North and South Cowton Community Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 th September – 2 nd October 2002

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 North and South Cowton Community Primary School ii

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: North Cowton Northallerton North Yorkshire

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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: Mrs P McPhee

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1998

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 14591 Richard Perkin Registered inspector Science Art and design Music Physical education Educational inclusion The characteristics and effectiveness of the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well is the school led and managed Key issues for action 13723 Jean Overend Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers 25429 Anne Currie Team inspector English Geography History The Foundation Stage The quality and range of opportunities for learning

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

17085 George Mitchell Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology Religious education Special educational needs Teaching and learning

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway North and South Cowton Community Primary School iv London WC2B 6SE North and South Cowton Community Primary School v

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 5

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM AND SUBJECTS 19

North and South Cowton Community Primary School 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

North and South Cowton Community Primary school is a much smaller than average rural school catering for 51 pupils aged between four and eleven years. There are four children in the reception year; they are taught alongside Year 1 and Year 2 pupils. Their classroom is situated 50 metres from the main school, which is a Victorian building that has been adapted to provide two small classrooms and other facilities. The school has grown significantly in numbers since the last inspection, with about a fifth of the pupils coming from outside the school’s catchment area. This consists of the villages of North Cowton, South Cowton and Dalton Gates. All pupils are white British and there are no pupils for whom English is an additional language. No pupils qualify for free school meals. At present, there are no pupils identified as having special educational needs and none with a statement of special educational needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school varies considerably from year-to-year because of the small numbers involved but at present is above average. A significant proportion of pupils join the school after Year 1; in some years the newcomers arrive with lower levels of attainment than pupils already in school and this has a marked negative effect on national test results.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is an effective school and provides a good education for its pupils. Overall, standards are above average because of the good teaching and very good provision for pupils’ personal development. The school is well led, soundly managed and supported very effectively by the governing body. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Standards in English, mathematics and science for eleven-year-olds are above the national average; • Pupils’ attitudes, relationships and personal development are very good and they behave very well in classrooms and around the school because of the very good provision made for their personal development, particularly their social and moral development; • The quality of teaching and learning is good; • The curriculum is significantly enriched by the school’s relationship with parents, the community and neighbouring schools; • A very capable governing body knows the school very well and plays an important role in shaping its direction.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in writing for seven-year-olds; • Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) throughout the school; • Standards in art and design in Years 3 to 6; • The school’s management of time in lessons and in the organisation of the timetable. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in January 1998. The school has made good improvement since then. Standards have improved in English, mathematics and science. The quality of teaching and learning has improved. There have been significant improvements in the accommodation. The key issues from the last inspection have been addressed, though not entirely in all cases. The village hall now provides a satisfactory space for physical education. Schemes of work are in place for art and design, design technology and information and communication technology and resources have improved in these subjects; however, standards are still below average in art and design and ICT. Systems for planning and North and South Cowton Community Primary School 2 assessment are now satisfactory. There have been improvements in the monitoring of teaching, which is now satisfactory; however, it is still not frequent or regular enough to be fully effective.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

North and South Cowton Community Primary School 3

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STANDARDS

Standards in English, mathematics and science are above the national average at the age of eleven years and a substantial proportion of pupils achieved the level above that expected in all three subjects in the national tests for eleven-year-olds in both 2001 and 2002. Standards in reading and speaking and listening at the age of seven years are above average, as are standards in mathematics. Standards in science are at expected levels for seven-year-olds but standards in writing are below those expected. Results may vary over time because of the small numbers of pupils involved, but, for the most part, they are above average and the school meets its appropriately challenging targets. Numbers are too small to make valid comparisons with other schools. Standards in swimming are above those expected because of the amount of time given to the subject. Standards in most other subjects are at average levels but in

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STANDARDS

ICT and art and design they are below average for eleven-year-olds, largely because pupils have too few opportunities to develop their skills systematically in these subjects. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Pupils of all levels of ability achieve satisfactorily.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy their learning and participate enthusiastically in activities.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Behaviour is very good in lessons and elsewhere in the school; in particular, pupils play very tolerantly in the small playgrounds.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Older pupils willingly take on responsibilities, particularly in looking after younger pupils. Relationships between pupils and between adults and pupils are very harmonious.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good. Levels of attendance are above the national average.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Good Good

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. In most of the lessons seen during the inspection, the quality of teaching and learning was good, a few were satisfactory and none was unsatisfactory. Teaching for children in the reception class is good when the class teacher or the classroom assistant works with the children as a small group but less successful when they are taught with pupils in Years 1 and 2 or when they work independently. A particular strength of the teaching in the school lies in the quality of relationships between adults and pupils, which results in pupils adopting mature and respectful attitudes to others and to themselves. Teachers rightly pay particular attention to developing basic skills in English and mathematics; effective

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

planning of literacy and numeracy lessons helps pupils to reach above average standards in speaking, listening, reading, writing and working with numbers. Lessons in these subjects are well planned with clear objectives; consequently, pupils appreciate what they should be learning and are able to assess their own rates of success against personal targets. Lessons are calm and purposeful, providing ideal opportunities for learning because teachers expect pupils to behave well and concentrate. Support staff and learning resources are used well to help and motivate pupils. There are times, however, when insufficient attention is given to the management of time in lessons and the pace of learning slows because oral sessions last too long for classes of mixed age pupils who have a wide range of confidence, knowledge and skills. Consequently, for some individuals, progress is inhibited because they lack the skills or experience to get the most from discussions and question sessions.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

North and South Cowton Community Primary School 4

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum is enriched by the contributions of the community and neighbouring schools and by visits and visitors. However, insufficient time is allowed for pupils’ skills in subjects such as ICT and art and design to be developed sufficiently.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school is successfully committed to the early identification of need.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good. Pupils’ social and moral development in particular is very well provided for. There is good provision for their spiritual development and satisfactory provision for cultural development; more could be done to prepare pupils for life in a diverse society although the school’s promotion of race equality is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Well. There are good procedures for child protection and to ensure pupils’ welfare. The monitoring and promotion of good behaviour is very good. Pupils’ work is assessed satisfactorily and the outcomes used sensibly in future planning. There is good support for pupils’ personal development.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school works in partnership with parents Well. Parents play an important part in their children’s education and are very effectively involved in the life and work of the school. The information provided for them is good.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher has a clear view of where the school should go. Appropriate priorities have been identified and effective action taken to ensure that they are met. The aims and values of the school are well reflected in its life and work and the staff have a shared commitment to improvement. There are sometimes problems of organisation and communication about practical day-to-day matters.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very well. The governors know the school very well and play an active and effective part in its development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. While pupils’ academic performance is evaluated well and there are satisfactory systems for monitoring teaching and pupils’ work, the use of time is not well monitored so that all subjects, notably art and design and ICT, are not taught as effectively as they should be.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. Effective financial planning ensures that funds are used appropriately to target the areas identified in the effective school improvement plan.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There are a satisfactory number of teachers and support staff and adequate resources for teaching the full curriculum. The accommodation is used well but is very cramped and the split site means an inevitable loss of time when pupils move between buildings for lunch and assemblies. The school North and South Cowton Community Primary School 5 consults parents and pupils about key developments and compares its academic performance with that of other schools. It is careful that its spending decisions benefit the pupils’ learning. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 6

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Their children like school; • Children make good progress; • The school expects children to work hard; • Behaviour is good; • The teaching is good. • The information they receive about their children’s progress; • The quality of leadership and management.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection judgement confirms the positive points that parents make. It judges also that the school provides good information for parents for the most part and that leadership is good and management satisfactory; there are, however, occasions when communication about day-to-day practical issues is not as clear as it should be and the use of time is less than efficient. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 7

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The above average standards of Year 6 pupils in English, mathematics and science are an improvement since the last inspection. They are largely due to the effective implementation of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, their adaptation to the mixed age classes and, in science, an emphasis on investigations. These standards were reflected in the as yet unvalidated national tests for 11-year-olds in 2002, when all pupils achieved the expected level in all three subjects and a significant proportion attained the above average level, particularly in mathematics. In previous years, because of the very small numbers taking the tests, a few pupils who had joined the school during Years 3 to 6 and whose attainment levels were generally lower than that of pupils already in the school tended to bring the overall results down. This means that trends over time are erratic in all three subjects. The relative

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

achievement of boys and girls also varies greatly because of the small numbers and no clear pattern emerges. Comparisons with similar schools are also insecure, although in most years pupils perform as well as or better than those in schools where free school meal numbers are similar. Because of its good systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics, the school is able to set realistic but challenging targets which it usually meets.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The attainment of children when they start school varies considerably from year-to- year but is for the most part above that expected nationally for children of that age in all the areas of learning. By the time they begin Year 1, their levels of attainment are mostly above those expected. They then make steady progress in reading, speaking, listening and mathematics and, by the age of seven years, are reaching standards above those expected for their age. Progress is less marked in writing and in science, largely because, until recently, pupils were given too few opportunities to write independently or to undertake investigations in science. This pattern in reading, speaking and listening and mathematics is reflected in national tests for seven-year- olds and in the lack of pupils achieving the grade above that expected in writing and science.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Pupils of all levels of ability achieve soundly in most subjects although their development in writing, ICT and art and design is held back by the lack of time and opportunity to develop the skills in those subjects to the required level. Consequently, standards in ICT and art and design are below those expected by the time pupils leave the school, although pupils in Year 2 are producing art that is at expected levels for their age because of the effective teaching they receive. Standards in all other subjects are average for seven and eleven-year-olds. However, because all pupils have weekly swimming lessons from the time they start school to the time they leave, standards in swimming are above those expected.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

4. This is a strength of the school. Pupils’ attitudes to school, to their work and to each other are very good. There is a happy purposeful atmosphere in the school and this has a positive effect on pupils’ learning and enjoyment of school life. Most parents who responded to the questionnaire felt that behaviour was good and that their children liked school. This view is strongly supported by the inspection findings. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 8 5. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. They work hard and show very good levels of personal motivation. This makes a significant contribution to their success and to the progress they make. In a well taught English lesson for pupils in Years 3 and 4, pupils begged the teacher to make their last question really hard as they were enjoying the task so much. As a result of this lively interest and perseverance, they made good progress. Pupils show their enthusiasm for learning in the activities

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

outside of lessons; for example, they give up their break time to take part in recorder club. Children in the reception class develop good attitudes to learning as a result of the support and encouragement they receive from all staff and older pupils and this helps them settle quickly into the well established routines.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. Pupils’ behaviour is very good overall and is at its best in the junior department, where the pupils’ sense of responsibility and their care for the younger pupils are very marked. In lessons, most pupils behave well all the time and, in the playground, behaviour is often exemplary, especially where the teacher on duty encourages participation in the play activity on offer. Movement around the school and particularly between buildings is very orderly and sensible with older pupils setting a very good example for the younger ones. During assemblies, pupils show respect for convention, being quiet when appropriate, joining in prayers and singing enthusiastically. Pupils are very well mannered and polite to each other and to adults, including visitors. There have been no exclusions in the last 12 months.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Relationships between all members of the school community are very good, with staff and older pupils acting as very good caring role models. Pupils very willingly take responsibility and take it well, such as when, for example, a junior pupil takes the infant children back to their class after assembly. In the infant department, the first child out on to the yard at break ensures that the gate is closed. Pupils on the school council consider the suggestions in the suggestion box and debate the better ideas. Pupils taking their turn using a computer in a lesson set it up for the next pupil before leaving. In the playground, all pupils showed very good awareness of the needs of others for personal space even when playing fast paced games.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Attendance is good, being above the national average for the last school year. Unauthorised absence is extremely rare and the pupils arrive punctually each morning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

9. The quality of teaching and learning through the school is good; most lessons are well taught and pupils learn at a good pace. There is some satisfactory teaching and learning but no lessons are unsatisfactory. This is a marked improvement since the previous inspection, when teaching was found to be satisfactory overall. The consequence of this improvement is that pupils attain higher standards, particularly in English, mathematics and science. Much of this progress results from improved planning and the development of schemes of work for all subjects. The school has also made effective use of the national literacy and numeracy strategies, which have helped to improve the teaching of basic skills in language and number. However, clearer understanding of the standards expected of seven-year-olds in national tests would enable the teacher to plan work for pupils in Year 2 more appropriately.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

10. Teaching for children in the reception class is sound overall. It is good when the class teacher or the classroom assistant works with the children as a discrete group. Then, the activities are well matched to children’s learning needs and there are good opportunities for them to develop their ideas and achieve well. Teaching is less North and South Cowton Community Primary School 9 successful when they are taught with pupils in Years 1 and 2. This is because they are often required to sit and listen for long periods of time or asked to undertake activities independently when they do not make as much progress as they could if they had the opportunity to interact with an adult.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

11. Teaching in ICT is not always as effective as it should be. The school has increased the number of computers and acquired relevant programs but some resources are still not available and this limits pupils’ experiences. Teachers make insufficient use of the power of computers when they plan work in other subjects. As a result, pupils’ basic computer skills are less well developed and they are not yet reaching the expected standard by the time they leave the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and levels of concentration. Consequently, lessons take place in a calm and purposeful atmosphere and provide ideal situations within which pupils can work. This is a critical factor since, in many lessons, teachers are working with a number of age groups and the range of pupils’ experience and knowledge is very wide; this places great emphasis on teachers’ ability to cater for pupils who are at very different levels of understanding. This was exemplified by an English lesson for reception children and Years 1 and 2, where the use of support staff, the teacher’s knowledge of the subject, very good planning and management of the pupils successfully improved the language skills of all the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. Good use is made of a range of teaching methods. For example, oral work with whole classes is handled well because the teachers know the pupils and are able to set questions to suit particular individuals. By this method, teachers not only explore what pupils already know, they also extend their ideas through careful questioning and intelligent discussion. A lesson on diet and teeth for Years 3 and 4 was marked by the teacher’s focused questioning, which helped to reveal what pupils knew and began to prepare the ground for the subsequent investigation of the nature and purposes of different types of teeth. During a mathematics lesson for Years 5 and 6, pupils were given the opportunity to work in pairs, devising questions to test one another, a session that they enjoyed and which helped their own appreciation of the nature of fractions. Teachers bring variety to their lessons by making good use of visits and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

visitors to help pupils develop their understanding of both the local area and its community, and distant places. For example, a parent was invited to speak to Years 5 and 6, explaining the nature of his job. Pupils politely asked relevant questions and were clearly very interested in the answers. The session was well prepared and managed, so that pupils gained confidence in speaking out, knowledge about an important job and a view of where their education might lead.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The school has recently appointed new support staff and they are already having a significant impact on the organisation of lessons; for example, working very effectively with groups of pupils and, sometimes, providing unobtrusive support for those doing less well. Teachers prepare suitable resources, such as worksheets, artefacts and materials for lessons and these help to motivate, interest and challenge pupils; for example, an interesting display of pictures and other items helped to focus a religious education lesson about Islam for Years 3 to 6. Teachers use parents well, both in supporting pupils in lessons and through the satisfactory range of homework tasks provided.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Time is generally well used, lessons begin promptly for the most part and sequences of different activities are well planned to ensure that learning moves at a good pace. For example, a games lesson focused on rugby skills and included rapidly changing activities which gradually increased the level of challenge. The outcome of the North and South Cowton Community Primary School 10 teacher’s rigorous approach and the brisk pace of the lesson was an improvement in pupils’ ball skills and the development of appropriate attitudes to the game. There are a few occasions, however, when this approach is less evident and too much time is spent on oral sessions, leaving insufficient time for the completion of other activities. This results in a reduction in the pace of learning, particularly for those pupils who are less confident in learning from discussion and questioning. When lessons overrun, this can also have a knock on effect, resulting in other timetabled lessons being

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

squeezed, which makes it hard to ensure full coverage of the curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. A particular strength of the school lies in the quality of relationships which are developed between adults and pupils and, consequently, between pupils and pupils. Teachers manifest a high level of care and respect for others; this, allied to their high expectations of behaviour, ensures that pupils develop mature and respectful attitudes to other people and themselves. This makes learning easier.

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PUPILS?

17. The school provides an interesting curriculum which is broad and relevant to its pupils, but there is some lack of balance between the subjects in Years 3 to 6. Overall, pupils are offered a good range of experiences which promote their all round development. All pupils have the chance to succeed. Very good use is made of opportunities offered by the local area and the community. The school makes generous provision for extra-curricular activities, including cookery, music and a variety of sports.

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PUPILS?

18. The recommended curriculum for children in the reception class is thoughtfully interpreted in the planned activities. On occasions, however, there are insufficient opportunities for the youngest children to learn through practical play activities and for them to make their own choices. An improvement since the last inspection is the use of a selection of published schemes, including the programmes of work suggested by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. These should help to ensure that pupils cover everything they are supposed to at a level that gets harder year-on-year. However, the school does not monitor the plans to check that all the work is covered. There are shortcomings in the art curriculum, which fails to ensure that pupils have sufficient opportunities to learn about the work of a variety of artists or to develop their skills using a range of media.

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PUPILS?

There is an imbalance in the time spent on some subjects, such as literacy and numeracy, especially in Years 3 to 6, which means that the amount of work covered in other subjects is limited. Links are beginning to be made between some subjects, such as history and geography. These make good use of the time available. The provision of swimming for pupils in the reception class and Years 1 and 2, takes a large amount of curriculum time. The pupils spend half an hour in the pool, but they are away from school for most of the morning. As a result, the teaching of literacy and numeracy takes place in the afternoon, when some of the pupils, especially the youngest ones, are very tired.

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PUPILS?

19. There are no pupils identified as having special educational needs at present. However, provision for pupils who have special educational needs is good. Systems are in place for the early identification of these pupils and suitable arrangements planned to support their learning.

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PUPILS?

20. The school makes satisfactory provision for the development of pupils’ numeracy skills. There is good provision for pupils to extend their literacy skills across the North and South Cowton Community Primary School 11 curriculum, for example, in history when pupils write diary entries related to a day in the life of a person in Tudor times. The extended studies, which the older pupils undertake at home, give them good opportunities to undertake research at their own level and to follow their own interests. A factor in the below expected attainment in ICT is the lack of opportunities for pupils to extend and practise their skills by using them in other subjects.

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PUPILS?

21. There is good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PHSE). All classes have planned opportunities to develop their ideas on a range of subjects. For example, the youngest pupils speak about how they can tell others that they have upset them. Sex education, drugs awareness and healthy living are specifically taught, sometimes as part of the science curriculum. The school uses the expertise of the school nurse and representatives from the local education authority have run workshops for pupils and parents.

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PUPILS?

22. The school’s provision of extra-curricular activities is good and the activities add to pupils’ learning in many subjects. A range of clubs is offered, covering cookery, learning the recorder and sport, and they are well supported by both boys and girls. Some pupils receive music teaching from visiting specialist teachers. The older pupils have the opportunity to take part in residential trips, which enrich the curriculum. For example, they learn about a contrasting coastal location and they extend their social skills.

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PUPILS?

23. The local community makes a strong contribution to pupils’ learning. The village is used as a teaching resource and local residents willingly share their memories. There are close links with local churches and the ministers are regular visitors to school, for example, to take assemblies. Nearby professional football and rugby clubs offer coaching and organise tournaments with other schools. An interesting range of visitors enrich the curriculum, for example, a poet and theatre groups whose role play enhances pupils’ understanding of life in Tudor and Victorian times. Some activities offer a good level of challenge for pupils. For example, some take part in a competition organised by a local air force base to see who can make the most successful rubber band powered wooden plane. The school also regularly enters pupils in a mathematics competition run by the local secondary school.

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PUPILS?

24. Links with the local pre-school group, which most children attend before they come to school, are good so that children settle quickly when they start in the reception class. There are equally good links with the secondary school to which most pupils transfer and Year 6 pupils become familiar with some of the teachers and the practices of the high school to ensure a smooth beginning there. Pupils visit the school for a variety of sporting activities, for example. There are constructive links with other local primary schools, which enable expertise to be shared, and the school contributes to the training of teachers from a nearby college.

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PUPILS?

25. The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual development, very good provision for moral and social development and sound provision for cultural development. Pupils respond well in each of these areas. The provision for spiritual, moral and social development has improved since the last inspection. Arrangements to extend pupils’ cultural development are less satisfactory because of limited opportunities to develop pupils’ awareness of the traditions and beliefs of other cultures.

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PUPILS?

26. Spiritual development is well promoted through the general ethos of the school. Pupils are encouraged to consider others’ feelings and to develop respect for themselves North and South Cowton Community Primary School 12 and others. For example, pupils in the Year 3 and 4 classes spontaneously applauded a pupil after she had read out her work. Pupils in the upper part of the school are encouraged to think about their personal strengths and they are displayed on their desks. They consider the lives of others in their history studies and, in their poetry writing for example, they reflect on racism in football and show consideration of others’ feelings. Assemblies, such as that taken by the local Methodist Minister and prayers said at the end of the day also provide good opportunities for pupils’ spiritual development as they reflect on the need to face the future positively rather than fearing change.

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PUPILS?

27. The provision for moral development is very good. Pupils know the difference between right and wrong. The school reinforces the rules of correct behaviour, for example, through rewards and celebrations in assemblies, and adults are consistent in their expectations. All school staff speak calmly and politely to pupils and provide very good role models. Caring for others is strongly emphasised and pupils understand that sometimes people need help. They have taken part in activity days to raise funds for charities, such as Strip 4 Shelter and Barnardo’s.

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PUPILS?

28. Arrangements to promote pupils’ social development are particularly good. Pupils learn to relate well together in class and when working in pairs or groups. The playground for the older pupils is small and the pupils worked together to organise a variety of activities. These work well and playtimes are harmonious, social occasions. The School Council, which responds to suggestions made by pupils, gives a valuable informal insight into how a community works. Older pupils help younger ones at lunchtimes and at the end of assembly.

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PUPILS?

29. The provision for cultural development is satisfactory. Music makes an appropriate contribution but there are missed opportunities in art to extend pupils’ knowledge of the work of artists from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Pupils have the opportunity to perform in the choir and to take part in theatrical performances. They learn about their own cultural backgrounds through their study of the local area. In religious education, they find out about other religions but, overall, there are insufficient opportunities to prepare them for life in a multicultural society.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The school takes good care of its pupils. The very good relationships and the support provided by staff ensure that all pupils are valued and become confident learners. Some improvements have occurred in this area since the last inspection, particularly to aspects of assessment, which was a key issue for action.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. The school is active in promoting pupils’ welfare, health and safety. This aspect is being effectively led by a governor who has prepared risk assessments to inform day- to-day practice. The school also ensures that pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe; for example, a fire service officer taught fire safety to pupils in Year 2 and older pupils were involved in ‘Crucial Crew’ with the emergency services to learn how to behave appropriately in an emergency. The child protection co-ordinator has recently retrained so as to keep awareness of this important aspect high. Links to outside expertise are also in place.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. While procedures for promoting good attendance and punctuality are effective, the registers are not all being kept up properly. Reasons for absence are not filled in as soon as the school has been contacted by the parents, thus making the monitoring of attendance much harder. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 13 33. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and for eliminating oppressive behaviour are very good. Good use is made of reward systems to motivate the pupils in their efforts and good behaviour, and the reward charts are placed where pupils can see their own progress. Pupils’ efforts are then reported to parents in the interim report, thus involving parents in the process too. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and positive attitudes are consistently promoted throughout the day. Provision of playground games and equipment and the involvement of pupils in positive play strongly supports the very good behaviour.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Encouragement for older pupils to help the younger ones also promotes good behaviour by providing role models of caring behaviour among their peers. The school has a policy and procedures in place to prevent racism that is applied consistently.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The monitoring of pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. It includes the pupils writing a progress report on themselves in the style of the end of year reports and this is kept in their ‘end of the month’ scrapbook. The effort grade in the interim report also helps to monitor attitudes to work.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Procedures for assessing pupils’ learning are now satisfactory. Assessment in subjects other than English, mathematics and science is mainly informal. However, in mathematics, pupils’ skills and understanding are thoroughly assessed throughout the year and the information used to alter planning for individuals’ learning to meet their particular needs. Pupils’ progress is tracked and all available information is used to agree targets which are monitored and adjusted through the year. In English, while pupils’ progress is tracked and there are regular assessments, these are not always broken down into small enough steps to guide teachers’ day-to-day lesson planning in order to speed individuals’ progress.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36. Parents view the school as a good school in which their children are happy and are expected to work hard. They believe that their children are making good progress and they feel positive about the improvement that the school is making.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. A minority of parents expressed dissatisfaction with the information they receive and with aspects of the leadership and management of the school. However, the information the school provides for parents is good, including that about pupils’ progress, although some communication about day-to-day practical matters could be more efficiently organised.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. The weekly newsletters are a good source of information about events in school life and the pupils’ work and achievements. The interim report to parents is an unusual and welcome midyear progress report which also indicates the individual’s attitude to school and to different subjects through a grade for effort. The reading diaries are another useful tool for involving parents in their children’s learning. The end-of-year report gives an indication of the progress made in the year and areas for the pupil to improve in English and mathematics. Parents of reception children receive good information both to help their children settle and about their progress.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. The school values the views of parents and sends out an annual questionnaire, to which the response is usually good. In turn, the parents support the school very well through an active and successful parent and teacher association. Parents and grandparents make a significant impact on children’s learning through their support of reading and by other help given in class, on visits or with swimming. Parent governors North and South Cowton Community Primary School 14 play an active part in the life of the school. Parents have helped to increase the provision of out of school activities by arranging a netball club and an inter schools football league. Parents and other family members support the school in good numbers for performances and other events.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The school has a good homework policy. While there is some inconsistency in the use made of homework and some confusion over whether or not homework is optional, the contribution made to pupils’ learning overall is satisfactory.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. Good leadership and sound management have led to good improvement since the last inspection. The headteacher and governors have identified a sensible set of priorities for development that rightly emphasises the improvement of standards and that matches the school’s mission statement: ‘Working together to provide a broad and balanced quality education in a caring, safe, happy environment.’ The school takes seriously the need to consult widely on improving the school. For instance, parents, staff and governors worked together to review the aims of the school, parents and pupils receive annual questionnaires to audit their views and pupils are regularly consulted through the school council. The Investors in People Award also reflected the school’s mission statement through its commitment to train all staff.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The headteacher and the other two teachers, along with support staff, work together well to ensure that the school’s priorities are being met. Very good quality action plans have been drawn up for the improvement of literacy, numeracy, ICT and Early Years; the last named incorporates planned improvements in accommodation for the infant pupils and better provision for their outdoor play. The proposed ‘Infant Link’ is a significant financial investment for the school. This involves connecting the infant classroom to the dining hall, thus easing the cramped conditions in the classroom and enabling use of a reasonably large space without pupils having to go outside to reach it. The whole project has been carefully thought through with an appropriate stress on improving facilities and standards for all age groups in the class. The action taken in successfully implementing the school’s adaptation of the National Literacy

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and National Numeracy Strategies has already had a positive effect on aspects of English and mathematics, though, as the school recognises, there is more work to do to improve standards of writing. The provision for ICT has improved significantly since the last inspection and teachers are beginning to make use of the new resources; again, however, there is room for further development in teaching the full scheme of work for the subject and raising pupils’ overall standards.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. With only three teachers, one part-time and another new to the school, the co- ordination of subjects, particularly those that are not a particular school focus, is not a high priority. However, teachers work hard to ensure that their leadership is at least satisfactory. They maintain an oversight of resources and try, with some success, to keep up-to-date with developments in their subjects and share their knowledge with other staff. There has been some monitoring of teaching and pupils’ work in literacy and numeracy, where subject leadership is more highly developed. Governors too play a part in monitoring these subjects, thus meeting one of the concerns at the last inspection. The systems and expertise to provide for pupils who have special educational needs are in place and well developed; in the absence of any such pupils at present, the procedures and support are used to help the progress of lower

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

attaining pupils. The governor with responsibility for special educational needs plays an appropriate role. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 15 44. The very effective and knowledgeable governing body is clear about the school’s strengths and weaknesses and governors are active in playing their part in developing the school. They are not afraid to ask questions about the school’s performance and are generous with their time, giving up weekends on occasion, for example, to provide labour and skill in decorating the infant classroom.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. Pupils’ academic performance in national tests, particularly in English and mathematics, is thoroughly monitored and the progress of boys and girls and other groups, such as lower and higher attainers, is tracked carefully. This enables the school to see that pupils entering the school during Years 3 to 6 do not generally attain as well as those who have been at the school since joining reception and consequently, in some years, have a negative effect on the school’s overall performance. Samples of pupils’ work in English and mathematics are scrutinised to identify strengths and areas for development. This scrutiny is occasional rather than regular. The monitoring of the teaching of English and mathematics is also in place but again is not as frequent and regular as it should be; when it does occur, the comments made and the areas identified for improvement are useful.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The monitoring of other areas of the curriculum is less well developed. In particular, the school does not sufficiently look at the use of time and the way in which subjects are timetabled. Consequently, while a considerable amount of time is spent on travelling to the swimming pool, there is not enough teaching timetabled to enable pupils to develop their skills in art and design and ICT sufficiently. The use of time during the school day is also not sufficiently rigorously considered. For instance, the inevitable loss of time in moving between sites is exacerbated by assemblies which are sometimes over long and unplanned time when the two junior groups are moving into a session as a single class. Occasional problems of communication over day-to- day practical matters, such as whether or not an after school club is running, lead to misunderstandings with which some parents are unhappy.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. Performance management arrangements are in place and up-to-date but the induction procedures for new teachers are unsatisfactory, particularly given the relative isolation brought about by the school’s split sites.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. Effective financial planning ensures that funds are used appropriately to develop the areas identified in the effective school improvement plan. Care is taken to ensure that the school obtains the best value possible from its spending and it is careful to consult widely and compare different options before acting. Financial decisions are well informed because of the very good support provided by the school’s bursar. The school’s cramped accommodation is generally used well and the school is constantly trying to improve the efficiency of its use. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 16

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

49. In order for the school to improve further, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) Raise standards of writing in Years 1 and 2 by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- giving pupils more opportunities to write independently and for a variety of purposes; - training staff to be more clearly aware of the standards expected for each age group.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b) Raise pupils’ standards in ICT by: - implementing the scheme of work fully;

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- providing more opportunities for pupils to develop computer skills across the curriculum.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(paragraphs 3, 11, 20, 42, 46, 69, 79, 87, 98 – 103)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

c) Raise standards in art and design in Years 3 to 6 by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- ensuring that pupils have regular opportunities to develop skills systematically in all areas of the art curriculum; - extending the range of pupils’ experience of artists and works of art from a variety of times and cultures.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

d) Manage and monitor the school’s timetabling and teaching to ensure that all subjects are taught to sufficient depth to ensure that pupils’ skills in each subject are developed appropriately and that time is used efficiently in lessons and other school activities.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The headteacher, staff and governors should also take account of the following minor issue:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- improve the procedures for inducting new staff.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(paragraph 47) North and South Cowton Community Primary School 17

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 51

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 0

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.22

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 18

p.22

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 200 5 1 6

p.23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.23

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.23

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

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

p.23

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 4 4 8

p.23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.23

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.23

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

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

p.23

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

Numbers are too small to be statistically significant. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 19

p.23

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.24

Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.24

Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.24

Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.24

Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.24

Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.24

Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.8 Financial year 2002

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 156670

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure 158345

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 20 Expenditure per pupil 2778

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 8451

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 6776 North and South Cowton Community Primary School 20

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 50 32 9 5 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 50 41 5 5 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 50 14 0 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 36 32 18 9 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 36 36 18 0 9

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 41 55 5 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 32 50 18 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 32 36 14 14 5

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 36 50 14 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 50 0 9 9 North and South Cowton Community Primary School 21 Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer and may not total 100. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 22

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. Children get a sound start to their education in the reception class. They enter school during the academic year in which they are five. Very young children initially attend part-time. Most have attended a local pre-school group. A small number of children enter school at the start of each term and currently there are four children in the reception class. They come from a variety of backgrounds and, as a result, their skills and knowledge are varied. On average, attainment on entry is slightly above that normally found, with strengths in children’s personal and social skills and in speaking and listening skills.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. There is a satisfactory curriculum to enable the children to extend their knowledge and skills. There is scope for them to have more opportunities to learn through play and practical activities, especially outside the classroom. They would benefit from making their own choices and decisions about what they are going to do and discussing their actions with an adult. This would bring the curriculum offered more in line with that recommended for children of their age. There are practical reasons which make it difficult to bring this about. The children share a teacher and classroom with Year 1 and Year 2 pupils. The classroom assistant provides very valuable additional support and with her help the canteen is used to provide additional teaching space. On the two afternoons when she is not available this is not possible. The school is well aware of the difficulties and changes are about to be made. Building

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

work is due to start to link the canteen with the classroom, and the new space will also house the computers and a small library. A small, secure outside play area will be created. When the work is complete the school has budgeted to provide a range of suitable outside equipment. A new classroom assistant has been appointed to provide additional help during the numeracy sessions, so that each age group can work with an adult.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. The baseline assessment, which is conducted soon after children start school, is appropriately used to identify, at an early stage, the learning needs of each child. These and informal ongoing assessments result in the teacher knowing each child well. She builds up a picture of the progress being made, which she uses to ensure that future work builds on what the child already knows.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. Teaching is satisfactory overall. It is good when the children are given direct teaching in their small group. The classroom assistant works very closely with the teacher and they are both aware of the learning needs of individual children. There are times when the reception children are taught as part of the whole class and this sometimes results in them sitting for extended periods of time and listening for too long. On other occasions they are left to work independently and they sometimes lose interest or they do not gain as many benefits from the activities as they would if there was an adult present.

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

54. Teaching in this area of learning is good and it builds on the well developed skills that many children already have. As a result, all children are likely to exceed the standards expected, the ‘Early Learning Goals,’ by the end of their time in the reception class. The adults are good role models and they develop very positive relationships with the children. Teachers target questions well so as to catch and maintain the interest of North and South Cowton Community Primary School 23 the younger children. They generally have a positive, consistent approach to behaviour so that children know what is expected and, as a result, they feel secure and they respond well. Adults put a good emphasis on the need to work with other children and on sharing and taking turns. Sometimes, children are asked to work with pupils in Years 1 and 2 and this develops the children’s understanding and social skills well. The children integrate well with the others in the class and this can be seen

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

at playtimes when they play amicably with hoops and balls together. Children are keen to undertake activities and to tell others about what they are doing.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

55. The classroom is well organised with equipment stored so that children can become independent, getting what they need for themselves and replacing it after use.

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

56. Teaching is satisfactory overall and it is good when the teacher or classroom assistant spends part of each literacy session working with the reception children and the activities are well focused on their needs. Children start school with a wide vocabulary for their age and they confidently communicate with adults. They also sit and listen well to instructions and stories. Adults use questions well to encourage children to extend their speaking skills by talking about their work. Initially children take home books without words and they confidently and enthusiastically tell the story using the pictures. Parents make a significant contribution to this by discussing the books with children at home. On entry to school, there is greater variation in children’s knowledge of letter names and the sounds they represent. The higher attaining children recognise some words on sight and they are beginning to use their

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

knowledge of the sounds that letters represent to work out unfamiliar words. All children write their own name using recognisable letters. The children are making clear progress. This was seen in the session where they were concentrating on the letter ‘P’ and the sound it represented. They learned to write the letter and they identified items in the book starting with that letter. The higher attaining children extended this by correctly identifying items around the classroom. These were added to a display in the classroom. By the time they leave the reception class, all children are likely to reach the early learning goals in this area of learning and some will exceed them.

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

57. There are opportunities for children to take part in role play activities in the well resourced ‘Doctor’s Surgery’. They also have access to finger puppets to retell well known stories, such as Little Red Riding Hood. The learning from these could be extended further by adults joining in the play and helping to extend the children’s ideas.

p.28

Mathematical development

58. Teaching in the lesson seen was good. The class teacher devised a dice activity which enabled all children in the class, to take part at their own level. This ranged from the least able counting the number of dots on the two dice, to the most able adding the two numbers together and taking that away from twenty. In the group work session of the numeracy lesson, the classroom assistant worked with the youngest children developing their understanding of the terms long and short. They compared and sorted items into groups by their size. They also used dough to make snakes of varying lengths. Good links were made with literacy when they used labels to identify the long and the short items. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 24 59. There is a wide variation in children’s ability to count and recognise numbers. All can count at least eight items correctly and recognise numbers to five. Two counted 28

p.28

Mathematical development

beads and knew that if one was added there would be 29. One said that the highest number she knew was 217. They all recognise circles, squares and triangles and have the opportunity to use sand to extend their understanding of the capacity of various items. By the end of the reception year, most children are likely to achieve the early learning goals set for this age and some will exceed them.

p.29

Knowledge and understanding of the world

60. Although children’s knowledge varies when they start school, it is above that normally found and most children are likely to reach the standards expected at the end of the reception year. Teaching is satisfactory. The children are usually taught alongside all the other children in the class for subjects such as history and science and this means that they do not always have sufficient opportunities to undertake practical activities and to experiment and make choices for themselves. They are sometimes required to sit and listen for extended periods of time. An example of this, was seen in the history lesson when the whole class was looking at photographs of families in the past; the reception children’s attention and interest faltered well before the other pupils’. However, reception children do have a sound understanding that things were different in the past and that life in other countries is often different from their own

p.29

Knowledge and understanding of the world

lives. They use the computer with sound skills to manipulate shapes and patterns.

p.29

Physical development

61. No teaching was observed in this area of learning. The children were observed moving around the classroom and using equipment such as scissors, and they were also seen at playtime using hoops and soft balls as well as playing catch with friends. They are well co-ordinated and show good awareness of space and of each other. They handle scissors and paint brushes competently and make models using construction equipment. All are expected to reach the early learning goals for this area of learning by the end of the reception year. However, the school has restricted opportunities for physical education as it does not have a school hall. The value of providing large outside play equipment and wheeled toys, to extend the limited range of opportunities, was highlighted in the last inspection report. These have not yet been provided but purchases are planned when the building work has been completed. The

p.29

Physical development

children go swimming once a week. Although this provides a good opportunity for physical activity as well as developing children’s water skills, the overall impact on the curriculum is less positive. The children only spend half an hour in the water but the trip to the swimming pool takes most of the morning. As a result, literacy and numeracy activities have to take place in the afternoon and the children are often too tired to undertake new learning effectively.

p.29

Creative development

62. Teaching is sound, although little is focused specifically on the youngest children. There are sound activities planned, but they are rather prescribed and they offer only limited opportunities for children to extend their own ideas and make their own choices. By the end of the reception year, all children are likely to reach the early learning goals in this area. Children produce satisfactory paintings. One child demonstrated good skills and understanding when, following a whole class session looking at the work of Miro and Picasso, she followed the teacher’s instructions to draw a friend in the style of Miro. She produced a bold picture with the facial features North and South Cowton Community Primary School 25 distorted. The children participate in music sessions with the rest of the class and they are beginning to join in singing in assemblies.

p.29

ENGLISH

63. Results in the 2001 national tests showed that pupils’ attainment in reading, by the end of Year 2, was very high in comparison with the national average and the average for similar schools. Standards in writing were less good. The results were above average for all schools, but only average when compared to those of similar schools. No pupil exceeded the level expected for seven-year-olds in writing compared to two thirds exceeding it in reading. The results attained in 2002 again showed markedly better results in reading than in writing. Inspection evidence confirms well above average standards in reading. This partly reflects the emphasis placed on developing pupils’ reading skills and the support received from parents who ensure that their children read regularly at home. Standards in writing are generally below average and these reflect the lack of emphasis in the past on developing specific writing skills and

p.30

ENGLISH

insufficient opportunities for pupils to practise their skills.

p.30

ENGLISH

64. The national tests at the end of Year 6, in 2001, showed that standards in English were well above the national average and in line with similar schools. Each year the number of pupils undertaking the tests is small so the overall results are very dependent on how individual pupils achieve. Boys and girls achieve equally well from their varying starting points. In 2002, all pupils attained the level expected for their age and a quarter of them exceeded this. Inspection evidence indicates that most pupils are reaching the standard expected of their age group, with some doing better. Overall, standards in reading are broadly similar to those at the time of the last inspection. Standards have fallen in writing at the end of Year 2, but they have risen at the end of Year 6. In the upper part of the school, higher attaining pupils respond well to the more challenging work set for them. Lower attainers benefit from the attention

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ENGLISH

65. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are above average. Pupils of all ages are very keen to participate in discussions and question and answer sessions and they make steady progress. In Years 1 and 2, they listen well in whole class sessions and they show good understanding and a wide vocabulary in their responses. Having listened attentively to instructions, they carried out an investigation in science and they successfully found definitions for a series of words in a dictionary. When making up their own definitions, they used words precisely to convey the required meaning. Speaking and listening skills are reinforced well, with the class teacher and the classroom assistant using questions effectively in a range of lessons to give pupils the opportunity to extend their vocabularies and to voice their ideas. Pupils listen well to each other. In Years 3 to 6, most pupils are articulate, confident speakers with a

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ENGLISH

wide vocabulary. They readily read out their own poems and listen carefully to those of other class members. Staff use questions very effectively in lessons to help pupils extend their skills and the oldest pupils regularly contribute news items in assembly, acting the part of a television presenter.

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ENGLISH

66. Reading, overall, is above average. All pupils questioned said they enjoyed books. They engage very readily in reading with the teacher and they also read in groups or individually. Pupils make steady progress as they move through the school. They enjoy fiction and non-fiction books and readily discuss the texts. In Years 1 and 2, pupils correctly read the title and name the author of a book. They know that fiction books are stories and that non-fiction books give information. In their reading, the younger pupils make use of their developing knowledge of phonics to read unknown North and South Cowton Community Primary School 26 words. Most pupils understand what they are reading and are able to predict the likely end to a story or recount what came earlier. In Years 3 to 6, pupils read across a range of books and express preferences for particular kinds of stories. Higher attainers read with good expression and most pupils have well developed skills in

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ENGLISH

finding information from books. They readily identify favourite characters and say why they like them. Some are able to name their favourite authors and say what it is they like about their books. Class teachers give good opportunities for pupils to read during the day and they use a range of resources. For example, the oldest pupils read the school log book to find out about schools in Victorian times. They were interested in the writing style used and in the subject content. New resources have been purchased so that they are now adequate across the school. Older pupils have a sound choice of books for reading; both fiction and non-fiction. Space is limited, but there is a small library area in each building.

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ENGLISH

67. Standards in writing are below average by the end of Year 2 and pupils do not achieve as well as they do in other aspects of English. Scrutiny of the work completed last year showed limited opportunities for pupils to write. The use of worksheets on a regular basis meant that pupils only recorded single word or short phrase responses and they did not have the opportunity to develop their ideas. There was also a lack of focus on teaching the specific skills pupils needed. By contrast, the good emphasis on developing pupils’ knowledge of how to spell words through weekly homework resulted in pupils attaining the standards expected.

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ENGLISH

68. In the upper part of the school, pupils achieve well and standards in written work are generally above average. In Years 3 to 6, there is regular emphasis placed on developing pupils’ writing skills. Pupils are given good opportunities to practise their skills across other subjects of the curriculum. Activities are well chosen and work is carefully organised so that pupils are able to write for different purposes. Pupils learn to organise and shape their writing according to its purpose, as when recording their experiments in science or recording events in their accounts of the life of Grace Darling in history. In Years 3 and 4, pupils learn the past tense of various words and then use the knowledge they have acquired to write a diary entry. Most pupils write eagerly and some write at length. The more able writers in the upper part of the school produce stories that have an interesting beginning, a development of the story

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ENGLISH

in the middle and a satisfying ending. Good imaginative writing was seen when pupils imagined that they were the ghost of Thomas Kempe and they recorded their activities. The interest generated by the World Cup was used well to generate poems on the subject of racism. The message was conveyed well in the poem, ‘Racism, what an awful thing, it doesn’t matter about the colour of your skin. People don’t care what’s on the outside, what really matters is on the inside’. Pupils have spellings to learn for homework. Pupils are able to find ‘Families’ of similar words and use the phonic knowledge they are developing in literacy hours when tackling the spelling of unknown words. There is regular focus on handwriting and pupils learn to use a clear, joined up style with well formed letters. Pupils confidently use a dictionary and have a sound understanding of the rules of punctuation and grammar.

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ENGLISH

69. Some of the work is word processed and there are examples of pupils using their skills well, as when they use different fonts for effect. Good use is also made of a spelling program, to reinforce spelling for individual pupils. However, pupils do not have regular opportunities to draft, edit and present their work using the computer. The independent topic work that the older pupils complete gives them good opportunities to develop their literacy skills in a subject of their own choosing. Presentation skills are good and the work usually has a contents page and introduction, and some have a glossary. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 27 70. The quality of teaching is good. Pupils respond well and rise to the expectations of their teachers. Teachers generally have a good knowledge of the English curriculum and choose activities which challenge and hold the interest of their classes. Pupils

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ENGLISH

work with concentration and enjoyment, receiving extra help from teachers and classroom assistants when necessary. Appropriate action has been taken to meet pupils’ needs in the upper part of the school. For example, one literacy session a week is devoted to developing pupils’ writing skills and this is a significant factor in the standards achieved. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are divided into two groups by age for the literacy hour. This means that the classes are fairly small and teaching is well focused on pupils’ learning needs. The limited amount of additional support available from classroom assistants is used well. Teachers plan work carefully, having regard to the two-year age span in each class and the range of pupils’ capabilities. In Years 1 and 2, good use is made of the well trained classroom assistant to give reinforcement during lessons to groups and individuals. The basic literacy skills are well taught in

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ENGLISH

Years 3 to 6 and they are enhanced by their use across the curriculum. In Years 1 and 2, there has been a lack of focus in the past on developing the skills pupils need to achieve the expected standard. An example of effective teaching was seen when the teacher modelled the writing of dictionary definitions of words. She encouraged pupils to contribute their ideas, such as when to use capital letters and full stops and how to spell individual words by using their knowledge of phonics. Interesting resources such as finger puppets are used to help pupils sequence their ideas and to retell familiar stories, such as Little Red Riding Hood. Pupils are responding well to this activity.

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ENGLISH

71. Pupils in the upper part of the school have their own targets and this helps them focus on what they need to do to improve their work. Across the school, pupils are managed well and there is a good pace to lessons. The liveliness and interest of pupils is well channelled into their work. Behaviour is good and pupils are attentive to their teachers. They show good attitudes, sharing space and materials in rather small classrooms and often discussing their work together. They listen well to what others have to say and they spontaneously acknowledge good work. Teachers informally assess how well pupils are learning in lessons and they know individual pupils well. Marking is used well to celebrate success but only sometimes to pinpoint areas for improvement.

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ENGLISH

72. The school has a sound and comprehensive system of assessment and record keeping which gives clear information on the progress pupils are making. The ‘End of the Month’ book gives a good record of the development of pupils’ written work. Its use, especially in Years 1 and 2, could be extended by closer marking, which assesses the standards pupils are achieving and focuses on what individuals have to do to raise them. The co-ordinator was new to the school last term and, as yet, her role is not well developed as she also has other responsibilities. Although the school is well aware of the need to improve standards in writing by the end of Year 2, there has not yet been effective action taken to bring this about. Staff would benefit from working alongside colleagues in other schools, so that they have a clearer idea of what exactly is required to achieve the expected level and also to share ideas of

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ENGLISH

activities which help to develop the necessary skills. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 28

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MATHEMATICS

73. Evidence from the inspection indicates that pupils’ standards at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 are above the national average. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection, when pupils’ attainment at both stages was found to be average. Much of this improvement stems from the school’s adoption of the national numeracy strategy. This provides pupils with well structured lessons involving a range of different methods, including mental work, group activities planned for pupils who are at different levels and final discussions where ideas are reinforced and pupils’ learning assessed.

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MATHEMATICS

74. In Years 1 and 2, the school makes good use of a new published scheme and this, allied to the good quality of teaching and learning, helps to ensure that pupils develop skills and knowledge across the curriculum. Consequently, by the end of Year 2, for example, they work confidently with numbers up to 1000, know about two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and a range of measures, and can make simple graphs. A lesson on measurement exemplified the teacher’s approach: the planned sequence involved pupils first of all in playing a dice game to practise their mental skills, then Year 1 pupils measured and recorded lengths using their feet as units, whilst Year 2 used metre sticks for their practical measurements. The final session was skilfully handled to increase pupils’ appreciation of the need for standard units of length to ensure consistency. Lessons such as this help to ensure that pupils who

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MATHEMATICS

enter school with above average knowledge and skills, maintain a steady rate of achievement.

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MATHEMATICS

75. This good quality of teaching and learning is mirrored for Years 3 to 6. All teachers develop positive and caring relationships with the pupils and expect them to behave very well and concentrate hard. Lessons are characterised by a calm and purposeful atmosphere, with pupils willingly taking responsibility for their learning and behaving very well. The well organised system, which involves each individual having their personal targets for mathematics, makes them aware of how successful they are in their learning and also helps teachers to appreciate the effectiveness of their lessons. It also ensures that pupils of different abilities achieve to their potential.

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MATHEMATICS

76. Pupils’ keenness to learn was seen in a lesson for Years 3 and 4, about money calculations. A brisk mental session set the pace of the lesson, with pupils competing against their own previous performance. This was followed by a series of money problems, which were set at different levels to cater for pupils’ existing knowledge and supported by the teacher’s provision of a strategy which helped those who needed it to solve their problems. The final session was used well to review what had been learned. Pupils’ level of interest was demonstrated by their groans of disappointment as the lesson came to an end. Lesson such as this help to ensure that pupils maintain the sound rate of achievement towards their above average standards.

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MATHEMATICS

77. Teachers make good use of interesting resources for learning, which are always prepared in advance and ready for pupils to use; for example, imitation ‘Pies’ were used well to help develop knowledge about fractions in Years 5 and 6. The teacher also effectively used a segmented stick to involve pupils in a whole class activity which included the revision of their knowledge about negative numbers.

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MATHEMATICS

78. Lessons usually proceed at a good speed, making the best use of the time available. There are occasions, however, when the pace of pupils’ learning slackens because too much time is spent on oral sessions, or teachers allow themselves to be diverted by pupils’ irrelevant comments and questions. Whilst most pupils maintain interest at North and South Cowton Community Primary School 29 such times, a small number lose concentration and their progress is inhibited. The sequence of the lesson can also be affected, so that, for example, the final review element cannot take place, or lessons spill over into the next session.

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MATHEMATICS

79. Some valuable work with computers involved pupils collecting data about their weekly diet and using a computer program to organise the information and create pie charts to demonstrate their findings. The work effectively linked science, mathematics and ICT. There is insufficient evidence of this type of activity, however, and links between mathematics and other subjects such as ICT are not fully developed. Nevertheless, the improvements in this subject are encouraging and the school appears well placed to continue its progress because of the effective leadership of the subject.

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SCIENCE

80. Standards in Year 6 have improved since the last inspection and are now above average. This is reflected in the above average results in national tests for eleven- year-olds in 2001 and 2002, when no pupil achieved lower than the nationally expected level and half of the pupils achieved the level above. Seven-year-olds reached the standards expected in teacher assessments in 2001 and 2002. This confirms the inspection judgement that standards at Year 2 are broadly in line with the national average. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2 and good progress further up the school.

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SCIENCE

81. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers know the subject well and give an appropriate emphasis to investigation. Younger pupils have a sound knowledge of the process of investigation and they make sensible predictions and record their findings neatly in simple tables or through labelled drawings. Older pupils are encouraged to select their own ways of recording the results of their fair tests after predicting probable outcomes. They respond well and record their findings clearly in a variety of ways, often using their own words and very occasionally using ICT. Pupils have a good level of knowledge across the science curriculum because teachers are careful to plan work that builds on previous learning and use the scheme of work well. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding about healthy eating and the need for a varied diet is reinforced in the cookery club and the emphasis on health continues in physical

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SCIENCE

education lessons. Pupils’ work on life and living processes culminates in Years 5 and 6 in independent research on, for example, grouping species of animals. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 also have opportunities for independent research; for example, they observe, draw, describe and classify their own choice of small creatures. Such activities provide opportunities for higher attainers to rise to the challenge, which they do. All pupils can use keys to identify and categorise animals or plants, with lower attainers working at a simpler level.

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SCIENCE

82. Pupils’ learning about the environment and nature is enhanced by many of the activities they experience during the residential visits they make. Because teachers present material in interesting ways and have appropriately high expectations, pupils have very positive attitudes to the subject; for example, their natural curiosity was caught when they were asked to look at each other’s eyes as the pupils dilated. They behave very well because of their very constructive relationships with the teachers and the teachers’ skills in class management. Pupils’ personal development is very well promoted by opportunities to work together co-operatively. Discussion is encouraged to good effect although discussions occasionally go on too long.

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ART AND DESIGN

North and South Cowton Community Primary School 30 83. Standards are below average at the age of eleven years as they were at the time of the last inspection. There has been an improvement in standards at the age of seven years, in the assessment of the subject and in beginning to develop a scheme of work. The scheme of work is not yet fully taught, although work in the infant class indicated good progress in using it to develop both pupils’ skills in portrait painting and their awareness of the work of a variety of famous artists. In the one lesson seen, pupils in Years 1 and 2 produced bold and colourful portraits in the style of a portrait by Paul Klee, many of them catching the style well. Some were able to apply the knowledge gained in creating a portrait of their friends in the more abstract style of Joan Miro. They were justifiably pleased with their efforts and proud to show them to the class. Their interest was caught by the activity and the teacher’s presentation of

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ART AND DESIGN

the material. The lesson made a good contribution to pupils’ cultural awareness through its comparison of the styles of two artists.

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ART AND DESIGN

84. Pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory for all levels of ability in Years 3 to 6. Because art and design is for the most part taught as part of topic based work in other subjects, insufficient time is provided for pupils to develop their skills in a range of art techniques and media. Work does not systematically build on previously developed skills so that much of the work in pupils’ sketch books, in their art folders and on display shows under developed skills in using line and colour and there is very little evidence of three-dimensional work. Little of the work seen was based on or showed knowledge of great works of art and there was very little evidence that pupils had experienced the art of a variety of cultures and times. The work of higher attainers showed some natural talent but there was little evidence that this was further developed by the teachers. While some of the sketch books showed careful work in

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ART AND DESIGN

preparation for a finished piece of art, a careful sketch plan for a drawing of a waterfall, for example, the presentation in many of the books was poor, showing a lack of pride and care. Collages and other work with textiles showed some promise but the skills involved were not built upon elsewhere. Work was limited in range and some of the work set presented little challenge for pupils in Years 5 and 6. There was no evidence of opportunities for large-scale work or for pupils to work together on a piece of art. Opportunities for using the computer to generate art are lacking and neither is it used to discover information about art and artists. There is now a co- ordinator but he has many other responsibilities and art has not been a priority; consequently, the role is under developed. Attention now needs to be given to the quality of the experiences offered, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

85. By the time they leave the school, pupils’ standards are in line with expectations; this is an improvement since the previous inspection, when standards were below those found in most schools. From simply making models, pupils now go through the process of designing, making and evaluating their products because teachers appreciate the important skills that need to be developed. Whilst no lessons were seen, the sample of pupils’ work indicates that teaching and learning are at least satisfactory because lessons have included relevant and interesting activities which have effectively promoted pupils’ sound rate of achievement.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

86. Work in Years 1 and 2 provides an appropriate platform for later experiences. Activities focus on developing particular skills with a range of materials: pupils learn how to make clay tiles with impressed patterns and use sliding card tabs to make faces with moving eyes and noses. An effective link to literacy is made when they use winding mechanisms to make ‘Incy Wincy Spider’ climb the waterspout. Working with a range of construction toys also helps to develop necessary fine manipulative skills. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 31 87. Older pupils also experience focused practical tasks when making, for example, Easter cards using a pop-up mechanism. The skills learned in this way are applied in more open activities; for example, pupils design and make a shelter which has to be strong and stable. They use a range of materials and adhesives, evaluating and changing their designs as they progress. Lessons also involve food and fabric

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

technology, and work with mechanisms such as simple cams. There is, however, insufficient evidence of pupils reaching above average standards by becoming involved in more individual projects, choosing from a wider range of materials and techniques or controlling mechanisms through computers. There are insufficient opportunities for higher attainers to be challenged by the work set.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88. The co-ordinator has prepared a suitable scheme of work which helps to ensure that pupils’ experiences build well on what they already know and can do. However, leadership and management of the subject are under-developed. Pupils’ food studies are effectively enhanced by an out-of-school club led by a visiting expert.

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GEOGRAPHY

89. No lessons were observed during the inspection, but a study of past work by pupils in all year groups indicates that both boys and girls’ attainment is broadly average at the end of Years 2 and 6. They make steady progress in extending their knowledge and their skills during their time in school. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

90. Good use is made of the local area as a resource. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 begin to look at a map of the area to see who lives closest to the school and the route others take. They learn about local people’s jobs and they identify photographs of local landmarks. This work makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ social development as they realise the roles of different members of the community. They use a computer programme to construct their own map of an island. Pupils compare life in their village setting with life on the Island of Struay, giving a valuable link to their work in literacy. This, together with information they gain from their holidays, helps them understand how places are the same in some respects and different in others.

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GEOGRAPHY

91. In Years 3 to 6, pupils also undertake work related to the local area. Good links with history are being made as they study their village and they map various features, linked to their study of Victorian life in the village. Combining the two subject areas represents a good use of the curriculum time available. All four year groups are often taught together and there is evidence of the work being varied to offer appropriate challenge to match the ages of pupils. For example, Years 3 and 4 pupils write directions from their village to one a few miles away, whilst the oldest pupils plot the route from Teesside airport to their school. They use the road numbers and prominent places along the route, as well as appropriate directional language.

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GEOGRAPHY

92. No judgement can be made of teaching in lessons, but pupils’ work indicates that teachers have secure subject knowledge. Pupils displayed a keen interest in their village during the walk undertaken as part of their history lesson. Good use is made of visits to extend pupils’ knowledge, for example their residential trip to a coastal area and day trips to local towns. The role of the co-ordinator is under-developed.

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HISTORY

North and South Cowton Community Primary School 32 93. Standards are average by the end of Years 2 and 6 and have been maintained since the last inspection.

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HISTORY

94. Pupils, both boys and girls, make satisfactory progress in their learning. The extended study, which pupils undertake at home in Years 5 and 6, gives higher attaining pupils a valuable opportunity to follow their own interests and to develop their research skills, as well as their literacy.

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HISTORY

95. In Years 1 and 2, pupils are satisfactorily developing a sense of old and new as they learn about the past. They have looked at transport and understand that means of travel and vehicles have changed over time. This work is linked with activities in geography so that good use is made of the time available. Pupils also develop their skills of extracting information from photographic images and pictures when they look at old family photographs. They compare activities and clothing, as well as learning the meaning of the term sepia, and they gain an insight into what life was like at the time. The class teacher uses questions well to encourage pupils to look closely at the pictures. She also provides a valuable opportunity for them to extend their speaking skills as they talk about what they see.

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HISTORY

96. In Years 3 to 6, there is a suitable programme of study to cater for the wide age range of the pupils in the class. Pupils build up their knowledge of different periods of history over the four years they are in the school, but in each year there is an appropriate emphasis on developing their research skills and using different sources of evidence. Good links are also made to literacy, as, for example, when pupils studying the Tudors write their own diary entries for a character living at that time. The work also gives pupils an insight into British culture. Currently pupils are learning about life in Victorian times. Good use is made of the local village and links made to map work in geography. The school logbook from that period is providing a rich source of evidence of what life was like and this is generating a considerable amount of pupil interest.

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HISTORY

97. Teaching is sound with teachers showing secure subject knowledge. Pupils respond well to the activities provided. Teachers know individual pupils well and assess them informally throughout the year. Work is appropriately matched to individual learning needs. The curriculum is enriched by visits to local places of interest and by visitors to the school. During the study of Tudor times, for example, a group of players visited the school and they provided various artefacts for pupils to use, including costumes. This helped the pupils to realise how different life was in Tudor times. Because the subject is not a priority, subject leadership is under-developed.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

98. The school has made some progress in this subject but, by the time they leave the school, pupils’ standards are still below expectations. More computers have been bought and members of staff have undergone training and now have sufficient expertise to support pupils’ learning. There are, however, insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop the full range of skills and knowledge.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

99. Word processing skills are developed to a satisfactory level. In Years 1 and 2, pupils made lists of things that they like to taste, changing the size of letters and using the space bar and ‘enter’ key. Instructions for how to complete the task were printed out so that pupils could operate independently, deciding for themselves when they would do the work. The teacher gave a clear demonstration, showing good appreciation of how pupils could be supported in acquiring a new skill. By the time they are in Year 6, pupils have improved to the extent that they have good keyboard skills. Working North and South Cowton Community Primary School 33 confidently with a sophisticated program, they produce well designed letters, stories and posters, sometimes incorporating graphic images, activities which effectively reinforce and develop skills gained in literacy lessons.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

100. Pupils make some use of the Internet in finding information for their studies and they send electronic mail from one classroom to the other and outside school. They are also beginning to design the school’s own website. Contacts with other agencies, such as distant schools, to share curriculum information and consider how data can be presented, are limited. Similarly, whilst younger pupils have experiences in controlling a simple floor robot, opportunities for the older ones to control robots through computers are less evident.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

101. In handling data, pupils can put information collected about their own diets into a program, which helps them produce tables and graphs to show clearly the proportion of the food types eaten during a week. Such activities make a very important link between pupils work in science and mathematics, helping them to appreciate how computers can be used to analyse and clarify the nature of collected information. There are insufficient opportunities for work of this type, so that pupils’ skills in using ICT across the curriculum remain underdeveloped. For example, whilst it appears in the scheme of work, there is no evidence of pupils having monitored environmental effects such as temperature, sound and light using the power of computers.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

102. As with all ICT activities, pupils are very interested in the work. They concentrate well and operate with equal facility either independently or in pairs. Teachers provide good support, intervening only to ask questions or give advice, ensuring that pupils improve their understanding by solving their own problems wherever possible.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

103. The school provides some opportunities for the systematic development of pupils’ computer skills. In a lesson for a small group in Year 4, for example, the teacher gave clear instructions and adopted an encouraging, positive approach which helped pupils to learn quickly how to manage files using hard and floppy discs. Individual lessons like this are well taught but the overall impact of teaching is unsatisfactory because it does not lead to a satisfactory rate of achievement. However, improvements are occurring; for example, providing each pupil with a personal disc for storing work facilitates the assessment of their rate of progress and provides teachers with information to be used in planning for future work. Whilst the leadership of the subject has recently improved, over time it is unsatisfactory

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MUSIC

104. Standards are broadly in line by ages seven and eleven, as they were at the last inspection. Achievement is satisfactory overall, with some higher attainers receiving instrumental lessons and making good progress. Pupils of all ages are able to sing a variety of songs from different cultural traditions. They sing enthusiastically and tunefully accompanied by a tape or unaccompanied. Younger pupils show a sound understanding of pitch and accompany their songs with appropriate instruments and actions. Older pupils have a sound understanding of musical terms and are able to discuss the qualities of ragtime music, for example, and show a good grasp of syncopation.

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MUSIC

105. Pupils have positive attitudes to the subject. Younger pupils enjoy the practical activities and the challenge of identifying whether the sound is getting higher or lower while older pupils enjoy the challenge of learning a new syncopated song. They enjoy North and South Cowton Community Primary School 34 singing the words in an African dialect and listening to Chinese music that accompanies a Chinese story.

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MUSIC

106. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers have confident subject knowledge and provide a good lead. They have positive relationship with the pupils and make learning an enjoyable experience. The cramped accommodation for the older pupils led to an occasional loss of pace as pupils juggled with their songbooks. The knowledgeable co-ordinator has ensured that the curriculum is enriched by the opportunity for all pupils in the junior classes to learn the recorder, by developing a choir and by regular chances for pupils to perform and to listen to visiting performers.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

107. Standards are broadly in line by seven and eleven and in swimming, they are above average. This is similar to the situation at the last inspection. Higher attainers and talented pupils benefit from opportunities to take part in competitions and from the coaching provided by visiting sportsmen and coaches. Pupils achieve satisfactorily.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108. Only one lesson was seen and the teaching and learning were very good. The teacher had secure subject knowledge that enabled him to select activities that captured pupils’ interest while developing their skills. The lesson moved at a brisk pace and very good relationships ensured that pupils responded well to the praise given and constructive criticism made. Pupils have very positive attitudes, participating with enthusiasm and trying hard, working very well together and competing fairly.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

109. There is a rich physical education curriculum that compensates to a large extent for the very limited accommodation available. The use of the village hall for dance and gymnastics marks an improvement since the past inspection but pupils have few opportunities to use large apparatus. The work they do on outdoor and adventurous activities during residential visits goes some way to meet this lack. The curriculum is also enhanced by the many opportunities provided for pupils to take part in competitive sports and to be coached by experts in rugby, soccer and netball. A parent has organised a cup and league football competition for six local small schools. The provision for swimming is greater than at most schools; however, while it has a beneficial effect on pupils’ standards of swimming, the arrangements take up a great deal of curriculum time. Pupils spend a whole morning for a half an hour in the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

pool and younger pupils are often tired during the afternoon with a consequent loss of concentration in their lessons. The school is successful in competitions in several sports and has recently won the small schools’ swimming gala.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

110. The subject is effectively led by the headteacher, who uses his sporting contacts well to extend the curriculum.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

111. By the time they leave the school, pupils’ standards are in line with the expectations of the local agreed syllabus, which is a similar situation to that found at the previous inspection. Only one lesson was seen but the sample of past work shows that the quality of teaching and learning is at least satisfactory and that the school provides a sequence of relevant experiences, which effectively promote pupils’ sound rate of achievement. North and South Cowton Community Primary School 35 112. A strong Christian theme runs through the lessons, supported by regular visits from local religious leaders and opportunities for prayer at regular times during the day. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

113. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn about the life of Jesus by studying His life and parables in the Bible. Other work appropriately focuses on the pupils’ own lives when they consider happy and sad times, feelings, special people and special days. Ideas about caring for their own pets are effectively linked with the life of Saint Francis. In Years 3 to 6, areas of study build well on these early experiences: pupils consider worship and its importance for Christians and study the reasons for the celebration of Holy Communion. They visit the Church and learn about the artefacts inside and the ways in which they are used. Opportunities for pupils to practise their literacy skills are good; their writing and pictures are well finished and show a good understanding of the ideas presented as well as a pride in achievement.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

114. The subject also makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ cultural awareness. Year 1 and 2 pupils study Judaism through looking at and discussing interesting artefacts and pictures and learning about Jewish life and belief. A good lesson for Years 3 to 6 exemplified the school’s approach to older pupils. Using a video and an attractive and interesting display, the teacher prompted a discussion about the nature of Islam, encouraging the pupils to compare the lives and beliefs of Muslims and Christians. Behaviour and concentration levels were good because of the typically caring yet firm management of the teacher. Pupils’ thoughtful and mature approach to the discussion and subsequent writing resulted in older pupils beginning to appreciate the similarities and differences between two major religions, whilst younger ones focused on the Christian strand.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

115. Lessons for four year groups inevitably result in a wide range of understanding, depending on what pupils already know and are capable of learning. The school’s curriculum plan ensures that younger pupils will visit areas of study again at a later date so that they may build upon their earlier learning. The newly appointed co- ordinator has a good understanding and a clear appreciation of areas for development, which suggests that the school is well placed to continue its progress in this subject.

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