Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School

ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th – 26 th September 2002

p.1

ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

p.1

ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Abbeystead Road, Dolphinholme, Lancaster.

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs J Hayhurst

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 th September 1997 Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 10182 Mr B Cooper Registered inspector Foundation Stage Special Educational Needs Equal opportunities English Art and design Design and technology Physical education English as an additional language The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught How well is the school led and managed What could the school do to improve further

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

9981 Mr S Hussain Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes and values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

8263 Mrs M Forsman Team inspector Mathematics Science ICT Geography History Music How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils How well does the school care for its pupils or students

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Lynrose Marketing Limited Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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:

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 5

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

p.5

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

p.5

AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 30

Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 6

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School is a very small school with 67 pupils aged 4 to 11. The school is situated in the village of Dolphinhome near Lancaster. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. There are 15 pupils (22%) on the special educational needs register which is above the national average. No pupils currently have a statement of special educational needs. All pupils are British. There is one pupil with English as an additional language, but no pupil is at an early stage of English language development. The attainment of entry of pupils joining the reception class represents the full ability range, with most being around average. The school has high levels of pupil mobility with 9 leaving and 3 joining the school in the past year. The school has been through a very difficult period since its last inspection and the present headteacher did not

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

take up his post until June 2001. The school has had a disrupted start to the new school year as both Key Stage 2 classrooms have been out of commission whilst ceilings had to be replaced. Pupils had only moved back to their classrooms just before the inspection.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Dolphinholme is a satisfactory school that is improving. It is a fully inclusive school and the contribution of all pupils is valued. The pupils are very well cared for. Children in the foundation stage quickly settle in to school, make satisfactory progress and achieve the early learning goals in all areas. Standards in most subjects are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, but are below average in mathematics at the end of Year 6 and below national expectations in information and communication technology and geography throughout the school. Teaching is satisfactory. There is a commitment to raise standards in these subjects and staff are prepared to receive necessary training and support. The leadership and management of the school are good and a range of planned improvements has been properly prioritised. The school is giving satisfactory value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• The headteacher provides strong leadership and has worked successfully with staff and governors to establish clear educational priorities for the school • The pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and their behaviour in and around school is very good. Attendance at the school is excellent • Relationships are very good between the pupils. Teachers and support assistants work well together in lessons • There is good provision for pupils’ spiritual and moral development and very good provision for their social development • The pupils are very well looked after • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

p.6

What could be improved

• Standards in mathematics at the end of Year 6 and in information and communication technology and geography at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 • The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum • Opportunities for pupils to participate in independent learning • The monitoring of teaching and learning The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 7 The school has made satisfactory improvement since its last report in 1997 with most of the improvement being made in the last fifteen months since the appointment of the new headteacher. Some of the key issues from the last inspection have been tackled successfully, others have received little attention as a result of the difficult period the school has had since the last inspection. The full national curriculum is now taught in all subjects and curriculum planning enables pupils to develop their skills. Whilst there has been improvement in the resourcing of information and communication technology, computers are still not used widely enough in school. This is restricting pupils’ opportunities to work independently. The assessment of pupils’ learning is good. The school now provides good information for parents and they are more fully involved in the life of the school. The strength

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

of leadership of the headteacher and the commitment of governors and staff will enable the school to continue improving.

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

schools

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

p.7

schools

The table shows that, on the basis of the 2001 end of Year 6 national tests, pupils’ attainment is above the national average in English, well above average in science and very low and in the bottom 5% of all schools nationally in mathematics. Over time, on the basis of these tests, standards in English have improved, in science they have remained consistently good and, in mathematics, standards have declined. However, the groups of pupils taking tests are small making comparisons between years unreliable. The inspection findings, based on the current group of Year 6 pupils of which nearly one third have special educational needs is that standards in English and science are in line with the national average, and that standards in mathematics are below national averages. Pupils achieve in line with their abilities in English and science but are underachieving in mathematics, although there has been some recent

p.7

schools

improvement. This is largely due to the fact that the national numeracy strategy has only recently been implemented. The school sets realistic targets based on the assessment of pupils’ progress and taking account of the numbers of pupils with special educational needs. By the end of Year 2, pupils reach standards in line with national averages in English mathematics and science. They achieve in line with their abilities. Standards in information and communication technology and geography are below national expectations throughout the school. Standards in all other subjects are in line with national expectations in both key stages. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress in personal and social education and satisfactory progress in all other areas. They reach the standards expected by the time they move to Year 1 in all areas of learning.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 8 Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are very keen to come to school and enjoy learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. The children behave very well in class and around the school. They are well mannered and courteous. Personal development and relationships Relationships throughout the school are very good. Personal development is satisfactory. Although pupils have some responsibilities, they could be expanded. There are too few opportunities for independent learning. Attendance Attendance is excellent.

p.8

Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

p.8

Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching throughout the school is satisfactory with some good features. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed during the inspection. Improvements in planning are helping teachers to cover the full curriculum and develop the pupils’ skills. In the reception class, the teacher and classroom support assistant work well together to provide the children with a range of appropriate learning experiences. The children have already settled in well to the routines of school. The teaching of English is satisfactory throughout the school. Teachers have worked hard to introduce the national literacy strategy, and this is beginning to be effectively used in school. The teaching of mathematics is now satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and 2. Prior to this school year, pupils in Key Stage 1 used too many work sheets and did not learn to record their numbers. In Key Stage 2, standards in mathematics were lowered, as there were gaps

p.8

Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

in pupils’ knowledge. These are now being identified and focussed on during lessons, although further training is required. All teachers have good relationships with their classes and work well with their classroom assistants. In most lessons work is appropriate for the abilities of all pupils in the class. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and are given suitable targets. In Key Stage 1, the pace of lessons sometimes slows and pupils do not remain focussed. In Key Stage 2, teachers give too few opportunities for pupils to participate in independent learning. Computers and the library are underused. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 9

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The school is providing a broad and balanced curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. These pupils are well supported in class and are given clear targets for improvement. Parents are kept well informed of their progress. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There is satisfactory provision. No specialist help is required. The class teacher and support assistant give appropriate support.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development There is good provision for pupils’ spiritual and moral development. Their social development is very good. Cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils are developing a greater understanding of other cultures.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils This is a very caring school. The welfare of the pupils is a very high priority. Assessment procedures in English, mathematics and science are good, but satisfactory in the other subjects. Information from assessment is beginning to be used by teachers in their planning.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Parents are happy that they can approach the headteacher and teachers if they have any concerns. The quality of information provided to parents is good. The termly curriculum news given out to each class is particularly helpful.

p.9

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides very good leadership and has worked hard with governors and staff to establish a clear educational direction for the school. The role of the subject leader in some subjects is unsatisfactory and they do not yet have an overview of their subject throughout the school. In these subjects, weaknesses have not been identified and good practice not shared. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The Governing Body is effective and supportive of the school. Governors are committed to supporting the headteacher in his plans to improve the school. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities. The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher, staff and governors have worked hard to identify and prioritise areas for development. Whilst there has been some monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning, the

p.9

Aspect Comment

current systems are unsatisfactory. The strategic use of resources Good. Plans for the development of the school are closely linked to the future financial planning. Extra funds coming in to school are spent effectively on specific projects, but there are no mechanisms yet in place for evaluating the impact of expenditure on standards. The school takes care to gain best value when spending money. There is a sufficient number of staff in school and they work well together. The accommodation is satisfactory, but the present library is too small and inaccessible. Some Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 10 books need replacing. Learning resources are satisfactory, but there is no fixed play apparatus for the youngest children.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school • The school expects their children to work hard and do their best • Behaviour in the school is good • The school is helping their children become mature and responsible • Homework • Information about how their children are getting on • The range of extra-curricular activities

p.10

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The team agrees that homework is not given consistently across the school. However, parents do receive sufficient information about their children’s progress and there are a satisfactory number of extra-curricular activities for a very small school. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 11

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Dolphinholme is a very small school and the size of groups taking standard assessment tests each year is normally between ten and twelve pupils. This makes comparisons between years very difficult as one or two pupils performing at a lower level can substantially lower overall standards.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The children’s attainment when they join the reception class represents the full range of ability with the majority of children being around average. As a result of satisfactory teaching, the children make satisfactory progress in all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum apart from personal, social and emotional development where progress and teaching are good. The children receive good support from the teaching assistant. By the end of Year 1, the children will achieve the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The national test results at the end of Year 2 from 1998 to 2001 indicate that standards are usually well above average in reading, above average in writing and well above average in mathematics. Teacher assessment in science indicates that all pupils reached national averages in 2001. Standards found in the inspection and the initial results from 2002, suggest that standards are at the national average in all three areas. The numbers of pupils reaching the higher level 3 is substantially lower than 2001. Standards against schools with a similar number of pupils eligible for free school meals are almost the same as for national averages.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Inspection findings indicate that although pupils in Key Stage 1 make satisfactory progress, standards are lower than at the time of the last inspection. This is explained by the attainment on entry being lower than at the last inspection five years ago. The introduction of the literacy and numeracy strategies are beginning to be effective and will have a positive impact on standards over time.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The national test results at the end of Year 6 between 1998 and 2001 show some variation in standards in English ranging from below average in 1999 to well above average in 1998 and 2000. Standards have fallen each year in mathematics and were in the bottom 5% of all schools in 2001. In science, standards have been consistently well above average compared with schools with similar numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals in 2001 and are almost the same as against national averages. Preliminary results for 2002 indicate a drop in standards in English and science, and a rise in standards in mathematics. In 2002, nearly one third of the cohort of thirteen has special educational needs, and this has been a significant factor in the results.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Inspection findings show that standards by the end of Year 6 are in line with national expectations in English and science and below expectations in mathematics. This reflects ability within the current cohort of pupils, but also the very recent introduction of the national numeracy strategy. In English, pupils speak confidently and listen well but are not given sufficient opportunities to develop their formal skills in these areas. Pupils’ reading is in line with the national expectations, but some pupils read too narrow a range of books and have not developed the skills required to access information books. In writing, standards are also in line with national averages. They are developing the Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 12 formal skills of writing apart from handwriting, which is not joined up early enough. Pupils are also not given enough opportunities to write longer stories either in English or

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

across the curriculum. In mathematics, pupils have not covered the curriculum in sufficient depth. Their mental arithmetic skills are underdeveloped and they are slow in their calculations. They have little experience of handling data and are not able to confidently interpret graphs. They have participated in very few problem-solving activities. In science, pupils’ understanding of all aspects of science is good, but they have limited experience in independent research, which is lowering standards.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are not sufficiently developed across the curriculum. Whilst writing and reading skills are used in history, little use is made of them in geography. Most pupils are not yet sufficiently confident in numeracy to use their skills successfully in other subjects. The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum is unsatisfactory throughout the school. Staff are to receive training and extra skills teaching is planned for pupils so more use can be made of the good resources in school.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils make satisfactory progress in all aspects of English and science in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in mathematics in both Key Stage 1 and 2, although this is beginning to improve as the result of introducing the national numeracy strategy. Pupils achieve standards in line with their abilities in English and science, but underachieve in mathematics.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards their individual education plan targets. They receive good quality support from both classroom support assistants and their teachers who are aware of their particular needs and this enhances their learning. Their progress in English and science is satisfactory which is similar to other members of their class. It is also satisfactory in mathematics as a result of the extra support they receive. Pupils with behavioural difficulties make good progress as a result of the supportive approach of the school and the positive attitude of their peers. The school’s strong policy on inclusion ensures that all pupils with special needs are involved in all activities.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Standards in information and communication technology are below national expectations by the end of year 2 and Year 6. There has been unsatisfactory progress over time, but recent initiatives are beginning to improve the situation. Standards in geography are also below national expectations throughout the school and pupils have made unsatisfactory progress, as they have not been taught the range of skills required. Standards in all other subjects are in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and progress through the school is satisfactory.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. The school has set realistic targets at the end of Key Stage 2 after assessing carefully the abilities of pupils in each cohort. The school has succeeded in meeting these targets.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. There has been some difference in the performance of boys and girls but this follows no apparent pattern and seems linked to the small size of cohorts, and variation caused by this.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. As at the last inspection, attitudes to the school are good. Pupils show high levels of interest and involvement in lessons and other school activities. For example, in a Year Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 13 3 and 4 mathematics lesson, almost all pupils were bursting to answer the teacher’s questions during the whole class warm up session on simple addition and subtraction. During a Year 5 and 6 assembly, pupils were spellbound as they learnt about myths and legends. Pupils also show much interest and enthusiasm in after school sports and school trips. Pupils in the foundation stage are developing positive habits in their learning. For example, during a circle time session about what makes people sad and happy, they passed ‘Freddie Teddy’ around sensibly as they took turns to speak. They generally share equipment and learning resources with good consideration for each other.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. The pupils are well mannered and polite towards staff and visitors. Behaviour is very good throughout the school. This makes a significant contribution to the ethos of the school. Pupils behave very well in lessons, assemblies and at break-times. Lunchtime is a pleasant occasion where pupils enjoy their sandwiches together. Pupils say that bullying is not a problem, but if it occurs, they know staff will always help those concerned to make friends again. Behaviour management by staff is good. It is successful in giving pupils a good understanding of the impact of their actions on others. Pupils show good moral development in their views about standards of behaviour they want to see in school. There were no exclusions at this school in the last academic year.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. As at the last inspection, relationships between adults and pupils, and also between pupils, are very good. Pupils collaborate very well in tasks with their peers. For example, in a Year 3 and 4 geography lesson pupils worked very effectively in their groups to identify the characteristics of typical settlements. The presence of a Year 6 pupil at every table at lunchtime contributes to the strong family ethos and pupils’ good social development. Pupils show high levels of respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. This was evident during an assembly when pupils learnt about pilgrimage in different faiths. Pupils showed their awareness of other cultures in our society, a factor in their overall sound cultural development.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils’ spiritual development has improved since the last inspection and is now good: pupils have strong feelings about issues such as faith, trust, justice and the environment.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Personal development is satisfactory overall. Pupils respond appropriately when given responsibility. For example, Year 6 ‘buddies’ are helpful and caring towards younger pupils. Pupils showed considerable initiative in their learning at the recent ‘numeracy day’ as they designed fairgrounds and estimated building costs. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop independent learning and research skills in most lessons. The last inspection mentioned that there were too few opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their learning within the classroom. Although there are a few more opportunities now, the school could still do more. Although the previous report stated that personal development was good, it is currently satisfactory.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Enthusiasm for school is very good and this is reflected in excellent attendance levels. This represents an improvement from the very good attendance rates found at the last inspection. There is no unauthorised absence and punctuality remains very good.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. During the inspection 10% of the 30 lessons seen were very good, 33% were good and 57% were satisfactory. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Teaching throughout the school is satisfactory. This represents a similar picture to that shown in the last inspection. However, there has been satisfactory improvement on the key issue in the Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 14 last inspection report and pupils are offered some chances for both individual and collaborative work, although more opportunities could still be offered. Better planning has resulted in there being more appropriate work for higher attaining pupils, although this is still an area for development in subjects such as art. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to participate in independent learning, particularly in Key Stage 2.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The teaching of the children in the foundation stage is satisfactory. The teacher has a satisfactory understanding of the needs of this age group and provides separate planning to meet their needs in a mixed age class. She works very closely with an experienced teaching support assistant to provide for the children’s learning within a class of older pupils. The teaching assistant is fully aware of what is planned for the children. There is a satisfactory balance between formal and informal activities. The children are usually taught with Key Stage 1 pupils for the opening session of lessons and then moved to less formal activities which are appropriate for their stage of learning. There is a particularly strong emphasis on the personal and social education of the pupils. They are taught the routines of the classroom and are good at listening to adults, answering questions and playing well together. The group is well managed and

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

the children are keen to do their best. They are full of enthusiasm and eager to learn.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. In Key Stage 1 and 2, teachers have good relationships with their classes and the pupils respond positively to this. There is very little need to remind pupils to behave well as they are enthusiastic about school and keen to learn. Computers are only occasionally used as an aid to learning and teachers under use the school library as it is inaccessible. In Key Stage 2 in particular, some lessons such as art and design and design technology are over-directed and the pupils are not given enough opportunity to experiment and find things out for themselves. This reduces their progress and slows their learning. Teachers use support assistants well. In Key Stage 1, the teaching assistant works in tandem with the teacher taking responsibility either for the foundation stage children or Key Stage 1 pupils. This is effective. In Key Stage 2, teaching assistants usually work with pupils with special educational needs and help them in a

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

sensitive and thoughtful manner. This is enabling them to make satisfactory progress in line with the class, and good progress towards their personal targets. All pupils have three individual targets for improvement, which are shared with their parents/carers. These are beginning to have a positive impact on the pupils’ progress and learning. Sometimes less attention is paid to the needs of higher attaining pupils.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. The teaching of English is satisfactory. Teachers share the learning outcome of each session with the pupils, but in Key Stage 1, pupils do not appear to always understand the purpose of this. The teacher in Key Stage 1 is confident in following the format of the literacy strategy and usually succeeds in meeting the needs of all the pupils. Occasionally the pace drops a little and the children become less focussed and do not learn as much. In Key Stage 2, the teachers are working hard to become used to teaching using the literacy strategy. They are becoming more confident in the approach and have benefited from the level of training they have received and the opportunity to watch lessons in other schools. Throughout the school, the introductory sessions are well-organised and big books and sections of texts are well used to make teaching points. Pupils are given a range of activities in the main section of the lesson

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

appropriate for their abilities and ages. The teaching of reading is satisfactory and group reading sessions are well organised. However too little guidance about choice of reading book is being given to pupils in Key Stage 2 and as a result they do not always read a wide enough range of books. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 15 23. The teaching of mathematics in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. However until this term, the teacher has relied too heavily on worksheets and this has slowed the pupils’ learning, as they have had few opportunities to record work. The introduction of the national numeracy strategy this term is proving effective in Key Stage 1 and helping to ensure good coverage of the curriculum and a more effective method of teaching. The teaching of mathematics in Key Stage 2 has, until recently, been unsatisfactory. This has had a cumulative effect and lowered standards as has been demonstrated by

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

recent standard assessment test results. Teachers have not been confident about teaching the subject and have not developed the pupils’ numeracy skills sufficiently either in mathematics or other subjects. However there are now real improvements being seen as the national numeracy strategy is being fully introduced and staff are being trained in its use.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. The school has a tradition of specialist teaching in some subjects, such as science, in Key Stage 2. This has a positive impact as teachers show particular skills and knowledge in these subjects and use these well in their teaching. However, these teachers are sometime reluctant to give the pupils sufficient freedom to experiment in subjects such as art and design and design and technology. Class teachers, throughout the school, are not yet confident in planning the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. As a result the pupils’ skills are underdeveloped and this limits their ability to learn independently. This matter is being urgently addressed both in relation to the teachers’ and pupils’ skills through courses and the appointment of a visiting specialist teacher.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. The teaching of geography has been unsatisfactory over time, as pupils have been offered too few opportunities to practise and develop the skills required to understand the full curriculum. This situation has not been addressed prior to the appointment of the present headteacher. The most recent innovations in the subject, such as the topic on Kenya being undertaken in Key Stage 2, are having a positive impact on both teaching and learning in the subject.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good and enables them to make good progress towards the targets identified in their individual educational plans. Teachers now write individual educational plans for pupils in their own classes in consultation with the special needs co-ordinator. As a result teachers are very aware of the needs of individual pupils and offer them the right support with extra help from classroom assistants. Particularly good progress is made in Key Stage 1 with pupils who find it difficult to settle into the routines of school life.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. All work is marked and includes some helpful comments and suggestions for improvement. The quality and approach is not consistent throughout the school however and the school does not have a sufficiently detailed marking policy.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. The setting of targets for individual pupils is proving effective and is beginning to help pupils to have a greater understanding of their own learning. 29. Homework is given regularly in all classes. However the only policy statement is in the school prospectus and this is not leading to a consistent approach across the school. Parents have some concerns and are not certain what is expected of their children at different ages. The otherwise informative and helpful curriculum news does not include any reference to homework.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 16 30. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided by the school are satisfactory in the Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1 and 2. The weaknesses observed at the time of the last inspection have been rectified and the school now provides a properly planned learning programme.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum for pupils of all ages and meets all statutory requirements including those for Religious Education and worship . Schemes of work have been introduced for all subjects of the National Curriculum and there is a rolling program for updating all the related policies . These are taught regularly and to an appropriate timetable.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy have only been introduced into the school in the last year. All planning for literacy and numeracy is now based on these approaches but the priority for staff training development has been given to literacy. Consequently, pupils’ numeracy development is slower. Literacy and numeracy skills are not yet being fully developed across the curriculum and pupils have too few opportunities to use these skills in other subjects. All curriculum subjects contribute towards pupils’ spiritual, moral social and cultural development. The quality of extra-curricular activities is adequate for a school of this size and enriches the learning opportunities, particularly in sport for older Key Stage 2 pupils. A range of visits and visitors further enhances the curriculum along with the degree of specialist input into a number of subjects. Until recently, too limited use has been made of the local

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and as a result, pupils make good progress towards the targets of their individual education plans. The school complies with the Code of Practice and operates effective procedures for identification and intervention for pupils with special educational needs. There is good support in class and there is equality of access and opportunity for all pupils . The school has a race equality policy in place.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. The curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Planning is based on the six key areas of learning and promotes the Early Learning Goals. Teaching staff have a sound understanding of how young children learn . They manage the classroom effectively. The teacher plans well for the needs of both Foundation Stage children and Key Stage 1 pupils. The approach to planning has been carefully reviewed recently and the new approach, which clearly identifies the needs of each age group, is already having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Children move on to the National Curriculum and work with older age groups as soon as they are ready.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The curriculum for pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 is supported by schemes of work for all subjects, which lead to detailed medium term planning. Most of these programmes are too recent for their impact on standards to be felt in full but they now give clear direction to the subjects and promote progression in pupils’ learning as they move through the school. Personal, health and social education has been introduced into Key Stage 1 and is provided in Key Stage 2 through various subjects and through circle time. The head teacher and the staff team have devised a curriculum map for the whole school, which summarises the topics to be covered in each subject. Teaching staff now have a coherent view of the whole curriculum. In addition a curriculum newsletter for each class is sent to parents each term detailing the areas to be covered in all subjects which gives opportunities for parents to become more involved in their

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

children’s learning. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 17 36. Provision for personal, social and health education is satisfactory. The school was hoping to establish a written policy and detailed lesson plans by now as this was a key issue of the last inspection. Recent staff illness has limited progress. However, there are plans to address this to support the work done in assemblies and circle times. The school nurse makes a good contribution to teaching sex education and the Life Education Mobile Unit supports drugs education.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. At the last inspection there were no extra curricular activities on offer. Provision is now satisfactory for a school of this size. After school sports include football, skittle ball, rounders and cricket. Parents would like more provision, especially for the younger ones. The school is aware of this and has plans for a computer and homework club once building work is completed. Pupils go on some excursions and school trips each year and this positively supports their studies and topic work. However, there have been too few visits related to geography and history.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. The school provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development with very good provision for social development and good provision for moral development. The school presents a caring and reflective ethos and there is a common understanding among all adults and pupils.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. The provision for spiritual development is good and has improved since the last inspection, although there is still a lack of planned development. Teachers are sensitive to opportunities for spiritual development and encourage reflection. The oldest pupils explore Tai Chi based meditation in their class assembly as a means of relaxation. Pupils show no embarrassment or hesitation in expressing their thoughts and feelings. They willingly share in the achievements of their peers and clap spontaneously. Pupils show imagination in their response to music and art.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

40. The school promotes good moral development. The school’s expectations of behaviour and responsibility are unequivocal and are based on mutual consideration. Class rules are decided by pupils and are displayed prominently. Regular Circle Time allows pupils to express themselves and to develop their own judgements and opinions on a range of issues. Pupils are committed to environmental improvement and have instigated a number of changes to school practices. The school has an active litter recycling programme, which the pupils support.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

41. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good. The school successfully encourages pupils to learn the skills of social interaction for example through the after- school club and also gives them the opportunities to use their skills. Pupils regularly work with adults from outside the school. Year 6 pupils have undertaken responsibilities for the new Reception children and are assiduous in their care for them. During the annual residential visit to the Isle of Man pupils co-operate closely with pupils from other local schools. Pupils are given and respond well to opportunities to support charities.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

42. The provision for cultural development is satisfactory and improving. Pupils study Christianity, Islam and Judaism in the Religious Education programme. European culture is well covered in art and music, and there are regular visits to the museums and galleries such as the Abbot Hall in Kendal. Teachers make satisfactory use of opportunities to develop awareness of other cultures in various subjects for example in geography and history. A number of new initiatives are encouraging awareness of the developing world for example through the music and culture of Kenya. The school is also using information and communication technology to promote partnerships with schools in Europe through the Comenius Project and with Africa through the ABC Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 18 Gemini project. Most of these are new initiatives, which have yet to have a full impact on the cultural development of the pupils.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

43. As at the last inspection, the community makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning. The link with St Mark’s Church continues to support pupils’ spiritual development and religious education. Staff from Myerscough College provide on site coaching in golf skills. The schools library service is well used for loans and pupils also take part in the service’s book quiz for schools in the area. Links with the emergency services make a good contribution to pupils’ learning about health and safety. For example, the police hold a major safety event in the area each year enabling Year 6 pupils to take part in various learning activities. Local businesses support the school by making donations for prizes that are used to raise money for the school through raffles.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

44. The school has good, constructive relationships with universities and colleges. For example, trainee teachers from the University College of St Martin’s provide pupils with additional learning experiences. There is a similar link with colleges regarding work experience for childcare students. There are sound links with other schools. For example, a local beacon school has been consulted about teaching in art and music to develop the curriculum. Links with several comprehensive schools ensure a smooth transfer for Year 6 pupils. The school has addressed the weakness in transferring information about pupils since the last inspection.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Dolphinholme continues to be a very caring school where pupils are happy and relationships are very good. Parents are rightly pleased with the strong family and caring ethos. The educational and personal support and advice given to pupils is good. These factors are effective in supporting pupils in their learning.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. Arrangements for Child Protection are very good. This marks improvement since the last inspection where procedures were satisfactory. It is clear that local welfare agencies are pleased with the school’s arrangements and level of good practice. The designated officer is appropriately trained and deals with any issues effectively. Staff show a high level of care and vigilance at all times.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Procedures to ensure pupils’ welfare are very good overall. Risk assessments are appropriately carried out each half term. Arrangements are made to ensure that all equipment and appliances are regularly tested. Accident and emergency procedures are effective in dealing with problems. There are good arrangements for giving first aid. Fire drills are carried out appropriately. The school has implemented an appropriate policy regarding pupils’ use of computer Internet facilities.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school works closely and effectively with several external agencies in raising awareness of health and safety matters. For example, the fire service and school nurse visit the school regularly to give talks to raise their awareness of issues.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Procedures to monitor and improve attendance are good. This marks very good improvement since the last inspection where procedures were “poor”. The school has fully resolved the issues of the last inspection. The headteacher monitors attendance and punctuality very carefully and appropriate records are kept. An Educational Welfare Officer attends the school periodically and gives support to families where necessary. The school actively discourages holidays during term times. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 19 50. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are good. Bad behaviour is very rare, but an incident book is appropriately maintained. Good use is made of rewards such as ‘team points’ and stickers. Achievement assemblies each week include special mentions for kindness, good deeds and achievement. A ‘courtesy cup’ is awarded each term and there is also an end of year cup.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. Procedures for assessing pupils’ academic attainment in the core subjects are good. The use made of assessment information to ensure the curriculum matches pupils’ needs is satisfactory and still developing. It is beginning to impact on the quality of teaching and learning. Formal procedures do not cover subjects other than English, mathematics and science . The assessment policy has been written and is awaiting confirmation by the Governors.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The school uses a range of recommended tests, which can be compared with each other. Assessment begins with the baseline assessment on entry into the reception year. This assessment is repeated at the end of the year to gauge the children’s progress and assess the value added by the school. The same form of assessment is used in the autumn term for Years 2,4 and 6 as a predictor for performance in the standardised tests. The assessment form is also used for Years 1,3 and 5 in the summer term to measure progress. The results from these assessments are used to track the performance of groups and individuals.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. A good range of informative assessments is carried out throughout the school. A reading test is carried out on entry to Key Stage 2. Tests are carried out in January for Years 3, 4 and 5 in mathematics and English at the same time as the standard assessment practice tests for Year 6. Assessment is also integrated into the schemes of work for mathematics and science and is carried out at the end of each topic for science and half-termly for mathematics. These tests provide detailed information about the performance of each pupil and are beginning to influence future planning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. Assessment practice at this level is relatively new and the use of assessment information to inform curriculum planning is being developed. The school is successful at analysing its results from standardised tests and identifying weaknesses in pupils’ performance. The school has used this information to initiate changes in teaching approaches and focus and refine the teaching of pupils with different abilities. Teachers do not regularly level work in line with National Curriculum levels and do not yet have a thorough understanding of the levels of attainment. 55. The Headteacher undertakes informal interviews with older pupils to discuss their understanding of their own learning. This is very helpful and is good practice. Pupils’ work is also scrutinised to ensure coverage and progress. The agreed targets for pupils are included in the twice yearly reports to parents, so that they are aware of these and can support their children. There is little formal assessment in subjects other

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

than English, mathematics and science but progress is reviewed for the reports.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The school has made several important improvements regarding its partnership with parents since the last inspection and deserves much credit for its hard work. Parents now hold mainly positive views of the school. Replies to the inspection questionnaire, and responses given at the parents’ meeting show that parents have much confidence in the school and the quality of education provided. They are pleased at the leadership and management of the school. There was a very high return of the inspection questionnaire. All parents replying said that their children liked school. The vast majority Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 20 of parents feel that the school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best. Most are pleased about behaviour, about how their children are supported in becoming mature and responsible, how approachable the school is regarding problems teaching and about the progress made by their children.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. A number of parents are disappointed at the range of extra-curricular activities on offer, the consistency of homework and how closely the school works with them. The inspection team agrees that homework is not given out consistently across the school. They feel that there are sufficient extra-curricular activities for a small school and that the school is working closely with parents.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. Although a number of parents are dissatisfied, the quality of information to parents, especially about pupils’ progress, is good overall. The school has made good improvements since the last inspection. Two written reports are sent out in good time each year, making appropriate allowance for formal consultation. The reports provide clear information about what pupils know, can do and understand. However, occasionally, too little information is given about how well pupils perform in mathematics and science. The school prospectus and governors’ annual reports meet statutory requirements and are sufficiently detailed about the school’s policies and procedures. Parents value the monthly newsletters giving information and dates to remember. Curriculum information evenings are now held regularly. There is a very good quality ‘curriculum news’ leaflets provided for most subjects. These provide much detail about forthcoming work in each class, an issue raised at the last inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. The last inspection also raised concerns about parental involvement. Since then, the school has implemented a new parental involvement policy as required. Parents are now regularly invited to become more involved in school life and in their children’s learning. A good example of the school’s attempts in this regard was in trying to organize a ‘parents as educators’ course. However, not enough parents expressed an interest.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. Links with parents are satisfactory and their involvement has a sound impact on the work of the school. Both the contribution of parents to children’s learning and the impact of their involvement on the work of the school are satisfactory.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. The parents and teachers’ association continues to provide good support for the school through organising many successful social and fund-raising events. The group raises a considerable amount of money each year and this is used to buy additional learning resources such as books, computer and audio equipment. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are effectively involved in regular reviews of progress and also in target setting. A few parents help with school activities on a regular basis. They give their time generously in supporting pupils in information technology, using the book club, after school sports and school trips.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher provides very good leadership. Up until his appointment fifteen months ago, little improvement had been made since the last inspection. The headteacher has worked very hard both to identify the strengths of the school and the areas requiring urgent improvement. He has set priorities very successfully in conjunction with the staff and the governing body. This is reflected in the well-written school development plan, which clearly states the priorities for the next twelve months. The headteacher has established a clear Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 21 educational direction for the school. The quality of leadership and management has improved since the last inspection when it was judged to be sound.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. At the time of the headteacher’s appointment neither the National Literacy Strategy nor the National Numeracy Strategy had been implemented in the school. During the past fifteen months, the headteacher and staff have succeeded in putting in place both these strategies. The school has made good use of external advisers and courses to train staff to deliver the literacy strategy, and the school has worked hard to catch up.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. Since the appointment of the headteacher, improvement has been good. There has been satisfactory progress in many of the areas identified for improvement at the last inspection. Planning and assessment are now much better. Good use is made of the Qualification and Curriculum Authority units and these, together with the literacy and numeracy strategies, are helping to provide more consistent teaching of skills and knowledge. Assessment is now in place for the core subjects and this is beginning to feed in to planning. The school now has much better links with parents who are kept well informed about what is going on in school. Whilst no policy has yet been written for personal and social education, the provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development in the school has improved and is now good.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The school is now very well resourced for information and communication technology, but computers are not yet widely used in the school as, apart from the headteacher, the teachers’ information and communication technology skills are underdeveloped. Training is planned for them in the near future. Geography is still not of a high enough standard at the end of Year 6.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. Much of the recent improvement in the management of the school has been undertaken by the headteacher. Although subject leaders are now in place, their roles are still underdeveloped but they are clear about what their function should be and the many responsibilities expected of them. The literacy co-ordinator has received high quality assistance and is very aware of how her role will develop. Subject leaders in science and the foundation subjects are taking responsibility for Key Stage 2 but are not yet aware of what is happening in Key Stage 1. 67. There has only been a limited amount of monitoring and evaluation of the teaching and learning in the school and the school has not effectively identified weaknesses or showed good practice. The small amount of monitoring carried out by external advisers has been helpful and informative. Subject leaders do not yet monitor planning, the quality of children’s work or the quality of teaching and consequently are not fully aware

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

of what needs to be done to improve standards in their areas. The headteacher is aware of the importance of monitoring in moving the school forward. The school’s strategy for appraisal and performance management is satisfactory but at an early stage of development. Staff are beginning to be set targets for improvement and their performance matched against these. Whilst the headteacher has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, overall the monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance by those with management responsibilities is satisfactory.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The improvement in assessment has helped in the setting of realistic and challenging targets for Key Stage 2 standard assessment tests results. Targets are based on detailed data analysis and the results of earlier tests. Historically the school has experienced high pupil mobility in Key Stage 2 with pupils with special educational needs joining the school. This lowered the standards in 2002. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 22 69. The chair of governors provides strong leadership. She, along with the full Governing Body, is very keen to see the school improve following the difficulties it has had in its recent past. The Governing body is effective and supportive of the school. Governors are keen to be involved in setting priorities. They are kept well informed about what is happening in the school through the detailed headteacher’s report which they receive termly. They are aware of the standards in the core subjects and share the concern

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

over the recent poor standard assessment test results in mathematics. Their committee system is effective. Finances are carefully monitored and governors demonstrate a good understanding of how the school budget is spent. The curriculum committee is becoming more dynamic and is aware of developments in the school, such as the introduction of a new reading and mathematics scheme. Governors are very welcome in school, attend assemblies and are encouraged to visit lessons.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The Governing Body has worked closely with the headteacher to establish priorities in improving facilities and buildings. Windows have already been replaced and false ceilings taken down. A programme of refurbishment has been agreed including the replacement of the present kitchen area with a new school library. The school has been good at accessing funds to help carry out improvements to the buildings.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. The management of special educational needs is good. The school is following the new code of practice although the school policy does not yet reflect this. The school carries out regular reviews of individual education plans with parents and pupils. Support assistants are well used to help pupils who are in the greatest need. A good range of information is gathered about each pupil to share with outside agencies. The special needs governor takes a great interest in the performance and progress of the pupils.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. The quality of financial planning is good. All proposed improvements are carefully costed and linked to future spending. The budget is closely linked to the development plan and supports the educational priorities established by the school. The school spends specific grants in an appropriate manner. However there are no secure mechanisms yet in place for evaluating the impact of expenditure on standards. The day to day management of the finances and administration of the school are good. The school secretary is hard working and helps to ensure that the school runs in an efficient manner. The school is applying the principles of best value when purchasing goods and services.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. Taking into account the quality of teaching and learning, the standards achieved by pupils and the higher than average expenditure per pupil, the school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

74. As at the last inspection, the school has an adequate number of appropriately qualified teachers and teaching assistants for the number of pupils on roll. There is good teamwork between teachers and assistants. There are sound arrangements to induct new staff to the school when this is necessary. The staff handbook has detailed information regarding the school’s policies and procedures.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

75. Accommodation is satisfactory to meet the needs of the curriculum. This is a similar picture to that of the last inspection. Space is well managed throughout the school day, for example, regarding physical education and for withdrawal work with small groups. However, the library is too small to promote the development of independent study and research skills. Displays of pupils’ work now celebrate their achievements better than at the time of the last inspection. The school is kept very clean and tidy. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 23 76. As at the last inspection, learning resources are satisfactory overall. Notably, there are now good resources for information technology and science. Some of the books in the school and Key Stage 2 class libraries are out of date. There is a lack of outdoor fixed play apparatus for the youngest pupils. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 24

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

77. In order to improve the school, the headteacher and governors should:

p.24

1) raise standards in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 by

• completing the introduction of the national numeracy strategy and ensuring that all staff attend training; • identifying gaps in pupils’ knowledge and focusing on these areas in lessons; • making more use of numeracy in other subjects such as science and geography . (paragraphs 8, 23, 32, 63, 111, 114 – 120)

p.24

2) raise standards in ICT throughout the school by

• increasing the teachers’ knowledge of the subject; • teaching pupils the skills required to access the full curriculum; • improving the use of information and communication technology to support work in other subjects. (paragraphs 7, 24, 65, 88,103, 113, 117, 120, 133, 138, 145, 157 - 162).

p.24

3) raise standards in geography throughout the school by

• developing pupils’ skills progressively; • planning to cover all areas of the curriculum in sufficient depth. (paragraphs 10, 25, 148 - 152)

p.24

by

• including more planned opportunities for pupils to find information out for themselves; • using information and communication technology across the whole curriculum; • placing a high priority on the development of the school library. (paragraphs 6, 17, 19, 21, 24, 75, 99, 103, 108, 160)

p.24

5) continue to develop the role of the subject co-ordinator in order that they

• participate fully in the monitoring of teaching and learning in their subject; • have a full overview of their subject throughout the school. (paragraphs 66, 67, 134, 141, 147, 156 )

p.24

Minor issues that could be included in the school’s action plan

• improve the quality of handwriting by introducing a whole school scheme (paragraphs 6, 101, 102) ; • agree a consistent approach to giving homework (paragraphs 29, 57) ; • offer pupils a wider range of reading opportunities in Key Stage 2 (paragraphs 6, 22, 106, 108) ; • give more opportunities for pupils to take part in independent scientific investigation (paragraphs 6, 124 - 128, 133). Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 30

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 67

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 1

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 15

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 3

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

p.25

Attendance

National comparative data 6.1 National comparative data 0.5 Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 26 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 27

p.25

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 6 4 10

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.27

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

Boys 6 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 4 4 4

p.27

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

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

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 6 6 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 4 4 4

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (86) 100 (86 ) 100 (86) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.27

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

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

p.27

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 2001 4 10 14

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 3 3 4 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 5 9

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (79) 57 (79) 93 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 3 3 3 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 5 8

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 64 (n/a) 57 (n/a) 79 (n/a) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.27

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 28

p.27

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.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 2 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.28

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. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 29

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4 Financial year 2001/2

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 236,052

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 229,108

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 56 Expenditure per pupil 2,900

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 4,961

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) Balance carried forward to next year 11,905

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0.4

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 30

p.29

Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

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

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 49 36 10 0 5

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 65 32 3 0 0

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 46 32 21 0 1

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 36 16 3 2

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 70 20 5 5 0

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 36 0 0 5

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 35 43 11 8 3

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 49 41 3 2 5

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 59 37 2 0 2

p.30

Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 34 16 9 9 Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 31

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

78. At the time of the inspection, the children had been attending school for just over two weeks. The children’s attainment on entry to the school represents the full ability range and is average overall. Children tend to have better basic reading skills than those for number. This school year, the Foundation Stage children are being taught alongside Key Stage 1. The class teacher who has responsibility for both key stages is well supported by an experienced classroom assistant who has a good understanding of the ways young children learn. No children have been identified as having special educational needs. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory. However, the children do not have a separate play area with any fixed climbing apparatus, which limits their physical development.

p.31

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

79. The teacher plans successfully using the Foundation Stage ‘stepping stones’ as guidance. The curriculum is relevant and meets the needs of the children. The children make satisfactory progress. They are moved on to the National Curriculum as soon as they are considered ready. The class teacher manages the children well and with the help of the classroom support assistant is able to provide them with appropriate learning experiences. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Strong emphasis is placed on developing the children’s personal, social and emotional development and teaching of this area is good. Extra care is taken to make sure all pupils are included in all activities, including one for whom English is not a first language. The teacher keeps clear and manageable records of the children’s progress in the Foundation Stage and these are used when she plans the next stage of learning. These include lists of

p.31

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

sounds and words that have been learnt by the children. The children will achieve the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the end of the reception year. This indicates that standards are similar to the last inspection and that satisfactory improvement has been made since then.

p.31

Personal, social and emotional development

80. The children in the Foundation Stage quickly settle in to routines. They are good at listening to their teacher at the beginning of sessions even when they are working alongside the older children in their class as in ‘circle time’. Some are already prepared to join in discussions and have learnt to take their turn. They play well together and are happy to share toys and activities. Most can change for physical education and can fold their clothes neatly. They are already beginning to tidy up at the end of sessions and help to pass round the mid-morning snack.

p.31

Personal, social and emotional development

81. The quality of teaching is good and the children make good progress in this area of learning and quickly achieve the early learning goals achieving standards that are higher than expected. The teacher and support assistant provide the children with a very good role model when working together. The teacher has particularly high expectations in this area of learning and uses praise well. The children quickly build on the positive experiences they have had at home and school. They are polite and courteous. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 32

p.31

Communication, language and literacy

82. Most children enter school with good language skills, a good awareness of books and some knowledge of simple letter sounds. They make satisfactory progress and achieve the early learning goals by the time they leave reception. Most can recognise their first name, and some will attempt to copy it out or record it with card letters. They listen well to the story of ‘Whatever Next?’ and follow it up with a lively role-play in which they play on their own ‘rocket’ to the moon. Most can identify the first letter of a word and can draw ‘c’, ‘a’ and ‘d’ on their white boards.

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

83. The children enjoy books and look after them well. The children can talk about their books and those with higher ability are already recognising simple words. They are aware that books tell them stories or give them information. They look after them well. They participate enthusiastically in the child clinic role-play and make ‘records’ about their visitors.

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

84. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and enables the children to make satisfactory progress in this area of learning. There are plenty of planned opportunities for the development of speaking and listening skills. The teacher plans well for their needs and recognises which part of the whole class lessons will be appropriate for them. Sometimes, the pace of lessons with the children can be a little slow and there is a lack of teacher led activities which would help to improve the children’s learning.

p.32

Mathematical development

85. The children’s attainment in mathematics is lower on entry to the school with more children of below average ability. The children make satisfactory progress in this area and most will achieve the early learning goals by the time they leave reception class. The children can identify simple two-dimensional shapes such as square, rectangle, circle and triangle. Many can already count to 5 and good use is made of the story of the very hungry caterpillar to encourage the children to learn to count. Pupils are learning to use mathematical vocabulary such as more or less, longer or shorter and heavier or lighter.

p.32

Mathematical development

86. The teaching of mathematical development is satisfactory. The classroom support assistant works well with the teacher and follows up work with the reception class children at an appropriate level. In the one lesson observed, the children enjoyed painting large shapes on the school playground and could already recognise them. They were also able to paint and name numbers 1 to 3. Children are not given a wide enough range of practical mathematical experiences as a basis for their more formal work on number.

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

87. Children enter the school with a satisfactory knowledge of the world around them. They make satisfactory progress in this area of learning and achieve the early learning goals by the time they leave reception class. The children watch with great excitement as a baby younger sister is bathed in front of them. They are anxious that the baby should be taken to their baby clinic. Later in the session, they enjoy bathing their dolls in the baby clinic. They enjoy hearing what babies eat and wear. Last school year, reception children demonstrated a good knowledge of the four seasons and recorded different types of weather. They showed an understanding of the five senses. They looked at life cycles and names parts of plants. Stories of famous figures in history such as Florence Nightingale are used to give them some idea of the past and the children Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 33 record the information from these topics in clearly drawn pictures. The children learn

p.32

Knowledge and understanding of the world

how to build objects using a range of construction toys with which to experiment.

p.33

Knowledge and understanding of the world

88. The children do have one computer at present in their classroom but this was not used during the inspection. The teacher is not yet confident about the use of information and communication technology with foundation stage children. Three additional computers are planned for the classroom.

p.33

Knowledge and understanding of the world

89. The teaching of the knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory. The teacher managed the children well in these sessions. She encouraged them to ask a good range of questions. A good range of topics is planned in the course of the school year covering all elements of this area of learning. The teacher is aware that the children require greater access to the computer.

p.33

Physical development

90. The children make satisfactory progress in this area of learning and will achieve the early learning goals by the time they leave reception class. The children have no access to fixed outdoor play equipment such as a climbing frame, which limits their opportunities for daily physical activity. However they do have suitable tricycles and pedal toys for their use. There is also direct access from their classroom to the playground. The school hall contains suitable apparatus, which is used once a week in physical education lessons. The children can use scissors and most already hold their pencils correctly. In the school hall they can find a space and travel in a variety of ways. They quickly learn the rules of the bean game and join in with great enthusiasm.

p.33

Physical development

91. The teaching of physical development is satisfactory. The teacher plans a range of experiences for the children. In lessons in the hall, she is well supported by the support assistant and both keep a watchful eye on the children to make sure that they are coping in a class with older children. There are too few opportunities for the children to develop their skills independently.

p.33

Creative development

92. The children make satisfactory progress in this area of learning and achieve the early learning goals by the time they leave reception. At this stage in the year they have been given few opportunities to develop creatively. However the classroom assistant helps them to draw round one another so they can paint the whole figure. Most find this difficult but nevertheless enjoyed the activity. It also gives good opportunities for discussion and the children are able to explain what they are doing. Children participate enthusiastically in the baby clinic role-play, making appointments, recording notes and weighing and measuring the babies. In music, the children follow a musical scheme. They learn to recognise high and low sounds and have a good range of musical instruments to play. They sing confidently.

p.33

Creative development

93. The teaching of creative development is satisfactory. The one activity observed in the inspection when pupils drew around figures proved a little ambitious for most of the class. During the inspection, the children did not have any opportunities for painting or drawing using their own imagination. A broad variety of creative activities are planned for the children through the school year.

p.33

ENGLISH

94. The national test results for 2001 show that pupils’ attainment in reading and writing was in the top 5% nationally at the end of Year 2 and well above average at the end of Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 34 Year 6. Standards were above those found in similar schools. Standards in all aspects of the English curriculum are in line with national expectations at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. This is below the standards found at the last inspection. However year groups in the school are small – usually between eight and twelve children and so attainment can vary significantly between years often depending on the number of pupils with special educational needs. The number of pupils with special educational needs has been higher in Key Stage 2 and attainment has been lower as a result.

p.33

ENGLISH

95. The school has only introduced the National Literacy Strategy in the past year. They have received considerable support from a local education authority literacy adviser who has helped to put the strategy in place in the school. This has brought much more structure to teaching and learning in the subject and is beginning to have a positive impact on standards.

p.34

ENGLISH

96. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in both key stages as they move through the school. Progress is consistent throughout the school and pupils with special educational needs receive good quality support from both teachers and classroom support assistants. The introduction of individual English targets for pupils has further helped to focus pupils and teachers on areas for improvement.

p.34

ENGLISH

97. Standards in speaking and listening are in line with national expectations at the end of end of both Year 2 and Year 6. In Key Stage 1, most pupils are confident speakers and take part in classroom discussion confidently. They listen to their teacher and answer questions well when joining in the class lesson about the big book ‘Whatever Next’. They have some opportunities to participate in the role-play, such as the baby clinic that is set up primarily for the Foundation Stage children. In ‘circle time’, most confidently discuss their feelings. In Key Stage 2, pupils respond well to questioning and speak confidently. The prescriptive teaching in some lessons limits the opportunities pupils have to speak and share their opinions. Pupils listen well to their teachers. Whilst pupils do take part in drama, annual concerts and contribute to special services in church, there are few lessons planned where speaking and listening is the focus. Pupils are

p.34

ENGLISH

given few opportunities to debate or address the class on an issue that interests them.

p.34

ENGLISH

98. Standards of reading are in line with national expectations at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. In Key Stage 1, the recent introduction of a published reading scheme and the grouping of books into reading levels is beginning to bring more structure to the teaching of reading. Pupils have a good range of opportunities to practise their reading. They participate in group reading during the literacy hour, take part in paired reading with a reading ‘buddy’ and also read to their parents at home. Most pupils demonstrate a good phonic knowledge and use this to work out unusual words. They learn their letter sounds with the help of a published scheme.

p.34

ENGLISH

99. In Key Stage 2, the approach to reading is less systematic. Good use is made of group reading during the literacy hour and there is a good selection of books available for this activity. However, pupils are not sufficiently guided by their teacher as to the best or most suitable book to choose. This is limiting the reading ‘diet’ of some pupils who do not read a wide enough range of books. Some pupils are not keen to read fiction books, particularly in Years 5 and 6. However these same pupils are really enjoying reading adapted versions of Oliver Twist and Christmas Carol in their group reading sessions. Pupils are not confident at using the library for finding out information from encyclopaedias and other non-fiction books. This lack of expertise is reducing their opportunities for independent learning. They are beginning to acquire the skills required to access information on the Internet. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 35

p.34

ENGLISH

100. In Key Stage 1 appropriate records are kept of the letter sounds that pupils have learnt. This is helping pupils to progress. In Key Stage 2, teachers keep detailed records of what pupils have read and record any particular difficulties they have. However these records are not being used sufficiently to check that pupils are reading widely enough.

p.35

ENGLISH

101. Standards in writing are in line with national expectations at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. In Key Stage 1, pupils learn the formal skills of writing. They learn how to form individual letters correctly using their handwriting books and white boards. However these skills are not learnt systematically and much of the pupils’ handwriting is untidy. Words often include capital letters in the middle of them and printed lines are not well used to position letters. There is no evidence of regular practice in handwriting and no published scheme is used. The other formal skills of writing are of a higher standard. Pupils use their phonic skills to spell many words correctly. Most use a capital letter at the beginning of a sentence and put a full stop at the end. Recent over reliance on wordbooks and copying of words is being replaced with more opportunities for pupils to work independently and work out words for themselves. This is already improving the

p.35

ENGLISH

creativity of stories, as was shown when Years 1 and 2 came up with ideas for other destinations for the baby bear character from ‘Whatever Next’.

p.35

ENGLISH

102. In Key Stage 2, pupils are not taught to join up their handwriting early enough. Whilst most are fairly tidy when writing, some pupils in Years 5 and 6 are still printing letters. There is no handwriting scheme in place and too few opportunities for regular practice. The recent introduction of a spelling scheme is raising standards. Pupils are also given word lists to learn that are well matched to their ability. In years 3 and 4, pupils can differentiate between good and bad characters in a fairy story and think up ways of demonstrating this in examples of what they might say. In Years 5 and 6, pupils used a good range of adjectives to help describe good characters. They were further helped by the use of a printed character profile sheet. Pupils produced an imaginative anthology of mainly short poems last year including titles such as ‘My Dog’, ‘Chocolate’ and ‘The Chase’. These demonstrated a range of writing skills as some poems rhymed and

p.35

ENGLISH

others depended on the use of words and shape. Most were imaginative and thoughtful. There is a strong emphasis on learning the skills for writing but far too few opportunities for pupils to use these in longer stories. The recent introduction of the National Literacy Strategy has been a major change of approach for the teachers and not enough time has yet been found in the timetable for older pupils to write a greater range of stories, poems and plays.

p.35

ENGLISH

103. There have been few opportunities for pupils to use computers in their English lesson to word process their stories and use the design potential of computers to liven their presentation. Literacy skills are underdeveloped across the curriculum with too few opportunities offered in subject such as geography and history.

p.35

ENGLISH

104. Pupils throughout the school are hard working in their English lessons and produce a large amount of work. They use their imagination well and enjoy discussing stories. Most are keen to present their work well but have not yet been given the handwriting skills to do this. In Key Stage 1, they enjoy reading books and are always keen to move on to the next story. They talk enthusiastically about books they have at home. In Key Stage 2, some pupils show less enthusiasm for reading and do not regularly choose to read good quality fiction. The work of Charles Dickens is being well used in Years 5 and 6 in class lessons as a starting point for discussion on moral issues and to learn about Victorian culture. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 36 105. The teaching and learning of English is satisfactory throughout the school. The teachers have worked hard to introduce the National Literacy Strategy over the past

p.35

ENGLISH

year, and they are using it effectively in the teaching of literacy. All teachers have good relationships with their classes and use support assistants well to help both groups and individual pupils. In Key Stage 1, the teacher uses the ‘Big Book’ well to develop the pupils’ imagination. Work is mostly effectively planned for the different age groups and abilities in the class. Class and individual targets are well used to help pupils to learn. Some times lessons are a little slow in pace and there is not always a high enough expectation of the more able pupils in the class. Changes in the approach to planning the teaching of English are beginning to raise standards in Key Stage 1, as pupils are being expected to work more independently.

p.36

ENGLISH

106. In Key Stage 2, teachers introduce the lessons well and are good at sharing the learning objective of the lesson with the pupils. They can initiate good discussions through their work on the fairy stories in Years 3 and 4 and Oliver Twist in Years 5 and 6. There is too little planning for the different age groups and abilities in the classes apart from for pupils with special educational needs. As a result, higher attaining pupils, in particular, are not always given enough independence to take greater control of their own learning. Pupils are not taught to join up their handwriting early in the Key Stage, which is reducing standards in this area. Teachers are also not giving pupils sufficient guidance about the books they should read, which is limiting their experience of a range of books.

p.36

ENGLISH

107. Pupils’ progress in the subject is assessed over time using tests at the beginning and end of each year and this information is used effectively to monitor individual pupil’s performance. Reading ages are also checked annually and appropriate support is put in place if there are concerns over progress. Marking of work is satisfactory but does not include sufficient advice to pupils about how all aspects of their work can be improved.

p.36

ENGLISH

108. The current school library is in the information technology suite. It is not easily accessible, books are not well displayed and the quality of books is not satisfactory. Class libraries contain a good range of suitable books but many are old and not in good condition. The school is planning to create a new library space, which will be more suitable.

p.36

ENGLISH

109. English has not been co-ordinated prior to the appointment of a new subject leader and has been unsatisfactory. However the new co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and has a good understanding of her role with a clear programme showing how this will expand in the future. There has been little monitoring of the quality of learning and teaching in the subject.

p.36

MATHEMATICS

110. On the basis of the 2001 end of Key Stage National Curriculum test results, pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in mathematics is above the average when compared to all schools nationally. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment in mathematics is very low when compared to all schools nationally and schools with similar numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals.

p.36

MATHEMATICS

111. Inspection findings show that standards currently being attained by pupils in Year 2 are in line with national expectations. Standards being attained by pupils in Year 6 are below national expectations. This represents a decline since the last inspection when Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 37 standards were above the national average at the end of both key stages. However, it is an improvement on the 2001 test results. In a small school, however, results are significantly affected by the size of the cohorts. The school did not adopt the National Numeracy Strategy until last year and teachers are being trained in its use. It will be a priority for school development this year. Progress by pupils over time has been unsatisfactory in Key Stage 2 but there has been an appreciable improvement in progress over the last academic year and pupils are now making satisfactory progress in both key stages. Key Stage 2 pupils have not been achieving the standards of which

p.36

MATHEMATICS

they are capable. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress because of the support they receive from teaching assistants in class.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

112. By the end of Year 2, pupils are attaining standards, which are in line with national expectations in number and demonstrate strength in recorded number work. Pupils’ skills in mental mathematics are below that expected for their age. There has been little expectation of speed in mental recall and calculation. There has been more emphasis on the study of number than on aspects of the mathematics curriculum relating to shape and space and application of mathematics. Pupils are attaining standards that are in line with expectations for shape, space and measures. They are given little opportunity to participate in independent problem solving or in the selection of methods.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

113. Pupils are familiar with the order of numbers up to 100 and identify odds and evens . They deal confidently with addition of tens and units but some lack confidence in subtraction. They are familiar with their tables for 2, 3, 5, and 10 and use them to divide numbers between 10 and 20. They are beginning to use this knowledge in calculations for example in solving shopping and money problems, for example adding up shopping. They deal accurately with commercially designed problems. Pupils have had little opportunity to record for themselves or to develop confidence in laying out calculations. Most of their recorded work is based on worksheets and prepared templates. Their ability to recall number facts quickly and to calculate mentally is restricted. They do not demonstrate flexibility in using strategies such as doubling and halving or repeated addition. Pupils identify simple lines of symmetry in objects such as butterflies and

p.37

MATHEMATICS

know the names of 2D and 3D shapes. They recognise right angle turns and record measurements using everyday units. Although pupils read and interpret bar charts correctly, they have little experience of making them or collecting information from the world around them. Information and communication technology is underused in mathematics lessons.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

114. Attainment by pupils at the end of Year 6 is below national expectations. There has been a greater emphasis on number and algebra than on the other aspects of the mathematics curriculum and this is reflected in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. 115. Pupils use efficient written methods for addition, subtraction and short multiplication and division. They use approximation and rounding satisfactorily to simplify calculations. They recognise and extend number sequences including decimals but their experience with square numbers and prime numbers is limited. They recognise negative numbers on scales. Their understanding of fractions is unsatisfactory because it does not extend to the relationship with percentages and decimals. Some do not correctly name the fractions and find it difficult to translate mixed and improper fractions. The speed of their recall for mental mathematics is slower than expected for

p.37

MATHEMATICS

their age. Pupils are cautious in their oral response to mathematical questions. The level of accuracy is lower than expected.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

116. Pupils measure and draw angles to the nearest degree and use some of the conventional geometric symbols. The level of presentation of work relating to angles is unsatisfactory and makes it difficult to assess its accuracy. Pupils understand how a Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 38 3D shape can be displayed as a net and they explore the reflection of shapes with mirror lines. They calculate the perimeters and the areas of simple shapes.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

117. Pupils have too little experience of handling data. They are familiar with line and bar graphs but do not have the higher order skills for organising, reading and interpreting data. They do not demonstrate the finer graph-building skills for example of grouping and class intervals. Information and communication technology is not used to extend learning in this area.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

118. Although pupils deal adequately with problems designed for their commercial scheme, they have little experience of using their mathematical skills to solve real-life problems. They are not familiar with choosing and using strategies by themselves or with searching for solutions by trying out ideas of their own.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

119. The quality of teaching and learning observed during the inspection was satisfactory overall but over time it has been unsatisfactory. Mathematics teaching is now following the Numeracy Strategy and this approach is having an increasingly effective impact on standards and achievement, but not all staff have completed the relevant training . Because of the previous inconsistencies in teaching, there are gaps in pupils’ learning, which are now being addressed. On occasion therefore teachers have to pitch lessons at a lower level than that expected in the numeracy strategy or to give extra time to reinforcement. As the numeracy approach is delivered through the school pupils should acquire the appropriate skills and knowledge.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

120. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory but there has been an emphasis on the teaching of number and algebra. There has been an over-reliance on the use of worksheets, which has restricted pupils’ opportunities to develop independent recording and calculation skills. There is too little consistency of approach and expectation because staff still lack experience and confidence in teaching the numeracy strategy. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 is at least satisfactory now. During the inspection, there were examples of very good numeracy teaching in Key Stage 2 when teachers demonstrated confident teaching of fraction equivalence and money calculations . Expectations for the speed and accuracy in mental calculations are not sufficiently challenging. There are missed opportunities for pupils to use numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum for example in geography and history and this is

p.38

MATHEMATICS

unsatisfactory. The use of information and communication technology to reinforce numeracy has improved recently for example through more planned opportunities in daily lessons but computers are still underused in mathematics. 121. The curriculum provision is now secure because of the implementation of the Numeracy Strategy . The school makes good use of the adapted version provided by the Local Education Authority for small schools. This represents an improvement since the last inspection when there were identified weaknesses in the planning. The staff work as a team to ensure that the curriculum is correctly delivered. Assessment is integrated into the scheme of work and is undertaken at the end of topics. There is regular assessment through the standardised tests that measure progress and the use of optional standardised tests. Assessment data is shared among staff and there is increasing use of long-term tracking of cohort progress through commercially managed

p.38

MATHEMATICS

data analysis . These arrangements are an improvement since the last inspection are now good.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

122. The mathematics co-ordinator is providing satisfactory leadership and is implementing improvements, which are beginning to improve standards across the school . Monitoring and evaluation of planning have been introduced to promote consistency and to raise expectations. A number of steps have been taken such as input from external Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 39 advisers and visits to observe leading numeracy teachers in other schools, which have improved teachers’ skills and understanding in teaching numeracy. There is an on- going plan for staff training in numeracy, which will address identified weaknesses. Resources are satisfactory overall.

p.38

SCIENCE

123. On the basis of the 2001 end of Key Stage National Curriculum teacher assessments, pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 is in line with the national average. By the end of Year 6, on the basis of the 2001 end of Key Stage National Curriculum test results, pupils’ attainment in science is well above the average when compared to all schools both nationally and for those with a similar number of pupils eligible for free school meals.

p.39

SCIENCE

124. Inspection evidence shows that the standard of attainment by the age of seven is in line with that expected nationally. Attainment in scientific enquiry is below expectations at the end of Year 2 because of the lack of opportunity. Attainment in life processes is in line at the end of Year 2. Pupils’ attainment in materials and properties and also in physical processes is broadly in line with expectations at the end of Year 2.

p.39

SCIENCE

125. By the age of eleven pupils are attaining standards that are in line with national expectations. Attainment in scientific enquiry is in line with expectations at the end of Year 6 but some elements are above expectations. Pupils’ understanding and application of method is good but they have limited experience in independent research. Attainment in life processes is above expectations at the end of Year 6 where individuals are achieving elements of the higher level 5. Attainment in materials and attainment in physical processes is in line with expectations at the end of Year 6.

p.39

SCIENCE

126. This represents a decline since the last inspection when standards of attainment were above the national average in both key stages. In a small school however results are significantly affected by the size of the cohorts. Inspection evidence indicates that progress for the current cohorts is satisfactory for all pupils including those with special educational needs.

p.39

SCIENCE

127. At the end of Year 2 pupils have had little experience of carrying out investigation and or developing their enquiry skills. There is a reliance on worksheets and prepared material to present problems such as the disadvantages of being without sight. Practical activities do not challenge them. They collect basic evidence such as eye colour and record it in lists but do not use the information to form scientific conclusions. Pupils are beginning to link observations with simple scientific ideas such as moving heavy weights by pushing and pulling. The reliance on worksheets restricts pupils’ opportunities to write for themselves or to develop scientific recording skills.

p.39

SCIENCE

128. Pupils in Key Stage 2 undertake increasingly challenging investigations. Teachers devise interesting activities, which provide good opportunities for pupils to find things out for themselves but the degree of direction by the teacher restricts pupils’ choice. Pupils rarely plan and organise an investigation by themselves but they are encouraged to learn good habits of methodical investigation and observation. They have a good understanding of fair testing and show the ability to manage tests effectively over extended periods. Working in small groups pupils set up a variety of conditions for samples of foodstuffs so that they could observe the rate of decay and the growth of mould. They were scrupulous in sealing and labelling samples and knew why these Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 40 actions mattered. They demonstrate high standards of recording their investigations and presentation of results.

p.39

SCIENCE

129. Attainment in the life processes aspect of the science curriculum is in line with expectations by the end of Year 2. Pupils know and label the main features of the body and recognise the stages of human growth and learn about the importance of healthy eating and exercise. They understand that there is a variety in living beings and have compared each other’s height. Teachers make regular use of the locality to ensure that pupils relate life processes to animals and plants in their environment.

p.40

SCIENCE

130. Attainment in life processes is above expectations at the end of Year 6. Pupils demonstrate a sound knowledge of the human body, particularly the organs. They understand that micro-organisms can have harmful and beneficial effects and test their knowledge by conducting an investigation monitoring the decay of bread samples. An investigation into the effect of exercise provided pupils with the opportunity to look for links between cause and effect. Pupils have a good knowledge of life processes of flowering plants and animals. They have begun to consider the importance of classification and effective use of external features to group animals systematically.

p.40

SCIENCE

131. Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of materials and properties by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils acquire a broad knowledge of materials and their uses. They know the names of everyday materials and use descriptive terms such as hard, rough, smooth and bendy. Pupils are given satisfactory opportunities to explore materials including appreciation of the senses, which pupils also investigate. Pupils are aware of the properties of a range of materials and explain why they are suitable for specific uses. Younger pupils explain why cardboard mugs and steel jumpers would be unsuitable pairings of materials and uses. Through practical activities pupils learn that similar materials may not all have the same properties for example testing the absorption capacity of different types of paper.

p.40

SCIENCE

132. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of physical processes is in line with expectations at the end of both key stages. By the end of Year 2 pupils display appropriate knowledge of electricity and make circuits. They recognise that pushes and pulls are examples of forces and give examples from everyday life. Pupils explain why a loaded supermarket trolley is harder to push than an empty one. Pupils sort things that roll from things that slide and are beginning to use symbols to record the direction of forces. They have not sufficiently explored the similarities and differences in physical phenomena and their knowledge in this aspect is satisfactory. By the end of Year 6 pupils demonstrate a sound understanding of physical processes overall. Through a series of practical activities they achieve a wide understanding of structures and the forces acting on them . Pupils record the results of investigations with a toy car and a

p.40

SCIENCE

ramp in accurate tables and use their data to reach a conclusion about friction. By making accurate paper models they can explain how gears work.

p.40

SCIENCE

133. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall in Key Stage 1 but there are weaknesses in the approaches to some aspects of the curriculum. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 is good and promotes effective learning. The school has adopted a policy of specialist teaching in Key Stage 2 by which one teacher takes all the year groups. This effectively promotes continuity and progression and makes good use of teachers' expertise. Pupils learn through regular practical activities and experiments but there is a considerable degree of teacher direction particularly in the preparation and selection of resources and there are few examples of investigations designed and executed by pupils. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are given clear models to follow in recording their investigations. This practice not only promotes accuracy and Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 41 consistency but also prompts pupils to think about their methods and results. There is

p.40

SCIENCE

a lack of common approach between the key stages and expectations vary. Teaching is enhanced by a number of relevant visits such as the visit to Wildlife Oasis by Key Stage 1 pupils and attendance at the Royal Society lectures by pupils in Year 5 and 6. Homework is encouraged through additional home study books for Year 6 pupils and is having a positive impact on their learning. Little use is made of information and communication technology in the subject and this reflects the teachers’ lack of knowledge of this aspect of the curriculum.

p.41

SCIENCE

134. The science co-ordinator manages the curriculum well in Key Stage 2 but the role of co-ordinator is a relatively new innovation and a whole school overview has not yet been achieved. This is unsatisfactory and is an area for development. Resources are satisfactory. The curriculum is securely based on a recommended scheme, which ensures coverage of the programmes of study. The co-ordinator has made good use of the adapted scheme prepared by the Local Education Authority for small schools. Assessment is carried out regularly and the information is being used to plan the next stage of learning. At present there is no regular practice of moderation of work that would ensure common expectations among teachers.

p.41

ART AND DESIGN

135. Pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. Standards match those found at the last inspection.

p.41

ART AND DESIGN

136. In Key Stage 1, pupils are given a good range of opportunities to develop their art and design skills. They mix their own paints and learn the names of different colours by painting paper in bands of colour. These skills are used in their colourful flower pictures. They have looked at the work of Monet and produced paintings in his style. Natural materials such as twigs and leaves supplemented with pasta have been successfully used to make their own collages using brown tones. Paintings and drawings are well linked to the different seasons when pupils draw Summer Time pictures and colourful Easter chicks. Good links are established with their literacy sessions in their class collage of Elmer the elephant. Pupils learn about the work of famous artists and during the inspection, pupils looked at a range of self–portraits including one by Rembrandt as a starting point to their own drawings. Mirrors are well

p.41

ART AND DESIGN

used to check the position of their features and this improves the quality of this work. Pupils have less experience of the design element of the curriculum and they have been given few opportunities to model.

p.41

ART AND DESIGN

137. In Key Stage 2, the same teacher teaches both classes and she plans to make sure that pupils cover all aspects of the curriculum and make progress. Pupils start using sketchbooks when they move in to Key Stage 2 and keep these as a useful record of the skills they have developed. Good use is made of the attractive environment of the school to sketch both the view from the school and objects in the playground. Pupils use a wide variety of media well including paint, pastels and chalk. Still life pictures include carefully painted flowers in a vase and a painting of a vacuum cleaner. The use of clay and textiles is planned as part of each year’s curriculum. There are links to other subjects such as history when pupils produce well-painted Tutankhamun masks. The work of famous artists is well used as a starting point to lessons and pupils have effectively copied the bright and vibrant style of Miro. Pupils have successfully designed

p.41

ART AND DESIGN

and made their own magazine boxes and decorated them well with a variety of line patterns. Pupils use their painting skills to make colour washes. In the Year 3 and 4 Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 42 class, pupils use masking tape to make tree outlines and paint over them. The majority of pupils produce effective paintings. In Year 5 and 6, pupils use ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ colour washes on card linked by coloured foil to make attractive abstract pictures, which were then linked to make effective group collages. The pupils’ performance was boosted by reference to the work of Paul Klee and Franz Marc.

p.41

ART AND DESIGN

138. Information technology is underused to support pupils’ art and design work throughout the school and pupils have had too few opportunities to use computers to aid art and design.

p.42

ART AND DESIGN

139. The quality of teaching and learning in art is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. In Key Stage 1, lessons are carefully planned with clear learning outcomes. Whilst extra help and different activities are offered for pupils with special educational needs, there are more limited opportunities for pupils with higher abilities to extend their learning and this is slowing their progress. In Key Stage 2, the teacher has a good knowledge and understanding of art and uses this well in lessons. However, lessons are often structured in a way that prevents pupils trying out their own ideas. Teachers display work well in the classrooms and around the school.

p.42

ART AND DESIGN

140. Pupils enjoy art and take pride in their work. They are good at working on their own or with others and behave very well in lessons. Pupils benefit from the good level of resources in the school.

p.42

ART AND DESIGN

141. The school is making good use of the Qualification and Curriculum Authority planning documents to help ensure coverage of the subject, which is an improvement on the last inspection. Subject co-ordination is unsatisfactory as the subject co-ordinator does not yet have an overview of work throughout the school but focuses more on the Key Stage 2 classes she teaches.

p.42

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

142. Attainment in design and technology is in line with national expectations at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils, including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. This matches the standards that were found at the previous inspection and there has been satisfactory improvement in the subject.

p.42

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

143. In Key Stage 1, pupils explore their own ideas well through a wide range of activities. They design their own children’s playground and build a model of their ideas. At Christmas, they responded to a letter from Santa Claus requesting a new design for his sleigh and came up with a range of good ideas. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to evaluate their designs and suggest improvements. After making a model firework they evaluated their work effectively by answering the question ‘ Why is the firework not as I designed it?’. They have also designed and built a range of vehicles deciding what attributes particular vehicles would need – for example a police car.

p.42

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

144. In Key Stage 2, design and technology is effectively linked to other subjects. Pupils in the Year 5 and 6 class are currently working on planning, designing and making African masks linked to their geography class topic on Kenya. The pupils have already designed interesting masks and are now thinking hard about the best materials to use. Most pupils remember the correct way to use craft knives and all receive a clear reminder of the safety rules from their teacher. Years 3 and 4 pupils’ work on food technology taking a assortment of breads from all over the world and applying a variety Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 43 of spreads. They really enjoy the activity and offer sensible and accurate evaluations of both the bread and spread. They also understand the importance of matching the amount of spread on each slice of bread. Pupils are given a wide variety of work to develop their design skills including stained glass windows, hats, a working lighthouse,

p.42

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

which included an electrical circuit, and a swing made out of straws. Years 5 and 6 have also designed and made slippers for a particular person. The results are well displayed, and pupils take pride in their achievements.

p.43

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

145. Computers have not yet been used to aid work in design and technology, for example in word processing their plans or using ‘paint’ software to make a design to finish a product. In Key Stage 2, there has not yet been any use of computer-aided design. This is preventing them doing more challenging work in design and technology.

p.43

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

146. Pupils enjoy the subject and take pride in their work. They work hard to produce work of a good standard. In Key Stage 2, they sensibly discuss their work with others and evaluate one another’s designs. They take notice of the teachers’ advice and think hard about the range of materials they could use.

p.43

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

147. The teaching of the subject is satisfactory throughout the school. Appropriate work is planned in Key Stage 1 and use is made on the Qualification and Curriculum authority units throughout the school. This helps to ensure coverage and has contributed to the improvement in the subject since the last inspection. In Key Stage 2, the same teacher works with both classes and develops the skills well as they move through the key stage. She has a good subject knowledge, but pupils are not given enough opportunity to try out their own ideas. Subject leadership is unsatisfactory and there is currently no whole school overview of the subject. The quality of teaching and learning in the subject has not yet been monitored.

p.43

GEOGRAPHY

148. The standard of attainment in geography by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is below national expectations. The standard of attainment was a key issue for improvement at the time of the last inspection but standards have declined since then. Because of the circumstances of the school following the inspection, improvement in the subject was not considered a priority. In the last year action has been taken to rectify the position and there is evidence of recent improvement in the subject, but the developments have been too recent to fill the gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Pupils of all abilities including those with special educational needs are beginning to make progress but over time progress throughout the school has been unsatisfactory.

p.43

GEOGRAPHY

149. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils do not have the expected skills and knowledge in the subject . Topics are not studied extensively enough to enable older pupils to gain a suitable understanding of people and places. Mapping skills are at a very low level. Pupils recall the features of their route to school and record them in order but do not develop their skills by drawing a map of the route. They study the immediate area but have not compared it with a contrasting locality so they can identify the differences. They know about the obvious climate differences between polar and desert regions but have not studied the main geography of the British Isles. Current planning indicates that the curriculum is now being taught systematically and progressively. For example, as part of the pupils’ current preparations for Harvest Festival pupils have recognised how the products have links with other countries by collecting labels from food products

p.43

GEOGRAPHY

from different parts of the world. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 44 150. At the end of Year 6, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of key geographical concepts are limited . They have little experience of studying contrasting localities within the British Isles or further afield . Their map reading skills are below expectations. They are not familiar with the subject vocabulary such as “contour lines” and do not apply skills such as interpretation of scales easily. Links with numeracy enable them to use 4 figure grid references. Younger pupils show satisfactory awareness of environmental damage and give examples of pollutants. They know that land use varies but their studies are at a basic level. Field work is largely restricted to the school environment and the locality and is unchallenging and is not enabling them to develop an understanding of the many geographical features that can be seen in the area. Pupils

p.43

GEOGRAPHY

have had few opportunities to undertake research for themselves or to develop reporting and recording skills, which is limiting the use of their literacy skills in the subject. Progress has been unsatisfactory over time because sporadic coverage of the curriculum in the past has left gaps in pupils’ learning. Current planning indicates that many of the gaps in learning are now being addressed. During the inspection older pupils demonstrated increasing confidence in interpreting geographic data about Kenya and younger pupils identified the advantages and disadvantages of settlement sites.

p.44

GEOGRAPHY

151. The quality of teaching is now satisfactory overall. Teaching over time has not been effective but the teaching observed during the inspection was good . Pupils in Key Stage 1 lack opportunities to practise and develop geographical skills. There is a reliance on worksheets, which does not encourage pupils to practise their communication and learning skills . Where teaching is good there is clear instruction in basic skills for example data interpretation and map reading. Information and communication technology is used increasingly for example in photographing the village with the digital camera, and retrieving maps and information about Kenya from the Internet. There are many features of the village, which provide good geographical examples, but there is a tendency to use it too much, and opportunities for visits further afield are limited. This does not help pupils investigate the variety of people, places and environments and is

p.44

GEOGRAPHY

limiting their awareness of other cultures.

p.44

GEOGRAPHY

152. The management of the subject is unsatisfactory. The management team has now implemented a comprehensive scheme of work, which provides sufficient guidance to teachers. The long-term impact of this new initiative has yet to be seen. Planning procedures ensure the curriculum is taught progressively but there is no systematic monitoring of teaching yet. Assessment is based on the scheme but is still informal and is not yet used to inform future planning. The school however provides twice yearly reports for all subjects, which provide the opportunity for review of each pupil’s progress. Resources are adequate but dated in some respects such as map books.

p.44

HISTORY

153. The standard of attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is broadly in line with national expectations. In Key Stage 2, there is a strength in structured reporting. Pupils of all abilities including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Similar standards were observed at the time of the last inspection but there were identified weaknesses in the long term planning. A new scheme of work has been introduced which rectifies these weaknesses but the full impact has still to be seen.

p.44

HISTORY

154. By the age of seven pupils develop a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the lives of people in the past for example by comparing their lives with the lives of their parents. They know about famous people such as Queen Victoria and past events such as the Gunpowder Plot. They are developing basic sequencing skills by making Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 45 timelines for example of recent school events. With timelines of their own lives they are developing a satisfactory sense of chronology recognising the past, present and future. They have limited opportunities to learn about life in the more distant past or to find out about the past from a range of sources such as artefacts and books.

p.44

HISTORY

155. By the age of eleven pupils show a good factual knowledge of some periods. From their study of Britain since 1948 they demonstrate a good understanding of domestic changes for example in the role of women. Pupils use their imagination for example in considering the work of children in Victorian England. For themselves, they rejected the role of a chimney sweep as too dangerous and opted for cleaning shoes. They use research skills using both Internet, CD and library sources to gather information about significant events such as the moon landings. Pupils are encouraged to develop structured reporting skills and to organise their information in efficient ways. Although pupils regularly produce topic books on particular themes, they do not undertake sustained writing in the subject and opportunities to develop their literacy skills are missed. They are encouraged to use vocabulary accurately using terms like “absolute

p.45

HISTORY

monarch” and “hierarchy” and to use contemporary sources such as nineteenth century street directories as if they were Victorians looking for somewhere to eat or stay.

p.45

HISTORY

155. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with some significant good features in Key Stage 2. When teaching is good, teachers are confident in their subject knowledge and set high expectations. There is specialist teaching of the subject in Key Stage 2, which promotes continuity and progression and facilitates a variety of approaches. The interpretation of history and the practice of considering different perspectives are not addressed in appropriate depth for older pupils. Opportunities for younger pupils to learn from primary sources or artefacts are limited but occasionally pupils undertake research by discussions with parents and grandparents. Current planning indicates that these opportunities will be increased and that all aspects of the curriculum will be covered in proper depth.

p.45

HISTORY

156. The subject planning is now based on a scheme that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and accommodates the needs of mixed age classes. The subject contributes significantly to the spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils for example through the study of Jewish children in the evacuations. The school is fortunate to have a rich locality which is studied regularly but there is a tendency to over-use local examples as aspects are studied every year. The subject is adequately resourced. The co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory in Key Stage 2 but the role of the co-ordinator is not sufficiently developed to ensure there is an effective overview of the subject throughout the school. As a result leadership and management of the subject is unsatisfactory.

p.45

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

157. Standards of attainment are below national expectations at the end of Year 2 and 6. Standards were also below national expectations at the end of Year 6 at the time of the last inspection. There have been significant recent improvements and although progress in learning over time has been unsatisfactory recent progress has been satisfactory. Pupils have regular lessons following a structured scheme of work and the quality of resources is good. The ratio of computers to pupils is now better than the national average. The present arrangements have not been in operation long enough for pupils to have built up the expected range of knowledge and skills. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 46 158. By the end of Year 2 pupils’ attainment is below national expectations. Current planning shows that teachers are following the scheme of work and are ensuring that pupils acquire appropriate skills . Pupils’ previous experience however has not provided them

p.45

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

with sufficient opportunities to develop the expected skills or to appreciate the breadth of study. Pupils in Year 2 are improving their use of the keyboard and the mouse and recognise the icons for their usual programs. With support they can enter text and add clipart. They have had limited opportunities to develop personal confidence in creating longer pieces of text. With support they give directions for the movement of a floor robot. Pupils have had little experience in reviewing, modifying and evaluating their work. A significant degree of teacher support is required in Key Stage 1 activities and pupils are not yet demonstrating independent capability.

p.46

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

159. Pupils at the end of Year 6 achieve standards which are below national expectations overall . The present curriculum provides progressive learning but pupils’ experience of the previous curriculum was patchy and unstructured. As a result pupils experienced challenging tasks such as designing pages for the school website but did not cover the basics of other areas of the information and communication technology curriculum. Pupils are familiar with communicating through emails but need support in navigating web pages and researching through the Internet. Older pupils have used the multi – media features for slide show presentations but without the opportunity to complete substantial projects. They search CD based encyclopaedia but have not organised data themselves for example in creating graphs. Pupils have little experience of interrogating data and testing plausibility. Pupils are not familiar with control technology

p.46

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

and have not used computer based data-logging equipment. Current planning shows that teachers are now following the scheme of work and are ensuring that pupils acquire appropriate skills. This cohort of pupils at the end of Year 6 have not had the opportunity to cover the units of work which appear in earlier years and consequently there are gaps in their knowledge and understanding.

p.46

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

160. The quality of teaching is now satisfactory but has been unsatisfactory over time. A number of new initiatives have been introduced recently which are improving the quality of teaching. Regular lessons in the ICT suite are timetabled for all pupils in Key Stage 2. A specialist teacher employed by the local schools’ cluster has conducted an audit of immediate learning needs and he has begun teaching groups from both key stages on a regular basis to address these needs. The programme of study for information and communication technology is being taught through a recognised scheme of work, which ensures progressive teaching and learning. Although the curriculum is now secure, the use of information and communication technology to support other subject areas is unsatisfactory. Staff are about to begin New Opportunities Funded training for ICT across the core subjects. This training will be provided on site and will address the

p.46

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

lack of staff confidence, which was identified at the time of the last inspection.

p.46

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

161. The issue of poor resourcing seen at the time of the last inspection has been met. The school is now well resourced in terms of hardware and software and computers are available in the ICT suite and in the classrooms. Other equipment such as scanners and digital cameras are in use and the school now has broadband connections. There is still a lack of sensing and control equipment but arrangements are in hand to resource this through the local cluster. The school has put in secure procedures for pupils to access the Internet safely.

p.46

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

162. The leadership and management of the subject is satisfactory. The subject co- ordinator has now set in place the actions needed to address the previous weaknesses in teacher confidence and curriculum planning. ICT was a priority in the school action plan for the last year and has been continued into the present year with developments. Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 47 Planning for ICT is monitored by the co-ordinator. The assessment arrangements are informal and to do not provide information for curriculum planning or for matching the challenge of tasks for higher attaining pupils. The school’s practice of sending twice- yearly reports provides a review of pupil’s progress.

p.46

MUSIC

163. Standards throughout the school are in line with what is expected nationally. At the time of the last inspection standards were broadly in line with national expectations but there were identified weaknesses in the subject provision. Over the last year, however, new initiatives have strengthened the subject. Music is taught regularly and progressively and contributes to pupils’ cultural and spiritual development. All pupils including those with special educational needs are making satisfactory progress. Pupils clearly enjoy the subject.

p.47

MUSIC

164. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations. They sing a variety of songs and hymns from memory. Pupils know there are different types of songs for different purposes. They sing enthusiastically and tunefully in assembly. They are familiar with untuned percussion and create musical patterns. They play together to produce short compositions. The youngest pupils enjoy singing and show a sense of rhythm. Pupils are happy to perform for an audience.

p.47

MUSIC

165. By the end of Year 6, standards are also in line with national expectations. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are developing composition skills by creating an image such as a river through sound. They record their tunes with symbols, create rhythms and use untuned percussion to perform their compositions. They are familiar with musical terminology such as crochet and minim and follow standard musical notation. They are familiar with the musical elements such as pitch and tempo. Pupils study the work of famous composers such as Vivaldi and Mozart and recognise themes and phrases. Pupils sing well and deliver part songs. Older pupils took part in a major choral project in Lancaster, which was preceded by specialist teaching by a visiting consultant.

p.47

MUSIC

166. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is satisfactory. The use of a commercial scheme has provided teachers with a sound structure for teaching, which bolsters their subject confidence. Teachers use a variety of approaches to encourage learning. Older pupils recognise that marching to the tune of “John Brown’s Body “ in the playground helped them appreciate the rhythm. The subject now has a secure curriculum basis . Increasing use is being made of the musical traditions of other cultures for example Kenyan songs for the study of cyclic patterns. The school puts on regular performances at Christmas, Easter and Harvest time, which provide pupils with the opportunity to sing and perform in front of an audience. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The enthusiastic co-ordinator has a good overview of how the subject is taught and has appropriate plans for the development of

p.47

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

167. Pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils, including those with special needs, make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. This matches the standards found in the school at the last inspection. The school follows a published syllabus carefully designed for small Dolphinholme Church of England Primary School - 48 schools, which helps to ensure both coverage and the development of skills. This is an improvement over the last inspection when there was no subject guidance in place.

p.47

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

168. In Key Stage 1, pupils can find their own space and travel in different ways. They use their own ideas and move around by walking, skipping, running and crawling. Planned activities for later in the term include ball-throwing skills and becoming used to moving to music.

p.48

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

169. In Key Stage 2, all pupils swim once a week throughout the year at a nearby pool. As a result standards in swimming are high and most pupils have developed skills in advance of the national expectations. Both classes in Key Stage 2 have their physical education lessons taught by the headteacher. This, in conjunction with the syllabus used, helps to ensure that pupils cover all aspects of the National Curriculum and develop their skills systematically. This term, pupils are developing their co-ordination skills using handball. Dance is planned for later in the term.

p.48

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

170. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. The teacher manages the class well. She copes with teaching three age groups together at this stage of the term, but does not yet offer extension activities to the older children. She is well supported by her classroom assistant. She gives pupils an opportunity to warm up at the beginning of the lesson and makes pupils aware of relevant health and safety issues. No physical education was timetabled in Key Stage 2 during the inspection.

p.48

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

171. Pupils in Key Stage 1 enjoy their physical education. They change quickly and sensibly and are rapidly learning the importance of listening to their teacher. Pupils in Key Stage 2 talk very enthusiastically about all aspects of their physical education and like both team games and class lessons.

p.48

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

172. There is a good range of extra-curricular sports activities arranged for the Years 4, 5 and 6 pupils. These are oversubscribed. Football and skittle ball are played in the winter, and cricket and rounders are available in the summer. Parents supervise most of these activities. Year 5 and 6 go an annual trip to the Isle of Man where they stay in a residential centre and participate in a range of outdoor and adventurous activities and this contributes to their social development.

p.48

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

173. The school has sufficient equipment, an adequate sized hall and both grassed and hard play areas outside.

p.48