Southwold Primary School and Early Years' Centre

YEARS CENTRE

Reporting inspector: Bogusia Matusiak-Varley

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YEARS CENTRE

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

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YEARS CENTRE

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. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Kennington Road Radford Nottingham

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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: Councillor Alan Clark

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 26 January 1998 Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

19938 B Matusiak- Varley Registered inspector Foundation Stage Educational inclusion English as an additional language Science Art and design Religious education How high are standards? How well are pupils taught?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

13450 J Madden Lay inspector Attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 16971 R Hardaker Team inspector Special educational needs English Design and technology History Music How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23262 P Martin Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Geography Physical education How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Full Circle division of Parkman The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT

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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 Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 36

Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre is situated in Radford, one mile from Nottingham city; an area of very high social deprivation, including high unemployment, poor housing, high crime rates and many one-parent families. The school caters for pupils aged three to 11 years. It is a small school with 155 pupils on roll, 72 boys and 83 girls. The school has an Early Years Centre, catering for 40 children aged three to five years, which has been in operation since September 2002.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school faces many challenges. It is situated in a designated regeneration area. Thirty- seven per cent of pupils are on free school meals, well above average; 33 per cent are from different ethnic groups; ten per cent of pupils are of Pakistani heritage, eight per cent are black Caribbean, seven per cent are black other, 11 per cent have Iranian, Indian, Egyptian, Chinese, Bangladeshi, Somalian and Russian backgrounds; four per cent are of mixed race. Twenty one per cent have English as an additional language (EAL) which is well above average. Eleven per cent of pupils are taught by a teacher funded by the Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant (EMAG), eight per cent of pupils are at the early stages of language acquisition. Twenty six per cent of pupils have special educational needs (SEN) - this is above average. The nature of pupils’ special educational needs ranges from emotional and behavioural difficulties, autism, profound and multiple learning difficulties and physical

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

difficulties; there are no pupils with Statements of SEN. There is a high percentage of mobility within the school. Twenty six per cent of pupils joined the school at other than the usual time of first admission, and 23 per cent of pupils left at other than the usual time of transfer. Attainment on entry to the school is poor.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with many positive features. The low standards, as evidenced by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 national test results, are caused by high numbers of pupils with SEN and EAL, and high proportions of below-average attaining pupils in these classes. In addition, considerable pupil mobility affects results. Inspection findings show that, whilst standards are well below national averages at the end of Year 2 and below average at the end of Year 6, all groups of pupils make good progress overall and achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. The school has recently achieved an achievement award for having raised standards successfully. Relationships are very good throughout the school; pupils have good attitudes to learning and generally behave well. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall; all pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life. Teachers and

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

support staff are totally dedicated to the pupils in their care and ensure that they are given good learning opportunities. The school is very well led and managed by an experienced headteacher, who is well supported by the governors and key staff. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Provision for children who attend the Early Years Centre is excellent, and already this is having a very positive effect on standards and children’s achievements are very good in all areas of learning. • All groups of pupils generally achieve well in relation to their prior attainment, with the best rates of progress being made in Year 6. Pupils’ achievements in reading are very good throughout the school. • Provision for pupils with SEN and EAL is good and these pupils make significantly good gains in learning. • The quality of teaching and learning is good overall; pupils learn well, have good attitudes Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 7 to learning and generally behave well. • Relationships are very good throughout the school. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development is good. Very good provision is made for pupils’ social development. Learning opportunities are good

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

throughout the school. • Partnerships with parents are good. • All pupils are very well cared for and procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. • The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. She is well supported by her governors and key staff.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in all subjects, but especially in English, mathematics and science throughout both key stages, geography at Key Stage 2, and physical education in Key Stage 1. • Opportunities for pupils to develop their skills of independent learning, research and problem-solving. • Curriculum planning, to ensure that opportunities for literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology (ICT) and subject-specific skills and development are clearly identified. • Assessment procedures in science and foundation subjects and their use to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning. • Teaching in some classes, and some aspects of teaching, such as planning, use of assessment data and marking of pupils’ work. • Attendance rates. 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

In spite of the headteacher’s long absence due to illness, the school has nevertheless strived for continuous improvement. The school was last inspected in January 1998. Since then it has made good improvement in most areas, with very good improvement made in the Foundation Stage, which is now an excellent Early Years Centre. There has been a steady improvement in standards, with the exception of last year when standards fell slightly; this year the school received an achievement award for having raised standards. Good improvement has been made in the school’s provision for ICT and design and technology, and pupils now attain average standards. However, standards in geography at Key Stage 2 and physical education Key Stage 1 are not as high as they were at the last inspection. The school has won an award for its website. The quality of teaching has improved, there is hardly any unsatisfactory teaching. Provision for pupils with SEN and EAL has improved

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

from being satisfactory to good. These pupils now make good progress overall. The school is well placed to improve further due to the very good leadership of the headteacher and the good support provided by the governing body and key staff. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 8

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

science E E E D well above average above average average below average well below average A B C D E

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STANDARDS

The national tests and teachers’ assessments show that, over time, standards have been well below average. These results must be treated with caution as the school has a high turnover of pupils, many pupils have SEN and EAL, and approximately 25 per cent in Year 2 and Year 6 are below average attainers. All these factors naturally depress test scores.

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STANDARDS

National test results show that, by the end of Year 2 in 2002, in comparison with all schools and similar schools, standards in reading were in the bottom five per cent nationally. In mathematics they were well below national averages and in writing, in comparison with all schools and similar schools, standards were in the bottom five per cent nationally. In science, teachers’ assessments showed standards were below average.

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STANDARDS

By the end of Year 6, in comparison with all schools, standards in English and science were well below average, in mathematics they were in the bottom five per cent nationally. In comparison with similar schools, standards were in line with national averages in English, well below average in mathematics and below the national average in science.

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STANDARDS

Inspection findings show that pupils’ attainment on entry is poor in all areas of learning. Due to the excellent provision in the Early Years Centre, children make rapid gains in learning and achieve the Early Learning Goals (ELG) in personal, social and emotional development, physical development, creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world, although not those in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development because of their very low starting points. Children’s achievements are very good and the few higher attainers attain the ELG in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. As yet, this good achievement has not filtered through the school, as the Early Years Centre has only been open since last September. By the end of Year 2, standards in English and mathematics are well below national averages, but pupils’ achievements are good overall. By the end of Year 6 standards are below national averages in English,

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STANDARDS

mathematics and science. In reading, by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils attain average standards and their achievements are very good. In science, standards are below the national average and pupils’ achievements are good. These improvements are the result of improved teaching, due to effective systems of school self evaluation and performance management.

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STANDARDS

In all foundation subjects and ICT, by the end of both Years 2 and 6, pupils attain average standards and generally achieve well in relation to their prior attainment, with the exception of geography in Year 6 and physical education in Year 2, where pupils’ attainment is below average. In these subjects, pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. In religious education, pupils attain the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and their achievements are good. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 9 Pupils with SEN and EAL achieve as well as their peers, and they make rapid gains in learning.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils like coming to school and care well for one another.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils are courteous, polite and are good ambassadors for their school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Good. Relationships are very good. However, too few opportunities are provided for independent learning.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Poor. Whilst improving, more emphasis still needs to be placed on ensuring that parents send their children to school regularly. A small minority of pupils do not arrive to school on time and this affects learning.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

During the week of inspection, 47 lessons were seen of which one was excellent, seven were very good, 20 were good, 18 were satisfactory and one was unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching is good overall, but uneven across the school. The best teaching was seen in the juniors and in the Early Years Centre. Some examples of good teaching were seen in Year 2. Scrutiny of work reveals that there are areas for improvement in both Year 1 and Year 5. The overall good quality of teaching, dedication and hard work of staff result in good learning by all groups of pupils. Literacy and numeracy are taught effectively, especially the basic skills of reading, resulting in very good progress and pupils attaining average standards. Teachers manage pupils well and give good explanations; clear routines and working practices are established, resulting in pupils responding well to their work. The teaching of

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

pupils with SEN and EAL is good and these pupils make good progress. The best teaching is in Year 6 and in the Early Years Centre. Support staff contribute well to pupils’ learning and ensure that all pupils have full access to the curriculum. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 10

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good in Years 1 to 6. Very good in the Early Years Centre. Throughout the school teachers provide good learning opportunities and make good links with other subjects. Several examples of good links with literacy, numeracy and ICT were seen in foundation subjects but these opportunities, alongside identification of subject-specific skills, are not sufficiently well emphasised in teachers’ medium-term planning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. These pupils are well cared for and their individual education plans are well used in planning learning opportunities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. These pupils make good gains because of the high expectations of the teacher with responsibility for them. In lessons, teachers take great care to ensure that these pupils are fully included.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall with very good provision for social development. However, too few opportunities are provided for independent learning. Pupils are well prepared for life in a multicultural society.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Pastoral care is very good, with very good child protection procedures in place. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall but more emphasis needs to be placed on using this information to ensure that pupils do not repeat skills that they have already learned.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Partnership with parents is good, but reports on pupils’ progress, whilst just satisfactory, are not sufficiently detailed. A satisfactory quality of information is provided for parents on all aspects of school life.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides a clear educational direction and valiantly explores every avenue to secure funding for her pupils. She is an experienced and dedicated leader who sets high expectations both for her pupils and her staff.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors fulfil their statutory duties well and are fully aware of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. A very thorough analysis is undertaken of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 11 The strategic use of resources Good. Whilst the school has not had a recent audit, finances are appropriately administered and all funds are used effectively. The headteacher and governing body ensure that the principles of best value are appropriately applied.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There is a good match of teaching staff to the National Curriculum. Accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory, but the school is in need of decoration. The library lacks books and this has an adverse effect on pupils’ skills of independent learning.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Parents find the staff very approachable. • Children like coming to school. • Children make good progress. • The school is very well led and managed. • Standards could be higher. • The range of after-school clubs. • A minority of parents would like more homework.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views and also agree that standards need to improve. However, inspectors disagree with parents on the range of after-school clubs and homework, as both of these are judged satisfactory. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The national test results and the teachers’ assessments in 2002 showed that, by the end of Year 2, standards in reading and writing were well below national averages and were in the bottom five per cent nationally in comparison with all schools. In mathematics, standards were well below average. In comparison with similar schools, standards in reading were well below average and were in the bottom five per cent nationally in writing; in mathematics, standards were well below average. Standards in science were well below the national average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. By the end of Year 6, in comparison with all schools nationally, standards were well below average in English and science, and in mathematics they were well below average, being in the bottom five per cent nationally. In comparison with similar schools, standards were in line with national averages in English, they were well below in mathematics and were below national averages in science. In relation to their prior attainment at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils made good progress in English, satisfactory progress in science, and unsatisfactory progress in mathematics. Overall, progress in the core subjects was satisfactory. In the infants and juniors, over three years, statistics show that the performance of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics fell below the national averages with no significant differences in attainment by gender. In all core subjects, too few pupils attained the higher levels, especially by the end of Year 2 in reading and writing. The school met

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

its targets in English but not in mathematics. The performance of ethnic minority pupils in relation to their targets was good. The school faces many challenges in raising standards:

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

• Pupils entering the school have poor language, mathematical and personal development skills. • Many of the pupils have behavioural and emotional problems and a significant number have experienced family break-ups. • A high percentage of pupils have SEN and EAL. Once they are taught the skills necessary for learning, these pupils make rapid progress but initially this takes time and often, by the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils are not quite up to speed although, in relation to their prior attainment, they achieve well. • The school’s internal assessments indicate that many pupils who leave the school other than at times of normal transfer, are high attainers, those who enter at other times are generally below average attainers and have not had the opportunity to start their education at this school. • There are high mobility levels throughout the school. • Local industry attracts many people from abroad who are employed on short-term

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

contracts. The school’s tracking of pupils shows that, although these pupils are second language learners and achieve well, often they go back to their country after only two years of being at the school. • Several below average attaining pupils arrived at the school just before the administration of the national tests, depressing the test scores. • The school has had several staffing issues and this has resulted in discontinuity in learning as there has been 50 per cent turnover of staff. • The headteacher has been off work due to illness and, in her absence, the deputy headteacher, who normally teachers Year 6, has had to run the school. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 13 • The school has been involved in a legal issue; this has been painstakingly time- consuming for management and has slowed down the implementation of the school action plan. • Pupils have significant barriers to learning, short-term memory, inability to

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

concentrate, impoverished literacy and numeracy skills, turbulent lifestyles; several have serious illnesses and some are under-nourished. • Attendance and punctuality are issues which the school is addressing, but many parents still do not see the value of sending their children to school regularly. • Many children have not experienced pre-school education and do not know how to play.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The school recognises the many difficulties that the children experience and all staff are highly committed to raising standards, as evidenced by the overall good quality of teaching. The school development plan identifies appropriate priorities and the school’s systems for self-evaluation are good. The Early Years Centre is now very successfully completing its first year of existence. The excellent provision is already having a significant impact on pupils’ attainment, as children in the Foundation Stage of learning are now making very good progress in relation to their very low attainment on entry. Academic standards are rising very quickly. However, it will take some time before pupils’ very good achievements are reflected in national test results. The school is well placed to raise standards as all staff are fully aware of what needs to be done, and effective performance management is in place. During the inspection,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

when certain shortcomings were pointed out, staff were readily putting forward ideas as to how aspects of their practice could be altered. This verve and enthusiasm are typical of the staff of this school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Inspection findings show that, whilst standards are low, pupils nevertheless are achieving well in relation to their prior attainment. Standards are rising, but are not yet evident in national test scores, although there is a marked improvement this year in the standards attained by the children at the end of the Foundation Stage, where the majority of children attain the ELGs in personal, social and emotional development, physical development, creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Children who are above average attainers attain the ELG in communication, language and literacy and in mathematical development, but overall attainment in these areas is below that expected nationally. Attainment on entry to Year 1 in September 2003 will be below that expected of children of this age. However, this has not always been the case and the present Year 2 pupils had poor attainment on

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

entry. In relation to their prior attainment, progress of the present Year 2 has been judged as good overall. The school has kept appropriate records to demonstrate how the present Year 2 pupils have moved on in their learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Inspection findings show that, by the end of Year 2, standards in speaking and listening, writing and mathematics are well below national averages. In reading, standards are in line with national averages. In science, standards are below national averages. Overall, pupils’ achievements in relation to their prior attainment are variable, they are good overall but inconsistent. They are very good in reading, satisfactory in mathematics, good in speaking and listening, writing and science. In all foundation subjects, pupils attain average standards and achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. However, in physical education standards are below average and progress is unsatisfactory. This is because pupils are not sufficiently challenged in Year 1 and they have difficulty in working as a team. In geography, pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall but they could be better; this is because

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

teachers’ planning does not focus sufficiently on clear identification of geographical skills. In ICT, pupils attain average standards and their achievements are Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 14 satisfactory. In religious education, pupils meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and their achievements are good because of the high emphasis placed on teaching pupils about other faiths.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. In the infants, pupils make inconsistent gains in learning because the quality of teaching is variable. Rates of progress are better in Year 2 than in Year 1; this is largely due to inconsistencies in the way assessment data is used. Too often pupils in Year 1 repeat what they have learnt in the Foundation Stage and this slows down the rates of progress. As the usual Year 1 teacher was on maternity leave, the present Year 1 had only been taught by the replacement teacher for a few days prior to the inspection and, as yet, the use of assessment to inform the next steps of pupils’ learning has not been fully established.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ rates of progress improve because by now they have acquired sufficient skills to tackle learning in all subjects. Standards in English, mathematics and science are below national averages and pupils’ achievements are good. In ICT standards are in line with national averages and pupils’ achievements are good. In religious education, pupils meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and make good gains in learning. They achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. In all other subjects, pupils attain average standards and achieve well, with the exception of geography, where standards are below the national average and pupils’ achievements are unsatisfactory. This is because the geography curriculum is not covered in sufficient depth to ensure that pupils have sufficient time to acquire systematic knowledge of geographical skills; the priority of the school has been to

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

raise standards in core subjects. Whilst pupils receive a broad curriculum, and cover the Programmes of Study for geography, they have difficulty in remembering what they have learnt because skills are not covered in sufficient depth.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In spite of the many barriers that pupils have in their learning, they are making good progress overall, with the best rates of progress being made in the Early Years Centre and Year 6 because of the very good teaching. Progress is inconsistent in Years 1 and 5 but the school has already put a programme of support into action. By the end of Years 2 and 6 in speaking, pupils struggle with expressing their opinions because they lack a range of adjectives and adverbs and they have difficulty in explaining their thinking. Above average attaining pupils speak with developing confidence, but average and below average attainers often confuse their tenses. By the end of both Years 2 and 6 in writing, pupils struggle with punctuation and spelling, but their writing shows that they are ordering their thinking and many of them are applying their knowledge of the use of connectives and above average attaining pupils

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

can use extended sentences. At times, their progress is restricted because of the over-use of worksheets which prevent the flow of writing. In both the infants and the juniors, pupils read well. They have good decoding skills and they can self-correct, they have good knowledge of phonics and their achievements in relation to their prior attainment are very good. However, their spelling of key words in the vast majority of subjects is weak and unsatisfactory overall. Pupils’ research skills are satisfactory, but the lack of books to support all subjects of the National Curriculum in the library is unsatisfactory, and this prevents pupils from making even better progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In mathematics, pupils make satisfactory progress in the infants and good progress in the juniors, because of the very good teaching in Year 6. Pupils are acquiring good skills of calculation and generally know when and how to use their skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They are making good gains in developing their mental strategies, but their learning is often restricted by the over-use of worksheets. Pupils experience difficulty in problem-solving and have to think very Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 15 hard as to which mathematical operation they need to apply. Too often, the work that they are presented with is not linked to real-life contexts and pupils fail to see how this relates to their own experiences.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. By the end of both Years 2 and 6 in science, pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment and make good gains in learning in all the programmes of study, with the exception of experimental and investigative science, where progress is satisfactory overall but could be better. Pupils are not encouraged sufficiently to record their findings in a variety of ways, although some good examples were seen in Year 2 and Year 4. Pupils know and acquire facts quickly in all the Programmes of Study but their development of scientific skills is only satisfactory, because these skills are not rigorously identified in teachers’ planning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. In ICT, by the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment and achieve average standards but their rates of progress are inconsistent. Examples of good progress were seen in Year 5. The school has had many break-ins and staff have had to wait for replacement equipment. Overall, pupils know how to use computers and, in Years 3 to 6, a great deal of enthusiasm is generated when pupils produce their own newspaper. Satisfactory use is made of ICT to support learning in all subjects and pupils use the Internet and CD-Roms well when looking for information to support learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. In religious education, at the end of Year 6, pupils attain the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and make good gains in learning. They have good knowledge of world faiths and understand the meaning of symbolism in religious practices.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. Throughout the school, pupils use their knowledge of literacy, numeracy and ICT soundly but, with more formal identification in medium-term planning, pupils will have further opportunities to consolidate learning. Overall the use of literacy, numeracy and ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. Overall, whilst pupils’ achievements are good, standards need to be raised further in all subjects. With the exception of geography in the juniors and physical education in the infants, pupils’ achievements have improved since the previous inspection, especially in design and technology and ICT, where good improvements have been made. All groups of pupils are effectively challenged and pupils with SEN and EAL make good progress. The attainment and progress of pupils with SEN and ethnic minority pupils are good. Pupils who are above average attainers (though very few) have their needs met well and make good progress. The school is fully inclusive in all of its practices.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The children in the Foundation Stage of learning make very good progress in developing their attitudes, values and personal development. They have positive attitudes to learning and are curious about the natural world. They readily undertake their activities and cannot wait to have hands on experience of all the very good learning opportunities provided by the teachers. Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development are good and standards have been maintained since the last inspection with the exception of attendance, which is unsatisfactory. Pupils arrive happily to school and, because the first two sessions are registration and assembly, pupils who arrive late are settled for the start of the literacy or numeracy hour. During lessons the majority of pupils work hard and are keen to be involved, indeed, in a Year 3 literacy class, working on spelling patterns, they were ‘falling off their seats in

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 16 eagerness to answer’. In well-taught lessons pupils are fully engaged and show a high level of response. Of especial note is the standard of presentation and neatness in pupils’ work and the efforts made to produce good handwriting. There are clear interest and involvement in the extra-curricular activities and all the clubs are well attended; this is especially true of the study club provided for Year 6 pupils, which has nearly 100 per cent attendance. Pupils respond well to the differentiation in work provided for differing ability groups and respond well to appropriate and skilled intervention by teachers and classroom assistants. As a result, pupils in all ability groups are confident enough to read out or perform their own work to the whole class. However, in Year 1 pupils experience difficulty in working together and, throughout the school, valuable opportunities are lost for pupils to develop their skills of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

independence, problem solving, research and independent learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Behaviour in the school is good, a fact acknowledged and appreciated by parents. In the classroom, except for a small number of pupils with behaviour problems, pupils respond well to the calm and purposeful classroom management and remain attentive and involved for considerable periods. During breaks and at lunchtime pupils play together well with lots of games in progress, including some of the younger pupils making daisy chains. Some of the play is boisterous but none of it is rough or hurtful. Bullying is well under control as a result of the Healthy School initiative and the supervision of staff and older pupils who act as playground buddies. In the past year there have been seven exclusions. The school has dealt with these pupils and has followed correct procedures.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils’ personal development is good and their appreciation of others values and beliefs was clearly demonstrated in a religious education lesson where a pupil explained his prayer rituals and their part in his everyday life and was loudly applauded. In the classroom, pupils have responsibility for the day-to-day running of the classroom acting as monitors for each of the appropriate activities, and older pupils organise preparation for assemblies and act as playground mentors. These pupils are chosen because of their qualities as role models, which are enhanced by appropriate training. Pupils discuss targets for learning and behaviour with their teachers and, in some cases, take responsibility for their achievement; others need constant reinforcement by adults. Relationships in the school are very good and well modelled by the adults in the school. Teachers like the pupils in their care and enjoy

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

good relationships with them, resulting in many positive and productive lessons. The school has made considerable efforts in encouraging co-operation and team play as part of the Healthy Schools project and this is apparent in the playground; however, in an interview, Year 6 pupils admitted that sometimes they find it very difficult to work as a team and to accept the leadership of their peers. Special educational needs pupils and those with EAL are fully involved in the social life of the school and, as they make up 26 per cent of the school population, they play an important role in whole school life. There are high levels of mobility in the school which makes considerable efforts to ensure new pupils have a happy start to life in their new school; interviews with pupils showed that this has been very successful.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Attendance in 2001/2 was in the bottom ten per cent of English schools at 92.7 per cent but an analysis of this academic year’s figures does show some improvement. Poor attendance can be accounted for in some measure by long absences abroad and the unwillingness of some parents to insist on regular attendance. There is no doubt that this is affecting the learning of pupils and consequently their chances of future success. Punctuality, too, can be a problem for some pupils and, whenever possible, should be addressed by the school. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 17

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. During the week of inspection, 47 lessons were observed of which one was excellent, seven were very good, 20 were good, 18 were satisfactory and one was unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The overall quality of teaching is good throughout the school, but inconsistent, with the best teaching in the Early Years Centre and in Year 6. Examples of good teaching were seen in Years 3, 4 and 5. One excellent lesson was seen in Year 6 history, and one unsatisfactory lesson was seen in science in Year 1. The quality of teaching is better in the juniors than it is in the infants, although examples of good teaching were seen in Year 2. the good quality of teaching has been maintained since the previous inspection in spite of nearly 50 per cent of staff turnover. The weaknesses in the teaching of speaking and listening, reading, writing and numeracy have been successfully addressed due to the effective monitoring of teaching by the headteacher.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The quality of teaching in the Early Years Centre is very good and, at times, inspirational, it has a very positive effect on children’s learning and all groups of children make very good progress. The co-ordinator for early years and her support staff are highly effective practitioners who know how to engage young children in learning. Day-to-day planning is exemplary, with a clear focus defined for every activity. Very good assessments are undertaken of children and, as a result of the detailed information, tasks are set to meet their needs. Children make very good gains in all areas of learning because the work is challenging and interesting. For example, in a music lesson with the oldest children in the reception class, the teaching assistant had very high expectations. She asked the children to record the notes that they had played on to a manuscript. The children executed the task very

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

well and could name the notes that they were recording. An excellent balance of teaching basic skills, through structured play activities, with children using all of their senses, is established. A particularly strong feature of teaching, which has a significant impact on children’s learning, is the very good quality of relationships. Staff are very supportive, they use praise effectively and ensure that children have access to good quality resources.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good overall. Teachers teach basic skills well, especially skills of reading, and this has a very positive effect on pupils’ learning as they are able to decipher unknown words well and many of them read with appropriate expression and intonation. Teachers have secure knowledge of the literacy and numeracy strategies, offer good explanations and make sure that pupils are well supported in lessons. Occasionally, some teachers use texts in literacy that are too easy, resulting in pupils not having sufficient opportunities to develop their knowledge of sentence structures and too few opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their skills of independent learning. At times insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to write, using grammatical point arising out of texts studied and pupils are not sufficiently encouraged to mark and check their work. In mathematics,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

teachers use too many worksheets, preventing pupils from developing their recording and problem solving skills. All support staff make a very valuable contribution to pupils’ learning, resulting in all groups of pupils having full access to the curriculum. The teaching of pupils with SEN and EAL is good. Very detailed records are kept of pupils’ achievements and clear pointers for improvement are identified. The co- ordinator for SEN, who is also the co-ordinator for EAL, knows the needs of these pupils well and ensures that all teachers are aware of what the gaps are in these pupils’ learning. Pupils with SEN and EAL receive regular support and make good Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 18 gains in relation to their targets. Pupils interviewed said that they feel secure in their learning because staff are always at hand to help them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory, although, sometimes, insufficient reference is made to pupils’ previous learning and what the outcomes will be for each group of pupils at the end of the lesson. This is particularly the case of teachers in Year 1 and Year 5 and, as a result, learning slows down. Furthermore, in Year 1, insufficient notice is taken of the very good achievement of pupils coming up from the Foundation Stage and sometimes pupils repeat what they have already learnt, slowing progress. For example, a science lesson seen was unsatisfactory because the teacher’s expectations were not high enough and pupils had already covered knowledge about the senses, using feely bags. Insufficient emphasis was placed upon developing scientific skills of prediction, observation and hypothesis and all groups of pupils made unsatisfactory progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Overall, teachers’ expectations are satisfactory in both the infants and juniors. The highest expectations are in Year 6, where the teacher continuously challenges her pupils into developing new awareness. When revising questions for the science national tests, the class teacher ensured that plenty of examples were given from previous lessons to enable pupils to recall what they had already learnt and place that learning in an unfamiliar context. In an excellent Year 6 history lesson, pupils were investigating the conditions for children in mines in Victorian times. The teacher provided good opportunities for research which gave pupils the opportunity to take notes and later, through the use of role play, to demonstrate their learning, thus focusing very carefully on developing pupils’ skills of empathy. In this lesson, pupils made excellent gains in learning because of the excellent skills of the class teacher

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

who helped pupils to develop their confidence in speaking during role work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers use a wide range of teaching methods, for example, the use of talking partners in literacy is having a very positive effect, not only in developing pupils’ listening skills, but also in forging very good opportunities for social development. In numeracy, good use is made of whiteboards which pupils use for mathematical calculations. When held up in class sessions, teachers have a good overview of concepts that pupils struggle with.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Support staff contribute well to the management of pupils’ behaviour, they follow the school behaviour code and always insist that pupils are given opportunities to explain their actions and learn from their mistakes. This has a positive effect on pupils’ moral development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Generally, teachers give good introductions to lessons. In a very good literacy lesson seen in Year 2, where pupils were being taught to write non-fiction text, the class teacher used very good questioning skills to ascertain pupils’ learning from the previous lesson and skilfully introduced the learning objective, relating it to pupils’ previous learning by saying: “Do you remember when we talked about the difference between fiction and non-fiction texts? Well, which type of text do you think this extract belongs to?” Pupils’ hands shot up in the air because they had made the connection to learning that they had previously acquired. In a good lesson in Year 4, the class teacher pushed pupils for examples of adjectives and adverbs which, in a letter to the city council, could be used to persuade the council for more bus lanes on Ilkeston Road. Pupils found it hard to remember words that would grip the interest of the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

reader, but the class teacher modelled a few, such as ‘urgent’, ‘utmost importance’ and pupils contributed their suggestions freely, knowing what was expected of them. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 19 28. A weakness in teaching is the marking of pupils’ work. There is a lack of emphasis placed on ensuring that pupils follow up corrections that have been made and, whilst teachers mark work regularly and the quality of marking is satisfactory overall, too few pointers are provided for improvement and teachers’ marking does not always relate directly to pupils’ targets. This sometimes results in pupils not being aware of their targets.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teachers are fully aware of the priorities of the school development plan and their own performance management targets relating to pupils’ progress. For example, standards in reading have risen because the school rightly identified this as an area for improvement. Guided and shared reading lessons observed, showed that teachers placed great emphasis on enabling their pupils to segment words, make meaning from text and self-correct. Basic skills are taught well and this is having a positive effect on learning. However, further emphasis needs to be placed on ensuring that teachers make clear links between shared reading and writing and pupils’ independent work as, on occasions, pupils were engaged in tasks that did not require them to practise the learning objective of the lesson and, as a result, valuable learning opportunities were lost.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Time and resources are generally used well. Lessons move along at an appropriate pace and pupils are given time to consolidate their work and think about the tasks that have been set. Resources, including ICT, are appropriately used to support learning in the classrooms, but too few opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their research skills and skills of independent learning by using the library, which at present lacks books to support all areas of the National Curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. The use of homework is satisfactory, but further emphasis could be placed on giving pupils subject-specific words to improve their spelling, as scrutiny of work reveals that, too often, these are spelt incorrectly in pupils’ written work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. Since the previous inspection, the quality of teaching has improved, especially in literacy and numeracy. This is a direct result of the effective implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, monitoring of teaching and learning, and implementation of performance management. As yet, not all of the teachers are benefiting from sharing the very good practice within the school, this is an area which the school has identified for improvement.

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PUPILS?

33. The learning opportunities offered to children in the Foundation Stage of learning are excellent. The curriculum is very well planned. Every activity is underpinned by a clear learning objective and excellent opportunities are provided for all children to learn using all of their senses. The layout of the classrooms provides excellent opportunities for children to develop their skills of independence. The outside area provides excellent opportunities for children to develop their co-ordination, linguistic, numerical and social skills because of the very good planning undertaken by staff.

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PUPILS?

34. The learning opportunities offered to pupils with SEN and EAL are good. The curriculum is broad and balanced, with the exception of geography in Years 3 to 6, where it is just satisfactory. Teachers ensure that these pupils have full access to all learning opportunities and all staff are vigilant to pupils’ needs. On occasions, pupils are withdrawn from lessons to receive extra support, enabling them to access the curriculum. The educational rationale for this is well founded and convincing. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 20 35. The school provides a good range of learning opportunities for pupils in Years 1 to 6. In most cases, lessons cover the required curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. They are enriched by visits to places of educational interest and visitors and there are good opportunities to learn outside normal school hours. The school has good links with the community that have a positive impact on pupils’

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PUPILS?

36. The previous report did not include a clear judgement about the quality of the learning opportunities provided by the school. However, there have been improvements in pupils’ personal, social and health education. The previous report also noted that lower and higher attaining pupils were sometimes not supported well enough in mixed age classes. Although there is only one mixed age class now, there is still some lack of support for some pupils. This is because the work they do is not always matched closely enough to what they already know. The school has recognised the need to ensure that data from assessment is used to support the next steps of learning.

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PUPILS?

37. Teachers’ use of nationally recommended guidelines for teaching and planning helps to ensure that subjects are covered in sufficient depth and breadth. The school successfully uses the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The school’s use of these strategies is a key factor in pupils’ good achievement in English and mathematics. However, the current Year 6 pupils have not covered the geography curriculum in sufficient depth to make sure that their attainment will be at the level expected by the time they leave the school and standards are below those expected nationally. There is now a good programme for pupils’ sex education and personal, health and social education, including drugs awareness lessons and citizenship. The programme makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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PUPILS?

38. The previous report identified some shortcomings in planning lessons in mathematics. The school has successfully adopted the national strategy for teaching numeracy which has helped to overcome these. The school also effectively implements the National Literacy Strategy. As a result, the school teaches basic literacy skills in English and numeracy well. The teachers’ effective use of these strategies, in particular the development of literacy in other subjects, is an important factor in good achievement in English and mathematics. However, although teachers are increasingly confident in the use of ICT and, although its use is satisfactory overall in most subjects, it is not used consistently. This is also the case for literacy and numeracy. Where they are used, there is a positive effect on raising standards; teachers’ medium-term plans do not always formally identify these valuable learning

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PUPILS?

39. There is a good range of visits and visitors that enhance lessons in different subjects. These activities help to enrich pupils’ academic, personal and social development and include visits to the local church to learn about Christian festivals, museums, a local farm, and a science park. Visitors to the school include sports coaches for football, tennis and basketball. The local vicar leads some assemblies and parents have been into school to talk about their religions. The school provides a good range of activities outside normal school hours. There are clubs where pupils can take part in sporting, cultural and craft activities. The revision club for Year 6 pupils has been well attended. Year 1 pupils have had the opportunity to take part in the ‘Bookworm Club’ which has helped to increase their literacy skills in an enjoyable way. A small group of pupils produces the award-winning school newspaper, thus enhancing their literacy,

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PUPILS?

ICT and organisational skills. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 21 40. The school also works well with the local community for the benefit of pupils. The classes for parents, run by an Adult Education group, encourage parents to come into school, helping to forge links between home and school. The partnership between the school and other community professionals, health workers for example, helps to improve pupils’ (and parents’) understanding of community issues. Pupils have been involved well in designing parts of the school as part of the area improvement programme. These activities give pupils a stake in their community and are contributory factors to pupils’ emerging skills of citizenship.

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PUPILS?

41. The school has sound links with other educational institutions that benefit pupils’ education. Year 6 pupils have visited the secondary school they are transferring to in September. Staff from that school have also visited these pupils, and former pupils will be visiting to talk about transfer. These activities help to ensure that pupils are ready to move on without undue anxiety. Each year, a number of students from the university work in school as part of their community action programme. However, there are no continuing partnerships with teacher training institutions, although informal arrangements benefit students and the school, for example, when students spend time in school before attending such establishments. These activities benefit pupils because the students not only work with the pupils but also offer extra support and subject expertise to teachers.

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PUPILS?

42. The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This demonstrates a good level of improvement since the last inspection when provision was judged satisfactory. The adults who work within the school place a strong emphasis on supporting pupils’ personal development and many initiatives foster this in a number of different ways. Assemblies, for example, provide good opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school has a clear policy for personal, social and health education which includes good provision for these aspects, for example anti-bullying and an anti-drugs education programme amongst others.

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PUPILS?

43. The school’s provision for spiritual development is good. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. In religious education, pupils learn the meanings of religious festivals from different faiths, for example, Easter and Diwali. Personal, social and health education is being increasingly used to help pupils to consider their own feelings. Pupils are given good opportunities in lessons to think about their own experiences and feelings as well as to reflect on how others might feel in a range of situations. The positive message of the ‘Kool Kidz’ initiative during the week of the inspection was to be considerate to others. Pupils learn about the inspiration provided by famous people, for example Mother Theresa’s self-sacrifice in serving the poor and sick in Calcutta. Pupils experience delight and amazement in lessons, for example when looking at a dandelion seed, using a computer

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PUPILS?

microscope and when learning about the intricate work of William Morris.

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PUPILS?

44. Provision for moral development is also good. This is similar to the picture reported in the school’s previous inspection report. Classroom rules, for promoting good behaviour, learning habits and co-operation are displayed in every classroom. The children learn about the impact that their behaviour can have on others in day-to-day interaction with teachers and classmates and through the school’s personal development programme, which includes citizenship education. These initiatives have a positive impact on pupils’ behaviour, promoting positive attitudes to school and a hard-working environment. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 22 45. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. Pupils find out about some of their cultural heritage, including that of the wide range of groups within the country, through lessons in a range of subjects, in assemblies and in other school

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PUPILS?

activities. Pupils have visited their local church to learn more about Christian rituals such as baptism and weddings. Although there have been no recent visits to places of worship of other religions, parents representing Islam and Sikhism have talked to classes about their faiths. Pupils learn about the different symbols from different faiths. These activities help pupils to understand the customs and beliefs of those who live in this country. There is a ‘composer of the month’ whose music is played as pupils enter and leave assembly. Pupils have visited Nottingham Playhouse and been amazed at the décor and size of the stage in the theatre. The whole school took part in a range of activities about the time of the Golden Jubilee. During a recent celebration of the Chinese New Year, a parent helped by demonstrating how the dragon might dance. This wide range of activities makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ understanding of this country’s background.

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PUPILS?

Aspects of other cultures are used as the basis for some lessons, for example, African motifs in printing.

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PUPILS?

46. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural development, reported above, all have a very positive impact on their social development, which is very good. This is very good improvement since the last inspection when the provision was reported to be satisfactory. Pupils learn to become responsible members of the school as well as of the local and wider community. They take on responsibility for tasks in the classroom and around the school. Year 4 pupils work with the reception class in music, aiding the social development of the pupils involved. Older pupils learn about relevant social issues in lessons, for example, in their study of the Victorians. A group of pupils looks after others’ welfare in the playground. They are also responsible for training the next group in their duties. Those pupils who take part in the bi-annual residential visit have very good opportunities to live and work as members of a community during that time. Pupils

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PUPILS?

have very good opportunities to have a positive impact on their environment. They have designed plans for the playground, the school signs and motifs for the school gate as part of the local regeneration programme. The school’s involvement in local community projects, such as the Health and Education Partnership and the ‘Young Toes, Old Toes’ dance project with senior citizens, also helps pupils to understand what it means to be a useful member of society. The Jigsaw Group helps some pupils with considerable social disadvantages to develop and practise those skills that are important to everyday life and learning. The school supports charities, for example, taking part in a range of activities during Red Nose Day. This contribution helps pupils to consider those less fortunate than themselves.

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PUPILS?

47. Provision for pupils with SEN and EAL. Pupils are fully integrated into the classroom context for all aspects of the curriculum. Within the classroom they receive good support from teachers. The writing of individual education plans shows that the school has adjusted well to the new Code of Practice. Most of the targets on these plans are specific to individual pupil’s needs and clearly show the small steps needed for them to make progress. For example, literacy targets are clearly defined and specific, providing a good guide for teachers’ planning and good signposts with which to measure progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. There has been satisfactory progress since the last inspection in this area of school life. There is a good induction programme for the youngest children starting the Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 23 school. All pupils are very well known to their teachers, the SEN and EMAG co- ordinator and more generally across the school. The school meets the individual needs of all pupils well, including those with SEN and EAL. Relevant outside agencies including educational psychologists, education and cognition team and the sensory unit, work closely with the school helping pupils. The nurture unit, Jigsaw, makes a very significant contribution to the learning and personal development of those pupils with emotional and psychological difficulties.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The school provides a safe environment for pupils where the responsibility for their health, safety and security is treated seriously. Routine checks are done on a daily basis by the caretaker and in depth checks are carried out by the headteacher, teacher representative and governor at regular intervals. Risk assessments are carried out before a visit and the member of staff with overall responsibility has received training. The police, fire brigade, road safety unit, trading standards, and water and electricity workers contribute to pupils’ awareness of safety. Parents have been asked for permission for their children to use the Internet. Child protection procedures are fully in place and staff well trained. As part of the Healthy Schools programme in 2001, the school undertook an audit of school practice, which revealed emotional health and well being as a priority for development. The playground was

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

chosen as the area through which development could be achieved; as a result, pupils were asked how they felt about playtime and a number of initiatives put in place to improve the quality of time spent in the playground. The result has been a lessening of conflict, with pupils returning to the classroom ready to work.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The promotion and monitoring of attendance are satisfactory overall, a fall in standards since the last inspection, when they were said to be very good. However, standards of attendance are now unsatisfactory and in the bottom ten per cent in the country. This is largely due to the high percentage of pupil mobility, although some parents are not fully aware of the benefits of education for their children. The school has been set a target of 95 per cent attendance by the governors and it is improving this year in all classes. Registers are completed in line with local guidelines but there is no routine for immediate contact with parents when a pupil fails to arrive at school without prior notification from parents. All requests for holidays are granted, however long the period of absence. There is no central record of lateness, giving the time of arrival and the reasons for it, and registers are only monitored monthly or when the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

education welfare officer (EWO) visits. Parents of pupils causing concern are visited by the EWO and court action is now being considered against one family. Parents appear unaware of the seriousness of continued absence from school to their children’s future and the school should now raise the profile of attendance at every opportunity. The school is working hard at rectifying this issue.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The school continues to have very good procedures for the support and promotion of the good behaviour demonstrated in the school; these are based on the consistent application of behaviour strategies, including the development of self-esteem through praise and encouragement. In the classrooms, teachers effectively use positive reinforcement of appropriate behaviour and the non-acceptance of inappropriate behaviour to make their expectations clear. As a result, there is little time spent dealing with behaviour problems and pupils make the most of the time for learning. Good behaviour and effort are celebrated in the classroom and at the achievements assemblies, and both parents and children understand the system of rewards and sanctions set out in the Code of Good Behaviour signed by pupils and witnessed by parents and carers. The school carefully monitors incidents of inappropriate behaviour and any racial incidents, which are minimal, and involves parents in the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

behaviour management of their children at an early stage. Bullying in the school is at Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 24 a low level and pupils interviewed feel confident in the playground and around the school that any incidents of rough play or unwanted attention will be dealt with swiftly by the playground mentors or an adult. Nevertheless, there were eight exclusions in the last academic year, involving pupils who have great difficulty controlling their behaviour, however, the school and other agencies worked hard to ensure their return was in circumstances which provided support for themselves and other members of the school community.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The school’s personal development procedures are good. Pupils are given a very wide range of experiences to boost their self-confidence and social skills; these include a weekend residential stay at an adventure centre, the school computer club production of a regular newspaper, visits, visitors and sport and a successful bid, which will see the school taking an active part in the local multicultural carnival. Pupils’ achievements and experiences are acknowledged in newsletters to parents, achievement assemblies and the school newspaper, which itself has been celebrated by being chosen to illustrate a book. Pupils are helped to understand where they need to improve their learning by the discussion of targets with parents and teachers. These can take the form of academic or personal, behavioural targets, which are fully appreciated by pupils who realise their value in improving performance. Pupils with

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

SEN are similarly familiar with their targets identified in individual education plans which are kept up to date and to hand in the classroom.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. Procedures for measuring pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics are good. In science and foundation subjects they are mostly satisfactory overall. Teachers use a range of tests, including optional end of year tests in English and mathematics, and their own expertise to judge how well pupils are doing. The results of the tests are analysed in detail so that teachers know which areas of these subjects are done well, and which need improving. Although they use the information gained from tests to set general targets for improvement, it is not used effectively to plan lessons that build on what individual pupils, or groups of pupils, need to know and understand. The pupils in some classes know what their targets for improvement are and that meeting these will help them with their work, but some are not aware of them. Teachers do not always stress the importance of these targets by reminding pupils to look at them before doing relevant work, or in their

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. The school’s procedures for checking pupils’ attainment and progress in other subjects are satisfactory overall but their use to inform the next steps of learning are variable, satisfactory overall but could be better, especially in physical education where they are unsatisfactory. As a result, teachers do not always have enough information to plan lessons to suit the different ability groups of pupils. In addition to this, teachers do not have enough information to write end of year reports that tell parents how well their children are performing.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. The provision for pupils with SEN is good. External agencies are used appropriately to the benefit of the pupils. Liaison with such agencies is good. The school provides good support and guidance, contributing positively to the progress pupils make. The school has good assessment and monitoring procedures for these pupils which enable progress over time to be tracked. These procedures also contribute to the early identification of pupils whose progress gives cause for concern. As soon as the school has a concern about a child’s progress, parents and carers are contacted. If, after initial support and monitoring, the concern remains, then they are invited into school to meet the SEN co-ordinator (SENCO). Parents and carers are invited to be involved in the setting of their child's individual education plan and in following up its Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 25 effectiveness. The plans are of good quality; they have specific, measurable targets

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

with clear indications of how these are to be achieved. Most focus on literacy, numeracy and behaviour. Pupils’ progress is regularly monitored against the targets on the individual education plan. Teachers and support assistants participate in this monitoring process as appropriate. An overall review of each individual education plan is held at least termly. Individual education plans are soundly constructed and give clear guidance to teachers and support assistants as to what action is required to meet particular pupils' needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The last inspection found that the school had satisfactory relationships with parents and in many ways there has been satisfactory progress since the last inspection. Prior to this inspection 50 per cent of parents responded to the questionnaire and 20 parents attended the parents’ meeting, a noticeable improvement since the previous report. Ninety two per cent and more of parents, in their replies, agree that their children are making good progress in a well-managed school that they like and where the teaching is good. They also agree that behaviour is good and their children are being helped to grow in maturity and responsibility through hard work and high expectations. As parents, they feel well-informed, comfortable talking to staff and say the school makes efforts to work closely with them. A minority of parents have reservations about the amounts of homework set and the range of activities outside

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

lessons. On this latter point the inspection team disagrees with parents and has found the level of extra-curricular activity and homework to be good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The school provides good links with parents beginning in the recently formed Foundation Unit. Here there has been increased support from parents on a day-to- day basis, encouraged by the discussions with staff and the wide range of information provided through displays and booklets. The newly published school brochure is well written and informative. In addition, the weekly newsletters and other correspondence keep parents fully up to date with all areas of school life including, for example, staff matters, dates for diaries, adult education courses and such matters as break-ins. The cloakroom notice boards enlarge on curriculum matters. The school has now started successful curriculum workshops, the most recent being a mathematics event when parents were able to join in lessons demonstrated by pupils. These were well attended. Parents of Year 2 and 6 pupils are provided with workshops on the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

standard assessment tests (SATs) to ensure they know how to help their children achieve their best, and they are offered a series of times to make attendance easy.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. Parents of pupils with SEN and those whose children have EAL are kept informed and involved with setting targets for their children and any review processes. Two parents of children with serious SEN were interviewed during the inspection and were very pleased with the involvement and support provided by the school for their children.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. The school holds three parents’ evenings a year, which are very well attended and it is at these meetings that parents are consulted about pupils’ targets. Reports on pupils’ achievements need to be more focused with details of where pupils can and should improve and how this can be done. The school makes every effort to inform parents of any behaviour issues encountered in school, but needs to continue to work with parents in relation to ensuring that they see the value of sending their children to school on a regular basis.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. Help provided at home is minimal as many parents lack the confidence and skills to become fully involved; apart from the Early Years Centre there is little active help by Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 26 parents in the school. The lack of a Parent/Teachers Association or Friends of the School does limit the fund raising abilities of the school as well as limiting the social interaction within the community. In spite of this, when an issue arose about entry to a secondary school, parents were able to organise a very effective and successful lobby. One area where parents could make an enormous contribution to their children’s learning and future prospects is by ensuring that they are in school 100 per cent of the school year and this they sadly fail to do. Many take their children abroad for extended periods; others allow very minor indispositions to extend into days away,

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

whilst a considerable minority fails to communicate with the school in any way when their children are absent. Children need to be at school to make the most of the considerable opportunities open to them.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. Parents and carers of pupils with SEN are appropriately involved in identifying their needs, and they are involved in the reviewing process.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The overall strong and effective leadership and management have been maintained since the last inspection. Under the very good leadership of the headteacher the school has made good improvement since last inspected. The weaknesses identified in the last report have been largely addressed. Standards have risen in English and mathematics, but there is still some way to go in these areas. Pupils now have more opportunities for the acquisition of personal and social skills with the result that, by Year 6, pupils display good initiative and personal responsibility around school. The establishment of the Early Years Centre has brought about considerable improvement in the provision for the nursery and reception children and all concerns in this area, expressed in the last report, have been fully addressed. The teaching and overall provision for children in the centre are very good. There has been good

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

improvement in the provision for both design and technology and ICT and standards have risen in both these areas.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The headteacher has a very clear vision of how she wants the school to develop further. She has communicated this well to governors and staff with the result that they share this vision about future priorities and how to achieve them. The school’s aims and values are wholly appropriate, reflecting both this vision and a strong commitment to equal opportunities. Most staff have taken steps to make their work more effective and there is a good commitment to improvement. A hardworking deputy headteacher supports the headteacher very effectively in her striving to improve the school. The headteacher is totally dedicated to the pupils and their families and continuously strives to secure funding that will help her pupils receive the best possible learning opportunities.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The headteacher provides governors with good information about the school’s performance. The headteacher and the office administrator, herself a governor, keep governors well informed on spending. Many governors, including the chairperson, are frequent visitors to the school and some regularly visit classrooms. As a result, they have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This enables them to play an effective part in strategic management. Governors are a committed and loyal team who give generously of their time and effectively support and contribute to the school’s improvement. They are well led by a well-informed chairperson, and fulfil their responsibilities well.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The quality of financial management and control is good, with any additional funding, such as that for staff training and to support pupils with SEN, being used effectively. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 27 Funding derived from the EMAG is handled well and has a positive effect on standards. Governors are fully involved in budgeting and they carefully monitor spending. In managing the finances, the headteacher and governors receive very good support from the school office administrator. Effective use is made of computer technology to support the budgeting process and financial monitoring. The school works hard, endeavouring to get the best value for money from the spending decisions it makes. Although the school does not have a school council, pupils are consulted on a range of issues. For example, their views on what conditions are like in the playground during playtimes have been sought and they have been able to

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

suggest ways in which playtime might be made a more enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Questionnaires are sometimes sent out to parents in order to seek their views on a range of issues.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The school’s development plan is a good working document, with a clear focus on managing change and supporting improvement. Costings are closely linked to school priorities and staff’s continuous professional development. Performance management is well established and the headteacher and deputy headteacher monitor teaching well.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. Co-ordinators generally fulfil their duties well but not all have monitored teaching and learning. There is a satisfactory number of teachers and support staff to meet pupils’ needs. The skilled learning support staff give good support in the classrooms and significantly contribute to the achievement of pupils, particularly in the nursery and reception classes. Administrative staff provide a welcoming first contact for parents and visitors and good support for the smooth running of the school. The school’s good system for the performance management of teachers aids the setting of school and individual targets for improvement. A recent whole-school target has focused on raising standards in speaking and listening. As a result, teachers have planned into lessons many more opportunities for pupils to engage in oral work. This has contributed to the recent slight improvement in pupils’ speaking skills. The system

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

incorporates good procedures for monitoring and improving teaching in English, mathematics and science. Teachers receive detailed evaluations of their teaching and good support, through advice and training, to enable them to improve their practice. Procedures for the induction of teachers new to the school are good.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The accommodation overall is satisfactory with some weaknesses. A main hall provides good learning opportunities for whole-school activities and physical education. All classrooms are at least of adequate size, with some being quite large. Library accommodation is poor, resulting in pupils being unable to fully develop their library skills. Some external parts of the site and buildings are in poor repair. For example, several window frames require replacing, paths and driveways are in a state of poor repair, as is the surface of the playground. Resources are satisfactory overall. Displays of pupils’ work help to provide a pleasant and stimulating learning environment around the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. Expenditure per pupil is average but, considering the good quality and range of learning opportunities provided, the overall good quality of teaching, the good behaviour and positive attitudes displayed by pupils and rising standards, the school provides good value for money. Due to the good leadership provided by the governors, the very good leadership of the headteacher and other senior staff, and the good quality of teaching, the school is well set to improve further and its capacity for improvement is good. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 28 70. The provision for pupils with SEN and EAL is well managed. Since the last inspection, systems have been updated to comply with new requirements to which the school has adjusted well. There is good liaison between the SENCO and class teachers with the result that all staff are properly informed so that they can offer soundly-targeted support and monitoring for each pupil.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 29

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

71. To raise standards further, the headteacher and governing body, together with help from the local education authority, should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in English, mathematics and science throughout the school, geography in Key Stage 2 and physical education in Key Stage 1 by:

p.29

English paragraphs 2, 8, 22, 29, 91, 92, 94, 95, 109, 125, 135

• providing more challenging text level work; • ensuring that independent activities in the literacy hour are closely related to the language patterns found in the text that pupils have been studying; • ensuring that information gained from test analysis is used to inform teachers’ planning throughout the school; • ensuring that pupils are given subject-specific words to learn as spellings; • ensuring that teachers always ask pupils for detail in the answers that they give and encourage the use of extended sentences; • providing further opportunities for pupils to check their spelling and punctuation; • ensuring that pupils have more opportunities to develop their research skills by using the library; • providing more non-fiction books to support all subjects of the National Curriculum, and ensuring that these are classified appropriately; • providing structured writing opportunities, to reinforce what pupils have learnt in

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English paragraphs 2, 8, 22, 29, 91, 92, 94, 95, 109, 125, 135

literacy lessons, in all other subjects;

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Mathematics paragraphs 9, 22, 100, 102, 103

• ensuring that more opportunities are provided for problem-solving in real life contexts; • limiting the use of worksheets; • ensuring that information from assessments is used to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning so that they can build upon their previous achievements; • ensuring that all pupils are fully aware of their targets;

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Science paragraphs 23, 107, 109, 112

• ensuring that medium-term plans clearly identify scientific skills that pupils are to acquire in each year group; • limiting the use of worksheets; • ensuring that pupils are given plenty of opportunities to set up experiments and record their findings in a variety of ways; • ensuring that pupils know how to spell key words associated with topics covered;

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Geography paragraphs (Key Stage 2) 7, 129, 130

• ensuring that sufficient time is allocated for pupils to cover all the Programmes of Study in sufficient depth; • providing more opportunities for pupils to recall what they have learnt, particularly the location of capitals and features of different places in England and less well- developed countries; • providing more opportunities for the use of ICT to support learning; Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 30

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Physical education paragraphs (Key Stage 1) 5, 15, 147, 150

• improving pupils’ concentration and co-operation skills in Year 1; • providing more opportunities for pupils’ skills of numeracy to be developed in lessons, such as skills of estimation and approximation; • ensuring that pupils have sufficient opportunities to practise the skills that have been demonstrated in lessons.

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Physical education paragraphs (Key Stage 1) 5, 15, 147, 150

(2) Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop their skills of independent learning, research and problem-solving by ensuring that: paragraphs 15, 125

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Physical education paragraphs (Key Stage 1) 5, 15, 147, 150

• the library is equipped with non-fiction books to support learning in all subjects; • pupils are regularly given opportunities to develop their research skills and solve problems, especially in real life contexts; • that pupils have more opportunities to record their findings in a variety of ways.

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Physical education paragraphs (Key Stage 1) 5, 15, 147, 150

(3) Improve curriculum planning by ensuring that: paragraphs 7, 13, 38

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Physical education paragraphs (Key Stage 1) 5, 15, 147, 150

• subject-specific skills are clearly identified in teachers’ medium-term plans; • all plans formally reflect opportunities for literacy, numeracy and ICT, and that there is consistency of application of these skills across the school; • assessment data is used to alter curriculum plans, depending on the needs of the pupils; • all subject co-ordinators monitor curriculum plans for subject-specific skills progression.

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Physical education paragraphs (Key Stage 1) 5, 15, 147, 150

(4) Improve assessment procedures in science and foundation subjects by:

p.30

paragraphs 5, 23, 36, 113, 119, 126, 130, 141, 151

• ensuring that units of work covered by pupils are regularly assessed, both for subject knowledge and acquisition of skills; • identifying skills and knowledge to be assessed at the end of each unit of work and use this information to plan the next steps of learning.

p.30

paragraphs 5, 23, 36, 113, 119, 126, 130, 141, 151

(5) Improve the quality of teaching further by ensuring that: paragraphs 22, 13, 28, 29,

p.30

31, 32, 53

• the planning clearly reflects the learning outcomes for all groups of pupils; • good practice is disseminated throughout the school; • assessment data is used rigorously to move pupils on in relation to their prior attainment, especially in Year 1; • teachers’ marking clearly identifies what pupils need to do in order to improve their work; • spelling mistakes are identified, and pupils are given opportunities to correct their errors; • subject specific words are given out as spellings to be learnt for homework. • all pupils are made fully aware of their targets; • all teachers have access to learning from examples of very good practice throughout the school. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 31 (6) Continue to raise attendance by: paragraphs 2, 18, 50, 60

p.30

31, 32, 53

• working with parents to ensure that they are made aware of the importance of attendance and punctuality on their children’s academic achievements; • visiting other schools and finding out ways that have proved to be effective; • ensuring that further rigour is applied in implementing procedures for monitoring attendance.

p.31

Minor issues

As and when funds allow: paragraphs 8, 68, 93, 117

p.31

Minor issues

• extend the library; • purchase more interactive whiteboards for demonstrating lessons in ICT; • develop the use of sketchbooks in art; • visit more art galleries. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 32

p.31

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 17

p.32

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.32

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 two percentage points.

p.32

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 14 141

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 53

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 1 40

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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 33

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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 41

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 36

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Attendance

School data 7.2 School data 0.1 Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 33 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.32

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 34

p.33

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 8 11 19

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys [ ] [ ] [ ] Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls [ ] [ ] [ ]

p.34

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

Percentage of pupils School 58 (73) 58 (67) 74 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys [ ] [ ] [ ] Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls [ ] [ ] [ ]

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

Percentage of pupils School 58 (67) 74 (83) 79 (67) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 12 11 23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys [ ] [ ] [ ] Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls [ ] [ ] [ ]

p.34

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

Percentage of pupils School 65 (77) 35 (54) 70 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.34

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

Boys [ ] [ ] [ ] Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls [ ] [ ] [ ]

p.34

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

Percentage of pupils School 65 (69) 48 (54) 70 (77) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.34

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 35 Individual boy/girl totals are not shown due to small cohort Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 36

p.34

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.36

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0

p.36

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 14 1 0

p.36

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0

p.36

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.36

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 16 0 0

p.36

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.36

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.

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7.6 Financial year 2001-2002

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.5

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 458,958

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 427,038

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 255.5 Expenditure per pupil 2,573

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 33,193

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 31,920

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 14.1

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 56.5 Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 37 Number of pupils per FTE adult 7.1

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

p.37

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

p.37

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.37

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.37

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.37

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 38

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 68 30 2 0 0

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 46 46 4 0 4

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 36 4 4 12

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 56 38 2 2 2

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 80 16 2 0 2

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 72 26 0 2 0

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 54 40 2 0 4

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 66 28 4 0 2

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 66 28 2 2 2

p.38

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 32 16 2 6 Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 39

p.38

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. The Early Years Centre has only been in operation since September 2002 and already it is proving to be an excellent resource for the school. The centre admits children aged three upwards. It is a 40 place setting, with the youngest children attending part time. It is staffed by one teacher and three support staff. The early years curriculum is excellent; it is planned on a 12-week rotational planning cycle which ensures that appropriate activities are provided to meet the needs of all children. Teachers’ planning is very good because it has built in assessments on which children work individually or in small groups. Assessment procedures are very good and include observations, discussions, questioning and group interaction. The ratio of assessed activities is weighted towards literacy and numeracy, but assessment opportunities are provided for every area of learning.

p.39

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. Children’s attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is very poor, especially in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development. Up until this year, children’s attainment on entry to Year 1 has been well below that expected of children of this age, in spite of at least satisfactory achievement. The present Year 2’s attainment on entry to Year 1 reflects these findings, as evidenced by the school’s assessments. This year there has been a big shift in progress. Attainment on entry to Year 1 is now below that expected of children of this age, the majority of children are attaining the ELG in personal, social and emotional development, physical development, creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world. They do not attain the ELG in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development due to very low

p.39

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

starting points. However, a few of the higher attaining children will attain the ELG in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development by the end of the year. Children’s achievements are very good.

p.39

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74. Overall, children make very good gains in learning because of very good teaching, planning, use of assessment and excellent learning opportunities provided. The centre buzzes with excitement. Children cannot wait to get through the door and many of them do not want to go home at the end of the sessions. One of the reasons why children make such good gains in learning is that all staff ensure that the work that children do is appropriately matched to their needs. Very good opportunities are given to children to develop their skills of independence, evaluating their work and identifying what they find easy and what they find difficult. Whilst standards are rising and the centre is providing the children with an excellent start to their future learning, children’s very good achievements have not yet filtered through the school and are not reflected in the end of Year 2 test results. However, it is very likely that, in the next

p.39

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

two years, standards will rise due to the improved achievements of these children.

p.39

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. Since the previous inspection, the school has made very good progress in its Foundation Stage provision.

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Personal, social and emotional development

76. Children enter the Foundation Stage with highly impoverished personal, social and emotional skills. The majority of children do not know how to share toys, express their needs or play within a group. By the time they leave the Foundation Stage, the vast majority have attained the ELG and their achievement is very good. This is the Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 40 result of very good teaching, curriculum planning and very good use of assessment. Children choose their own equipment for learning, they are polite, take turns and share resources. When eating their fruit, they ask one another if they are enjoying the “sour tangerines” and that the pears are a “bit too hard” today, but their bananas are, “always yummy”. When listening to stories, children sit politely, put their hands up to ask questions and, in outside play they take turns, put toys away carefully and line up

p.39

Personal, social and emotional development

quietly once they hear the clapping signal.

p.40

Personal, social and emotional development

77. Teaching is very good. Staff ensure that praise is used realistically and that all children know what they need to do in order to improve. The centre rightfully reflects children's community languages, displays are bright and colourful, the “I Can Caterpillar” reflects children’s achievements, and golden time (two children choosing their own activities as a result of good work) is enjoyed by all children. Superstars, achievement stickers and targets are used very purposefully by all staff and all children are valued equally. All groups of children, including higher attainers, children with SEN and EAL, and below average attainers, are all very effectively supported.

p.40

Communication, language and literacy

78. Only the few higher attaining children attain the ELG in this area of learning. The vast majority of children do not attain the expected levels due to their poor vocabulary and language structures. Overall, children achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment. Higher attaining children know how to sound out nearly all of the letters of the alphabet. They know how to form their letters correctly, although a few still reverse them. They know that full stops are used at the end of the sentence and that speech bubbles represent words that are in people’s heads. Plenty of opportunities are provided for children to listen to nursery rhymes and stories, and keen favourites are Jack and the Bean Stalk and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. In the role-play area, children enact the stories that they have heard and, when playing with small toys, they readily use the language that they have heard in stories. The ‘Magic Room’,

p.40

Communication, language and literacy

which is decked out with fibre optic lights and shiny compact discs, provides an excellent environment for children to come and listen to music or explore books.

p.40

Communication, language and literacy

79. The quality of teaching is very good with excellent features. Every literacy lesson observed started with a surprise that ‘lured’ children into learning. In one lesson, the class teacher opened the beautifully decorated story box which contained presents wrapped in shiny silver paper from Betty Bear. Using excellent questioning techniques, the class teacher probed children’s understanding of what might be inside these presents. This had a very positive effect on developing children’s skills of prediction. The next day, the teacher engaged children’s interest levels by informing that she had found a golden bean on the way to school. This excellent stimulus helped children to develop their skills of imagination and immediately the process of creative story telling began, with children contributing positive explanations as to where the bean had come from and where they would plant it. Very good

p.40

Communication, language and literacy

opportunities are used to keep children focused on their work. For example, the modelling of writing is very good - the teacher says “I’m not sure where to start writing, can you come and show me?” Through very effective teaching techniques such as this, children become empowered and make very good gains in recognising the difference between words and letters and knowing when to use spaces between words. Children are encouraged at all times to become independent learners. Plenty of very good opportunities are provided for them to use a range of good writing equipment in a range of social situations. For example, children write lists, poems, invitations and letters, and these are effectively displayed around the school. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 41 Teachers have very good skills of intervening in the children’s learning, they model correct letter formation and assist children very well in forming their letters correctly.

p.40

Mathematical development

80. By the end of the Foundation Stage only the few higher attaining children attain the ELG, the rest of the children do not attain these levels but, nevertheless, they make very good gains in learning in relation to their prior attainment. Very good opportunities are provided for all these children to develop their mathematical skills and knowledge, especially in the outside play area where all groups of children learn how to use mathematical language in action, for example, they are encouraged to park their bicycles “next to” the wall, they are guided to climb “up” the ladder and run “across” to the other side of the playground. Higher attaining children can undertake simple sums and all groups of children know how to name simple shapes. The majority of below average attaining children have difficulty in counting beyond ten, but they recognise numbers to five. All children can sort, match and execute a repeating

p.41

Mathematical development

81. The quality of teaching is very good and plenty of opportunities are provided for children to participate in number rhymes, form their numbers, use number lines and count on in twos. Teachers have high expectations of their children but offer appropriate support and challenge, for example in an art and craft lesson, children were encouraged to identify the longest piece of string, when model making they were encouraged to count the pieces of paper used and whether they were long or short. Children are given very good opportunities to paint, draw, trace, make numbers using a variety of good quality resources, such as shiny paper and different textured materials. Teachers give very good explanations, demonstrating and modelling for children how lengths can be measured and how numbers are formed correctly. They provide good quality feedback, dealing appropriately with misconceptions and errors.

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Mathematical development

Very good emphasis is placed upon developing key vocabulary, which enables children to make very good gains in learning.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

82. By the end of the Foundation Stage nearly all of the children attain the ELG and make very good gains in learning because of the excellent learning opportunities that are provided for them. Information and communication technology is used well to support children’s learning, children know how to use a mouse effectively, they understand the meaning of icons on the computer, they know how to click and drag, print their own work and programme a Roamer. They have very good observation skills and know that a tadpole changes into a frog, trees lose their leaves in the autumn and that plants need soil to grow. They know that different countries celebrate a variety of festivals and they particularly enjoy Chinese New Year and Diwali. Children know that some objects float whilst others sink and they record their findings on a simple tally chart. They bake cakes and biscuits and love peeling vegetables in the water tray.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

They make models, using a variety of materials including wooden blocks and Lego, but the majority of below average attaining children have great difficulty in explaining what they have done, although they can follow a simple plan. Children enjoy taking part in World Book Day and watching their teachers act out ‘Winifred’s New Bed’. Children are very curious about the world around them and very good opportunities are provided for children to use all of their senses. For example, when playing in the ‘messy area’, children squeal with delight as they experience the texture of cornflour mixed with water. Teachers take every opportunity to help children familiarise themselves with the natural world and children are already becoming responsible Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 42 citizens, caring for the environment. Very good opportunities are provided for children to learn about the world around them, they enjoy making a map of the locality and they

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

know that small babies grow into adults. They can identify old and new toys and know that during the year seasons change.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

83. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers know how young children learn and give them plenty of opportunities to discover their surroundings. They effectively teach them the days of the week, months of the year, help them to make a map of their local environment and trace their journey to and from school. At all times, every opportunity is taken to improve children’s skills of prediction, observation and hypothesis. For example, when planting bulbs, children are encouraged to predict what might happen; they later paint flowers, identifying stems, leaves and petals. Information and communication technology is used very well to support learning; teachers ensure that all children are familiar with the range of different programs used because they are very well supported by their teachers.

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Physical development

84. By the end of the Foundation Stage, nearly all of the children attain the ELG and make very good gains in learning. Children are well co-ordinated, they can climb, run, skip, jump, hop and balance on one leg, but their fine motor skills, such as threading small objects, cutting with scissors and colouring in between lines, still need to be developed further. All children enjoy parachute activities, they roll balls on to it; in lessons they carefully take turns when handling equipment. They can handle tools, dough and plasticene with care and, in the outside area, they ride their bicycles and push prams with great speed. They move in time to music and use space appropriately.

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Physical development

85. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers have very secure subject knowledge. They model the correct use of tools, provide lots of activities to help children develop their fine motor skills and ensure that good quality resources, which will capture children’s interest levels, are used at all times. The use of magnifying glasses ensures that all children gleam with delight when they undertake their tasks of searching the outdoor environment for mini beasts. The recording of their findings has a very positive effect on their fine motor skills development. Staff work very well as a team and they all have very high expectations of the children. Tasks set are focused, interesting and challenging.

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Creative development

86. By the end of the Foundation Stage all of the children attain the ELG and achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment due to the excellent learning opportunities that are provided for them. Children experiment with paint, create collages, print patterns, using parts of their body such as their noses and lips! They paint portraits of one another, adding appropriate detail, make divas out of clay and use a good range of resources, including charcoal, pastels, crayons, felt tipped pens. Children have very good knowledge of Kandinsky and know that he painted concentric circles. They know how to mix paints, use a mark-making board well and the children in the reception class have very good knowledge of music. They play recorders well, can identify the notes of B, A and G and know the signs for a treble clef and a pause. On occasions, children work with Year 4 pupils when teachers team-teach, and children

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Creative development

can identify a repeating pattern and compose a short piece of music to identify the weather. They understand that crescendo means getting louder and that diminuendo means getting softer. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 43 87. The quality of teaching is very good. Support staff make a very good contribution to children’s learning because of the very secure subject knowledge and very high expectations that they have. Teachers ensure that these young children know the sounds that Tibetan bells, ocarinas and recorders make and help children to incorporate these into their musical compositions. Very good explanations are given and this enables all groups of children to make very good gains in learning. This particular area of learning is very well resourced. Shiny paper, sparkling buttons, wax crayons, chalks, glitter and a range of different textiles are used to support learning.

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Creative development

Children are given very good opportunities to learn using their senses, resulting in very good attitudes and very quick acquisition of skills.

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ENGLISH

88. Standards show a slight improvement since the last inspection but remain low except in reading where current standards are broadly in line with those typical for both seven and 11 year olds. Results in the 2002 national tests for 11 year olds show that standards overall were comparable with those in similar schools but well below the national average for all schools. The performance of seven year olds in reading and writing was well below average when compared with similar schools. Compared with all schools performance was weak and in the lowest five per cent nationally. Overall, performance of 11 year olds in tests over the past four years has risen at a similar rate to the national trend, although results in 2002 were not as high as in the previous year due largely to the significant number of pupils in the 2002 cohort with special educational needs. The school set appropriately challenging targets for Year 6 pupils

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ENGLISH

in 2002 and these were exceeded. In relation to their prior attainment levels, both on entry to the school and at the age of seven, they achieved well. There was no significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls. The school has recently received an award from the Department for Education and Skills for successfully raising standards.

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ENGLISH

89. Pupils who are of ethnic minority backgrounds achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. Inspection findings largely confirm this picture showing that current standards in writing and spelling of seven year olds are well below the national average and below for 11 year olds. Reading performance is average for both seven and 11 year old pupils, representing a very good recent improvement. Standards in speaking and listening of seven year olds are well below average and those of 11 year olds are below average. This represents very good achievement in reading for both infant and junior pupils and good achievement for all pupils in other areas as pupils enter school with very weak literacy skills. On entry most show little confidence in speaking, and listening skills are very poor. A significant number has little knowledge of books and enter with poorly developed initial reading skills. Many pupils have little

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ENGLISH

pencil control to enable them to write. Effective teaching is successfully addressing these limitations. Overall achievement of all pupils is good, including pupils with SEN and pupils whose first language is other than English.

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ENGLISH

90. On entry pupils have very poor skills in speaking and listening and do well to achieve standards that are well below average by the age of seven and below average by the age of 11. As a result of good teaching in both the infants and the juniors, by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, higher attainers speak with developing confidence. They discuss books they have read and enjoyed, expressing themselves clearly and quite concisely. Average attainers' grasp of Standard English is below average. They lack confidence in talking but, with appropriate prompting, they contribute to discussion. Lower attainers receive considerable support and encouragement from teachers and, Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 44 as a result, they are beginning to contribute orally in class and are making good progress with speech development. A strength of good teaching is the effective way teachers ask probing and carefully phrased questions that challenge pupils’ thinking

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ENGLISH

and encourage them to answer with a sentence or sentences rather than just one word. Teachers create good opportunities for pupils to speak in English lessons. For example, at the end of literacy lessons pupils often report back about what they have been doing and how successfully they have completed their tasks. Year 6 higher and average attainers thoroughly engage the interest of the listener. For example, when role playing in a history lesson on the Victorians, pupils acted the roles of factory owner and overseer and defended the use of small children as members of the factory workforce. They used cogent arguments with a sound degree of spontaneity, developing their ideas well as they spoke.

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ENGLISH

91. Overall achievement of seven and 11 year olds in writing is good and good progress is made in developing writing skills as teachers encourage pupils to write for a range of purposes. Starting from a very low base on entry, overall attainment in writing of seven year olds is well below the national average. Teachers give them opportunities to write descriptively, write letters and write reports. Higher attainers in Year 1 use capital letters and full stops with reasonable accuracy when writing simple sentences. By the end of Year 2 pupils have a developing knowledge of how to structure a story and use their knowledge of grammar and punctuation to help form increasingly complex sentences. The higher attainers are beginning to use more imaginative language in their writing than that used by the average attainers. Average attainers are beginning to write clearly, using words put together in quite complex sentences.

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ENGLISH

Spelling is weak, and full stops and capital letters are not yet being used consistently. Lower attainers are beginning to write in identifiable sentences and to communicate successfully by writing. The overall standard of handwriting of Year 2 pupils is satisfactory with most forming letters correctly and legibly.

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ENGLISH

92. By the age of 11, attainment in both writing and spelling is below average but pupils’ achievements are good. Teachers give pupils opportunities to write for a range of purposes and in a range of styles. They write persuasively, descriptively and in narrative form. They write stories, instructions, and formal letters. For example, Year 6 learn to write letters of complaint. Higher attainers draft and redraft their work, successfully developing a convincing argument supported by evidence. Average attainers write in less complex sentences and their ideas are less well developed. Attainment in spelling, seen in pupils’ written work in all subject areas, is below average. Some teachers introduce pupils to key words when starting a new subject topic, explaining the meanings and encouraging them to learn the respective spellings. However, this practice is not consistent throughout the school. Where it is

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ENGLISH

well established, for example in Year 6, it contributes to the good improvement in spelling over time and to the pupils using a developing range of vocabulary in their writing. Overall, the standard of presentation of work in books is good. By Year 4 pupils produce joined and legible handwriting in which letters are neatly formed.

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ENGLISH

93. Pupils make very good progress developing reading skills, because teachers teach them well. Many start school with little or no experience of books and little experience with print. Overall levels of attainment at the ages of seven and 11 are average and these represent very good achievement. During the literacy hour pupils extend their understanding of texts and group reading develops confidence, fluency and expression. By the end of Year 2 higher attainers read simple texts accurately and with understanding. They have a sound grasp of phonic skills, enabling them to read unfamiliar words. They make effective use of punctuation to add expression when reading. Lower attainers and those with SEN make good progress learning to read as Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 45 a result of good support. By the end of Year 6 most pupils have a good understanding of books and have acquired a satisfactory range of library skills. These skills would

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ENGLISH

be further extended if the school had better library facilities and more non-fiction books were available for the further development of pupils’ research skills. The present library is very small and contains only fiction books; as a result, the main stock of reference books is shelved around the hall. These are classified according to a very simple system. As a result, pupils do not become conversant with the usual mode of classifying books used in most public libraries. They have positive attitudes to reading. The school encourages them to take books home on a regular basis and read with an adult. The success of this scheme is contributing to the good progress they make in reading.

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ENGLISH

94. The overall quality of teaching is good throughout the school. During the inspection, teaching seen was never less than satisfactory, being mainly good and sometimes very good. All teachers have good knowledge of the literacy strategy. In good teaching a lively pace is set and pupils respond by behaving well and working hard. A feature of all teaching is the effective questioning of pupils by teachers which deepens and extends pupils' knowledge and understanding and challenges their thinking. The good teaching is challenging all pupils and, as a result, higher attaining pupils are being appropriately stretched and make good progress. Marking of work is satisfactory overall throughout the school and good in Year 6. In the best marking, teachers make encouraging and helpful comments which inspire and enable pupils to develop their ideas further. This makes a positive contribution to learning. However,

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ENGLISH

teaching could be even better if teachers ensured that pupils were given more opportunities to link their reading to writing and check their spellings. Too often, in word and sentence level work, pupils were not given sufficient opportunities to base their writing on the text they read and, on several occasions in the lower juniors, the text used was not sufficiently challenging. In these lessons, the rates of progress in writing slowed down.

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ENGLISH

95. The sound implementation of the National Literacy Strategy, both in the formal English lesson and across all subject areas, contributes to the good learning now being made in most classes. In most subject areas, pupils are given some opportunities to express in writing their own views, using their own words and to develop their own ideas, thus reinforcing writing skills and extending learning. For example, in history when studying Victorian times, Year 6 write about the use of child labour working conditions in factories and mines and how these affected the lives of poor children. In their writing, higher and average attaining pupils make comparisons and draw contrasts with their own experiences of life today. However, opportunities for pupils to express their own ideas in writing in subjects such as history, geography, science, and religious education are limited and are inconsistent throughout the school. The

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ENGLISH

best examples were seen in Year 6, but this effective practice is not sufficiently well developed across the school. Too frequently pupils record work by copying from worksheets, being required simply to insert the odd word in the appropriate space. In such cases opportunities are lost to enable pupils to write independently and at length. Throughout the school, pupils are encouraged to use their ICT skills to word- process some of their written work. This encourages pupils to draft and redraft writing and enables them to present it in an attractive manner. They are also encouraged to write articles to be placed on the school website. The Key Stage 2 editing team plan, organise and produce a termly newspaper using their ICT skills. In these ways ICT is making an effective contribution to the development of literacy skills. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 46 96. Pupils with SEN and EAL make good progress as a result of well-focused teaching.

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ENGLISH

Needs are clearly defined in detailed individual education plans and good support from effective learning support assistants and additional support teaching make a significant contribution to this good progress. Although literacy skills of these pupils are well below average, they and their teachers work hard and achievement is good. A clear sense of direction is established by the teacher responsible for co-ordinating SEN and EAL.

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ENGLISH

97. Improvement in the subject since the last inspection is good. All the concerns expressed in the last report have been effectively addressed. There is now much more direct teaching of reading skills throughout the school and pupils’ reading progress is monitored through effective assessment procedures. Pupils are given frequent opportunities to talk, both informally and formally, and make oral presentations. They debate issues, for example Year 4 pupils discuss the advantages and disadvantages of bus lanes on local roads; they make contributions in assemblies and make presentations in classrooms. The successful implementation of the literacy strategy has brought a more precise focus to the teaching. Pupils are given clearer direction in their learning through the setting of individual targets.

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ENGLISH

98. The subject is managed well by a co-ordinator who gives teachers good support. Teaching and learning are systematically monitored with strengths and weaknesses shared with staff. Good assessment strategies are in place and analysis of information is undertaken. As a result of this analysis, additional support is given to those who are deemed to be underachieving. Opportunities for ICT are good. This is successfully raising their attainment.

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MATHEMATICS

99. Pupils’ attainment by the time they are seven years of age is well below the national average. However, by the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6, their attainment has improved but is still below that expected. Pupils start Year 1 with well below age-related standards. However, they make sound progress because of satisfactory teaching. In last year’s National Curriculum tests for pupils aged seven, results showed that attainment was well below both the national average and the average for similar schools. This agrees with the attainment judgement made by teachers in the same year. Although the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level was well below the national average, the percentage reaching the higher level, Level 3, was below the national average. This was close to the percentage reaching the higher level in similar schools. Performance of boys and girls in the tests for

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MATHEMATICS

seven year olds has been similar over the last three years. There has been a slow but steady improvement in attainment for seven year olds in that time. This year there is a smaller number of pupils in Year 2, a significant number of whom have SEN, experiencing initial difficulties as English is not their first language, and many of them are below average attainers. Thus, the percentage of pupils on target to reach the expected levels is low. In the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 last year, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected levels was low when compared with the national average, and well below the average for similar schools. However, the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level, Level 5, although below the national average, was above the average for similar schools. In the national tests for 11 year olds, boys have been doing better than girls, although few differences were noted

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MATHEMATICS

during the inspection. Although results have been improving since the previous inspection, there was a dip last year. There was a large number of pupils with SEN at this time which resulted in a greater than average percentage of pupils who did not Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 47 reach the expected level. There is still a high proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and this will have an adverse impact on attainment at the end of Year 6.

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MATHEMATICS

100. There has been a sound degree of improvement since the last inspection. At that time, standards of attainment were said to be below average for both seven and 11 year olds. However, pupils’ progress is now good when it was satisfactory before. Other shortcomings noted in the previous inspection have been soundly dealt with. The school has successfully introduced the National Numeracy Strategy. This provides a structured approach to developing skills that was missing at the time of the last inspection, but at the expense of some of the investigative work. The difficulties noted in pupils’ use of numeracy skills, such as multiplication and division have been removed. Pupils show a greater willingness and ability to work independently. Their writing and recording skills have improved. The work that most pupils do in their exercise books is neat and legible, but some of the commercial worksheets they use

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MATHEMATICS

do not encourage good habits in thinking mathematically or in recording. Often, the better worksheets are those prepared by the teacher.

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MATHEMATICS

101. Pupils make good progress and achieve well in relation to their attainment on starting school. Those who have SEN are well supported and they make similar progress to their classmates. Some pupils who are particularly able in mathematics also make good progress. The school identifies them and two pupils attend a Saturday school for such pupils. Those pupils who speak a language other than English at home are well supported and they make good progress overall. Teachers and classroom assistants make sure that all pupils, irrespective of gender, ethnic group or background are involved in lessons. This means that all have the opportunity to benefit from them.

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MATHEMATICS

102. The quality of pupils’ learning, from the time they start in Year 1 until they leave at the end of Year 6, is good. This is a result of good teaching. Progress is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, reflecting the sound quality of teaching in these years. Progress is good in Years 3 to 6, although this is inconsistent, being better in Years 4 and 6, again reflecting the quality of teaching. Teachers plan lessons that match the requirements of the National Numeracy Strategy. They usually share the focus of the lesson with the class in clear understandable terms. This helps pupils to focus on what they are about to learn and puts them in a suitable frame of mind for learning, aiding their progress in the lesson. They use the start of the lesson well to develop mental strategies. In a mixed Year 2 and 3 class, the teacher helped pupils to use and practise strategies for adding nine or 11 to a number mentally. In a good lesson for

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MATHEMATICS

Year 4 pupils, pupils were asked to suggest numbers that could have been rounded up or down to make a given number and then explain how they did so. Lessons are usually soundly structured so that skills and understanding are developed through discussion, question and answer sessions, demonstrations and practice. In a very good revision lesson in Year 6, the teacher used resources, including class and group worksheets and practical mathematics equipment, very well to find out what pupils knew about angles. As a result, she was able to provide challenging work for each ability group in the class and all pupils made very good progress in that lesson. However, in Year 5, the planning of a satisfactory lesson focused chiefly on what the teacher was going to do without taking enough account of pupils’ learning. Consequently, when the class had trouble in grasping the main idea, using decimal notation, their progress slowed. In Year 3, higher attaining pupils were well supported

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MATHEMATICS

in a small group lesson. They made good progress investigating symmetry in regular polygons following a useful class investigation in which pupils found the answers to the teacher’s questions about the properties of shapes. Teachers round lessons off in a suitable way, revisiting the purposes of the lesson, sometimes through offering a Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 48 challenge based on what they have done, for example, when Year 6 looked at some numbers and tested them for divisibility. These summaries help pupils to fix what they have been learning in their minds and remind them of the purposes of the lesson, thus aiding their progress. An examination of pupils’ previous work confirms that they are making good progress, particularly in their understanding of number. By the end of Year 6, this is close to national expectations but still below them. Although pupils’ progress in numeracy is good, much of the mathematics that pupils do does not relate

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MATHEMATICS

sufficiently to their own experiences or encourage them to apply their knowledge to solve problems from outside the classroom. Consequently, many are working at a lower level than suitable for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

103. There are good procedures for finding out strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. However, teachers do not always use this information effectively when planning group and individual work for pupils. This is a key factor in pupils’ below average attainment. For example, in Year 1, insufficient attention is paid to pupils’ attainment in the reception class. In some classes, this information has been used effectively to set individual targets. These are most effective when pupils know what these targets are and that if they can achieve them, their work will improve. However, in one or two classes, the pupils do not know what their targets are.

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MATHEMATICS

104. Pupils’ overall good responses and positive attitudes enhance their progress. They usually behave well and this helps to ensure that they keep on task and complete reasonable amounts of work during lessons. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when pupils lacked recording and writing skills.

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MATHEMATICS

105. The subject is well led. The subject leader has carried out useful reviews of progress in mathematics teaching and learning. As a result, the school has a clear understanding of what needs to be done to improve standards. These findings have been incorporated into an action plan, but the targets in this are often too general and lack details of how to achieve them and how their success can be measured. The school successfully implements the National Numeracy Strategy. Teachers have a good understanding of how the strategy can be implemented and use the lesson structure to good advantage to keep pupils interested and involved. This has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. In Year 6, pupils attend a study club in which they are supported well when revising mathematics as well as English and science. Teachers use some ICT when teaching, for example, practice programs to reinforce number skills such as addition and subtraction, or when using spreadsheets.

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MATHEMATICS

However, teachers do not make enough use of computers for teaching and learning and, too often in medium-term planning, no reference is made to the use of numeracy across the curriculum, although in some lessons seen teachers made appropriate links with mathematics.

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SCIENCE

106. The national tests and teachers’ assessments of 2002 show that, in comparison with all schools, by the end of Year 2 the percentage of pupils achieving Level 2 and Level 3 was well below the national averages. A similar picture is reflected by the end of Year 6. In comparison with similar schools, standards were below average by the end of Years 2 and 6 but, in relation to pupils’ prior attainment, pupils made satisfactory progress. In both the infants and juniors, too few pupils achieved the higher levels.

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SCIENCE

107. Inspection findings show that standards are rising, because of effective teaching and the good leadership and managements of the subject by the co-ordinator, and are Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 49 now below national averages, rather than well below, and all groups of pupils are making good gains in learning in life and living processes, materials and their properties, and physical processes. In experimental and investigative science, pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall but they could be better. Too few opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their skills of setting up experiments, predicting, hypothesising and recording their findings in a variety of ways. The school has identified this as an area for improvement in its development plan. Inspection findings show that, whilst pupils have good knowledge of the content underpinning the Programmes of Study, they lack scientific skills. This is because the present

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SCIENCE

medium-term plans are not sufficiently detailed in relation to scientific skills identification. Sometimes pupils repeat what they already know, such as testing circuits, both in the infants and the juniors. This, on occasions, slows down pupils’ rates of progress.

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SCIENCE

108. At present, whilst the co-ordinator has done a good job in organising resources and evaluating standards for science, she has not monitored teachers’ planning sufficiently rigorously for identification of skills progression. The previous inspection findings judged standards at the end of Year 2 to be well below national averages and below national averages at the end of Year 6, with pupils making satisfactory progress. Standards have improved in Years 1 and 2 due to the good coverage of the Programmes of Study and teachers’ good subject knowledge, which is evident from the amount of work that pupils have covered. At present, there are weaknesses in Year 1, such as under-expectation of what pupils are capable of and underdeveloped use of assessment, but these are being addressed by the school. It must be noted that the teacher has only just come to the school and is still getting to know her class.

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SCIENCE

109. By the end of Year 2, pupils have covered a wide range of work in all areas of the National Curriculum. Pupils have investigated the life-cycle of a frog and carried out a range of investigations related to plant growth. They know that, in order to survive, all plants need light and water, but they are unsure as to why they need soil. They know that some materials are shiny, soft or sticky, and that light comes from different sources. They know which appliances in the home need electricity to work and they construct simple circuits. They struggle with predictions and hypotheses, but their skills of observation are good. Pupils’ recordings are barely satisfactory because they lack the skills of writing extended sentences and their spellings of subject-specific words are weak. They can give simple explanations for changes in living things, for example health and diet in animals, but they experience difficulty in recording their

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SCIENCE

observations carefully in charts and simple graphs. They describe how some materials are changed by the processes of heating, cooling, bending, stretching. Pupils struggle with explaining the difference between condensation and evaporation. Too few opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their skills of research and independent learning and progress is restricted by the over-use of worksheets.

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SCIENCE

110. By the end of Year 6, pupils are applying their knowledge of forces, properties of materials, evaporation, condensation and filtration, to separate a variety of materials from a mixed ‘soup’ of liquids and solids. In Year 4, pupils quickly identified the different processes needed to separate the ingredients and equipment they would require in order to carry it out, for example, asking for a magnet to remove paper clips. Pupils know how a buzzer works, but there is some repetition of work in relation to circuit construction. Pupils know about the functions of a skeleton, the functions of various organs in our body, and they can name, classify and tabulate different types of rocks and soils. Pupils generally have good scientific knowledge, but they lack hands-on experience of experimenting and investigating. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 50 111. Information and communication technology is satisfactorily used to support learning.

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SCIENCE

Pupils in Year 5 know how to research using the Internet, but insufficient research is undertaken using books. Pupils experience difficulty in extending their sentences in their written work to include detailed descriptions of what they have learnt.

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112. Overall, pupils’ achievements are good and higher attaining pupils, and those with SEN and EAL, make good gains in learning. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Whilst no teaching was seen in Year 2, it is evident, from pupils’ work and teachers’ planning folders, that teachers have secure subject knowledge and that lesson planning is satisfactory. In the juniors, the best teaching is in Year 4 and Year 6, where teachers have good subject knowledge and take care to extend pupils’ scientific vocabulary, contributing to effective development of literacy skills. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to talk about their work, but at times, some teachers do not push pupils enough to develop their use of extended sentences. Overall, lessons are well organised and explanations are clear, although in some classes, teachers’ planning does not state clearly enough what different groups of

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pupils will be learning. This is largely due to weaknesses in medium-term planning which does not clearly identify skills progression.

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SCIENCE

113. Relationships are very good. Pupils behave well and have good attitudes to learning. Teachers listen with interest to what pupils have to say and show, by their actions and effective use of praise, that they value these contributions. This also applies to support staff who make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. Pupils work well together although some of them are not clear about their targets. Marking overall is satisfactory, but insufficient emphasis is placed on pupils developing subject-specific vocabulary, and there are too few developmental comments. The subject is managed effectively by a knowledgeable co-ordinator who has undertaken a detailed audit and is aware that she needs to monitor teachers’ planning to ensure that scientific skills are appropriately identified. Whilst teachers regularly assess pupils’ knowledge at the end of every unit, they do not place sufficient emphasis on

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assessing pupils’ acquisition of skills. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall, but as yet, insufficient rigour is placed on ensuring that information gained alters curriculum planning.

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ART AND DESIGN

114. Standards at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with national expectations and pupils’ achievements are good, due to the precise teaching of skills. Whilst average standards have been maintained since the previous inspection, the quality of teaching has improved, as have pupils’ achievements in relation to their prior attainment.

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115. By the end of Year 2, pupils have sound skills of observation, they can pick out detail and they exhibit good techniques of smudging and blending pastels. Pupils in Year 1 have produced some very well executed drawings of skyscrapers, where they used pastel colours most effectively. Based upon Pablo Picasso’s ‘Guitar Sculpture’, pupils in Year 2 have made models and painted pictures using a good approximation of colours and shades. They have made clay plates with designs based upon Picasso’s painting of ‘The Acrobat’. Pupils have a good eye for detail when carrying out observational drawings, focused upon the work of William Morris, and they were able to add intricate detail to their design. One pupil spent a long time painstakingly adding detail to symmetrical patterns of flowers and, in the end, decided to draw an insect on his flower to make it more realistic! Whilst pupils executed their drawings

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well, they struggled to explain how they could transfer their design on to fabric. Below Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 51 average attaining pupils struggle with pencil control, but they make good progress because they are effectively supported by both the class teacher and support staff, and good examples of teachers intervening in their pupils’ learning, were seen during the inspection.

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116. By the end of Year 6, pupils have good knowledge of the work of van Gogh, Klimt and Monet. They can identify African Ashanti pattern-work in designs, and they respond creatively and imaginatively to producing a textile story based upon an African myth in preparation for the Radford Carnival. Pupils in Year 5 were able to work well together, evaluating their designs and altering their responses in the light of suggestions made by peers. In this lesson, pupils made good gains in problem-solving, logical reasoning and evaluating their designs.

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117. Pupils are given good opportunities to work with professional artists. Pupils in the juniors have been to Nottingham Playhouse and worked with a scenic designer, they have worked with art and design students from Nottingham University and, by the end of Year 6, pupils have designed their own fabrics. Information and communication technology is used appropriately to support learning, for example, pupils have used databases to make clowns and have used a range of painting programs. However, too few opportunities are provided for pupils to use their sketchbooks and visit art galleries.

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ART AND DESIGN

118. The after-school art club is well attended and contributes well to pupils’ learning. In both the infants and the juniors, pupils work with good quality resources, but there are too few books in the library to enable pupils to develop their research skills. The curriculum provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their skills of painting, sketching, charcoal, chalk, working with fabric, paper, weaving, sculpture, clay and printing.

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ART AND DESIGN

119. The quality of teaching is good and all groups of pupils make good gains in learning. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and place an appropriate emphasis on teaching skills of colour mixing, shading, observation and perspective. As a result, pupils are clear about what they need to do in order to improve. Assessments are satisfactory overall but do not take into account the skills that pupils have acquired. The co-ordinator has identified this as an area for improvement on her action plan. The school has also recognised that assessments need to be more rigorous in informing the next steps of pupils’ learning.

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ART AND DESIGN

120. The subject is well led and managed by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic co- ordinator who has undertaken a detailed audit of the subject’s strengths and areas for improvement. Displays around the school are bright and colourful and enhance the learning environment. Information and communication technology is used appropriately to support pupils’ learning, especially the use of painting and drawing programs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

121. Several concerns were expressed about standards in design and technology at the time of the last report. Since then good improvement has been made in provision and these concerns have been fully addressed. A scheme of work is in place which provides a more coherent programme of skills development. It also encourages pupils to evaluate, modify and improve their designs and product. Standards have improved. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils are now achieving average standards of attainment and their achievements are good. By Year 6 pupils are Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 52 secure in their knowledge of the key processes of planning, making and evaluating. Teaching throughout the school is good and this contributes to the good progress made in both the infants and the juniors. The range of resources is satisfactory. These are in good condition and they support the provision of good quality learning

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. Pupils in the infants are given the opportunity to design and make things working with a range of materials. They use tools to shape and cut, and they learn to fix things together displaying satisfactory skills. For example, seven year olds make glove puppets, having first learnt the skills of stitching. Year 1 pupils make simple moving toys from card, using paper fasteners as pivots. They also design and make models of playground equipment such as swings and slides, from scrap materials. Teaching promotes and encourages the pupils to design. Pupils are challenged by the teachers to come up with creative approaches by good use of questioning but, too often, when designs are evaluated, teachers do not focus sufficiently.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

123. In a good Year 4 lesson, pupils were planning, designing and making money containers. Pupils were working well together in small groups and this contributed positively to their social development. Some pupils were evaluating materials as to their suitability for making such a container, some were evaluating ways of securely fastening a container and others were joining two pieces of material together, using different stitching techniques, to decide which was the most attractive and serviceable one to use in the making process. They displayed satisfactory skills of cutting and stitching and they were successfully learning about the different properties of materials and fasteners. They were also learning about making sensible choices based on their own acquired knowledge. They display good safety awareness as they work. In this lesson, a good level of adult support made a positive contribution to

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

good learning because she intervened appropriately in the pupils’ learning by encouraging them to explain why they were choosing particular resources.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

124. Past work by junior pupils shows Year 5 pupils have studied a range of musical instruments to see how they were made and how they produce different sounds. Applying knowledge gained from this task, they then designed and made their own instruments, using a range of materials. For example, some pupils used card and rubber bands to first design and then make an instrument. Pupils then evaluated both their designs and instruments with some modifying and further improving them. Year 6 pupils have designed and made attractive small baskets evaluating them according to a range of criteria, including pleasing appearance and suitability for a given task. A strong feature of the work throughout the school is the emphasis placed on design. Pupils evaluate their designs and consider ways in which they might be improved. One very successful whole school project has involved pupils in all classes, designing things to improve the immediate outside environment of the school. Pupils

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

produced playground designs, designs of gates for the school, a design for a new school sign and a design for the school main entrance. The quality of much of this work was good. In both the infant and junior classes pupils know more than they write. Their skills of recording are weak and, too often, subject specific words are incorrectly spelt.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

125. Design and technology makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ numeracy skills. In the design and making process both infant and junior pupils use their skills of measurement effectively. Skills of literacy are developed satisfactorily overall but more emphasis could be placed on encouraging pupils to put into practice their learning acquired in literacy sessions. The subject makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ literacy skills, for example when pupils evaluate their models Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 53 and write about them as Year 5 pupils did when evaluating the musical instruments they made. However, this is an area to be developed further as opportunities are sometimes lost for pupils to write about their work and working experiences. Furthermore, whilst the use of ICT is satisfactory overall, further opportunities need to be developed for pupils to use this tool to support their learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

126. The subject is soundly managed. The curriculum covers the required elements and provides pupils with a good range of opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of both designing and making. Assessment procedures are satisfactory but, whilst teachers generally know the standards that their pupils attain, further work needs to be done in the area of using assessment to inform the next steps of pupils’ learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

127. By the end of the Year 2, pupils’ attainment is similar to that expected from pupils of that age. However, by the end of Year 6, their attainment is below expectations. This shows a decline in standards. At the previous inspection, standards were reported to be similar to those expected at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6.

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GEOGRAPHY

128. Pupils in Years 1 and 2, including those with SEN, make sound progress because of sound teaching. Those pupils whose home language is not English make similar progress to their classmates. By the end of Year 2, they have a sound understanding of the immediate locality and begin to compare this to other localities. The Year 2 teacher effectively introduced a seaside topic through discussion, asking pupils to consider why people might visit the seaside. Those pupils who have not done so were well supported and able to complete the group work when pupils recorded their ideas. This helped to make sure that all pupils responded well during the lesson and, as a result, all took part, enhancing their learning. The teacher not only introduced the topic in an effective way, but was also able to find out what the pupils already knew and understood. Teachers draw soundly on pupils’ experiences of their own area and

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GEOGRAPHY

help pupils to understand about the similarities and differences between places. They plan lessons that help pupils to learn about places whilst also developing geographical skills such as reading and making maps. Lessons in which pupils draw and read simple maps help them to understand their uses. Year 1 pupils draw simple maps of the classroom and their journeys to school, including known features. This helps them to understand the uses of maps. Older pupils extend their skills and draw maps of an imaginary island, including a range of features. They usefully compare the similarities and differences between their own area and the island, considering, for example, the jobs that people from both areas might have.

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GEOGRAPHY

129. The lessons seen during the inspection were soundly taught and an examination of pupils' work shows that what they do, they do satisfactorily. However, progress is unsatisfactory in the junior classes because pupils do not cover enough of the required syllabus in sufficient depth. In some aspects, learning is superficial and skills of mapping, comparing and contrasting are not well developed. Pupils have adequately covered some of the required curriculum, but Year 6 pupils remember little of what they have done except for recent lessons. Year 5 pupils made sound progress in a lesson about how water is supplied to areas of need. Older pupils have sound mapping skills and recognise map symbols such as churches and telephone boxes. Most can locate Nottingham on a map, but not enough know that London is south of the city. They have a good understanding of their recent work on mountains and their immediate locality. However, they have little knowledge of another place in

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GEOGRAPHY

this country or in a less well-developed country. Whilst all the Programmes of Study Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 54 have been covered, insufficient time has been allocated to cover them in sufficient depth and, as a result, pupils have not fully developed their geographical skills. Pupils enjoy doing geography and are happy to talk about the work they have done. The pupils for whom English is not the first language make similar unsatisfactory progress to the rest of the class for the same reasons.

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GEOGRAPHY

130. The subject is soundly led. Teachers use government recommended guidelines for teaching, but assessment procedures and their use are unsatisfactory. This means that there is not enough information to help teachers when they are planning lessons. Teachers soundly encourage the use of literacy skills in geography. Pupils write in a range of styles, offering descriptions, reports and responses to questions. They also use some ICT, for example, when looking at the problems of moving water to where it is needed. However, in this case, the impact of this was reduced because the class had to look at the outcomes on a relatively small display screen. Other pupils have used the Internet successfully to find information about their topics. However, the use of this technology is inconsistent and is not firmly embedded in lesson planning. Pupils have sound opportunities to use numeracy skills, for example when working

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GEOGRAPHY

out distances from the scale of a map and using co-ordinates as map references. Overall assessments are just satisfactory but are not used sufficiently well to inform the next steps of pupils’ learning.

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HISTORY

131. Standards have been maintained at the levels they were at the last inspection. At the ages of seven and 11 pupils achieve well-attaining satisfactory standards.

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HISTORY

132. The work done by Year 2 pupils displays most of the skills and understanding expected for their age. These pupils enjoy the subject and appreciate that important historical events can be sequenced by time. They have a developing knowledge of sources used to reveal past events. For example, when studying the contribution made by Florence Nightingale during and after the Crimean War they build an awareness of the importance of some of these sources, such as old newspaper articles, for revealing important events in past times. Year 1 pupils learn that objects, such as toys, carry different sorts of evidence of age and change. By studying, at first hand, objects from the past, history comes to life for pupils and they respond positively, enjoying lessons and learning effectively. They develop their understanding of the passage of time through their work on the similarities and differences between

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HISTORY

conditions now and those in the past. For example, they explore how people lived about 60 years ago by studying books, photographs and archive film showing people on their annual holidays. They draw on their own experience and knowledge to compare and contrast life today with that of yesteryear.

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HISTORY

133. This good progress in pupils' learning continues throughout the junior classes. Pupils are taught a range of research skills. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 maintain strong interest and develop sound enquiry skills across a variety of well-planned topics and periods in history. As a result, Year 6 pupils have satisfactory knowledge and understanding, which they communicate effectively in a range of ways. For example, Year 6 pupils extract information from text about the conditions faced by young children working in the mines at the turn of the nineteenth century. Higher and average attaining pupils make concise notes of their findings. These pupils work with commitment and pride and achieve a good standard of presentation. They use a variety of methods of enquiry and sources of information, including ICT, to deepen their understanding. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 55 134. The younger junior pupils learn about life in ancient Greece, in particular about

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HISTORY

everyday life in ancient Athens. They discover how the ancient Greeks shopped and how they were educated in schools, making comparisons and contrasts with their own school experiences. Year 4 pupils study local history, for example they look at pictures of the Nottingham Goose Fair, one painted in early Victorian times, the other a photograph from Edwardian times. They try to date these by selecting features such as the mode of transport shown in the pictures and using a range of sources to research the appropriate period to fit the feature. Year 5 study more modern times by considering how Britain has changed since the 1930’s. Year 6 pupils study Victorian times comparing aspects of life then with their own lives today. They study the contributions made by a range of historical figures and consider the impact they still have on our lives today. For example, they know something of the contribution made

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HISTORY

by Lord Shaftsbury in improving working conditions in factories and mines. They understand the important contributions made in the field of engineering by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and George Stephenson. These pupils work in small groups researching a chosen topic following their own lines of enquiry. Pupils gather their own information using a range of sources. They are developing sound skills in independent enquiry.

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HISTORY

135. Teaching throughout the school is good overall. During the inspection, the quality of teaching seen ranged from satisfactory to excellent. Teachers use resources well to motivate pupils and arouse their interest. In the best teaching, they support the learning process well by challenging pupils' thinking with a range of carefully framed questions. By addressing these, pupils are beginning to build up a sound historical picture of everyday life in a range of eras. They also give pupils opportunities to find things out for themselves from a range of sources including the use of ICT and encourage them to write and talk about a range of topics in their own words. In the least effective teaching, pupils copy out text from the board or from worksheets, simply adding a word or phrase within the text that the teacher has purposefully omitted. Satisfactory improvement has been made in the subject since the last

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HISTORY

inspection. Resources have been strengthened and there is a greater focus on oral activities which is making a positive contribution to the development of pupils’ speaking skills. Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall and information gained is generally appropriately used to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning. The subject is appropriately led by an enthusiastic co-ordinator.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

136. Standards are average at both the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6. All pupils, including those with SEN, make satisfactory progress as a result of sound teaching. Those pupils who come from backgrounds in which English is not the mother tongue make similar progress to their classmates. Improvement since the last inspection has been good. At that time, attainment was below expectations. There were no guidelines for teaching that helped to ensure that pupils’ learning built on what they already knew. The school now uses the government recommended guidelines for teaching which helps them to develop the skills they need progressively.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

137. The quality of teaching is sound for both infants and juniors. As a result, pupils make sound progress. Teachers plan lessons with clear purposes and usually use appropriate methods to reach these objectives. In a Year 2 lesson, the teacher gave clear instructions about how to programme a floor robot to travel in particular directions. The teacher ensured that pupils understood through useful questioning and demonstration. The pupils were soundly supported by their classroom assistant, who helped them to make sound progress as they worked in small groups. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 56 138. Teaching continues to be sound for pupils in Years 3 to 6. However, lesson introductions are sometimes hampered by the lack of suitable equipment for demonstrations to the whole class. This means that pupils cannot easily see the points that teachers are trying to introduce and this reduces progress, particularly at

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

the beginning of lessons. In a lesson about using spreadsheets, the teacher used an overhead projector to display a picture of the screen. This helped to overcome the problems of not everyone in the class being able to see the screen. However, the teacher could not use the image effectively to show how to enter data, or the effects of doing so. This reduced progress somewhat, and meant that pupils needed further support once they started using the spreadsheets.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

139. Pupils enjoy using computers and work hard, for example, when finding out about spreadsheets. They are interested and enthusiastic and this helps them to make satisfactory progress. Nonetheless, pupils made sound progress because of their interest and enthusiasm which was fostered by the lesson content.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

140. Discussion with pupils and an examination of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work shows that they are covering most of what they are expected to. There are some good examples of how its use in other subjects supports learning in ICT. Younger infant pupils learn to use computers to create illustrations for stories. Year 3 pupils have found relevant information about polar creatures and created informative reports from their findings. Pupils in Year 4 use drawing programs and know how to change the appearance of text. They choose which style of text they prefer, giving good reasons for their choices, for example ‘I like the three-dimensional effect because it makes the letters stand out’ . Year 5 pupils competently use a program to simulate the movement of water and access the school’s website to find the resources they need for their lessons on spreadsheets. However, the scrutiny of pupils’ work in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

different subjects across the age range shows that the technology is not yet used to support learning consistently in a wide enough range of subjects, including literacy and numeracy. There are some important exceptions. The subject co-ordinator manages an award-winning school web site, which is a valuable resource as a teaching and learning tool. Each class has contributed by creating pages for this. This gives pupils good opportunities to use and develop their understanding of ICT. It also helps pupils to reinforce what they have learned in other subjects as they prepare it for publication. For example, pupils have prepared materials, including reports, poetry and art work about the annual Nottingham Goose Fair. A group of pupils usefully combine their English and ICT skills when producing the school newspaper, which is published on the school web site as well as being sold locally. Some pupils

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

talk about the uses of ICT in the world outside school, suggesting, for example, that a shopkeeper might keep accounts using spreadsheets and that a library could use scanning technology to keep track of loans.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

141. The subject is well led and managed. There is a good number of computers, including easily portable laptops and desktop machines in the classroom. This means that pupils can work on tasks individually, thus gaining greater benefit from their time. There is generally enough computer equipment, including printers and a digital camera. However, as mentioned previously, there is a lack of equipment to help teachers to demonstrate skills and information to a whole class. In addition, there is no equipment for practical work in control technology, although there are programs for simulating this. There is a good range of software available for supporting ICT work in each class. The co-ordinator has devised a useful skills checklist to keep track of pupils’ progress, and assessment is satisfactory overall, but Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 57 this is not used consistently in all classes. There is, therefore, a lack of information

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

useful for planning work for pupils and setting targets for improvement. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 58

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MUSIC

142. By the ages of seven and 11 pupils attain average standards. This is similar to the situation at the time of the last inspection.

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MUSIC

143. Pupils in Year 2 develop a sound sense and understanding of rhythm and beat. They accurately repeat the beat of a piece of music by clapping. These same pupils sing together showing sound pitch and diction. The quality of singing of Year 2 and 3 pupils is satisfactory. They sing in tune and with expression. When composing music, Year 4 pupils contribute some good ideas when working in groups with children from the reception class. They work alongside the children composing simple tunes to incorporate into a weather theme. By the end of Year 6 pupils use a range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments. They demonstrate a sound sense of rhythm and an ability to interpret mood and emotion through music making. They use Tibetan bells to depict the sun rising, recorders to depict the wind, maracas to depict the rain and drums to depict thunder. They perform their compositions, appraise them and try to improve them. Pupils in Year 6 know the difference between

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MUSIC

popular and classical music and know that music creates mood.

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MUSIC

144. The quality of teaching in both infant and junior classes is good. Teachers plan a wide range of activities for pupils to which pupils respond enthusiastically. Pupils learn to perform by singing and playing a range of musical instruments. They learn to compose music and they are encouraged to respond to music and to express preferences for different types of music.

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MUSIC

145. Pupils develop their social skills through group music making activities. In class lessons, they work well in groups rehearsing and sharing their music making. For example, Year 4 pupils work with children from the reception class experiencing with them the many ways music can evoke a range of feelings. Pupils have other opportunities to experience music making in addition to their work in formal lessons. Throughout the year, choirs are formed to sing at a number of events both in and out of school. Pupils often listen to music in assemblies. Music is played each day as they gather for assembly and as they leave the hall; the name of the composer of the music is always prominently displayed.

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MUSIC

146. The co-ordinator has a clear vision for the future development of the subject and helps teachers plan the curriculum to include a good balance between performing, composing and listening. The co-ordination of the subject is good. The youngest pupils are encouraged to appraise music. As they move through the school, pupils gain confidence in performing their own compositions and make good progress in learning how to listen to music and form opinions about what they hear.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

147. By the time pupils are seven years of age, their attainment is below that expected of pupils of that age. However, by the age of 11, standards are at the level expected for pupils of that age. This suggests a decline in standards since the previous inspection and is largely due to the lack of use of assessment to inform the next steps of pupils’ learning as they leave the Foundation Stage of learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

148. By the end of Year 2 pupils are not sufficiently adept at repeating skills and actions with increased control and co-ordination and are unsure of how to apply actions in sequence and in combination. Their knowledge of rules of games is limited and their skills of evaluation are weak. Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 59 149. By the end of Year 6 pupils can change the rhythm, speed, level and direction of movement. They have good skills of competitive games and they can use simple tactics for attacking and defending. Pupils are fully aware of the effects of exercise on their bodies and know the importance of being active.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

150. Teaching is satisfactory with examples of good teaching seen in the juniors, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils in the present Year 2 started Year 1 with skills that were well below those expected from pupils of that age. They make sound progress overall and leave at the end of Year 6 with attainment at about the level expected. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress. Those for whom English is not the first language spoken at home, make similar progress to their classmates. Teachers have a sound understanding of how to teach physical education. In a Year 1 lesson, the teacher, new to the class, worked hard to develop pupils’ control and co- ordination as they moved around the hall in different ways. The teacher exercised patience and perseverance but the pupils’ poor response, showing itself as a lack of good learning habits and the tendency of a few to follow their own agenda, reduced

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

the impact of the teaching. The teacher needed to stop activities to ensure safety and that all pupils were listening. Consequently, the pupils in this lesson made unsatisfactory progress and were not able to exhibit the required control and co- ordination. Older pupils in Year 2 made better progress as they learned to throw and catch different sized balls. The teacher used the good warm-up session well to help pupils to learn the benefits of exercise. Her use of cards illustrating these helped to firmly fix the message. The teacher managed the pupils well and they tried to follow the effective coaching points she made. However, although the lesson focused on the appropriate skills, it did not develop the activities into small-sided games. Consequently, the pupils did not have a chance to use their skills. Although they made visible progress in throwing and catching during the lesson, a considerable

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

number did not have the necessary control to throw and catch with sufficient co- ordination and confidence. Junior aged pupils enjoy physical education and teachers draw on this enthusiasm to encourage participation. In a well-structured Year 4 lesson, pupils concentrated hard when learning the basics of hurdling. In Year 5, pupils practised different ways of jumping, leading to sound performance in the triple jump. The lesson was soundly planned and the teacher gave clear directions and instructions so that pupils were able to improve their performance. However, because there were only two groups, this meant that the level of physical activity was too low. Most pupils were waiting their turn rather than engaged in physical activity. The teacher missed opportunities to develop pupils’ measuring skills by calling out approximations to the distance that pupils covered instead of asking them to measure

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

it. Teachers plan a range of activities that effectively covers the required curriculum, including swimming. By the time they leave school, most pupils meet the swimming requirements of the National Curriculum.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

151. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed. The school has been involved in a number of initiatives, including the School Sports Co-ordinator and Healthy Schools initiatives, that have had a positive impact on provision. There is a good range of well- attended out-of-school hours physical activities, including a dance club and basketball coaching. The school takes part in competitions against other schools and was recently successful in a mini-Olympics challenge. Visiting coaches help to develop football and tennis skills. This range of activities has a good impact, not only on pupils’ physical development, but also on their personal and social development. They learn to join in and co-operate with each other and to follow rules. The school has good-sized playing fields and hard-surfaced areas. Although the subject co- ordinator has introduced a number of initiatives and monitored planning, she has had

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 60 no opportunities to observe other classes or to work alongside teachers to improve teaching and learning. Thus, some shortcomings have not been noted or dealt with. There is no effective system for measuring and recording how well pupils are performing, so there is not enough information to use in planning lessons. Assessment and use of assessment to inform the next steps in pupils’ learning are unsatisfactory overall.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils attain the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and their achievements are good. There has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection and the quality of teaching is good overall because teachers are placing a high emphasis on teaching pupils about different faith religions in Great Britain.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

153. Pupils know more than they record in their exercise books. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils know the many stories that Jesus told. They know about the parable of the Good Samaritan and the importance of helping those people who are in need. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good understanding of key figures in religions. They know that Mohammed was a prophet and that Mother Teresa devoted her life to others and that she was a special person. They know that there are many places of worship and that Christians pray in churches, whilst Muslims go to the mosque. Pupils know that a fish is a symbol pertaining to Christianity and that the Star of David is a symbol of Judaism.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

154. By the end of Year 6, pupils know the events leading up to Jesus’ Crucifixion. They know that the Bible and the Qu’ran contain passages which can help us with our lives and that the Torah, Bible and Qu’ran are sacred texts. Most pupils can identify religious practices, for example, they know that Christians make the sign of the cross and that Muslims pray five times a day. Very good use is made of the variety of faiths within the school, with pupils sharing their practices with one another. In a good lesson seen in Year 5, pupils eagerly asked their friend to explain why he prayed five times a day and how this affected his life. Pupils have good knowledge of the Five Ks in Sikhism and that the Dapan is a sword which reminds Sikhs that whilst not attacking, they should defend their religion. However, pupils struggle with writing down their accounts of what they have learnt in class because of their weak literacy

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

skills. Too few opportunities are provided for research and independent learning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

155. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and offer good explanations. Time is used well and lessons move on at a brisk pace. This contributes well to learning. The use of literacy and ICT is satisfactory, pupils enjoy finding out about leaders and symbols in different religions. Teachers share learning objectives well and consistently check pupils’ understanding. In Year 6, the teacher consistently made reference to Zakan, Zuhr and the Five Pillars of Islam to ensure that pupils had understood the vocabulary.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

156. All groups of pupils make good gains in learning because they are well supported by their teachers and support staff, as a result, they have good attitudes to learning, behave well and respect one another’s differences.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

157. Assessments are satisfactory, an improvement on the previous inspection findings. However, more use could be made of assessment outcomes to plan the next steps of pupils’ learning. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory, Southwold Primary School and Early Years Centre - 61 but more work needs to be done in formally identifying opportunities for skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT in medium-term planning.

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