Fairhaven Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: February 10 th - 12 th 2003

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VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 248231 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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VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Road South Walsham Norwich Norfolk Postcode: NR13 6DZ

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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: Canon Philip McFadyen

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1998 Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 5

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Terry Elston Registered inspector Science, information and communication technology, design and technology, pupils with special educational needs, educational inclusion. The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Libby Dickson Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Roger Tapley Team inspector English, art and design, history, geography. How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Sue Rogers Team inspector Children in the Foundation Stage, mathematics, physical education, pupils with English as an additional language.

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

e-Qualitas Ltd , Langshaw, Pastens Road, Limpsfield Chart, Oxted, Surrey RH8 0RE.

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager, Inspection Quality Division, The Office for Standards in Education, Alexandra House, 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a small Church of England voluntary aided school for 110 pupils aged five to eleven years who are taught in four mixed-age classes. There are a few more girls than boys. The school mainly serves five rural villages between Norwich and Great Yarmouth. Around 15 per cent of pupils have special educational needs, mostly with moderate learning difficulties, and one has a statement; these figures are broadly in line with those found nationally. There is a high level of employment in this rural area, and less than three per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals; this is lower than the national average. There are no pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, or with English as an additional language. During the last school year, five pupils joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission, which is not unusual, and 10 left it at times which were not those of the normal leaving or

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

transfer for most pupils; this is a higher proportion than is normally found. The attainment of pupils on entry is average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a sound education for its pupils within a very strong Christian ethos. Staffing problems over recent years have affected pupils’ standards, but things are now improving. With a settled staff, supported well by the headteacher’s determined and sensitive leadership, standards are rising and are now broadly in line with those found nationally in English, mathematics and science by Year 6. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, and pupils are making sound progress. Pupils enjoy school and behave well. The financial management is sound, and the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ standards in reading are above average throughout the school because the teaching of reading skills is good and teachers’ expectations are high. • The well planned provision for children in the Foundation Stage gives them a good start. • The spiritual provision is of high quality, and it shows in the way pupils think deeply about important issues and develop a very good awareness of the needs of others. • Pupils’ good behaviour and positive attitudes to work make for a happy school where pupils try to do their best. • The headteacher leads well, and has done much to generate a very good team spirit in the school that is improving the quality of teaching and learning.

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What could be improved

• Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) by Year 6 are below those expected of pupils this age. • The writing skills of the most able pupils are not developed well enough because they have too few opportunities to write independently. • Governors are developing their role, but they are not yet fully involved in the running of the school. • The headteacher has too many responsibilities, and these leave her with too little time for the day-to-day management of the school. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 8 The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 9

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory improvements since the last inspection in 1998. Teachers improved the presentation of pupils’ work but, while it is now satisfactory, there are still variations from class to class. The role of the co-ordinators in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science has been strengthened, and they now provide good support to colleagues. Not all subjects, however, have a co- ordinator, and the headteacher has had to manage many subjects on a temporary basis and this slows down their development. The quality of teaching has improved; now lessons start promptly and most teachers have consistent ways of managing pupils’ behaviour. Teachers provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their independence, but there are still weaknesses here that particularly affect the quality of pupils’ writing. Standards by Year 6 compared to those reported in the last inspection are

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

higher in reading, art and design, history and music, and similar in all other subjects except ICT, where they are lower than before.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage has developed well, and is now a strength of the school. With effective leadership, and a good team of teachers and support staff, the school is well placed to improve further.

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STANDARDS

The results attained by Year 6 pupils in the 2002 national tests are excluded from this summary because of the very small numbers of pupils involved. Last year, the school achieved its targets for pupils in Year 6 in the national tests in mathematics, but not in English. The current pupils in Year 6 look set to meet this year’s challenging targets. By Year 6, pupils’ standards are above average in reading, average in speaking and listening but below average in writing. Standards are average in mathematics and science. In ICT, the school has lagged behind others in developing pupils’ skills, and standards Year 6 are below those expected for pupils this age. By Year 6, standards are above average in history and music, where teachers’ good subject knowledge gives pupils a good range of skills and understanding. Standards in all other subjects are in line with those found nationally.

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STANDARDS

By Year 2, pupils’ standards are above average in reading, music and history and average in all subjects except writing, where few pupils attain the higher levels of which they are capable.

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STANDARDS

Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress, and nearly all meet the nationally agreed targets by the time they leave the Reception year. Children do particularly well in developing their language, knowledge of the world and their personal and social skills.

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STANDARDS

Given the pupils’ average levels of attainment on entry to the school, they achieve satisfactory standards by the time they leave. Pupils with special educational needs are included in all activities, and make good progress towards their targets.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school These are good. Pupils enjoy their work, and always try to do their best. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Nearly all pupils behave well in class but some of the older pupils take a time to settle, and find it hard to concentrate. Pupils behave well in the playground and acts of bullying are uncommon. Personal development and Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory; they are keen to take Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 10 relationships responsibility, and the school council plays an important role in pupils’ social development. Relationships are good throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Average overall, but unauthorised absence is a bit high because of parents taking children on holiday in school time. These pupils miss valuable time in school.

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

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

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

The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory, and meets the needs of all pupils. In nearly all lessons during the inspection pupils made at least satisfactory progress. Temporary teachers taught two classes, and judgements take into account the teachers’ planning and pupils’ work for the whole year. Teachers’ planning is sound, and provides appropriate work to support the learning of pupils of different abilities. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is generally good, and ensures that pupils learn the important basic skills of reading and number. Some writing tasks, however, are too repetitive, and provide pupils with too few opportunities to write independently.

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

The quality of teaching for children in the Foundation Stage is good. It helps children to respond quickly to the high expectations of attentiveness, following instructions and behaviour through very well organised daily routines. These children make good progress, as do the Year 1 pupils in the Reception class, who benefit from the extra staffing provided for the youngest children. In Years 1 and 2, the quality of teaching is also good. Here, pupils enjoy learning because the teacher makes it fun. Lessons move at a brisk pace, and pupils learn quickly. The teaching of reading is especially good, and pupils gain a clear understanding of how to read unfamiliar words. In Years 3 to 6, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. In the best lessons, the pace of teaching is brisk, and pupils cover a lot of work in a short time. In a few lessons, however, time is lost as pupils forget the rules about calling out, or chatter

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

among themselves as the teacher is talking; this slows down the pace of learning. Teachers are knowledgeable, and this gives pupils the confidence to ask questions to deepen their understanding. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs by teachers and teaching assistants is good throughout the school, and has a positive impact on their standards.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum does not meet statutory requirements because not all the elements of ICT are taught. Otherwise, it is well organised with good provision for literacy and numeracy while giving pupils a wide variety of experiences. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. There is a good range of activities at lunchtime and after school to enrich the curriculum. Sound provision for personal, social and health education teaches pupils how to live healthily and value the opinions of others. Provision for pupils with Good, and organised capably by the co-ordinator. Pupils’ targets are Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 11 special educational needs clear and reviewed regularly. Pupils are supported well by knowledgeable teaching assistants. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 12

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Very good provision for pupils’ spiritual development is central to the school’s aims. The good provision for social and moral development shows in the way pupils behave and work productively together. Good provision for pupils’ cultural development in terms of music and literature, and sound development of pupils’ understanding of other cultures in Britain and the world. How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school provides a secure environment where pupils are well cared for. There are good procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development. Assessment procedures are satisfactory, but not developed well enough in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. How well the school works in partnership with parents The school works hard to establish good links with parents, who are

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Aspect Comment

very positive about the provision for their children. The school provides too little information on the curriculum to enable them to support their children fully at home.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Sound. The headteacher leads well with a good understanding of how to raise standards of teaching and learning. She is very well respected by pupils, parents and staff. The management of the school on a day-to-day basis is sound, but the headteacher’s heavy teaching load, and many curricular responsibilities, explains why some policies are out of date. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Unsatisfactory. Governors have had too little say in the setting of the school’s targets for improvement, and have not been sufficiently involved in the evaluating the quality of teaching and learning. The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. New computerised systems help to track pupils’ progress. The monitoring of teaching by the headteacher and senior staff is helping to raise standards. The strategic use of resources Good. The school manages its money well, and has sound

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Aspect Comment

procedures for securing the best value from its spending. The supply of learning resources is satisfactory, although there is a shortage of geography books. The school has used grants well to equip the computer suite and provide staff training to rectify weaknesses in pupils’ standards in ICT.

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Aspect Comment

The time without a permanent headteacher unsettled the staff and held back the school’s development. There is now a clear understanding of the school’s priorities, and a good staff who work well together. The school’s accommodation is satisfactory, and allows the curriculum to be taught appropriately. The new ICT suite is working well, but there are still shortages of equipment and computer programs. Otherwise, learning resources are satisfactory. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 13

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Pupils’ good behaviour • The way the headteacher has led the school successfully through a very difficult period • The very good teaching of Christian values • The good teaching in the Reception class • The consistency with which homework is set • The school’s quality of communication with parents

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views. Checks show that homework is set with reasonable consistency. In general, the school communicates with parents satisfactorily, but gives them too little information on the topics studied by children. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 14

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Strengths:

• Standards are above average in history, music and reading; • Progress of pupils with special educational needs.

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Weaknesses:

• Standards in writing throughout the school; • Standards in ICT (information and communication technology) are below average by Year 6.

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Weaknesses:

1. The very small numbers of pupils who take the national tests in both Year 2 and Year 6 makes analyses of trends in standards unreliable. One or two pupils who achieve well or poorly, therefore, make a big difference in the overall scores, and help to explain apparently wide variations in attainment from year to year, and even between subjects in the same year. In Year 2, for example, pupils’ standards in reading were below average, and in writing they were well below average, the difference being one pupil’s scores. Nevertheless, it is clear that standards have slipped over recent years because of the many changes in staffing, particularly in the leadership, that the school has had to face. These have slowed down the rate of school improvement, depressed standards and had a significant impact on the morale of the staff. The oldest pupils are the ones whose standards have been affected most, and the current pupils in Year 1, who have had two years of stability, are attaining above

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Weaknesses:

2. The school has the raising of standards as a priority, and has put into action a good plan to improve the level of pupils’ achievement. These include:

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Weaknesses:

• providing more demanding teaching in small groups of the most able pupils; • strengthening the communication between the two infant classes; • setting clear and challenging targets for pupils in literacy and numeracy; • analysing pupils’ results in the national tests more rigorously to show where they can improve; • giving extra time to developing pupils’ writing skills in Years 5 and 6; and • making a more effective link between literacy and other subjects, to improve pupils’ understanding of non-fiction texts.

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Weaknesses:

3. These measures are already having a good impact, and standards in English, mathematics and science found in this inspection are significantly higher than those reflected in last year’s national tests in both Year 2 and Year 6.

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Weaknesses:

4. Children in the Foundation Stage make a good start. The broad, imaginative curriculum and good teaching promote good progress for all the children, particularly in speaking, reading, practical and creative work and in the development of their confidence and independence. Boys and girls do equally well, and children with special educational needs make very good progress.

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Weaknesses:

5. Standards attained by the current Year 2 pupils are average in reading, speaking and listening, but below average in writing. Nearly all pupils read confidently, and many with good expression. In writing, while most pupils use capital letters and full stops, their punctuation is often haphazard and few write in more complex sentences. Pupils have sound numeracy skills, and are starting to work out Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 15 more complex sums in their head. Standards are above average in history and music, where pupils achieve well, and average in all other subjects.

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Weaknesses:

6. By Year 6, standards are above average in reading, and average in speaking, listening, all aspects of mathematics and science. Nearly all pupils read well, have a secure grasp of number and are confident designing their own scientific experiments. A significant proportion of pupils achieve high standards in all three of these subjects. Standards in writing, though, remain stubbornly below average and, by Year 6, few pupils write with the accuracy and fluency expected of pupils this age. There is improvement, however, and recent initiatives are yielding good results in pupils’ writing in history, for example, where some of the written accounts are exciting and informative. Standards remain above average in history and music, and average in all other subjects except ICT. The good structured teaching of ICT skills in the new computer suite is raising standards, but from a low starting point, and

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Weaknesses:

the oldest pupils are working at levels a year below their ages. Throughout the school, the higher standards in history and music are the result of teachers’ good knowledge of the subjects and their consistently good teaching of skills.

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Weaknesses:

7. Given the pupils’ average standards on entry, they are making steady progress. The tracking of the progress of pupils who have been in the school since the Reception shows that nearly all make the rates of progress expected of them. Children achieve well in the Reception class, and parents are delighted with the progress their children make. In Years 1 and 2, pupils achieve well, and respond enthusiastically to the calm and purposeful atmosphere in the classroom. In Years 3 to 6, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in all areas apart from ICT and writing. These are the pupils who have suffered most from the school’s lack of direction in the past. Pupils with special educational needs are included in all activities, and make good progress towards their targets. Their reading improves well, with carefully designed targets and good structured teaching. In recent years, more able pupils have

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Weaknesses:

not achieved well enough, which shows clearly in their national test results. With extra support, they are now starting to attain the standards expected of them, particularly in reading and science.

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Strengths:

• Pupils have positive attitudes to school and to learning; • Nearly all behave well; • Relationships throughout the school are good.

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Weakness:

• Not enough pupils show initiative, or develop good levels of independence in their class work.

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Weakness:

8. Pupils show good attitudes to learning. Most are happy to work hard, and are usually well motivated. They generally concentrate well and are keen to answer questions in lessons and join in class discussions. They know that they should wait with their hands up until chosen to speak, and most pupils observe this convention. Pupils’ interest in lessons is evident in their willingness to settle to the work that has been set, and the way that they take care in what they are doing. For example, during an art and design lesson for pupils in Years 1 and 2, they worked carefully with a variety of materials and techniques to explore colour and pattern.

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Weakness:

9. Pupils’ behaviour in the majority of lessons is good and, on occasion, very good. Pupils understand and follow the codes of conduct well, and they respect routines diligently. In a history lesson, pupils in Year 5 and 6 listened attentively to the teacher’s clear and confident explanation, and then worked hard to learn more about the theatre during Elizabethan times. In a literacy lesson for pupils in Years 1 and 2, they listened intently, and helped each other to identify any changes in the Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 16 character and plot of different accounts of the ‘Willow Pattern’ story. The standard of behaviour seen in other lessons was never less than satisfactory. In some of these lessons, however, pupils’ interest and attention fell, particularly where the teaching was not well matched to their needs, or where the lesson was not challenging. A few pupils have behavioural problems. These tend not to cause

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Weakness:

interruptions to the flow of lessons because teachers and teaching assistants know pupils very well, and are consistent in the way they manage their behaviour.

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Weakness:

10. Pupils behave well in and around the school. They are polite and friendly and play well together at break and lunchtime. In the dining hall, they behave very well, talking sensibly with their friends and waiting their turn in the queue. Three pupils were excluded for one day each last year for aggressive behaviour. Exclusion is used effectively, and only as a last resort when all other avenues have been explored. Pupils in Year 6 said; “there is no bullying at the school, because children here are all kind to each other; if there is a problem, teachers would sort it out”. Overall, behaviour in the school has improved since the last inspection.

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Weakness:

11. The relationships seen throughout the school are good. The pupils are courteous to adults and friendly to one another. They feel the teachers give them support and encourage them to do their best. As one pupil said, “the teachers teach us lots of things; they can be funny, but they are never grumpy”. In discussions with inspectors, one pupil described the school as “really friendly with a kind atmosphere” . Pupils co-operate well together, take turns and listen intently to other points of view. They treat school property and equipment with respect. In a history lesson for pupils in Year 1 and 2, they handled the old objects with great respect, and worked well together on their written task, with the more able ones supporting those who were struggling.

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Weakness:

12. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. They take part enthusiastically in extracurricular activities, such as football and drama. During the inspection, nearly all Year 6 pupils attended the lunchtime chess club and were keen to improve their playing skills. Pupils respond well when given opportunities to take responsibility around the school, for example, as school councillors, house captains or when looking after younger pupils. Those who are elected as representatives on the school council take their responsibilities seriously, and appreciate being able to make decisions about improving the school. One boy said the school council “gives the children a chance to say what needs to be done to the school, and not just leave it to the adults”. In some lessons, however, pupils have too few opportunities to develop their independent learning skills, for example, through devising experiments in

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Weakness:

science, or selecting equipment and apparatus in mathematics lessons. This explains why they sometimes find it hard when asked to use their initiative.

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Weakness:

13. The level of attendance is in line with the national average for primary schools. The rate of unauthorised absence for the last academic year was one per cent higher than the national average. This is because of some pupils being taken out of school for extended holidays during term time. These pupils miss valuable time in school.

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Strengths:

• The teaching of reading, music and history is good; • The teaching in the Reception class is good; • Teachers have good subject knowledge; • The teacher makes lessons very interesting in Years 1 and 2; • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good; • Pupils have the confidence to take risks with their answers.

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Weaknesses:

Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 17 • There are some inconsistencies in the management of pupils’ behaviour; • Teachers provide too many routine writing tasks; • Marking is not always helpful in terms of how pupils can improve. 14. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, as it was in the school’s previous inspection, and promotes sound progress through the school. Half of the lessons were judged as good, and only one was unsatisfactory. All the lessons taught by permanent teachers were at least satisfactory. Temporary teachers taught two classes, and judgements of teaching take full account of all the work pupils have done so far and teachers’ planning for the whole year.

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Weaknesses:

15. The quality of teaching and learning for children in the Foundation Stage is good. This helps children make good progress. All adults are good at developing warm relationships. Consequently the children settle happily into school, gain in confidence and move into Year 1 with good attitudes to learning. The planned activities are purposeful and meet the needs of the children well. Adults provide a good balance between structured and free play activities. This teaches children how to listen carefully to instructions, and develops their independent learning as they explore the many activities provided for them. Adults manage children well, with clear expectations of their behaviour from the start. There is a strong emphasis on promoting the children’s speaking skills. Adults listen with interest to what the children have to say and, through careful questioning, develop their communication

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Weaknesses:

skills and maximise their learning. The teaching of social skills is especially good, and the children quickly develop a good understanding of how to behave, and a growing awareness of others’ needs as well as their own. The use of assessment to monitor the development of the children is good, and enables the teacher to plan effectively for children’s future learning. The Reception teacher has introduced the framework of both the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies that take full account of the needs of all children. This is adapted well to meet the needs of all children, and prepares them well for their learning in Year 1. The teaching of early reading skills is especially good. In one lesson, the teacher was introducing words beginning with ‘ch’, and some children were unsure of which letters made the sound. The teacher patiently suggested words with the required beginning, and then teased out of them others that they knew. Children grew in confidence and soon were

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Weaknesses:

suggesting words of their own. The teacher wrote these on the board to reinforce the sound made by the letters, and by the end, all children had mastered the concept.

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Weaknesses:

16. Some Year 1 pupils are taught in the Reception class, and this works well. These pupils are generally younger than others in the year group, and the extra focus on developing their social skills, alongside the teaching of National Curriculum subjects, supports their learning effectively.

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Weaknesses:

17. In Years 1 and 2, the quality of teaching and learning is good, and pupils make good progress over time. The teacher shows a secure knowledge of the subjects of the National Curriculum, and makes lessons interesting so that pupils enjoy learning. Whole class teaching takes place in a calm and purposeful atmosphere that enables all pupils to contribute at their own level. Group work is well organised so that pupils are sure where to go and what to do. The teacher has taught pupils well to move quickly to their table. The management of pupils’ behaviour is effective, and this helps them learn at a good pace. The teacher uses the literacy and numeracy strategies well so that nearly all pupils gain a secure grasp of basic reading and number skills. In one of the best numeracy lessons, the teacher set out to improve pupils’ weak understanding of patterns of numbers. The teacher started by asking pupils to count in multiples of two, and then five. As soon as they were confident, the teacher

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Weaknesses:

gave them the task of recording their findings on a number square. She asked, “can you see a pattern yet?” and pupils were delighted when they could. By giving just the right balance of guidance and independent working the teacher had taught an important skill, and all pupils had made significant progress. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 18 18. In Years 3 to 6, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, and pupils make sound progress. Teachers plan lessons well so that explanations to the whole class are is usually followed by practical and group work to reinforce the skills learned. Teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour is sound, but falls down when the teacher is inconsistent. For example, in more than one lesson, the teacher asked pupils not to call out, yet rewarded those who did by accepting their answers with praise. This confuses pupils who are unsure of the rules. Teachers are knowledgeable about the

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Weaknesses:

subjects they teach, and particularly so in history and music. In these subjects, teachers give pupils confidence by well-informed explanations and pupils learn quickly as a result. Teachers are very enthusiastic about pupils’ contributions in class, and this encourages them to take risks and attempt difficult questions in the knowledge that their answers will be valued. For example, in a numeracy lesson a pupil gave a plausible but incorrect answer, and the teacher said, “what a good try! Listen to the question again and see if you can tell me anything else”. The pupil did, and was delighted to provide the correct answer the second time. Teachers are confident with the numeracy strategy, and are providing more work to improve pupils’ quick recall of number and the problem solving skills that were holding them back. The teaching of reading is good, and helps pupils learn basic reading skills

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Weaknesses:

while moving them on to more advanced work on inference and deduction. Teachers teach writing in a systematic way, but they provide too many tasks that are boring, with too little variety and challenge to generate enthusiasm for writing. In addition, teachers accept too much writing that is poorly presented. The best writing is in history, where teachers insist on writing of good quality. In other subjects, such as science, pupils even in Year 6 produce very brief accounts of their work and, despite all of the routine practice, fail to join their letters.

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Weaknesses:

19. Teachers’ marking is inconsistent. While some is very helpful to pupils, much consists of ticks and crosses, with nothing to guide pupils as to how they can do better.

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Weaknesses:

20. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is good. The co- ordinator works closely with teachers and support assistants to provide work that is matched well to pupils’ targets. The co-ordinator studies teachers’ planning, and then plans her own work so that it is appropriate for these pupils. Some pupils are withdrawn for well-directed specialist teaching by teaching assistants and the co-ordinator. This system works well, and ensures that pupils with special educational needs are working on similar tasks to the rest of the class, but at their own level. This is why they make good progress.

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Strengths:

• The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good; • The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is well planned to give children a good start in school.

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Weaknesses:

• Provision for ICT does not meet the requirements of the National Curriculum; • Opportunities are missed to develop pupils’ awareness of different cultures.

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Weaknesses:

21. The curriculum is broad and reasonably balanced, although the provision for ICT does not meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school fell behind others in recent years in the provision of sufficient computers and programs to develop pupils’ skills, and in the linking of ICT with other subjects. The new ICT suite is starting to make a difference, and pupils’ skills are improving quickly. There is still, however, too little use of ICT to support other subjects of the curriculum, and the school has no means of using technology to sense changes in materials as required in the Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 19 curriculum for pupils in Years 3 to 6. There is limited use of the Internet to conduct research, and few pupils have had the opportunity of using electronic mail.

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Weaknesses:

22. Otherwise, the school provides a sound curriculum for the academic and personal needs of pupils. The provision for art and design, criticised in the previous inspection, is now satisfactory; the school gives enough time for the subject, and standards are now in line with those found nationally. There are equal opportunities for all pupils to take part in all activities, and no significant difference in achievement because of gender, disability, race or culture. The school responds well when pupils are found to need extra support, and makes effective changes to the curriculum. For example, when more able pupils were found to be underachieving in mathematics in the national tests, the school provided extra teaching of these pupils to extend their numeracy skills; this worked well, and the more able pupils in the current Years 5 and 6 class are now achieving high standards as a result. Teachers’

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Weaknesses:

questioning and allocation of jobs or privileges does not indicate bias towards any group within the school

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Weaknesses:

23. The school has worked hard over the past two years to make the numeracy and literacy hours effective, and teachers use the suggested structure well to teach the basic skills of reading and number work. The planning for the other subjects of the curriculum uses national guidelines well to provide a secure basis for teachers’ planning of lessons. Teachers make good links between subjects, such as art and design, design and technology, geography and history, and this reinforces pupils’ learning well. Further improvements in the organisation of the curriculum have been hindered by the staffing difficulties faced by the school over recent years. The headteacher is taking the responsibility for managing several subjects on a temporary basis and, while this ensures that all areas of the curriculum are taught, it has slowed down their development because of the limitations of the headteacher’s time.

p.19

Weaknesses:

24. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is good in all areas of learning. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator is very well organised, and has detailed long term planning to ensure that children have experience of each area of the curriculum. She has worked hard to improve the curriculum since the last inspection. The good planning for children to use the indoor area helps children make the most of the resources and equipment, and the outdoor area offers the children an interesting and varied curriculum. Children have easy access to the outside area, and are therefore able to select activities independently. There are very good opportunities for children to explore the use of space and develop their physical skills in a safe area. The Year 1 pupils in the Reception class, who are generally younger than those in the Year1/2 class, benefit from the extra support they receive for their personal and

p.19

Weaknesses:

social development, yet have full access to the National Curriculum subjects. This works well, and these pupils make good progress in all areas of their learning.

p.19

Weaknesses:

25. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school complies fully with the new national requirements. The curriculum is well organised so that pupils take part in all activities. Teaching assistants are well trained, and provide good extra reading work to improve pupils’ confidence with building sounds into words. Pupils’ individual targets are realistic but challenging, and are reviewed regularly to monitor their progress.

p.19

Weaknesses:

26. The planning of activities for pupils who are identified as gifted and talented is sound. Those with very good musical skills, for example, have many opportunities to practice musical pieces and play or sing to audiences.

p.19

Weaknesses:

27. The school has a sound programme of personal health and social education. This provides pupils with valuable information about issues such as drugs misuse, road safety and the importance of a good diet to stay healthy. Pupils’ personal development in enhanced by special times when the class sits together and discusses issues such as friendship and bullying. These sessions are effective, and Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 20 their impact can be seen every day in the way pupils behave and show respect for each other. A good programme of sex education is taught mainly in Years 5 and 6, and the school make good use of a trained nurse for this purpose.

p.19

Weaknesses:

28. Largely in response to parents’ requests, the school has done much recently to improve the range of extracurricular activities. There is now a good selection of activities at lunchtime and after school to enrich the curriculum, including aerobics, football, cross-country running, chess, drama and music. These are well attended.

p.20

Weaknesses:

29. The school makes satisfactory use of the local community to enrich the curriculum. The headteacher has established very good links with the church, and pupils attend local services with staff and parents in the week and at weekends, sometimes performing plays to the congregation. There are also good links with the nearby garden centre, but otherwise the headteacher struggles to involve members of this rural community in the school.

p.20

Weaknesses:

30. The curricular provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural education of pupils is good. This reflects both the findings of the last inspection and the views of the parents. It is a significant reason why parents choose to send their children to this school.

p.20

Weaknesses:

31. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. All staff use Christian values and Bible stories very well as a basis for exploring spirituality in both assemblies and the classrooms. For example, the theme of ‘sheep’ was used effectively to tell and explain parables; pupils were encouraged to examine the role of shepherds and sheep, and see themselves acting these parts with regard to others. There was very good opportunity to reflect on the role of spiritual guides. The school has worked very effectively to teach pupils about death. The death of the previous headteacher and of persons in the public eye have been dealt with very sensitively, with pupils being encouraged to respond and express their feelings in words and pictures. Pupils are valued as individuals, and they are taught to respect opinions different from their own. The message that ‘all are equal and special’ is well reinforced on classroom walls. Lessons make a very good contribution to

p.20

Weaknesses:

pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils have explored, within a Christian theme, different concepts of God. The ‘mood’ pictures painted by a junior class also demonstrate the good provision for pupils to reflect deeply on topics.

p.20

Weaknesses:

32. The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral development. The school’s Christian ethos is used well to teach moral values, and to ensure pupils understand the behaviour that is expected of them. The school rules are understood and adhered to by pupils, and give them a thorough understanding of what is acceptable and unacceptable.

p.20

Weaknesses:

33. There is a positive ethos of respect, which is promoted by all staff, and the headteacher takes a clear and effective lead in this area. Staff act as good role models and, as a result, pupils’ social development is well promoted. The school develops pupils’ independence by the system of monitors and the workings of the school council, but there are some opportunities missed in lessons, particularly in writing, for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning.

p.20

Weaknesses:

34. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good overall. Britain’s culture is well promoted through a large number of visits and events such as trips to Norwich Cathedral and celebrations of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. The school uses art and music well to promote links with cultures from other countries. The pupils produced The Musicians of Bremen , in one day, for example, and the school made good links with France and the French language through the visit of a French student. In the curriculum, teachers develop pupils’ multicultural awareness well as they explore other faiths in religious education, and study the way of life in Kenya in geography. There are, however, Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 21 opportunities missed to develop this awareness further in the displays around the school and in the books in the library.

p.20

Strengths:

• The school provides a secure environment where pupils are well cared for; • There are good procedures for child protection, health and safety; • The systems for the monitoring and supporting of pupils’ personal development are good.

p.21

Weakness:

• There is not enough formal assessment of pupils’ standards in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

p.21

Weakness:

35. Staff at the school have created a caring, secure environment where all pupils are known well by staff. The procedures for child protection, first aid and health and safety are good, and pupils are supervised well at all times. The headteacher is the designated officer for child protection, and the school follows the comprehensive local procedures. She ensures that new staff are also familiar with all the procedures. A good health and safety policy is in place, and the headteacher has undergone useful recent training. The local education authority checks the fire equipment and electrical items rigorously. Fire drills are held regularly, and the school makes good use of a local fire officer to check the school’s procedures and precautions.

p.21

Weakness:

36. Since her appointment, the headteacher has done much to develop very clear strategies for promoting good behaviour. Staff respond to pupils in a positive way, and they expect good standards of behaviour and politeness. Correspondingly, pupils have a clear understanding about how to behave and knowledge of what is right or wrong. Pupils who show any sustained difficulty with behaviour are monitored well through the school’s effective special educational needs policy. Rare acts of bullying are dealt with promptly and firmly by the headteacher, and parents are very pleased with the effectiveness of these measures.

p.21

Weakness:

37. The school has good procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development. Teachers and teaching assistants record details of pupils’ achievements, and inform the headteacher quickly if there are any concerns. The school does much to encourage pupils to recognise the value of good work, with rewards given out during Friday assemblies. Achievements both in and out of school are celebrated enthusiastically. During the inspection, two Year 2 pupils showed their class the trophies they had been awarded in dance and tennis with great pride. Special sessions provided for older pupils help them to learn to listen to others and to be tolerant of other points of view. Parents feel the school’s attitudes and values have a very positive effect on their children.

p.21

Weakness:

38. The procedures for checking and promoting attendance are good. The headteacher and education welfare officer regularly review ways of improving attendance and reducing the rate of unauthorised absence. The school reminds parents of the need for regular attendance. Nevertheless, not all parents appreciate that they should avoid holidays in term time.

p.21

Weakness:

39. The systems for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. The school has introduced a good target-setting procedure in English and mathematics that provides a clear view of the standards towards which pupils can aim. Teachers have good systems to assess pupils’ attainment in reading, and use the data well to raise standards further. For example, by accurate and thorough analysis of pupils’ results in the national tests in reading, weaknesses in their understanding of non- fiction tests were identified. Targets were then set to teach the appropriate skills through other Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 22 subjects like history and religious education. As a result, pupils’ reading standards have improved significantly, and are now above average.

p.21

Weakness:

40. The assessment procedures in subjects other than English, mathematics and science are less well developed, but they give a sound picture of pupils’ levels of attainment by using the national curriculum guidelines.

p.22

Strengths:

• Parents’ views of the school are positive; • Parents provide good support to the school through the Parents Association, and some give regular help in the school.

p.22

Weakness:

• The school does not provide parents with enough information about what their children are studying at school.

p.22

Weakness:

41. In their responses to the questionnaire and at the meeting with the Registered Inspector, parents showed that they are generally pleased with what the school does. Inspectors agree with all of their positive comments. Parents say that the school is well led, and that staff expect their child to work hard and achieve well. Their children like coming to school, and parents feel strongly that behaviour in the school is good. They appreciate that, even with her heavy teaching commitment, the headteacher makes herself available whenever possible to meet parents and discuss any problems or concerns.

p.22

Weakness:

42. Parents would like better information about the topics their children are studying at school. This was also a parental concern at the last inspection. Inspectors agree that information about what is taught in school is sparse. Too little is available to enable parents to help their child effectively at home. They would like, for example, to help their children find information, or visit places of interest in connection with their topic.

p.22

Weakness:

43. Regular, well-presented newsletters are informative, but a few parents said they were not given enough notice of events. Annual reports are detailed, and mostly give clear information on pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. They lack, however, precise information on whether the pupil is working at the level expected of someone that age, and the targets are not always specific enough to be useful. The governors’ annual report contains relevant and useful information, and meets statutory requirements. Some parents feel that homework is not set consistently. In practice, while the arrangements for the setting of homework are satisfactory, the lack of a clear policy means that parents have no clear expectations of the amount of work their children should do at home.

p.22

Weakness:

44. Parents have a good impact on the life of the school. Several parents help with art or craft activities or in the library. There is good support for school events such as open days and the governors’ annual meeting for parents. Almost all parents come to the formal meetings with teachers to discuss their child’s progress. The Parents Association is very supportive, arranging regular social and fundraising events such as the Christmas Fayre, bingo and car treasure hunt. The association raised over £1500 last year, and some of the money was used to provide useful playground equipment. The parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept fully informed by the school, and invited to attend regular reviews. The good partnership with parents makes a positive contribution both to the life of the school and to the progress pupils make.

p.22

Strengths:

• The vision and leadership of the headteacher are helping to bring about improvement and raise standards; • There is a very good team spirit among staff; • The good classroom accommodation enhances the pupils’ learning.

p.23

Weaknesses:

• Governors are not sufficiently involved in planning for school improvement; • The headteacher has too many responsibilities; • There is little evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

p.23

Weaknesses:

45. The headteacher is a good leader with a clear vision for the future of the school. Since her appointment two years ago, she has consulted regularly with governors, parents and pupils to see how the school can raise pupils’ standards. The headteacher made a good start by asking parents and staff about their concerns and priorities for the future, and this worked well; it gave a clear picture of how the school needed to improve, and formed a good basis for the school’s improvement plan. The headteacher takes a strong lead in the spiritual development of pupils, and her strong links with the church help to explain why this is a strength of the school. 46. The monitoring of standards is sound. The school analyses national test results systematically, and uses the data well to rectify areas of weakness. When standards in reading dipped, for example, the school improved reading resources and provided more challenging work for more able pupils.

p.23

Weaknesses:

These measures proved effective, and standards have risen significantly this year. Standards in writing, however, remain too low, and the school has yet to put in place effective measures to raise standards or improve the way writing is taught.

p.23

Weaknesses:

47. The management of the school is sound. The headteacher is working effectively with the staff to achieve the school’s goals. She promotes a caring, supportive and ordered environment in which all pupils are valued and are encouraged to contribute to the life of the school. Her hard work has helped to raise standards over the past year, and has done much to create a very good team spirit in the school.

p.23

Weaknesses:

48. The headteacher does too much, and does not delegate enough responsibilities to other staff. Her heavy teaching load, coupled with her taking responsibility for the co-ordination of most of the subjects of the curriculum, mean that she has too little time to take care of everyday tasks such as updating policies, developing assessment procedures in foundation subjects or talking informally with parents.

p.23

Weaknesses:

49. The headteacher has trodden carefully in terms of the monitoring of teaching, and with justification given the recent history of the school. She has observed some lessons, but not with the degree of rigour that would raise standards of teaching and learning. The headteacher recognises that this is an area that she needs to develop, and it is on her own action plan. Literacy and numeracy co- ordinators have evaluated the teaching in their subjects, and the school has made good use of the local education authority to support this process. These observations, however, do not go far enough in identifying strengths and weaknesses so that teachers can benefit from a structured plan for improvement.

p.23

Weaknesses:

50. The headteacher has recently established a system for evaluating teachers’ performance that effectively identifies their professional needs. Although there are no systems of induction for new staff, the ‘small school family atmosphere’ and its collaborative nature ensure that all new staff are supported well. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 24 51. Governors are keen to contribute more to the monitoring and evaluation of the work of the school. In the past, the school has asked too little of them but with the strong guidance of the Chair of governors, they are keen to provide better leadership. As yet, governors play a limited role in the process of identifying priorities for improvement; they have had little say in formulating or monitoring the school improvement plan, and are not sufficiently aware of the quality of teaching and learning.

p.23

Weaknesses:

52. The school’s financial planning is good. The school’s bursar manages the budget very well, and prepares accounts that are presented clearly to governors at the financial meetings each term. The governors’ finance committee ensures the budget is spent effectively to raise standards. As a result of effective financial planning and use of local education authority grants a new library has been established, and this has improved pupils’ research skills throughout the school.

p.24

Weaknesses:

53. The school has sound procedures to ensure that best value is gained from its spending. The bursar works effectively to secure competitive quotations are obtained for supplies, projects and services, and challenges existing procedures regularly to ensure they meet the school’s current needs. The school makes good use of national and local authority performance data to compare the school’s national test results with others, and sets challenging targets for pupils to achieve. There is some sharing of resources with other schools, but this is limited to minor items, such as certificates for sports days. Regular consultation with the local education authority helps the school keep a close watch on the funds, and provides good support for the headteacher. 54. The school’s staffing, accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory. After a period of some instability, the school is currently well staffed with sufficient, appropriately qualified teachers to

p.24

Weaknesses:

teach the National Curriculum and the children in the Foundation Stage. During the week of the inspection, two teachers were absent owing to illness and personal circumstances; two temporary teachers covered their classes. Well-trained teaching assistants generally make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning, although not all teachers provide sufficient direction to ensure that they are used effectively, particularly when they are teaching the whole class.

p.24

Weaknesses:

55. The school’s accommodation is satisfactory, and allows the curriculum to be taught appropriately. Extra rooms added since the previous inspection have improved the accommodation significantly. There are, however, still some shortcomings. The school hall is too small for the older pupils to move freely in the physical education lessons, and the headteacher does not have an office; this makes it difficult to arrange meetings of a confidential nature. The new ICT suite is working well, and pupils’ work shows that it is already raising standards in the subject. The new library has been placed in a central position in the school and is accessible to all classes. It is comfortable, and an inviting place to sit and read.

p.24

Weaknesses:

56. Learning resources are satisfactory in all subjects apart from ICT and geography. Although the school has spent a considerable amount on improving the supply of computers, not all hardware and software is yet in place to cover the requirements of the National Curriculum. The stock of books in the library is good for all subjects with the exception of geography, where there are too few reference books to develop pupils’ research skills.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

57. To raise standards further, and make the management of the school more effective, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

p.24

(1) raise standards in ICT and fulfil National Curriculum requirements by:

• ensuring that the school has all of the equipment and software to teach all areas of the ICT programmes of study; and Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 25 • building into the planning of all subjects more opportunities for using ICT. (Paragraphs 6, 7, 21, 110, 111-115)

p.24

(2) improve pupils’ writing skills by:

• providing more tasks to help pupils write independently; • having higher expectations of their writing in subjects other than English; and • using assessment more effectively to show how pupils can improve their written work. (Paragraphs 5, 6, 18, 33, 46, 71, 73, 74, 76)

p.25

(3) develop the role of governors by;

• ensuring that they are fully involved in the setting of targets for the school’s improvement; and • finding more effective ways for governors to evaluate how well the school’s targets for improvement are being achieved. (Paragraph 51)

p.25

(4) give the headteacher more time to manage the school by:

• delegating more of her responsibilities to other staff; and • considering how the school can reduce the headteacher’s teaching load. (Paragraphs 23, 41, 48, 119, 123) Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 26

p.25

Other issues that the school may wish to include in its development planning:

• strive for consistency in the way pupils’ work is marked so that it shows clearly how they can improve; (Paragraphs 19, 78, 85) • ensure that all subjects have useful assessment procedures; (Paragraphs 40, 105) • improve resources in geography; (Paragraphs 56, 105) • provide better information to parents on the work planned for their children. (Paragraph 43) Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 27

p.26

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 46

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.27

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 nearly four percentage points.

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 110

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 16

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

p.27

Attendance

National comparative data 5.9 National comparative data 0.5

p.27

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 28

p.27

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 11 6 17

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.28

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

Boys 8 7 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 6 6 5

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 82 (94) 76 (94) 88 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.28

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 9 10 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 6 5 6

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (94) 88 (94) 88 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.28

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

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

p.28

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 2 8 10

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 1 1 1 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 5 6 6

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 60 (70) 70 (70) 70 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.28

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 1 1 1 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 6 6

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 70 (100) 70 (100) 70 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.28

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 29

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 30

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

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

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 235965

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 237227

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 86 Expenditure per pupil 2524

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 14131

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Balance carried forward to next year 12869

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 31

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know My child likes school. 47 51 2 0 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 36 58 4 2 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 38 62 0 0 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 36 17 6 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 30 43 23 4 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 36 57 8 0 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 34 58 2 2 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 30 47 19 4 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 32 64 0 0 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 30 62 6 0 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 30 53 11 0 6 Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 32

p.31

Strengths:

• The good teaching ensures that children make good progress; • Planning and assessment are thorough; • Children’s language, knowledge of the world and social skills develop well.

p.32

Strengths:

Weakness : • Independent writing is not always well enough supported.

p.32

Strengths:

58. Children enter the Reception class at the start of the year in which they are five. The younger pupils attend part-time for their first term. The majority attend a playgroup or Pre School prior to school. Most of the children who attend the Pre School in the village hall subsequently transfer to the school. On entry, children’s attainments are wide ranging, but are average overall. The 18 children in the current intake are taught alongside a small group of Year 1 pupils by a teacher who is supported by a classroom assistant. The provision is a strength of the school. A good well-integrated curriculum and good teaching promote good progress overall for the children. They do particularly well in their speaking, reading, knowledge and understanding, creative work, and in the development of their social skills. By the time they enter Year 1, almost all children attain the Early Learning Goals 1 in each area

p.32

Strengths:

of learning, and many exceed these in their social development, speaking, reading, knowledge and understanding and creativity. This is an improvement on the previous inspection. Boys and girls make similar progress.

p.32

Strengths:

59. Useful individual parents’ meetings, and good arrangements for visiting the school, help children start school happily. Children from the Pre School in the village hall are well prepared through visits in the summer term, but links are not as strong as they could be considering they share the same site.

p.32

Strengths:

60. A supply teacher taught the class at the time of the inspection. The quality of teaching and learning seen was good overall. The teacher had established good relationships with the children, working very hard to sustain their concentration and assess their needs. Her careful planning ensured that she was very well prepared and well organised. Activities were well chosen and interesting with good cross-curricular links. Small group teaching was very effective, but children working independently were not always clear about their reasons for doing their tasks. The teaching assistant was very conscientious working in support of the teacher, but did not always interact sufficiently with the children to ensure they made the most of their time.

p.32

Strengths:

61. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator was available for interview. She is very well organised and has detailed long term planning that ensures that all children experience all the appropriate aspects of the Foundation Stage curriculum. She has worked hard to develop the curriculum since the last inspection. Assessment procedures have been continuously updated, and good records are kept of children’s progress. The co-ordinator has also improved the teaching area, making it a welcoming and stimulating place in which to work. She has also created a good enclosed outdoor area that enables children to develop their physical skills more effectively.

p.32

Strengths:

1 Early Learning Goals are the targets most children should achieve by the time they leave the Reception year. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 33

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

62. The quality of teaching is good. Adults place much good emphasis on caring for each other. As a result, children make good progress so that nearly all achieve the targets in this area of learning. They co-operate very well. They are always keen to help each other in preparing and carrying out tasks. They dress and undress quickly and, at playtimes, help each other zip up their outdoor coats. Many are good at working independently. They make appropriate choices of activities, and concentrate for enough time to produce a useful product. They find the correct equipment unaided, and so allow the teacher to spend more time teaching. Children have good attitudes to their work and behave very well. They have the confidence to ask sensible questions relating to the content of their work, showing that they are involved and interested. They show respect for others, and listen carefully when adults and other children are talking.

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Communication, language and literacy

63. The teaching of speaking and reading skills is good. Children make good progress so that nearly all achieve the targets in this area of learning. Adults develop children’s speaking well by making effective use of time when the whole class sit in a circle. All children are given useful opportunities to speak in front of the whole class, and this does much to boost their confidence. Drama and role-play are used effectively in sessions where children choose what to do. One of the few squabbles seen broke out as a result of keenness to ‘cook’ in the classroom home corner. The majority of children speak clearly in full, interesting sentences. Some, for example, could give a good account of a party they had attended.

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Communication, language and literacy

64. Teachers demonstrate good speaking by their careful articulation when they read to the class. Children make a good start on the school’s reading scheme, and parents provide helpful support at home. This is an important reason for their good progress. By the end of the year, they have a good basic reading vocabulary and know a good number of strategies for working out new words in their books.

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Communication, language and literacy

65. Children make good attempts at their own writing, and enjoy writing their news after talking about what they had been doing that weekend. Expectations of writing are not as high as expectations of reading, however, and children are not always provided with enough practical materials to help them write unknown words.

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Mathematical development

66. The quality of teaching in this area is satisfactory. Children make steady progress, so that most achieve the targets in this area of learning. Lessons are well planned, and the teacher makes good use of whole class teaching to set the scene. This is followed by a selection of interesting activities that develop children’s physical and creative skills as well as their mathematical knowledge. For example, children were helped to learn names of objects such as cubes, cylinders and spheres, and then used solid shapes for printing and modelling in clay. Others drew shapes on the computer. This type of lesson demonstrated good teaching that ensured that children learned important skills quickly. Adults’ expectations are not always high in the teaching of number, and children sometimes spend too much time writing individual numbers. Most of the children recognize numbers from one to ten, but

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Mathematical development

struggle when asked to arrange them in order.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 34 67. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is good, and nearly all children achieve the targets by the time they leave the Reception year. The teacher provides interesting and lively lessons to deepen children’s understanding of their world. They develop a good sense of place and time through studies of their environment and their own lives, and work in several areas is linked together to make learning more exciting. For example, children painted the view out of the classroom window, carefully discussed their work and improved their observational skills. They have a very good knowledge of push and pull forces, and used this well in one lesson to make models of swings and slides. Their work is enhanced by visits to local environmental areas and to Norwich Cathedral, for example. Children use computers well. They are confident using the mouse, and practice their literacy, numeracy and

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

drawing skills independently using the computer. They explore dry and wet sand and water with great enthusiasm; these materials are presented in many different ways, such as coloured and thickened, to engage their natural curiosity. They have a good knowledge of their own and other faiths.

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Physical development

68. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is satisfactory, overall, and most children achieve the targets by the time they leave the Reception year. They develop reasonable control of small tools and equipment, such as pencils, brushes and scissors, through a wide variety of planned tasks and by adults giving them good opportunities to choose activities. Twice weekly lessons in physical education help them make satisfactory progress in the control of their own bodies, and in developing an awareness of space and others. They enjoy these lessons, and use an audiotape well to learn to respond to music in the form of dance. Some children lacked self-control in one such lesson when the teacher’s expectations of their behaviour were not made clear enough. There is a small secure area for daily outdoor play, and children are able to take turns to use wheeled toys or small framed climbing equipment. This area develops children’s physical skills well, and is a significant improvement since

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Creative development

69. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is good, and nearly all children achieve the targets by the time they leave the Reception year. Adults provide many good opportunities for children to paint using ready mixed colours, and they produce work of a good standard, particularly when using pencils, paper and fabric collage. The teacher makes good links between subjects, and this broadens children’s knowledge. Children painted houses, for example, and then discussed their historical and geographical differences. Adults use the role-play areas and whole class discussion times well to develop the children’s abilities to empathize, act parts and make simple presentations.

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Strengths:

• The teaching of reading is good; • There is a good range of fiction and non-fiction books; • The library is organised well.

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Weaknesses:

• Pupils underachieve in writing; • Higher achieving pupils are not given opportunities to work independently.

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Weaknesses:

70. In the latest national assessment tests, standards in reading and writing reached by pupils in Year 2 were below average. Compared with those from similar schools, pupils’ results were below average in reading, and well below in writing. National test results for English at the end of Year 6 Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 35 were below the national average and well below when compared to similar schools. In Years 2 and 6, there were similar proportions of pupils achieving the higher levels when compared to similar schools. Standards of attainment have fallen since the previous inspection, particularly at the end of Year 2. 71. Standards attained by pupils in the current Year 2 are above average in reading, average in speaking and listening and below average in writing. Last year, the school targeted reading as an area for improvement, mainly by introducing a more interesting reading scheme and ensuring that the books

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Weaknesses:

that pupils choose are matched well to their reading standards. These measures have worked well, and have made a big difference in pupils’ enjoyment of reading and the standards they attain. All pupils read accurately from the level of text expected for their age, and use the sounds of single and groups of letters well to help build up new words. They know many words from memory. The most able Year 1 and 2 pupils read independently, and talk enthusiastically about the authors they like. They locate information quickly from non-fiction books and dictionaries. A Year 2 pupil, for example, was able to look up the word ‘jewel’ by using the first letter as a reference. Evidence from the pupils’ ‘home link books’ indicates that pupils are making good progress, and reading ever more challenging books. Pupils read frequently to their teacher and to a teaching assistant.

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Weaknesses:

72. The standards in reading by the current group of pupils in Year 6 are also above average. Teachers provide many good opportunities for pupils to read in school, and use other subjects like history effectively to teach the more advanced skills of deduction, inference and questioning. Pupils read difficult texts accurately, with good expression and comprehension. They have many favourite authors, and teachers ensure that pupils’ tastes in literature are being fully extended by providing many examples of high quality literature. Pupils have a comprehensive knowledge of the school library and how it works. They were able, for example, to retrieve information on the effects of acid rain on the community by using the library system of classification.

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Weaknesses:

73. Throughout the school, standards in writing are too low because teachers place too great an emphasis on writing exercises dealing with grammar, punctuation and letter formation, and too little focus on pupils being given the opportunity to apply what they have learnt by writing independently. As a result, few pupils produce extended pieces of writing in which they develop fictional characters and plot to any depth. In Year 2, pupils’ best work is when they use a structured system to plan their own ideas, or write an account following a practical activity. These tasks extend their writing skills, and ensure that they produce writing that is informative, comprehensive and interesting. For example, in a Year 2 history lesson, the class wrote lively and accurate descriptions of objects used around the home 100 years ago.

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Weaknesses:

74. In Years 4 to 6, too much time is spent on handwriting exercises that pupils find boring, particularly when they are asked to copy texts that have no relevance to their other lessons. Despite the emphasis placed upon the correct formation of letters, much of pupils’ work is poorly presented as they are not applying what they have learnt when writing in other subjects. When pupils are given opportunities to develop their ideas in a challenging task the quality of their written work is good, and they write confidently using a range of imaginative vocabulary. An example of the standards pupils can achieve was when a pupil in Year 6 used poetry to very good effect to describe an ancient tree:

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Weaknesses:

100 years more in age, heavily dressed in branches and leaves. Watching, waiting, Guarding the school. Swaying, staying, fortified. In place.

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Weaknesses:

Other good examples of writing were when pupils wrote vivid accounts of what life must have been like on board ship in Tudor times. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 36 75. Throughout the school, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is in line with national expectations. Most pupils listen attentively in lessons and answer questions clearly. For example, in a lesson for pupils in Years 1 and 2, they listened intently to the ‘Willow Pattern’ story, and answered questions about the characters and plot showing good understanding. Many of the answers were expressed with a good insight into the text, such as when a pupil explained the differences in the mood of the hero in this story when compared to a second version they had heard the day before. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 showed good listening skills when they discussed the content of a traditional tale in pairs. They worked out how the character of Jack would behave if he changed from a good to a bad

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Weaknesses:

boy, and explained his actions clearly to the class. By Year 6, pupils speak confidently, and one group showed a good command of language when they explained clearly that myths were stories handed down through time.

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Weaknesses:

76. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, and good in the teaching of reading. Teachers have a good understanding of the National Literacy Strategy. They plan lessons well with clear targets for pupils’ learning, so they know precisely what is expected of them. They teach reading skills effectively, so that pupils learn how to read systematically and with good understanding. The tasks set challenge all pupils of different abilities in the class. In the most effective lesson, the less confident pupils were given re-assurance when the teacher said, “You’ve got to do a bit of thinking but I know you are up to it”. This motivated pupils to try and work out a difficult problem, and they were delighted with their success by the end. More able pupils were challenged to think deeply about the issue of myths when the teacher asked, “What made you decide it wasn’t a legend?” This made pupils think carefully, until they summarised their thoughts and presented a reasoned argument. A

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Weaknesses:

common weakness in some lessons is that pupils are not given opportunities to plan their own written work, and this particularly holds back the attainment of the more able pupils. Also, sometimes the planning of lessons is not sharp enough, and the time left for pupils at the end to write down their thoughts is limited; as a result, too much of the work produced is brief and poorly presented.

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Weaknesses:

77. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, particularly in their reading, as a result of good teaching and effective guidance provided by teaching assistants. They benefit from good, structured work on their word building, and do well in meeting the targets in their individual plans.

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Weaknesses:

78. The school has sound systems to assess pupils’ attainment in reading and writing, and teachers have used this information well to effectively raise standards in reading. In writing, the tracking of pupils’ progress is not rigorous enough to show how they can improve their written work, and teachers miss opportunities in their marking of pupils’ work to set targets for further development in their writing. The subject co-ordinator provides sound leadership, and has begun evaluating standard of teaching and learning.

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Strengths:

• Number and measure are taught well; • Teachers use the numeracy strategy well to structure lessons; • The subject co-ordinator is very well organised, and clear about priorities.

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Weaknesses:

• Marking is not informative; • Pupils’ problem solving skills are not good enough. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 37 79. Provision for mathematics is satisfactory. Results in the national tests for Year 2 pupils in 2002 were above the national average when compared with all schools. The proportion of pupils achieving higher than expected levels in the tests was also above the national average. Results for the very small number of pupils at the end of Year 6 were well below average.

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Weaknesses:

80. The current standards of pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 are average. While the small numbers of pupils make comparisons from year to year difficult, it is clear that the extra work provided to enhance pupils’ quick recall of number in Years 5 and 6 is raising standards, and a significant number of pupils in Year 6 are attaining above average standards. Boys and girls achieve equally well, and pupils with special needs make satisfactory progress towards their targets.

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Weaknesses:

81. On entry to Year 1 pupils have average mathematical skills. They make sound progress, completing a good amount of work in order to develop their understanding of number. By the end of Year 2, pupils add and subtract numbers to 100 with ease, and have a fair understanding of place value. Pupils have a good grasp of shape, space and measures. They identify two and three- dimensional shapes reliably, and have a good understanding of length and capacity. Teachers teach measure in an interesting and effective way by using real life investigations and pupils’ own recording.

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Weaknesses:

82. Pupils achieve average standards in Years 3 to 6. By Year 6, they work well with number, and order decimals according to size, using at least two decimal places. They cope easily with large numbers when carrying out addition, subtraction, multiplication and division problems. Nearly all pupils by Year 6 are confident using fractions, percentages, ratio and proportion, and are good at working with negative numbers. They use the appropriate formulae well to calculate the area and perimeter of shapes. They identify and name most two-and three-dimensional shapes, and describe them accurately with a good knowledge of their properties. Pupils enjoy exploring nets of cubes, but often they struggle to work out which method to use when set a problem. They have a good grasp of different ways to measure length and capacity, and do so accurately.

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Weaknesses:

83. Teachers give pupils many good opportunities to collect information in graphical form, and they make good use of computers to display this information using databases and spreadsheets. For example, pupils have constructed accurate graphs showing how many ate at home or at school. Otherwise, the use of numeracy in other subjects is limited, and teachers miss opportunities in many lessons to reinforce mathematical vocabulary, or develop further their strategies for problem solving.

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Weaknesses:

84. The quality of teaching and learning is good, overall. Teachers use national guidance well to plan mathematics lessons. Lessons have a good balance between the teaching of skills, opportunities for independent and group work and time at the end to review pupils’ progress. Teachers pay good attention to planning work for pupils of different abilities. More able pupils are stretched well by demanding teaching, and attain above average standards by Year 6. Whole class sessions are lively so that pupils enjoy learning. Teachers have good knowledge and explain new work very clearly; as a result, pupils have the confidence to ask questions to clarify their understanding. Teachers are well prepared and use resources well, but at times there can be an over reliance on repetitive textbook exercises. Because of this, the independent work sometimes becomes a session for testing recall of facts, rather than for a more useful consolidation of understanding.

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Weaknesses:

85. Pupils’ progress and attainment are thoroughly assessed using a variety of annual and end of half term tests. The school uses the results well to analyse weaknesses, plan work and set long-term targets for individual pupils. Short-term targets, however, are not so clear, and pupils are not always sure of the aims of the lesson. Teachers’ expectations about presentation and recording are not high enough, and their marking often ignores work that is careless. In the best lessons, teachers make very Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 38 good links with what has been taught before, and use a summing-up session well to reinforce what had been learnt during the lesson.

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Weaknesses:

86. The subject is well managed. The subject co-ordinator is knowledgeable and very well organised. She has a clear understanding of the strengths in the subject and areas for further development; the action plan is clear with appropriate targets for improvement. She has monitored mathematics teaching effectively through observing lessons and analysing the quality of pupils’ work. She has also conducted useful interviews with pupils to find out what they know and can do. The school has an adequate, well organised, range of resources for teaching mathematics.

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Strengths:

• Pupils have good experimental skills by Year 6; • They have a good knowledge of materials and how they can change; • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

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Strengths:

Weakness : • Some time wasted getting prepared for practical work.

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Strengths:

87. Standards in science are average by Year 2 and Year 6, and similar to those in the previous inspection. These results are higher than those achieved by pupils in the 2002 national tests, and reflect the significant variations in standards from year to year caused by very small numbers of pupils. Given their average standards on entry to the school, pupils achieve satisfactory standards in science. Pupils with special educational needs do well, and while they sometimes struggle with the recording of their work, their scientific understanding is often in line with that expected for their age. They benefit from good support by teaching assistants that enables them to organise their materials and structure their experiments. In one lesson for pupils in Years 3 and 4, for example, this support was so effective that pupils with special educational needs completed their work before others in the class. Higher

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Strengths:

attaining pupils achieve in line with their abilities and, by Year 6, a significant proportion of them display good independent investigational skills.

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Strengths:

88. By Year 2, pupils record the growth of plants in different conditions with average skill. They name the parts of a plant accurately, and have a sound knowledge of how plants reproduce. Pupils write knowledgeably about the characteristics of mammals, and are clear about how they care for their young. They supplement their knowledge well by homework tasks that require them, for example, to ask their parents about their weight at birth. Their diagrams of animals’ habitats show a good grasp of how creatures adapt to their surroundings. Pupils have a sound knowledge of forces, and their experiments with light show that they understand clearly the idea of transparency and translucency.

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Strengths:

89. By Year 6, pupils use the resources that they are given for experimental work with good skill, and many have the confidence and skills to devise their own experiments, for example, to separate soil from water. Pupils talk knowledgeably about the requirements for a fair test, and are quick to suggest variables to test the difference made in the rate of evaporation using a variety of containers. Pupils describe the functions of important human organs with reasonable skill, make systematic measurements of their heart rate after exercise and plot changes accurately using tables. Their work on materials is of a good standard, particularly when investigating reversible and non-reversible changes. They have a reasonable knowledge of forces, and how gravity works.

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Strengths:

90. The quality of teaching and learning in science is satisfactory throughout the school. Teachers have a sound scientific knowledge, and this ensures that pupils learn basic scientific skills Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 39 systematically from Year 1. Teachers set the scene for the lesson well by informing pupils of the lesson’s objectives, thereby making it easy to assess pupils’ progress towards these goals at the end. Teachers generally manage pupils’ behaviour well, and this ensures that full use is made of the time available. Where the pace of some lessons slows down, however, pupils take a while to organise themselves in practical work, and then find that they have not completed the task at the end. Teachers make pupils think by using challenging questions that expect pupils to recall previous learning. This creates a good link between old learning and new, and helps pupils’ overall scientific understanding.

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Strengths:

Teachers’ planning is sound, but where there are weaknesses, too much is packed into the introductory session, and pupils lose concentration. 91. The subject is capably managed by a knowledgeable co-ordinator who has attended useful recent training in the leadership of science. Although quite new to the post, the co-ordinator has already made an informative audit of resources, and has worked effectively with the local education authority to analyse pupils’ results in the national tests; the extra work provided to improve pupils’ investigational skills, for example, is already paying dividends. The school uses the assessment system of the national curricular guidelines, and this provides a clear picture of pupils’ skills and progress. Learning resources for science are sound, and teachers make good use of the school grounds and pond to study animals and their habitats. The pupils show good attitudes to the subject, take care of

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Strengths:

resources well and co-operate successfully in group work. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual and moral development, for example, through the study of the life cycle.

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Strength:

• Good use is made of art and design to support activities in other subjects.

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Weaknesses:

• There are no formal assessment procedures; • There is no use of sketchbooks.

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Weaknesses:

92. Only one Art and Design lesson was observed during the inspection. Judgements are based on observations of examples of art and design work throughout the school, and discussion with pupils and teachers.

p.39

Weaknesses:

93. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 attain standards that are in line with national expectations, and their achievements are satisfactory across the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection, particularly in the standards achieved by the older pupils. Better curricular planning and improved links with other subjects have raised standards significantly. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress, even though they sometimes struggle with the fine detail of some pictures.

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Weaknesses:

94. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 use a wide range of materials to make their pictures. For example, they have made exciting bat collages and vivid collages of reflective balls using different materials. They use card and fabric effectively to weave patterns of differing colour and texture. In Years 3 and 4, pupils develop their skills steadily, and produce some interesting ‘tie-dye’ fabric prints. In Years 5 and 6 pupils express their feelings well in their art and design, and showed a good understanding of ‘mood’ in their pictures showing anger, happiness and sadness. These pupils’ fine pencil sketches of the new Archbishop of Canterbury are of good quality. Their paintings of still life show a sound grasp of perspective, and are colourful and well finished.

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Weaknesses:

95. Pupils show a keen interest and enjoyment in their art and design work and apply themselves well. However, although much of the art and design work throughout the school is of a high standard, Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 40 much of the work is directed by the teacher, and pupils are not given enough opportunities to choose their own media and techniques to raise their standards further.

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Weaknesses:

96. In the one lesson observed, the quality of teaching was good. As a result of effective support by the teacher and teaching assistant, pupils were able to mix paint to different shades of blue as they copied a willow tree design on to the cardboard plates they had made. Designing their own patterns on the computer using a graphics program provided a good challenge to more able pupils. All pupils enjoyed the lesson and made good progress.

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Weaknesses:

97. The new subject co-ordinator provides sound leadership and support. Her plan to implement a system to evaluate the pupils’ work and to set targets to measure progress made shows a clear understanding of how to raise standards. Teachers link art and design well with other subjects. For example, pupils in all year groups make attractive displays and collages depicting traditional tales in literacy. These include Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Aladdin. However, the pupils do not have sketchbooks and this denies them the chance to record the ideas they have explored in their work. Teachers make too little use of the works of famous artists as starting points for further work, and opportunities are therefore missed to broaden the curriculum.

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Strengths:

• Pupils work well with fabrics; • They research their ideas well before making models; • Teachers make good links with other subjects. •

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Weaknesses:

• There is no formal assessment; • The subject has no permanent co-ordinator.

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Weaknesses:

98. Standards of pupils’ work in design and technology are average by Year 2 and by Year 6. This represents satisfactory achievement, and similar standards to those reported in the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress, although some with poor levels of dexterity struggle when using tools and scissors. Years 1 and 2 pupils make a sound start in their model making, getting an early feel for movement in their models, and accuracy in their building. They make sturdy wooden figures that are stuck together well using a glue gun. Pupils use different textures of fabric well to produce vivid woven designs. Their designs are sound, with a reasonable attention to detail.

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Weaknesses:

99. Pupils make steady progress in the Year 3/4 class, linking their model making well with mathematics as they construct accurate three-dimensional geometric shapes. Their designs of purses show a sound attention to the purpose of their creations, and are enhanced by showing the purse from different perspectives. By Year 6, pupils work well to gather information about a project, and generate a reasonable number of ideas. Their hats constructed using one piece of fabric, and their one- minute timers made from plastic bottles and sand, show that they have researched the topic well to arrive at the most effective materials for the job. Pupils make some evaluations of their work, but even in Year 6 these are very brief, and rarely focus on the shortcomings of their models. As a result, they do little to help pupils improve their creations.

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Weaknesses:

100. It was not possible to observe any design and technology lessons during the inspection, but the standard of pupils’ work and the sound planning show that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers make good links with other subjects, such as art, history, mathematics and Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 41 science; this works well, giving a purpose, for example, to pupils’ models of the Earth in space following a science lesson. Teachers make basic assessments of pupils’ progress, and use photographs well to record pupils’ models.

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Weaknesses:

101. The headteacher has taken on the role of co-ordinator for design and technology temporarily. The scheme of work is sound, and provides coverage of all the National Curriculum requirements. The school was successful in a recent challenge organised by a national supplier of technology products, and two pupils made very good models of a theme park with a construction kit. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 42

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Strength:

• Teachers make good links with art and design.

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Weaknesses:

• There is limited use of ICT; • The school has insufficient books for research.

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Weaknesses:

102. One geography lesson was seen during the inspection, and judgements have been made by looking at pupils’ work, talking to the headteacher and interviewing pupils to assess their knowledge. Pupils in Years 2 and in Year 6 attain standards that are in line with national expectations, and their achievements are satisfactory across the school. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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Weaknesses:

103. By Year 2, pupils have a sound knowledge of their immediate locality. They make accurate plans of their school and produce detailed maps of their walk through South Walsham, identifying important features and indicating features of roads and countryside. Year 1 pupils identify their own house confidently on a map, and have a sound understanding of the variety of homes that are built including bungalows, flats, chalets, and terraced, semi-detached and detached houses. They make accurate plans of different viewpoints and, in the lesson observed, drew the playground from looking through a classroom window. They have a sound understanding of localities beyond their own, and improve their geographical skills by following the journey of ‘Barney Bear’ through Great Britain and Europe. By Year 6, pupils have a reasonable grasp of physical geographical features, and know how factors can change the landscape and the lives of the inhabitants. For example, pupils in Years 5 and

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Weaknesses:

6 describe the system of drainage on the Norfolk Broads accurately after visiting the area. They have a good understanding of the importance of preserving animal and plant life, which was enhanced when they visited the ‘Otter Trust’ on the River Waveney. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 showed good geographical skills as they identified differences in the way of life of pupils in Kenya with their early morning routines, noting the effect of different modes of transport on the lifestyle of the two communities.

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Weaknesses:

104. On the evidence of pupils’ work, their progress over time and the lesson seen, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Opportunities for discussion support pupils’ social development well, and enable them to develop sound standards of geographical enquiry. In the lesson observed, one pupil in Year 3 commented on how hard maize cutters in Africa work when harvesting the crop. This promoted a lively discussion on how easy life was in England with machinery designed for collection of crops. A strength in the teaching of geography is the useful link made with art and design. A good example of this was in Year 2, where pupils have produced their own two-dimensional map of their walk to the village. An art display in a Year 3and 4 class is bright and colourful, and decorated with African models of gazelles and tribal masks.

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Weaknesses:

105. The management of the subject is satisfactory, with some weaknesses. The acting subject co- ordinator has had little opportunity to plan for future development. The policy has not been reviewed recently to ensure the school’s aims match national curriculum requirements. The school has no procedures in place to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in a systematic way. Although the school has recently purchased maps and globes there are not sufficient reference books to support the teaching of this subject. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 43

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Strengths:

• Teachers have good historical knowledge • They make good use of pupils’ literacy and design and technology skills.

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Weakness

106. Judgements are based on the two history lessons observed, the quality of pupils’ recorded work and discussion with the headteacher during the absence of the history co-ordinator.

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Weakness

107. By Year 2 and by Year 6, standards are above national expectations. This represents good achievement for the great majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards were seen to be in line with national expectations and pupils’ achievement was satisfactory.

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Weakness

108. By Year 2, pupils have a good understanding of history being a study of the past. They are clearly aware of the differences between past and present in their own and other people’s lives. In a Year 2 class, a pupil explained clearly how careful the Victorians had to be when ironing clothes, as they had to hold the iron with a cloth to make sure their hands would not be burned when lifting the iron off the fire. One pupil remarked, it is much easier doing the ironing now! Pupils treated historical artefacts carefully, and worked well collaboratively when examining sepia photographs and oil lamps. Pupils in Year one describe the different characteristics of old and modern toys with a good feel for history, and group them accurately according to their age. By Year 6, pupils have a good understanding of primary and secondary sources of information. They use their literacy skills effectively to research information. They have good investigational skills that enhance their historical

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Weakness

knowledge. When looking at evidence from Tudor times about the Globe Theatre, for example, they selected Thomas Platter’s account of theatre life in 1599 as being a reliable source of information due to the ‘old English’ style of writing. Pupils in Year 5 showed a good awareness of the period when they wrote lively accounts as Elizabethan sailors of their voyages around the world. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 made good use of their skills in design and technology when they made ‘shadufs’ as used in ancient Egypt to raise water to different levels.

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Weakness

109. The quality of teaching and learning in history is good. Strengths include teachers’ good subject knowledge, and their good use of questioning to make pupils think carefully. Teachers are skilled at explaining things to pupils, so that discussions that take place are of a high quality. A teacher in a Year 2 class used questioning techniques and guidance in a particularly imaginative way when asking pupils to study Victorian artefacts, and asked, “how do you know they are old? Talk to the object and listen to what it tells you”. Pupils did so, and developed a good grasp of the historical importance of the objects. A teacher in a Year 6 class used facts learnt in earlier lessons well to make useful comparisons with what the pupils were studying. When looking at Elizabethan architecture, she asked “what do we know about how the building had been made? Does this fit with what you already know

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Weakness

about Tudor building?” This approach makes lessons very interesting and enjoyable, and helps pupils understand about life in the past. This is why pupils try hard and listen attentively during the lessons.

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Weakness

110. The management of the subject is satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator is new to the post. She has been unable to monitor the teaching and learning in lessons, but knows exactly what will be taught throughout the school. Pupils’ work is assessed methodically at the end of each term. Resources are satisfactory, but teachers make little use of ICT to develop pupils’ historical knowledge further. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 44

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Strength:

• Pupils are good at creating databases.

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Weaknesses:

• The school lacks equipment to control devices and sense changes in materials; • There is a shortage of software to support learning in other subjects.

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Weaknesses:

111. Pupils’ standards in ICT by Year 2 are average, but they are below average by Year 6 as they were in the previous inspection; here, pupils do not achieve well enough. The school fell behind others in recent years, but the opening of the new computer suite and regular teaching of basic computer skills are having a good effect on pupils’ abilities and confidence. The group of pupils in Year 6 still have ground to make up, and are working at levels expected of those in Year 5. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress, and enjoy the way computers help them write stories.

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Weaknesses:

112. By Year 2, pupils have an average understanding of how to turn on the computer, locate their program and type in their text. They use the space bar confidently, and change the case of their letters with average skill. They use graphics programs competently to draw pictures, and most alter the size of the ‘paint brush’ with confidence.

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Weaknesses:

113. By Year 6, pupils have had little experience of how to control devices using computers, or how to use sensors to detect changes in materials. They are slow when using a word-processing package, and some still struggle when asked to load a program. Pupils have only just started using the Internet to find information, and only those with computers at home are confident locating websites. Pupils in Year 6 have just started to learn how to use spreadsheets, but they are learning quickly; their work analysing the cost of school lunches, for example, is of a sound quality, and the graphs of their results show that they have mastered a difficult skill well. Younger pupils, who have benefited from the school’s recent improvements in the provision of ICT, are attaining standards expected of their ages; for example, the databases compiled by pupils in the Year 3/4 class on different forms of travel are of

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Weaknesses:

114. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers’ knowledge is adequate, and pupils feel confident to ask questions to clarify their understanding. Teachers make good use of the ICT suite. They use it effectively to teach pupils basic skills, and then give them good opportunities to work at their own pace. This enables those with special educational needs to perform basic tasks, while giving more able pupils the chance to race ahead. Teachers give pupils good opportunities to experiment, only intervening when absolutely necessary; this works well, and gives pupils the confidence to take risks and enjoy their success. There is some use of ICT in other subjects, but not enough to develop pupils’ skills to the full. Pupils use graphics programs to draw pictures as part of their art and design work, and to design two and three-dimensional shapes following mathematics work on shapes. In geography, pupils conducted some good research on the Internet to enhance their

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Weaknesses:

knowledge of Africa. The school, however, lacks sufficient programs to support pupils’ learning in subjects such as science and history.

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Weaknesses:

115. Despite these weaknesses in standards, there are strong signs that the provision for ICT is improving. The subject is managed capably. When the headteacher came two years ago and took over the role as ICT co-ordinator there were few computers, and those that were in the classrooms were poorly equipped with software. She researched thoroughly the systems that suited the school best and, by using funds from government sources and the money raised by parents, built up a good supply of computers and a suite that provides a stimulating place in which to work. A good analysis Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 45 of teachers’ skills identified clear areas for development, and helped the school provide the best form of training. The school make effective use of national guidelines for curricular planning and assessment, but in view of the restrictions placed by the absence of some programs, the subject does

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Weaknesses:

not fully meet the requirements of the National Curriculum.

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Strengths:

• Pupils’ standards by Year 6 are above average in singing and playing; • Standards are enhanced by well-informed specialist teaching.

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Weakness:

• Boys sing less well than girls; • There is no permanent co-ordinator for music.

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Weakness:

116. It was only possible to observe two lessons during the inspection, and judgements are made on these lessons, discussions with pupils and observation of them singing in assemblies. This evidence shows that standards in music at the end of Years 2 and 6 are above national expectations, and higher than those reported in the previous inspection because of better teaching. By Year 2, pupils listen carefully to music and many are good at naming instruments. They have a good knowledge of different musical elements such as rhythm and pitch, and play long and short, high and low notes, keeping in time. They are starting to understand the use of symbols to denote the speed and pitch of music, and in one lesson this helped them sing African songs tunefully and at the correct pace. They put a good deal of expression into their songs, and have a good memory of songs they have learned previously. This work is built on well through Years 3 to 6, and the oldest pupils are good at singing

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Weakness:

songs with complex structures. This was shown to good effect when they rehearsed an African ‘welcome’ song; they worked hard to master the African language, and made good progress as they learned when to start their piece of the song. By the end, their singing of a four-part song was of good quality and all enjoyed the challenging task.

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Weakness:

117. Boys’ singing is not as good as that of girls, and a few appear embarrassed, even when performing in a large group. Many pupils play musical instruments well, especially the recorder, piano, flute and guitar. Pupils’ composing skills are average, but not as good as other elements of music because the school has not focused on these skills. Pupils with special educational needs do well in music, and enjoy the success that this subject provides them.

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Weakness:

118. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The school employs a specialist musician who teaches half the school’s music. His good knowledge helps pupils master difficult pieces of music, and ensures their good progress in singing lessons. Lessons are planned well, with a good focus on ensuring that pupils stand and breathe correctly. This shows pupils that the teacher has high expectations of them as musicians. The teacher explains techniques well so that pupils learn quickly how to sing with good rhythm and clarity. The teachers generally manage classes well, although some time is lost when boys in particular take a while to settle and find concentration difficult. Pupils’ learning is enhanced further by popular extracurricular music sessions.

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Weakness:

119. There is no co-ordinator for the subject at present, and the headteacher is taking responsibility for the everyday provision of music until a permanent co-ordinator is appointed. Fairhaven CofE VA Primary School – 46

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Strengths:

• Teachers make some good use of pupils to demonstrate the best practice; • Teachers explain techniques well; • There is some good day-to-day assessment.

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Weakness

• There are no means of assessing standards in swimming

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Weakness

120. As at the last inspection, standards in physical education are in line with those expected in Year 6. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards given their average skills on entry to the school. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress, and try hard even when their poor co-ordination frustrates them.

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Weakness

121. It was not possible to observe any physical education lessons in Years 1 and 2. In Years 3 and 4, pupils play team games well, hitting the target with balls consistently, and showing good running and dodging skills as they practice avoiding opponents. By Year 6, pupils have sound balance as they move confidently across the apparatus, and devise some good sequences of movements. They work well in pairs, co-ordinating their movements well. They make careful observations of other pupils, and make significant improvements in their sequences as a result. The standards of some older pupils suffer as their enthusiasm overcomes the control of their movements.

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Weakness

122. Two lessons were seen. In one, the quality of teaching was satisfactory, but it was unsatisfactory in the other. Where the quality of teaching was satisfactory, the teacher was well prepared, and ensured that pupils developed a sound range of skills. The teacher made good use of pupils to demonstrate the best techniques, and this helped others to evaluate and improve their own performances. Where the quality of teaching was unsatisfactory, there was no planned development of pupils’ skills; they just followed instructions and made few improvements in their performance.

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Weakness

123. The management of physical education is satisfactory, but as it is currently done by the headteacher, the time available for the development of the subject is restricted. New schemes of work are detailed, and provide good guidance to teachers when planning lessons. Assessment by some teachers is good with useful assessment notes made as the lesson progresses. Not all teachers, however, carry out these assessments, and the school keeps no records of pupils’ skills and progress in swimming. The curriculum is supported well by pupils being offered a good range of activities outside lessons. These have recently included cross-country running, football for boys and girls, netball and cricket. They also include opportunities for pupils to play in teams and take part in competitions with other schools.

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