Shifnal Primary School

SHIFNAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Ms Bogusia Matusiak-Varley

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SHIFNAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th - 8 th October 2002

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SHIFNAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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SHIFNAL 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. Shifnal Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Curriers Lane Shifnal Shropshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Kevin Fullerton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 3 November 1997 Shifnal Primary School - 2

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Team members

19938 Bogusia Matusiak-Varley Registered inspector 19443 Nancy Walker Lay inspector 11642 Carol Parkinson Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Limited 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Shifnal Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Shifnal Primary School is an average size primary school situated in the market town of Shifnal in Shropshire with 118 boys and 113 girls on roll, and a 32 part time place nursery. A few pupils are from mixed race backgrounds, but they do not require specialist support because they are fluent in English. Fourteen per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals; this is broadly in line with the national average. Twenty-one per cent of pupils have special educational needs, which is broadly in line with the national average. Two per cent of pupils have statements of special educational need, broadly in line with the national average. The nature of pupils’ special educational needs is concerned with learning and behavioural difficulties. Since the previous inspection there are now more pupils with special educational needs. Taking the intake as a whole, children’s attainment upon entry is below average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The present headteacher has only been at the school for one year. The school has received two achievement awards for raising standards and the nursery and reception class have recently gained a national quality mark for outstanding provision for children in the Foundation Stage.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Shifnal Primary School is a very good school. It meets the needs of all of its pupils and is very successful in enabling them to reach above average standards in most subjects. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and all groups of pupils make very good gains in their learning and have very good attitudes to learning. Relationships are very good and pupils’ behave well. The school offers a very good quality of education due to the excellent leadership of the headteacher, who very purposefully leads his staff into consistently improving on their previous best performance. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• At the end of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils attain standards which are high in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment. • The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor to the high academic standards that pupils attain. • Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and children in the Foundation Stage of learning is very good. • The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The curriculum is vibrant and exciting. • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and behaviour is generally good. • The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent; he is providing a very clear vision for the school. • Partnership with parents is good. Parents receive very good quality information about what their children are learning.

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What could be improved

• The senior management team in playing a more active role in the day-to-day running of the school. • The role of co-ordinators in checking teaching and learning. • Assessment and the quality of pupils’ reports in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. • Indoor accommodation in the nursery. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Shifnal Primary School - 5 The school has made very good improvement since it was last inspected in November 1997. High standards have been maintained in spite of pupils’ lower attainment on entry. Pupils’ reading skills have improved at the end of Year 6 and they are above average. Standards in information and communication technology have improved and are now above national expectations across the school. A whole school approach to planning has been developed, rectifying a weakness found at the previous inspection. Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved and is now judged as very good. Procedures for monitoring and evaluating teaching are excellent and co-ordinators are receiving training in developing their roles in relation to checking on standards in their subjects, but as yet are not fully involved in evaluating the impact that teaching has on learning. Provision for children in the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Foundation Stage and those who have special educational needs has improved and is now judged as very good. Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning have been maintained. The school’s capacity for further improvement and to sustain high performance is very good.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English C B C B well above average above average A B Mathematics B B C D average below average C D Science A A A A well below average E

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Key

Pupils’ attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is below that expected nationally. By the end of the reception class children are on course to achieve the nationally expected standards at the end of the school year, they attain the early learning goals in all areas of learning and achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment. In the national tests of 2002 pupils in Year 2 achieved standards that were in line with national averages in reading and mathematics, and were above the national average in writing in comparison with all schools and similar schools. In science, teacher assessments show that standards at the end of Year 2 were well above the national average. By the end of Year 6, in comparison with all schools, pupils achieved standards that were in line with the national average in English and mathematics. In comparison with similar schools, standards were above average in English but below

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Key

average in mathematics. In science, pupils attained standards which were above average in comparison with all and similar schools. There was a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in both the Year 2 and the Year 6 classes, and this depressed test results. In relation to their prior attainment their achievements were very good.

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Key

Inspection evidence indicates that, this year, by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology are above the national average and all groups of pupils make very good gains in learning. In religious education pupils exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and make very good progress. Very good examples of art and design, design and technology and history were seen around the school. The school sets appropriately challenging targets for English and mathematics and consistently meets them because of the very good teaching and very effective use of target setting. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well because of the very good provision made for them. Shifnal Primary School - 6

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils love school. They gain in confidence and try very hard in lessons. They take great pride in their work and their written work is very neatly presented. In spite of the many pupils who have behavioural difficulties, there have been no exclusions. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. The school has several pupils with behaviour problems who have been excluded from other schools. Teachers generally deal effectively with these pupils, but need to develop further strategies to cope with the range of problems these pupils have. The school is a harmonious community where expectations are high and pupils know the difference between right and wrong. Personal development and relationships Very good. The very good relationships between staff and pupils and the way pupils are encouraged to take responsibility and care for each other and the school environment contribute positively to their personal

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Aspect Comment

development. Monitors and the school council fulfil their duties well. Attendance Satisfactory. Pupils are keen to come to school and are generally punctual.

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

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very 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 of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching is very good. During the week of inspection 23 lessons were observed; one in six was excellent, two in five were very good, one in three was good and one in ten was satisfactory. The teaching of English and mathematics, including the basic skills of literacy and numeracy, is very good throughout the school. Teachers consistently check pupils’ understanding, give very good explanations and use assessment data very well to move their pupils on in the next steps of learning because they know their pupils’ strengths and barriers to learning well. Teachers’ planning is very good throughout the school. The whole school approach to planning introduced by the headteacher is having a very positive effect on consistency of approaches. Support staff are particularly effective in helping pupils with learning difficulties to achieve their very best, and the teaching of pupils with special educational needs

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

is very good. Higher attaining pupils are given sufficient challenges and make very good progress. Computers are used well to support pupils’ learning and specialist teaching of physical education and French is helping pupils prepare well for secondary school. Throughout the school relationships between teachers and their pupils are very positive and constructive and, as a result, pupils are learning effectively and achieving very well. The school meets the needs of all of its pupils very well. Shifnal Primary School - 7

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is broad and balanced and provides vibrant and exciting learning opportunities. National Curriculum requirements are met in full and the pupils have access to a very good range of educational visits. The curriculum for the youngest pupils is very good, especially the learning opportunities provided outside. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. All pupils are very well cared for. Very good links exist with outside agencies and all staff ensure that recommendations made by specialists are acted upon. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. Though few in number, these pupils are fully integrated in all aspects of school life.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good. Teachers consistently promote pupils’ self-esteem and foster a clear understanding of right and wrong. Acts of collective worship contribute positively to pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils are taught to respect nature and the variety of different ethnic cultures. The very good range of opportunities offered through the arts and physical education enables pupils to excel in all of their undertakings. How well the school cares for its pupils Very well. There is a strong commitment to the well being of each pupil and very effective management for both personal development and academic achievement.

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Aspect Comment

Partnership with parents is strong and effective, but not enough information is included in pupils’ annual reports in relation to their achievements in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good overall. The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent and well supported by the senior management team. However, they could be more involved in the day-to-day running of the school to reflect the headteacher’s vision for the future. In the short time he has been at the school, he has monitored teaching and learning exceptionally well and has provided a very clear school improvement plan aimed at raising standards even further. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The governors guide the school very effectively. They recognise the school’s many strengths and are alert to opportunities to develop its provision further. The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The monitoring of the school’s performance data is very comprehensive. The headteacher has identified correctly the main areas

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Aspect Comment

for improvement and is taking effective action. The strategic use of resources Very good. The school uses its available resources very well to provide its pupils with an effective education. The governors apply the principles Shifnal Primary School - 8 of best value well to all of their spending.

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Aspect Comment

The accommodation for children in the nursery is inadequate, but in all other areas it is good. The nursery classroom is too small; there is no quiet space for reflective thinking. Resources are good throughout the school, as are staffing levels. Effective administrative procedures are in place which enable the school to run smoothly.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children make good progress • Commitment of teachers and the good relationships with staff • The wide range of opportunities offered to their children • The information they receive on what is going on in the school • Extra-curricular activities • Consistency of homework • Information on their children’s progress

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. A very small number felt that their children do not get sufficient homework and would like more information on their children’s progress and more extra- curricular activities. Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views, but disagree that provision for extra- curricular activities, which is judged as good, needs to be improved. However, inspectors agree with parents that homework could be more consistent and that at times work set is too easy for the pupils. Inspectors agree that parents should receive more detailed information on their children’s attainment in all subjects other than English, mathematics and science as reports in these subjects are too brief. Shifnal Primary School - 9

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in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior

attainment. 1. Attainment on entry to the nursery is below that expected nationally. However, by the time pupils leave school at the age of 11, they attain above average standards in English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and religious education. The standards achieved by the end of Year 6 represent very good progress in relation to pupils’ attainment on entry to the school. Children in the nursery and the reception class become very confident in their learning and those who stay on at the school build upon their earlier experiences well. By the end of the reception class all children attain the early learning goals in all areas of learning and several higher attaining children (approximately one-third) exceed the expectations for their age. 2. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6 standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are above those expected nationally. Pupils are happy and confident learners; they listen carefully,

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in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior

make perceptive comments and use a good range of vocabulary. Pupils’ progress in speaking and listening is helped by the very good questioning skills of teachers who consistently help pupils to take that extra step and try harder to add detail in their answers. 3. In the 2002 national tests, both in comparison with all schools and similar schools, pupils at the end of Year 2 achieved standards in reading and mathematics that were in line with national averages. In writing standards were above average. In science teacher assessments standards were well above average. By the end of Year 6, pupils achieved standards that were in line with the national average in English and mathematics and well above the national average in science in comparison with all schools. In comparison with similar schools, standards in mathematics were below the national average, in English they were above the national average and in science they

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in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior

were well above average. The school had identified these cohorts of pupils as having low attainment on entry and many of them had special educational needs. Over time the performance of pupils exceeded the National Curriculum average points score for both boys and girls. 4. The very successful implementation of the National Literacy Strategy is having a positive effect on pupils’ progress. Well pitched and challenging tasks during literacy lessons are important factors in promoting rapid progress. For example, in Year 2 when reading ‘Can’t you sleep little bear?’, the teacher gave pupils lots of opportunities to discuss reasons why the bear could not get to sleep and this contributed well to developing their thinking skills, especially in relation to cause and effect. Furthermore, pupils were encouraged to highlight word endings in felt-tipped pen so that they could memorise spellings more easily.

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in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior

5. Pupils love reading. They write detailed and interesting book reviews and all have favourite authors. Teaching is very successful in helping younger pupils acquire a good grasp of phonic skills and, as they progress through the school, the pupils benefit from the wide range of reading materials available to them. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about the ‘Secret Garden’ and why the book was better than the film. 6. Pupils write very well by the end of Year 6. Their handwriting is neat and legible and they take great pride in their work. Pupils try very hard to make their sentences interesting by using a range of connectives and descriptive words and their use of punctuation is secure. Pupils want to write. Their writing is brought alive by the very good range of visits and visitors that enhance learning opportunities. For example, during a drama workshop, pupils felt as if they actually were Greek

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in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior

citizens and this inspired them to write about the Greek way of life, and their writing revealed that they were able to describe events as if they were actually there. 7. By the end of Year 2 standards in mathematics are high. Pupils are very secure in their number bonds, they have a good understanding of multiplying and dividing numbers up to 50, they understand place value up to 100 and are able to subtract and add in 10’s with numbers to 1000. They also have good understanding of measurement, both two and three-dimensional shapes, and Shifnal Primary School - 10 correctly solve simple number problems. By the end of Year 6 they understand both long multiplication and division processes. Many use negative numbers, they use fractions as a percentage and accurately recognise different types of angles. They also successfully use standard units to measure and solve problems. They thoroughly enjoy mental mathematics and

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in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior

squeal with delight when they get their answers right. Younger pupils in Year 2 have difficulty sitting in their seats and eagerly jump up every time that they have the right answer. All pupils thoroughly enjoy the challenges teachers give them. 8. In science Year 2 pupils understand the importance of a healthy diet and know that it is very important to eat properly and regularly. They understand the difference between living and non- living things and are developing careful skills of classification. They know how to set up simple experiments and they have very good knowledge of the conditions needed for plants to survive. 9. By Year 6 they know how to record their results in a variety of ways, set up different types of charts and graphs, have a very good understanding of the growth of plants and label parts of the human skeleton. They have a very good understanding of technical terms, for example they know

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in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior

the difference between ‘soluble’ and ‘insoluble’, ‘transparent’, ‘opaque’, ‘translucent’, and understand the process by which dissolved substances can be recovered. They write very detailed accounts of the experiments and draw diagrams of good quality. Very good use is made of information and communication technology to record results. 10. Pupils throughout Years 1 to 6 are very confident users of information and communication technology. The oldest pupils prepare newsletters to parents, incorporating both graphics and text. They use data bases, simulation and control packages and create images in the style of Mondrian. They know how to investigate shape using Logo, produce a shape using the repeat instruction involving use of brackets, basic instructions and angles. Since the previous inspection standards have improved in information and communication technology and are now above average. 11. In religious education, by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils have very good knowledge of

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in the majority of subjects. All groups of pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior

Christianity and world religions and are particularly interested in the Ramayana and the stories that Jesus told. Older pupils understand symbols and their meanings and know that each major religion has a set of rituals associated with festivals. They have good awareness in Year 6 of how faith affects people’s lives. 12. Very good examples of art and design, design and technology and history are seen around the school. Since the previous inspection standards in reading have improved in Key Stage 2 and standards in science have improved at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6.

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

to the high standards that pupils attain.

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

13. During the week of inspection 23 lessons were observed; one in six was excellent, two in five were very good, one in three was good and one in ten was satisfactory. Excellent teaching was seen in the nursery and Year 5 and 6 literacy. This, coupled with many examples of very good and good teaching and the evidence from pupils’ previous work, teachers’ assessments and planning, indicates that overall the teaching is very good. This has a very positive effect on the very good gains pupils make in their learning. All teachers are very hard working and provide very good role models for their pupils. They work very closely with support staff, who make a very valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. It is quite clear that all support staff enjoy working with their pupils and are fully involved in all aspects of school life. The very good quality of relationships between teachers and their pupils has a very good impact on the quality of learning. The headteacher has

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

managed to secure effective team work and this is having a very positive effect on pupils’ learning. For example the co-ordinators for literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology help staff develop their ideas and are actively involved in moderating work. This helps staff develop their knowledge of what is required to move pupils on in their learning.

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

14. Teachers have very high expectations of behaviour and achievement. The pupils are made fully aware of what is considered acceptable behaviour. Praise is used effectively to support learning, but it is realistic and pupils are very clear as to what is expected of them. As a result pupils feel Shifnal Primary School - 11 secure and develop a very good understanding of their own learning. At the end of lessons, teachers skillfully weave aspects of knowledge already gained to what is about to follow the next day. For example, in a very good mathematics lesson in a Year 5 and 6 class pupils were disappointed when the bell rang at the end of the lesson. They were thoroughly enjoying halving, partitioning and doubling and were delighted to know that further work would be done in this aspect of mathematics in the next lesson.

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

15. Teachers have very secure subject knowledge and the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology are taught very well. Correct letter formation, phonics, grammar, number bonds, problem solving and basic skills of word processing and data handling are all explained clearly. This helps pupils to learn eagerly and quickly. The strength in literacy is that pupils are given plenty of opportunities to carry out word and sentence level work linked to interesting texts. Teachers are skilled in asking questions that require pupils to think carefully before they answer and pupils’ self confidence improves when they get the answers right. Pupils are encouraged to give their opinions and all groups of pupils are challenged effectively. Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well so that they are able to participate fully in learning, work is carefully planned and activities match the needs of all pupils. This has a very

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

positive impact on the quality of learning.

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

16. Class management is a strength and mutual respect between teachers and pupils is evident. Resources are used well. They are stimulating and exciting; for example, in mathematics pupils in Years 1 and 2 have opportunities to use board games, counters, dice, number lines and money, and learning us clearly linked to practical activities.

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

17. Teachers regularly evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching and discuss with one another ways in which they can improve on the previous best performance. Together with the excellent monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher, this is helping to improve their strategies to develop their skills with the wide range of learning difficulties many of the pupils have. Teachers know their pupils well due to the very good assessment procedures in English, mathematics and science. When marking pupils’ books, teachers both praise pupils’ efforts and provide direction for future work. The use of target setting is very effective and not only contributes to the very good gains pupils make in learning, but it contributes very well to their personal development. Homework is given regularly and consistently and generally supports pupils’ learning well.

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

18. Where examples of excellent teaching were seen in the nursery and in a Year 5 and 6 class literacy lesson, teachers helped pupils to develop their thinking skills by seeing connections between different ideas and develop their awareness of the world around them. In the nursery the use of outdoor play provides pupils with plenty of opportunities to learn through their senses by exploring a range of different media, such as large reels, cardboard boxes and a variety of paints and chalks. The pace of lessons was very brisk, good quality resources were used and all groups of pupils were very effectively challenged. Plenty of opportunities were provided for pupils to ask questions and the teachers regularly checked pupils’ understanding before moving them on in their next steps of learning.

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The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. This is a main contributory factor

19. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the previous inspection due to the excellent monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher, the implementation of whole school approaches to planning and performance management.

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Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and children in the Foundation Stage

20. Pupils with special educational needs and those who are in the Foundation Stage of learning are very well cared for because staff know their pupils well due to the very good assessment procedures which the school uses for core subjects. In the Foundation Stage of learning staff carry out regular observations of their pupils in order to determine their learning styles and their previous knowledge. Very good provision is made to enable them to learn about the world by using their senses and exploring their surroundings. Resources are enticing and they are attractive; beads, sequins, mirrors, ranges of paper, material, pasta, shells are but a few of the Shifnal Primary School - 12 resources that teachers use to entice children into learning. This has a very positive effect on children’s attitudes because they want to learn.

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Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and children in the Foundation Stage

21. Relationships in the nursery and the reception class are very good, teachers know their pupils very well and provide very exciting learning opportunities through the use of puppets, music, art and craft and very well structured outdoor play provision. However, indoors in the nursery, accommodation is very cramped and, whilst teachers do their very best with the accommodation available, noise carries and the room is too small for children to carry out any large canvas work or engage in large group activities or purposeful reflection and quiet time. The learning opportunities provided are very good and are enhanced by an exciting range of visits to farms, to the local area and children are given every opportunity to learn about the world around them. Children at an early age are encouraged to write about their experiences in the writing corners where a very good range of resources, such as different papers and pens and pencils, are available. They learn about the

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Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and children in the Foundation Stage

changing colours of seasons, they plant flowers, play musical instruments, cook, bake, and look forward to coming to school the next morning. Staff in both the nursery and the reception class are very effective early years practitioners and have provided a very well structured learning environment for these young children through their very hard work and total dedication to their craft. Pupils are well known to the teachers and support staff. A particular strength in provision for both special educational needs and early years is the very good quality of assessment which teachers undertake and the very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and emotional development.

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Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and children in the Foundation Stage

22. Pupils with special educational needs are very quickly identified because of the very good assessment procedures, and this leads to very precise individual learning programmes being developed for them. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) has worked extremely hard at producing clear, consistent and manageable individual education plans, which are reviewed regularly and which provide manageable goals to achieve. Support staff are fully informed about the difficulties that these pupils face and every effort is made to implement the recommendations of outside agencies in accommodating these pupils’ needs. The school is fully stretched in making very good provision for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. At present the school is doing everything it can to include all of these pupils in learning. However, many of these children have been excluded from other schools and their problems are very severe. This places a

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Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and children in the Foundation Stage

very heavy demand on the school’s resources and class teachers, yet staff are very committed and do their utmost to include these pupils in all aspects of school life. Since the previous inspection the rates of progress for pupils with special educational needs have improved and are now judged as very good.

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

23. As well as placing strong emphasis on key skills, the school is very successful in providing a consistency of approach to planning. It achieves a broad and balanced curriculum which offers a very rich variety of learning opportunities. The literacy and numeracy strategies are particularly well implemented. All the requirements of the National Curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education are fully met. The school offers an interesting range of extra-curricular activities in sport, music and drama and works very closely with the local secondary school in improving pupils’ sports skills. These are particularly beneficial to pupils because they have access to specialist teachers.

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

24. French is included on the curriculum for the older pupils and the school has an active twinning association with Machecoul in France. Pupils are encouraged to evaluate their work; they are given independence such as being responsible monitors, looking after younger pupils during lunchtime and organising the library. This contributes positively to their personal development. There is a comprehensive drugs awareness programme, pupils participate in a school council and, as a result, many improvements have taken place with respect to improving the accommodation, such as playground markings, improvement in the number of litter bins and access to water during lessons. Shifnal Primary School - 13 25. Acts of collective worship make a strong contribution to the very good learning opportunities offered to pupils. Pupils are given opportunities to reflect on a range of topics, such as what their role in life is and how they can make a difference to the world. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral,

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

social and cultural development is very good. Circle time, art, music, visits to churches, working with artists, visits to Sikh temples, Iron Bridge Gorge museum, Chester, Acton Farm, Shugborough Hall are just a few of the wide ranging opportunities provided for pupils’ personal development. Pupils understand that there are many different cultures in England and pupils are actively encouraged to share their values and beliefs. Pupils have a very good understanding of world faiths and the traditions and cultures represented in this country.

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

26. The literacy and numeracy strategies, alongside additional literacy support, early literacy support and booster classes, have been very effectively implemented. Teachers use opportunities to develop these skills through work in other subjects. For instance, in history and geography, valuable opportunities are created for pupils to produce writing about the Tudors and how Shifnal has changed over the years. In subjects such as art and design and design and technology, pupils extend the vocabulary by learning new words related to activities in which they are engaged. There are very good opportunities for pupils to extend their numeracy and information and communication technology skills in other subjects, by measuring, investigating properties of shapes, developing data bases, using paint programs to illustrate individual tasks and accessing information on the Internet. The very well structured and planned learning opportunities ensure that

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

the curriculum meets the needs of pupils, irrespective of gender, race or background.

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

27. Since the previous inspection report the learning opportunities offered have improved. The curriculum is well structured and this is due to the headteacher’s insistence on a whole school approach to consistency in planning.

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and behaviour is generally good.

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The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

28. Pupils respond very positively to the very good provision for their personal development and, as a result, they generally behave well and have very positive attitudes to learning. Attractive displays help to create a stimulating learning environment. They are used effectively to celebrate pupils’ achievements, support their learning and develop their thinking skills. Pupils feel valued, well cared for and, as a result, they give their best. The school has taken several pupils who have been excluded from other schools and who have had behaviour difficulties in the past, and has integrated these pupils very effectively. Pupils throughout the school are given responsibilities and duties, such as helping out in the dining room, preparing for assembly, distributing registers and, as a result, they all feel valued and part of the school community. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good because of the very good teaching, effective provision for spiritual, moral, social and

p.15

The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good throughout the school. The

cultural development and exciting learning opportunities. Some behaviour of pupils with special educational needs is very challenging, but staff deal with this effectively.

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The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent; he is providing a very

29. The headteacher is very knowledgeable in school self evaluation. He also has the confidence of staff, governors and parents. He leads and manages the school in a calm and purposeful manner, knows each of the pupils in his care and is adored by them. In the playground pupils are keen to come to him to talk about their games, and those pupils with behavioural problems are keen to discuss their various social and emotional issues with him.

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The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent; he is providing a very

30. The headteacher provides an excellent lead to both his staff and governors. School development planning and performance management are meticulously carried out. Communication systems are clear and all staff know what is expected of them. The monitoring of teaching and learning is excellent. Staff are made aware of their strengths and areas for development. The headteacher has a very good overview of the life and work of the school. All decisions made are first carefully and thoughtfully considered with both staff and governors, with everyone being fully involved at all stages of decision making processes. Co-ordinators of subjects have made an effective start at carrying out their duties effectively, they sample pupils’ work, ensure that resources are plentiful, Shifnal Primary School - 14 monitor planning and are being helped by the headteacher to evaluate performance data. The next step for them will be to evaluate the impact of teaching on learning. The governing body makes a

p.15

The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent; he is providing a very

very good contribution to management and is very well informed by the headteacher and extremely supportive of the school. They are closely involved in the future direction of the school through working on the school improvement plan. Day to day management of financial affairs and administrative matters are dealt with well by the school administrative staff.

p.16

The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent; he is providing a very

31. The school is very effective because maximum use is made of all available resources and the budget is systematically linked to making improvements that will benefit the pupils. The headteacher has exceptional skills in strategic planning and uses all available resources in the very best way, for example the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well supported by attractive resources. Best value is sought and the school rigorously compares the performance of its pupils to those within the local education authority and also uses national statistics very well to evaluate improvements over time. The headteacher wants the very best for his pupils, he strives very hard to ensure that they attain high academic standards, but this is tempered with high expectations for their personal development as evidenced by the many opportunities these pupils are given to become well rounded individuals, well prepared for their next stage of education.

p.16

The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent; he is providing a very

Since the previous inspection report a new headteacher has been appointed and his leadership skills are excellent.

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Partnership with parents is good and parents receive very good quality of information about

32. The school has a good partnership with parents and regards them as true partners in their children’s learning. Parents are pleased with the regular contact that they have with teachers and find parents’ meetings informative. Parents receive very good quality information, in the form of weekly bulletins and about all school events. Newsletters are particularly detailed with regards to coverage of the curriculum, homework and important dates about school events and educational trips. The quality of pupils’ reports is good in English, mathematics and science and informs parents as to what their children’s achievements are, but they are not so detailed in foundation subjects.

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Partnership with parents is good and parents receive very good quality of information about

33. Parents are generally appreciative of what the school provides, both academically and pastorally, for their children. The parent teacher association does much to support the work of the school by way of purchasing resources to supplement learning. Parents are particularly pleased with the nursery and reception classes and acknowledge the efforts of the staff in providing their children with a very effective start to their education. Parents appreciate the hard work of the staff in the full range of after school clubs that are provided.

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Partnership with parents is good and parents receive very good quality of information about

34. The school prospectus is very well presented and parents are well informed of the school’s aims and values, behaviour code, special educational needs provision and any complaints procedures that parents might wish to use. The very good quality of information that parents receive is yet another example of the strong and effective communication systems that exist in this school. The school has maintained strong parental links identified in the previous inspection report.

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The role of the senior management team in playing a more active role in the day to day

running of the school, and the involvement of co-ordinators in checking teaching and learning.

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The role of the senior management team in playing a more active role in the day to day

35. Whilst the senior management team supports the headteacher with effectively implementing academic policies in order to help raise standards, they are not yet fully involved in deputising for him in the day to day running of the school. For example, too few of the senior management team take whole school assemblies and help out with issues in the care of pupils, for example those who need support with behaviour. Too often, there is an over reliance on the headteacher to deal with minor issues that arise during the school day. During the week of inspection senior management were not visible at lunchtimes. This placed a very heavy burden on the headteacher, Shifnal Primary School - 15 who had to deal with many minor issues during the day. Over time this could impact significantly on implementing the headteacher’s vision of the future for the school.

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The role of the senior management team in playing a more active role in the day to day

36. Senior staff are appropriately involved in the development of the curriculum and plans are in place to develop their role further in the day-to-day management of the school. This will prove to be even more cost effective and the school will get even better value for money when senior staff develop their expertise even further to support the headteacher in the day-to-day running of the school; for example, dealing with parents’ queries, assisting lunchtime supervisors by encouraging pupils’ good behaviour, and counseling pupils who exhibit difficult behaviour. Further involvement of senior staff will not only be beneficial to the headteacher, but will improve their expertise in the day-to-day running of the school.

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The role of the senior management team in playing a more active role in the day to day

37. Whilst the co-ordinators check teachers’ plans and are aware of coverage of the National Curriculum, they have not as yet all received sufficient training in checking the quality of teaching and learning. However, this has been identified in the school development plan as an area to be addressed. At present, co-ordinators do not contribute enough to the development of teaching and learning, but their role in offering guidance to staff has improved since the previous inspection.

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The role of the senior management team in playing a more active role in the day to day

Assessment and the quality of pupils’ reports in the foundation subjects.

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The role of the senior management team in playing a more active role in the day to day

38. Assessment and the quality of pupils’ reports in the foundation subjects need to be improved further. The quality of assessment in foundation subjects is satisfactory overall, but it could be better. At present teachers are recording coverage of pupils’ work, but they are not assessing the acquisition of subject specific skills sufficiently well; this results in weaknesses in the quality of pupils’ reports in foundation subjects because teachers are not fully aware of what pupils are attaining in relation to subject specific skills. For example, in history pupils’ reports cover knowledge content but do not go into detail about how pupils are developing their chronological awareness or using primary and secondary sources for gaining evidence about life in the past. Overall assessments in English, mathematics and science are good and rightly identify what pupils know, understand and can do. Information from these assessments is effectively used to

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The role of the senior management team in playing a more active role in the day to day

plan the next steps of pupils’ learning, thereby setting appropriate targets for the pupils; this comes as a direct result of the information gathered. The school development plan effectively focuses on developing subject specific skills in curriculum planning in foundation subjects. Coupled with end of unit assessments focusing on knowledge, skills and understanding, teachers will be able to make the reporting of pupils’ achievements in foundation subjects more informative and staff will have a better idea of how to move their pupils on at a faster rate in foundation subjects.

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The role of the senior management team in playing a more active role in the day to day

39. The indoor accommodation for the nursery is unsatisfactory. Whilst staff make every effort to ensure that this does not affect children’s access to all the areas of learning, they do this at great expense to their comfort and use of valuable time. The nursery is cold, cramped and there is insufficient room for children to carry out large collage work or play with large toys or jigsaws. There is no quiet corner for reflection or for reading books and, when children are working in groups, noise carries and this has a detrimental effect on children’s concentration. Outdoor accommodation is very good, but the indoor accommodation does not match up to the high quality provision of outside space.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

40. The headteacher, staff and governing body, in conjunction with the local education authority now need to:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) develop the role of the senior management team by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that all senior staff have an equitable distribution of responsibilities and play a more active role in the day-to-day running of the school, deputising for the Shifnal Primary School - 16 headteacher, especially in taking assemblies, relieving the headteacher of some of his duties, dealing with disruptive pupils and making themselves more accessible to parents, pupils and lunchtime supervisors.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) develop the role of co-ordinators in monitoring teaching and learning by:

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that all co-ordinators are appropriately trained and have access to the headteacher’s excellent skills and knowledge in this area.

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) develop assessment procedures in foundation subjects by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that there is clear identification of skills progression in medium term planning; • ensuring that pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are rigorously assessed at the end of each unit of work.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• accurately reflecting pupils’ strengths and areas for development in all subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) as and when funds allow, improve the indoor accommodation in the nursery.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraph: 39) Shifnal Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

p.19

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR –Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 11 261

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 36

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 60

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 13

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Shifnal Primary School - 18 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Shifnal Primary School - 19

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 18 19 37

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 16 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 16 16 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (83) 86 (89) 89 (94) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 14 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 16 17 16

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

Percentage of pupils School 81 (83) 89 (83) 86 (94) at NC Level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 26 18 44

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 22 22 26 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 16 14 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 86 (85) 82 (90) 98 (100) at NC Level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 19 20 26 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 14 14 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 75 (67) 77 (77) 93 (75) at NC Level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Shifnal Primary School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Shifnal Primary School - 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2001-2002

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 29.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total income 591,621

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Total expenditure 583,843

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 149.54 Expenditure per pupil 1,966

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 29,600

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 37,378

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 32

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 66.46

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Shifnal Primary School - 22

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 62 31 7 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 51 42 7 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 40 47 11 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 47 31 16 5 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 29 2 5 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 64 33 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 45 40 9 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 60 31 7 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 58 36 5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 31 15 2 9

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