Year 3 pupils demonstrate their understanding of life in Egyptian times through their knowledge of Tutankhamun and hieroglyphic pictures.

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HISTORY

130. From lesson observation, talking with pupils, looking at their work and teachers’ planning, the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers have a sound subject knowledge which is used effectively to arouse pupils’ interest and develop their knowledge and understanding. Sessions usually begin with teachers sharing the purpose of the lesson with pupils, which raises their awareness and creates interest. Most lessons proceed at a good pace and teachers use questioning effectively to assess pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Pupils usually settle to tasks quickly, showing good levels of concentration and working at a steady, and sometimes good, pace because of good lesson management and relationships. However, across the school, weekly planning is not always sufficiently detailed with clear learning objectives indicating what pupils are expected to learn and do and there are discrepancies in coverage between similar-aged

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HISTORY

classes. Pupils usually undertake the same activity which means a lack of challenge for higher- attaining pupils. Marking, although supportive, rarely informs pupils about how they can improve and there are examples of unfinished work. Timelines are used effectively to place things in order. From pupils’ workbooks there is evidence of good teaching in a Year 4 and a Year 5 class where the quality of learning is good. Here, good use is made of a range of literacy skills including drama and writing personal accounts, to develop pupils’ understanding further. Artwork in a Year 4 class is particularly good and informative and is well displayed.

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HISTORY

131. The very recently appointed subject co-ordinator is enthusiastic and has had some opportunity to monitor the subject as it has been a priority this term. She provides effective guidance and support to staff and clear management and leadership. However, she does not currently teach history so is unable to provide a role model and demonstrate her expertise. A sound annual plan of work is currently being developed, showing topics to be undertaken each term based on national guidance, and including a detailed local study. Teachers use this effectively to plan their work in year groups, although the joint planning is not reflected in pupils’ workbooks. There has been some monitoring of teaching and learning. This has identified the need to undertake checks on planning and pupils’ work more closely, as lessons are not always planned or taught with sufficient rigour and focus in similar aged classes. Assessment, for each unit, is not clear enough

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HISTORY

and recording procedures are insufficiently developed and not consistent across the school. The co-ordinator has usefully started to collect samples of pupils’ work, although these are not always annotated against national standards to help teachers with more accurate assessment. Good use is made of visits to museums within the local area, for example, the Museum of Lancashire, and further afield to stimulate pupils’ interest and provide first-hand experience and extend learning beyond the classroom. Resources are satisfactory overall and used well to stimulate pupils, although a list needs to be constructed so that all teachers know what is available and can identify weaknesses. They are supplemented well with loans from the local resource centre. Topic boxes have been developed to support units of work. The use of information and communication technology for research and simulation activities is insufficient and is an area for development.

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HISTORY

Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 48

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

132. The work undertaken by the school, especially in conjunction with the local Education Action Zone (EAZ), has enabled the school’s ICT resources to be increased and an ICT room, where most of the teaching of skills is carried out, to be constructed. This, together with the systematic teaching of the subject, based on a well-designed programme of study and the improved knowledge of teachers, through training, has resulted in the pupils’ attainment being in line with what is expected for their age by the end of Year 6. This is a significant achievement for Ribbleton pupils and represents the school’s commitment to the subject and the importance placed on ICT skills, knowledge and understanding within the school. Pupils achieve well and build well on the skills they bring with them from the infant school. They are helped well by support staff, who have also received training, and the part-time technician helps ensure that

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

133. Pupils are confident in using ICT. Even the Year 3 pupils use the keyboard well to navigate windows and use simulation software for decision making, trying to locate objects in a rainforest. They use drop-down menus, tools and search for objects they are instructed to find. Some programs they use, such as this, demand problem-solving and ‘thinking ahead’ skills and some pupils, because of their low attainment, find this hard. Support staff help them well, especially where they have problems with vocabulary or reading the text. Most pupils across the school log on to the school’s network and close down the computers in the correct way. Most know how to save their work and save it to the correct location on the file server. Pupils study a wide range of topics and the school’s ‘child friendly’ software and approaches motivate them greatly. For instance, in one lesson on searching databases in Year 5, a detective game scenario challenged

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

pupils to find the perpetrator from a number of clues. Pupils’ response to this, and their enthusiasm and excitement in learning about the use of ‘and’ to connect pieces of information, were outstanding. By Year 6, pupils are adept at combining information and link pages using text and graphics. They create interesting effects using text, such as three-dimensional shadows, and program ‘buttons’ to send the user to a connected page in a multi-media presentation. Pupils work very productively and relatively independently by Year 6 and some higher attainers explain the role ICT can play in applications in the subjects they study such as for research, organising information, and data logging in science.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

134. The quality of the teaching is good. A strong feature is the support pupils get to carry out an application in small steps so they gain success from their efforts. Teachers are knowledgeable and have gained a great deal from their training. As a result, they are now increasingly timetabling the ICT room to support learning in other subjects. Explanations by staff are very clear and pupils know what they are to do and learn. This clarity also helps pupils to develop their ICT vocabulary and software ‘ideas’. The way pupils are paired, such as a pupil with strong literacy skills with one whose skills are not so strong, enables good sharing of ideas and information. Teachers recognise the limitations of the ICT room – it is relatively small and very narrow for the large number of pupils in each class - and compensate well. They often teach half the class outside the ICT suite, getting them to carry out relevant ‘paper-based’ ICT activities.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

The lack of ventilation is another problem that staff are aware of and the school has plans in hand to improve this. However, some pupils begin to get tired when the room is hot and stuffy. Although teachers’ demonstrations in the introductions are a strength, little use can be made of the school’s electronic whiteboard as an interactive tool. Because of the shape of the room, it cannot be used effectively as a touch screen; the teacher has to stand in front of it, thus obliterating the display. Pupils with SEN are supported well, through individual help from non- teaching staff. However, there is not enough use of visual support materials, such as a printout of the sequence of screens or operations pupils need to go through to get to a particular point in their work, so that they could become more independent in what they do and not reliant so much on adult help to explain ideas or text on the screen.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

135. The school has a strong commitment to ICT and provision has improved well since the last inspection. This is very strong for pupils’ skills in the subject itself, although ICT is not sufficiently Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 49 or consistently promoted in subjects or used to support learning. The co-ordinator is new to the post and is building up her knowledge of the facilities as well as offering support to other staff. However, it is clear that the subject has a history of being led and managed well. The subject is reviewed annually and has focused well on the training needs of staff and the use of the facilities. This provides a good analysis of subject progress. The development plan sets challenging targets for pupils’ attainment and also identifies that teachers should plan for ICT in all subjects. Some other subject monitoring reports, such as religious education, review this well, but not all mention

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

ICT. A structure which was common to all subjects and included ICT would help gain consistency in what was being reported on, and would be especially helpful in the areas of focus which were in line with school development plan priorities. The assessment and recording of pupils’ progress in the subject are just beginning. Pupils are assessed by their teachers in relation to what they should have learned by the end of a unit of work. Information is beginning to be built up which allows the co-ordinator to track pupils’ progress and identified areas where provision is strong or weak. The co-ordinator has not had an opportunity to monitor pupils’ work, planning or teaching but recognises this is an important part of her role. No time is planned for this purpose, at present. Resources are generally good, although not all teachers are aware of what is available. In addition, some of the school’s high-quality software, which could very

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

effectively support the literacy skills of pupils with special educational needs and those who are lower attaining, is not being used. The Internet is used well and the computer club and other computer use at lunchtime (such as in the library) also make a strong contribution to pupils’ interests and skills in the subject. The school has an effective ‘Safe use of the Internet’ policy.

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MUSIC

136. There is insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement on the overall standards pupils reach in music by the end of Year 6, or about the quality of the teaching across the school. It was only possible to observe one lesson during the period of the inspection and to see two short combined year group singing sessions. Discussions with Year 6 pupils showed that they have had experience of listening and appraising music, performing using percussion and of some tuned instruments as well as singing. Pupils indicated that they had opportunities to compose and perform using non-standard musical notations in their Year 5 work. Analysis of planning shows that all areas of the music curriculum are being covered. This indicates that the requirements of teaching the primary music National Curriculum are being met. However, the levels pupils achieve and the progress they make cannot be judged reliably; there are too few records of pupils’

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MUSIC

progress and information on their levels of attainment.

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MUSIC

137. From the small amount of evidence accrued, singing within the school is of a satisfactory standard and in line with expectations by the end of Year 6. This includes pupils of all ability levels and those who have English as an additional language. Pupils sing with interest and some enthusiasm in assemblies and in group practices. The younger pupils in the Year 3 and Year 4 group practice progressed well and performed to a good standard. They were challenged to lift the quality and volume of their singing by the teacher in charge. The pupils responded extremely well and the teacher was justified in her praise of them - " Wow! That was really good". Pupils in an extra-curricular school choir practice - about twenty pupils, including pupils with specific learning difficulties - were observed singing Christmas carols. They worked with real interest and enthusiasm, being well led by a teacher and a learning support assistant, who accompanied the

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MUSIC

pupils on her guitar. By the end of the practice they were singing the 'Calypso Carol' and 'Starry Night' to a good standard.

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MUSIC

138. Teaching in the one lesson observed was very good. Pupils were organised and managed to a very high standard. As a result, they were stimulated and enthusiastic to sing and perform. The teacher used good subject links with the Viking Study unit in history as the pupils sang from the 'Sea Thunder'; music and songs depicting scenes and events from that period of history. The inclusion of percussion instruments enhanced the music lesson further. By the end of the lesson, in which all pupils had learned very well, pupils responded very positively and with accuracy to the duration, pitch and dynamics of the music they performed. There was a real sense of achievement Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 50 and enjoyment was felt by the pupils; many faces were beaming with a feeling of pride in what they had achieved. The high standard of teaching had a very positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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MUSIC

139. The music co-ordinator was on leave of absence during the period of the inspection and a member of the senior management team was standing in, in her absence. From the discussions and the photographic evidence in the school, it is clear the school has a long tradition of singing and performing. Pupils attend the annual Preston Music Festival, taking an active part in dance and music. The school follows a commercial scheme for teaching music. This covers all the required elements. There is no monitoring or evaluation of the teaching and learning in music and the time for music is low; pupils in Year 6 speak of not having music every week. Assessment, and the tracking of pupils’ progress, is limited.

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MUSIC

140. Resources are satisfactory, with a sound number of pitched and non-pitched instruments being used. Currently the school makes no provision for including ICT as an aid to enhance learning. Other technology, such as tape recorders and CDs, is used effectively; and as seen in the Year 4 lesson, this improves learning and pupils' understanding well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. Standards are in line with those expected for pupils’ ages by the time pupils reach the end of Year 6, including pupils who have English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs. All pupils make satisfactory progress and achievement. No judgement was made at the time of the previous inspection and therefore no comparisons with present standards or provision can be made.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. Pupils in Year 6 make satisfactory progress in developing games and competitive skills in an indoor session. Pupils of all ability levels and those with English as an additional language take a full and active part in the lesson. With practice, pupils are able to refine their skills and improve their performances. However, as a result of unsatisfactory class management, pupils develop negative attitudes during the lesson and their behaviour slips to an unacceptable level towards the end.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. Pupils in Year 5 make good progress and achieve well in outdoor games. They apply themselves extremely well, coping admirably with the cold conditions outside. They warm up well and vigorously exercise to counter these conditions. Pupils of all abilities make gains in passing and controlling skills using large balls. Practice really made perfect for one girl who shrieked with delight as she successfully passed the ball with good accuracy between two cones set not very far apart. The organisation of the lesson is good and the pace of working is sharp. The teaching of skills is effective and the positive impact of teaching on pupils' learning is evident.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

144. Pupils in Year 4 make satisfactory progress in games skills but time is lost as pupils are slow to change and the organisation of groups takes up too much time. In a separate gym lesson, Year 4 pupils make good progress and achieve well as a result of the teacher's very good organisation and management. The pupils develop good balancing skills, learning well from each other, as the teacher stops the lesson to show elements of good practice. A learning support assistant gives good help to a pupil with identified special educational needs, who does not find physical education easy. As a result this pupil makes good progress in line with their potential and ability.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145. Pupils in Year 3 improved their performance across two lessons seen. A more organised and prompter start to the second lesson enabled pupils to warm up effectively and to practise their throwing and catching skills. The teacher challenged pupils to develop catching skills further by using one hand only. Not all pupils can do this effectively but it does give a good opportunity for the higher attaining pupils to learn this skill and put in into practice with success.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

146. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Teaching is one lesson was unsatisfactory due to poor organisation and pupil management. In one very good and one good lesson, the teacher's Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 51 management and organisation of pupils and resources was effective and together with careful explanations of the objectives and expectations, pupils made good and very good gains in skills and new learning. Teachers generally have a sound knowledge and understanding of the skills pupils need to develop in their lessons. The majority of pupils enjoy their physical education lessons, behave well and have a positive attitude to learning as a result of the good challenges provided. They take great pleasure in performing skills to their classmates, who in turn applaud them for their achievements. This creates a lovely atmosphere and raises many pupils' self- esteem.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

147. There is a clear policy for teaching and teachers plan and teach their lessons following a scheme of work provide by the Local Education Authority. This is backed by the nationally recognised scheme. The combination of both these schemes is used selectively to meet the needs of the pupils. Assessment of the progress and achievement of pupils is not yet formalised. Learning support assistants keep records on targeted pupils and this helps to track the progress that these pupils make. Photographs are used to record good practice and achievement. These are being used to build up profiles of attainment in physical education. The recent purchase of a video camera / recorder will add to this system. Assessments made in swimming show that almost all pupils are able to swim the required 25 meters by the end of Year 6.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

148. The subject is led by an enthusiastic co-ordinator who, whilst having no special qualifications in the subject, has gained experience by attending relevant training courses and supporting extra- curricular activities. She is ably supported in the activities undertaken outside lessons by a good number of teaching staff at the school. The range of clubs organised for pupils include netball, football, tennis, cricket and baseball. There is a Year 3 football team providing for the needs of the younger pupils at the school. The club is open to both boys and girls in this age group. Time has not yet been found for the co-ordinator to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning for physical education. The co-ordinator does monitor teachers' plans and she uses photographs to record good practice and achievement.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

149. The school makes good use of outside expertise. Representatives of the local football team, as well as staff from Manchester United, support skills teaching at the school. Resources for games are good and there is an adequate range of gym equipment for the space available, with which to develop dance and gymnastics. The school's accommodation is satisfactory for most elements of the physical education curriculum. There is a grassed area, shared with the infant school, but its drainage is very poor, resulting in it being out of use for many weeks during the school year. This restricts pupils developing and practising their skills on other than hard surfaces.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

150. Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 is broadly in line with the standards set out in the locally agreed syllabus; pupils achieve satisfactorily but within a narrow range of work, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. Only a few lessons were observed, but a review of past work, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils indicate that the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. However, the time allocated to the subject differs between the classes and this affects the depth of study for the pupils. Improvements since the last inspection are satisfactory and include a revised syllabus and more useful guidance to staff on the curriculum to be taught in each year group, in order to ensure continuous learning throughout the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

151. Pupils learn about Christianity and other religions as well as the implications for their own lives in all classes. Work done in lessons is built upon during collective worship, both as a whole school and in classes, and a timetable is set to enable this to happen. Lessons in personal and social education are also planned to supplement this work and build united guidance for pupils. By Year 6, pupils show that they have a clear understanding of the main beliefs and practices of the major world faiths. Teachers build on pupils’ knowledge and understanding of their own religious beliefs and cultural background to develop learning. For example, Eid-al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, is Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School - 52 given a high profile in the school, with displays and a card design competition, such as is arranged for the celebration of Christmas. Parents and staff belonging to faiths other than

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Christianity, provide useful help in guiding practice. Pupils’ understanding is enhanced by visits to places of worship such as a mosque and a Sikh Gurdwara. Clergy from local Christian churches and representatives of the Church Army visit school on a regular basis to take assembly or to work with classes.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152. The school establishes a sound balance between learning about religion and learning from religion. In Year 3, pupils learn about the role of a leader in society and look at the role of the priest in the Christian religion and the Muslim Imam. They consider the symbol of the star at Christmas time and what it might signify. Pupils in Year 4 consider what it means to belong to a special group and signs of caring for each other. They get a sense of heritage from paintings of the Christmas story and consider the Annunciation in particular. This links well with the work in school assembly on Advent. Pupils consider how characters in stories might represent the teachings of world religions and how they can choose to change their way of life to show greater kindness; the behaviour of Scrooge , for example, is represented in booklet form, changing from cold to warm, with differences highlighted. In Year 5, pupils look at special books with messages

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

that can change people’s lives, such as the story of Noah in the Bible. However, work in Year 5 is limited in quantity because too little time is allocated to the subject. In Year 6, pupils listened to the story of the Good Samaritan and linked it to examples of helping others in their own lives. In another lesson, they considered how helping others, like Papa Panov in the Russian story, is a way of serving Jesus. Sometimes expectations for the pupils in Year 6 are not high enough. For example, the work done in preparing for visitors was more typical of a younger age group. A review of past work indicates that completing worksheets sometimes takes time that might more beneficially be used for discussion. Teachers and support staff make sure pupils with special educational or language needs do at least as well as the rest of the class, sometimes being withdrawn for their lesson within a smaller group which allows more discussion.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

153. The subject is soundly led and managed. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and has organised the units of work logically to match up with other opportunities to expand the pupils’ understanding throughout the school day. There is no system for the assessment of pupils’ skills, but recent suggestions for this purpose from the Local Education Authority are under review. The time allocated to the subject in some classes is not adequate enough to cover the curriculum to a suitable level for the pupils’ ages. Monitoring of teaching, pupils’ work and pupils’ progress is limited. There is insufficient use of ICT to support learning.

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