Ingham Primary School

INGHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 – 14 January 2003

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INGHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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INGHAM 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.

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Glossary

Baseline assessment – tests for pupils when they join the school or in their first year. Booster classes – extra classes provided for pupils in English and mathematics to help pupils to do better in the SATs (national) tests. Co-ordinator – teacher in charge of organising a subject, such as English or physical education. Curriculum – everything the school teaches pupils in and out of class, such as English, science and health education, visits and visitors. ICT – information and communication technology. Key Stage 1 (infant age) – pupils aged 6 to 7 years old. (Years 1 and 2) Key Stage 2 (junior age) – pupils aged 7 to 11 years old. (Years 3 to 6) ‘Moderated School Self-Review’ – evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for development carried out yearly by the headteacher, governing body and local education authority together. Multi-cultural education – for example, the study of the beliefs of different ethnic groups within

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Glossary

the United Kingdom. National averages – refer to National Curriculum test results and teachers’ assessments in English and mathematics where there are national comparisons with all schools and similar schools in Years 2 and 6. National expectations – most pupils are expected to reach Level 2 in all National Curriculum subjects at the age of 7 years and Level 4 at the age of eleven. National tests – sometimes known as SATs, tests for all pupils 7, 11 and 14 years old. Pupil – term used for a child of compulsory school age. SATs – national tests for pupils aged 7, 11 and 14. Scheme of work – courses of lessons in eg. English, for teachers to use when planning lessons. The school uses national guidance provided by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) to help them plan lessons for some subjects. School development plan – set of plans that show how the school will improve over the coming year or longer, what its priorities for action are and how it will spend its money.

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Glossary

‘Similar’ schools – Schools are placed in groups for the purpose of comparing SATs results with other schools, based on the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. For example, one group covers schools who have 8 – 20 percent of pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Tracking – word used to describe a method of recording individual pupils’ progress. Ingham Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Green Ingham Lincoln

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 December 1997 Ingham Primary School - 4

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Team members

21073 Roger Fry Registered inspector 19575 Alan Sanders Lay inspector 27281 Elizabeth Linley Team inspector

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Team members

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

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Ingham Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Ingham Primary is a school for boys and girls aged between four and eleven years. The school educates pupils from Ingham and the surrounding area. It has 88 pupils on roll, including seventeen children currently of reception age. Four per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a proportion that is well below average. Children's attainment on entry to the school is above that typical of young children nationally. Nine per cent of pupils have special educational needs, which is below average. A small number of pupils, for example, need extra help with reading, writing and mathematics skills. All pupils speak English and no pupils have English as an additional language. A significant proportion of pupils moves into or leaves the school at different times during the year. In the last year, the school has undergone significant changes of staff.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Ingham Primary School provides a sound education for its pupils. The newly appointed headteacher, the reception teacher, recently appointed teaching staff and support staff have managed the school effectively during a period of change. The teaching and learning are good. Year 6 pupils’ standards of work in English have been well above average over the last three years. In mathematics, pupils’ standards have been above national averages. Standards in science have been below average. Pupils in Year 6 this year are on course to attain above average standards in all three subjects. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress with their work. The school makes sure it includes all pupils in everything that it does. Pupils’ achievement is sound overall and young children’s achievement is good in Reception. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• The governors and headteacher have led the school well during a period of change. • Pupils’ standards of work in English have been well above average over the last three years. Pupils’ achievement in English is good. • The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are effective in all lessons. • The school provides a varied and interesting curriculum. • Pupils’ attitudes to school and their personal development are very good. • Pupils’ rate of attendance at school is well above average.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior pupils’ standards of work in science and in the management of some subjects. • Higher attaining pupils do not always have work that is hard enough for them. • Teachers’ use of information and communication technology (ICT) in lessons is limited. 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 1997 and progress with the key issues identified then has been satisfactory. There are schemes of work for all subjects, which teachers use to plan lessons. Teachers record the targets for lessons clearly. There are satisfactory procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. Procedures are particularly thorough and informative in the Reception class. The provision for information and communication technology has improved. For example, there are more modern computers but pupils’ standards of work are below national expectations because some teachers do not plan to use computers enough in lessons. The headteacher now has enough time to carry out her non-teaching duties. Governors now have a good understanding of the school’s priorities.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The staff has maintained many of the strengths of the school. For example, many lessons observed during this inspection were taught well. Pupils’ attitudes to school remain a strength. Teachers have put the many new school initiatives, such as the literacy and numeracy strategies, into place effectively.

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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. Ingham Primary School - 7

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Key

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

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Key

Year 6 pupils’ standards in English have been consistently better than those in mathematics and science. Science standards have been consistently lower over the last three years. In National Curriculum tests in 2002, Year 6 pupils’ standards of work in English were well above average compared with all schools and similar schools. In mathematics, results were average compared with all schools nationally and below average compared with similar schools. Science standards were below average nationally and well below average in comparison with similar schools. Standards have been good. The table shows lower standards in mathematics and science last year. The results reflect the many changes of teachers and the capabilities of pupils in Year 6 last year. Pupils met their targets set by teachers in English, but not in mathematics and science. Overall pupils’ achievement was satisfactory.

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Key

Pupils’ work in Year 6 observed during the inspection was above the standards expected nationally in English and mathematics and pupils are on course to attain better standards than last year. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Girls’ standards of work are a little higher than those of boys in spelling and mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress with their work throughout the school and they attain the targets in their individual education plans.

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Key

Year 2 pupils’ standards of work observed were above national expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. In 2000 and 2001 pupils reached well above average standards in reading and writing and high standards in mathematics. Pupils’ work in all other subjects observed met national standards in all years or was higher. In Reception, children attain standards above those of children nationally and achieve well in all the ‘Areas of Learning’ they study. The teaching is particularly good and children respond very well. Young children become more confident and continue to learn many important skills, such as how to count and to read and write.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils show a keen interest in school life and enjoy participating in the school council. Pupils listen attentively to teachers and to each other during lessons because they want to learn. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils behave well in lessons and at playtimes. Pupils work well together on shared activities. Movement around the school is also good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils share their feelings and thoughts confidently. They enjoy the duties and tasks they have to do. Most pupils establish very good relationships with everyone. Attendance Very good. Well above the national average last year.

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

Ingham Primary School - 8 Quality of teaching Good 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 of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3-6

The Reception teacher’s attention to young children’s individual needs is good. Teaching takes full account of children’s special educational needs. Activities are varied, well planned and pupils learn to co-operate when they play together. The teacher provides, for example, practical activities in language and mathematics lessons and children learn the sounds of letters and to count to 20.

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

Pupils’ capacity to learn is extended well and most pupils’ needs are met in lessons. There is a purposeful atmosphere in classrooms. Teachers question pupils well during lessons and use this method to revise pupils’ knowledge. The basic skills of English and mathematics are taught well in literacy and numeracy lessons. Pupils were observed learning about the main features of a detective story in a good literacy lesson in Year 5 and 6. In the Year 1 and 2 class, pupils learned to use numbers to 100 accurately because the teacher gave explicit guidance to pupils and taught the key learning points of the lesson in many different ways. In the Year 3 and 4 class, pupils consolidated multiplication tables effectively by singing them.

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

Pupils of similar capabilities are grouped effectively so that they have work that is hard enough for them. However, the highest attainers do not always have work that reflects their capabilities. Pupils are managed well in Reception and in Years 1 to 4. In Years 5 and 6 a few pupils were restless. The school has identified this issue and strategies are in place to improve pupils’ concentration. Pupils with special educational needs learn well because teachers and support staff meet their needs quickly, often in small groups. Support staff make an important and positive contribution to the teaching in all lessons.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. There are whole-school plans for the teaching of all subjects. The school gives high priority to teaching the basic skills of English in literacy lessons and in other subjects. Very good displays of pupils’ work show that pupils find the curriculum interesting. Information and communication technology is not taught frequently enough to ensure pupils learn and then use the skills. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The provision is well managed. Pupils make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. Support staff help pupils effectively with their work in lessons and in small groups.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Pupils’ moral and social education is a strength. All pupils have the opportunity to take part in everything that the school does. The social and moral tone of acts of collective worship is very good and pupils learn, for example, the difference between the cost and value of things.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Pupils are well cared for each day. The school helps pupils to develop as young people effectively. The school council is a very good initiative that allows pupils to participate in decisions about how the school should work.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher Satisfactory overall. The newly appointed headteacher has provided clear leadership and the school has a very good agenda for improvement. The school’s aims are well conceived and all staff work as a team. Most teachers are recent Ingham Primary School - 9 and other key staff appointments and few duties are delegated to them. The local education authority has provided very good support for the school over the last twelve months. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Many governors take an active role in helping to develop the school and are ‘critical friends.’ The chair of governors knows the school’s strengths and what needs to be done and governors have a wide ranging vision for the school. Governors have successfully brought the school through a period of major staff changes. Governors are closely involved in preparing the school’s plans for

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Aspect Comment

improvement. The new prospectus is being written. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The headteacher, staff and local education authority have accurately identified the areas that the school needs to improve, based on the results of the Moderated School Self-Review process. A good programme for checking teaching and learning in lessons has begun. The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. ‘Best value’ is found for many purchases. There is a very good ratio of adults to pupils, which helps pupils make progress. The school has an underspend that it will use to maintain the four classes across the school.

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Aspect Comment

The accommodation is very good. The shared use of the building with the community works very well and the school has extra facilities to use, such as a large hall. There is a very well stocked reference library. The caretaker and cleaner look after the building well. Plans for a safe play area for Reception children are well advanced.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Fifty eight per cent of questionnaires were returned and 19 parents attended the meeting.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like going to school. • They make good progress with their work. • The teaching is good. • Children’s behaviour is good. • Most parents feel comfortable when approaching the school with a question or problem. • The school has high expectations of children. • The school helps children to mature and be responsible. • The range of extra-curricular activities for older children is good. • The range of extra-curricular activities for younger children is limited. • The range and quality of homework, particularly for older children varies too much. • Communications from the school until recently have been limited, such as about children’s progress. • The school does not work closely enough with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views. Inspectors agree with parents that the range of extra-curricular activities for younger children is limited and that this aspect needs attention. Inspectors checked the school’s plans for addressing parents’ other concerns. The importance attached to homework is not consistent across classes. Teachers will review the provision of homework in the near future. Communications with parents have improved over the last two terms and the headteacher has begun to organise, for example, workshops about aspects of the National Curriculum for parents to attend. Some parents at the meeting also expressed concern about the number of changes in staff that had occurred over the last twelve months. Governors and the headteacher have the situation well in hand.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The governors and headteacher have led the school well during a period of change. Ingham Primary School - 10 1. The school has been through a period of major change. Most of the teachers are new to the school, including the headteacher. Since the headteacher’s arrival a term ago, she has begun a programme of change and improvement to many aspects of the school, with the full support of all staff and governors.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The headteacher has a clear philosophy and leads by example. She has developed a strong partnership with the governing body, has evaluated the school's work carefully and has established clear and appropriate priorities for development. An important part of her work is to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning and to develop a well motivated staff. There is already a sense of good team spirit in the school. The future use of the library is a good example of how the headteacher intends to develop the school. There is a very extensive and well stocked library. Staff intend to create boxes of books about subjects from the library stock to put into classrooms and then begin to develop the room where the library is situated as an area where pupils can work, with access to computers. The headteacher and the reception teacher have imminent and good plans for a safe outdoor play area for reception children.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. The headteacher wishes to develop better links with parents and the community. Some parents raised the point that in the past they had not received enough information about what was happening in school. The headteacher provides parents with much greater levels of information about what is happening in school now, such as how play times have been revised and about all matters, including staffing issues.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. The strategies for literacy and numeracy have been fully embraced by all staff. The headteacher has begun to put some management structures in place to improve the organisation of the school. For example, the secretary now has greater responsibility for running the administration of the school and has a range of duties that are similar to many secretaries in small schools.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Governors have played a crucial part in guiding the school through a very difficult period a year ago. The personnel committee has been active in appointing a largely new staff. The good quality of the ‘critical friendship’ to the school shows in many ways. For example, some time ago science teaching and pupils’ standards of work in the subject were highlighted as areas for improvement. Governors have made good use of the offers of support from the local education authority. Governors and the local education authority ensured that the school continued to function adequately a year ago.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. The finance committee of the governing body has also been active and effective. Governors and the secretary have been able to ensure that the school receives its full allocation of money each year. The school had a significant underspend carried forward from last year. This money will be put to good use to maintain the provision of four classes in the school for at least another year. Governors are fully aware of the strengths and points for development of the school because they have enthusiastically contributed to the ‘moderated school self-review’ that the school and local education authority have completed together. This process has helped the newly appointed head teacher, with governors and staff, provide clear leadership and a very good agenda for improvement. Through the moderated school self-review process, the school is preparing an accurate and useful school development plan. During the joint review process, it was concluded

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

correctly that, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and sometimes better, pupils willingly take part in lessons, that virtually all teaching is satisfactory or better, that teachers know their pupils well and that governors are well-informed about the school's work. Ingham Primary School - 11

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Pupils’ standards of work in English have been well above average over the last

three years. Pupils’ achievement in English is good.

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Pupils’ standards of work in English have been well above average over the last

7. Over the last three years, pupils in Year 6 have attained well above average standards in English, when compared with all schools nationally and similar schools. Last year, 88 per cent of pupils attained the nationally expected standards, which compares favourably with 75 per cent of pupils in schools nationally. Forty four per cent of pupils last year reached level 5 in English, which is one level above the nationally expected standard. Girls attained slightly higher standards than boys did, which is a common feature of attainment in many schools.

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Pupils’ standards of work in English have been well above average over the last

8. Year 2 pupils have attained a similar high standard over the same period. All pupils reached the nationally expected standard in reading and 90 per cent of them in writing last year. Girls attained slightly higher standards in reading and writing than boys did. Pupils’ standards in reading are a little higher than in writing, which reflects the national pattern.

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Pupils’ standards of work in English have been well above average over the last

9. Traditionally, the school has placed great emphasis on pupils’ standards of reading and writing. The large size of the school's library is evidence of this. There are approximately 250 books for every pupil. Many young children enter the school knowing more about reading and writing than is typical nationally. Over the years, it is clear that English has been very well taught. The recently appointed staff has continued an appropriate emphasis on English skills. Pupils have a good diet of literature, they complete varied writing activities and their speaking and listening skills receive good attention.

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Pupils’ standards of work in English have been well above average over the last

10. Teachers develop pupils’ knowledge of English in many subjects. In Reception, almost every lesson is about using words and what they mean. In mathematics lessons, pupils learn the names of shapes, consolidate their colours and learn mathematical language, such as what the word ‘subtract’ means. The teacher reinforces this knowledge many times during single lessons and over the year. In Years 1 and 2, the taught part of a mathematics lesson observed involved much use of language. Pupils consolidated what ‘partitioning’ numbers meant. Pupils confirmed to the teacher that they understood what ‘hundreds,’ ‘tens,’ and ‘units’ are. Pupils answered many questions clearly as the teacher moved between groups and pupils showed that they have good comprehension and speaking skills. Pupils used words such as ‘digit ‘and the singular of ‘dice’ as a matter of course.

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Pupils’ standards of work in English have been well above average over the last

11. Years 3 and 4 pupils learn Tai Chi in physical education lessons. Pupils have learned some of the many complicated actions because the teacher has explained them carefully and pupils have been able to interpret them successfully. Pupils’ work in history and geography involves considerable amounts of writing. Pupils’ accounts are interesting, lengthy and show that they have understood what they have been learning. A significant proportion of pupils write complex sentences and link key ideas together successfully. Pupils’ listening and speaking skills were tested during a music lesson in Years 3 and 4. The teacher played a series of pieces of music and asked pupils what mood or image the music suggested to them. They gave good answers.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

12. The good teaching and pupils’ very good attitudes to school are two of the main reasons for pupils’ standards of work and their individual achievements. Several examples of good and very good teaching were observed during the two days of the inspection. Teachers question pupils well and they use their questioning to revise pupils’ knowledge Ingham Primary School - 12 from previous lessons. Teachers reinforce ideas effectively and repeat key points of lessons regularly, so that pupils learn at a good pace. Relationships between adults and pupils are very good overall. Pupils want to learn because they feel valued and included in all lessons. Teachers mostly prepare lessons efficiently and all the things that pupils need are ready for them to use each lesson. Over the last year, four out of five teachers have changed. Newly appointed teachers have settled quickly and there is a purposeful atmosphere in classrooms. A very important feature of the teaching is the high quality of

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

the support staff. Although the teaching staff has changed considerably, support staff have provided continuity and a high level of expertise throughout the school over the last year.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

13. Pupils with special educational needs are included in all that the school does and staff meet their needs effectively. The headteacher keeps up to date records of pupils’ progress and pupils achieve well. There is good evidence that teachers’ have high expectations of what pupils can do and that the work pupils have is well matched to their capabilities. Support staff work effectively with pupils with special educational needs. A support member of staff was observed working with a child with learning difficulties. She kept the child on task and used practical apparatus effectively to interest the child. The pupil made steady progress with learning to recognise numbers to ten.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

14. Several examples were observed of the Reception teacher’s expertise and knowledge of how children in the Foundation Stage learn. The teacher was very well organised in a mathematics lesson. Children practised counting by throwing a beanbag to each other and counting on each time they caught it. The teacher consolidated learning by asking children to add numbers pegged to the washing line. Pupils consolidated their understanding of numbers, such as 12 + 8, successfully. When the teacher wrote numbers on the board, some children commented that several of them started with a number one. The teacher completed the lesson by introducing the floor robot. Pupils directed the robot to move so many lengths so that it in stopped in front of a friend of their choice. The teachers’ very good organisation of learning in this lesson led to children’s very good learning about numbers. They reinforced what ‘tens’ and ‘units’ were and how

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

to add several numbers together successfully.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

15. In Years 1 and 2, pupils learnt to recognise and understand compound words in a good English lesson. The teacher moved the lesson on at a good pace and used many well chosen questions to stimulate pupils’ thinking. Consequently pupils’ concentration was maintained well. Pupils discovered that words such as, ‘foot-ball’ and ‘play-ground’ are compound words and that each part of a compound word has a meaning. The standard of speaking and listening in the class is very high.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

16. Good teaching was observed in the junior classes. In Years 3 and 4, the teacher developed a reading lesson successfully. Pupils’ concentration was very good and they learned that the ‘blurb’ is the name for the information on the back cover that tells what a story is about. Pupils gave good answers about why the picture on the cover had been chosen. The teacher then went on to talk about how books are printed and how each title has an unique number. Pupils learned several important pieces of information about books in this lesson.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

17. Years 5 and 6 pupils learned to identify characters in their books. Virtually all pupils are fluent readers and many pupils’ reading is advanced. The teacher explained how the lesson would develop and pupils listened very well and worked hard. While the teacher worked with one group studying persuasive language, the support members of staff worked tirelessly to assist pupils in other groups. They asked good questions and supported pupils without giving answers away. Pupils were asked for example, ‘Why is Ingham Primary School - 13 …… the key character?’ Pupils learned to sharpen their understanding of what a character is and about the levels of importance of characters in their stories.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

18. A small amount of teaching at Key Stage 2 was unsatisfactory. In one lesson in Years 5 and 6, pupils became noisy and restless because not all pupils had access to the resources needed in the lesson. When the pace of some lessons slowed, pupils tended to become restless, particularly during afternoon lessons.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

The school provides a varied and interesting curriculum.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

19. The quality of the curriculum is a positive influence on the standards that pupils attain. Parents report that their children feel that the school makes learning fun and children enjoy going to school. Pupils are enthusiastic about much of what they do because the curriculum is stimulating.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

20. The curriculum the school provides in the Reception class gives young children a good start to their education. The teacher presents children with a wide range of activities based on the curriculum for the Foundation Stage. (Social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development.) The curriculum helps develop children’s motivation to learn. It begins to develop young children's respect for their own culture and of those of other people. Children develop good reading and writing skills, make up their own stories and learn to spell. The curriculum introduces children well to counting, addition, subtraction and patterns in numbers. Children use their senses to investigate the world around them and to move with greater control and co-ordination.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

21. All around the school there is evidence of a varied and interesting curriculum. In Reception there are good displays on the walls, which show what children have been learning about in most of the Areas of Learning. There is a notice board for children to leave interesting messages. They have learnt to address an envelope and know why this is important. Children see that their work is important because it is displayed well. Pupils have made good pictures from different mathematical shapes and have made a winter scene from three-dimensional animals, such as insects and birds. Children develop good hand control skills by tracing shapes, making rubbings and by threading beads accurately. Children learn about features of Ingham and of the surrounding countryside. Photographs of village features have been linked to their location effectively using string.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

22. In the Years 1 and 2 classroom, pupils study the map of Europe and have looked at aspects of life in Kenya. There is a well stocked class shop with many goods to buy and sell. Pupils learn to count and to handle money successfully in a practical way. In Years 3 and 4, there has been a strong emphasis on art and design and technology last term. Pupils have made high quality money bags in design and technology and made equally good chairs from junk materials. The teacher has a particular interest in art and it shows very strongly in his room. Pupils benefit from this expertise in many ways. Pupils have learned about Giocommetti’s sculptures, such as of people walking in a city. Pupils have made sculptures in his style very successfully. Pupils have made excellent picture frames with three-dimensional decorations around the edge.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

23. In history and geography lessons, Years 3 and 4 pupils have made a detailed study of Saxon and Viking influences on the local area. Pupils' work is very well presented. They have studied maps of the area and place name endings. Pupils show good evidence that they enjoyed their studies. Work is tidy and has been very well presented by the teacher. Ingham Primary School - 14 Pupils have learned about some of the invasions of England by different peoples at different times.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

24. In Years 5 and 6, there is much good quality writing to read on the walls of the classroom. Pupils have described, step by step, how they made paper helicopters. They have evaluated their designs thoroughly and can tell the reader how they would improve their designs. Pupils took part in a very good classroom court trial. A member of the support staff with legal experience organised the class in such a way that every pupil had a part. Pupils learnt many things, including that there are always two sides to an argument. They had the opportunity of deciding whether the subject of the trial was guilty or not and explained why in their writing effectively.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

25. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Over the last term, the headteacher has ensured that the register of pupils with special education needs is up to date and that parents are kept well informed about their children's progress and the provision the school makes for them. Pupils who need extra support receive it in the areas where their need is greatest. They receive extra help, for example, in small groups with the school’s support staff.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

Pupils’ attitudes to school and their personal development are very good.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

26. Pupils’ attitudes to work are very good. Pupils’ positive responses enhance their progress in lessons and the standards they attain because they make the most of what they are offered. They show a strong interest in school life and most have a thirst for knowledge. Pupils respond very well to the teaching in most lessons. Teachers provide a good curriculum and pupils have increasing opportunities to respond positively to school. Teachers make good use of displays of pupils’ work and of other information to make classrooms stimulating. Pupils see that their work is valued and feel a sense of belonging to their school.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

27. Parents feel that the school makes a good job of teaching their children right from wrong. Their children know the school’s rules and parents are pleased that good manners are taught well as part of the daily life of the school.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

28. Pupils play a variety of games co-operatively and sensibly in the playground. They have opportunities to collect and deliver things to classes, which they enjoy. Some pupils are librarians and they keep very accurate computer records of who has each book. Pupils carry out all these activities reliably.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

29. The school council is a successful initiative. Pupils enjoy representing their classes and their agendas reflect their concerns. Pupils have made some important decisions about what happens during the school day. They have helped improve playtimes, asked if water can be provided during lesson times and discussed the school newspaper. Pupils take turns to write minutes of meetings and they have helped create the anti-bullying policy.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

30. Children’s positive attitudes begin when they are young because adults reinforce good social and moral behaviour very strongly in lessons. There are many examples of older pupils’ and young children’s very good responses to school. In Reception, children work very well together and also concentrate for long periods for such young children. Pupils all feel a sense of responsibility towards class lessons and participate willingly and with interest. Ingham Primary School - 15 31. Pupils showed very good powers of concentration in many lessons. Pupils are attentive and concentrate very well on the teaching, because the teaching is interesting and teachers’ expectations of pupils’ attitudes to work and sense of personal responsibility are high. In Years 3 and 4, pupils worked very well during a reading lesson. The teacher’s attention was legitimately devoted to one group’s work only and virtually all other pupils

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

concentrated very well. They were genuinely interested in their stories. Most Years 5 and 6 pupils concentrate well. A few pupils’ attitudes to work are better in the morning than in the afternoon. The oldest pupils work independently for significant periods and enjoy being treated as capable young people, though a few boys in Years 5 and 6 can become restless.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

32. The school’s provision for pupils’ moral and social development has had a positive effect on the way pupils approach their work and in the degree of effort they make in all aspects of school life. The school’s emphasis on developing pupils’ social and moral skills has been successful because the school takes the time to educate pupils about doing the right things. The high level of co-operation between virtually all pupils and the pleasant atmosphere in the school are evidence of the success of this work. Pupils’ progress in lessons is enhanced because they make friends easily and join in enthusiastically. Parents mentioned how pleased they are that older pupils help younger ones in various situations and play together at times in the playground.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

33. Pupils showed how very well behaved they are during assemblies. They responded very well to the headteacher’s questions about the difference between the value of objects and their cost. An important reason why pupils’ attitudes to school are so good is that they receive a good curriculum about citizenship. The headteacher spends much time preparing assemblies and acts of collective worship, which successfully demonstrate to pupils right from wrong. Pupils learn to make informed choices and pupils’ non-academic achievement is celebrated in the school. There were moments observed when pupils’ reactions to each other's work were very positive, such as in assemblies. Pupils showed genuine pleasure at seeing the success of other pupils during assemblies.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

Pupils’ rate of attendance at school is well above average.

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The teaching and learning in Reception and Key Stage 1 are good. Support staff are

34. Last year, the rate of attendance was well above the national average. The attendance rate was 96.2 per cent. Pupils show a considerable sense of loyalty towards their school. They enjoy lessons and parents confirm that their children enjoy going to school. One of the key benefits of the high rate of attendance is that pupils learn more because they are in class so regularly. The school checks on attendance regularly and parents ensure that their children attend school regularly. If they are ill for example, they inform the school immediately.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

pupils’ standards of work in science and in the management of some subjects.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

35. The school has carefully evaluated the strengths and areas for development in the school. Standards in science over the last four years have been lower than those in English and mathematics. They compare unfavourably with schools nationally and very unfavourably with similar schools. It is likely that science in the past has not received the attention in lessons given to some other subjects. In response, the governing body made the improvement of science standards in the school a priority in the recent past. Ingham Primary School - 16 Governors have again continued to place science as a high priority this year and currently two members of staff have expertise in the subject, including the headteacher.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

36. In three out of the four previous years, pupils have scored below national average standards in science at the end of Year 6 in national tests. Last year, all pupils in Year 2 gained the nationally expected standard, (level two) but a much smaller proportion gained the higher standard, level three. The school has identified the fact that not all pupils reach their potential, particularly higher attainers.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

37. Since the major changes of staff in the last six months, individual teachers have played a small role in co-ordinating the management of subjects. The exception is the co- ordination of the Foundation Stage by the reception teacher. She has continued to provide very good continuity for the school in the period of change. The Foundation Stage is well organised and children achieve well. The Reception teacher has recently taken on the co-ordination of English. Other members of staff who are new to the school have few curricular responsibilities yet. The newly appointed headteacher and staff have been assessing where the greatest needs in the school are before allocating duties to individual teachers. This is an entirely appropriate response initially.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

38. Currently, the headteacher reads all teachers’ plans and makes checks on the teaching and learning in lessons. She cannot continue to provide this level of activity in this area of the school's work and carry out all the other duties, such as teaching two days each week, successfully. The role of co-ordinator has many duties, such as to check that the school is following the National Curriculum in detail, to order stock for use in classrooms, to read colleagues’ plans and to provide advice when needed. The current staff has many skills and areas of expertise.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

Higher attaining pupils do not always have work that is hard enough for them.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

39. Through the ‘Moderated School Self-Review’ carried out by governors, headteacher and local education authority, the school has identified the fact that higher attaining pupils are not achieving as well as they might. Pupils’ results in the past in English at both key stages have been well above average. However in mathematics and more so in science at Key Stage 2, pupils’ results have not been as good.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

40. Last year in Year 2, pupils scored less well in national tests for reading and writing than they have done in previous years. Most pupils gained the nationally expected levels in reading and writing (level 2) but few gained the above average level three. Yet in mathematics, sixty per cent of pupils gained level 3, which was well above average. Year 6 pupils last year scored well in the English national tests. Forty four per cent of pupils gained level five, where level four is the nationally expected standard. But in mathematics and science only nineteen per cent of pupils gained the higher level five.

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

41. There are reasons why standards have varied between subjects. For example, English has traditionally had much more attention than other subjects. There are reasons why standards were lower last year. Year 6 pupils last year who took the national tests were a lower attaining group. Pupils had a disjointed year and were taught by many different teachers, which had an unsettling effect. A significant proportion of pupils moves into or leaves the school at different times during the year, which often has a negative effect on standards because pupils new to a school need time to establish themselves. Ingham Primary School - 17 42. A further reason why standards of the higher attainers are lower than they might be is that they are not always given work that is difficult enough for them. In one lesson observed, higher attainers were grouped appropriately and had work that was more difficult than that

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Recent school self-evaluations have highlighted areas for development, in junior

provided for the rest of the class. However, the teacher’s assessment of what pupils could do was not accurate enough. Higher attaining pupils found the work easy and that it repeated things they could do rather than develop ideas that they had not met before.

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Teachers’ use of information and communication technology (ICT) in lessons is

43. The school's self-review revealed that pupils’ standards in ICT do not reach national standards. At present, with the exception of the Reception teacher, teachers do not make enough use of ICT to help develop pupils’ skills and knowledge in other subjects. During the two days of the inspection, pupils used computers rarely in lessons.

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Teachers’ use of information and communication technology (ICT) in lessons is

44. In a good Reception class lesson, the teacher reinforced children's recognition of the alphabet by using a computer program. Children successfully recognised letters written in different ways, which linked very well with the content of the language lesson, which was partly about how to recognise and write the letters c, a, d, g, o. In another lesson, children learnt how to select a program from the first screen, practised double-clicking on the mouse and revised how to open and close a program. Many children found the rapid double-click action difficult but they persevered well.

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Teachers’ use of information and communication technology (ICT) in lessons is

45. Computer programs might have been used in more lessons. For example, Years 5 and 6 pupils were learning about the relative movements of the Sun, Earth and Moon. The teacher made considerable efforts to demonstrate the movements of these astronomical bodies. A suitable computer program might have revised the key ideas of the lesson effectively in moving diagram form and consolidated pupils’ knowledge further.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

46. Governors, headteacher and staff should;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the management of the school by allocating teachers responsibilities for developing subjects in order to raise pupils’ standards of work in subjects, such as science.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the quality of work set for the highest attainers by assessing more accurately the standards that pupils have attained and setting work that extends their knowledge and understanding faster.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Raise standards in ICT by ensuring that the full curriculum is taught to all pupils and that ICT is used more frequently to develop work in other subjects. Ingham Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 13

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Ingham Primary School - 19 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 88

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 11

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ingham Primary School - 20

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 3 7 10

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 3 3 3 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 6 6

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (93) 90 (100) 90 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 3 3 3 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 6 7

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (93) 90 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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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 5 11 16

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 5 4 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 9 10

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (85) 81 (85) 94 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 4 4 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 10 11

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (92) 88 (92) 100 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Ingham Primary School - 21

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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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 2 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

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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

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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. Ingham Primary School - 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.6 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 235280

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 228362

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 102 Expenditure per pupil 2330

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 7607

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Balance carried forward to next year 14525

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4.4

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2.6

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Ingham Primary School - 23

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 53 29 8 0 10

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 47 2 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 31 47 18 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 35 16 8 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 25 2 4 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 25 2 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 25 49 16 6 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 47 41 6 4 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 37 6 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 14 41 18 12 15

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Other issues raised by parents

Some parents expressed concern about the following:

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Other issues raised by parents

• The number of changes in staff that had occurred over the last twelve months. Parents requested reassurance that the situation was in hand. • The quality and range of homework. • Communication with parents until recently.

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