St Luke's CofE (Aided) Primary School

ST LUKE’S C of E (Aided) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 16 th – 19 th June 2003

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ST LUKE’S C of E (Aided) PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST LUKE’S C of E (Aided) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 3 - June 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Brancliffe Lane Shireoaks Worksop Nottinghamshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 th November 1997 St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 4 - June 2003

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responsibilities

23583 Peter Kerr Registered inspector Education Inclusion Mathematics Science Music Physical education What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9327 Stuart Vincent Lay inspector How high are standards? - Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 21243 Lynne Moore Team inspector Special educational needs English Art and design Design and technology 24022 Julia Lawson Team inspector The Foundation Stage Information and communication technology Geography History How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 5 - June 2003 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 6 - June 2003

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 27

St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 7 - June 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a Voluntary Aided CE Primary School catering for 154 pupils aged four to 11, half of whom travel in from outside the immediate area, which contains a mixture of rented and private housing. The school has expanded since the last inspection to accommodate a growing demand for places which is set to continue. The school shares the use of an independently-run detached pre- school unit sited in the school grounds. There are more boys than girls on the register, with a significant preponderance of boys in Years 3 and 5. All but a very small number of the pupils are of white ethnic origin. Fewer than eight per cent of pupils claim free school meals, which is a low proportion compared to most schools. There are 22 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs, which is 14 per cent and below average. A growing number of these pupils have behavioural as well as learning needs, some of them severe. Only one pupil has a statement of need.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Children transfer from part-time attendance at the pre-school facility to full time attendance in the school in the term when they become five with broadly average attainment.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

A separate inspection of collective worship and religious education took place shortly before this inspection. The school is participating in a pilot scheme to improve teaching, learning and assessment to run from 2003 to 2005 and is in Year 1 of the Healthy Eating initiative. It aims to preserve its religious character as well as to provide a high quality of education.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school has many strengths and only a few areas for further improvement. Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science within a strong Christian ethos. Teaching is good overall and the pupils are a credit to the school when they transfer to the secondary school. The headteacher and governors ensure that as much of the school’s budget as possible is spent on the pupils each year in a cost effective way. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6 • Relationships are very good throughout the school. • Provision for the reception children in the nursery is very good. • Provision for pupils’ welfare is very good. • The governing body supports the school well. • The school has a good partnership with parents and the wider community.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Learning opportunities for reception children within the main school. • Assessment in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. • The management roles of staff other than the head and deputy. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school was last inspected in November 1997. Good improvements have been made to the school site and buildings since then, including the establishment of a computer suite and an independently run nursery unit in the grounds. Improvements in the areas identified as key issues have been satisfactory overall. Good improvements have been made in resources and in curriculum planning. In subjects other than English, mathematics, science and ICT, insufficient improvements have been made in assessment, planning for skills and in the leadership and management of the subjects. Some other areas that were in need of improvement at the time of the previous inspection, for example teachers’ marking and the preparation of pupils for life in a multicultural society, are also still areas for further development. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 8 - June 2003

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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. compared with

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The school’s results in the tests have kept at or above the national average in English and mathematics and have improved steadily in science to reach well above average levels compared to similar schools. The provisional results of the 2003 tests show a good improvement in standards in English, which are likely to be above similar schools. The school met its target in English, with a high proportion of the pupils achieving the above average level 5, reflecting good achievement by the more able pupils, especially in reading. The more able pupils also performed well in mathematics, but the results fell just short of the school’s target. The science results were a little lower than in 2002 but still above average. These overall results reflect good achievement by pupils, reflecting the increased rigour in the school’s analysis of test results and the use of this information to remedy weaknesses.

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STANDARDS

The school has set suitably challenging targets for 2004.

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STANDARDS

Progress has been good in ICT in recent years because of improved provision, enabling pupils to achieve satisfactorily and reach standards typical for their age at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils attain average standards at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Their results in the national tests in 2002 were below average in reading and writing, but sustained efforts have redressed this weakness, particularly in writing, where substantial improvements have been seen. At the end of Year 2, standards and achievement are above expectations in art and design and dance, and below expectations in geography. Pupils achieve satisfactorily to reach standards typical for their age by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 in all other subjects.

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STANDARDS

Children enter reception with broadly average attainment. They make satisfactory progress overall to reach standards typical for their age by the end of the reception year. Progress is very good in the nursery unit but unsatisfactory when they move into the school. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress when receiving support, but those with learning needs sometimes make less progress than they could because support is diverted to cater for behavioural needs. Pupils with particular aptitudes, for example in mathematics, are given extra support to learn at an appropriate rate.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good overall. Most pupils like coming to school and join in all activities enthusiastically. A few pupils, mostly boys, are reluctant learners and take little interest in lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall, so that most lessons run smoothly and there is an orderly atmosphere around the school. A few boys have significant behavioural problems and often try to disrupt lessons. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 9 - June 2003 Personal development and relationships Very good. Other pupils and adults are very understanding of pupils with learning and behavioural difficulties.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good. Above the national average with few unauthorised absences.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The overall judgements in the table mask differences in the quality of teaching in each of the three key stages catered for by the school. Teaching is very good for reception children when they are taught in the nursery unit, but their learning slows down when they are taught in the main building because of inadequate provision for their needs. Teaching is consistently good in Years 2 and 6 and satisfactory elsewhere in the school, with some examples of good and very good teaching. Good teaching and learning in Year 6 enables the pupils to make up any lost ground and achieve well overall by the time they leave the school. Teaching and learning are good in English and mathematics. Teachers teach the basic skills of literacy and numeracy well. Lessons are planned effectively to cover the full National Curriculum in each subject but do not always take into account the full range of existing knowledge and skills among the pupils. Teachers employ effective teaching

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

methods and generally relate well to the pupils, but in Years 3 to 5, the behaviour of the few pupils who tend to disrupt lessons is not always managed effectively and this slows down learning. Extra support was made available to teachers to manage these pupils during the inspection; it was impossible to judge how effective learning would have been without this help. Lessons meet the needs of all the pupils effectively on most occasions, however, including those pupils with exceptional abilities in particular subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum for the reception children is very good within the nursery unit but unsatisfactory in the main school. A satisfactory curriculum is provided in the rest of the school, with a good range of activities outside school hours. The school has a good partnership with parents and the wider community.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good when the planned support is given, but on occasions help is diverted away from learning needs to manage disruptive behaviour.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good for moral and social development. Pupils are taught right from wrong very clearly, and positive relationships are encouraged. There are some good opportunities for reflection and pupils are prepared satisfactorily for life in a culturally diverse society.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school is a safe, secure caring community. Provision for child protection and pupils’ welfare is very good. Good behaviour is encouraged and bullying is not tolerated. Assessment is good in English, mathematics, science, but key skills are not tracked effectively in other subjects. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 10 - June 2003

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and deputy ensure that the school provides a caring Christian ethos and focuses its work on raising standards in basic skills. Delegation of responsibilities in some areas of the school’s work is not clear and effective enough, however.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors ensure that the school meets all legal requirements, and give good support to the headteacher. They take an active part in monitoring and evaluating the school’s work.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school tracks and supports the pupils’ performance in national tests very effectively. Monitoring of some aspects of the school’s work does not lead to accurate evaluations and improvements, however.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school applies the principles of best value well so that the budget is managed efficiently to support the pupils’ learning. The accommodation and levels of staffing and learning resources are adequate apart from the hall and the library.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved 1

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Their children enjoy school and make good progress. • Teaching is good. • The school expects the children to work hard and helps them to become mature and responsible. • The amount of homework given. • The range of activities provided outside lessons for younger children. • The way the school works with parents. • Leadership and management of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection confirms all of the parents’ positive views. In relation to their criticisms it found that:

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• The amount of homework is broadly what would be expected for primary schools. • The range of extra-curricular activities outside of lessons is good. It is not usual for schools to provide such activities for the youngest children. • The school works well with parents and has good home-school links. • The leadership and management of the school is sound, but has overlooked some important issues.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

1 Only a very small number of parents returned the questionnaire and/or attended the parents’ meeting, so the views recorded here are not necessarily representative. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 11 - June 2003

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children enter reception with average attainment overall. They make very good progress initially because of the very good provision and teaching in the nursery unit, but their learning slows down when they transfer to the main school to be taught alongside Year 1 pupils because there is inadequate provision to meet their specific needs. Although they begin Year 1 with levels of attainment typical for their age, their levels of achievement are not as good as they could be because of the reduced progress in the latter part of the reception year.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The school’s results in the national tests at the end of Year 2 in reading and writing were below the national average in 2002. Standards were well below those of similar schools and writing was particularly weak. Improvements have been made to the teaching of writing, resulting in a far better performance in the tests in 2003. Standards in reading also improved, but not to such a great extent. The inspection found that standards are now average in speaking and listening, reading and writing, confirming the recent progress made at this stage. Test results in mathematics at the end of Year 2 were at the national average in 2002, but below average compared to similar schools. In 2003, the results were similar overall, but significantly more pupils exceeded the expected level. The inspection confirms that standards are typical for the pupils’ age at the end of Year 2 in all aspects of mathematics. Overall, pupils

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

achieve satisfactorily in literacy and numeracy at this stage and use these skills well to aid their learning in other subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The school’s results in the end of Year 6 tests in English were above the national average in 2002 but below those of similar schools. Good improvements were made between 2002 and 2003 especially in reading, to achieve results that met the school’s targets exactly and are likely to be well above the national average and in line with those of similar schools. Bearing in mind that the school is compared to schools in the most advantageous circumstances in the country, this is a good achievement. The inspection confirms that standards in reading and writing are above average, and that pupils’ reading skills are considerably stronger than their writing skills. Standards in speaking and listening are also above average at this stage and at a similar level to the pupils’ reading skills. The 2003 test results in mathematics were broadly similar to the 2002 results – above the national average and in line with similar schools – but the school failed to meet its target for the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

proportion of pupils achieving the expected Level 4. The inspection confirms that standards in mathematics are above the national average. Overall, pupils achieve well in English and mathematics at this stage, and have good basic literacy and numeracy skills by the time they leave the school. Suitably challenging targets have been set for 2004.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school’s assessments of attainment in science at the end of Year 2 were very high in 2002 in all aspects except experimental and investigative science, where they were very low. The inspection found no evidence to support this disparity. Pupils achieve as well in the experimental and investigative aspect of science at this age as in their knowledge and understanding and achieve typical standards for their age. Standards are above average in science overall at the end of Year 6, reflecting the school’s performance in the national tests, which were well above the national average in 2002 and look likely to be above it in 2003. Pupils achieve well in the St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 12 - June 2003 knowledge aspects of the subject at this stage, but satisfactorily in investigative and experimental skills, reflecting the balance of emphasis in teaching.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) have improved since the last inspection, enabling pupils to meet the current higher levels of expectation. This represents satisfactory achievement. Pupils are currently making good progress, however, due to recent improvements in provision, so the school is on course to continue raising standards. Pupils apply their skills well to their work in other subjects within lessons in the computer suite, but do not make routine use of computers in classrooms to enhance their learning, for example in English.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils achieve well to reach standards above those expected for their age at the end of Year 2 in art and design and in the dance aspect of physical education. Standards are lower than they should and achievement therefore unsatisfactory in geography at this stage. In all other subjects, standards are as expected at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, representing satisfactory achievement.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall. The support given to pupils with learning needs is good, and when they receive it, these pupils make good progress towards their individual learning targets. Pupils with behavioural needs are also well supported so that they are included as much as possible in lessons to make satisfactory progress. However, the number of pupils with severe behavioural needs has increased over recent years and on occasions support that has been planned for learning needs is diverted towards managing these pupils. This leaves those pupils with learning needs without the support they need to make optimum progress. There are examples of pupils identified as having exceptional ability in a particular subject being given more demanding work, for example in mathematics, and those pupils who show an aptitude for playing a musical instrument are encouraged to take lessons, in which they make good

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ show positive attitudes to their work, behave well and are willing to learn. The younger children play co-operatively together and are very keen to please their teachers. As they grow older they enjoy contributing ideas, finding things out for themselves and being successful. Many take part in the extra-curricular activities and are proud to represent their school in sporting as well as other events, such as the local carnival and the community pantomime. In their responses to questionnaires, parents say that their children are encouraged to work hard and do their best. The pupils respond well to challenge, which shows in the results they achieve.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Behaviour in class is good for the great majority of pupils. There are a few pupils who challenge the teacher’s authority during lessons. Steps are taken to minimise the disruption caused by this behaviour, but during the inspection the management of behaviour often relied on adult help that would not normally be there. It is therefore unclear what impact the behaviour of these pupils usually has on their own and others’ learning. In the playground behaviour is boisterous, but good. Boys and girls play well together, and when there is unacceptable behaviour it is dealt with promptly. Exclusions are very rare as the school’s aim is to fully include all its pupils in all learning opportunities. Relationships between adults and pupils and between pupils are very good. The atmosphere in the school is friendly and welcoming. The pupils themselves say that if there are any problems they are sorted out quickly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Good attitudes and behaviour continue to be a positive factor in the good standards the pupils achieve, and which are commented on by the staff at the secondary St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 13 - June 2003 school. This equilibrium is threatened, however, by the very poor behaviour of a growing number of disturbed pupils that teachers and learning support assistants find it increasingly difficult to deal with. Most pupils, however, have positive attitudes towards their extra support and those with learning difficulties enjoy working in small groups.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils’ personal development is good. Children join the school with broadly typical social skills. As they move through the reception class, they quickly begin to mature. They become increasingly articulate and confident to answer questions. They listen carefully to stories and contribute their own ideas to discussions, for example when talking about the feelings of Goldilocks and the three bears. They express delight in creativity when painting. They learn to share resources and to be helpful, to take their turn and work co-operatively in pairs and groups. As they grow older they are increasingly aware of the needs and feelings of others. There is a substantial amount of fund raising for charities. Pupils know that some of their friends do not learn as quickly as others, but they are tolerant and understanding. Their knowledge of their own learning is increasing very well and by the time they have reached years five

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

and six, they know their own strengths and weaknesses, and what they must do to achieve well. They are confident and likeable; they enjoy talking to their teachers in a relaxed manner, and appreciate humour. Given these attributes, the pupils have too few opportunities to contribute to the day to day running of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils come to school willingly and punctually. Attendance is above the national average. Unauthorised absence is below the national average .

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

12. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, but this judgement masks important variations throughout the school. Teaching was good or better in 26 of the 42 lessons seen during the inspection, which is 62 per cent, and very good in eight of these lessons (19 per cent). The strongest teaching is in the nursery unit for reception children, and in Years 2 and 6.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching for reception children is satisfactory overall. In the nursery unit, the teachers work very closely with the nursery staff to provide a very good learning environment for the children. The children learn through a wide variety of play activities, many of which they choose for themselves. The adults are very skilful at interacting with them as they play, taking every opportunity to develop their skills in all the areas of learning for children of this age, especially language and communication and personal and social development. There is also some good teaching for these children when they transfer to the main school. For example, the teacher and nursery nurse led separate groups in language and music games then the whole group joined together in a very enjoyable end of day session to combine the skills they had learned in an action song. However, when the reception children

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

are taught alongside the Year 1 children, the provision is unsatisfactory. The classroom is not set up to facilitate the kind of activities they need to engage in and often the teacher has no extra adult support to cater for the two key stages at the same time. As a result, the children’s learning slows down as they often have to tackle tasks that are too difficult for them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. Teaching and learning are good overall in Years 1 and 2, with some very good teaching of dance in Year 2. It is satisfactory overall in Years 3, 4 and 5 and good in Year 6. Very good lessons were seen in English and music in Year 4 and ICT, geography and personal, social and health education (PSHE) in Year 6. Very good planning, based on secure subject knowledge and preparation of interesting St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 14 - June 2003 activities, supported well by good quality resources characterise these very effective lessons. The management of pupils’ behaviour is also very good, but at times teachers have to work hard to keep the attention of a minority of pupils with behavioural needs, even in these lessons. When pupil management is not as strong, the behaviour of just a few pupils inhibits learning for the whole class. This is more likely to occur when the pace of the lesson slows or when the activities are not

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

stimulating or pitched at the right level because these pupils are so easily distracted and turn very quickly to disruptive behaviour. On some occasions, the extra adult support that had been planned for pupils with learning needs is used instead to manage the behaviour of these pupils. As a consequence, pupils with learning needs do not always make the progress they should.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. Teaching is good overall in English and mathematics. Lessons are planned thoroughly on the basis of the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies so that all the required ground is covered in both subjects. As a result, pupils learn the basic skills of literacy and numeracy well and use them effectively to aid their learning in other subjects. Teachers use their day-to-day assessments of the pupils’ progress well in planning their lessons, but the best use is not always made of the data the school collects on pupils’ attainment to decide on starting points for units of work. Marking is an area for improvement in both subjects. It is not consistently used to help pupils make specific improvements in their work. This was identified as an area for improvement in the previous report, and has not been adequately dealt with.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. ICT skills are also taught well so that pupils are making good progress in this area. They apply their skills well to other subjects when working in the computer suite, but do not yet make full use of the school’s computers on a routine basis to support their learning. The basic skills are taught at least satisfactorily in all other subjects except for geography in Years 1 and 2, where pupils do not learn as much as they should. The school also admits that progress in some aspects of physical education is limited by the size and situation of the hall and its regular use for a range of other purposes.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers generally plan lessons thoroughly and have good relationships with the pupils so that a positive working atmosphere is developed. They plan different activities for different groups to a set format, but these are not consistently matched to the pupils existing knowledge and skills. As a result, the work is sometimes too easy or too difficult for some pupils, which exacerbates behaviour management problems on occasions and leads to a reduced pace of learning for all. In some classes, the teacher’s expectations are not clear and consistent enough – both for pupils’ responses and for the quality of their work. This sometimes leads to pupils getting away with unacceptably rude behaviour. The teachers respond very positively to advice and encouragement, willingly adjusting future lesson plans in the light of feedback from inspectors, for example. During the inspection, this helped to improve learning from just satisfactory to good design and technology in one class.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Clearer expectations were set for pupils’ responses and greater consistency achieved by the teacher in her approach, leading to much more positive attitudes from the pupils and more productive exchanges between pupils and between the teacher and the class. This illustrates that the school has a good capacity to further improve the quality of teaching and learning.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

18. The school provides a satisfactory curriculum overall, with a balance of strengths and areas for further development. This represents satisfactory improvement since the last inspection, when unclear planning for some subjects was identified as a key St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 15 - June 2003 issue. Appropriate emphasis is given to English, mathematics and science. The school’s successful implementation of the national literacy and numeracy strategies has helped to raise standards in English and mathematics. A ‘whole school approach’ to curriculum planning brings continuity from year to year and good links between subjects. For example, pupils used mathematical skills when measuring river depth in geography during the inspection and make good use of the computer for research and to present their findings in different ways. Planning in all subjects identifies the objectives for each lesson but does not always indicate how the pupils’

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

learning will be assessed. This was an area for improvement in the last inspection. The different needs within the class are not always identified in teachers’ plans, resulting in some children being insufficiently challenged.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

19. The quality and range of learning opportunities for children in the reception year are unsatisfactory overall. When they are taught in the pre-school unit, the needs of the younger reception children are fully met through a range of well planned activities with opportunities for them to reinforce and extend their learning in a variety of ways. For example, they re-enact the story of the three bears in role play, make chairs with junk materials, and sequence events as part of their reading task. The curriculum is enhanced through outdoor activities which allow for children to develop their physical skills and to explore large outdoor equipment. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The older reception children, however, do not consistently follow a suitable curriculum. When being taught with Year 1 pupils, they undertake inappropriate tasks that are not matched sufficiently well to their level of

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

development, such as written recordings of their work.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

20. There has been good improvement in the provision for information, communication technology (ICT) since the last inspection. There is a new computer suite with a favourable ratio of computers which allows for the learning needs of all the pupils to be met. The school has expanded its range of relevant software and teachers plan well for its use. ICT is appropriately linked to other subjects and planning now ensures that pupils build on their skills as they move through the school. Pupils do not, however, make full use of the computers in the classrooms.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

21. In addition to the taught curriculum there is a good range of activities outside lessons. These are well attended and provide children with opportunities to broaden their experiences. For example, they learn to play the guitar and to speak French. Children also participate in a variety of sporting activities such as FA club and dance, and compete with local schools. The curriculum is enhanced through visitors and visits. For example, pupils explore Sherwood Forest to imagine what life was like for Robin Hood and visit York Castle Museum and the Jorvik Museum as part of their work in history. Older children benefit from a residential trip to a coastal location.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

22. The school grounds and the locality are well used for physical education and to support work in science and geography. The local community broadens children’s experiences; there are very good links with the church, which children attend for special celebrations. The vicar is a familiar face around school; he is a governor and takes regular assemblies. Children perform for members of the community and play an important role in the village carnival.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. Links with the private nursery based on the school site are good. Staff plan together and share resources. The nursery nurse in charge of the nursery also works with the reception teacher, giving added security and continuity for the children. There are very good links with the secondary school. Pupils have a range of opportunities to become familiar with their new school, such as ‘Fun Days’, family events and concerts. Staff from both schools meet regularly throughout the year to ensure a St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 16 - June 2003 smooth transition.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The provision for PSHE is satisfactory. Children learn about some aspects of health education through science and physical education lessons. For example, they identify healthy foods in Year 5 and learn how to prevent food poisoning in Year 6. Younger children discuss issues such as friendship, bullying and behaviour and in Year 6, pupils learn about different jobs through lessons in citizenship. The school is in the early stages of implementing this subject, however. All staff have received training in PSHE but there is no planned programme of work or agreed approaches as to how this area will be taught throughout the school. The school has a policy for sex education and the school nurse supports the teaching of this to older children. The community police service supports the teaching of drugs education very effectively through a well planned programme of work. Children become aware of the consequences involved in making wrong decisions and feel confident to express

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

and share their views. The school is in the process of implementing its policy on race equality; the co-ordinator has received training to support this work.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The governing body is actively involved in developing the curriculum. They make regular visits to observe teaching, meet regularly to monitor progress and are kept informed of developments through discussions with and presentations by staff.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. Provision for the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is satisfactory overall. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. The school has a strong Christian ethos in which every child is valued and prayer is an important part of daily life. Good opportunities for reflection and thought are provided in assemblies taken by the vicar. Some classes use prayers at other times, often written by the children themselves. In their religious education lessons, pupils study the Christian faith and beliefs and use their own church regularly. They have visited Southwell Mister and Lincoln Cathedral, to experience the wonder of celebration in these surroundings. In the wider curriculum the school uses literature, music and dance to explore feelings. Remembrance Day is observed and, more recently, the conflict in Iraq has been discussed. Class ‘circle time’, is used to help children

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

express and share their own feelings and emotions. Music is played as pupils enter and leave assemblies, but the most is not made of these opportunities for quiet reflection and exploration of spiritual aspects of life, and specific consideration is not given to opportunities for spiritual development in lesson plans.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. Provision for moral development is good and pupils clearly know what is right and what is wrong. Pupils discuss their own class standards within the structure of the school’s behaviour policy. Assemblies are used well to discuss whole-school issues of behaviour and personal conduct in the context of the school’s Christian ethos. Throughout the school, adults are good role models and lead by example.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. Provision for social development is also good. Lessons give many opportunities for children to work together in groups or pairs so that collaborative skills are encouraged. Classes and individuals have targets to help them focus their efforts towards specific goals and they have a good understanding of their own learning. Considerable effort is put into fund-raising for such causes as National Children’s Homes and Comic Relief, all of which show pupils that many people live lives more difficult than their own. The PSHE curriculum makes a positive contribution to this aspect of the pupils’ personal development, but pupils have little opportunity for formal responsibilities around the school which recognise their willingness and encourage their initiative and independence. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 17 - June 2003 29. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory. Music, art and literature all play

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

their part. Many pupils perform in musical productions and shows. They learn about their own local history and culture and participate in the local carnival. The school is starting to widen pupils understanding of the cultures and beliefs of the wider world, by introducing music and musicians from India, Brazil and the Caribbean. African dance has been enjoyed and a Japanese visitor has worked in the school with all year groups to show the life and culture of her country. Some of the celebrations and beliefs of other religious faiths are now included in the curriculum. However, there is still more to be done to enhance the pupils’ appreciation of the diverse faiths, cultures and beliefs in their own country. This was also an area for development at the last inspection.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The school provides very good care and support for all of its pupils.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. The procedures for child protection, led personally by the head teacher, follow local guidelines and staff meetings are used to maintain awareness and to discuss concerns about any individual child. The school nurse and other visiting professionals give their continuing support, for example with behaviour, inclusion and play therapy. A retired police constable leads drug awareness teaching. The health and safety policy is comprehensive and the procedures are carried out very well. Individual responsibilities within the school are properly defined and all the routines of classroom safety, fire drills, first aid, medicines and general welfare are very well organised. The school is a safe and secure place. The school is succeeding well in its aim of creating a happy, calm and caring community.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The systems for the monitoring and management of behaviour work well for the vast majority of pupils. There are clear school rules and each class also agrees its own standards of conduct. Teachers manage their classes well and pupils enjoy the rewards that are given in assembly each week. Much additional support is given to a number of pupils in several classes who regularly challenge the teacher’s authority. Some follow a specific behaviour management plan, with the close involvement of their parents. However, on a number of occasions during the inspection, adults who would normally not be available were used to take disruptive pupils out of the classroom. It is not, therefore clear how the teachers would have coped without this support. There are well-established policies to deal with bullying and racism and respect and care for each other are fundamental to the aims of the school. Parents

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

returning the questionnaires showed overwhelmingly that their children enjoy school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The procedures for recording and promoting attendance are sound. Registers are properly completed and absence accurately recorded. Parents co-operate very well in reporting absence and ensure their children attend regularly. The school rewards those children who achieve one hundred percent attendance.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The procedures for monitoring personal development are good and teachers demonstrate good knowledge of each child as an individual. All children have records which give a clear picture of their development since coming to the school. This includes their family background, attendance, behaviour and records of achievement. Teachers are able to discuss matters in detail with parents and they write helpful comments in the pupil’s annual reports.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school receives satisfactory support from outside agencies for pupils with special educational needs. Appropriate arrangements are in place for regular reviews of St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 18 - June 2003 their progress, which include all relevant people. Targets are usually English-based or linked to behaviour and attitudes.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. In the previous inspection report, assessment was identified as a key issue for action. The school has made some good improvements in English, mathematics and science, where the pupils’ progress is exhaustively tracked. Plans are in hand to begin tracking pupils’ progress in learning the key skills in other subjects, for example music, but no manageable whole-school assessment system is in place for this in most subjects. The school has, therefore, not yet made sufficient progress in addressing this issue.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school’s system for providing pupils with individual targets is good and involves both pupils and parents. Targets are discussed with pupils and agreed with their parents at each term’s consultation evening. Most pupils are aware of their own targets, although there is sometimes confusion as class targets and group targets are also set by teachers.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school has drawn up a marking policy, but it is not followed consistently across the school. The quality of marking varies from a simple tick to more useful feedback which informs the pupils how well they have done or what needs to be improved. Some teachers take care to identify one or two specific points for learning, but these are often not followed up by the pupil, even if they have been given an exercise book for this specific purpose. This was an area of concern identified in the previous inspection report.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Despite these shortcomings, the monitoring procedures ensure that pupils receive good support, both for their learning in English and mathematics and their personal development. Problems can be seen and dealt with promptly. To help them achieve well in English and mathematics, the pupils are usually placed in groups within their class and given work intended to suit the differing rates at which they learn. Extra literacy and numeracy lessons are also given where necessary.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The school continues to work well in partnership with parents. Parents appreciate what the school does for their children and the quality of education it provides. They are happy with the quality of teaching, their children’s progress, the expectations set and the values taught. They say their children enjoy school and they themselves feel comfortable in dealing with the school.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. Parents are given a good range of information about the school and about their children’s progress. Day-to-day matters are dealt with by letters from class teachers and information about the topics to be studied is given out termly. A web site is being developed to provide more information. The school responds well to suggestions from parents. For example, methods of communicating are currently under review, initially in response to concerns over letters which don’t always reach home. The scope of these discussions has been widened to include information about individual targets, use of ‘booster groups’ and other issues. Pupils have a home-school diary in which parents can see the work set, check it and send comments. Occasional meetings about the curriculum and other aspects of learning, such as the teaching of handwriting and spelling and a ‘Science Open-Day’, help to keep parents up to date about what their children are learning in school. There are

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

consultation meetings with parents each term at which progress can be discussed in detail. The pupils’ annual reports are now written well and give a clear picture of achievement in all subjects as well as a good overall summary of personal St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 19 - June 2003 development and targets for improvement. Parents have an opportunity to return a comment about their child’s progress and many do so. The governors’ annual report to parents is clear and easily readable. Those parents of children with special educational needs are kept fully informed about progress and involved in discussing targets at review meetings.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The school has close links with the ‘Acorns’ Nursery and many parents will have already made contact with the school during their children’s time there. At home visits before their children begin in the reception class, families are given a prospectus, various policy documents and the home-school agreement. Parents invariably sign and return this to the school. During the first term there is an informal meeting for all parents and staff, to establish social links. These efforts ensure that parents thereafter make a good contribution to the life of the school and feel comfortable to approach staff whenever they need. The informal weekly ‘coffee- morning’ gives parents a good opportunity to meet staff and keep channels of communication open. Parents give good support to productions, concerts and other events and the ‘Panto’ which involves the pupils, parents, staff and other community groups is a highlight of the school year. A few parents and carers provide valued

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

help in class, particularly with reading and craft activities.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Parents make a positive contribution to their children’s success. Almost all parents are keen to attend consultation evenings, particularly where their children have special needs. Homework is generally well supported by most parents. Parents ensure their children come to school promptly and regularly, helping to keep the level of attendance above the national average.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The sound leadership and management reported at the previous inspection have been maintained. The headteacher and deputy headteacher work closely together to ensure that the school’s work is directed towards raising standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science within the school’s Christian ethos. They take a strong lead in tracking the pupils’ progress in these subjects and informing the parents and wider community how well the pupils are doing. They have identified areas of weakness, for example standards of writing, and taken steps to remedy them. The improved results in the national tests in English in 2003 reflect their success in these important matters. However, they have overlooked some other important issues, particularly the need to provide continuous appropriate learning opportunities for all children of reception age. The school has had to manage significant changes in staff since the previous inspection. This has

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

contributed to some parts of the action plan not being fully implemented, including improvements to the teachers’ leadership and management roles and more effective use of marking to help pupils improve.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The headteacher has been very effective in negotiating the shared use of a purpose- built nursery and reception unit in the school grounds. This has led to very good provision for the youngest reception children. However, the management of this key stage (the Foundation Stage) has not been effective enough to ensure a satisfactory curriculum for the reception children when they are taught alongside Year 1 pupils in the main school. This limits the extent to which the school fulfils one of its main aims of providing high quality education for all its pupils.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The leadership and management of some subjects is effective, particularly those that have been the direct responsibility of the deputy headteacher. Significant improvements were brought about in English and information and communication St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 20 - June 2003 technology through effective leadership in the two years preceding the inspection. A number of other subjects have lacked effective leadership and management, largely because of the staff turnover and the relatively small number of teachers available to perform all these additional tasks. There has not been a clear enough view of how pupils’ progress is to be tracked in the various subjects in a manageable but effective way to ensure that lessons build on their existing skills. This has also contributed to a lack of strategic direction and is the responsibility of senior management. The school is in the throes of another upheaval with the departure of the deputy

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

headteacher in July 2002 for promotion to a headship. Although a successor has been appointed, the change brings another period of adjustment at senior management level, with inevitable implications for cohesion of purpose at other levels. The school nevertheless has a satisfactory capacity to improve because of the excellent relationships between the headteacher and governing body and their determination to make the school a successful learning community.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The governors fulfil their statutory duties very well and play an active role in shaping the direction of the school. They work closely with the headteacher to ensure that the budget is spent wisely on the educational priorities laid out in the school improvement plan. A good committee system is in place to make their deliberations more efficient, and they have good procedures for informing themselves of aspects of the school’s work through feedback from the headteacher and other staff and through visits to classrooms. Some of the information they feed back to the governing body and school from these visits is very perceptive and useful to the school in planning further improvements. For example, one such report identified the problem of teachers working at full stretch to manage increasingly challenging behaviour. This example typifies the governors’ good understanding of the strengths and

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The effectiveness of the school’s monitoring, evaluation and improvement of teaching is sound. It has been limited to some extent by the rapid turnover of staff. It has mostly been carried out by the headteacher and deputy, because few staff have stayed long enough for this aspect of management to become embedded into their role. This limits the extent to which strengths can spread and weaknesses remedied in each subject. Strategies for appraisal and performance management of staff are secure, but their effectiveness as tools for improving provision within the school is also affected by the turnover of teachers. Procedures for the induction and support of staff new to the school, including newly qualified teachers, are satisfactory.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. Financial management is good. The school does all it can to spend each year’s budget on the pupils currently on role. Spending is closely tied in to the school improvement plan, which in turn takes into account the views of parents. The governors actively seek best value in their spending. They continually challenge themselves to ensure that their priorities are the right ones, compare the school’s performance to that of similar schools and put major contracts out to competitive tender. The school gives satisfactory value for money because of the standards achieved and the quality of teaching and learning. The school’s administrative staff run the office very efficiently so that the headteacher is free to concentrate on educational matters.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The accommodation offered by the school is satisfactory overall, and has been significantly improved since the last inspection. Current limitations include facilities for indoor physical education and for reception children in the main school. The hall is small and is also used as a classroom, limiting the scope of activities possible, especially for older pupils. The classroom in which reception children are taught in the main school does not facilitate their learning. The library is also inadequate, St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 21 - June 2003 although staff compensate for this to some extent by good teaching of reference skills. There are sufficient teachers to teach the full National Curriculum and religious education to all the pupils, and an adequate number of learning support assistants. Resources are satisfactory in all subjects and are kept under review and updated as needed.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

51. In order to provide full entitlement to a relevant curriculum for all its pupils and to raise standards further, the headteacher and governors should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Ensure that the older children in the reception class are taught within an environment that fully caters for their needs. Paragraphs 1, 13, 19, 54, 47, 52, 54, 55, 57, 61, 66

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve assessment and marking so that they help teachers to plan lessons more effectively to meet the needs of all the pupils in each subject. Paragraphs 15, 18, 36, 38, 46, 54, 78, 85, 89, 97, 101, 107, 112, 126.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Ensure that all areas of the school’s work, including the Foundation Stage, are the clear responsibility of one named member of staff and provide opportunities and support for each individual to carry out these roles effectively. Paragraphs 44, 48, 79, 96, 101, 107, 118.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to these key issues, the governors should consider the following areas for improvement for inclusion in their action plan:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Raising standards in geography at the end of Year 2 Paragraph 102

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improving procedures for managing the behaviour of the most disruptive pupils Paragraphs 9, 14, 17, 32, 84.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Enabling pupils to use ICT more routinely to support their learning. Paragraphs 16, 20, 73, 120 St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 22 - June 2003

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 34

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 19 43 38 0 0 0 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.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 154

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 7 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 22

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 23 - June 2003

p.22

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 14 7 21

p.23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

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

Boys * * 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 71 (82) 62 (88) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.23

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys * 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 71 (88) 100 (100) 100 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.23

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

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

p.23

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 12 9 21

p.23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys * 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls * * *

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (67) 90(72) 95(100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73(71) 86(87)

p.23

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

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

Boys 10 10 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls * * *

p.23

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

Percentage of pupils School 90(67) 86(72) 95(100) at NC level 4 or above National 73(72) 74(74) 82(82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.23

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

*The numbers for boys and girls are omitted because there are fewer than ten pupils or less in Years 2 and 6. This is to ensure that individual pupils cannot be identified. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 24 - June 2003

p.23

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.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.24

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. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 25 - June 2003

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.85 Financial year 2002-2003

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.5

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total income 379,665

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Total expenditure 370,441

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 92 Expenditure per pupil 2,413

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 17,760

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 9,224 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 26 - June 2003

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 44 47 7 2 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 40 40 12 4 4

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 24 44 16 4 11

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 42 38 16 4 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 56 30 4 4 4

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 42 58 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 29 44 18 9 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 40 36 2 13 9

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 36 58 7 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 13 60 16 4 7

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

NB: Please note the percentages are rounded to the nearest integer St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 27 - June 2003

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. Children start full time in the reception class in the term in which they are five. They begin in the independently run purpose-built nursery unit within the school grounds. A very good range of experiences is provided within this setting. Activities are well matched to the children’s age and level of development, enabling them to make good progress. When the capacity of this unit is reached, the older children transfer to the main school to be taught alongside Year 1 pupils. The children’s progress slows down in this setting because the accommodation is not suitable and they do not have enough facilities or adult support to learn in ways that are appropriate to their age and level of development. As a result, some children are not as well prepared as they could be for the National Curriculum in Year 1. Pupils who may have special educational needs make good progress because they are identified early and given

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall in this key stage, with very good teaching in the nursery, but significant shortcomings within the main school. In the nursery setting, staff have developed a curriculum that reflects the needs and abilities of the children. Teachers’ plans clearly identify learning objectives for each activity and a wide variety of appropriate resources are provided to stimulate the children’s imagination. This was particularly evident in imaginative play, where children eagerly dressed up as characters from Goldilocks and the Three Bears to re-enact the story. The teacher and Nursery Nurse used every opportunity to support the children’s learning in these activities. For example, they helped the children to sequence the story of the Three Bears, make porridge, design chairs and manipulate clay into bowl shapes. Younger reception children sustained good levels of concentration when

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

making chairs with recycled materials because there were plenty of interesting shaped containers and boxes and a wealth of equipment for making joins, such as tape, staplers, string and glue. When taught as part of a Year 1 class, reception children do not always sustain such good levels of concentration because activities are not sufficiently well matched to their interest and ability.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54. The school has identified the need to provide more suitable facilities for reception children in the main school, but has so far been unable to do so. This makes it very difficult for the teachers to provide appropriate learning activities. The good systems introduced for assessing the younger children in the nursery and using this information to support their progress are not continued into the reception class.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. During the summer term, older reception children in the main school benefit from the support of an additional teacher in the mornings which allows for the needs of lower attaining children to be met in distinct teaching groups. However, the area designated for this is cramped and un-stimulating; there is insufficient space and resources to meet the needs of these children, so many of them loose concentration during independent tasks. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 28 - June 2003

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

56. Although the children make good progress in the nursery, overall progress is only satisfactory because the opportunities provided within the main school are not sufficiently well matched to the children’s needs. In the nursery setting, the staff develop the children’s independence by providing well planned activities, secure routines and good support. As a result, children use both their indoor and outdoor environments with confidence; they choose the areas in which they will work and select their own equipment. Their independence is particularly evident during ‘snack time’ where children register themselves, pour their own water, select fruit and return used cups when finished. The organisation of the learning environment provides opportunities for children to work together and to develop their co-operative skills. They engage in conversation, agree roles in imaginative play and work together very

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Personal, social and emotional development

successfully, for example to build a ‘volcano’ in the sand tray.

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Communication, language and literacy

57. Good use is made of a range of learning opportunities to develop and extend the children's’ vocabulary and as a result they make good progress in this area. When discussing the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, for example, they used language relating to size, such as ‘middle size’ and ‘teeny weeny’. They explored different ‘bear’ voices in role play, for instance shouting: ‘GET OUT OF MY HOUSE’, and responded clearly to questions, using good sentence structure, for example: ‘They should have locked the door’.

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Communication, language and literacy

58. Reception staff make time for children to talk. During snack time, younger reception children make conversation as they eat, for example on child asked another ‘Do you like jam sandwiches?’ showing an awareness of how language is used to find things out about other people. Good opportunities are provided for children to extend their talking skills in role play, for example by talking on the telephone in the ‘travel agency’. In both settings, staff use their time well to talk to children about their work and to develop appropriate vocabulary, for example, older children are encouraged to recall what they did on holiday and children working with clay were helped to find suitable words to describe it such as ‘gooey’, ‘sticky’ and ‘slimy’. The children also have opportunities to listen to stories on the tape recorder and listen to the contributions of other children. The children are developing confidence in small or

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

large group discussions because their contributions are valued.

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Communication, language and literacy

59. From the earliest stages children are made aware of books and have planned opportunities to share them with each other or with an adult at home. Well chosen story books with repeating patterns, hold the children’s interest and their attention is sustained through appropriate questioning and discussion. They can recall the story of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ by sequencing events, discussing the feelings of characters, and expressing their views. All reception children share their reading books at home and enjoy talking about the story. They are beginning to recognise familiar words and can read simple sentences independently. The children make satisfactory progress in this area.

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Communication, language and literacy

60. Not all children make good progress in writing. Expectations placed on older reception children are often too demanding and do not take their prior attainment into account. The children are not provided with enough guidance when writing and this impedes their learning. Most children are able to use recognisable letters and some are able to make good attempts to write some words using their knowledge of letter sounds. The children are not sufficiently aware of punctuation to use it in their writing. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 29 - June 2003

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Mathematical Development

61. The children make good progress in this area of learning in the nursery setting, but some of them make unsatisfactory progress within the main school. Overall, their levels of achievement by the end of the reception year are satisfactory, but could be better. When reception children are taught as a distinct group, they make good progress because activities are well planned and build on previous learning. A very good adult-child ratio (2 adults for 7 children) means that individual support helps children to maintain interest and sustain concentration. Lower attaining children make good progress in recognising numerals to ten. They also make good progress in learning about shapes as they explore construction and recycled materials. Higher attaining children make good progress in their mathematical development overall because they understand the mathematics involved in the Year 1 lessons. However,

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Mathematical Development

the tasks are often too difficult for most of the reception children in this class to cope with. For example, they were unable to add two coins together because the total took them beyond the limit of ten to which they could count reliably. As a result, the children’s progress is satisfactory overall.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

62. The children make satisfactory progress in this area and the majority achieve typical standards by the end of reception. In the technological aspect, they show an interest in computers and are well supported in their learning through appropriate questions and guidance. They develop control over the ‘mouse’ and locate and move images on the screen, for example, putting the lamp on the table and placing clothes in the wardrobe in a virtual house. They make good use of positional language, such as ‘inside’, ‘on top’, ‘behind’. When listening to story tapes children display good levels of independence. They load and unload the cassette player, activate the play button and stop the recording when finished.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

63. Well-planned opportunities to explore and experiment enable the children to learn how to use simple tools and techniques to join materials. They staple paper, join boxes using adhesive tape and make holes with scissors to thread string through. They talk about ‘strong joins’ with the Nursery Nurse. The children use their senses to explore a range of different materials and textures. They manipulate clay and add water to compare the texture and use simple tools to roll, and cut with good levels of control.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

64. When talking about themselves the children show an expected awareness of ‘special people’ among their families and friends and understanding that different cultures have different religious beliefs, for example by sequencing the Christmas story and learning about Divali. The older reception children's' awareness of the passing of time and basic facts about the world’s geography is typical for their age. For example, they describe toys from the past, holiday destinations, the places they visited and how they got there.

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Physical Development

65. Younger reception children benefit from the use on an enclosed outdoor area which provides opportunities for children to engage in a range of physical activities such as climbing, balancing, sliding and riding. The children confidently ride tricycles and negotiate trailers. Staff make good use of this area to play games such as ‘Connect four’, skittles, and hopscotch. In addition, the children regularly use the main school hall for more focused physical activity where they have opportunities to use St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 30 - June 2003 equipment to further develop their skills of travelling and balancing. Lessons within the main school are sometimes too structured for them, limiting the progress they make.

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Creative Development

66. Overall the children make satisfactory progress in this area. They engage in a range of activities that allow them to work creatively developing a range of skills. They use paper, card, glue, scissors and different tools for writing mix colours and use collage to create different textures, for example when illustrating the story ‘Bear Hunt’.

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Creative Development

67. The children’s imagination is very well developed within the nursery setting because there are well planned opportunities for role play. They take on the characters in stories, for example Goldilocks and the Three Bears. They dress up in the costumes and play co-operatively to ‘act’ out parts of the story. Older reception children use the Travel Agency to book holidays, but they now require further structure to extend their learning in this area. In the nursery, the younger children develop well musically as they readily join in with songs and explore the different sounds of instruments. Fewer such well prepared and relevant activities are provided within the main school, so the children’s progress slows somewhat during this period so that their achievements are satisfactory overall.

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ENGLISH

68. At the end of Year 2, standards are average in speaking and listening, reading and writing. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above average in speaking and listening, and reading and slightly above average in writing. Given the average levels of attainment as pupils start school, their achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, and, although varying from class to class, shows an overall improvement throughout Years 3 to 6 and is good by the time they leave the school. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when standards were below average at the end of Year 2 and average at the end of Year 6. This improvement in standards is reflected in the results of national tests at Year 2 and Year 6. Good improvements were made from 2002 to 2003 to bring the school’s results up to well above the national average and in line with similar schools. The pupils’ performance in reading was much better

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ENGLISH

69. Attainment in speaking and listening is average by the end of Year 2. Although pupils answer questions well and share ideas with their partner, there are limited opportunities for pupils to put forward their ideas within a longer discussion or when taking part in role play. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 express their opinions about their work with a limited vocabulary and, although some lessons in Years 3 to 6 allow pupils the chance to ask questions, there are limited opportunities for longer debate. Speaking and listening skills are not emphasised enough within other subjects; for example, there are limited opportunities for pupils to express their feelings in words or begin to develop skills of critical analysis in music or art lessons.

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ENGLISH

70. Attainment in reading is average at the end of Year 2. Pupils are reasonably confident with reading their set reading books; they recognise their mistakes and try to correct them. Although higher-attaining pupils have a number of strategies for tackling unknown words, for example, picture clues, context and letter sounds, lower- attaining pupils have few strategies to help them build up unknown words. Their understanding of letter sounds is not strong enough to help them build more than the initial sound and they often have to ask for help from another person, which interrupts their reading of the sentence. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 31 - June 2003 71. At the end of Year 6, attainment in reading is above average. Pupils are confident and read with fluency and expression. When reading non-fiction books, pupils have a very good grasp of the content, even though they may not be able to pronounce

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ENGLISH

technical vocabulary accurately. All pupils discuss the content, plot and characters within fiction books and offer opinions about what might happen next. Most pupils have a favourite author or style of book and give valid reasons for their choice.

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ENGLISH

72. Most pupils of all ages enjoy reading and they receive a very high level of support from parents and other family members who hear them read regularly at home. Good use is made of home-school books, which are used to record spellings, other homework and comments from both parents and teachers. Although pupils have few opportunities for independent research at school, they understand the basic organisation of a library and its use for finding information. Many pupils undertake independent research at home on computers, and some word-processing work is done in ICT lessons, but insufficient use is currently made of computers in school to support all aspects of the English curriculum.

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ENGLISH

73. Attainment in writing is average at the end of Year 2 and slightly above average at the end of Year 6. Pupils in Year 2 demonstrate an understanding of different types of writing, such as lists, instructions, letters, poetry and stories. They are beginning to understand how language is enriched by the use of different tenses and a wider vocabulary. They try hard to present their work neatly in exercise books, but often do not maintain this standard when writing on worksheets.

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ENGLISH

74. Pupils use their literacy skills effectively in other subjects, but with weaknesses in spelling. Year 6 pupils, for example, write well in a variety of styles including letters, balanced arguments, poetry and descriptions of how to devise a game. They draft their work and then extend it into a full-length piece of writing. They try hard to make their handwriting neat or sometimes word-process it on the computer and often illustrate it. Across the school, standards of spelling are variable and there is no consistent method for helping pupils to recognise mistakes or improve their spelling within written work.

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ENGLISH

75. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and of their pupils’ capabilities and usually plan appropriate work for the different groups of pupils within their class. Relationships between pupils and staff and within groups of pupils are good. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support from class assistants, although they do not always receive their planned support if the class teacher uses the support assistant to control other pupils with behavioural needs. In most lessons, teachers tell their pupils what they hope they will learn, but on occasions the expectations are not made clear, resulting in some confusion amongst the pupils, who do not see the purpose of what they are asked to do.

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ENGLISH

76. Arrangements have recently been introduced to teach the daily literacy lesson in year-groups in Years 3 to 6. This is successful, as it allows the teacher to plan more specifically and the pupils receive more support as they are taught in smaller groups than usual. Guided reading sessions have been removed from the literacy lesson and placed at another time of the day and this is having a positive impact on attainment in reading.

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ENGLISH

77. Teachers make good use of their own informal assessments when planning their next lessons and they develop a clear picture of each pupil’s needs as the year progresses. The results of more formal testing are used by the school to provide St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 32 - June 2003 data for comparisons and tracking pupils’ progress from test to test. At present, however, the use of this information by teachers to help plan their lessons is very limited and it is not having a sufficient impact on standards. The quality of marking is inconsistent and this does not help pupils to understand what they are doing well or need to improve. This area has not improved since the previous inspection, when marking was an issue for concern.

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ENGLISH

78. The two part-time co-ordinators are enthusiastic and eager to develop their subject. They have worked hard to ensure that class teachers have sufficient resources to support their lessons. This provision includes a range of “big books” which are stored and used well. At present, the co-ordinators have not yet had sufficient opportunities to develop their management roles in order to have an impact on teaching and learning throughout the school.

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ENGLISH

79. The school recognises that that present library arrangements are inadequate for the pupils’ needs. The school library is small and is sited in a corridor. Although the non-fiction books have been clearly organised using the Dewey system, so that they are accessible to pupils, the overall quality and quantity of books is insufficient. Despite this, pupils’ have good library skills because of effective teaching. The shelves holding fiction books are not all accessible and are also at the side of a busy thoroughfare.

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MATHEMATICS

80. The school’s results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 have risen since the last inspection from average to above average. A significant contributory factor to improving performance at the end of Year 6 is the thorough analysis of test results to identify weaknesses and remedy them. The results were typical of similar schools in 2002, which is a good achievement as the school is compared to those in the most favourable circumstances. The results for 2003 are at a similar level and suggest that these favourable comparisons with other schools have been maintained. Test results were also above average at the end of Year 2 in 2002, but the results for 2003 are average overall. The proportion of pupils achieving at least the midway mark in the tests was well below last year’s national average, but this was balanced out by an above average proportion achieving high marks.

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MATHEMATICS

81. The standard of pupils’ work seen during the inspection is broadly average at the end of Year 2. Average attaining pupils are very competent with numbers up to 1000 at least, and count on and back in tens from any number in this range. The higher attaining pupils add and subtract 100 from any number, showing a good insight into place value. They use their knowledge that division is the opposite of multiplication to find the answers to problems. For example, they work out 12 divided by three from the known fact that 3 x 4 = 12. A weakness in the pupils’ work at this stage is the way they write their numbers. Many pupils, even those quite competent mentally, begin writing numbers at the bottom. This slows them down and makes their work look untidy. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a thorough knowledge of all aspects of mathematics. Some of their work shows that they have an above average

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MATHEMATICS

understanding, for example by working out 26 per cent of £4,300. The work is well presented, making it clear how they arrived at their answers. The main area for improvement in their work is in providing explanations for the patterns they observe and making general statements. For example, they have produced very attractive curved patterns using straight lines joining pairs of numbers on two axes, but have not investigated why these patterns occur or what would happen if certain things were changed, such as the orientation of the axes or the rule governing the numbers they join. Standards in other aspects of mathematics are good – for example using St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 33 - June 2003 statistical terms such as mode and median, applying the principles of probability to everyday occurrences and measuring angles in degrees in shape work.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The quality of teaching seen during the inspection was good in Year 2 and Year 6 and satisfactory elsewhere. Evidence from teachers’ plans and the work in pupils' books confirms that teaching is satisfactory overall and good in Years 2 and 6. Pupils in Year 6 especially are encouraged to try out their own ways of solving problems, deciding for themselves what aspect of their mathematical knowledge they need to use. In nearly all of the lessons seen, the introductions were very successful in getting the pupils to think mathematically during the mental warm up and in presenting the main lesson clearly. The best teaching is characterised by very good class management based on very good relationships with the pupils, and incisive questions aimed at individual pupils, based on a good assessment of their existing knowledge and a brisk pace. Teachers also use a variety of interesting resources very effectively in some lessons. For example, pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 were kept

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MATHEMATICS

fully engaged adding and subtracting tens from numbers on a hundred square by good use of a finger puppet to point at the numbers and by surprise questions that made them think of numbers beyond the square. However, the pace of learning in most lessons observed, even the most successful, slowed down during the middle part of the lesson for a variety of reasons, including:

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MATHEMATICS

• too much guidance from the teacher as older pupils work, reducing the opportunities they have to discuss their own strategies for solving problems; • setting tasks that the pupils haven’t grasped the point of so that they do not put in the mental effort they are capable of; • not recognising the amount of support some pupils need in order to think through problems and investigations.

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MATHEMATICS

83. The need to manage a small number of pupils with behavioural difficulties slows learning for all the class in some lessons. The available classroom support is sometimes taken up keeping these pupils on task at the expense of supporting other pupils who want to work but need help. As a result, pupils with special learning needs do not always learn as well as they could. On one occasion, help that would not normally be available was drafted in to deal with one particularly disruptive pupil. This was successful in keeping this pupil included in the lesson. It also released the teacher to support some useful investigative work with higher attaining pupils. As a result, this group were able to think through to a general conclusion about how to achieve the highest possible total from a multiplication sum involving three consecutive numbers. However, the extra help that facilitated this learning is not

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MATHEMATICS

84. Marking is used well to keep track of what the pupils have done, but not so effectively as a means of checking their understanding and setting further specific challenges. Errors are also overlooked on occasions. Planning for the subject is very thorough, however, and is tied closely to the National Numeracy Strategy. This ensures that all the pupils cover the required ground for their age group. Pupils who excel at mathematics are enabled to make appropriate progress by working with pupils in the next year up. Pupils undertake mathematics tasks on computers within ICT lessons. The co-ordinator manages the subject well. He has a good overview of standards in Year 3 to 6 through a meticulous analysis of assessment data, and ensures that pupils achieve the best test results they are capable of at the end of Year 6. The pupils are prepared well for any mathematical challenges they may meet. The

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MATHEMATICS

school keeps parents fully involved by informing them of their children's yearly mathematics targets. The subject is used well to support the pupils’ personal development through an annual business project in Year 6 in which the pupils are St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 34 - June 2003 given a real budget-based project to manage, which this year is making models for the school fair. The project also enables the pupils to link their mathematics skills to other areas of their learning, in this case design and technology. Pupils are beginning to use some computer programmes to support their learning in mathematics, but this is at the early stages of development.

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SCIENCE

85. Standards in science were average throughout the school at the time of the last inspection. Since then, provision has improved. Planning is more systematic and a closer track is kept of pupils’ progress. As a result, standards have risen to above average as measured by the national tests at the end of Year 6. They were well above average in 2002, compared not only to all schools nationally, but also to similar schools, which are in the most favourable circumstances in the country. The 2003 results are slightly lower than this, but nevertheless look likely to be in the ‘above average’ category in both cases. A major contribution to this improvement has been the systematic teaching in recent years of the knowledge and understanding required to do well in these tests. The co-ordinator acknowledges that the pupils’ achievements in experimental and investigative science, which has not formed part of the tests, have not been as high. The inspection confirms that the

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SCIENCE

pupils’ knowledge and understanding are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, but that the pupils’ experimental skills are broadly average.

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SCIENCE

86. The work carried out during the inspection by pupils in Years 1 and 2 was typical for their age. Higher attaining pupils planned their own investigation, with help from the teacher, into the effect of heat on the rate at which ice melts. They are aware of the basic rules for a fair test – in this case using the same amount of ice in the two samples while changing the amount of heat they supplied using a hair-dryer – and present their results clearly in writing. They checked the amount of ice by weighing it, making good use of their mathematics skills. Average attaining pupils used good vocabulary to describe how heat makes water turn from a liquid into steam, while lower attaining pupils used their own words such as sticky, runny, hard and burnt to describe the state of samples of food such as chocolate and bread before and after heating. The pupils know that plants need water and sunlight to survive and classify

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SCIENCE

forces as push or pull, which is typical knowledge for their age.

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SCIENCE

87. Pupils in Year 6 have a good level of knowledge for their age across all aspects of science, reflecting their above average results in the national tests. They know, for example, that the heart pumps blood round the body to supply the muscles with oxygen and that the heart rate and breathing quicken during exercise because the muscles need more oxygen. They describe accurately the distinctive properties of liquids, solids and gases, and what happens when a substance changes form one of these states into another. When describing how sound is produced, the higher attaining pupils refer to vibrations, the speed at which they travel and how they are picked up by the ear, showing above average understanding. The pupils’ investigative skills are typical of those expected at this age. The pupils understand that when testing the effect of one factor, such as the amount of water used to dissolve a substance, they must keep all other factors, such as the amount of the

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SCIENCE

substance and the temperature of the water constant. However, few of them have the more advanced skills of testing their own ideas using methods, materials and apparatus they have selected for themselves.

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SCIENCE

88. The quality of teaching seen during the inspection was mostly satisfactory with one good lesson. The progress made by the pupils over time reflects good teaching, however. No lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2, but the work produced by the St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 35 - June 2003 pupils in one lesson that took place during the inspection showed good learning about the effect of heat on materials, with a good variety of interesting activities, including baking cakes to observe the effect of heat on the ingredients. The lesson plan paid good attention to developing appropriate levels of investigative skills cross the age and ability range. Pupils at different levels of attainment were given different tasks to bring on their learning. Some were asked simply to describe what they observed, for example that: ‘Bread is white. When bread is coked it becomes brown’ while others were expected to plan and carry out a fair test with the support of an

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SCIENCE

adult. The work in the pupils’ books does not reflect the extent of their learning, but that on display in the classroom does. Interesting displays about aspects of science such as what plants need to grow and how animals adapt to their environment focus the pupils’ attention of what they have learned and help them to consolidate their knowledge and understanding. In the practical lessons that were observed in Years 3 to 6, some good opportunities were given for the pupils to interact with each other, which helped them to clarify their ideas and come to decisions about how to proceed with the experiments. However, the pupils were directed too closely towards the same outcome, leaving too little scope for pupils to formulate and test their own ideas. The teachers’ knowledge of the subject is good overall, but there is sometimes a lack of precision about vocabulary and concepts that leads to possible

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SCIENCE

misconceptions by the pupils, for example confusing evaporation with condensation and thinking that heat is usually necessary for chemical change. The marking in the pupils’ books is not always used well to correct such misunderstandings.

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SCIENCE

89. Good leadership and management of the subject contribute to the school’s good test results at the end of Year 6. During the previous school year, there was a good response to parents to an invitation to attend a science afternoon during which the pupils explained the experiments they were working on. The school has correctly identified a need to give further emphasis to this aspect of the curriculum as there has been a heavy emphasis on preparation for the tests at the expense, on occasions, of worthwhile investigative work.

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ART AND DESIGN

90. Standards at the end of Year 2 are good and at the end of Year 6 they are average. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in Years 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and good in Year 2. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress throughout the school. This picture is similar to the findings of the previous inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

91. At the end of Year 2, pupils produce a range of attractive pieces of work including observational drawings in pencil, collage work, puppets, pictures in paints and pastels, aboriginal designs and three-dimensional work. Art skills are also used to enhance other subjects, for example to decorate pieces of writing in English and to illustrate science work about plants.

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ART AND DESIGN

92. At the end of Year 6, pupils make good use of accumulated skills to turn a cardboard box into a theatre “set”, using appropriate background scenery and three-dimensional elements to provide additional interest. Throughout the school, art skills are used to support and enhance work in other subjects and there is often a close link with work in design and technology. For example, the pupils have designed, made and decorated a scene from their forthcoming performance.

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ART AND DESIGN

93. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and good in Year 2 and Year 6. The good teaching in Year 2 brings the overall quality of teaching and learning up to good in Key Years 1 and 2 overall whereas in Years 3 to 6, the overall quality is satisfactory despite the good teaching in Year 6. Teachers have a good knowledge St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 36 - June 2003 of the subject and their enthusiasm is transmitted to their pupils, who usually try hard and often work quite quickly. Support assistants are very valuable in these lessons, as they help the teacher to provide support in basic techniques and the use of materials.

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ART AND DESIGN

94. Most teachers have good displays in their classrooms which show the pupils how their work is valued. The generally high quality of these displays provides useful focal points for teaching and is a good support for the school’s caring ethos.

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ART AND DESIGN

95. The art and design co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Although she has discussions with colleagues about the subject, she has not yet had the opportunity to develop her role to include formal monitoring of attainment and progress. This indicates no improvement since the previous inspection, when the role of the co-ordinator was identified as an area for development.

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ART AND DESIGN

96. The art curriculum is satisfactory overall, although it does not specify how skills should be progressively taught. The school does not have an effective system in place for measuring pupils’ progress. This was also an area of concern in the previous inspection and has not been satisfactorily addressed by the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

97. Standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are average and pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. This is the same as the findings of the previous inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. At the end of Year 2, pupils have mastered the basic sewing techniques and some are able to thread their needle and put a knot in the thread. They use these skills to help finish products, such as the soft toys they made from felt and fur following an educational visit. At the end of Year 6, pupils use a range of skills to make and evaluate products such as musical instruments. They use their knowledge of cams to make moving toys and their understanding of food technology is demonstrated by their designing and making of biscuits. In other classes, pupils have designed and made a range of three-dimensional objects such as shields, containers, lighting systems and monsters with pneumatically driven moving parts.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers carefully prepare the resources before the lesson and also build upon what has been learned in previous lessons. Although the pace of lessons is usually satisfactory, there are occasions when time is wasted through the need to move furniture or share the only pair of sharp scissors. The good use of class assistants helps to provide support and encouragement for any pupils who are unsure about their work, in addition to encouraging appropriate behaviour in some pupils.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

100. The design and technology co-ordinator is conscientious and is working hard to provide appropriate support for her colleagues. Although she has a clear view of the resources required and is developing a useful file of information to support her colleagues, she has not yet had the opportunity to develop her role in order to make an impact upon standards across the school. This indicates no improvement since the previous inspection, when one area of concern included the developing of the role of the co-ordinator. The curriculum is satisfactory overall, although it does not emphasise sufficiently the progression of skills throughout this subject. The school does not have a satisfactory system in place for measuring pupils’ attainment or progress. This was also an area of concern in the previous inspection and has not been satisfactorily addressed by the school. St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 37 - June 2003

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GEOGRAPHY

101. At the end of Year 2, pupils’ work does not meet the standards expected for this age which represents a fall in standards since the previous inspection. The pupils’ progress and achievements are therefore unsatisfactory at this stage. In Year 6 standards are typical for pupils of this age and progress and achievement are satisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

102. The only evidence available on which to make judgements on the pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 was discussion with pupils, which reveals that they have limited knowledge and understanding of places and environmental change and need support to identify areas different from their own. Pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills are within the expected range at the end of Year 6. They have a reasonable grasp of the geography of the British Isles and how this country relates to Europe and the rest of the world in terms of physical features such as mountains and human features such as trade and industry. They use geography skills appropriately in practical filed- work, such as measuring the flow of a river at different points and relating this to the erosion and deposition that occurs on opposite banks.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. Over the school as a whole, teaching is satisfactory, with teachers having secure subject knowledge. Pupils are told clearly what they are to learn and teachers explain how this work will progress in the next lesson. In a Year 1 lesson, pupils were able to identify features of a holiday destination because they were engaged in a range of interesting activities which supported this work. They booked holidays in the travel agency, listed the things they needed to take and ‘played on the beach’ in role play. The teacher used her time well to question pupils and to extend their learning. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils were highly motivated and got straight down to work because they had been well prepared and because the tasks were interesting. All the pupils made good progress in their learning about deposition and how to measure the flow rate of a river because they co-operated well and completed their

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GEOGRAPHY

tasks. In Years 3 and 4 pupils responded well to a prompt sheet which focused their attention during a video on homes in the Caribbean. As a result they sustained interest and made good comparisons between rural and city homes.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. Trips and visits make a good contribution to furthering pupils’ understanding of places. In addition to the local river study, they visit different areas in Nottinghamshire, and pupils in Years 5 and 6 have a residential visit to a coastal location to compare and contrast this with their own environment in terms of geographical features.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. The schools’ guidance for the planning and teaching of the geography curriculum has improved since the last inspection and links with other subjects are developing. Scrutiny of pupils’ work reveals that they use the Internet to research topics and Year 4 pupils made good links with history when studying Sherwood Forest. Literacy and numeracy are appropriately developed through geography, through a range of written recordings and from measurements in Years 5 and 6. In all classes, pupils use a range of methods for recording their work, such as diagrams, reports, explanations and well chosen worksheets and in most classes presentation is good and work is completed.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. Marking and assessment do not make sufficient contributions to pupils’ learning in geography. There is an inconsistent approach to the marking. Work that is not marked is often incomplete and poorly presented. There are no procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ progress and as a consequence the co-ordinator St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 38 - June 2003 does not have a sufficiently accurate overview of attainment throughout the school. The co-ordinator monitors the teachers’ planning, which is an improvement since the last inspection, but does not visit classes to assess the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers make good use of the available resources to support learning following initiatives taken by the school to improve this area of provision, successfully remedying a weakness identified in the last inspection.

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HISTORY

107. Due to the way the subject is time-tabled across no lessons were observed during the inspection. Judgements are based on a scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils, teachers and the subject co-ordinator. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 reach expected standards and all pupils, including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress and build on prior learning. This is a similar picture to that presented in the last report.

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HISTORY

108. The school’s guidance for the planning and teaching of the history curriculum has improved since the last inspection and staff have worked hard to establish effective links with other subjects. In Year 6 pupils develop literacy skills through descriptive accounts of life in Victorian times, Year 5 study maps as part of their work on the Egyptians and Year 4 pupils use the Internet to research Anglo Saxons. Pupils, particularly in Years 3 to 6, visit a range of places such as Sherwood Forest, York Castle Museum and Jorvick Museum to stimulate and support their work in history. As a result they respond enthusiastically in their work, using appropriate language and empathising well with people from these times. One particular account investigates survival techniques in the forest and imagines what life would be like during the time of Robin Hood.

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HISTORY

109. Year 2 pupils eagerly talk about the lives of historical figures they have studies, showing a sound historical understanding. For example, when talking about Florence Nightingale, they recalled differences in nurses' uniforms and showed that they are beginning to recognise why people acted as they did by saying: ‘She helped injured people in the Crimean War.’ They are aware of differences between the lives of people who lived during World War 2 and their own and describe some features of war such as ration books, trenches and the Victoria Cross. Pupils understand the relevance of Remembrance Day and know that it is signified by a poppy.

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HISTORY

110. In Year 3 pupils are developing an understanding of chronology through their work on Anglo Saxons and Robin Hood. Work by pupils in Year 5 on Vikings reveals good achievement; there is detailed research of the people and their lifestyles at this time. Work is varied across year groups. Year 1 pupils make a timeline of toys they have had since birth and in Years 3 to 6 there is a wealth of examples of different skills being brought to bear on the study of history such as writing messages in hieroglyphs, observational drawings of fossils and designs for weapons and tools used in the Ice Age.

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HISTORY

111. There are no procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ progress in history, and as a result the co-ordinator does not have a clear picture of standards across the school. Marking is not consistently used but when it is good, pupils are provided with clear guidance for improving and extending their learning and they respond well to this.

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HISTORY

112. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ plans to ensure agreed themes of work are covered across year groups and has undertaken some observations of the teaching and learning in classrooms. She has identified the need for additional resources, to St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 39 - June 2003 enhance the teaching of this subject across the school; this is endorsed by the inspection findings.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

113. At the end of Years 2 and 6, most pupils have reached standards typical for their age. Although these standards are similar to those reported by the previous inspection it must be remembered that subject demands in ICT have altered considerably since then. The pupils’ achievements are satisfactory throughout the school because they have made good progress recently following improvements to provision and staff training.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. By the end of Year 2 pupils’ skills are typical for their age. They ‘draw’ and ‘paint’ patterns and pictures, for example, using different colour icons and add speech bubbles and captions to digital photographs using word processing tools. Year 1 and 2 pupils have made good progress in controlling equipment to achieve specific outcomes by making mechanical and on-screen robots move according to simple directional instructions. By the end of the lesson seen during the inspection, pupils could confidently move the screen ‘turtle’ around obstacles and direct the floor ‘turtle’ to other pupils, which they greatly enjoyed doing.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

115. By the end of Year 6 pupils are adept at presenting their work in different formats. They use the Internet to incorporate text and graphics in to their work and in their story writing they make good use of different fonts for effect. The pupils clearly build on skills, knowledge and understanding across the year groups. In the juniors they refine their research skills, enter data onto spreadsheets and produce charts and graphs for analysis to an expected standard.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

116. ICT has been the focus for improvement in recent years and since the last inspection the school has made good progress by introducing a computer suite, expanding its resources, developing the expertise of staff and introducing a planned program of work. As a result the teaching of ICT has improved and is now good. There are regular designated lessons in which teachers demonstrate new skills. Lessons are well planned and build on from pupils’ previous learning to ensure that all pupils make appropriate progress in acquiring skills. For example, in Year 6 pupils gave a competent computer presentation about different rivers, and in Years 4 and 5 pupils extended their understanding of data handling by devising their own databases. Teachers’ knowledge of the subject is now good and this is demonstrated through clear explanations and support for pupils when they face difficulties. Lessons cater

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

for the different abilities within the class, with extra support from other adults for those who need it and further challenge for quicker learners. As a result, all pupils, including those with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils, make good progress in lessons. In all lessons teachers explain clearly how learning will be extended in the next lesson and this is effective in contributing to pupils’ understanding of their own learning. Most pupils settle quickly to their work and use computers with confidence because tasks are appropriately matched to their needs and interests. They sustain interest and show good levels of perseverance when things go wrong. They treat equipment carefully and are well behaved when using computers. The pupils’ positive attitudes to learning in ICT benefit their social development. For example, when working in pairs on the computer, they collaborate

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

117. The new co-ordinator has worked hard to familiarise herself with the needs of this subject, for example through her monitoring of teachers plans she has identified the need to develop further links with numeracy. She has monitored teaching in the ICT St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 40 - June 2003 suite, identified strengths and weaknesses and planned action for further improvement. However, the co-ordinator is not sufficiently aware of the standards reached at the end of Years 2 and 6 and recorded assessments are not rigorously monitored throughout the school. The school is compiling a portfolio of pupils’ work, but this is not levelled to national curriculum standards. Transfer information at the end of Year 6 clearly outlines teachers’ assessments and provides useful information for the next school.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

118. The school benefits from the weekly support of an ICT technician who is shared with the nearby secondary school and who provides valuable technical guidance for staff and pupils.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

119. The school now has a generous ratio of computers which, together with the interactive board, is having a significant impact on pupils’ learning. Teachers use equipment very well to demonstrate new skills and to ensure understanding but these improvements have not yet had time for their full effect to be felt on standards achieved at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. During the inspection no use was made of classroom-based computers to reinforce the skills taught in the computer suite and to support learning within the classroom.

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MUSIC

120. Similar standards to those reported at the last inspection have been maintained and the quality of provision improved. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieve standards typical for their age in the various aspects of music. They sing in tune and when singing in parts, keep to their own part well, listening carefully to the overall sound. Although a high proportion of the pupils learn a musical instrument, the performing and composing skills of the year-group as a whole are under-developed. In the lesson seen, the pupils lacked confidence when playing tuned percussion instruments and did not organise themselves effectively to produce the desired overall effect. Pupils express their likes and dislikes of pieces of music they hear, giving reasons that include reference to the qualities of the music, such as dynamics and tempo, and the mood it evokes. They have listened to a range of musical styles

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MUSIC

and some examples of music from different cultures, but this is an area in which the school recognises that further development is needed. There was insufficient evidence to judge standards at the end of Year 2 except in singing, the quality of which is in line with expectations. In the lessons taken by the specialist teacher, progress is good. Pupils achieve satisfactorily overall, with good achievement by those pupils taking instrumental lessons.

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MUSIC

121. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, with some very good specialist teaching, which the pupils respond to with enthusiasm and effort. In the lessons observed that were taken by class teachers, the methods employed lacked imagination and did not provide enough opportunities for pupils to practice and demonstrate the skills they were being taught and evaluate and improve their own and other pupils’ performances. The teachers tend to keep the whole class working at the same task and same pace for too long on occasions, limiting opportunities for pupils to learn at a rate commensurate with their prior attainment. In some lessons, also, the emphasis is on knowledge, such as the meaning of words like chord and harmony, rather than on developing skills, like being able to play the correct chords to accompany a tune. Teachers have good relationships with the pupils and manage

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MUSIC

them well in lessons, and the pupils are keen to learn, but this enthusiasm is not always harnessed effectively because of the limited range of methods used. The resources available for use in lessons have improved since the last inspection, but St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 41 - June 2003 there are still insufficient tuned percussion instruments to allow a whole class to engage in small group composing and performing activities.

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MUSIC

122. The recently appointed co-ordinator leads the subject well, providing a clear sense of direction and a good plan to develop music across the school, for example by ensuring that a wider range of music is listened to and discussed on a regular basis. A key feature of the plan is to provide a list of key skills to help the teachers track individual pupils’ progress through the school and plan lessons more closely tailored to suit their emerging needs. The specialist teaching bought in by the school is helping to raise standards and improve the quality of teaching and learning because class teachers stay in the lessons, thereby increasing their own knowledge and skills. Music is used to enhance assemblies and other social occasions, and pupils with talents are encouraged to take up an instrument and persevere with lessons. The school has a good capacity to continue improving provision and raising standards.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

123. Standards in athletics at the end of Year 6 are typical for pupils of this age. Those pupils with particular talents and natural ability are given opportunities to excel. For example, one pupil throws the javelin much further than the other pupils. Average attaining pupils run, jump and throw at levels expected for their age. The school’s own monitoring suggests that standards in gymnastics and dance are in line with age expectations, but are not as good as in games, because of the limitations the small size of the hall places on the activities that can take place. Standards in swimming are good and the pupils achieve well. They all know the basic rules of water safety and swim at least 25 metres before they leave the school and many of them have higher awards. Standards at the end of Year 2 are above expectations in dance because of skilled, enthusiastic and challenging teaching. All the pupils work hard to

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

improve their own range and quality of movements and collaborate very effectively together to choreograph group dance sequences. They are skilled at evaluating each other’s performances, pointing out what they liked and thought was good and suggesting pointers for further improvement. They show great maturity as well as interest and enthusiasm for this aspect of their work, reflecting the high expectations placed on them by the teacher and the opportunities they have to practice these skills. Standards in ball games are in line with expectations at this stage. Pupils throw, catch and bat balls with a reasonable degree of precision and co-operate effectively in pairs and teams. No gymnastics was seen.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

124. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, with very good teaching of dance in Years 1 and 2. Teachers plan lessons to cover all the National Curriculum requirements over the course of the year, but the school knows that lessons in gymnastics and indoor games do not challenge the older and more able pupils enough because of the limitations of the hall. The teaching of athletics that was seen was well-organised so that the pupils were kept busy working at throwing, running and jumping during the lessons. They show good levels of enthusiasm and make good efforts to improve overall. The lessons lacked the vitality and challenge to enable all the pupils to perform to their limit, however. Teachers had plenty of adult support in these lessons, which helped them to ensure safety whilst keeping three different activities going. Games are taught well in Years 1 and 2, with plenty of challenge for the pupils to extend their skills. When reception children are included in

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

these lessons, some of them find the activities too challenging, especially when the teacher has no extra adult support in the lesson to give individual attention to those children who need more help with basic skills. The teaching of dance is very good in Years 1 and 2, with some excellent features. The teacher sets very high expectations, which all the pupils rise to, both for physical and creative effort, and for St. Luke’s CofE (Aided) Primary School - 42 - June 2003 evaluating and improving their performance. The demonstrations seen during the inspection at the end of a dance lesson showed that the pupils were learning at a very rapid pace and becoming very competent in this aspect of physical education.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

125. The co-ordinator provides clear leadership and manages the subject effectively, ensuring that staff receive training to update their knowledge and skills, the latest of these being in a scheme that has also attracted extra resources for sports, which had been identified as a need. Good links with local secondary school are used to give the pupils a wide range of experience in different competitive games and sports, and specialist coaching is arranged periodically. This gives those pupils who have the aptitude opportunities to further develop their skills. The school sports festival is a rich mixture of activities including athletics, basketball and rounders. The school also provides opportunities for pupils to take part in adventure sports in a residential setting every other year, for which there is a high take-up of places. Limited monitoring has been undertaken, but this has led to useful pointers for improvement

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

in teaching and learning, including the need for more effective warm-up sessions at the start of lessons and provision of more opportunities for pupils to observe and evaluate each other’s work. Currently, however, there is no whole-school approach to assessment and planning so that lesson can build more effectively on existing skills.

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