Lincoln Birchwood Junior School

LINCOLN BIRCHWOOD JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 – 16 January 2003

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LINCOLN BIRCHWOOD JUNIOR 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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LINCOLN BIRCHWOOD JUNIOR 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. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Larchwood Crescent Lincoln

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Brian Main

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 November 1997 Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 4

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responsibilities

20086 David Speakman Registered inspector What sort of school is it? The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 19374 Wendy Sheehan Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 15015 Mike Wehrmeyer Team inspector English Information and communication technology Special educational needs How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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responsibilities

30853 Susan Betts Team inspector Science Music Religious education 22955 Doreen Cliff Team inspector Art and design Geography History Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Educational Inclusion Pupils’ attitudes values and personal development

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responsibilities

21420 Paula Allison Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Physical education Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Higherland Bridge 49 West Street Gargrave Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 3RJ

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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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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Lincoln Birchwood Junior 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

Birchwood Junior School is on the Birchwood area of west Lincoln. It draws its pupils mainly from the local area. The proportion of pupils receiving free school meals is similar to that found in most schools. However, this does not necessarily reflect the characteristics of the area because there are no cooked meals available in this local education authority and not all those entitled claim. Other evidence, such as the Child Poverty Index, indicates below average circumstances. Children’s attainments on entry are below average. There are 336 pupils on roll, 79 of who have special educational needs. This is an above average proportion. Their needs include dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties, speech and communication, hearing, visual impairment and autism. Fourteen pupils have a statement of special educational needs, which is well above average. There are very few pupils from ethnic heritages and no pupil

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

speaks English as an additional language. There are exactly the same number of boys and girls. The acting headteacher is leading the school until the new permanent headteacher takes up her post after Easter 2003.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a sound education for its pupils. Attainment on entry is below average for most children. Although standards in English and mathematics remain below average by the end of Year 6, they are average in English and above average in mathematics and science when compared to similar schools. Standards in other subjects are in line with national expectations by the time pupils are in Year 6. They make good progress. Pupils do well because of the good quality of teaching. The leadership and management of the acting headteacher and governors are satisfactory but there are some shortcomings in monitoring teaching and pupils’ academic performance. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching is good and leads to good learning. Standards compare well with similar schools. • Good provision for pupils’ moral development and good procedures for promoting good behaviour are effective and result in good behaviour in and around school. • Good provision for pupils with special educational needs enables them to make good progress. • Provision for extra curricular activities is good. • All pupils have good levels of access to all learning opportunities and all are fully included in what the school has to offer.

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What could be improved

• Standards in English and mathematics. • Provision to develop pupils’ personal development, including their initiative and ability to work independently. • Assessment procedures and the use made of them in planning to raise standards. • The time scale for the strategic view of school development planning. • Monitoring of teaching and of pupils’ academic performance and progress. 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

There has been a satisfactory level of improvement since the previous inspection in November 1997. Although standards in English remain below the national average, they are now better, particularly in writing. In mathematics, more pupils achieve the higher levels than at the time of the previous inspection; standards compare well with similar schools and are rising. The quality of teaching and learning has improved. During the inspection, there was no unsatisfactory teaching and more teaching was very good and excellent than at Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 8 the time of the previous inspection. The school has satisfactorily addressed the issues pointed out in the previous inspection, although improvements in the provision for spiritual and cultural development remain areas for further development, as does the monitoring and evaluation of school performance. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is better and they now make good progress. There is a better range of

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

extra curricular activities and there has been improvement in the curriculum as there are now schemes of work for all subjects.

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

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STANDARDS

Inspection evidence shows that standards are below average in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Standards in science are average. Contributory factors to the difference between standards in this year and in last year’s National Curriculum test results are the high number of pupils with special educational needs in that cohort and the current good quality of teaching and learning. Pupils are achieving well. Standards in all other subjects are as expected nationally for pupils of this age, and in music they are higher. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Most higher attaining pupils also do well, with an above average proportion exceeding the expected Level 4 in English, but others are not always challenged sufficiently and only make satisfactory progress. The attainment of girls is lower than that of boys in mathematics and higher in English.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are attentive and settle quickly to their work. They are keen to join in, answer questions and share ideas with each other and their teachers. Pupils work well together and show respect for others by listening politely to what they have to say. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good, both in lessons and around the school. However, when pupils are not actively involved in activities some, especially those with special educational needs, disrupt the learning of the whole class. Personal development and relationships Satisfactory. Pupils mostly control their own behaviour well and they listen carefully and with respect to the views of other pupils. However, many pupils have not yet developed the ability to work independently to good effect and they do not yet show a great deal of initiative. Attendance Satisfactory and around the national average. The level of unauthorised

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

absence is above average. There is very little lateness and lessons begin promptly. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 9

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching Good 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

The quality of teaching is good overall and leads to good learning. The teaching of English and mathematics is good across the school. Learning in literacy and numeracy is also good because teachers have a secure understanding of how to teach these skills. Pupils in all years learn English and mathematics within groups from across the classes according to their level of attainment. This contributes to the good achievement in these subjects by the end of Year 6.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Over one in five lessons were very good or excellent. Features of these lessons included good question and answer sessions, good pace and effective teaching methods. These make pupils think and moves their learning on. Other strengths in the quality of teaching include high expectations, interesting strategies that motivate the pupils and encourage them to work hard and clear explanation to ensure that all pupils understand what is expected of them and are confident to move forwards. In the lessons that were satisfactory, the pace slowed and teachers missed opportunities to engage pupils in challenging discussion. Consequently, some pupils consolidated what they already knew, rather than gaining new knowledge. There are some variations between lessons in behaviour management, teachers’ expectations of what their pupils can do, lesson planning, opportunities for independent learning and the level of effectiveness in the delivery of

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

lessons. Although satisfactory, aspects of planning are the weakest areas in teaching. Where teachers plan different activities for pupils across the ability range, they base these on literacy rather than subject skills. The school meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs well.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. It covers all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. All subjects are taught and most receive sufficient time. However, there is no whole school curriculum plan to indicate how subjects fit together. Provision for literacy and numeracy is good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision is good. Clear procedures are in place to support the identification and assessment of pupils. Individual education plans are carefully and thoughtfully prepared. The targets identify the main priorities. Teachers closely monitor the withdrawal of pupils from lessons so that they do not miss the same lesson each week. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory overall. Provision for moral development is good and satisfactory for social development. Provision for pupils’ spiritual and

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

cultural development is unsatisfactory. The school does not sufficiently prepare pupils for life in a multi culturally diverse society. How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory overall. Procedures for ensuring the welfare of pupils are satisfactory. Procedures for promoting good behaviour are good. However, the school does not use assessment data effectively to provide suitably challenging activities for all pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents have good views of the school. They like the school and what it is doing for their children. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 10 Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 11

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The acting headteacher and deputy have successfully maintained the quality of education provided by the school, whilst implementing short term initiatives to good effect.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors have good levels of involvement in the school. They are conscientious, well organised and fulfil their statutory responsibilities satisfactorily. They have a clear understanding of the school’s needs and have given good support in bringing the school through the current period of change. The school’s evaluation of its performance This is unsatisfactory. There is not enough monitoring of teaching by the acting headteacher and subject leaders and some aspects of teaching are inconsistent. Assessment data is not used well enough to ensure a challenging curriculum and higher standards in core subjects. The strategic use of resources Satisfactory overall. The school targets the funds available appropriately. The governing body, headteacher and administrative officer monitor spending carefully and apply the principles of best value satisfactorily. However,

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

strategic financial planning, linked to targets in the School Improvement Plan, is for the current year only and there is no planning for the long term.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There are satisfactory numbers of teachers and support staff. Their qualifications and experience meet the learning needs of pupils of this age. The accommodation is adequate but it presents some limitations to school development and the provision for small group work. Learning resources are satisfactory.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

One parent attended a meeting with inspectors before the inspection and 46 returned questionnaires.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children like school. • The teaching is good; pupils are expected to work hard and are making good progress. • The school is well led and managed. • Behaviour of pupils in school. • The school is helping their children become mature and responsible. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • The amount of homework children are expected to do.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with the positive views expressed by the parents. Teachers use homework satisfactorily to support learning. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 The last inspection took place in November 1997. At that time, pupils made generally satisfactory progress and attained national expectations in mathematics, science, history, geography, art, music, physical education and religious education. Standards in English, design and technology and information technology were below expectations. There has been some improvement since that time because pupils now make good progress. Although standards remain below the national average in English and mathematics, in all other subjects standards at the end of Year 6 are as expected nationally and are good in music. Standards in religious education match the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 Pupils enter the school with attainment below that expected for pupils at this age. The school did not achieve its target in the National Curriculum tests in English for 11 year olds last year. These were set close to the national average and are higher than the school usually achieves. Although pupils make good progress, when taking into account their attainment, these targets seem to be inappropriately high for this school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 In the National Curriculum tests for 11 year olds in 2002, results were well below the national average in English and below in mathematics and science. When compared to similar schools, results in English were average and above average in science and mathematics. Since 1998, the gap between the national average results and the school’s results has widened in English and slightly so in mathematics, although there are currently signs of improvement in mathematics and in English. Girls achieve better than boys in English and in mathematics, boys attain higher results. The school has kept pace with national trends in science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 An above average number of pupils in school have special educational needs, particularly the proportion with statements, which is well above average. They enter the school with standards well below expected levels in most subjects. Although the level of attainment of these pupils remains well below the national average, they make good progress overall. In specific support programmes run by the coordinator, special needs assistants and local authority specialists, many pupils make very good progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 Pupils make good progress in speaking skills and are becoming confident in speaking before others. Standards are below average because their vocabulary is limited and they do not clearly say exactly what they mean. This is particularly noticeable in some subjects, including English, where they do not have the range of technical vocabulary. Listening skills are similar to national expectations for pupils of this age and this is a strong feature of attainment in English. The standard of reading by the end of Year 6 remains below average. Pupils enjoy reading and most are making good progress in developing reading skills. Most have mastered basic word attack skills and are now developing their range of reading interest. Teachers introduce pupils well to non fiction texts and this helps pupils to develop reference skills satisfactorily. Year 4 pupils, for instance, have a clear understanding of how

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

an index works by constructing their own. The school introduces pupils to Shakespeare and Dickens, but they do not have a big enough range of personal interest to appreciate fully the different styles and their reading skills are not strong enough to enable them to explain an author’s intention and style. Pupils make good progress in writing. Pupils write in a particularly wide range of styles and purposes. Year 3 pupils, for instance, learn the skill of note taking while Year 6 pupils further develop this skill at a higher level. Pupils do not take Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 13 as much care with spelling and handwriting as they should, and these are not as good as at the time of the previous inspection. Standards are improving and are getting close to the national average with evidence of some higher attainment in writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 By Year 6, attainment in mathematics remains below that expected for pupils of this age, with most pupils making good progress. They have sound understanding of number through the numeracy strategy. They work well with place value of number and use this confidently when multiplying and dividing whole numbers and decimals by ten, 100 and 1000. Average attainers in Year 6 work quite confidently with simple fractions and percentages to describe proportions. Lower attaining pupils, however, have a weaker understanding of number and often make simple and basic mistakes, which affects their accuracy. Their knowledge and understanding in other aspects of mathematics, such as shape, space and measure, and of data handling matches that in number. Assessment data and workbooks suggest that some girls do not achieve as well as they might do and this is an issue not properly tackled by the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7 Standards in science are average. Because of the school’s emphasis on learning science through experimental work, pupils develop skills in answering questions based on first hand experience and observation, and measurement skills satisfactorily. Younger pupils plan fair tests and have a sound understanding of the conditions they need to set up in order to investigate a situation. As they get older, pupils begin to make predictions and use a wider range of methods for recording their findings. They have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the properties of materials. Younger pupils group materials according to their uses in Year 3 and, by the time they reach Year 5, classify materials as solids, liquids and gases. They have a satisfactory awareness of the nature of processes of life in humans and animals, and of physical processes. With a little help, Year 6 pupils describe the purpose of the heart and lungs, and the production of sound. They know about the effects of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8 In information and communication technology, standards are as expected nationally by Year 6. Pupils demonstrate satisfactory word processing skills. They produce work with pictures and text combined which helps to develop their understanding of how authors illustrate their books. Pupils effectively use computers to support work in numeracy. Teachers give them regular opportunities to practise and consolidate their knowledge and understanding of number. Year 4 pupils can use ‘cut and paste’ techniques to produce repeating patterns in art. Control and the use of sensors to monitor different conditions are less well developed and standards in these two strands are below national expectations

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9 Standards in music are above those expected nationally. Pupils’ performing skills are good, particularly in singing. They listen to and appraise music well. Standards of composing have improved since the time of the previous inspection, and are now satisfactory and improving.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10 Pupils have maintained their good attitudes to school since the last inspection. Parents confirm that the pupils like school and that the school fosters positive attitudes and relationships. Pupils are attentive and settle quickly to their work. There are examples of this at the beginning of lessons when the pupils listen promptly to the teachers’ instructions. They show their enthusiasm to join in and answer questions or share ideas but they also listen to each other without interrupting. For example, during a discussion about Ancient Egypt a group of Year 3 pupils considered each other’s ideas and worked towards a cooperative decision about how to present their work. In most classes, the pupils generally work together well, share equipment and take care with the presentation of their work. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 14 11 Most pupils are well motivated and their overall response to teachers and learning is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

However, they often find working independently difficult. Without focused adult support and direction, they lose concentration and make less progress in lessons. Pupils with special educational needs also have positive attitudes to their work. They are eager to please and enjoy succeeding. They respond well to the support they receive, which helps boost their confidence and enables them to take pride in their achievements. Pupils respond well to the opportunities the school offers, particularly extra curricular activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12 Behaviour continues to be good. Pupils’ behaviour in many lessons is good and when this is the case, progress is good. The staff have identified a code of conduct and a system of behaviour management. Teachers and classroom assistants alike apply this consistently and pupils respond well to it. The same behaviour code is applied at playtimes and the duty teachers support lunchtime supervisors in its use. The adults working within the school provide good role models for the pupils. They expect and achieve good standards of behaviour. Oppressive behaviour, bullying, sexism and racism do not occur often despite the large number of pupils with behavioural difficulties. There are clear systems in place to monitor behaviour throughout the school. A few pupils sometimes demonstrate anti social behaviour that disrupts the learning of others. These pupils' behaviour has less impact upon others when support staff work with them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13 There has been one permanent exclusion during the last year. This followed a period of considerable support for the pupil. Records show that the school manages the procedures well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14 Pupils who have special educational needs are developing confidence and positive self esteem as they follow the good role model of their classmates. They relate well to the teachers and support assistants, developing an enthusiasm for their work and an increasing ability to concentrate. The pupils with the most severe difficulties appreciate the support they receive and try to live up to the high expectations of the staff.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15 The pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. It was judged good at the time of the last inspection. Many of the pupils are aware of the impact of their actions on others and exercise a high degree of self control. The teachers encourage them to reflect on and discuss their behaviour, feelings and experiences. The majority of pupils listen carefully to the views held by others as observed in religious education lessons. However, there are a significant number of pupils who find these aspects of development difficult to sustain. Many have limited vocabulary with which to express their views. Pupils, teachers and other adults relate well to each other. Pupils often support each other in the classroom and show tolerance of those with learning and behavioural difficulties. Pupils are less secure working independently and teachers do not consistently plan opportunities for them to show initiative.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Older pupils take responsibilities for routine jobs and individuals in each class also take on jobs. However, there are limited opportunities for pupils to take responsibility or take an active part in decisions important to them. The pupils are beginning to gain an understanding of the wider world community by supporting charities such as Comic Relief and The Children’s Society.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16 Attendance rates are currently satisfactory however, some absences occur as a result of holidays taken during term time. The level of unauthorised absences has fallen over time but remains above the level expected. Lateness to school and lessons is infrequent.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 15 17 The quality of teaching is good. In lessons observed, teaching was always satisfactory or better, ranging from satisfactory to excellent. Teaching was good in 22 lessons seen, very good in 13 and excellent in four. The rest of teaching was satisfactory. Standards in teaching have improved since the previous inspection, when they were satisfactory. Significant is the absence of unsatisfactory teaching seen during this inspection, compared with 17 per cent in the last inspection. The good quality of teaching is contributing significantly to the good achievement that pupils make whilst in the school. Teaching is good in English, mathematics, information and communication technology, music and physical education. It is satisfactory in all other subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18 The characteristics of the good and better teaching include teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach, the teaching of basic skills to support further learning, high expectations of their behaviour and the brisk pace at which many lessons are conducted. These factors create a calm, purposeful working atmosphere in classrooms, which in turn has a positive impact on pupils’ positive attitudes to learning. Although the quality of teaching is good, there are some variations between lessons in behaviour management, teachers’ expectations of what their pupils can do, lesson planning, opportunities for independent learning and the level of effectiveness in the delivery of lessons. This is due to the lack of monitoring of teaching allowing these inconsistencies.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19 In better lessons, teachers make their expectations clear and explain thoroughly to pupils what they expect of them. This enables pupils to be confident in their efforts, as seen in a Year 5 physical education lesson when pupils had to picture an imaginary line running through their body, about which they had to turn. This was explained effectively and pupils therefore understood this abstract idea and performed well. All teachers have high expectations of behaviour. They make these clear and pupils respond consistently well. However there is sometimes a lack of challenge for higher attaining pupils. In a number of lessons, including some in information and communication technology, religious education and numeracy, there was insufficient challenge for more able pupils. The extension tasks provided were not sufficiently challenging. For example in an information and communication technology lesson, the extension activity consisted simply of ’make it more

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

interesting’. Activities for lower attaining pupils are sometimes low key and present little challenge, such as when the learning activity in geography becomes little more than a colouring exercise.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20 Teachers’ management of pupils is good and results in the good attitudes and behaviour, supporting the good progress pupils make. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils who accept the firm control in classrooms. This enables lively and stimulating lessons to take place, such as those in Year 5 gymnastics and in Year 4 geography when pupils planned a ‘sustainable classroom’. Teachers’ firm control leads to pupils’ good behaviour and positive attitudes in information and communication technology, where pupils work well without the direct supervision of the teacher. Pupils feel valued because their own ideas are respectfully explored, such as in a religious education, when pupils discussed what they knew about Jesus Christ. Class rules are on display and pupils know what standard of behaviour that teachers expect of them. Most teachers implement the rules as written. Occasionally, staff do not tackle inappropriate behaviour quickly enough and this

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

sometimes leads to a less satisfactory pace and slower learning .

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21 Although lesson planning is satisfactory overall, this is the weakest aspect of teaching. Although different planning formats are used, lesson planning is thorough and appropriate. In physical education, well planned lessons show a good structure, containing all the necessary elements; warm up, skills’ development, opportunity to apply skills, opportunity to assess and evaluate and a cooling down session at the end of the lesson. Planning in history shows specific learning objectives and differentiated activities to present information Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 16 to pupils at different levels of attainment. Planning is thorough in music and tasks are challenging and good in science.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22 However, in a significant number of lessons pupils’ learning depends too much upon teachers giving information and a result is the imbalance between class teacher and pupil activity, with teachers often doing too much and pupils not enough. This also limits the opportunities that pupils have to develop independent learning skills. Often though, teachers plan work that is appropriate for pupils of different abilities from a literacy approach, rather than the subject. For example, in a history lesson planning showed different levels of task based on the recording of results. This planning reflected differentiation for literacy and not for history, indicating an insecure understanding of differentiated work. This was also seen in religious education

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23 The teaching of basic skills is good across a wide range of subjects, including literacy, numeracy, science, information and communication technology, music and physical education. In English and mathematics, teachers provide pupils with a secure foundation in basic skills on which to build and make good progress. In information and communication technology, teachers are generally brief with their explanations and pupils have good opportunity to practise and consolidate computer skills through use. The teaching of basic movement skills in gymnastics and games skills in hockey is good and pupils have opportunities to apply, practise and consolidate them. In a science lesson the teacher made a point of explaining how to use the skills of observation more skilfully in order to improve the quality of pupils’ work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24 Teachers use a satisfactory range of good quality methods in their teaching, which effectively support the good learning taking place and pupils’ good achievement. The quality of teachers’ questioning of pupils is good. In information and communication technology and science, good question and answer sessions established what pupils knew at the beginning of the lesson and enabled the teacher to start from an appropriate point and build on strengths in pupils’ knowledge. In a Year 5 geography lesson, the teacher used questions well to generate pace and to focus and challenge pupils’ thinking. In history in the same year group, the teacher used a good range of questions to probe pupils’ knowledge. In better lessons, such as a Year 3 information and communication technology lesson, the teacher made good use of trial and improvement methods, in which pupils tried things out, evaluated their difficulties and mistakes and improved at their next attempt. Pupils learned well from

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

this method. Their learning was secure through having more independence and less prescribed instruction. This good practice is not consistent throughout the school. Teachers usually use the session at the end of lessons well to share ideas and develop learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25 Teachers’ marking and the use of day to day assessment are variable. They are, at best, satisfactory but unsatisfactory in some non core subjects such as art and design, history, geography and religious education. The marking of pupils’ work in these subjects tends to be very positive, with comments such as ‘well done’ or ‘a good piece of work’ but offers little in the way of constructive advice on how pupils can improve the quality of their work. Scrutiny of pupils’ books in history and geography shows variation in the quality and use of marking. However, there is better practice in physical education lessons where teachers successfully assess the quality of work and enable pupils to identify and suggest improvement. This helps pupils to be aware of the quality of their own learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26 The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs is good. All class teachers are involved in drawing up the pupils' individual work plans, in consultation with the special needs coordinator and the support assistants, to ensure that pupils get the maximum benefit. Class teachers try to draw in the weaker pupils by including them in questioning but this is Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 17 not consistent in every class. All teachers are good at ensuring that the special needs pupils experience success in front of their peers. The impact of the support teaching programmes by the coordinator and support assistants is very good. The programmes are closely monitored for value added and are showing improved standards. In lessons, the teachers do not have simple systems to remind them of the planned targets and do not refer to them as often as expected.

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PUPILS?

27 The school provides a sound curriculum, much improved since the previous inspection. It is now based wholly on discrete subject planning. The teachers’ handling of planning is more confident and rigorous than at the time of the previous inspection. Teachers base their long term planning on schemes of work, which lay out the learning steps in secure progression. All subjects now have such a scheme, and many of the schemes successfully reflect national guidelines. Medium term planning is now more effective in identifying teaching method and lesson organisation. This helps guide teachers’ lesson planning well, and most teachers now include clear learning objectives, which they usually share with pupils. The impact of this is positive and enables pupils to have a sound grasp of how well they are learning. The school continues to focus on planning for basic skills in English and mathematics, which is appropriate to the needs of these pupils. Standards in English are

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PUPILS?

improving because of teachers' increased confidence in using the literacy strategy. Teachers implement the numeracy strategy satisfactorily and this is effectively helping to raise standards in mathematics.

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PUPILS?

28 The planned curriculum is suitably broad and balanced. Teachers are beginning to plan valuable links between subjects, which strengthens learning. For instance, the linking of the planning for computer skills with objectives for art enables pupils to add to their awareness of repeating patterns, while adding copy and paste to their range of computer skills. However, there is no overall curriculum map to chart these links. The system of planning leaders for year groups is not always effective and some of the lessons resulting from this are uninspiring. There is insufficient monitoring of planning by subject coordinators and senior managers.

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PUPILS?

29 The weakness in planning is due to teachers not achieving the balance of skills, knowledge and understanding built into the school’s work schemes. For example, in subjects such as history and geography the teachers concentrate too much on content knowledge at the expense of the necessary practical skills. In design and technology, teachers emphasise the practical skills but minimise the recording process.

p.17

PUPILS?

30 Inclusion is a strength of the curriculum. The organisation of the planning and teaching of English and mathematics into ability sets is more consistent and effective than at the previous inspection and enables teachers to focus their planned activities. In the best instances, teachers also provide well for ability groups within the sets. This is becoming a feature in the best lessons for foundation subjects.

p.17

PUPILS?

31 The school is alert to the needs of gifted and talented pupils, and has begun to plan for their needs. Occasionally, planning does not have a clear focus and this leads to dull teaching which is not relevant to the needs of particular groups of pupils, it does not enable vibrant learning experiences or provide training for independent learning. Although the system values individuals, the school does not pay enough attention to monitoring the attainment and progress of boys and girls. For example, the impact of planning for girls in mathematics and boys in English is not tracked rigorously enough. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 18 32 Provision for pupils who have special educational needs continues at the same good level but is even more effective because the size of the groups is larger than at the time of the previous inspection. All the pupils’ individual education plans are in place. The pupils’

p.17

PUPILS?

targets are clearly defined, work programmes detailed and their progress is reviewed at regular intervals. The targets are more precise than at the time of the previous inspection, and the teachers now keep pupils’ individual education plans in their files for quick reference. The review period shown on each plan does not reflect the pace needed to achieve several different targets. The termly reviews themselves are valuable because they give quality time for a consideration of the pupils’ overall progress, and parents value them. The coordinator tracks the small number of pupils who go out of the classroom for support work. Teachers adjust timetables so that pupils do not repeatedly miss the same lessons.

p.18

PUPILS?

33 The school now provides a particularly rich variety of experiences through a good range of extra curricular activities for its pupils. This feeds valuable skills and knowledge into the classroom curriculum, which is helping to raise standards. Teachers track pupils’ progress in personal, social and health education, and citizenship but because the provision is unstructured, it is delivered inconsistently through the school.

p.18

PUPILS?

34 The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral and social development but provision for pupils’ spiritual development and cultural development is unsatisfactory. This represents a slight improvement in provision for spiritual development since the time of the last inspection when it was poor.

p.18

PUPILS?

35 The spiritual development of pupils is unsatisfactory mainly because opportunities to develop pupils’ spirituality are missed or not promoted sufficiently either within the curriculum or during acts of collective worship. In religious education, pupils satisfactorily explore religious beliefs and values and the ways that these affect peoples’ lives. Also ‘circle time’ and many well managed discussions in lessons help pupils to appreciate their own worth and to raise their self esteem. On other occasions, it is by chance rather than by design that pupils engage in elements of spiritual development. During the week of the inspection, in an English lesson pupils showed courage by debating in public. Similarly, there are moments when pupils marvel at events, as they did when pupils in a Year 3 information and communication technology class wondered at the speed with which the computer responded to commands given through the mouse.

p.18

PUPILS?

36 There is a whole school plan for collective worship, accompanied by suggestions and notes to help teachers plan effectively. On some occasions, pupils reflect on values and beliefs during class or whole school assemblies. For example, in Year 5 pupils recognised the notion of challenge and overcoming it through the story of Moses. This also included the idea of inspiration and gave pupils an appreciation of belief. However, another assembly on a similar theme dealt with moral and social issues but missed opportunities to develop spirituality. There was no reference to a higher being, no music or other evidence of spirituality except that of thinking about sharing with each other.

p.18

PUPILS?

37 The staff involved with the pupils who have special needs encourage them to grow in independence and self awareness. Their lessons always have a strong component of social development, how to share and how to work in pairs or groups. The coordinator’s class has a distinct ethos of cooperative learning. Pupils remind each other that they are here to “look, listen, think and try!” Parents are particularly pleased with this aspect of the school’s work.

p.18

PUPILS?

38 The school’s approach to moral development is good, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. The school promotes positive values and there are clear expectations of acceptable conduct. Staff give pupils a sound knowledge of the school rules which are on display in classrooms. Pupils' response is positive, illustrated by their good standards of Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 19 behaviour. These standards lead the pupils to have a clear understanding of right and wrong. In one lesson, pupils successfully supported others with particular behaviour difficulties and made positive efforts to include them in activities. Adults in the school are patient, tolerant and reasonable in dealing with pupils, showing a consistent positive approach to pupils’ moral development, and providing good role models. Pupils contribute to fund raising for several charities such as Comic Relief, Children in Need, and the Children's

p.18

PUPILS?

Society. This demonstrates their willingness to support others with difficulties.

p.19

PUPILS?

39 The provision for pupils’ social development is also good. The school values its members and encourages pupils to integrate well in the classroom and in the playground. This results in positive relationships between pupils themselves and between pupils and staff. In the classroom, there are many opportunities for pupils to work together or within groups and all pupils develop their social skills well in this way. Pupils enjoy those lessons where there is investigative work or opportunities for independence. Pupils welcome the responsibility they have as class monitors and as house captains to deliver registers and messages. Groups of pupils from Year 6 work well with Year 3 pupils for playtime games at lunchtime. In an act of collective worship seen during the week of the inspection, pupils appreciated the importance of working as a team when the acting headteacher was describing how two

p.19

PUPILS?

diabetic people were going to Antarctica. Pupils are polite and friendly, listen to each other and, on the whole, are willing to share. Pupils have the chance to mix socially outside the classroom in after school clubs. Music provides corporate experiences in school productions and in choir and singing practise. At present, there are no regular residential trips. The school plans to establish a school council.

p.19

PUPILS?

40 Pupil’s cultural development is unsatisfactory as it was at the time of the previous inspection. This is because there is a lack of richness in areas both in and out of the curriculum where pupils can develop a full awareness of the cultural traditions of their own locality and of other cultures. Pupils do have some opportunities to explore their own culture through the curriculum. In a dance lesson, for example, pupils moved to music from Egypt, and used books and pictures as stimuli. In the past year, pupils walked in the area around school and visited Skegness for their studies in geography. They have visited an art gallery and in music, there are plans for a steel band to visit school next term. Through religious education, pupils gain an insight into the beliefs of other cultures. Nevertheless, visitors from other backgrounds are infrequent and pupils have too few opportunities to learn about the

p.19

PUPILS?

ethnic and cultural diversity of British society in order to prepare them for later life.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41 All teaching and non teaching staff provide a satisfactory level of care for pupils. In particular, the acting headteacher shows great concern for their welfare. She frequently takes the time to listen to them and involve them in the life of the school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42 The procedures for health and safety are satisfactory. The school regularly reviews these and identifies the roles of key members. However, it does not clearly define the actual process of monitoring and this makes the duties of the governor, responsible for health and safety, difficult to fulfil. Governors are actively involved in monitoring health and safety on a daily basis but a more strategic approach, for example identifying the process of risk assessment, is yet established. There is a suitable number of staff trained in first aid and efficient procedures are in place to deal with any accidents. Day to day procedures for ensuring the protection of children are good and the special needs coordinator is fully trained and alert to the needs of pupils. However, at present the policy does not fully reflect the practice and this could lead to confusion for new staff. The school pays due regard to

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

internet safety and asks all parents to sign appropriate consent forms. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 20 43 The monitoring of attendance is satisfactory. Teachers undertake registration efficiently and procedures meet statutory requirements. The school successfully uses a computerised system. Teachers and administrative staff ensure they address any concerns promptly. However, the school has yet to consider a system for first day contact to ensure more immediate knowledge of pupils’ absences. Very few pupils are late and staff carefully monitor any persistent lateness. The school alerts the educational welfare officer, when required.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44 The procedures for supporting and monitoring behaviour are clear and promote well the good behaviour seen in school. There are good reward structures in place, which include reward cards and house team points as well as immediate rewards through stickers and teacher praise. In most classes, staff place a strong emphasis on positive behaviour strategies to raise pupils’ self esteem and promote confidence. In a Year 3 mathematics lesson, many potentially challenging pupils behaved and learnt very well because of the teacher’s very good management. Midday supervisors have their own reward and sanction scheme and this effectively compliments the whole school behaviour policy. The procedures for eliminating oppressive behaviour are equally good. The acting headteacher keeps careful records of any concerns and involves parents early in the process. This partnership contributes significantly to resolving and improving the behaviour of any

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45 The procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are satisfactory. Through the school’s special educational needs system, staff successfully monitor pupils with specific personal problems. Teachers are alert to changes in pupils’ personal behaviour during lessons. Good work assemblies and end of term award assemblies provide good opportunities to reward pupils’ personal development. The acting headteacher is very caring in her support of pupils, for example those who display low self esteem, and she works tirelessly to improve their personal and social skills.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46 The school has improved its assessment procedures since the previous inspection and these are now satisfactory. Sound arrangements for record keeping in English and mathematics are in place. These guide the selection of pupils for ability sets and groupings within the sets. Staff check the assessment data from the infant feeder schools early in Year 3 and the school continues the work of the infant schools with pupils who have special educational needs. It continues with the existing individual education plans, to ensure a sense of continuity until the first review. The staff monitor progress closely and use the school’s own test procedures to gain a deeper level of diagnosis on which to base further planning. For severe special needs, the coordinator uses very precise testing to chart the very small learning steps of these pupils. The school has developed excellent links with specialist support agencies. These work to the benefit of the pupils and promote very good

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

progress and guidance on behaviour. Day to day assessment has also improved since the previous inspection. Teachers amend their planning in the light of pupils’ response to lessons. The marking procedures for English and mathematics are particularly useful.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47 The use of long term assessment information is unsatisfactory. It does not yet influence the adoption of sufficiently precise targeting of pupils to meet individual needs exactly. It has not tracked the achievement of boys in English, and girls in mathematics, closely enough to show that the school’s planning inputs are working. Assessment data does not guide planning decisions about the need to regulate the pace of the curriculum as pupils move through the school. There is insufficient guidance, for instance, as to what pupils need to achieve in the earlier years to enable them to maximise their input in the later years.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 21 48 The school has worked hard since the last inspection to improve its links with parents. These are now satisfactory. Analysis of the parents’ questionnaires and discussion with parents during the inspection do not highlight any significant problems with the partnership between parents and the school.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49 Of the parents who responded to the questionnaire, the vast majority say that their children like school, make good progress and that the teaching is good. These positive views are confirmed by the inspection findings. The most disagreement was about whether pupils get the right amount of homework although the quantity provided is in line with the school’s policy.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50 The majority of parents know the acting headteacher well. She always provides time to talk to them and welcomes them into the school in a friendly and supportive manner and parents appreciate this. The school prospectus and governors’ annual report are both clearly written, meet statutory requirements and provide a good balance of information. The regular newsletters, written in a friendly style, provide a good overview of curriculum information for the term; plenty of warning of future dates and celebration events in school. Pupils’ annual progress reports are detailed and informative and provide suitable targets for how a child should improve in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. However, the way in which teachers report pupils’ levels of attainment, for example, “Reading 2.5” is confusing, especially as they do not give an explanation of what this actually means. Information about pupils’ progress in other subjects is adequately

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51 The school offers termly opportunities for parents to attend consultative evenings and over two thirds of parents attend these evenings. The school has no parent teachers association due to a shortage of volunteers and very few parents, due to family circumstances or work commitments, are available to help in school. However, attendance by parents is good at events such as the end of term assemblies and secondary school information evening.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52 The parents of pupils who have special educational needs value the commitment of the staff to care for their children. The school has a close relationship with the parents and invites them to review meetings. The parents are involved in the procedures at every stage.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53 The deputy headteacher has been acting headteacher since the start of the school year and will hand over to the new permanent headteacher at Easter 2003. She is well supported by an acting deputy headteacher and together, with the full support of the staff and governing body, they have successfully brought the school through some challenging situations, including the appointment and induction of five new members of the teaching staff. They have established a strong and unified team and placed the school in a good position for the new headteacher to take over.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54 The leadership and management of the acting headteacher and key staff are satisfactory. Although the senior management have shown many strengths and have worked hard to maintain standards, they have not had the remit to plan the long term development of the school. Consequently, the vision for the future of the school and the School Development Plan span the current year only. The headteacher, senior management team and governing body are aware of this area for development and fully intend to develop strategic planning over a longer time span once the new headteacher is in post.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55 When they took over the running of the school, both the acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher were determined not to do a simple ‘caretaking’ job. They set out to lay Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 22 strong foundations for the new headteacher, making sure the school addressed all statutory requirements and initiatives and that the seeds of new school based initiatives were sown. They have done this well. The acting headteacher provides a good role model for staff in respect of pastoral care. The acting deputy headteacher and the teacher responsible for looking after gifted, talented and more able pupils have established good practice in this area.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56 Each year has a planning leader to consolidate year group planning and stop the year groups from becoming isolated from each other. This works satisfactorily but some inconsistencies remain. Whole school timetable planning has weaknesses, for example, for Year 4 classes, the timetable for Tuesday consists of a morning of literacy and numeracy, followed by extended writing and then religious education or geography at the end of the afternoon. One lesson observed at the end of the day confirmed that the children were mentally exhausted due to a lack of balance and variety and learning was not effective. This pattern occurs in other year groups on other days.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57 The work of the curriculum coordinators is satisfactory overall with some, such as those for information and communication technology and physical education, managing their subjects well. Coordinators support their colleagues satisfactorily but in most subjects they do not the make themselves aware enough of the strengths and weaknesses of pupils’ attainment or monitor the quality of the provision well enough. Similarly, the acting headteacher fully intended to implement a programme of lesson observations and report to teachers on the quality of their teaching but due to other demands on her time, she has not been able to do this effectively. The acting deputy headteacher has a full time teaching commitment so has not been able to provide support in this aspect of their management role. Consequently, there are some outstanding inconsistencies, such as the lesson planning format and the level of challenge for higher attaining pupils in some lessons.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58 The management of special educational needs is excellent. The coordinator has established a complex but effective timetable of classroom support. The coordinator manages the training of the support staff very well and their expertise is growing steadily. There is very good communication between the coordinator, special needs assistants and teachers. The coordinator’s process of critical evaluation of the provision is also very good. She monitors progress carefully and reports to the governors regularly on value for money. The administration of paperwork is rigorous. The management of this provision successfully promotes a strong spirit of teamwork, good progress for pupils and very good value for money.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59 The governing body has met its commitments, during this time of significant change in the school, well. They are very supportive of the school and they know it well. They base this knowledge on both direct observation and involvement or through informative reports from the acting headteacher. Their good level of involvement means that they have been supportive through difficult times, providing a stable and supportive influence on the school. They were instrumental in the appointment of five new teachers to the school in September and shortly after this, they had to set about the appointment of a new headteacher after the unexpected resignation of the previous headteacher. Governors were able to fill all the posts but because of the required period of resignation, the new headteacher is not able to start until after Easter 2003. Governors are realistic in their approach. They justify the short term

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

School Development Plan because of the imminent arrival of the new headteacher.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60 Governors are very involved in the personal side of their professional relationship with the school and staff. They successfully make the staff feel valued through this relationship. Staff value this support. Governors are well informed and take advantage of the training offered to them. Recent attendance at training includes sessions on admissions policy and Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 23 performance management. They also join in the staff in service training and development days in order to develop further their skills and knowledge of the school. They work satisfactorily within a committee structure and intend to develop further their involvement in the long term strategic planning for school development and improvement.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61 Financial management is satisfactory and governors are appropriately involved in financial decision making. Budgeting relates directly to the priorities set in the School Development Plan but this is only in the short term and there is currently no long term strategic financial plan. The school is making good use of all the financial resources available to it. This includes special grants, such as funding for staff training in information and communication technology, which is making a positive contribution to staff subject knowledge and confidence. The school uses the money allocated to supporting pupils with special educational needs well and this contributes to their good progress.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62 Day to day administration is efficient and effective in support of the smooth running of the school. The school makes satisfactory use of new technology, for example, to record and analyse assessment data to support the raising of standards. Sound measures are taken to ensure that the school gets the best value from spending and other decisions it makes.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63 Staffing levels are satisfactory. The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is sound. The school deploys teachers appropriately to support pupils’ good levels of achievement. The school’s approach to performance management is satisfactory. This enables clear priorities for professional development to be established which balance personal and school needs effectively, and this contributes to pupils’ achievement. The school has sound systems for welcoming all new staff, informing them of working procedures and setting out clearly the expectations that each can have of the other. This enables the work of the school to proceed smoothly and maintain established routines.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64 Overall, the accommodation is satisfactory. The school has good outdoor areas including a field and they are of sufficient size for physical education lessons and break times. All classrooms are of a good size and the well equipped information and communication technology suite contributes effectively to pupils’ information and communication technology skills. The school has no room to expand and is in need of a much larger library as the current room is cramped and inadequate. This reduces pupils’ opportunities to become independent learners. There are insufficient areas for small groups of pupils to work outside classes, for example, when small group teaching is required for the additional literacy strategy and this affects the delivery of such lessons.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65 Resources are good in geography and physical education and satisfactory in all other subjects. The library provision is inadequate for a school of this size and for the age of these pupils. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 24

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

66 To further improve the standards and the quality of education, the governing body, headteacher and staff should now:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Raise standards in English and mathematics by:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- involving all teachers in the better use of assessment data so that they track pupils’ progress and challenge them more effectively; - addressing the lower attainment of girls in mathematics and boys in English by identifying weaknesses in skills and knowledge and focusing work to overcome these; - consistently monitoring teaching to share strengths and support weaknesses. (paragraphs 1, 3, 5, 6, 23, 27, 31, 60-66, 74-84)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Improve the long term strategic view of the school by:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- extending the term of the School Development Plan beyond the current year; - involving the governing body in long term strategic planning and in establishing and prioritising educational priorities of school improvement; - developing the ethos of the school to highlight and emphasise an atmosphere of independent learning and pupils being involved in their own learning process. (paragraphs 11, 15, 22, 54, 59, 60, 61)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. Improve the monitoring of teaching and of pupils’ academic performance and achievement by:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- improving the procedures for the assessment of pupils’ work, using assessment data more effectively to challenge pupils at all levels of attainment; - creating opportunities for key staff to monitor the quality of teaching and learning and ensure that practice and lesson planning is more consistent across the school. (paragraphs 18, 19, 21, 25, 29, 31, 46, 47, 57, 71, 83, 84, 95-97, 102, 107, 112, 116, 117, 123, 129, 130, 133, 147)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4. Improve provision for pupils’ personal development by:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- creating more opportunities for pupils to work independently; - encouraging pupils to play a greater part in assessing their own progress and planning of their work; - adding more structure to the provision for personal and social education both across and within year groups. (paragraphs 11, 15, 22, 23, 33, 37, 91, 110, 115, 121, 122, 133, 145)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The governors should also consider the following minor issues when writing their action plan: - Continue to improve provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. (paragraphs 34, 35, 36, 40, 128, 134, 139, 140, 145, 146)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- Improve teachers’ understanding and use of differentiation in different subjects, making it more relevant to the subject being taught rather than literacy based. (paragraphs 19, 22, 116)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- Improve the balance of subjects within the daily teaching timetables. (paragraph 56) Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 32

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery Y3 – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 336

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 72

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery Y3 – Y6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 14

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 79

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 28

p.25

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 26 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 27 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) Year Boys Girls Total

p.25

Attendance

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 42 46 88

p.27

Attendance

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.27

Attendance

Boys 26 28 37 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 29 26 36

p.27

Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 63 (63) 61 (59) 83 (78) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.27

Attendance

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

Attendance

Boys 26 28 36 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 34 29 37

p.27

Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 68 (70) 65 (66) 83 (82) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.27

Attendance

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

p.27

Attendance

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.27

Attendance

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

p.27

Attendance

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.27

Attendance

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.27

Attendance

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.27

Attendance

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.27

Attendance

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

p.27

Attendance

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.27

Attendance

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

p.27

Attendance

Any other ethnic group 0 0 0 Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 28 No ethnic group recorded 0 0 0

p.27

Attendance

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. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 29

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14 Financial year 2001/02

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 713,581

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 10 Total expenditure 725,229

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 224 Expenditure per pupil 2,114

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 24,190

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 12,542

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 30

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 54 39 2 2 2

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 37 52 7 0 4

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 24 54 15 4 2

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 48 9 4 0

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 30 4 0 0

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 33 0 0 2

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 35 52 9 4 0

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 43 46 7 0 4

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 37 11 0 2

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 33 52 13 0 2 Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 31

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ENGLISH

67 Standards in English have been well below average over the last few years. Teachers are successfully developing their teaching of literacy. This has begun to impact positively on standards and pupils are now achieving well. Year 6 pupils are likely to reach standards just below average by the end of the year. Girls regularly perform better than boys do. The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection, enabling pupils to achieve well. The organisation of the year groups into sets based on ability is an efficient strategy that is working well. Pupils who have special educational needs benefit from this because they work in smaller groups where they feel more confident in speaking aloud and joining in the activities. As a result, they make good progress in learning basic skills and apply these satisfactorily in other subjects.

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ENGLISH

68 The teaching is good overall, ranging from satisfactory to excellent. Most teachers encourage their pupils to contribute their views and ideas. Because of the teachers’ good management, they establish conditions where pupils are interested, well behaved and want to listen to each other. The pupils’ ability to consider each other’s viewpoints and respond to them, and to respond quickly to the teachers’ instructions, means that standards in listening are in line with the average. Listening, therefore, is a strength within English standards and pupils make very good progress in this.

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ENGLISH

69 Pupils get many opportunities for speaking. Most teachers give pupils plenty of time to give their answers and encourage them to use whole sentences. The teachers listen patiently and value the pupils’ ideas. As a result, the pupils are making good progress and are growing in confidence in speaking before others. Their standards are not quite average because there are subjects, including English, where they do not have the range of technical vocabulary to say exactly what they mean. The teachers do not model speech in as strong a way as they do listening. Year 6 pupils therefore do not have a clear awareness of types of speech from formal to informal, and do not know the level they have reached. This inhibits the number of pupils achieving higher levels in speaking. The pupils who have special needs enjoy their discussions about story themes enormously. They develop very expressive tone

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of voice as they explore ideas, and this helps them move their reading on well, although their attainment remains below average. Although the school is providing increasing opportunities for drama, they promote much of the speaking to extend ideas for writing, rather than a skill in its own right.

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ENGLISH

70 The pupils continue to enjoy reading. The teachers are careful to include the basic skills in their literacy hours. They help pupils to understand character and plot, and to search for below the surface meaning in the text. Most pupils are making good progress and developing a range of interest. Teachers introduce pupils to non fiction well. Year 4 pupils, for instance, gained a clear understanding of how an index works by constructing their own. The best lessons are full of such lively and practical ideas, where the teachers’ high expectations encourage the pupils to tackle challenging but achievable tasks. They are careful to ensure that the support assistants are close by to help the weaker pupils in any group, so that they do not lose heart and give up. The planning in some lessons channels teachers into more mundane methods. A lesson on ‘The Willow Pattern’ poem was not as inspiring as it could be because the pupils had to look at the verses as an exercise in

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ENGLISH

comprehension, instead of acting out with gusto. The standard of reading by the end of Year 6 is below average. Despite the school introducing the pupils to Shakespeare and Dickens, the pupils do not have a big enough range of personal interest. They do not know genre, and Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 32 their speaking skills are not strong enough to enable them to explain an author’s intention and style. They do not refer to the text in their answers to questions.

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ENGLISH

71 The coordinator is aware that a stronger phonics teaching input in the lower years will make the basic skills more secure. Her action plan timetables the staff training to secure this. Assessment procedures help teachers to track pupils’ progress and enable them to identify pupils for the appropriate ability sets and groups. However, teachers do not use assessment in a strategic sense to regulate the pace of the curriculum as necessary.

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ENGLISH

72 Pupils make good progress in writing but standards do not reach national expectations for most pupils by the time they reach the end of Year 6. The school has abandoned the commercial schemes used at the time of the previous inspection. The teachers tackle a particularly wide range of styles and purposes. Year 3 pupils, for instance, learn about how authors use words to interest the reader, while developing the skill of note taking. Year 6 follow a similar theme but at a higher level. They learn to prepare a debate about keeping school uniform, how to use words to persuade an audience and draft their work on the computer. They make full use of the facilities for presentation and spell checking. Pupils use the computer suite well for literacy hours in all years. Despite having a serious and conscientious attitude, the pupils do not take as much care with spelling and handwriting as they should, and these have deteriorated since the previous inspection. Teachers include

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ENGLISH

regular practice sessions for both, but the skills learned do not transfer readily.

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ENGLISH

73 Marking of pupils’ work is good. The strategy of leaving every other page in the books blank for teachers and pupils to write comments is effective. It helps pupils to know how well they are doing and what improvements to try. It could be extended to give pupils even more detail of their progress, for instance, how well they are progressing. The setting system benefits both less and more able pupils. It enables teachers to provide well focused tasks and contributes to standards getting close to the national average. A significant proportion of Year 6 pupils is nearing the higher Level 5, for the first time in the school’s history. Many pupils have English as their favourite subject. As one Year 6 boy put it, “I’m good at it, and it’s interesting.” This is an indication that the interest and skills of the boys is beginning to catch up with those of the girls.

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MATHEMATICS

74 The standards achieved by Year 6 pupils are below the national average but compare favourably with those achieved by similar schools and are improving. Because of higher expectations by teachers, more pupils now achieve at higher levels than they did at the time of the last inspection. However, although most pupils achieve well, not enough of them yet reach the standard expected at this age and some girls do not achieve as well as they might do. The school is aware of the need to improve further and has the potential to move forward positively.

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MATHEMATICS

75 The standards achieved by Year 6 pupils have fluctuated from year to year over a number of years. Last year the proportion of pupils achieving the level expected for pupils at this age was below average but a significant number of pupils achieved at higher levels. Overall, standards were below the national average but above those achieved by similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are continuing to improve, but there are still not enough pupils achieving at the expected levels and girls consistently achieve less than boys do.

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MATHEMATICS

76 There is a wide range of attainment levels in each year group. Currently higher attaining pupils in Year 6 demonstrate a secure understanding of place value as they multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by 10, 100 and 1000. Average attainers work quite Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 33 confidently with simple fractions and percentages to describe proportions of a whole. However, the lower attainers are not secure with place value and often make basic mistakes, for example, adding 100 and 15 and getting 150. This affects their ability to carry out simple calculations.

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MATHEMATICS

77 Achievement is good. The setting system puts pupils with similar attainment levels together and means that teachers can plan specifically for particular groups of pupils. This enables most pupils to achieve well. They gain skills and understanding and develop confidence across the whole mathematics curriculum. Higher attaining pupils in particular make good progress, as their work challenges them well. The small lower sets and extra adults available support pupils with special educational needs well. However, literacy rather than numeracy needs tend to be the focus of individual education plans. Some girls do not achieve as well as they might do and the school does not properly tackle this issue. Assessments made in Year 3 indicate that many pupils enter the school with weak number skills. In fact, many have the necessary skills but do not successfully apply them. For example, in a Year 3 lesson pupils could count on in tens from a given number, but found it

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MATHEMATICS

hard to add ten to a number in their own calculations. This continues to be a problem through the school and affects the achievement of a number of pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

78 Pupils’ attitudes towards mathematics are mainly positive. They enjoy the challenge their teachers give them and respond well when given the opportunity to talk about what they are doing. Behaviour is usually good and teachers create a working atmosphere in which everyone can concentrate on what they are doing. Occasionally, a few pupils can distract others and take up too much of the teacher’s time, to the detriment of the whole class. Although pupils have good attitudes towards their learning, they are not involved enough in setting themselves targets and knowing how well they are improving.

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MATHEMATICS

79 The quality of teaching is good, which is an improvement since the time of the last inspection. There is no longer any unsatisfactory teaching and, although there are some inconsistencies in some aspects such as planning and pace of lessons, much of the teaching is good. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and plan carefully to meet the needs of the range of pupils in their sets. They identify clear learning objectives and usually share these with their pupils. Teachers are competent at teaching basic skills and use teaching methods that are appropriate to pupils’ learning needs. An excellent example of this was in the lowest set in Year 3. The teacher used skilful questioning strategies and involved all pupils in building on their previous learning as they tried to identify numbers from their position on a number square. The enjoyment in learning that the teacher encouraged effectively helped these particular pupils to develop

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MATHEMATICS

80 Similarly in a Year 4 lesson, the teacher used careful questioning to encourage pupils to think mathematically. As they tried to work out what the teacher was doing to given numbers, pupils had to concentrate and clarify their own thinking. The teacher’s excellent class management skills and the positive supportive atmosphere created meant that pupils felt secure and were willing to ‘have a go’ even if they might have been wrong. She gave individuals time to explain their own thinking and this particularly benefited the girls who sometimes need this kind of space in which to gain confidence. By the end of the session, pupils had moved on in their mathematical understanding and developed their mental skills.

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MATHEMATICS

81 Where lessons are less successful, it is often because the pace is slow and there is not enough for pupils to do. The balance of time in some lessons is weak, the teacher spending too much time talking and explaining, leaving pupils with insufficient opportunity to apply the taught skills. Because they are sometimes hurried, teachers do not always use the plenary session at the end of lessons effectively to encourage pupils to reflect on what they have Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 34 learnt and achieved. These inconsistencies in the implementation of planning are unchecked due to a lack of monitoring of lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

82 The curriculum for mathematics has also improved considerably since the last inspection and this has had an impact on the improvement in standards. Teachers have successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and have improved the effectiveness of their planning. They teach all aspects of mathematics and are beginning to use information and communication technology in the subject to support their teaching and pupils’ learning. There is now more emphasis on using and applying mathematics, for example to solve problems, although this happens more effectively in some classes than it does in others.

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MATHEMATICS

83 There are satisfactory assessment systems in place and the school has analysed information from this to highlight general weaknesses. The school is taking appropriate action to address these weaknesses. However, although systems are in place for tracking pupils’ progress through the school, information from this is not used rigorously enough by teachers to monitor the progress of individuals or groups of pupils, to set individual targets or enable the school to set itself achievable whole school targets.

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MATHEMATICS

84 There have been some changes in the leadership of mathematics and there has recently been little opportunity for monitoring of teaching and learning. Coupled with changes in staffing, this has led to inconsistencies through the school. There are major strengths in the teaching of mathematics but, at present, insufficient provision to share these and support weaknesses. The new coordinator is keen to get to grips with the task she has taken on and there is good potential for further improvement in provision and standards.

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SCIENCE

85 Standards in science are similar to the national average at the end of Year 6. Although results of national tests have been variable over the last five years, there has been satisfactory improvement over time and there are now many positive developments in the teaching and learning of science at the school. The introduction in September 2002 of a scheme of work based on national guidelines has contributed to the progressive development of pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding, and assessment procedures are now in place. These were both key issues for the school at the time of the previous inspection.

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SCIENCE

86 Scrutiny of pupils’ work in Years 3 to 6 shows that the full range of science topics required by the National Curriculum is taught. Pupils are beginning to develop the skills, and engage in the processes of, scientific enquiry. Pupils in Year 3 learn about fair testing when they investigate the best shoes to wear in order not to slip. As they grow older, pupils gradually begin to make predictions and widen their methods of recording. Pupils in Year 3 make observations and some can record results in simple tables. By Year 6, when pupils investigate how an object’s shadow size changes with its distance from a lamp, some pupils effectively record results as graphs or as bar charts. However, this kind of progress is not consistent throughout the school. Occasionally, recording information forms a large part of pupils’ work, missing the opportunity to link experimenting with understanding. Teachers do

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SCIENCE

not give more able pupils sufficient opportunities to support conclusions from experiments with explanations or reasons.

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SCIENCE

87 Pupils’ work shows that they develop their knowledge and understanding of the properties of materials satisfactorily. Pupils progress from grouping materials according to their uses in Year 3, to classifying materials as solids liquids and gases, and learning how materials can change state in Year 5. Standards, which were lower in this area than in other science topics at the time of the last inspection, have now improved. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 35 88 As they move through the school, pupils become steadily more aware of the nature of processes of life in humans and animals, and of physical processes. With a little prompting, pupils in Year 6 describe the purpose of the heart and lungs. They explain the production of sounds and the effect of the force of gravity. One display of pupils’ work included attractive booklets showing information on planets and phases of the moon which pupils had made

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SCIENCE

using information and communication technology. However, the regular use of computers to enhance learning in science, and in particular the use of sensors and data loggers, is an area for development in science. The coordinator is aware of this and is making plans to remedy the situation.

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SCIENCE

89 The progress made by all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well on the occasions they receive extra help from support staff. Gifted or talented pupils sometimes carry out extra tasks such as research which moves their learning on satisfactorily.

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SCIENCE

90 Pupils are developing a positive attitude towards science. They enjoy the subject particularly when they are experimenting and investigating. Their behaviour is good. Pupil’s moral and social skills are developed through working together, taking turns, sharing and adhering to the classroom rules which are clearly displayed and often referred to by teachers in lessons. Pupils usually handle resources carefully. In one Year 3 class, a pupil’s spirits were uplifted momentarily when the Newton meter she was using suddenly reached the top of the scale. Pupils like sharing experiences from their work during plenary sessions but teachers often miss opportunities to reinforce learning.

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SCIENCE

91 The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory with two good lessons seen. Teachers give clear instructions so that pupils know what to do and they manage pupils well. Teachers use a variety of approaches across the school. In many lessons, pupils are engaged in meaningful independent learning. For example, in one good lesson, pupils tested the best kind of soles on shoes to wear to ensure they do not slip, enabling them to learn about the force of friction. Pupils experienced for themselves whether surfaces were slippery, rough, or smooth, think about the uses of the surfaces and make the tables of results. In another lesson, where pupils were learning about the food groups in a healthy diet, the teacher provided activities to develop pupils’ independent learning skills. However, pupils had not developed these skills well enough to carry out the tasks, so the pace of learning was slower than it could be. In other lessons, there is little independent work.

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SCIENCE

92 Teachers’ planning usually indicates that they have prepared work for pupils of varying abilities focused on the same lesson objective. For example, in a lesson where pupils were finding out the best ways to classify rocks, the tasks ranged from choosing simple groups to using Venn diagrams. Higher ability pupils relished the opportunity to study a wider range of rocks closely. In other lessons, the planned tasks for different groups of pupils can be very similar or are literacy rather than scientifically based.

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SCIENCE

93 Some teachers make lessons interesting and valuable for pupils. On these occasions, teachers give a scientific ‘feel’ to lessons and links are made to literacy when they use a variety of vocabulary associated with the topic, such as ‘surface’, ‘friction’, in Year 3, and ‘protein’, and ‘carbohydrate’ in Year 6. In Year 5, some teachers highlight vocabulary in the planning for classroom assistants so that these words are emphasised with pupils with special educational needs. Discussions help improve speaking and listening skills. Pupils practise numeracy skills when they read scales on thermometers or recognise the importance of collecting data in compiling a food diary. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 36 94 There is a good breadth of study in science. The teachers try to teach science in familiar contexts. For example, when pupils were learning about evaporation in Year 5 there was good reference to everyday experiences like rain and boiling a kettle.

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SCIENCE

95 The school’s science plans provide a framework for teachers to work from but these are not yet adapted fully to the needs of pupils. Teachers plan in year groups according to the objectives set in the scheme of work. However, lack of monitoring means that the coordinator is not aware of the inconsistency in teaching approaches across the school.

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SCIENCE

96 Satisfactory assessment procedures are in place. From her analysis of Year 5 and Year 6 tests, the coordinator is trying to focus on areas where pupils seem to be less successful. Marking of pupils’ work in science is variable. It is responsive and communicative in some classes, but consists of ticks in others. Resources for science are adequate, and accessible and kept clearly labelled and are easily accessible to staff. In the past, there has been an environmental area but this is now in need of redevelopment.

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SCIENCE

97 The coordinator knows how to raise standards further in science and has worked hard on developing strategies to achieve this. A particularly positive feature is that she has worked closely with the local education authority adviser to develop science in the school. Recently, there has been a focus on scientific enquiry and an in service day for staff, which has helped to raise standards. The coordinator has developed a very useful action plan in line with the School Development Plan. She is aware that further monitoring of teaching and the development of information and communication technology in science are priorities for the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

98 Pupils’ attainment by Year 6 is in line with national expectations. This remains the same as at the time of the last inspection. Progress over time is satisfactory. Those pupils with special educational needs make similar progress because of the positive classroom support they receive.

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ART AND DESIGN

99 By the age of 11, pupils use a variety of paints satisfactorily to produce effective landscapes. They begin to learn how to draw moving figures through experimentation in their sketchbooks and apply their knowledge to pastel and collage pictures. Younger pupils in Year 3 learn about primary colours and the effects of mixing colours to achieve different shades and tones. They begin to use these skills to good effect in portrait painting. Year 4 pupils use oil pastels to represent dreams. They give their pictures thoughtful titles reflecting the ideas and feelings they have expressed. In Year 5, pupils begin to understand the skills used by famous artists and craftspeople to represent feelings as they discuss a collection of handcrafted objects reflecting emotions. However, pupils have limited experience of a range of three dimensional work, fabric work or secure knowledge of the styles and influence of

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ART AND DESIGN

famous artists. There are also limited opportunities planned for pupils to develop an awareness of art from other cultures.

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ART AND DESIGN

100 Pupils obviously enjoy the subject and talk enthusiastically about it. They show interest in different techniques and learn that the outcome is a result of a process of design, experimentation and use of appropriate media. As a result, many pupils are beginning to work through these developmental stages with patience and care. However, in some classes groups of pupils show inappropriate behaviour and this can disrupt their own and others’ learning. The majority of pupils work cooperatively in small groups and listen well to each other’s ideas and opinions during class discussions. Teachers and classroom assistants boost the pupils’ confidence by responding very positively to their ideas and efforts. Where the adults provide constructive advice to develop understanding and skills, Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 37 pupils feel secure enough to try out new ideas and work with greater patience and skill.

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ART AND DESIGN

Pupils talk about their work with confidence and show pride in their work.

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ART AND DESIGN

101 The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Some good teaching, based on the teachers’ good knowledge of the subject was seen during the inspection. In the lessons seen teachers developed pace to the lessons by the effective use of questioning. Where teaching is most effective, pupils successfully learn skills and techniques, outcomes are clear and high expectations and interesting challenges motivate the pupils. However, much work is teacher directed and when this occurs there is limited opportunity for pupils to explore their own ideas and creativity and make choices about design and appropriate media. The use of sketchbooks also reflects this. In many instances, pupils do not learn to develop observational skills, or explore techniques, colour and design. There are some opportunities planned for pupils to use computers to support their learning. In one lesson, the teacher effectively used computers to develop pupils’ understanding of pattern by building upon

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ART AND DESIGN

previous learning. They were then encouraged to evaluate and discuss their work and had the opportunity to make changes to improve it. However, teachers do not fully explore the range of opportunities this area of the curriculum provides.

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ART AND DESIGN

102 The coordinator for art and design has a good knowledge of the subject and is enthusiastic about it. The school bases its plans for art and design upon national guidelines. However, the planning of lessons shows some inconsistency across year groups so that not all pupils receive the same quality of learning experiences. There are no agreed arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ progress. Consequently, teachers do not have the information they need to plan work on the basis of what pupils have achieved and what they need to learn next. The coordinator currently has no opportunities to observe teaching and evaluate aspects of learning systematically. This reduces her effectiveness in building on the strengths and addressing the areas of weakness that exist in the current arrangements. A satisfactory range of resources is available to support the teaching of the identified topics.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103 Design and technology was not being taught at the time of the inspection, but evidence from pupils’ work and talking to pupils and teachers, indicates that pupils achieve the standards nationally expected of them. There have been good improvements in provision and standards from the time of the last inspection, and the new coordinator is keen to develop the subject further.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

104 When designing and making scones last term, Year 6 pupils researched products, generated ideas, made detailed plans, made the scones and evaluated the finished product. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good. They work hard with enjoyment and are pleased with what they have done. Pupils achieve satisfactorily through the school although weak skills, such as in cutting and measuring, can limit their achievement as pupils attempt more complex construction work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105 Pupils’ finished work indicates that teaching is satisfactorly and sometimes good. For example, Year 4 pupils designed and made lamps for specific purposes and showed that they had gained competent designing and making skills. Helpful recording sheets enabled them to develop their ideas. They used opportunities to develop their ideas as they went along, for example, by talking to others. They successfully evaluated what worked effectively and what did not. Good teaching meant that pupils learnt effectively.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106 At the time of the last inspection, there were weaknesses in the curriculum that were leading to attainment being below expectations. Since then, the subject has improved well. There is now more emphasis on designing and making than there was before and more opportunity Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 38 for pupils to work independently, to try things out and make their own decisions. The school uses national guidelines to ensure coverage of the full curriculum and the progressive development of skills through the school. It is recognised that this needs to be adapted to meet the particular needs of the pupils more effectively in school and to make more relevant links with other subjects. The new coordinator is already making some of these links, for example, by enabling pupils to use knowledge they have gained in science or history to help them with their work in design and technology. The pupils making lamps effectively used the

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

knowledge of electrical circuits they had gained in science lessons.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107 Sometimes teachers find it difficult to find the time on the timetable to complete topics. One of the reasons for this is the time consuming and laborious nature of some of the recording methods used. The introduction of recording sheets for some aspects of the process, for example, an ‘Ideas Sheet’, has been successful. They take away the need for everything to be in a written format and allow pupils to use their time more efficiently. The coordinator is well aware of the need to make the subject more manageable and is keen to get on with this. Currently, she has no opportunity to find out what is happening in other classes, which limits her ability to support teachers and share good practice.

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GEOGRAPHY

108 Standards in geography are similar to national expectations at the end of Year 6. This reflects the judgements of the last inspection. Pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because teaching assistants enable the pupils with whom they work to be fully included in the activities.

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GEOGRAPHY

109 The pupils in Year 6 study rivers and understand the processes by which they can change the landscape. They understand the associated environmental issues of pollution and water shortages. They have secure understanding of how to use atlases and read maps. Pupils know the countries comprising the United Kingdom. However, they are less secure in the knowledge of major cities, rivers and other geographical features beyond their immediate locality. Pupils develop these skills from the time they join the school and they learn about Lincoln and the reasons for its position and growth. In Year 4, pupils enjoy learning about environments as they plan an ideal working and sustainable classroom environment for themselves. Year 5 pupils consider the factors they need to take into account when planning a survey of traffic and the problems created by it in the area surrounding the school.

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GEOGRAPHY

110 The pupils enjoy the lessons in which they are actively involved and show interest when they are learning about the area in which they live. They are less enthusiastic about those lessons in which they are passive learners and their opportunities for research and working independently are limited. The pupils cooperate well when working in pairs or small groups. However, many pupils find it difficult to concentrate for longer periods without adult support because they are not secure making decisions or taking the initiative for their own learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

111 The teaching of geography is satisfactory and sometimes better. The coverage of the geography curriculum has improved since the last inspection. Teachers now follow national guidelines. However, there is inconsistency in lesson planning resulting in pupils in parallel classes studying topics in different depth. The planning often focuses upon teaching factual information. Consequently, pupils’ knowledge and use of the skills of geographical study are underdeveloped. Where teaching is good, teachers' planning identifies the learning needs of pupils with different abilities and matches activities to them. Teachers use questions to reinforce the knowledge and understanding effectively of the pupils, make their expectations clear and provide activities to develop pupils’ learning. The use of information and communication technology to support learning is underdeveloped for both research and

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GEOGRAPHY

recording of information. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 39 112 The coordinator has a secure knowledge of the subject. There are appropriate resources to support teaching and learning. She has identified appropriate areas for development, including the identification of fieldwork to support the development of geographical skills. The school has identified assessment procedures but teachers are not using these effectively to inform planning in order to build upon pupils’ previous learning. There is no current programme in place to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning in geography. As a result, some areas remain underdeveloped and opportunities to build upon the examples of effective teaching not identified.

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HISTORY

113 Standards in history at the end of Year 6 are similar to those expected nationally and remain the same as at the time of the last inspection. The pupils have secure factual knowledge of the topics studied but their skills of historical enquiry and interpretation of information remain underdeveloped. Pupils make satisfactory progress over time. Those pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the additional support they receive.

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HISTORY

114 The pupils develop satisfactory knowledge and understanding of an appropriate range of cultures from different periods. In Year 6, they study the Ancient Greeks. They know about gods and goddesses and how the people allowed them to influence their lives. They have a satisfactory understanding of Tudor life and times and can explain why Henry VIII wanted a son and used this as a reason for him marrying six times. Pupils in Year 5 study the Tudors and know about some of the social conditions that existed at the time. The pupils in Year 4 compare Roman soldiers with Celtic warriors and know that the Romans experienced some resistance to their occupation from Bouddica. They have taken on the role of Roman soldiers to write letters home complaining about conditions in Britain. Year 3 learn about the Ancient Egyptians and the significance of the River Nile upon their lives. However, pupils have less understanding of how historical discoveries and famous people have influenced

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HISTORY

115 The pupils enjoy the subject but are more enthusiastic about their learning when they are actively involved in it. In many classes, there are significant numbers of pupils who find it difficult to carry out independent research. This is because they do not have the skills of historical enquiry that allow them to take initiative and make decisions about their work. Many pupils then find the task difficult and often lose concentration and become disruptive. The majority of pupils share resources well and take care with the presentation of their work of which they are justifiably proud.

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HISTORY

116 Teaching and learning is satisfactory. The teachers have secure subject knowledge and use questioning to reinforce learning and generate pace in the lessons. These, along with the use of praise to value pupils’ contributions, help develop confidence and interest among the pupils. The teachers’ planning is sound and based upon national guidelines. However, there are inconsistencies in planning across classes within year groups. For example, the pupils do not always understand the context of daily life or major events and famous people who have shaped history. The use of the systems for assessing pupils’ progress and identifying the skills that they have is not fully developed. This reduces the effectiveness of teachers planning to challenge and meet the needs of pupils. Planning often identifies activities to meet the needs of pupils with different abilities. However, these often focus upon

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HISTORY

literacy skills rather than the skills of historical understanding. In a lesson involving a group of higher attaining pupils, the teacher used her very good understanding of the skills of independent research to help the pupils to reach their potential. As a result, the pupils responded well, were actively involved, took responsibility and expressed their views clearly. This made for good quality learning. The timetable arrangements mean that there are limited Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 40 opportunities planned for the pupils to develop the use of information technology for research and the recording of work.

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HISTORY

117 There is currently no teacher designated with the responsibility for the subject. The acting headteacher is developing useful guidelines, based on nationally available documents, to support the delivery of the curriculum. There is currently no monitoring of the subject in place to provide an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject. There is a range of appropriate resources to support the delivery of the subject.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

118 The pupils are on course to reach the standards expected for their age at the end of Year 6. The school has worked with determination to make communication technology an effective tool for pupils’ learning in the computer suite. The pupils have more than the usual amount of time on the computers. As a result, all groups of pupils throughout the school make good progress. Staff support pupils who have special educational needs particularly well and they also make good progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

119 This represents a significant improvement since the previous inspection and is due to much improved resources, teachers’ commitment to further training, and a new structured planning scheme.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120 The coordinator’s work in encouraging staff to use the computer room for teaching skills and applications across a good range of subjects leads to almost continuous use of the resources. The skills of using the computer for sensing data or controlling remote devices are not as well developed. Although the work is included in the planning for the summer term, the school does not have sufficient equipment for the purpose, and the teachers’ expertise is limited. The coordinator is looking at ways to bring in outside expertise until the staff training catches up with the needs.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121 The teaching in the computer suite is good throughout the school. Teachers use the new whole school planning scheme well. This lays out the pupils’ learning steps clearly. The teachers build up the pupils’ skills in sequence, avoiding repetition. Good partnership with the classroom support assistants enables some teachers to begin to match the level of work more precisely to the abilities of the pupils. Teachers use brief and clear introductions so pupils get to work on the computer quickly. Because the learning is so “hands on”, it is effective. The teachers use the projector and large whiteboards well to enable the pupils to see clearly. In all year groups, the teachers build up the pupils’ independence well by giving them opportunities to select part of their own activities and to explore new software features. They enlarge their understanding of the links between subjects through computer

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

applications. For instance, Year 4 pupils not only learned the new skills of copy and paste to make repeating patterns to link with their artwork, they also learned to evaluate the results for themselves. Consequently, all pupils like working with the computer and behave and concentrate particularly well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122 The end product of this training for independence appears in Year 6. The pupils can now see opportunities themselves for using the skills they have learned earlier. They bombard the teacher with requests to use known skills in new situations. For instance “Miss we’re good at making slide shows, can we use them to display this work on comparing different types of media?” This is a very good learning context, which shows the pupils are thinking at the higher Level 5. Pupils use the computers well to support literacy teaching. Year 3 pupils, for example, learn more about an author’s use of illustrations by being able to combine their own pictures and text on screen. Similarly, good application within numeracy enables pupils to further their mathematics skills. Year 5 pupils gained a better Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 41 understanding of multiplication tables using a spreadsheet to show them the principles

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123 The coordinator is following a sound action plan to achieve better monitoring of teaching, a more focused system of tracking pupils’ progress, the development of a portfolio of work and extending the computer club. She looks forward to the opportunity to extend the school’s expertise and facilities to be available to parents.

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MUSIC

124 Standards in music are above those expected nationally by the time pupils are in Year 6. Pupils performing skills are good, particularly in singing, and also in listening and appraising music. Standards of composing have improved since the time of the previous inspection. They are now satisfactory and are developing steadily. This is mainly the result of a scheme of work introduced recently, which enables pupils to build on their learning progressively.

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MUSIC

125 From the start, pupils achieve well to reach these standards. Pupils begin developing their performing skills in Year 3 when they explore rhythmical patterns using sticks for tapping, and begin to learn about dynamics. Pupils have the opportunity to explore musical ideas in Year 4 when they blend environmental sounds and interpret the effect using recording sheets. By Year 6, pupils respond to the context and mood of song, which eventually they will learn and accompany with tuned instruments. They develop their skills of harmony of and knowledge of rests, timbre and song structure and are aware of terms like forte and piano. Pupils with special educational needs also progress well particularly when helped well by classroom assistants to learn songs or beat time so that they can take a full part in lessons.

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MUSIC

126 The quality of teaching and learning is good with one very good and one excellent lesson seen. In these lessons teachers set very good examples to pupils by singing and demonstrating instruments, and leading activities, with the result that pupils pay very close attention to musical elements like dynamic variation, accuracy of rhythm or clarity of the words of the piece. In a Year 3 lesson, pupils learning a song with a familiar tune and actions developed very good rhythmical skills. In a Year 4 lesson, pupils were thinking about sounds in the environment. They combined watery sounds as they learned to organise sounds and explore musical ideas. Later they described the sound pictures they had made. In a lesson seen in Year 6, pupils demonstrated good listening skills as they listened to a variety of songs and described the mood as ‘spooky’ or ‘ghostly’. One boy said he thought it was “the melody not lyrics that made the song sombre.” Pupils sing and listen well, and

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MUSIC

teachers manage classes well. However, pupils do not use information and communication technology in music, and this is an area for development. There is insufficient software to enhance pupils’ composition skills further.

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MUSIC

127 Pupils broaden their knowledge of different kinds of music when they listen to music on entry to assembly. They sing tunefully to the piano accompaniment. In a choir practice, observed pupils used dynamics and sang in parts in response to the successful and high level of tuition from the coordinator. The choir enters several competitions each year and sing at various other institutions at Christmas time. Concerts and end of term productions provide useful links with parents who form the audience. Pupils can improve their skills in playing recorders by attending either of the two recorder clubs.

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MUSIC

128 Pupils enjoy music and have a very enthusiastic response to musical activities. Their behaviour is good. Pupils are happy to play and sing together, and learn self control through musical experiences. There was a moment of spirituality in one lesson when pupils felt sadness over the death of a singer. There are strong links to literacy and dance. Teachers Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 42 use poetry, plays and stories as stimuli and pupils sometimes write lyrics. In a Year 6 lesson, the teacher read from Macbeth which enabled pupils to understand lyrics of a song they were to learn. Pupils practise numeracy skills through counting songs.

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MUSIC

129 There are satisfactory procedures for assessing pupils within the scheme of work although the use of assessment is yet to be fully developed. The coordinator records compositions and performances on audiocassette or videocassette, and encourages others to do the same. Resources are adequate, with a good range of classroom instruments, though the school lacks a good range of non western instruments.

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MUSIC

130 The coordinator leads and manages the subject satisfactorily and is a skilful and enthusiastic musician. The coordinator teaches all the pupils in Year 6, and leads the choir and the recorder clubs. She talks through planning with colleagues, and organises music in service sessions in those areas where staff feel it is needed. There is no programme for monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning to ensure a consistent progression in musical skills by all pupils, particularly where staff are less confident in this subject. The coordinator provides colleagues with information, new ideas or developments arising from her attendance at a two day annual conference. There are plans to develop the performing arts linking music, dance and drama in response to the school’s plans to raise standards in literacy across the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131 Physical education has a high profile in the school, with particular strengths in the range of games skills taught. Pupils enjoy all aspects of the subject. They achieve well and reach the standards expected for pupils of their age. The coordinator leads the subject well and standards are improving all the time.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132 Year 6 pupils achieve the standards expected for pupils of this age. In dance, they create and perform sequences of movements, responding to musical rhythms and moods. For example, groups of pupils worked together to link a series of movements together to form a dance, which they then performed to chosen music. When given the opportunity, they evaluated what made the performance effective and suggested improvements. For example, one pupil said, “The movements matched the beat, but they could have joined them together better.” In games, Year 6 pupils have confident skills and use them in small sided games. For example, in a hockey lesson pupils demonstrated dribbling and passing with control and coordination. They worked cooperatively with others to keep a game going. Standards in swimming are satisfactory.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133 Achievement is good throughout the school. Pupils gain skills and develop them effectively. For example, Year 4 pupils develop passing skills in football and learn to stop a ball accurately. In gymnastics, Year 5 pupils effectively combine movements into sequences and demonstrate a growing control and precision in movement. All pupils are involved in lessons and have an equal opportunity to achieve. Pupils with special educational needs enjoy success in the physical aspects of the subject. There are some weaknesses in pupils extending and refining their own performances. Although in some lessons there is the opportunity to evaluate other peoples’ performance, teachers do not give pupils the opportunity on a regular basis to consider what they do well and how they could improve.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134 Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good. They enjoy physical activity and the challenges their teachers provide. Behaviour is good and pupils well controlled when working outside. Pupils usually cooperate well and, when given the opportunity, they recognise and respect the work of others. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 43 135 At the time of the last inspection, there were some weaknesses in teaching. Good leadership in this subject has resulted in a more structured approach being adopted and this has helped teachers with their planning and improved the quality of their lessons. The quality of teaching is good overall, although there are some inconsistencies and the coordinator has not had the opportunity to monitor this and offer support. In the best lessons, teachers show a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and bring an enthusiasm into the lessons that inspire pupils. In a Year 6 dance lesson, where groups of pupils were linking

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

dance sequences, the teacher shared the lesson objectives with the pupils and made it very clear what was expected of them. She maintained a good pace throughout the lesson and gave pupils the opportunity to evaluate the performance of others. Her expertise and enthusiasm motivated all the pupils to work hard and achieve good standards. In a similar way in a Year 3 lesson, where pupils were learning to create movement pictures, the positive relationships and the involvement of the teacher, kept all pupils interested and working hard.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136 Teachers are particularly good at teaching games skills and this shows in the pupils’ confidence. Teachers work effectively in year groups, planning and organising the work together. They set high standards for behaviour and keep all pupils occupied throughout the lesson. In the lessons taken by Year 4 teachers, where three different games were being taught successfully at the same time the enthusiasm of the teachers motivated the pupils and they worked hard and achieved well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137 The curriculum for physical education is good, with a particular strength in the range of games taught. Opportunities given for pupils to take part in extra curricular activities, such as football and hockey, enhance the school’s provision. Parents usually support this and the school works hard to establish links with outside agencies to further enhance the range of pupils’ experiences. For example, the links with the YMCA Sports Federation and Lincoln City Football Club are providing pupils with the opportunity to take part in games at different levels. A good range of resources also enhances the delivery of the curriculum, although storage is a problem. Teachers make good use of the school hall and extensive grounds to provide pupils with the space they need to develop their skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138 The coordinator for physical education is enthusiastic and has good subject knowledge. She has worked hard to address weaknesses, for example, by providing support for teachers’ planning for dance. The school has made good use of non statutory guidance to help them structure the curriculum and provide progression through the school, but this is currently and appropriately being adapted to meet the needs of the particular pupils more effectively and also the level of expertise amongst the staff.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139 Standards in religious education are similar to those outlined in the locally agreed syllabus. All pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school. This is a similar scene to that at the time of the previous inspection, though there is now a scheme of work based on the new locally agreed syllabus and on national guidelines. Staff and pupils like the new scheme and the profile of religious education in school has risen. The school still has few opportunities to interact with other religions and has little contact with multi faith schools, though the coordinator has made efforts to improve this area.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140 By the time pupils are 11, they have an insight into some of the beliefs of Christianity and are building up an understanding of other main world religions. Pupils in Year 3 know about some of the stories in the Bible, while pupils in Years 4 and 5 learn of characters from the story of Ramayana, and of the five pillars of wisdom associated with the Islamic faith. Pupils’ recorded work and photographs show that pupils learn of some of the festivals and symbols associated with these religions. They have celebrated weddings and Divali. Lincoln Birchwood Junior School - 44 141 Pupils with special educational needs also make satisfactory progress. In lessons where the classroom support staff are well prepared, these pupils take a full part and this has a positive effect on their self esteem.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142 Pupils' attitudes to religious education are good. Pupils’ interest and enjoyment in the subject are apparent in their involvement and interest in lessons. They listen respectfully and answer questions readily.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143 The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers generally manage lessons and behaviour well. In a lesson in Year 5, the teacher engaged pupils with challenging behaviour in role play for just the right amount of time to ensure pupils continued to behave sensibly. Pupils often develop their knowledge and understanding of faiths through the use of artefacts. In one lesson seen in Year 6, pupils used a wide range of pictures, statues and items associated with Buddhism and listened to music which gave them a feel for this religion and improved their skills of observation and interpretation. In some classes, teachers target work to the needs of pupils of different abilities, but this often has a literacy rather than a religious focus. There has been no monitoring of teaching to ensure the effective implementation of the new scheme of work throughout the school

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144 Throughout the school, teachers develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills satisfactorily through discussion and there is satisfactory use made of information and communication technology. In one Year 5 class, pupils described how they had been using the internet to find out whether the Bible was one of the best selling books.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145 Lessons make a good contribution to pupils’ personal development. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and value pupils’ contributions to discussions. This encourages pupils to express their ideas and views openly, and helps them respect the ideas of others. Teachers often use perceptive questions to probe pupils’ ideas. This revealed that Year 3 pupils considered a special friend to be one who would care for you and be kind and helpful.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146 There are moments for reflection during acts of collective worship and during lessons. Pupils are aware of rules and Year 6 pupils learn about the reasons for rules associated with games, safety and communities. Pupils’ work on display shows how they have considered children’s rights. Pupils develop culturally through their studies of Christianity and of other faiths, but an area for development, recognised by the coordinator, is to increase the number of visitors who represent a variety of religious beliefs, to school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147 The Locally Agreed Syllabus has a useful assessment scheme embedded in it and assessment procedures are currently under review. Resources are satisfactory and accessible to staff.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148 The coordinator is enthusiastic and manages the subject satisfactorily. She provides good leadership and has completed some research in to the impact of the new syllabus on the quality of teaching and learning in the school, which has helped teachers in their planning. She has amended the collective worship policy. This includes themes from the main world faiths. She has links with the governors and keeps them informed of developments in the subject.

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