Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School

CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th – 12 th November 2002

p.1

CHURCH OF ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - ii

p.1

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Marsh Lane Glasson Dock Lancaster

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Captain S. Gaunt

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1996

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

7167 Mrs Sonja Øyen Registered inspector The Foundation Stage English Geography History Music Special educational needs The characteristics and effectiveness of the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Teaching and learning Leadership and management Key issues for action

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

19807 Mr Keith Osborne Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers 30954 Mr Brian Ashcroft Team inspector Mathematics Science Art and design Design and technology Information and communication technology Physical education Educational inclusion Quality and range of opportunities for learning

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Primary Associates Ltd Suite 13 West Lancs Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale Lancashire WN8 9TN

p.3

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.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - iv

p.3

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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.4

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 5

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

p.4

AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 24

Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 1

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Christ Church is a voluntary aided Church of England infant and junior school in Glasson Dock, five miles south west of Lancaster. It serves the parish of Thurnham, an area of small settlements and farms. The number on roll has fallen since the last inspection in 1996 and, with 22 pupils, the school is one of the smallest in Lancashire. While 12 pupils live in Glasson Dock, others travel from Lancaster and the surrounding area. A significant number of pupils leave and join the school during the year. Two thirds of the junior pupils came after the reception year. A third of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is higher than the national average. No pupil is from an ethnic minority. Although there are 11 infant and 11 junior pupils, the number in each year group varies from one to six. On starting school at five, the pupils’ attainment is generally as expected for their age. Six pupils have been identified as

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

having special educational needs. None has a statement of special educational need and none receive support from outside agencies. Since the last inspection, there have been two changes of headteacher.

p.5

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Thurnham Glasson Christ Church is an improving school. It gives satisfactory value for money in providing pupils with a good all-round educational experience. In keeping with its aims and mission statement, the school is a happy, family community that plays an active role in village life. It also widens the curriculum through taking part in activities and events further afield. This reflects the good leadership of the headteacher, the high commitment of all the staff and also the very good support of the parents. Standards are broadly satisfactory but could be higher, especially in the infant years.

p.5

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The headteacher and governors are cooperating very well to improve what the school offers; • It has strong links with the parents and the local community; • It treats each pupil as an individual; pupils grow in self-confidence and self-esteem; • Standards in swimming are good; • Good teaching is boosting junior pupils’ achievement.

p.5

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The achievement of all pupils, but especially the infant pupils; • The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum; • The teamwork to deal with key school priorities; • Standards of presentation in pupils’ written work, especially the accuracy of pupils’ spelling and the neatness of their handwriting; • Pupils’ skills in organising their own learning.

p.5

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

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

p.5

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory progress overall since the inspection in 1996. Little was done initially to deal with the eight key issues. Two changes of headteacher and a period when the school lost parents’ goodwill all slowed the school’s progress in making improvements. The enthusiasm, industry and high commitment of the present headteacher, appointed from April 2001, has renewed parents’ and governors’ confidence in the school. This has lifted morale and given impetus to the programme of improvement. There has been good progress in the last four terms. A new classroom for the infant pupils has released the use of the hall for a wide range of activities, including physical education sessions and meetings of the Parent and Toddler Group. The introduction of specialist teaching, as in ICT, music and special educational needs, has heightened the quality of provision and ensured that pupils generally do

p.5

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

as well as others of the same age in other schools. Governors are now more active and effective. They Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 2 and the staff have a clear overview of what needs to be done. The teaching team is starting to work together to ensure a concerted effort in raising standards throughout the school.

p.5

STANDARDS

No table of standards comparing the school with other schools is included as the number of boys and girls in Years 2 and 6 has been fewer than 10 in the last three years. This makes statistical comparisons unrealistic. For example, in 2002, each Year 6 pupil accounted for 25 per cent of the year group.

p.6

STANDARDS

Standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average but could be higher. Pupils are generally doing as well as expected for their age. Higher attaining pupils achieve well. In the 2002 national tests for 11-year-olds, the school exceeded its targets in English and in science and met the target in mathematics. As nationally, standards were higher in reading than in writing where weaknesses in the content were aggravated by pupils’ inaccurate spelling and immature joined handwriting. Standards of presentation of work are still unsatisfactory although there are signs of improvement. The 7- year-olds are reading and writing independently and show potential to do well for their age. They use well their knowledge of letters and words to work out unfamiliar words but sometimes lack expression in their reading. Older pupils find it hard to talk about an author’s style. They cope well in using non-fiction

p.6

STANDARDS

In science, many pupils are making quick progress. An emphasis on practical investigations is developing pupils’ scientific skills as well as their knowledge. A similar approach in mathematics is also helping junior pupils to develop more confidence in solving number problems. Older junior pupils show sound knowledge of number rules and use different methods to work things out. Nevertheless, the school’s targets are challenging for the 2003 national tests. Standards are rising in ICT for the junior pupils because of specialist teaching. Although the older juniors know how to use a range of software and ICT equipment, their keyboard skills are poor. Infant pupils have too few opportunities to develop the skills needed to ensure competent and speedy word processing in the junior years. In art and design, design and technology, geography, history and music, standards are satisfactory. In those aspects of

p.6

STANDARDS

physical education seen, pupils did as well as expected for their age. Swimming standards are good. Older juniors often far exceed the expected requirements for their age.

p.6

STANDARDS

Progress in personal, social and emotional development, and in mathematical development, is good in the reception year. Progress is satisfactory in learning letters and having a go at writing but the level of challenge is sometimes too low. Learning in knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development is satisfactory but limited in some aspects because of the narrow range of daily experiences available.

p.6

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good; pupils enjoy school and are interested in learning.

p.6

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good; most pupils behave well at all times. A few younger pupils play to the gallery and occasionally overstep the mark.

p.6

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Good; boys and girls of all ages get on well together. Many show strong self-assurance but do not have enough opportunities to organise their own learning and follow up their own ideas.

p.6

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 3 Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

p.7

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory Good

p.7

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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.7

TEACHING AND LEARNING

The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. Stronger teaching for the junior pupils, especially in English and mathematics, is ensuring that they learn well and plug gaps in learning from previous years. The headteacher draws on her knowledge of each pupil’s progress to set challenging targets. This is less evident in the teaching for the infant pupils. Weekly sessions of effective step-by-step teaching of skills and strategies are helping pupils with special educational needs to work towards their individual targets in literacy and numeracy. However, less is done in other lessons to ensure that these pupils have the best resources to help them succeed with minimal support.

p.7

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Common strengths in the teaching and learning lie in: - the easy, relaxed relationships between staff and pupils who are confident to ask questions; - the good teamwork of support staff, part time and full time teachers; - the good preparation of lessons; - pupils’ interest and lengthy concentration when involved in practical activities; - the specialist teaching, especially in ICT.

p.7

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Areas for improvement lie in: - raising the teachers’ expectations of what the pupils know, can do and achieve; - boosting the pace of teaching and the amount of work done by pupils in the time allocated; - developing ways to help pupils decide what they have learnt; - the use of ICT as a learning tool in all subjects; - being more flexible in how pupils are grouped and in drawing up programmes to meet individual needs.

p.7

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall; a rolling programme of topics ensures pupils cover all necessary subjects. Visits and events add much to pupils’ experience.

p.7

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory; the adults give pupils much support and time but do not always provide resources best suited to their needs.

p.7

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good; the staff are skilled in fostering the pupils’ ability to get on well with and to value each other, irrespective of background. The school has strong links with the local community and widens pupils’ awareness of other cultures through events and themes.

p.7

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The staff know each pupil very well. They show care and concern for pupils’ welfare and personal development, but do not use information about their academic progress well enough to plan their learning.

p.7

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Chances are missed to develop links between subjects and to set individual challenges. The programme for children in the reception year lacks richness and variety. For its size, the school offers a very good range of extra activities, including participation in festivals and after school clubs. The school is not doing as much as it might to promote the pupils’ understanding of different races and cultures. The school has very strong links with the parents. Weekly ‘yellow pages’ keep them up-to-date on events and how they can support their children in school and at home.

p.7

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 4 Aspect Comment

p.8

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory; the headteacher gives a strong lead in teaching and in setting the direction for the school. Other staff are not working well enough as a team to initiate changes and move the school forward.

p.8

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very well; the positive outlook of the chair of governors has been a key factor in the developing effectiveness of the governing body; governors are working hard to deal with issues recently brought to their attention.

p.8

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory; a good start has been made in critically analysing data and information about how well the school is doing.

p.8

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory; the school makes effective use of funds to provide specialist teaching and support for pupils in class. Too little use is made of the computers on a day-to-day basis and there is much scope for greater flexibility in the use of space, time and personnel.

p.8

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The accommodation is ample for the pupils but there is no staff room and the staff toilet facilities are inadequate. The school makes good use of the schoolyard, garden area and local field especially for games. The school seeks best value in goods and services, compares itself with similar small rural schools and sets challenging targets. Nevertheless, given the very high funding for each pupil, the school’s evaluation of the impact of its spending on the quality of what it offers lacks rigour.

p.8

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

p.8

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• They feel very comfortable approaching the school – the staff are welcoming and always willing to talk to parents; • The pupils’ behaviour is good; • The school is well led and managed; • The teaching is good and their children are expected to work hard; • They are kept well informed about their children’s progress; • Their children get the right amount of work to do at home. There were no issues raised by a significant percentage of parents. A few parents commented on: • The need to improve the buildings; • The wish for even more after school activities.

p.8

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Thirteen families returned the questionnaire and nine parents came to the meeting with inspectors, who endorse in most part the parents’ positive views. The teaching, however, is not good enough to ensure the infant pupils achieve their best. A few infant pupils misbehave. Refurbishment and building plans indicate significant improvements to come in office space as well as facilities for staff, pupils and parents. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 5

p.8

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Standards are broadly average in English, mathematics and science. At the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils generally attain the level expected for their age in these and other subjects. However, standards could be higher. Not all pupils are achieving the best they could, especially in the infant years. They are making satisfactory progress but the adults often underestimate what the pupils know, can do and can achieve. This is slowing pupils’ progress and hindering their attainment.

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Since the last inspection, standards have varied. When the attainment of all pupils in Years 2 and 6 is taken into account, standards over the last five years have remained consistently close to the national average at the end of Year 2, but shown a more erratic trend at the end of Year 6. However, year groups are small, generally fewer than five, and the use of statistics is unrealistic. For example, in both 2001 and 2002, one pupil accounted for 25 per cent of the Year 6 group. Also given the high percentage of pupils with special educational needs, the governors, staff and parents rightly place more focus on looking at the rate of pupils’ progress and their achievement rather than results in the national tests.

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. School records tracking pupils’ attainment shows boys and girls make satisfactory progress over time but they do not always made enough progress each term. For example, many of the older juniors have made relatively slow progress in writing and spelling in previous years. They are currently making faster progress, particularly in English, mathematics and science, because of the good teaching of the headteacher. She has analysed carefully where pupils have not made enough progress in the past and is setting realistic but challenging targets in English and mathematics to accelerate pupils’ learning. This is paying off as most pupils are close to or at the level expected for their age, especially in mathematics and science. Only in writing and aspects of reading, are there continuing weaknesses that lower the overall standard. This was also noted in the 1996 inspection.

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Inconsistencies in the organisation of content, inaccurate use of punctuation, erratic spelling and immature joined handwriting are the major problems that lost pupils most marks not only in the 2002, but also in the 2001, national writing tests for 11- year-olds. The standard of several pupils’ work is more typical of pupils a year or two younger. However, there are signs of improvement as pupils are gaining in confidence to apply what they learn in literacy hours. For example, a letter, written by a Year 5 pupil to the headteacher with suggestions on how to improve the school, shows good, appropriate use of paragraphs, bullet points and persuasive language. The overall impression is also favourable to the reader as the handwriting is neat and the letter is well organised. Similarly, sessions when the headteacher challenges the pupils to think about their reading, and to locate specific information,

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

are increasing the pupils’ skills in making sense of the text and in ‘reading between the lines’. Such focussed, and often individual, teaching is helping higher attaining pupils to achieve well.

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. A scrutiny of pupils’ work from the last school year shows that the Year 6 pupils made good progress because of the headteacher’s focus on improving the quality of their writing, their use of number and knowledge about scientific topics. This boosted their achievement and contributed to the rise in standards in English and science in Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 6 2002 compared with 2001. In the national tests, the school exceeded its targets in English and science and met the target in mathematics. This was a good achievement for the school and serves to show what can be done when there is drive in the teaching. When compared with national standards the school did really well. The school’s targets for 2003 are very challenging.

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils’ attainment on entry at five varies but is generally as expected for their age. As well as sessions with pupils in Years 1 and 2, reception year children receive much one-to-one teaching and support from the classroom assistant. As a result, steady progress is made although the challenge is not always high enough to ensure really good achievement. Standards in reading and writing are on course to meet the expected standard at the end of the reception year with standards above in personal, social and emotional development, and in mathematical development. In knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development, achievement is more inconsistent and reflects the limited experiences in some aspects, such as handling tools and exploring colour, texture, shape and form. However, standards are on line to be satisfactory.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. By the end of Year 1, most pupils are reading and writing independently. Their knowledge of letter sounds and words stands them in good stead in their spelling and also when they work out unfamiliar words as they read. While they do not read with much spontaneous expression, their good response to guidance on characterisation and the meaning of phrases indicates good potential for standards to be higher. Although Year 2 pupils are beginning to write at some length, they are less secure in using correct punctuation, especially to mark sentences and speech. They have some good ideas of what to write but are not being taught well enough how to structure their writing. As a result, not all are meeting the potential to do well that they showed at the start of the term.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In mathematics and science, the infant pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Year 2 pupils deal confidently with number to 20, and have a reasonable awareness of shape, space and measures. The headteacher’s good subject knowledge and number challenges are sparking the junior pupils’ interest and they are achieving well in lessons. Older juniors are confident to use their knowledge of multiplication facts to find different ways to make numbers and to work out problems, including simple algebra. In science too, infant and junior pupils’ achievement is lifting because of the increased emphasis on practical investigations. This is developing their scientific skills as well as their knowledge about science. A good initiative is the links being made between mathematics and science, For instance, work on data handling and the recording and interpretation of findings in tables, graphs and charts. Although the current Year 6 pupils’ attainment varies, the good attainment of younger

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

pupils indicates standards are set to rise in 2004.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The school has a higher than average percentage of pupils who leave and join the school during the year and also of pupils with special educational needs. The school does well in assessing individual needs and ensuring that these pupils make satisfactory progress towards their reading, writing and mathematics targets. Pupils with special educational needs do well in the weekly sessions, when they work away from the class with a specialist teacher, because of the high amount of individual tuition and small steps teaching to develop their reading, writing and number skills. However, when these pupils are working in class, they are not always encouraged enough to apply the same systematic approach to their work. Similarly, their achievement is sometimes limited as the staff do not always adapt the task enough Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 7 to reflect pupils’ targets or provide resources that would enable the pupils to

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Standards in ICT are rising. They were judged to be below average in 1996 but specialist teaching is helping junior pupils to achieve well in all aspects of ICT. Their explanations of how to program instructions to control a robot matched the expectations for their age. Infant pupils are not achieving as well as they might as they have too few opportunities to practise and rehearse their skills. This lack of practice accounts in large part for the junior pupils’ poor keyboard skills.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. In 1996, standards were judged to be above average in speaking and listening, art, music and physical education. Current standards are satisfactory in these subjects as well as in design and technology, geography and history. The school has kept pace with schools nationally in subject content, but the teachers have not always ensured depth in pupils’ knowledge nor developed their skills far enough.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. A notable exception is in swimming where standards are good. Given its close location to Glasson marina and dock, the school places high emphasis on pupils learning to swim as early as possible. Weekly swimming lessons ensure that all are confident in the water and swimming, albeit often with floats, by the age of seven. Good structured teaching enables pupils to develop their breathing skills, to learn different swimming strokes, to dive and to learn the rudiments of life saving. By the age of 11, many take a Water Safety and Personal Survival Skills programme. As in ICT, these good standards indicate what the pupils can achieve when the teachers’ expectations are high and there is systematic teaching to ensure pupils meet them.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils' attitudes, behaviour and personal development are all good. This continues to be a particular strength of the school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and take part enthusiastically in most lessons, especially when the content and methods used are interesting and exciting. At other times, however, there is a slight diffidence and too many take their time in doing their work. As a result, work is not always finished or deteriorates in presentation as pupils rush to complete it.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. The youngest pupils settle quickly into school life. They get to know the staff and pupils from visits to the school as toddlers. All pupils in the school socialise together so newcomers soon know everyone. All thrive in the small school community and are confident to voice their wishes, to ask questions and to make comments on what they see. They know where things are kept, the routines of the week and what is expected of them. However, a few pupils are quick to exert themselves and during the inspection, several infant girls played to the gallery and behaved badly. They were quick to lose concentration, to show boredom and to become fractious. This also reflects some weaknesses in the teaching in stimulating and maintaining the pupils’ interest or stretching their ability.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. All the pupils enjoy their weekly swimming session. They behave very well on the coach and at the pool where they follow the rules and directions of the instructor. The older pupils happily work and play alongside the younger ones. At playtimes and lunchtimes, they cooperate to use balls, skipping ropes and bouncy toys. During a wet lunchtime, they readily got out the good selection of indoor games and took turns to play snakes and ladders, draughts and chess. This was a good example of the really friendly relationships between all the pupils. Older ones care for the Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 8 younger, as seen when they helped them to make prayer flags in an assembly and then to write captions to accompany their drawings.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. All the pupils know and largely follow the school’s rules. However, the younger pupils are poor at tidying away after themselves and rely too much on adults to do this. Older pupils perform jobs sensibly and are ready to take on even more responsibilities. Their letters to the headteacher gave good suggestions as to how this might be achieved.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance is broadly in line with the national average for primary schools. There is a lower than average amount of unauthorised absence. However, absence rates have been affected by the long-term sickness of two pupils. Most pupils arrive promptly in the morning and school gets off to a prompt start.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. As in the last inspection, the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. Although some of the inconsistencies in the teaching that underlay at least five of the eight key issues from that inspection have been dealt with, there are still weaknesses that are hindering pupils’ learning and are contributing to pupils’ underachievement. This is most apparent in the teaching for the infant pupils where expectations are often too modest and marking is not being used well enough to raise standards. These areas for improvement were also highlighted in the 1996 inspection. Recent monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher and by the local education authority adviser has also highlighted issues also raised by this inspection, particularly the need to make more effective use of time and to develop pupils’ independence.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. In all lessons seen the teaching was at least satisfactory. The good teaching in just over half of lessons was predominantly for the junior pupils. In only one lesson, in mathematics for the junior pupils, was the teaching very good. This teaching profile is not as strong as the national average.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching in English is satisfactory overall with some good aspects. However, inconsistencies weaken the overall quality. In reading for example, pupils are taught well how to combine letter sounds to work out new words, but their skills in using all the clues in pictures, text and their own knowledge are not so well developed. The infant pupils do not always apply their knowledge of letters and words when spelling and similar erratic spelling typifies the junior pupils’ work. The current focus on developing pupils’ knowledge of writing structures is not so evident in the work of the infants. In literacy lessons, not enough is done to reinforce pupils’ learning and to make optimal use of their knowledge. When the teacher asked the infants, ‘ Who can help me with the word having?’ she was able to see who understood the rule of adding ‘-ing’ to ‘have’, but this and similar strategies are not

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

used rigorously enough to develop pupils’ awareness of spelling and grammatical rules and procedures.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. In mathematics, the teaching is satisfactory for the infant pupils and good for the juniors. The headteacher’s secure subject knowledge allows her to cope very well with the different levels of attainment in the class and to set a high level of challenge, especially for the older juniors. This is pushing on their learning and confidence in using number.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The governors are making effective use of a team of teachers to ensure pupils benefit from a range of subject expertise. The classteachers teach English, Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 9 mathematics and science, and the teaching of other subjects is shared among them and several part-time teachers. For example, during the inspection, the infant classteacher taught art and design to the junior pupils while her class was taught music by a specialist. Similarly, a part-time teacher taught geography to the junior pupils while the headteacher had time out of the classroom to deal with aspects of school management. Over the year this ensures that pupils profit from teachers’ personal enthusiasms. However, the team of teachers are not working well enough together to ensure shared high expectations of what the pupils can achieve.

p.12

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Two areas where the teachers’ high expectations are raising standards are in ICT and swimming. The focus on skill development is highly apparent in the work of the two specialist teachers. Through their work with pupils from other schools they know what 11-year-olds can do and they exact good work from the pupils. In the swimming lesson, the teacher worked with four groups of pupils at different levels of attainment to improve the quality of their strokes and breathing skills. Good pace and the setting of individual challenges meant the lesson went quickly and pupils made visible progress. Similarly, in an ICT lesson, good questioning by the teacher helped junior pupils to evaluate what they had learnt about programs to control robots. The development of basic programming carried out by the younger juniors was very apparent in the work on robotics by the older juniors yet both were very well linked

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and pupils’ attainment matched that seen in other schools. Given the gaps in pupils’ learning from previous years, this was good achievement.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The headteacher sets a good model in her teaching. She is very well prepared and engenders a sense of purpose and urgency to the teaching and learning. She knows exactly what she has in mind for all 11 pupils in the class. This was seen to good effect in an English lesson when she made constant reference to what she knew pupils had learnt previously and what they should therefore be able to do. While the classroom assistant helped pupils to organise their ideas, the headteacher reinforced stylistic features such as formal endings and the use of colloquial phrases, and set challenges that matched the pupils’ levels of attainment. As a result, all the pupils got off to a confident start in drafting a letter.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. When a very good lesson in mathematics started with a quick review of multiplication tables and a bingo game, pupils were highly motivated. The headteacher gave clear explanations of number relationships, such as that between multiplication and division, and the pupils worked hard throughout the hour’s lesson as they were interested, saw they were succeeding and were really keen to solve the number problems. A strong feature of this lesson, and in many others taken by the headteacher, was the good quality questioning that made pupils think. In science, questions such as, ‘ What would happen if we used other materials?’ encouraged pupils to talk about cause and effect and to explain their views. Such open and probing questions are less evident in others’ teaching, especially in the infants’ class.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The headteacher is also leading the way in using effective marking to improve pupils’ work and to inform her teaching. This was part of a key issue from the last inspection but has not been resolved fully. Although the infant pupils’ work is marked, there is too little reference to their targets or to what they have done well and need to do next time. In contrast, the headteacher is telling junior pupils what she expects and also giving them a clear view of how well they are doing. For example, the comments ‘You have thought carefully about using speech’ and ‘ Do not repeat zzz – try and find another way to suggest exhaustion’ gave pupils specific feedback on the quality of their narrative writing. Another good feature is the inclusion of remarks that Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 10 relate to individual targets for pupils with special educational needs. The comment,

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

‘ Remember to use a highlighter to remind you of what you need to do next’, was a direct reference to work done previously by one pupil with a specialist teacher.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. The teaching for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory overall with strengths in the work of the specialist teacher who prepares meticulously for her weekly sessions with the pupils. The work is closely linked to the literacy, numeracy and personal targets in pupils’ individual plans. Short sessions of step-by-step teaching are helping these pupils to learn the skills and strategies identified in these plans. The pupils learn well because they enjoy the games, such as that to collect cards with the same vowel combinations, and the teacher insists on them following agreed routines to develop their self-help skills. While these sessions are profitable in their own right, not enough is being done to utilise the teacher’s skills and expertise in working alongside the classeachers to show how the learning experiences listed in pupils’ plans can be carried out across the curriculum. As a

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

result, the staff are not always providing these pupils with suitably amended tasks or the best resources to meet their learning needs and ensure they can work with minimal adult support.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Several common strengths in the teaching and learning have a positive effect on the ethos of the school as well as pupils’ attitudes:

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

- All the staff have a good rapport with all the pupils and there is much informal banter and exchange of news and views. Pupils are confident to speak out and know that the adults will listen to them. The adults know every pupil very well and are quick to recognise changes in behaviour or responses that are out of character. They deal quickly with misconceptions and queries. For example, the headteacher promptly responded to junior pupils’ uncertainties of how to record their findings from observing sugar lumps dissolve in water. Her demonstration then gave the pupils the confidence they needed to compile their own charts and graphs.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

- The teachers and support staff form an effective team that ensures that pupils with particular needs are supported and play a full part in lessons. A good feature noted in the reception year is the teacher’s guidance on what is to be done to develop counting and letter recognition skills, and the assistant’s noted observations and comments that help the teacher to plan the next step. In the junior class, there is a similar good partnership between teaching staff. For example, at the end of a mathematics lesson, the assistant made good use of the time at the end to pose mental number problems similar to those the headteacher had set at the start of the lesson.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

- Homework is used well to develop the content of lessons and also to prepare for the next lesson. For instance, nearly all the infant pupils had drawn where they live and asked their parents about the age of their house. After a lesson on division, junior pupils were asked to complete a worksheet at home on dividing by two. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 11 29. However, there are also several areas for improvement in the teaching:

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

- The pace of lessons is too often too slow. On too many occasions, impetus is lost when the teachers allow too much talk between them and pupils, or when side issues come too much to the fore. While much of the talk is productive, the teachers are not always firm enough in keeping to the agenda of the lesson to ensure all pupils achieve the learning intentions. As a result, too many pupils do not get enough done in the time. Too much work is unfinished or is poorly presented as pupils rush to get it done.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

- The teachers do not use the end of lessons well enough to identify what pupils have learnt and what they need to remember. In none of the literacy and mathematics lessons seen was there a truly effective end to the lesson. Although the teachers share the intentions of the lesson with the pupils, they do not consistently refer back to them or ask the pupils to evaluate their own learning. In three sessions, the teachers did not leave enough time to do this and in another session, the teacher gave her views on the pupils’ work and missed chances to question them about what they had learnt.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

- ICT is not being used as a teaching and learning tool across the curriculum. While the junior pupils used the computers in some lessons, the infants did not. Many chances were missed to practise their skills in using the mouse and keyboard through literacy and mathematics programs or to make use of available ICT equipment, such as tape recorders.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

- The pupils have too few chances to organise their own learning. Many pupils are content to wait for the adults to support them. This begins in the infant class because the adults tend to give out and put away what the pupils need. The teachers have few slick routines to enable pupils to make a quick start on their work, especially in literacy and mathematics lessons. Poor timing and a lack of insistence that pupils tidy away after themselves add to the situation. When they are encouraged to make their own decisions about how to tackle a task or set out their work, pupils often do well.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. The school tends to follow established class practices in how to organise teaching and learning. Despite the small number of pupils in the school, they are rarely grouped by attainment irrespective of whether they are infants or juniors. The headteacher has introduced some changes but there is scope for even greater flexibility in how the skills and expertise of the teaching team are used. Similarly, the space available, time and wide range of resources, allow the team much opportunity to consider ways to build on individual pupils’ learning styles and needs. There is also much scope for the staff to develop programmes for individual pupils that identify areas of work for a day, week or longer and provide opportunities to follow up their own ideas in their own way.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. The school has largely dealt well with the key issues concerning the content of what is taught in all subjects, and the overall quality of what the school offers is now good. Considering its size, the school gives its pupils a good all-round experience that develops their academic and personal skills. Parents are right to comment that their children are mature and well able to cope with life at secondary school. While there Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 12 are strengths in the overall curriculum, particularly in the programme of extra activities, the quality of the subject curriculum is satisfactory. The quality of the curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage, although satisfactory in promoting key skills and knowledge, is not as rich or as wide as expected for 5-year-olds. The school meets statutory requirements in teaching all subjects of the National

p.15

PUPILS?

Curriculum as well as religious education.

p.16

PUPILS?

32. Since the last inspection the staff have adopted national guidelines to structure what is taught in every subject for the infant and junior pupils and also the six areas of learning for the reception year children. This has dealt effectively with part of a key issue and provided a clear framework that shows how subject skills and knowledge are developed over the infant and junior years. Appropriate emphasis is placed on learning through play and experience for reception year children and enough focus is now placed on practical investigative work and problem solving in science and mathematics. Although the teaching of ICT is planned, the use of ICT and the application of pupils’ ICT skills are not an integral part of all subjects. This is an area of weakness in an otherwise improved aspect of the curriculum.

p.16

PUPILS?

33. As in most schools, just over half of teaching time is given to English and mathematics. The school has implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and both classes have daily literacy hours and mathematics lessons. However, the school has not considered fully whether this is the most effective use of time or the best teaching and learning format for the pupils. The development of staff expertise and increased resources are positive aspects but the wide range of attainment and age in each class places very heavy demands on the teachers. The teachers are making good use of national curriculum guidance to provide practical activities to develop pupils’ spelling, word recognition and their skills in writing for different purposes and audiences.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. The headteacher’s analysis of the pupils’ results in the 2002 national tests has identified gaps in the curriculum. She has made consequent changes such as placing an emphasis in the spring term on developing pupils’ skills in comprehension so that pupils are well prepared for the 2003 tests. An area for improvement, however, is the use of topics in other subjects to provide the context for pupils to apply their reading and writing knowledge. A good example of where this has been done well is the novelty book made by the juniors for the infants where one pupil’s skill in retelling a story was put to good effect. The headteacher, conscious of the need to improve pupils’ use of number in other subjects, also made good use of a science lesson to help pupils apply what they knew about recording data.

p.16

PUPILS?

35. The school has dealt fully with the key issue to improve the provision for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils now have effective individual learning plans that identify clearly how their needs are to be met, the activities best suited and the strategies to be used. Specialist support in learning organisational skills, as well as skills in literacy and numeracy, is helping pupils to cope with work across the curriculum.

p.16

PUPILS?

36. All pupils have equal access to other aspects of the curriculum, including the very good programme of extra-curricular activities. For its size, the school offers a wide range of sporting and musical activities throughout the year. Along with these, the school takes part in events locally and further afield and offers a range of clubs that change from term to term to meet pupils' needs and interests. Trips out of school enrich the curriculum and visitors to school help to expand pupils' knowledge and interests. For example, all pupils had the chance to handle reptiles and spiders Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 13 when a visitor brought them to school. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 join with pupils from other schools in a residential visit to the Lake District. Pupils also contribute to Easter, Christmas and Harvest Festival services in the church as well as performing

p.16

PUPILS?

their own concerts in the village hall and school. Such events add considerably to the pupils’ personal development as well as strengthening the school’s links with the community. In turn, the community support the school. For example, most parents and other people from the village attended the concert when the pupils showed off their skills in performing jazz with professional musicians.

p.17

PUPILS?

37. The provision for personal, social and health education is satisfactory and is a developing area. The curriculum is being rewritten using national guidance and published schemes. Lessons on aspects of personal, social and health education alternate with periods when classes meet to listen to individuals’ views on specific moral and social issues. This gives coherence to the provision and the school has been able to make effective use of a governor’s professional expertise to look at aspects of the digestive system and healthy eating. Assemblies also cover aspects of personal development. In consultation with the parents, sex education and information on puberty is handled sensitively on a personal basis. This style of provision is particularly valuable when there is only one boy or girl in a year group.

p.17

PUPILS?

38. A strong aspect of the provision is the focus on pupils learning to swim. The curriculum, planned by the swimming instructor, is in line with the Garstang Schools’ Swimming Awards scheme and allows pupils to develop their skills and talents.

p.17

PUPILS?

39. The community makes a good contribution to pupils' learning. The village and its environs form a useful resource for geography and history. For example, pupils study the history of local shipbuilding, visit the docks and hear about aspects of current life from the harbour master. Local companies also support the school through sponsorship.

p.17

PUPILS?

40. The school has good relationships with partner institutions and takes part in joint activities with other local primary schools, such as sessions in cycling proficiency and team games. The staff also profit from shared activities in professional development. The school offers placements for trainee teachers from Lancaster University and a recent trainee from Cyprus has helped to alert infant pupils to a different language, cultural values and lifestyles.

p.17

PUPILS?

41. Such experiences contribute well to the good provision for pupils' personal development. As in the 1996 inspection, this is a strong part of school life, and there are plans to improve it further.

p.17

PUPILS?

42. Spiritual provision is good. Much thought is given to the programme of themes for school assemblies, such as remembrance, but also to ways in which to promote pupils’ awareness to reflect on the lives and achievements of others. For example, the headteacher introduced the pupils to the concept of prayer flags in the Buddhist tradition and what that might mean. In leaflets about 'Me and my school', pupils think about friends who have been injured and how brave they have been. Pupils’ records of achievement celebrate their success in sport, leisure time activities such as Cub Scouts, and participation in a range of events. The school's weekly Lighthouse Award celebrates and highlights a range of personal qualities. While this does much to boost self-esteem, not enough is done as part of lessons to celebrate pupils’ achievements in learning and to help pupils realise what they need to do next to improve further. As part of this, too little emphasis is placed on pupils doing their

p.17

PUPILS?

best and presenting their work in the best way. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 14 43. Moral provision is good. The school’s few rules are discussed in class and as a school so that pupils understand their value in sustaining the Thurnham Glasson family community. In lessons and assemblies, pupils are helped to consider issues such as war and peace, poverty, barriers between cultures and natural disasters. They collect for several charities such as Leukaemia Research and Children in Need through sponsored events such as the marathon when 26 people each ran one mile. The study of the novel ‘Sleepover’ by Jacqueline Wilson gave junior pupils the chance to reflect on Daisy’s changing attitudes to her disabled sister.

p.17

PUPILS?

44. Social provision is also good. The school’s small size and family links with brothers and sisters naturally promote easy relationships between pupils. The adults give thought to ways to ensure that boys and girls have opportunities to work together or separately, and to mix the older and younger pupils. However, chances are missed to develop even more partnerships and to use the skills and willingness of the pupils to help in running the school. Pupils are introduced to aspects of citizenship and older juniors have been invited to list their ideas for improvements to the school. Older pupils are expected to help the younger ones as part of school routines but also in specific sessions such as the Reading Club.

p.18

PUPILS?

45. Given the school’s location and size, cultural provision is good. The wide range of visits to museums, participation in events and visitors to the school widen pupils’ experience of local heritage and culture. Infant pupils use French or Greek phrases to respond to the register and themed events, such as a French breakfast, add to the provision to make pupils aware of other places and cultures. Although the junior pupils are currently studying Kenya, the school has little in place to ensure that pupils understand the multicultural society in which they live.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The overall level of care is good. As highlighted in the 1996 inspection, the adults know the pupils well and show a high degree of concern for, and interest in, their personal development. Their knowledge of pupils’ personalities, foibles, progress, attainment and particular needs allows them to identify quickly when any pupil is performing or behaving out of character. Nevertheless, the school has not kept up- to-date with required systems and procedures relating to health, safety and welfare. Governors are working to deal with issues and potential hazards confirmed during the inspection and in a recent audit that identified several areas where the school does not comply fully with risk assessment and safety regulations.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Good systems are in place for monitoring pupils’ attendance and the school is quick to telephone parents if there is no message about a pupil’s absence. All pupils are carefully supervised at playtimes and at the end of the school day when the headteacher personally supervises the handover of pupils to parents and carers.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The family community generally regulates itself in controlling pupils’ behaviour. The headteacher has high expectations of the pupils to behave well and good levels of supervision at key times mean that no bullying or oppressive behaviour is allowed to develop. The adults provide much personal support for pupils who have emotional and behavioural problems and it is much to the school’s credit that newcomers settle in quickly and socialise well with others.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Appropriate procedures are in place for child protection in line with local guidelines and all staff have had relevant awareness training. However, the headteacher and Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 15 designated governors have yet to attend the recommended multi-agency training. Governors have approved a policy to promote sex and race equality and in practice, pupils show no undue animosity to others.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The procedures to assess the pupils’ attainment and progress meet statutory requirements and are satisfactory overall. However, it is only recently that the school has developed coherent assessment, recording and reporting procedures as outlined in a key issue in 1996. The headteacher has introduced more rigorous systems to track pupils’ progress through school and also to assess pupils’ attainment in relation to targets in literacy, numeracy and science and personal aims. As a result, the school is gaining a clearer view of how well pupils are doing and whether the pace of progress is sufficient. This is particularly valuable in tracking the progress of those pupils who join the school during the year. However, the accuracy of teachers’ assessment is a continuing area for refinement as there is evidence to show that in the past, teachers have tended to over estimate pupils’ attainment.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The day-to-day systems to record pupils’ progress still have some gaps. While the school has records of pupils’ developing awareness of citizenship and personal, social and health education, it has little information on pupils’ listening, speaking and reading skills to inform teachers about the next steps in pupils’ learning. A good start has been made in using target statements for writing and handwriting to indicate what pupils need to do. Similarly, in mathematics, science, geography, history and ICT, the teachers make effective use of National Curriculum subject level descriptors to determine attainment. However, this is not consistent between the two classes. While the infant staff collect good observational and anecdotal information on the progress of reception year children, little is done to record this formally and prepare the ground for the necessary completion of the Foundation Stage profile at the end of the year.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The school makes good use of reading tests and other assessments to identify those pupils who need additional help. Records relating to pupils with special educational needs are up to date. Pupils’ targets are written in simple terms and are realistic given the time till the next review date.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. Parents are very supportive of the school. In the pre-inspection meeting, and in their replies to the questionnaire, they raised no concerns at all. They commented on the need for improvements to the building and a wish for even more activities after school but were very understanding of the school’s situation.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. The parents feel that the strongest areas of the school are the approachability of the staff, the children's good behaviour, good teaching, the use of homework, good leadership and management, good information for parents and the teachers' expectations that the children will work hard. The inspection team agrees that pupils' behaviour is generally good, but sometimes some infant pupils step out of line. Although the teaching is good for the juniors, it is not as strong for the infant pupils.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. The school's personal relationship with parents is of a high quality. The staff know the parents very well and there is much exchange of information when the staff meet the parents at the start and end of the school day. The goodwill and support of the parents are highly evident in their offers to be parent governors, to help out when needed and to attend events organised by the flourishing Parent/Teacher Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 16 Association to raise funds to purchase items such as a carpet and books for the library. As a result of parents’ comments after the school’s survey of their views, they are now receiving information each term on curriculum themes and homework. The headteacher has plans to hold evening sessions about how numeracy and ICT are taught, and to start an after school ICT club for parents and pupils.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The school's information for parents is generally good. There are a few omissions in the prospectus, including details of the Foundation Stage curriculum, but it is highly readable and informative. A good initiative, well liked by the parents, is the weekly ‘yellow page’ which gives details of school affairs and advance warning of future events.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The annual reports for parents on their children’s progress are good. Parents comment that they give a realistic picture of their children. Certainly the paragraphs about pupils' personal development are very detailed and provide a useful reference to help in the transfer of the Year 6 pupils to secondary school. However, the reports give minimal information on test scores and how well pupils have done in relation to the standards expected for their age and also their personal targets.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The overall quality of school leadership and management is satisfactory. The headteacher’s very good leadership reflects her drive to improve the quality of what the school offers. Although the shortcomings and inefficiencies in school management identified in the previous report have been largely resolved there is still a lack of concerted team effort to drive the school forward. This is partly because of the way responsibilities are delegated and partly because the teachers do not all have the expertise to lead and manage change.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Two changes in headteacher since the last inspection have had a significant impact on how parents view the school and also its rate of improvement. Initial progress was slow in dealing with the eight key issues and there was a hiatus when the school lost its way following the loss of parents’ goodwill. The number on roll fell dramatically and the school found it hard to appoint governors. The enthusiasm, industry, high commitment and good teaching of the present headteacher, appointed in April 2001, have done much to renew parents’ and governors’ confidence in the school. In meetings with the inspectors, parents and governors commented very favourably on what has been achieved over the last four terms. This has lifted morale and given new impetus to the programme of improvement.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The recent good progress reflects the vision of the headteacher and her hard work to gain staff, pupils’ and parents’ respect while also putting necessary curriculum and management structures in place. This has not been helped by several changes in school clerk and the need of the current clerk to establish efficient administrative practices and procedures. Much has been done to deal with the key issues and the school is now ready to move forward on other fronts. In many cases, the action has had several benefits. For example, the appointment of specialist teachers to teach pupils with special educational needs and to teach ICT, has resolved weaknesses identified in the last report and strengthened the overall quality and range of teaching expertise. There has been a prudent use of allocated funds for special educational needs and monies from the Small Schools initiative.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. In the last inspection, governors were judged to have limited involvement in school management and were not meeting statutory requirements. The present chair of the Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 17 governing body is giving a firm steer. His pragmatic, positive outlook and conscientious support for the school have been crucial in developing the work of the committees, as well as helping to ensure that the school’s priorities are reflected in action. Through his regular visits to school and his discussions with the headteacher, he has a good awareness of how well the school is doing and where improvements are needed. He is being highly instrumental in getting the go-ahead and wherewithal to renovate the schoolhouse. The school still has a vacancy for a governor but the others are working hard to ensure that all requirements are met. Steps have already been taken to deal with issues raised in a recent safety audit.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Newly appointed governors are enthusiastic and some are making good use of professional and personal expertise to ensure that the school meets all requirements. A good example is the working partnership between a governor and the special educational needs co-ordinator. As a result, the governing body’s involvement is now good.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. Another area of good improvement is the analysis of performance data from the monitoring of teaching and learning and also from tracking pupils’ progress. This has given the headteacher, staff and governors a more informed view of the links between pupils’ attainment and the quality of teaching and learning. The action plans in the school development plan for 2002/3 make clear reference to many of the areas for improvement in teaching, curriculum and the welfare of pupils that are identified in this report. The agreed focus on teaching and learning also ties in neatly with the key issues. However, there are ‘too many balls in the air’ to ensure the most effective use of people’s time and skills in dealing with common issues.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The four-year development plan outlines a clear vision of a thriving school and also the action needed to raise standards. Governors are very aware of the difficulties in comparing the school with others and of the need to raise its viability by increasing the number on roll. They are actively seeking funding to make improvements to the buildings and are looking at different ways to keep a high profile for the school locally. A good initiative is the link with local newspapers and the weekly newssheet for parents. Similarly, the Parent and Toddler group held in the school hall and the planned parent and child ICT club are promising ways to ensure families experience the atmosphere and workings of the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The leadership and management of the curriculum are satisfactory. All the teaching staff hold subject leadership responsibilities. This ensures that all subject policies and resource banks are regularly reviewed but the load is quite onerous, especially for the headteacher. The current development plan contains action plans for every subject. Generic aspects, such as the need to improve teachers’ questioning skills, have not been recognised as possible areas of focus for leadership and professional development over the year. The headteacher has initiated a shared, consultative approach to school management. Procedures to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning have been agreed and the school is now in a good position to move forward. However, not all the staff are equally skilled in managing change and the school is just beginning to develop a concerted team approach to raising standards.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The co-ordinator is well organised and has done a lot in a short time to ensure that all necessary paperwork is in place and up-to-date. The school has also been prompt to amend its systems and procedures in the light of revisions to the nationally recommended code of practice. This places it in a very sound position to meet the needs of pupils with particular needs, including physical needs. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 18 66. School administration is also efficient and well organised. The school secretary makes effective use of her limited hours and pits her ICT skills to good effect in storing information and producing school documents which are well presented.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. Being a small school with high overheads, Christ Church receives a significant sum per pupil, currently twice the amount received by larger schools, but it is spending more than it receives. Governors are drawing on sizeable reserve funds to sustain the very good level of staffing and to meet other general costs. Last year the parents raised the equivalent of £34 per pupil, a notable achievement given the size of the school, which was used to improve the library provision. The cosy library is housed in a corner of the hall but staff and pupils make only occasional use of it as a place to study or browse. Similarly, there were few chances during the inspection for pupils to use the French café role-play area. Although parents, staff and pupils much enjoyed ‘le petit déjeuner’ morning, the school has not considered ways to keep the interest ongoing and enhance the value gained from such events.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The addition of the new classroom has much improved the quality of the accommodation which is now good for pupils. Gymnastics lessons in physical education are now held in the school hall, although the equipment is limited. Good use is made of the yard, garden area and local field to widen the programme in physical education as well as geography, history and science. Staff facilities are inadequate. There is no staff room, not enough toilets given the size of the teaching team, and insufficient storage areas. As access to the office is through the main school, teaching staff must attend to callers at the school door. While this does not disrupt the pupils’ learning too much, it is not an ideal situation. A good solution is the plan to provide a new office, staffroom and storage area by renovating the adjoining schoolhouse.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. Given the good all-round experience for pupils, the school gives satisfactory value for money. There is much scope to enhance the value through the developments planned in teaching and learning and the vision outlined in the four-year plan.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

70. In order to raise standards and accelerate the pace of school improvement, governors, the headteacher and staff should:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) Heighten pupils’ achievement, especially in the infant years, by raising teachers’ expectations of what they can achieve for their age and ensuring that the teachers plan work for pupils that builds on what they already know and can do; (paragraphs 1, 6, 7, 18, 20, 25-27, 29, 50, 51, 79, 91, 94)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(b) Ensure that pupils have increasing opportunities to use available ICT equipment and apply and practise their skills to support their learning across the curriculum; (paragraphs 10, 29, 32, 87, 95, 99, 100, 104)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(c) Strengthen the effectiveness of the teaching team in managing change by identifying key priorities and ensuring that staff have the time, expertise and resources to take an active role in dealing with them; (paragraphs 22, 58, 62, 64, 88) Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 19 (d) Improve standards of presentation by ensuring that agreed policies in spelling and handwriting are consistently put into practice and by providing pupils with good models to establish expectations; (paragraphs 4, 13, 29, 44)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(e) Develop opportunities for pupils to show autonomy and initiative in organising their own learning and in contributing to the running of the school. (paragraphs 16, 29, 30, 44)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

When drawing up the action plan, governors may also wish to include the following minor issues:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Compliance with statutory requirements in health, safety and welfare and information to parents; (paragraphs 46, 49, 56)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• The limited curriculum for the Foundation Stage. (paragraphs 6, 31, 72, 75, 77, 78) Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 20

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 19

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.24

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 five percentage points.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 22

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 7

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

p.24

Attendance

School data 5.3 School data 0.5 Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 21 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.24

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 22

p.25

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.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.26

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.

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.6 Financial year 2001/2

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 8.5

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 131,450

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 135,956

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 34 Expenditure per pupil 6,798

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 15,892

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 11,386 Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 23

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1.1

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1.4

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 24

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 77 23 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 92 8 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 85 15 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 85 15 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 92 8 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 85 15 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 77 23 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 85 15 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 77 23 0 0 0

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 69 31 0 0 0 Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 25

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. The overall quality of provision is satisfactory. Reception year children experience a mixture of sessions with the infant children and separate sessions with the classroom assistant. Although the teacher plans work that reflects the content of the national curriculum for the Foundation Stage, the challenge is not always high enough and the range of experiences is limited. For example, there are very few daily opportunities to learn through play with sand and water. The staff have very few formal records to track development in all six areas of learning. This weakens the teaching which is satisfactory overall but good in some aspects, especially in personal, social and emotional development.

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

72. Good progress is made and standards are already good. Very positive attitudes to learning are shown and considerable aplomb in working as one of a group or individually. Children are confident to ask questions and make suggestions and concentrate very well when playing games and taking part in activities with an adult. A good feature of the teaching is the way the teacher and classroom assistant treat reception children as equals and encourage them to play a full part in class life. Routines of the day and class are very well known and there are opportunities for children to show a strong sense of self in asserting wishes.

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

73. Although the teaching is satisfactory overall, there is strength in the development of the early learning goals in communication and thinking. The constant interaction with older children and with adults, often on a one-to-one basis has a highly beneficial effect on developing children’s ability to talk about and explain ideas, feelings and events. As a result, children become confident speakers in a range of situations.

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

74. Sessions of shared reading and letter games help children to progress in developing an awareness of letters and their sounds and in recognising high frequency words. Children develop skills in handling books carefully and come to know the characters in the reading scheme and some of the things that happen to them. Progress in writing is slower as not enough is done on a daily basis to provide structured teaching in how to form letters correctly. As a result, some letters are being formed incorrectly and inappropriate writing habits are going unchecked. Given the school’s accepted need to improve pupils’ handwriting, this is an area of concern. Children learn to write their name without help but at other times there is too much emphasis on copying the adult’s writing rather than having a go at writing independently. Chances are missed to include writing as an integral part of classroom routines and

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

to accelerate the development of early reading and writing through purposeful and meaningful activities.

p.29

Mathematical development

75. Rhymes, counting games and practical experiences develop the children’s confidence in using number. Good progress is made in achieving the standard expected at the end of the year in counting and calculating. Children learn to count to 20 with minimal help and gain a good understanding of one-to-one correspondence, Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 26 as in giving the correct money when ‘buying’ items. A good understanding of change and ‘more’ and ‘less’ was also evident as part of this work. For instance, when other infant children bought items and were not sure which coins to give for the four pence total, one child suggested, ‘If you give me five then I’ll give you one back’. As a result of this, the teacher realised the need to amend her planning to ensure higher challenge in later activities.

p.29

Mathematical development

76. Practical tasks, such as looking for different shapes around the classroom, and building castles from construction blocks are fostering a sound awareness of shape, space and basic measures. While the teaching and overall provision are satisfactory, the limited range of experiences, particularly in dealing with problems and in discussing relevant coping strategies, is constraining the learning.

p.30

development

77. Satisfactory teaching fosters learning in these three areas and progress indicates that the expected standards will be met by the end of the reception year. However, some aspects are poorly developed as the programme lacks richness and real stimulation. For example, there are very few daily opportunities to use paint, explore different media, use a range of tools and investigate different materials. As a result, there are few chances to practise skills and techniques or to use an increasing range of resources. Nevertheless, the children draw on their good general knowledge and learn by watching the others. At times, the children show quickness of learning. For example, good anticipation was shown in suggesting that a soft rubber ball would regain its shape when the pressure was released. In outdoor and indoor play the children move with good control and coordination. At the swimming baths they are confident to practise kicking while holding on to the rail.

p.30

ENGLISH

78. Standards are average. However, the need to raise the quality of the content and presentation of pupils’ writing is, as in 1996, an area for development. Too little has been done to ensure a well-taught, neat handwriting style but there are signs of improvement in the older junior pupils’ work due to the headteacher’s good teaching and recent emphasis on teaching a uniform, joined style. Similarly, the focus on teaching the key features of effective writing, such as the format of a letter, is giving pupils an effective framework for their ideas and they are beginning to achieve better in producing work comparable to that expected for their age. Likewise, the infant pupils are doing as well as others in other schools but there is some underachievement. The staff’s expectations of the pupils are not consistently high enough and there is much scope to enliven the teaching and learning. The teaching

p.30

ENGLISH

for the infants is satisfactory overall with some strengths in the teaching of word recognition and writing.

p.30

ENGLISH

79. Pupils’ listening and speaking skills are average overall. While many are confident, talkative and mature conversationalists they find it harder to justify and explain their views. A few, because of their use of local dialect, also have problems in using appropriate Standard English when needed. For instance, one junior pupil used the phrase, ‘I am so glad you have wrote to me’. This lowers their attainment in reading and writing especially when they have to ‘read between the lines’ and put forward a well-argued case. From starting in the reception class, pupils willingly express their views, often at length, on what they see, hear and do. Junior pupils show good skills in listening to, and responding to, others’ views. However, they are not as skilled in Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 27 exploring and clarifying ideas or in summarising main points. For example, in

p.30

ENGLISH

science, the headteacher had to question pupils hard to get them to sum up the factors that affect the dissolving of sugar in water. In many lessons, the teachers tend to tell the pupils what they need to know rather than engaging the pupils in discussion. Not enough is done as part of lessons, especially in the end sessions, to encourage pupils to review their learning and to justify their thinking. Questions, such as ‘What has gone wrong with your learning?’, used as part of the headteacher’s marking, are a useful prompt to encourage pupils to think things through.

p.31

ENGLISH

80. The pupils make steady, satisfactory progress in reading in the infant years. The parents play a vital role in hearing their children read regularly at home. The school supports this by ensuring pupils take home good quality children’s books as well as books from the reading scheme. Although there are times when pupils read to each other, reading has a relatively low profile in the school day. Times are missed, such as when pupils come in the morning or after lunch, or as part of the literacy hour, for pupils to browse and share books in the class or school library, or to be involved in book related activities such as listening to taped versions or using storyboards.

p.31

ENGLISH

81. Infant pupils learn quickly about letters and their sounds as this aspect is well taught. The younger infant children often profit from being with the older ones and pick up on what they are learning. This was highly evident when, having heard about the work on ‘ea’ for the Year 2 pupils, a Year 1 pupil commented, ‘I can see a Year 2 word’ and pointed to ‘ tea’ in the book, ‘The Tiger who came to tea.’

p.31

ENGLISH

82. Year 2 pupils are already confident in using their knowledge to work out the segments of unfamiliar words, such as ‘stretch’ and ‘clever’, but they are less skilled in combining all the clues from the text, picture and their own general knowledge to make full sense of what they are reading. They like books and, when guided, they improve their use of expression and emphasis. This also typifies the work of the junior pupils who have particular favourite authors and book types. When changing their books in the library van, many juniors opted immediately for Roald Dahl although some, mainly boys, selected non-fiction.

p.31

ENGLISH

83. The junior pupils cope well when reading different types of text, such as captions to accompany photographs of Kenya. They know how to use indexes, dictionaries and a thesaurus to locate information but are not so skilled in interpreting the text, dealing with nuances and identifying the key stylistic features of different authors. However, pupils’ ready response to the headteacher’s request to skim read to get a feeling for the introduction to ‘The Pyramid Plot’, indicates potential for quick improvement. Good decisions have been the purchase of books specifically to interest the boys and the planned spring term emphasis on refining comprehension skills ready for the 2003 national tests for 11-year-olds.

p.31

ENGLISH

84. As seen nationally, pupils’ writing attainment remains lower than that in reading. The 1996 inspection report commented that ‘there are only limited opportunities for pupils to write in any variety across all subjects’. The headteacher recognises this is a continuing weakness and is working to raise the profile of writing. Pupils wrote their own books during Book Week but not all were completed and the potential to celebrate authorship was not fully realised. Several pupils have a good feel for language in writing stories or accounts of events. The diaries completed by infant pupils during the summer holiday are a good example. However, many pupils lack fluency in how they express their ideas and the quality is lowered by inaccuracies in punctuation, spelling and handwriting. For example, much writing is untidy and few pupils write consistently on the lines. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 28

p.31

ENGLISH

85. A lack of rigour in the teaching for the infants in sentence rules means that by the end of Year 2, too many are not punctuating sentences correctly. Although pupils spell correctly the most frequent words, they often fail to apply what they know about spelling rules. The link between skills in reading and writing is not explicit enough to ensure that pupils make the best progress. The quality of the current work of some pupils does not reflect the potential shown in September.

p.32

ENGLISH

86. In literacy lessons, the junior pupils are learning how to plan, draft and revise their writing. Junior pupils learn to use word processing functions but as their keyboard skills are weak, they take a long time to write using the computer. The headteacher is making effective use of prompt sheets as well as personal reminders on how to organise their ideas. In their poems to be spoken silently, pupils made good use of metaphors and imagery to complete lines starting, ‘It was so silent that …’ , and in their letters to an agony aunt, they made good use of colloquial phrases to express their problem. Work from last year shows Year 6 pupils made good progress in refining their writing skills. One pupil’s lively, entertaining story of ‘Zak Snottgum and the Green Goo Disaster’ was well constructed and used mature techniques to engage the reader. Current work, however, is not as good. The headteacher has a

p.32

ENGLISH

good understanding of individual pupils’ needs and in lessons, sets a realistic challenge for all. This is enabling pupils with special educational needs to succeed but chances are missed to adapt the task even more and to provide resources to support their learning.

p.32

ENGLISH

87. As subject leader, the headteacher has a good awareness of what needs to be done. She has minimal time, however, to work with others to raise the quality of teaching and learning. A continuing gap in the provision is the lack of explicit links between the work in literacy hours and other subjects. There is considerable scope to integrate themes and to be more flexible in the organisation of pupils. Similarly, there is scope to make even better use of staff expertise, resources and space to provide meaningful and purposeful reading and writing experiences in the spirit of the ‘one-off’ experiences, such as the French breakfast, that motivate the pupils and foster their oral skills as well as those in literacy.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

88. Since the last inspection, standards in mathematics have remained average. However, the target for 2003 is very challenging and pupils’ current work indicates it will be difficult to meet. The work of Year 5 pupils indicates higher standards for 2004.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

89. The curriculum in mathematics has some good features. Teachers and support staff have received training and are knowledgeable about the most recent recommendations of the National Numeracy Strategy. This is reflected in their use of practical activities, such as counting routines, number sticks and bingo games, to increase pupils’ facility with number. The emphasis on junior pupils learning their multiplication tables is helping to improve their mental agility in these daily sessions. The headteacher has carefully analysed pupils’ test results to see where they could do better. As a result, she is placing greater emphasis in lessons on problem solving and multiplication.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

90. Lessons are planned effectively and the teachers discuss their intentions with the pupils at the beginning. The good, purposeful start is not fully reflected in the quality of lesson endings. This time is not always used well to reflect on what pupils have Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 29 learnt, especially for the infant pupils. Slow pace often means there is no time to hold a class review or the sharing refers to what pupils have done rather than the strategies they have used or rules they have learnt. This is not the case in the junior class where lessons move at a good pace. The headteacher questions the pupils skilfully to probe their understanding and to prompt the pupils to explain how they have worked out their answers.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

91. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress in developing their number skills in relation to their abilities. This is because the teachers plan work at the right level for them and they are given good support from the classroom assistants. In a very good lesson, lower ability junior pupils used counters as part of work on multiplication and division. Their ability to see the process together with good questioning and support from the adults ensured they made good progress in understanding that 10 times 2 equalled 20 and 20 divided by 2 equalled 10. They took full part in the lesson and the praise and encouragement of the adults boosted their self-esteem.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

92. Junior pupils achieve well because of the good teaching they receive and the varied activities that move the pupils on in their learning. The headteacher matches the work well to the different year groups and abilities in the class. This helps the rate of progress for all the pupils. For example, there was a high level of challenge for the Year 5 and 6 pupils who were solving algebraic equations such as 4Y – 4 = 32, while younger juniors were working out simpler multiplication sums. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a sound understanding of place value in number as well as of shape, space and measures. They also are competent in collecting data and representing it in line and bar graphs as part of science and geography as well as in mathematics.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

93. Infant pupils do not achieve as well. Often their progress slows because they chat and lose concentration while doing their set tasks. Some find difficulty working on their own and only stay on task when they are being directly supervised by an adult. As the teacher allows herself to be diverted by pupils’ questions and irrelevant comments, this sometimes means that planned activities do not take place.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

94. Subject leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher is attempting to develop new ideas to help raise standards, such as the use of a commercial mathematics scheme which includes assessment checks at the end of each unit of work. Although many old resources have been discarded and new ones purchased, the school still lacks items including a good range of ICT software and calculators. This limits the use of ICT as a learning tool in mathematics.

p.33

SCIENCE

95. Standards in science are average at the end of Years 2 and 6. In the 2002 national tests, the school exceeded its target. All Year 6 pupils attained the level expected for their age and one pupil did better than this. Inspection evidence indicates that current standards are similar although there is little high attainment. Nevertheless, the emphasis now placed on the practical aspects of science with pupils planning and developing their own investigations, sets a good foundation for standards to rise. From starting school, pupils are making predictions, analysing evidence and drawing conclusions and learning how to compile an effective report. By the age of 11, pupils are competent in devising fair tests and collecting data. Pupils with special educational needs often do as well as the others because of the practical nature of the work and their chance to discuss ideas with others. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 30

p.33

SCIENCE

96. Pupils’ skills in scientific enquiry are developing well. This is because of several factors, not least the good quality of teaching. The pupils really enjoy practical work and show good work and social attitudes. They handle equipment carefully and work together well to discuss what they are doing. In a good lesson, the infants investigated whether clay, dough or sticking compound was the stretchiest material and which would go the longest before breaking. Because the teacher and classroom assistant questioned what was happening, all the pupils began to comment on what they saw. However, chances were missed to take this further and ask the pupils to suggest reasons and to compare and contrast. This meant that the older infants did not achieve as well as they might. By contrast, older junior pupils made sensible predictions and tested them out because the headteacher expected them to make good use of their previous experience. The younger pupils benefited

p.34

SCIENCE

from their comments but were not as skilled in identifying the factors to ensure a fair test. For example, they did not point out the need to stir the water in exactly the same way whenever sugar lumps were added. In this lesson the pupils also used their mathematics skills well to work out average times and to present their results in charts and line graphs.

p.34

SCIENCE

97. Pupils also make steady progress in acquiring scientific knowledge. The infant pupils know that to be healthy they need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables. Junior pupils know that sugar dissolves in hot water and that some processes are reversible while others are not.

p.34

SCIENCE

98. The headteacher, as co-ordinator, is aware that in the past pupils’ knowledge has not been as strong in the area of physical processes, especially in relation to forces and light. The school is now using the recommended science scheme of work for small schools, which over time ensures pupils gain a wide experience of all aspects of science. However, two areas for improvement are the lack of agreed methods to assess and record the pupils’ progress and attainment, and also the minimal use of ICT to support pupils’ learning. Resources are also limited but recent purchases are good and well matched to the planned topics.

p.34

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

99. Standards have risen since the last inspection and are now satisfactory. Pupils are generally reaching the level expected for their age and all, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. However, the pupils have few chances to practise and apply their knowledge and skills as the computers are only used occasionally. During the inspection, no infant pupil was seen to use a computer and the classroom computers were switched off a lot of the time. Although the juniors know how to change fonts and use basic keyboard functions, their typing skills are poor and indicate a lack of structured teaching and experience in previous years. Time is lost as pupils use one finger to type in what they need.

p.34

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

100. Since the last inspection, the school has improved the number of computers and the quality of ICT equipment, although it still lacks some items, especially software to support the pupils’ learning in different subjects. The school intends to bid for additional funding to extend the range of equipment and the school development plan also includes steps to update the teachers’ skills and develop their confidence to teach and use ICT as part of teaching across the curriculum. The co-ordinator has only recently taken over responsibility for ICT and has not yet been able to have an impact on standards. Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 31 101. Good specialist teaching for the junior pupils is accelerating their learning. The teacher has good subject knowledge and high expectations of the pupils who are keen to learn. They are keeping pace with pupils of the same age in other schools

p.34

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

as the school uses nationally recommended guidelines to structure what is taught. This also ensures the systematic teaching of specific skills in using computer programs and functions, such as multi-media presentations. Regular assessments are made to check the progress the pupils are making and plans are amended to take account of any gaps or advances in learning.

p.35

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

102. During a good lesson given by the specialist teacher, older junior pupils applied their knowledge of control technology in demonstrating how a robot toy could be programmed through a transmitter to perform different functions. The pupils were well motivated, behaved sensibly and responsibly and showed much enjoyment when they were using the computer. They listened attentively to the teacher’s instructions and acted upon them enthusiastically.

p.35

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

103. The infant pupils learn to handle the computer mouse, to use the keyboard and to use the different screen functions. They had used the mouse to click on pictures and compile a simple town map as part of their work in geography. However, there is little evidence from other subjects to show what they can do. Although the school has programs to support learning, especially in literacy and numeracy, there is little evidence to show that they are regularly used. Likewise, the school has Internet access but pupils’ use to locate information is minimal.

p.35

THE FOUNDATION SUBJECTS

104. Since the last inspection, satisfactory standards have been sustained in art and design, design and technology, history and geography. Standards in music, although satisfactory, are not as good as judged in the last inspection. Standards in swimming are good.

p.35

THE FOUNDATION SUBJECTS

105. In all subjects, the school’s use of national curriculum guidance to structure what is taught ensures that over the infant and junior years, the pupils experience a suitable range of topics and National Curriculum requirements are met. The quality of teaching and leadership in all these subjects is satisfactory. Co-ordinators are beginning to adapt topics to reflect the needs of the school and also to make increasing use of natural links between the subjects. A good example is the focus on Kenyan art and culture as well as the geography of Kenya. The school has adequate resources to support pupils’ learning and makes good use of visits and links with other small schools to widen pupils’ experience.

p.35

Art and design

106. Standards are broadly as expected for pupils’ ages although standards in drawing and collage work are better. Junior pupils’ self-portraits show good attention to detail and skin tone. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. They enjoy art and design sessions and take care with their work.

p.35

Art and design

107. Pupils study the work of different artists and their paintings of flowers reflect well the style of Georgia O’Keefe. They acquire skills in using a range of media such as paint, crayon, tissue paper and clay. They explore pattern, texture, colour and line and learn to apply their skills in a variety of ways. Junior pupils have mixed colours to create a range of shades of orange, red and yellow to represent African sunsets. In Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 32 a lesson seen, Year 3 and 4 pupils looked carefully at the pattern on animal skins and then extended the pattern using oil pastels. Year 5 and 6 pupils used small pieces of coloured paper to create their own mosaics similar to those studied on Kenyan neck collars. All the pupils worked industriously and the teacher and classroom assistant used their expertise to offer good advice and suggestions as to how the pupils could develop their work.

p.35

Design and technology

108. Pupils enjoy the practical tasks of designing and making. Their evaluation sheets and design folders show that they make satisfactory progress in learning how to evaluate the effectiveness of their products and procedures. Evidence from displays and photographs of pupils’ previous work show they gain experience through a range of topics and experiences. For example, infant pupils use construction kits to acquire a good understanding of how components fit together. They develop competence in cutting, attaching and decorating paper and card. In making books, they learn how to stitch and glue materials together. The novelty book, ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’, produced last summer by the junior pupils for the younger ones, is a very good example of how pupils have applied their knowledge to create flaps, tabs and moving pictures. Pupils used a split pin to act as a pivot to take one goat over the humped back bridge.

p.36

Geography

109. Pupils’ attainment is typical for their age. Pupils are learning about different places and geographical processes and also how to carry out geographical enquiries. However, this strand is not as strong as it could be as the teachers are not always starting from the basis of enquiry. A good example of where this has been effective is the question posed to the infants on what they like, or do not like, in the local environment.

p.36

Geography

110. The teachers make good use of photographs, reference material, local walks and visits to motivate the pupils and to encourage them to observe, identify and describe key features. Infant pupils have drawn simple maps of their journey to school and have included bends in the roads, and landmarks, such as the bridge and marina. In a good lesson, the junior pupils used maps, atlases and guide books to start their compilation of a fact file about Kenya. Good questioning by the teacher ensured the pupils used terms such as ‘North West’ when comparing the location of Kenya in relation to other African countries. The pupils were very interested and one pupil used information taken from a computer program at home to make notes about the languages of Kenya.

p.36

History

111. The pupils are interested in history and enjoy looking at photographs, artefacts and books about people and events in the past. One junior boy selected books on castles from the library van. Infant pupils had done their homework in drawing their house and asking their parents about its age and how they knew whether it was ‘old’ or ‘new’. In the lesson, this led to interesting discussions about features such as beams, date stones and sash windows. Some pupils showed a partial awareness of the passage of time, asking whether dates such as 1871 were before the war. One pupil also remarked on the local public house having the same name as Queen Victoria. The junior pupils learn about key historical periods and also how to find out and organise information. In their work last term on the Romans, they found out Thurnham Glasson Christ Church, Church of England Primary School - 33 about soldiers and their life in Britain and also their impact on present society, such

p.36

Music

112. Pupils make satisfactory progress in composing and performing because of the good range of opportunities over the school year and the specialist teaching each week. Video evidence from a jazz concert last year shows that pupils of all ages playing percussion instruments were able to keep a steady beat. Junior pupils sustained repeating phrases confidently on xylophones while accompanied by professional musicians.

p.37

Music

113. In the lesson seen, infant pupils were keen to sing and play instruments. They know that percussion instruments can be scraped, shaken or beaten and were able to follow picture and graphic signs to play different sound sequences. The older infants showed a developing awareness of signs that tell them to increase or decrease the volume. A good feature of the teaching was the opportunity for pupils to comment on the performance and then to have another try. As a result, pupils tried even harder to give a loud end after a short rest. The pupils listen to a range of music in school assemblies and music lessons, but the strand of musical appreciation is less evident and chances are missed to include music more prominently in the day-to- day life of the school.

p.37

Physical education

114. Standards are broadly typical of those found in most schools. In swimming, however, standards are good because all pupils attend weekly swimming lessons and are being well taught how to perform different strokes. By the end of Year 6, most pupils can swim much further than the expected 50 metres and have acquired awards for swimming different strokes, diving and using turns. Many junior pupils are already competent and confident in swimming backstroke and freestyle, and three are learning how to use their arms more effectively in front crawl.

p.37

Physical education

115. A new subject policy is being compiled and the curriculum reflects the content of two published schemes of work. For its size, with its limited hall and outdoor space, the school offers pupils a good range of physical activities over the year. Pupils take part in gymnastics, dance, games and adventurous pursuits. For example, the headteacher used her personal interest in running to involve all the pupils in a sponsored marathon along the old railway track.

p.37

Physical education

116. In the lesson seen, the teaching and learning were satisfactory. All the infant pupils and the teacher were dressed appropriately for the lesson and due attention was paid to safe working practices. The pupils knew the routines of the ‘warm-up’ and worked hard to lift their knees when skipping. Good demonstrations by the teacher helped all pupils to improve their star and curl shapes. However, a few pupils found it hard to maintain their concentration and too few opportunities were given for pupils to comment on how they could improve their performance.

p.37