Tiffield Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Tiffield VA C of E Primary School

Dates of inspection: 14 th – 15 th January 2003

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Tiffield VA C of E Primary School

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

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Tiffield VA C of E Primary School

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: High Street South Tiffield Towcester Northamptonshire

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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 Sylvia Dean

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 2 nd March 1998 Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 18842 Gill Peet Registered inspector 9039 Bernard Eyre Lay inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

85 Shores Green Drive, Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 6EJ

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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 London WC2B 6SE Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This voluntary aided Church of England primary school is very much smaller than the average primary school and has 41 pupils aged from four to 11. It is situated in the small village of Tiffield and serves the village and neighbouring hamlets. Many pupils travel from Towcester and Northampton. Attainment on entry varies from year-to-year but is generally average or above average. Although few of the children attend nursery most have had some playgroup experience before entering the Reception class. All pupils are white British and speak English as their first language. The percentage of pupils with identified special educational needs is close to the average. These pupils have general learning difficulties. None have a statement of special educational need. The percentage of pupils eligible to claim free school meals is not known because all pupils bring their own lunch to school. The number of pupils entering or leaving the school other than at the usual time, is overall average

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

but this varies from cohort to cohort and can sometimes be high. The recent turnover of staff has been very high and all of the teachers are new to the school since the last inspection. The head has only been in post for one term.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school with many good features. It is providing a good standard of education through good teaching and a good curriculum and provides pupils with equality of opportunity. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and relationships throughout the school are good. Overall pupils achieve satisfactorily and pupils in the Foundation Stage achieve well. The school is well led and managed. The parents think highly of the school and the school has very good links with the village community. Despite the school’s current high level of income, which is due to the fact that this is a small school, governors are spending wisely and the school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Teaching and learning is consistently good throughout the school. • The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils. • The provision for the pupils in the Foundation Stage (reception age) is good and they achieve well. • The governing body are hardworking and knowledgeable about the school and make an effective contribution to the good leadership and management.

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What could be improved

• The provision of information and communication technology and the standards the pupils achieve . • The handwriting of the pupils. • The number and range of opportunities for pupils to understand better the cultural diversity of the country in which they live. 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 last inspection took place in March 1998. Since then standards have been maintained overall and have improved in the Foundation Stage and in mathematics at the end of Year 2. The key issues of the last inspection have been dealt with well. There is a shared commitment to improvement and the school has the capacity to succeed. The school prepares all pupils well for the next stage of their education although it needs to develop more strategies for preparing them for life in a diverse society. Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 7

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STANDARDS

No comparisons are made with the percentage of pupils from other schools attaining the expected standards because such comparisons are unreliable when there are small numbers of pupils taking the tests and each pupil represents a very large percentage. In 2002 only seven pupils from Year 6 took the national tests.

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STANDARDS

Since the last inspection in 1998, standards in the end of Year 2 and Year 6 tests each year have appeared to fluctuate considerably in English, mathematics and science. However, comparisons over time are similarly unreliable because of the small numbers. Records that track all pupils’ progress through the school show that all pupils make at least satisfactory progress including those with special educational needs. The inspection judgement is that pupils in Year 6 this year are attaining standards in English and mathematics that are in line with those expected and some above. In both classes pupils with special educational needs get good support and make good progress in lessons.

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STANDARDS

By the end of the Reception year pupils achieve well and are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals. Most are working within the National Curriculum.

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STANDARDS

The results in the end of Year 2 tests in 2002 were significantly lower than in previous years because no pupils attained the higher Level 3 in any subject. Nevertheless, all pupils attained the expected Level 2. This is a higher percentage than average and only the top 5 per cent of all schools achieve this. The inspection judgement is that standards in the present Year 2 in English and mathematics are above average. This is due to the good teaching these pupils receive and the good organisation of this class, which means that the work offered to pupils of each age is well matched to their needs.

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STANDARDS

Standards in information and communication technology are below those expected at the end of Year 6 because pupils have too few opportunities to reinforce skills that have been taught to them. There was insufficient evidence available to make a judgement of standards in information and communication technology at the end of Year 2 because pupils were not observed using the computers. Pupils at the end of Year 6 have unsatisfactory handwriting skills and few pupils are able to use a cursive style of handwriting competently.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy coming to school and have good attitudes to learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour in and around school is good. Pupils of all ages play well together.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ relationships with each other are good. Pupils work together well in pairs or groups during lessons. They show consideration for each other and for adults in school. Attendance Satisfactory. Pupils are punctual and arrive on time. Attendance is average with no unauthorised absence.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 and 2 Years 3 to 6

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Good Good Good Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 8 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. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good. All of the lessons seen were good and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. In lessons, pupils make good progress in learning literacy and numeracy because basic skills are taught well.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Children in the Foundation Stage (Reception age) are taught alongside pupils in Years 1 and 2. They learn well because the teacher of the Foundation Stage children has a good understanding of how children of this age learn. In this class, careful preparation and good liaison with the classroom assistant means that the needs of the Foundation Stage are successfully met whilst at the same time challenging older pupils. This is an improvement since the last inspection. All teachers successfully overcome the difficulties of teaching a wide range of ages and needs very well. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and set activities that are challenging. The exceptions to this are in the teaching of handwriting and information and communication technology. Although the newly appointed headteacher has introduced a new handwriting scheme, there is as yet no whole-school approach to the teaching of handwriting and teachers do not spend enough time encouraging

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

pupils to develop an appropriate style. Teachers have found it difficult to teach information and communication technology because until recently the computers available for pupils to use have had different programs and therefore not been suitable for whole class or group teaching. There have also been problems linking to the Internet and this aspect of the subject is underdeveloped. Teachers still do not plan enough opportunities to use computers to support learning in other subjects.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. The good relationships within the school and the pupils’ good attitudes to learning result in an ethos in which all pupils are valued and all given opportunities to succeed.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Except for information and communication technology, which is still underdeveloped in the school, the curriculum is good and is interesting for the pupils. Despite being a very small school the range of the curriculum is similar to that seen in larger schools and the range of visits, visitors and extra curricular activities provided are also similar to that seen in much larger schools. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. Teachers know these pupils well and successfully match activities to their learning needs. However, pupils do not always achieve the targets in their individual education plans because the targets are not sufficiently focused to be achievable in the short time before the next review. Overall progress is satisfactory. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and

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Aspect Comment

social development and satisfactory provision for their cultural development. The school is developing the opportunities for pupils to learn about the cultural diversity within the country in which they live but at present these are still too few.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. Although the school takes good care of its pupils and supports their personal development well the procedures to ensure that the school complies with current codes of practice have not been set up. Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 9 The school has very good relationships with its parents and the majority support their children at home.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership and management of the headteacher are good. She is creating a vision for the future of the school and is effectively beginning to make changes for improvement. She is well supported by the other teachers who share the management responsibilities. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The effectiveness of the governing body is good. They have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and have a clear vision for the future of the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school keeps extensive records of each pupil but the systems are not yet systematic or accessible enough to allow the school to easily diagnose strengths and weaknesses in patterns of achievement. Formal systems for the monitoring of teaching and the curriculum have not yet been set up although the head has a satisfactory level of awareness of what the strengths and

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Aspect Comment

weaknesses of the school are. The strategic use of resources The school makes effective use of its financial resources, including specific grants. However, the use of the computers in the school is still underdeveloped. Careful budgeting is providing the means for future school improvement to be carried out. The governing body have a good understanding of the principles of best value and is increasingly applying them to major decisions

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school • They feel comfortable approaching the school with questions or a problem • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best. • The teaching is good. • Behaviour in the school is good. • Parents would like more information about how well their children are getting on. • The amount of work their children get to do at home.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agree with the positive views held by the parents. The information parents receive about their children’s progress is similar to that received by parents of children in other schools. The amount of homework is also similar to that expected for children of this age. Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 10

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

1. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good. All of the lessons seen were good and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed.

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

2. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the subjects they teach and between them have particular expertise in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and of the foundation subjects of history, art and design and music. The teacher of the Reception age children has a good understanding of how children of this age learn. Activities for these children are well planned to enable them to learn through play activities and the classroom assistant is used well to support their learning.

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

3. Basic skills are generally taught well and this was seen in both literacy and numeracy. The teachers successfully use the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies. Learning objectives are shared at the beginning of lessons and time at the end is well used to consolidate learning and prepare pupils for the next stage. In literacy, pupils are given the opportunity to practise skills when producing pieces of independent writing. Speaking and listening skills are well developed when in the younger class pupils are praised for using expressive phrases when discussing the class big book. In numeracy, pupils in the older class consolidate number skills when they all join in an activity using random numbers. Careful planning means that pupils learn basic skills well and at a level that is appropriate for them. For example, the difference in the number activity in the older class between the different age groups was that the Years 5 and 6 pupils

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

used a wider range of computational skills. An exception to this is in the teaching of handwriting. Although the newly appointed headteacher has introduced a new handwriting scheme, there is as yet no whole school approach to the teaching of handwriting and teachers do not spend enough time encouraging pupils to develop an appropriate style. Another exception is in the teaching of information and communication technology (ICT). Because teachers plan too few opportunities for pupils to use ICT to support learning in other subjects, pupils have insufficient opportunities to practise and consolidate skills.

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

4. A strength of all teaching is in the planning, which is good. This ensures that teachers are well prepared for lessons and that lessons run smoothly. Teachers overcome the difficulties of teaching a wide range of ages and needs very well. For example, in a Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 geography lesson, careful planning and good preparation enabled pupils to successfully carry out a range of activities as diverse as making a three dimensional map out of papier mâche whilst other pupils were transferring information from an atlas to worksheets. In the younger class, careful preparation and good liaison with the classroom assistant means that the needs of the Foundation Stage can be successfully met whilst at the same time challenging older pupils. A further strength in teaching is the way in which teachers conduct their lessons at a brisk pace and use time well. Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 11 5. Questioning is used well both to assess pupils understanding and to ensure their

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

full involvement. Teachers are skilled at making sure that all pupils are working at an appropriately high level. Through skilful questioning, they continually check that pupils have understood or can remember what they have learned previously. This was seen in a literacy lesson for the younger pupils. Questioning revealed that the pupils did not understand the word ‘horizon’ and so the teacher explained this to them before moving on with the lesson. In a science lesson in which the older pupils were learning about the earth and its place in space pupils were encouraged to think about what ideas they already had about the relative sizes of the sun, moon and earth. This helped the teacher check the level of understanding but also helped pupils identify for themselves what they knew and what they were unsure of. This motivated them to want to learn more. Pupils learn well because teachers motivate them to work hard. This was also seen in the geography lesson

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

for the older pupils. Years 3 and 4 pupils successfully identified the features of the Indus and Ganges rivers and could understand why they flowed in the direction they did because they were interested and motivated by the teacher to work hard in order to find this information.

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

6. Teachers manage their pupils very well. They create an orderly atmosphere that is conducive to good learning, and pupils find it easy to learn. Their relationships with pupils are good and this creates an ethos where pupils feel comfortable in expressing their ideas and generally enjoy learning. They are keen to ask and answer questions because they know their contributions will be valued.

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

7. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils and set activities that are challenging. This was seen in a mathematics lesson for the older pupils. The lesson focussed on how to solve problems but the difficulties of the calculations involved stretched the thinking of pupils of all ages.

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

8. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Activities are well linked to the activities for the whole year group and careful planning ensures that lessons build on prior attainment.

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Teaching is consistently good throughout the school

9. The good relationships within the school and the pupils’ good attitudes to learning result in an ethos in which all pupils are valued and all given opportunities to succeed.

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The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils

10. Despite the difficulties of planning and organising a curriculum for a small number of pupils by a small number of teachers the pupils in this school receive a curriculum that is broad and balanced and is as good as that found in many much larger schools that have greater resources. This is achieved by the hard work of the teachers and through good links with other small schools. An exception to this is in the provision for information and communication technology. Teachers have found it difficult to teach information and communication technology because until recently the computers available for pupils to use have had different programs and Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 12 therefore not been suitable for whole class or group teaching. There have also been problems linking to the Internet and this aspect of the subject is underdeveloped.

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The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils

11. The inter-school links enable pupils to have access to activities that would not otherwise be possible. Extra curricular activities such as netball, football, cross country running and chess are available for pupils to take part in. Other joint projects include musical and drama performances, swimming galas and sports matches. Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to attend a residential course in Wales with the pupils from these other schools and before Christmas the school took part in a joint carol service.

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The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils

12. Links with the local secondary school are also used well and recently, pupils considered to be gifted and talented spent a day there taking part in creative activities. Other links have included mathematics, science and design and technology teaching from the staff of the secondary school.

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The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils

13. The school arranges a number of visits and invites a number of visitors into the school. Links with the Church are used well and representatives from the church are regular visitors to school assemblies. Recently an Everest climber was invited into school to talk abut his experiences. Other visitors have included the local parks officer, the life Education bus and a player from the Northampton rugby football team. Visits include a recent trip by the whole school to see a production of Peter Pan and a whole school visit to hear stories at Wicksteed Park. There are however insufficient opportunities planned for pupils to experience the cultural diversity of the society in which they live.

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The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils

14. The teachers also plan a daily curriculum that is rich and interesting. As part of the recent Jubilee celebrations the school made jubilee hats and studied events in the Queen’s life. The Friends of Tiffield staged an event that included not only the school but also the village and the local community. More recently as part of the study of the Victorians, all the pupils in the school took part in a Victorian day in which all dressed up as Victorians This was followed up at Christmas when the Christmas party had a Victorian theme.

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The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils

15. In both classes homework, which was an issue of the last inspection, is given regularly. The amount is similar to that given by other schools to pupils of that age and links appropriately to the work pupils do in class.

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The curriculum is broad and interesting for its pupils

16. All National Curriculum subjects and religious education are taught. Repetition is avoided by planning a curriculum on a two year cycle for the Reception and Years 1and 2 pupils and on a four year cycle for the older pupils. This enables pupils to experience all the expected aspects of each subject whilst at the same learning the skills related to the subject at the appropriate level.

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well

Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 13 17. Children in the Foundation Stage (the reception age) make good progress. Assessments are made when they begin school and targets are set for them based on these. Despite some interruption to teaching this term because of staff sickness, children have made good progress in their first term at school and all have achieved the targets set. This is due to good teaching and good provision. The provision for the pupils in the Foundation Stage has improved since the previous inspection. At that time the curriculum was not based on the recommended areas of learning. The teacher now ensures that activities are firmly planned around the Early Learning Goals for children of that age. This is done through skilful organisation of the classroom and very good use of the learning support assistant. Despite some constraints of space and the need to also accommodate the needs of Year 1 and Year 2 pupils, she arranges the room

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well

in a way that provides all children with the activities they need in order to develop and succeed. For example, there is a structured play area in the corner of the room in which Reception children can pretend to work or be customers in a post office. This area makes a valuable contribution to the development of children’s social skills as well as their speaking and listening skills and their writing.

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well

18. Each day there is at least one activity provided which allow pupils to play in either sand or water. This is always imaginatively presented and during the inspection, children were creating a dinosaur park in the sand and floating and sinking objects in brightly coloured water. Teaching in all the agreed areas of learning is good.

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well

19. Children make good progress in literacy when they join Years 1 and 2 to listen to the introduction of the lesson. This is the time when the ‘big book’ is shared and the Reception children enjoy being involved with this. The teacher is skilful at knowing the right moment to release these younger children from sitting on the carpet to let them join the teaching assistant for an activity more relevant to their needs. The teaching assistant develops well their speaking and listening skills when she encourages them to talk about what they see. For example, when looking at the fish tank, they observed that the goldfish had scales and fins. In the Post Office pupils practise writing as they write letters and then address the envelopes. This contributes to the good progress children are making in writing and in learning to hold a pencil correctly. Children make good progress in learning to read and they now recognise most initial letter sounds and can identify

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well

20. Children make good progress in numeracy when they join the older children in the class to do activities related to a common theme. During the inspection the older pupils were learning how to organise data in a Venn diagram. The Reception children successfully sorted drawings of animals into those that lived on land and those that lived in water. All children successfully count to at least 10. Most can recognise numbers to 10 and several children can successfully count up to twenty objects. They recognise shapes and can name a number of 2 dimensional ones.

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well

21. Their knowledge and understanding of the world is developed when they join with the older pupils in watching ice melt in water or chocolate melting. They learnt more about their past when they joined with the rest of the school in dressing up for a Victorian day. They have regular opportunities to use the computers and Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 14 most are able to understand that the mouse moves objects around the screen. Some are able to use a paint programme to draw lines and use the tool bar to create zigzags and change the colour of their work.

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well

22. Children have many opportunities to be creative. They use clay to make models of fish, they use bubbles and paints to make interesting patterns and design their own Indian hats. They join the rest of the class in music lessons.

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well

23. Reception pupils join the rest of the school in physical education activities and swimming. Although there is no discrete secure area for the Reception children to play the teaching assistant takes pupils outside whenever the weather permits and supervises their playing on wheeled toys. In the classroom they get many opportunities to develop fine motor skills such as when using scissors or a paintbrush.

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well

24. This good provision means that sharing a classroom with older pupils does not disadvantage the Reception children. An advantage of the situation is that their personal and social development is greatly enhanced by the daily contact with older pupils. They confidently join in with tidying up the classroom, put on and fasten their own coats and are polite and chatty to visitors. The good organisation for the Reception class is not achieved at the expense of the older pupils whose needs are also well met through careful planning and good organisation.

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make an effective contribution to the good leadership and management

25. The governing body are hardworking and knowledgeable about the school and support it well. They have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and of areas that need to be improved. They have been fully involved in some of the major school decisions and are proactive in working for the benefit of the school.

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make an effective contribution to the good leadership and management

26. Many governors have been involved with the school for some time and generally the makeup of the governing body is stable. They are led by a well-respected Chair of Governors.

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make an effective contribution to the good leadership and management

27. They have a clear vision for the school and apply this when they are actively involved in the writing of the School Improvement Plan and in setting the budget. For example, they are aware of the specific difficulties relating to the teaching of pupils of different ages and are looking for ways in which to increase the classroom support for teachers. Similarly they are aware of the space constraints that the building makes and the need for the youngest pupils to be accommodated in the same building as the rest of the pupils. Through careful budgeting they hope to soon be in a position to prepare plans to extend the school. They recognise the need to build access for disabled pupils before it becomes essential.

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make an effective contribution to the good leadership and management

28. When they see difficulties they actively work to put them right. This was the case when two years age the school numbers were dropping to a level where the school Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 15 became threatened with closure. Aware of how important the school is to the village community and how highly parents value it, the governors set up a marketing committee and went out themselves leafleting areas of Northampton in order to increase the number of pupils at the school. On another occasion, when the school was having difficulties connecting computers in the outside classroom to those in the main building, they arranged for another telephone line to be connected to the classroom.

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make an effective contribution to the good leadership and management

29. They have a very good relationship with the newly appointed headteacher and recognise the areas in which she needs support in order to establish her role in the school. They have a clear view of what they want from a headteacher whilst at the same time respecting her expertise as a professional.

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make an effective contribution to the good leadership and management

30. Many governors are regular visitors to the school. They are well informed by reports and open discussions with the headteacher and staff and through this maintain a high level of awareness about what is happening in school. They are an integral part of school life. Although governors generally comply with all statutory requirements there are some omissions in the annual report to parents and the policy for Race Equality is still in draft form. .

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standards the pupils achieve

31. Standards at the end of Year 6 are below expectations because pupils have insufficient access to computers. There are two computers in each classroom, and four computers, owned by the after school club, which can be used by the pupils in the oldest class. Although the ratio of computers to pupils is similar or better than that seen in many schools there have been difficulties with the computers themselves. Until recently they had different programs on them, which made whole class teaching or group activities difficult. There have been many problems establishing a telephone link to the computers and they are still not successfully linked to the Internet.

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standards the pupils achieve

32. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on standards at the end of Year 2. One of the computers in the classroom for the younger pupils was not working for part of last term and so it is likely that pupils have had insufficient opportunities to practice skills in order to attain the expected standard.

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standards the pupils achieve

33. Despite the difficulties, teachers try to teach computer skills and pupils in Years 1 and 2 have a regular weekly lesson based on the nationally produced scheme of work. In this class the Reception pupils have regular access to the computers and are making a good start in learning information and communication technology. Reception pupils make good progress in developing mouse skills and in becoming confident with using the computer. It is however, difficult to provide a sufficient range of activities on the computers to meet the needs of the wide age range in this class. In the circumstances two computers in the room is insufficient Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 16 to meet the needs of the whole class and it is difficult for the teacher to plan opportunities to use information and communication technology to support learning in other lessons.

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standards the pupils achieve

34. There are also some difficulties of access for the older pupils. The computers belonging to the after school club are physically apart from the other computers in class and this makes it difficult to conduct a whole class lesson. Nevertheless, pupils in Years 3, 4 5 and 6 have experienced the full range of the curriculum, although in many aspects the lack of opportunity to build on this has resulted in pupils’ skills being below the expected levels. There are particular weaknesses in compiling databases and spreadsheets. The school has tried to address this through taking pupils to the local secondary school where they have the opportunity to learn as a class. Opportunities to use computers to support learning in other subjects are sometimes planned but this is not yet a feature of all lessons. As a result the computers available are often left unused for long periods each day.

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standards the pupils achieve

35. The school does not yet have all the hardware and software it needs to teach the subject successfully. The governing body are aware of the need to develop this subject further and the governor for information and communication technology has been actively supportive in trying to develop the Internet access for the school.

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The handwriting of the pupils

36. The newly appointed headteacher has already identified handwriting as an area for development and has introduced an agreed handwriting style. In both classes pupils have lessons in practising handwriting styles and Reception age children make good progress. However, in neither class are the skills of cursive writing transferred to everyday writing. Very little improvement was seen in the cursive style of handwriting that pupils in the present Year 6 produced at the beginning of the year and at the time of the inspection. Most pupils throughout the school still print and attempts at using a joined script show poor control and letter formation. When writing is joined letters are often unevenly formed.

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The handwriting of the pupils

37. There is no common style used consistently across the school. Teachers do not model good handwriting when writing on the whiteboard or focus on the quality of handwriting when marking pupils’ work.

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The number and range of opportunities for pupils to understand better the

cultural diversity of the country in which they live.

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The number and range of opportunities for pupils to understand better the

38. Teachers plan many opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures through their lessons in religious education and geography. During the time of the inspection pupils in the oldest class were learning about life in India and about Hinduism. Pupils in the youngest class learn about Judaism and the celebration of Hanukah. Pupils also have opportunities to learn about their own cultural heritage through activities such as the Victorian day, visits to the theatre and through their lessons in art and music. Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 17 39. However this learning is not related to the range of cultures within their own country and the pupils are not being fully prepared for life in the culturally diverse society in which they live. The school recognises this need and is developing strategies for dealing with this. There are plans for pupils to visit a Hindu Temple shortly after the end of inspection.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

40. The governors, headteacher and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve standards of attainment in information and communication technology by: - Increasing the number of computers available for use by pupils in the youngest class. - making more effective use of the computers already in school to teach and reinforce the skills pupils need; - making greater use of information and communication technology in teaching and learning in other subjects. (paragraphs 3, 31 –35)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the quality of pupils’ handwriting throughout the school by: - Using a consistent whole-school approach to teaching handwriting including a common style used by both pupils and teachers; - providing sufficient opportunities for regular practice; - setting clear expectations for handwriting and presentation in pupils’ work. (paragraphs 3, 36 – 37)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Plan more opportunities for pupils to learn about the cultural diversity of the society in which they live. (paragraphs 13, 38 –39) Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 41

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Attendance

School data 5.9 School data 0 Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 19 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 20

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.4 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 168 117.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Total expenditure 148 739

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 34 Expenditure per pupil 3 627.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 16 050

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/a Balance carried forward to next year 35 428. *

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. . * The large carry forward is earmarked for future buildings improvements

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Tiffield VA C of E Primary School 21

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 47 53 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 59 41 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 19 44 31 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 47 9 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 81 16 3 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 66 34 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 41 53 6 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 41 59 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 47 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 53 6 3 6

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