Treales Church of England Primary School

TREALES C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 12 th February 2003

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TREALES C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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TREALES C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Road Treales Near Kirkham Preston

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Alan Parker

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 13 th October 1997 Treales CofE Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Tony Painter Registered inspector The Foundation Stage Music English Geography History What sort of school is it? The school's results and pupils' achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? Paul Widdowson Lay inspector Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Alan Cross Team inspector Special educational needs Equal opportunities Mathematics Science Information and communication technology (ICT) Art and design Design and technology Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? How well is the school led and managed? Treales CofE Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Schoolhaus Limited Suite 17 BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Newark Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Treales CofE Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This very small voluntary aided school, for pupils between four and eleven years, has 35 pupils on roll. There are fewer pupils than at the time of the last inspection. Pupils are all from white backgrounds and speak English as their first language. They come from a wide area of social diversity around the school. No pupils are in receipt of free school meals, which is well below the national average. The attainment of children joining the school is in line with that expected of children of their age. Currently the three children in the reception year are taught in a class with the infant pupils. The headteacher teaches this class for four and a half days each week. All of the junior pupils are taught in the other class, taken by a temporary teacher at the time of the inspection. Throughout the school, five pupils have special educational needs but none of these has a statement of special educational need. These figures are below the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This sound school gives satisfactory value for money. The headteacher leads the school well, pupils are cared for very well and the school provides a sound quality of education. This is most effective in providing for pupils’ personal development and, as a result, pupils have very good attitudes to school. Teaching is satisfactory overall and helps pupils to achieve average standards.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Good provision for pupils’ personal, particularly moral and social, development helps them become mature and responsible. • Very good relationships encourage pupils to have good attitudes to school and they attend well. • The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and leads well. • Strong partnership with parents and the local community enhance pupils’ learning.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Teachers do not make enough use of developing assessment systems to match tasks and further challenge individuals and groups. • There is no system for regular monitoring of teaching to share good practice. • Teachers do not place sufficient emphasis on developing pupils’ investigative skills in science, particularly in the junior class. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in October 1997 and has made satisfactory progress since then. Clearer identification of priorities has helped the school to focus attention on improvements. For example, the school has reviewed the teaching of reading and staff now use the scheme with greater flexibility to help pupils to learn. Better records of pupils’ progress are helping teachers to have higher expectations of higher attaining pupils. The headteacher has introduced better systems for sharing plans and monitoring pupils’ work that support the quality of teaching. However, the school has not made enough progress in monitoring teaching throughout the school to share good practice. The overall quality of teaching and pupils’ standards remain as indicated in the last report. Treales CofE Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English A A D E well above average above average A B Mathematics A* C D E average below average C D Science C A C D well below average E

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STANDARDS

Children join the school with wide variations in ability, although overall it is average. By the time children begin the National Curriculum in Year 1, most have achieved the goals in learning expected at that age. Pupils make satisfactory progress through the school and achieve average standards by the ages of seven and eleven. Small numbers of pupils take the National Curriculum tests each year, leading to wide variations in results, reflecting pupils’ different abilities. In some years, results have been very good, such as 2000, when Year 6 pupils’ mathematics results were in the top five per cent of the country. The most recent group of Year 6 pupils was uncharacteristically large but contained a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The school’s records show that most made at least satisfactory progress and achieved their targets. However, the results were low, particularly in English and mathematics. Over time, the school’s results have improved faster than the

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STANDARDS

national rate and improving analysis of school results is helping the school to set achievable but more demanding targets. In most subjects, teachers do not use the developing assessment systems sufficiently to match tasks precisely to all pupils’ needs. This restricts learning and some pupils could do better. Pupils’ scientific achievements are limited by their restricted understanding of scientific investigations. Their attainment in other subjects is around the national average by the time they leave the school. Pupils with special educational needs have effective support to ensure they make sound progress.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils are keen to come to school and learn. They take part with great enthusiasm in all activities.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave well in classrooms and around the school. They are polite and well mannered, with no evidence of any forms of oppressive behaviour.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good relationships throughout the school effectively encourage pupils’ personal development and teachers give pupils good opportunities to take responsibility.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is very good, with a low rate of unauthorised absence.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

The very good relationships in the school form a secure foundation for the purposeful and very happy atmosphere. As a result, pupils form very good attitudes to school, gaining maturity and willingly taking responsibilities. Treales CofE Primary School - 9

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Although the junior teacher is currently ill and the class is taken by a temporary teacher, there is no evidence that past teaching has been significantly better than seen in the inspection. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory and meets the educational needs of all pupils. However, teaching of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is better because the teacher makes greater efforts to match work more precisely to pupils’ needs. Although there have been good developments of marking and assessment in developing pupils’ writing skills in Years 3 to 6, there is no consistent approach to using assessments to provide good levels of challenge for all pupils. As a result, pupils do not always make as much progress as they could.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The teacher of the younger class introduces children to the school well and helps them make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Throughout the school, secure classroom routines and very good relationships capture pupils’ attention and make them want to learn. Teachers have good control of classes and use praise and respect for pupils well to motivate. Teachers and support staff work together well and classroom assistants play an important role in improving the learning of different groups of pupils. Support for pupils with special educational needs helps them to take a full part in the work of the class and school. This ensures they make satisfactory progress towards the targets set out in their individual education plans.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

English and mathematics teaching is satisfactory overall and teachers have sound approaches to developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. Teachers use the new computer suite effectively to give pupils opportunities to present work and search for information. Although science teaching is satisfactory, teachers, particularly in Years 3 to 6, do not place enough emphasis on developing pupils’ investigative skills.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The school provides an interesting range of activities with some positive additional experiences such as team games and other extra-curricular activities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils’ needs are identified clearly and they are given good support to ensure they learn satisfactorily.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Good provision overall has a positive effect of pupils’ learning. The school encourages pupils’ social and moral education particularly well. Staff give pupils many opportunities to take increasing responsibility within the community of the school. However, pupils have too few opportunities to gain an understanding of their place in and contribution to a multicultural society.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a safe and caring place in which pupils are valued as individuals and can learn happily.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have very good views of the school. The school very effectively promotes and uses strong links with parents to promote pupils’ learning. A good range of visits and strong links with the local community enhance pupils’ learning opportunities. Staff know pupils well and often use this informal information effectively when supporting their learning within the mixed age classes. However, assessment systems are not used consistently to match work precisely to pupils’ needs. Treales CofE Primary School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher’s good leadership has established a clear direction for the school. She has created an effective environment for all staff and governors to work together to improve the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors have increasing knowledge of the school and are becoming more effectively involved in determining priorities.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Greater analysis of school data is helping to identify where improvements are needed. However, there is too little monitoring of teaching to support improvements and share good practice.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. There is good financial planning and the school makes good use of resources, grants and other funding.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Good staffing, accommodation and resources help to ensure a satisfactory quality of education, despite the very small size of the school. Although the relative cost of the school is high, governors make good attempts to ensure that best value is gained from all spending. The school is very small and this contributes positively to teachers’ ability to talk about their work. However, the headteacher lacks sufficient time to work closely with the other staff to identify and resolve weaknesses and ensure that good teaching is shared.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• The school is approachable if parents have concerns or questions. • Teachers welcome parents into the school and work closely with them. • Teachers have high expectations of pupils and teaching is good. • Pupils gain maturity and behave well. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have very good views of the school and the inspection agrees with most of the positive comments. However, although some teaching is good, notably in the infant class, the overall quality is satisfactory. The school provides a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities. Treales CofE Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children join the school at the age of four with a wide range of attainment. The very small numbers of children each year make generalisations difficult. However, over time, children’s attainment on entry to the school is around that found nationally of children of this age. The children are prepared well for the school and quickly settle into the combined Foundation Stage and infant class. The school has further improved this process recently by beginning to offer sessions in school for pre-school children. Very good relationships give children confidence and they make good gains in their personal, social and emotional development. Appropriately amended activities ensure that children make satisfactory progress overall. By the time they begin the National Curriculum in Year 1, most achieve most of the goals set out for children of that age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The school’s results in the National Curriculum tests at the ages of both seven and eleven have varied over recent years. Because the numbers of pupils involved are usually very small, sometimes as few as two pupils, analysis is difficult and results closely reflect the abilities of the particular pupils involved. Results in some years have been particularly good. For example, Year 6 mathematics results in 2000 were in the top five per cent of the country. The most recent results for Year 6 pupils were average in science but below average in mathematics and English. This was an uncharacteristically large group of 13 pupils but several had identified special educational needs. The school’s records show that many made good progress through the school. These results were against the school’s general trend of results in Year 6, which have been improving at a faster rate than found nationally. Better

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

analysis of information about how well pupils are doing is helping teachers to track progress and set more accurate and ambitious targets for pupils’ attainment. However, a sufficiently consistent process of assessing pupils’ work to match lessons accurately to all pupils’ needs does not yet support the target-setting process. As a result, pupils do not consistently make all the progress they are capable of making and this restricts their standards of attainment.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The support and commitment of teachers and other staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs are fully integrated into the work of the class and school. Pupils with concerns are identified and individual education plans provide a key focus to ensure they make satisfactory progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Standards in English are average by the ages of seven and eleven, better than indicated by the most recent National Curriculum tests. Good relationships ensure that pupils gain confidence in speaking and listening through the school and this helps pupils to improve their learning by working well together. Pupils read with enjoyment from progressively more complex books with greater expression and accuracy. Improvements to the reading scheme in Years 3 to 6 and greater flexibility in teachers’ approaches to pupils choosing books ensure pupils’ interest. Pupils apply their reading skills well in research in different forms, including finding information from the Internet. Writing skills are average and pupils write with greater independence in a good range of forms. Pupils use their literacy skills soundly in other subjects, such as history and geography. Recent developments in assessment and analytical

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

marking of pupils’ writing in Years 4 to 6 are clearly identifying what pupils do well and how they can improve. This is leading to improving standards in their writing although it is not consistently evident in their work in other subjects. For example, pupils’ writing in subjects such as history and geography does not consistently apply their learning from literacy lessons.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics is around the national average at the ages of seven and eleven. Teachers make increased use of national guidance, particularly when developing Treales CofE Primary School - 12 pupils’ mental arithmetic skills. This is also helping to challenge higher attaining pupils more effectively, redressing a weakness noted in the last report. Pupils apply their developing skills to increasingly demanding problems in number, shape and measures. They have sound opportunities to practise and apply their numeracy skills in other subjects, for instance when measuring out materials in design and technology, and dealing with numbers and presenting data in science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Although standards in science are average by the ages of seven and eleven, pupils’ achievements are limited by their restricted understanding of scientific investigations. Infant pupils develop a satisfactory range of scientific knowledge and specialist vocabulary. They begin to consider what they need to find out and how they will design simple tests. Junior pupils maintain their sound knowledge in different fields of science and carry out simple observations, recording their data accurately. However, few can draw secure conclusions from activities and most are unclear of how to plan an investigation. Because they have insufficient experience of scientific investigations, they have limited ideas of how to ensure that a test is fair.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils’ overall standards and attainment in other subjects are average through the school, as identified in the last report. Teachers use improved planning materials, including national guidance and materials developed in conjunction with other schools, to ensure pupils’ overall satisfactory progress. There are no significant or consistent differences in the relative attainment of boys and girls.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. All pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn, as identified in the last report. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, have good attitudes to learning which impact positively on their attainment and progress. In all lessons, pupils enjoy very good relationships with their teachers and support staff. This encouragement and support ensures they are keen to answer questions and participate in discussions. As a result, teachers can informally judge what individual pupils know and understand. Most lessons have good pace and, because of this, pupils find the work interesting and enjoy the lessons. Very good relationships and usually well-focused and appropriate learning targets mean that, in most lessons, pupils are attentive and concentrate well on the tasks. They understand what they are going to do and look forward to the challenge.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils behave well. They have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong. In most lessons, pupils settle quickly and respond well to the instructions given to them by the teachers, which means they understand the tasks they are given. They are able to work well independently and collaboratively in pairs and in small groups. They are able to share resources and listen to the views of others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. In the playground, pupils are very well behaved. Pupils of all ages and both sexes play well together. They are lively but there are no arguments and no signs of rough or aggressive behaviour. Although there were two exclusions last year, bullying is not perceived as a problem by parents, pupils or staff and there are no examples of oppressive behaviour. Around the school, pupils are polite and friendly. They always say good morning and open doors for adults.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults in the school are very good. Staff know the pupils very well and there is mutual respect. As a result, pupils feel confident to approach adults in the school with any problems or concerns they may have. In the junior class, there is paired reading between the older and younger pupils which strengthens relationships. Friendship and sharing are very successfully encouraged at the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ personal development is very good because the school works hard at valuing and respecting the pupils. They have a good range of individual responsibilities in the classroom, Treales CofE Primary School - 13 which they enjoy and take seriously. In Year 6, this is extended to a range of whole-school responsibilities, which involves all pupils. Tasks include helping in the library, looking after the playground, playing the music in assembly and captaining football and netball. A ‘super pupil of the week’ is chosen in each class and their photographs and achievements are displayed in the entrance hall.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The school council is well established and has the school captain as chair and vice captain as vice chair. It meets regularly and has been successful in obtaining new printers for the computers and organising litter patrols in the playground. The council provides a good forum for discussion and allows pupils to talk about issues that directly affect daily life of the school. As a result, they have a sense of responsibility towards the school. The school intends, following pupils’ suggestions, to extend membership of the council to other year groups to broaden the opportunity for personal development.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Circle time also provides good opportunities for pupils to discuss a range of personal and social issues, which further contributes to their personal development. For example, the infant class discussed playground rules where they showed concern for personal safety and the environment.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Attendance at the school is well above the national average with no unauthorised absence. The very good attendance and punctuality ensures a prompt start to each school day.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory and meets the basic educational needs of all pupils. This is similar to the position identified in the last report, but there have been improvements. No lessons in the present inspection were unsatisfactory and the teaching of infant pupils is now good. Because the permanent teacher is ill, a supply teacher is currently teaching the junior class. However, there is no indication that past teaching has been significantly better than that seen during the inspection. Teachers have had more opportunities to share planning and develop aspects of the curriculum and this has had a positive impact on teaching. However, there is still no secure pattern for monitoring teaching, identifying what works well and sharing features contributing to good teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Throughout the school, secure classroom routines and very good relationships capture pupils’ attention and make them want to learn. Teachers have good control of classes and use praise and respect for pupils well to motivate. A good emphasis is placed on the development of pupils’ basic skills of literacy and numeracy and pupils have sound opportunities to apply their developing skills in other subjects. For example, pupils write in different forms throughout the school, particularly in subjects such as history and geography. Pupils use their numeracy skills when measuring accurately in design and technology and when displaying their collected data in graphs. The new computer suite is contributing to pupils’ skills and teachers take good opportunities for pupils to search for information or present their work using computers.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers’ planning is clear and makes good use of national and other guidance. This has made a good contribution to reducing the teachers’ over-use of worksheets that was noted in the last report. Planning usually includes references to what pupils will learn and teachers make good use of these when teaching. For example, they remind pupils of the objectives before activities, helping pupils to focus on what they need to do. In better lessons, teachers design objectives to meet the needs of pupils of different ages and different levels of attainment. The teacher in the infant class often successfully achieves this through a flexible approach to grouping pupils in different subjects and activities. For example, all pupils and Foundation Stage children shared the text and discussed the story in a literacy lesson. This is particularly effective in extending children and pupils’ speaking and listening skills. However,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the teacher used her informal assessment of earlier work to provide structured activities for different groups of pupils to extend their learning. In less successful lessons, tasks were not Treales CofE Primary School - 14 pitched precisely to children’s developmental stage and questioning did not do enough to help children make good progress. In other lessons, the time needed for activities was longer than the children could maintain attention and their learning was reduced.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers’ satisfactory marking contributes to pupils’ learning and there are some particularly successful examples in the teaching of writing in the junior class. The best examples focus on the lesson’s objectives and clearly indicate how pupils can improve. The teacher used very effective assessment of the Years 4 to 6 pupils’ writing to give them feedback. As a result, areas of success were clear and the teacher gave clear advice on how to improve further. This was given added weight as the teacher related this advice to expectations of the levels in the National Curriculum tests. Thus, pupils understood what they could do and how to improve. As a further positive feature, the teacher included general feedback points for the whole class in addition to feedback for individuals. However, this analytical approach to marking and assessment is not applied consistently in all subjects through the school. As a

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

result, teachers do not always match tasks precisely to pupils’ needs, and miss some opportunities to extend learning further. For example, pupils’ past work in subjects such as history and geography rarely shows them having opportunities to apply their developing writing skills. Tasks are rarely set at sufficiently different levels to ensure that all pupils are challenged to improve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers and support staff work together well and classroom assistants play an important role in improving the learning of different groups of pupils. Foundation Stage children develop close links with the classroom assistant in the younger class who supports their learning. The children gain socially from being in a class with older infant pupils and this has a positive impact on their personal, social and emotional development. Children settle quickly, learn and enjoy classroom routines and feel pride when involved in activities or when given simple responsibilities. However, the teacher and support worker are careful to meet the children’s specific needs for learning. They take good opportunities, for example, to work closely with the three children in their own group. The assistant uses the teacher’s materials sensitively and effectively to pitch questioning and activities at the appropriate level to interest and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

challenge. This ensures that children make satisfactory progress in other areas of learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. In the junior class, support assistants work particularly effectively when grouping junior pupils into an older and younger group. For example, Years 3 and 4 pupils worked with the assistant to identify common shapes and their properties. The small size of this group helped the assistant to focus carefully on the needs of a pupil with special educational needs and to ensure successful learning. A group of Years 5 and 6 pupils, led by a classroom assistant, used the Internet to identify distinguishing features of different types of stories such as myths and fables. Very good relationships with support staff and good organisation set a good pace to the lesson. Good questioning, securely based on personal knowledge of pupils’ strengths, enabled all pupils to learn effectively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. The co-ordinator, part-time special needs assessment specialist and classroom assistants support these pupils well. This support ensures they take a full part in the work of the class and school. Targets in individual education plans provide a key focus for pupils’ work and classroom assistants comment on achievement and progress of pupils each day.

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PUPILS?

23. The school provides a satisfactory and interesting curriculum that covers all statutory requirements and provides some very positive additional experiences. There have been improvements since the time of the last inspection. The recently implemented curriculum plan for the Foundation Stage and the broader curriculum for the infant class lay important foundations for pupils’ learning. Children in the Foundation Stage experience a suitable curriculum because of careful support and adaptation of activities to suit the objectives of the Treales CofE Primary School - 15 Early Learning Goals. They benefit from the daily opportunity to work alongside older pupils. The school works closely with neighbouring schools for support and development of policies and schemes. Since the previous inspection, teachers have reviewed and rewritten all subject policies, based on the national strategies. The new arrangements represent a far

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PUPILS?

24. Planning is satisfactory overall with good examples in the infant class. Planning for mathematics and English has benefited strongly from the national guidance materials for literacy and numeracy. Pupils enjoy aspects of mathematics and English, particularly when taught in practical and meaningful contexts such as mathematical investigations and aspects of English such as letter writing. Teachers have made effective use of the national scheme of work for science to improve provision. However, whilst a good example of investigation was seen in the infant class, pupils have had insufficient opportunities to develop investigation skills. For example, no Year 6 pupils could identify ways to devise a fair test or suggest simple ways to control factors in an investigation. Information and communication technology (ICT) is properly included in medium-term planning for all subjects.

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PUPILS?

25. The wide age range in each class presents a number of challenges for teachers. However, many pupils gain from the opportunities for socialisation and exposure to a range of attainment in the class. Teachers often make good use of the different age ranges, asking pupils to support one another and match work to different attainment groups. In some subjects, pupils who are more able work with older pupils.

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PUPILS?

26. The opportunities for pupils with special educational needs to learn are good. Teachers give pupils appropriate classroom activities with a suitable level of support from teachers and support staff. The school has a series of strategies to cater for youngsters with a very broad spread of ability. Whilst there are presently no pupils with statements of special educational needs, a number with particular learning needs are identified. All pupils with special educational needs have individual education plans with carefully focused target setting. Pupils benefit from additional support from classroom assistants and staff employed to assist with special educational needs. A significant emphasis of this support is on the basic skills of literacy and numeracy.

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PUPILS?

27. There is some extra-curricular provision in the form of a music club, a gardening club and a fun club. Junior pupils participate in a very wide range of team games and local competitions, such as netball, cricket, rounders and five-a-side football. The pupils were winners in 2002 in the ‘Fylde in Bloom’ gardening competition. They make visits to local museums, arts events and gardens. Visitors to the school are many and include the vicar, musicians, athletes, theatre groups and artists. These activities strengthen the pupils’ understanding of their own culture.

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PUPILS?

28. The provision for pupils’ personal development including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. This maintains the overall position described in the last report, although there have been good improvements in pupils’ moral development. A thorough approach to pupils’ personal, social and health education through the school gives pupils good opportunities to become mature and express their thoughts. Teachers ensure that pupils have opportunities to discuss issues of discipline and morality, including consideration of matters such as healthy eating and misuse of drugs.

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PUPILS?

29. Good provision for pupils’ spiritual development is effectively built upon the foundation of the school’s Christian ethos. Opportunity for contemplation is given in school assemblies and in lessons such as religious education. Lessons such as in areas of environmental education when children are encouraged to consider the wonders of the natural world contribute to pupils’ spiritual development. The school’s links with the Church are a strength of the school. A weekly school assembly is held in the church when the children are keen to participate with readings and in ringing the bells. These opportunities extend pupils’ spiritual awareness and contribute to their understanding of their place within the community. Treales CofE Primary School - 16 30. Moral education is now a strong feature of the school, supported by effective strategies to recognise and promote good behaviour. The school successfully teaches pupils about right

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PUPILS?

and wrong and adults present very good role models. Children are polite and courteous to one another and to visitors. They are encouraged to think of others. For example, in a lesson on personal, social and health education, infant pupils considered rules to allow children to play together. Circle time in classes encourages thought about the views of others and listening to one another. Pupils develop good levels of responsibility. For example, an older pupil finished his work and spontaneously offered assistance to others in his group. Pupils are aware of the needs of others around the world and regularly raise money for charities including a local hospice for sick children.

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PUPILS?

31. The focus on the school as a community has a strong positive influence on pupils’ social development. Pupils are used to dealing with one another and with adults in school. They share and take turns politely and sensibly. Pupils treat one another very well and learn to get on together in all aspects of their work and play. The school council includes all Year 6 pupils and is a positive feature of the school, contributing to pupils’ recognition of the whole community and their responsibilities within it. Members understand the council’s role in school and are proud when they relate issues that they have discussed. These include a recent decision to widen representation to younger age groups who will soon join the council. The choice of a ‘super pupil of the week’ provides an opportunity to celebrate an individual. Pupils readily participate when volunteers are sought in assemblies. Older pupils have good

p.16

PUPILS?

opportunities to support their younger friends when acting as ‘reading buddies’, listening to them read and discussing their books.

p.16

PUPILS?

32. The school promotes aspects of citizenship through its respect for pupils as seen in the school council and in the way it embraces the needs and interests of others in the local community. All pupils have opportunity to show responsibility. This is particularly so for pupils in Year 6 who are appointed to posts such as Captain of Sports, Captain of School or have responsibilities for the school library. Younger pupils are chosen each week to take leading roles in the assembly in the church.

p.16

PUPILS?

33. Music clubs and the various links, visits and visitors add to the cultural education of the pupils. A range of music is played in assemblies, contributing an opportunity for quiet thought. This reflects very much the background of the families, the local community and the staff in the school. Teachers include clear references to other cultures in subjects such as history and religious education. Pupils know examples of stories and traditions from other cultures. Some lessons use songs and dances drawn from cultures around the world. However, the school does not fully embrace the multicultural nature of the wider society and the place that pupils might take, in its resources and displays. The school does not systematically plan activities to improve pupils’ understanding of other cultures. For example, there are no links with schools in other areas to give opportunities for pupils to consider how they might relate to those with

p.16

PUPILS?

34. The school is inclusive in its approach; pupils of all backgrounds and attainment are given every encouragement and opportunity to participate. The high quality of relationships, respect and confidence shown by pupils means that participation is rarely an issue: all pupils want to be involved. Their contribution is valued and their generally high self-esteem reflects this.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are good, and have improved since the time of the last inspection. The school provides a safe and caring environment for its pupils and staff, which creates a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. There is an effective health and safety policy and the headteacher and governors conduct regular health and safety checks on the school. There are four qualified first aiders on the staff and clear procedures for dealing with accidents. All accidents are recorded appropriately. The school Treales CofE Primary School - 17 has an effective child protection policy and there is regular training given to all staff to update them on issues and procedures.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. There are very good procedures for recording and monitoring pupils’ attendance and punctual arrival at school. Unexplained absences are followed up quickly and the school has regular contact with the education welfare officer. Parents are made aware of the importance the school places on good attendance and punctuality and most co-operate with the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school’s detailed behaviour policy has a clear system of rewards and sanctions. Pupils are involved in establishing their own class and playground rules and are well aware of the standards of behaviour expected of them. They value the reward system and see the rules as fair and necessary to create an orderly community. The school’s anti-bullying policy and the very good relationships that all pupils have with each other eliminate all forms of oppressive behaviour.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Staff give good support and guidance for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. The policy of including every child in what the school has to offer is effective. Teachers informally monitor pupils’ personal development particularly well. Staff know the pupils very well and this knowledge is effectively used within the mixed age classes to ensure the pupils are appropriately challenged. Personal development is reported in the pupils’ annual reports.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. All teachers in school routinely share objectives of lessons with the class, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Infant pupils receive oral and written feedback and are encouraged to state their achievements. For example, pupils’ numeracy books contain statements from pupils such as “I can find squares, triangles and circles.” The teacher also maintains records of this attainment against the learning objectives of the lesson. This is used to further tailor the content of future lessons and the teaching methods to be used.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school has improved assessment procedures since the last inspection, particularly in the younger class. Reception children are assessed on a range of measures, which quickly highlights any need for the involvement of the special needs co-ordinator. A system has been adopted which now tracks aspects of infant pupils’ performance over the years. Thus, general trends can be identified and use made of the information in strategic school planning. A start has been made in constructing a similar system in the juniors but this has yet to be fully implemented. Although more data is collected, there is no consistent pattern to its use by teachers to amend the curriculum or match tasks precisely to pupils’ learning needs. As a result, teachers, particularly in the junior class, often give pupils of different ages and abilities the same activities. These do not always enable all pupils to make as much progress as they

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school assesses and identifies pupils with special educational needs well. The co- ordinator and special needs assessment assistant make frequent good diagnostic assessments. This information, with further information from teachers and classroom assistants, contributes effectively to the individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The school has improved links with pupils’ homes and the local community and has a very effective partnership with parents. The vast majority of parents are very supportive of the school and the work it does and there are very good relationships between parents and staff. The school has improved the quality of communication to parents since the last inspection. It provides good quality information to parents through the school prospectus, the governors’ annual report to parents and regular newsletters. There are curriculum evenings for parents and last year the school held an open day where parents and governors had the opportunity to participate in literacy, numeracy and science activities. Treales CofE Primary School - 18 43. Pupils’ annual reports provide easy to read comments on what pupils know and understand and there is some target setting with specific points for improvement. Reports are hand

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

written and personal and give parents a clear idea of attainment and progress together with a summary of behaviour and personal development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school maintains very effective links with the majority of parents and informs them of how well the children are getting on. There are two formal parent and teacher meetings during the year where parents have many opportunities to discuss their children’s attainment and progress and personal and social development with the teachers. Parents are encouraged to contact the school if they have any problems or concerns and staff are always available to talk to parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. A limited number of parents help in school but the well-established gardening club is a good example of parental help in school. The work parents have done in developing the garden and wild area has provided an excellent resource for the school as well as contributing to winning first prize in the ‘Fylde in Bloom’ competition last year. Most parents support their children with homework and this has significant impact on pupils’ attainment and progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The Friends of School provide tremendous support and annually raise £3,000, which purchases equipment and funds activities at the school. For example, money raised by the association has been used to purchase computers, books and microscopes and helps towards paying for school trips. Social and fund-raising activities are very well supported and help consolidate the links between the community and the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The school has maintained the overall good leadership and management identified in the last report although the weakness in monitoring teaching remains. Since the last inspection, the headteacher, aided by the governing body, has implemented an improved system of school development planning. This has increased detail about priorities and future targets to steer the work of the school. Plans include responsibilities, resources and success criteria and represent a powerful tool for school management. The head uses this information to aid her prioritisation of support for staff. Governors visit the school more often and have more information about the work of the school and its priorities. New accommodation has seen toilets and a resource room, including computer resources, added.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The headteacher’s leadership is an asset to the school and is much appreciated by parents. Her focus on the child’s family and the school as a family within a community provides a strong direction for the school. This has successfully brought the school closer to the school and the local community, contributing effectively to the quality of pupils’ education. Developments, such as in beginning a pre-school group, are designed to extend this process further. The headteacher works closely with governors who take a keen interest in the school, increasingly in the detail of pupil performance and school management. Some governors have clear links with aspects of the school’s work, such as literacy, numeracy or special educational needs. These improve their knowledge and understanding of teaching and support staff soundly. However, governors have little direct involvement in monitoring aspects of the curriculum and issues such as inclusion, which limits their first-hand knowledge.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. School priorities are supported through effective distribution of funds, and arrangements for financial management are effective. The governors’ finance committee discusses and approves the budget, which is monitored with specialist support from the local authority. Annual auditing ensures the accuracy and effectiveness of systems.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The quality of monitoring teaching has received some attention since the last report and there are significant areas of improvement. The headteacher monitors planning on a half-termly basis by collecting in all plans. This allows a clear picture of the coverage of the curriculum and opportunities for the headteacher to discuss issues with the class teacher. However, the Treales CofE Primary School - 19 time allocated to the headteacher for monitoring remains limited and this restricts her opportunities to share good practice within the school. Although this weakness was identified in the last report, the school has not taken sufficient action. As a result, the headteacher can only give limited support to other staff in identifying concerns and improving teaching. In this very small school, a similar limitation of available time also restricts the effectiveness of the other teachers in fulfilling their subject co-ordinator’s roles. This has been further complicated

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

by the illness of the other full-time teacher. As a result, much of the responsibility for subject co-ordination has fallen on the headteacher who already has limited time. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is well managed by the part-time co-ordinator and is in line with the requirements of the new Code of Practice.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Assessment of pupils in school has improved since the last inspection. The school is now making increased use of assessment as a strategic tool. The small size of the year groups means that National Curriculum test results must be interpreted with care. However, the school’s developing use of data is assisting in focusing resources even more effectively.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The recent extension of the school building, including a new resource centre and computer suite, has made a very significant improvement to the school’s facilities. The equipment in this area and around school is well organised, allowing teachers and pupils good access to the computers. Teachers have made use of training opportunities to enhance their ICT skills. Staff see ICT as a whole team responsibility and recent school initiatives in this area constitute a potential future strength. This is also contributing to the management of the school and the clarity of educational direction.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school grounds have been improved by the provision of an outdoor play area for the under fives. There are further plans to improve this further. A garden and a pond give pupils opportunities to investigate aspects of science, and to participate in gardening activities such as growing herbs. Pupils appreciate the beauty in nature, in flowering plants and in the life cycles of animals. This contributes significantly to their personal development.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Resources are generally good and well utilised. Staffing is an undoubted priority identified by the governors. The very small size of the school means that the unit cost per pupil is high. In the context of the school’s locality and weighing the strengths of the school in its community, the school gives satisfactory value for money. Treales CofE Primary School - 20

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

55. The school has made sound progress since the last inspection although some aspects of the weaknesses identified have not been fully resolved. In order to continue the school’s improvement, the headteacher, governors and staff should now:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) establish consistent systems to help teachers to identify clearly what pupils can do and need to do next to improve planning and teaching; (paragraphs 2, 4, 18, 19, 40, 56, 68, 74)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) introduce systematic monitoring of teaching to enable teachers to share good practice within the school; (paragraphs 16, 47, 50, 63)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) place greater emphasis on developing pupils’ investigational skills, particularly in science in Years 3 to 6. (paragraphs 6, 24, 78, 79, 81)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school has recognised the need to introduce and use improved assessment systems and this is included in the current development planning. The following less important weakness should also be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(A) ensure that pupils gain wider understanding of the range of cultures that make up modern Britain. (paragraph 33) Treales CofE Primary School - 21

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.21

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 six percentage points.

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 35

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 5

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.21

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.21

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Treales CofE Primary School - 22

p.21

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

Detailed information on pupils’ performance at the end of Year 2 has not been included because fewer than ten pupils were involved in 2002.

p.22

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 8 5 13

p.22

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.22

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

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 8 8 11

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 62 (86) 62 (86) 85 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.22

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

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

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 8 8 11

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 62 (100) 67 (86) 85 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.22

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

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

p.22

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

Detailed information on boys’ and girls’ performances have not been included because fewer than ten were involved in 2002. Treales CofE Primary School - 23

p.22

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.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.23

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. Treales CofE Primary School - 24

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.28 Financial year 2001-2002

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15.4

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 184956

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 187403

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 50 Expenditure per pupil 3604

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 14922

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 12475

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0.08

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Treales CofE Primary School - 25

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 54 43 4 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 50 46 4 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 61 29 7 0 4

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 54 36 7 4 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 82 14 4 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71 25 0 0 4

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 71 21 7 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 71 14 4 0 11

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57 36 0 0 7

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 32 21 0 14

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Note: responses to each question may not add up to 100 because of rounding. Treales CofE Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. Children enter the younger class, which contains Foundation Stage children and all infant pupils, in the September when they are four years old. Very good relationships with parents, and many opportunities to get to know the school, prepare children well. As a result, they get a good start to their learning and settle quickly. The very small numbers of children in each year group, sometimes as few as two children, make overall judgements of attainment difficult. However, looking at children over time suggests that the attainment on entry to the school is average. Children make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage and most will reach the majority of national goals for learning by the time they start in Year 1. This is similar to the position described in the last report. The teacher and support assistant work well as a team to provide for the needs of young children of different abilities in this mixed age class.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Staff have good knowledge of children and this enables any special educational needs to be identified and addressed at an early stage. However, many activities are, of necessity, compromises and some do not fully reflect children’s position on the stepping-stones to early learning. Sound records are kept of children’s progress in all areas of learning and records that are more detailed are being developed. However, these are not yet used sufficiently to ensure that activities are consistently sharply focused on individual children’s development needs.

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

57. Good teaching, based on very good relationships and close personal knowledge of children, ensures that children make good progress in this area and are set to exceed the national goals. Staff are clear about what children need to learn and establish clear classroom routines that give children confidence and ensure effective teaching. Adults provide very good role models of good relationships and caring support. Children are settled, happy and keen to take part in activities. Children become more independent in their work and activities such as changing for physical education lessons.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

58. Satisfactory teaching in this area of learning makes effective use of aspects of national guidance for developing literacy. Children enjoy books and are pleased to join in with older pupils in ‘reading’ the big books. The teacher’s general emphasis on developing vocabulary is effective with these children. They begin to identify some aspects of books from these sessions, including identifying a ‘hero’ and a ‘villain’ in the story. Higher attaining children begin to anticipate the story and make suggestions of what will happen. In many lessons, the teacher’s effective questioning encourages children to talk about what they know and understand. Some begin to talk about their work with developing clarity. For example, one child explained how he has laid a trail of white pebbles from the witch’s house to Hansel and Gretel’s house. Good support for the children focuses on appropriate activities for these

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Communication, language and literacy

children while older pupils develop their learning in the classroom. They develop understanding of the sounds of some letters and enjoy identifying the words that they recognise in books and on displays. Some early writing activities encourage children’s simple writing although children are less likely to write spontaneously, for example in the ‘Travel Agency’ role-playing area.

p.26

Mathematical development

59. Teaching is satisfactory and children make sound progress. Again, teaching makes good use of national guidance; the teacher involves children in appropriate aspects of the daily numeracy lessons. Children benefit from working alongside older pupils and quickly begin to Treales CofE Primary School - 27 improve their identification of numbers. The teacher’s selective questioning ensures appropriate challenge for these children when the whole class is together. Other activities are designed to give pupils opportunities to play and learn, for example when they made shape pictures. Children develop increasing vocabulary of shape and position, such as referring to shapes ‘on top’ and ‘by’, and referring to shapes by their correct names. They applied their developing learning well when taken on a walk around the school grounds to identify different shapes.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

60. Children make satisfactory progress in this area of learning through sound teaching. Many are keen to relate stories about their families and their experiences. Most have limited first-hand experiences of other cultures but books and the ‘Travel Agency’ role-playing area give children opportunities to learn about other countries. The assistant’s questioning extends their thinking soundly. Children find out about different jobs and the roles that people play. For example, a boy answers the telephone and assures his customers, “Yes, you can visit Disneyland. We can get you there easily.” Children make increasingly accurate observations of items around them such as the natural materials that many have brought in to make sculptures. They find out about the local environment through walks and observations in the school grounds and the adjacent church. Children have increasing confidence with computers and can use

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

simple CD-ROMs, the mouse and icons in different programs.

p.27

Physical development

61. The teaching in this area of learning is satisfactory and children make sound progress. A recently developed outdoor area gives some opportunities for children to play with large toys such as tricycles. However, the school recognises that this needs further development to be fully effective. Effective use is made of the school hall and children take part in physical education lessons with the Years 1 and 2 pupils. This sometimes gives appropriate opportunities for children to develop their imaginative physical responses, such as in simple dance. However, these sessions are sometimes too long for children to maintain their full attention. There are many appropriate opportunities for pupils to use small tools and simple equipment to improve their fine skills such as cutting and shaping materials.

p.27

Creative development

62. Teaching is satisfactory and children make satisfactory progress. Children have chances to be involved in activities such as music and dance with the Years 1 and 2 pupils. They sing songs and rhymes with enthusiasm, often from memory. They investigate different sounds made by musical instruments and try different ways to play the instruments. For example, a child played the tambourine ‘high’ and ‘low’ to lead the ‘dragon dance’. Children draw and paint with pleasure, often supporting their learning in other areas of learning. They talk with pleasure about their visit to look at sculpture placed in the environment. They often use their imaginations well, for example in the role-play areas and when describing activities such as responding to stories.

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ENGLISH

63. Pupils reach average standards of attainment by the ages of seven and eleven, as identified in the last inspection report. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. These standards are above those in the most recent National Curriculum tests for writing at age seven and for the subject at age eleven. This is because the test results reflect the very small groups of pupils involved and are distorted if above average numbers of pupils with special educational needs are tested. The headteacher, as literacy co-ordinator, has successfully introduced an improved curriculum that makes effective use of national and other guidance. This has improved provision for the subject and Treales CofE Primary School - 28 teachers give pupils more opportunities to use their literacy skills in other subjects, such as in writing about life in Viking times. The co-ordinator has instigated better development of pupils’

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ENGLISH

writing in the junior class although she has too few opportunities to monitor the extension of this to other lessons.

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ENGLISH

64. Standards in speaking and listening are average by ages of seven and eleven. Pupils beginning Year 1 have developing confidence in expressing their views. The teacher’s use of ‘the writer’s chair’ allows pupils to speak about their work with greater confidence. Very good relationships in the class ensure that other pupils will listen with care. These responses are seen in assemblies where pupils are keen to contribute, for example acting out simple parts in a moral story. The teacher questions effectively and this encourages pupils to think and express their ideas. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 continue to have confidence in their speaking before the class and the school. Many identify that the small size of the school allows them to have this confidence to express their views. Effective speaking and listening ensure that pupils are able to work together well throughout the school. Levels of co-operation are high

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ENGLISH

because pupils are used to listening carefully and this enhances their learning.

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ENGLISH

65. Reading is average at the ages of seven and eleven. Infant pupils develop secure understanding of the sounds that letters make and use this to tackle words that are new to them. The work they do in literacy lessons has improved their ability to talk about books and stories. They read from published reading schemes of progressively increasing complexity with greater accuracy and expression. Most are interested in their books and talk about characters and stories with confidence. Most pupils read fluently and expressively by the time they are eleven. The school has revised the reading scheme since the last inspection and staff use it with more flexibility in order to provide pupils with more interest. Pupils generally enjoy reading and read a good range of books, including non-fiction. Once again, the very good relationships in classes are evident in the junior class when older pupils support their

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ENGLISH

younger friends by acting as ‘reading buddies’.

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ENGLISH

66. Pupils develop sound research skills through the school. Younger pupils learn and correctly use such terms as ‘author’, illustrator’ and ‘title’. Older pupils use the contents and index pages of books with confidence and have good command of alphabetic order. They use their research skills well when using search engines while looking for information on the Internet. The new resource centre is contributing to pupils’ awareness of research skills.

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ENGLISH

67. Pupils’ standards of writing are average by the ages of seven and eleven. Infant pupils increasingly sequence words into sentences and write with greater independence. They usually form their letters correctly and pay attention to neatness. Pupils increase their vocabulary soundly and, by the age of seven, use words with some awareness of effect such as “crisps…are crispy, crunchy, salty”. They identify aspects of writing such as alliteration when they write about a “ladybird with a lolly and a list”. Pupils write in a good range of forms including letters, instructions and stories. Higher attaining pupils extend their independent writing and use different forms of writing with confidence. They use increasingly adventurous vocabulary to convey their ideas.

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ENGLISH

68. Junior pupils improve their writing significantly through the teacher’s clear assessment of their existing strengths and weaknesses. Good, analytical marking sets out clearly how individual pupils can improve their work and is linked to targets for future writing. This is leading to significant improvements as pupils use their growing skills with greater effect. For example, a Year 6 pupil wrote, “The wind blew and felt like a thousand pins pricking my face.” As they get older, pupils use sentences that are more complex and a wider range of punctuation. Their teacher skilfully links writing development with increasing teaching about language and grammar that encourages pupils to talk with confidence about literature. Some pupils, therefore, refer to aspects of language such as ‘metaphor’ and ‘personification’, beginning to apply these to their own writing with attendant improvements in quality. However, this level of

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ENGLISH

analysis and effective assessment is not consistently used in all pupils’ work and pupils’ Treales CofE Primary School - 29 writing in other subjects is weaker. Although pupils have identified targets, these are not used consistently or effectively to raise the quality of pupils’ writing in all subjects.

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ENGLISH

69. Throughout the school, teaching is satisfactory and teachers make good use of national guidance for literacy in planning lessons and developing pupils’ skills. Very good relationships make pupils confident in lessons and secure organisation ensures that little time is wasted. Effective use is made of support staff in both classes, allowing adults to work closely with small groups of pupils to help them to learn. For example, the support assistant in the younger class took the Foundation Stage children for a short session to promote phonic skills while the teacher extended the infant pupils’ vocabulary. In the junior class, the assistant worked closely with older pupils to develop their research skills and distinguish between aspects of myth, legend and fable. Pupils have opportunities to use computers to put down their ideas in writing in a number of forms. They edit their work successfully to improve

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ENGLISH

aspects such as spelling and punctuation. They are less confident in using the software to revise their texts, for example in expressing themselves more clearly or imaginatively. Writing development in the junior class is good although pupils are not systematically encouraged to use their developing skills in other lessons taken by their regular teacher.

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MATHEMATICS

70. Standards of attainment are in line with national expectations by the ages of seven and eleven, similar to those in the last report. Pupils’ progress is satisfactory overall. The findings of the inspection support the overall trend in mathematics test results. Individual pupils in the small year groups attain just above and just below the national average. Teachers are making greater use of national guidance to plan their lessons. This has been particularly effective in increasing pupils’ mental arithmetic skills. New planning increasingly challenges higher attaining junior pupils, an improvement since the last report. All pupils have sound opportunities to practise and apply their numeracy skills in other subjects, for instance when measuring out materials in design and technology and when dealing with numbers and presenting data in science. Pupils make increasing use of computers in mathematics work,

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MATHEMATICS

for example in searching for mathematical websites and displaying data in the form of tables and graphs.

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MATHEMATICS

71. By the age of seven, pupils confidently use measures including rulers, metre sticks, thermometers and clocks. They calculate addition and subtraction of numbers up to and above 100. They can deal with giving change from sums over one pound. Most recognise a range of two-dimensional and solid shapes. Pupils show good levels of interest in aspects of mathematics. For example, Year 2 pupils were delighted by the shape of a 50-pence coin, which they learned was an equilateral heptagon. They correctly identified the faces, vertices and edges of a range of solid shapes.

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MATHEMATICS

72. By the age of eleven, pupils use all four rules of number in calculations above 1000. Some deal confidently with two places of decimals and convert simple fractions into decimals and percentages. They understand addition and subtraction of positive and negative whole numbers. The higher attaining pupils solve simple examples of numbers in brackets and algebraic relations. Pupils calculate averages and the area of a number of shapes. Pupils’ speed of responses to mental arithmetic questions was rather slow. Although the teacher emphasised quick responses and correct mathematical language, pupils had limited familiarity with this type of challenge.

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MATHEMATICS

73. Pupils’ attitudes to mathematics are generally good, though variable in the junior class. Pupils see its importance and older pupils can usually give examples of the use of particular parts of mathematics in the real world. They are happy to approach their teacher if there is an aspect causing them difficulty. Treales CofE Primary School - 30 74. Teaching is satisfactory overall and good in the infant class, where the teacher uses assessment of pupils’ achievements more effectively to track progress and target further work. As a result, pupils have work more precisely matched to their needs, which helps them to learn more effectively. Teachers have sufficient subject knowledge. The best lessons are well planned and feature a variety of approaches with a good pace. Teachers anticipate potential errors and misconceptions and are ready with clear explanations to maintain brisk pace and good use of time. In one lesson, the teacher securely identified the needs of pupils

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MATHEMATICS

of different ages and abilities in the infant class and planned suitable tasks at different levels. This ensured that all pupils were challenged effectively and learning was good. Support staff were very effectively deployed with good understanding of their role in promoting learning. In the junior class, the lack of clear assessment information of pupils’ past knowledge of fractions restricted the teacher’s ability to challenge pupils immediately. As a result, the pace of learning was slow and some pupils began to lose interest.

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MATHEMATICS

75. Pupils with special educational needs often receive additional help from classroom assistants and make satisfactory progress. At times, the junior class is split with one group of pupils taught in the school hall by a classroom assistant. This gives the teachers more opportunity to focus on the needs of the different groups in the class. Because classroom assistants have received appropriate training, they are very clear of their roles and make an effective contribution within the context defined by the teacher.

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SCIENCE

76. Pupils’ standards of attainment are satisfactory overall and pupils make satisfactory progress, the same as at the last inspection. The most recent National Curriculum test results for eleven year olds were in line with the national average, following steady improvement over the last four years. The findings of the inspection support the overall trend that pupils perform in line with the national averages by the ages of seven and eleven.

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SCIENCE

77. By seven, pupils have a satisfactory range of scientific knowledge. For example, they identify parts of the human body, and know and can name the human senses. They identify the sources of different sounds around them and can talk about pushes and pulls as forces. They have investigated the grip of shoes and have considered why some treads grip better than others. In their investigations, they consider what they are going to find out, how they will find a result and other questions such as how they will design a simple fair test.

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SCIENCE

78. By the age of eleven, pupils correctly name the parts of a flower and describe the process of pollination by insects. They make electrical circuits and know the scientific symbols for components such as batteries and bulbs. They distinguish between the properties of solids, liquid and gases. They can conduct simple investigations such as making observations of materials in water. By observing bubbles released, they determined relative amounts of air in beakers of sand, stone and foam. Although higher attaining pupils begin to draw conclusions from exploratory activities, pupils have insufficient experience of scientific investigation. As a result, they are unclear of ways to begin an investigation and have few ideas of how to ensure tests are fair. Pupils with special educational needs participate fully in science; staff see it as an opportunity for these children to develop basic skills. Classroom assistants often support

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SCIENCE

them with skilful questions and prompts.

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SCIENCE

79. Teaching in the infant class is good, with an emphasis on extending pupils’ specialist vocabulary. The teacher establishes good links between lessons and the real world and gives a clear structure to the pupils’ investigative work. In the junior class, teaching does not place sufficient emphasis on developing investigative skills and the design of scientific investigations by pupils. In the lesson observed, the teacher paid good attention to specialist language pertaining to previous lessons. However, the teacher over-directed the following investigation and pupils had too few opportunities to develop important skills such as prediction of results. Over time, pupils have not developed enough skills to plan and carry out Treales CofE Primary School - 31 independent investigations. For example, they are unsure how to deal with aspects such as the control of variables and selecting suitable units for measurement. Their recording and

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SCIENCE

interpretation of results have been limited.

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SCIENCE

80. Attitudes to science are generally positive. Pupils throughout the school are keen to take part in practical lessons and to discuss at some length the phenomena they observe. A group of Year 6 pupils were very interested to consider food chains and feeding relationships between, for example, foxes and rabbits. Younger pupils enjoy observation of musical instruments and recording of voices so that they can then play a guessing game.

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SCIENCE

81. The policy and scheme for work for science include all the requirements of the National Curriculum. However, they do not emphasise the exploration and investigation of science sufficiently so that teachers can all make sufficient use of activities. The co-ordinator for science has had a positive impact in revising the curriculum but presently has only a limited role in monitoring standards of attainment and teaching across the school.

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SCIENCE

82. The school garden is a very useful resource for science; all age ranges utilise the garden and the school grounds for biological and other work. For example, infant pupils have made detailed observations of the development of tadpoles into frogs. Resources are generally satisfactory and pupils use computers with increasing confidence although the school has limited equipment to remotely sense and log data via the computer.

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ART AND DESIGN

83. No art and design lessons were observed during the inspection but pupils’ past work, teachers’ planning and school documents show that all aspects of the subject are taught. Standards of attainment are broadly in line with national expectations at the ages of seven and eleven, which is similar to the last inspection’s findings. Teaching is satisfactory and is at its best when development and expression are emphasised. For example, pupils are often encouraged to make choices of media and to evaluate their work. Pupils’ attitudes to art and design are positive and they are keen to talk about their artwork and that of others.

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ART AND DESIGN

84. In the infant class, pupils respond creatively in a range of media, including forms of sculpture. They use a ‘viewfinder’ to focus their attention on detail and fine aspects of shape and colour. They compared a range of colour tones they had mixed in paint with their own skin. This project was further stimulated by their comparisons of Modigliani’s Girl in Pigtails with their drawn self-portraits. Pupils subsequently made good use of their knowledge of tone, their drawings and digital photographs to help them as they painted self-portraits.

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ART AND DESIGN

85. In the junior class, pupils develop a range of skills in different media including mosaic, rubbing and stencils, with a strong emphasis on mark making. They become increasingly skilled with charcoal, pencil, paint and chalk. Those who achieve best pay close attention to detail as well as evaluating their work regularly. They use light, shade and tone in responses to a range of stimuli. These pupils are proud of a set of displayed pictures depicting snakes inspired by Australian Aboriginal dream pictures. They have good opportunities to work both alone and as part of a group. However, teaching places less emphasis on exploration, development and investigation and this limits pupils’ creative responses.

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ART AND DESIGN

86. Pupils in both key stages have benefited from the work of visiting artists and visits including a visit to view sculptures in the open air. Pupils make increasing use of computers, using graphic programs and images.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

87. Although no teaching of design and technology was seen, a range of pupils’ past work and school documents show that pupils’ standards of making are in line with national expectations Treales CofE Primary School - 32 at the ages of seven and eleven. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. Teaching and learning has benefited from national guidance and a new policy produced in conjunction with a group of local schools. This ensures coverage of the National Curriculum and avoids repetition in the mixed age range classes. However, it does not give teachers sufficient guidance on how to develop pupils’ skills in aspects such as design. As a result, pupils do not gain experience of a sufficient range of design techniques and this limits their overall attainment in the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88. Infant pupils examine and evaluate different fabrics and weave their own fabric with yarn. They make moving pictures using different types of levers. They plan the construction of model houses through statements such as, ‘What I want my house to look like’ and ‘What I will need’.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

89. During the junior years, design and technology is often usefully linked to history. For example, pupils make model houses using wattle and daub building techniques and make replicas of Greek vases. They designed and made clocks that related to a theme on the Vikings. As part of this topic, pupils visited a high school to use drills to mount the clock mechanisms. In another topic, pupils planned and made musical instruments, evaluating their products by giving scores to aspects of their work. Pupils with special education needs participate fully in design and technology. They respond well to the practical elements of the subject and benefit from the emphasis on specialist language.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

90. Pupils’ attitudes to design and technology are very positive. They are very interested in products around them, in how they are made and in learning the skills of construction. Resources are generally adequate for this work though the school is limited in its capacity to offer the children an opportunity to control models with the computer.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

91. The school plans the teaching of these subjects alternately and it was therefore possible to see only one history lesson in the junior class. However, past work and teachers’ planning indicate that the subjects are covered satisfactorily and pupils reach average standards by the ages of seven and eleven. This is in line with the findings of the last inspection. Some work in these subjects forms good foundations for other activities such as creating and decorating Greek urns in design and technology.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

92. Infant pupils begin to learn about maps and make simple plans of their classroom and their journeys to school. They identify aspects of the local environment and buildings that are pleasing to them. They learn about different forms of transport found locally, such as trains, motorways and canals, and make visits to see these. In history, they think about their own personal histories and identify important milestones in their lives. They begin to use dates with confidence and sequence pictures showing developments. They look at the school and find some historical evidence.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

93. In the junior years, pupils build upon these skills when they find out about different places. Their confidence with maps, for example, increases and they accurately identify countries and oceans. They use their mapping skills effectively in some historical work on Viking journeys. In history, pupils learn about a number of different periods including the Vikings and Ancient Greece. They use timelines to identify eras from Ancient Greece to the present. They use their developing computer skills when finding information about Greek theatre on the Internet. They use their research and literacy skills when writing about Viking occupations such as blacksmith and tanner or retelling historical stories such as Viking raids on Lindisfarne. Higher attaining pupils begin to write sensitively about life in past times such as when one Year 6 pupil writes “It would be very smoky in the Viking house”.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

94. Teaching is satisfactory and teachers’ planning has benefited from greater use of national guidance for the subjects. Teachers often set good challenges to find information from books Treales CofE Primary School - 33 and from the Internet. For example, in the lesson seen, junior pupils found information and identified their own questions about the original Olympic Games. The teacher made good use of a selected section of a television programme to capture pupils’ attention and give good information. Pupils enjoy the activities and show good levels of interest in the subjects. They co-operate well in lessons, sharing resources and equipment well and taking good care of books. Many give other pupils good support based on the very good relationships in the classroom. As a result, pupils with special educational needs are able to play a full part in lessons and to make satisfactory progress with other pupils.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

95. Pupils’ standards of attainment are broadly in line with national expectations at the ages of seven and eleven and their progress is satisfactory overall. This is similar to the findings of the last report. However, provision for the subject has improved because the school has invested in computers, software and peripherals, particularly in the new computer suite. As a result, pupils are gaining greater confidence and the pace of learning is improving. In addition, teachers have completed personal training in the subject and all staff are committed to make increasing use of ICT. Teachers include aspects of the subject in most parts of their planning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

96. Infant pupils use applications related to their reading programme. They write confidently on the computer and edit text. They enter data into simple data-handling programs. They use simple spelling and matching programs. They are familiar with the use of audio tape recorders to record and play back sound.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

97. Older junior pupils have growing proficiency that extends to aspects of the Internet. In several lessons, pupils confidently took opportunities to search for websites relevant to given topics and to explore specified mathematical sites. Teachers and other staff give good advice to the pupils about web safety. At a recent parents evening, older pupils demonstrated the use of the school’s electronic whiteboard to parents. They are familiar with a useful video camera.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

98. The teaching of the subject is satisfactory, benefiting from a clear school policy and scheme of work. These have helped teachers to focus on the educational value of activities in relation to key skills and the National Curriculum. As a result, there have been significant improvements in the teaching of ICT in the school, particularly in the junior class. In one lesson, the classroom assistant provided a good role model of herself as a learner, encouraging pupils to reflect on how they learn. Teachers devise activities in most aspects of the subject and currently place emphasis on finding information from the Internet. However, limited resources restrict teaching of remote sensing in science and of computer control in design and technology.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

99. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are very positive. They see the place of ICT in their lives and take to new ideas very quickly. Resources are good overall and they are well organised. The new computer suite provides a very good focus for this work. Networked computers in classrooms and a data projector are very useful additions.

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MUSIC

100. Only one lesson could be observed during the period of the inspection. However, analysis of the school's records and discussions with teachers and pupils show that the school makes satisfactory provision. The scheme of work makes effective use of national guidance and gives pupils appropriate experiences in all aspects of the subject. Well-planned lessons set out activities clearly, with references to the developing skills of pupils. As a result, pupils of all abilities are involved effectively and helped to learn, achieving average standards by the ages of seven and eleven, similar to those described in the last report. Treales CofE Primary School - 34 101. Many aspects of teaching are good. Pupils have good opportunities to listen to music in assemblies and they listen quietly. All pupils pay attention and can recall the music later in discussions. They sing appropriate songs with developing musical skills. In lessons,

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MUSIC

particularly in the younger class, pupils sing songs and rhymes, often related to the topics they are studying. All pupils use a good range of simple percussion instruments and infant pupils investigate different ways of using these. In the good lesson seen in the younger class, effective use had been made of a visiting musician to motivate pupils. Pupils played instruments with developing confidence, responding to symbols indicating ‘quiet’, ‘loud’ and ‘pause’. Discussion of pupils’ compositions and performances made a significant contribution to pupils’ language skills. Pupils learn a variety of songs, including some from other cultures, and have good opportunities for performance, for example in school concerts and the harvest festival.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

102. During the inspection, only one lesson could be seen and the co-ordinator was absent. School data and records show that pupils of all abilities make satisfactory progress and attain the nationally expected standards by the ages of seven and eleven. This is the same as at the time of the last inspection. Pupils’ attitudes to physical education are very positive and they understand the need for exercise for a healthy mind and body. They express keenness to participate, both as individuals and as part of a group or team.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

103. Infant pupils respond well in lessons and show developing independence. They correctly follow simple instructions in warm-up activities. In dance, they build on previous routines using height, space and body posture to express themselves. Pupils given leading roles respond very positively and younger children and pupils with special education needs have good support that led, in the lesson seen, to a confident performance of a very effective rain dance showing clearly how ‘hard’ rain falls.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

104. Junior pupils play games such as netball and football and learn the associated skills. The school has good arrangements to ensure that pupils learn to swim. Most are successful in completing the minimum requirement, with a number doing so using different strokes. During the year, the school participates in many local tournaments for cricket, rounders, netball and five-a-side football. The school often fields mixed teams with each child having many opportunities to participate. Older pupils are proud of their record of participation. In addition, pupils have opportunity to participate each year in adventurous activity at an outdoor pursuits centre in Scotland.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

105. Teaching is satisfactory overall; the lesson observed, whilst a little long, was motivating for the pupils. The teacher was skilled at gaining the pupils’ attention and dealing with the needs of the three different age ranges in the class. A visiting athlete provided a focus on excellence in sport. Pupils make use of the Internet to pursue their interest in sports.

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