Crockerton CofE Primary School

CROCKERTON CE VA 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.

p.1

CROCKERTON CE VA 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 ma4de for any other copies supplied. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Potters Hill Crockerton Warminster Wiltshire Postcode: BA12 8AB

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs J Barnes

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 12/01/98 Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 20007 Mr T Neat Registered inspector 9769 Mrs M Morrisey Lay inspector 26519 Mrs M Hatfield Team inspector

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 5

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Crockerton CE VA Primary is situated amongst woodlands on the Longleat estate. It is much smaller than other primary schools. There are currently 91 pupils on roll; 44 are boys and 47 girls. A large proportion of pupils come from outside the area normally served by the school. Overall, the attainment of children joining the reception class is above the level normally found. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below the national average and there are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is well below average, although the percentage with Statements of Special Educational Needs is above average. An increasing proportion of pupils with special educational needs have been admitted over the last few years. Pupils are currently taught in four classes which, except for the one for

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

reception children, cater for two age groups.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Crockerton CE VA Primary is a good and improving school with many significant strengths. Consistently good teaching and high quality leadership and management result in pupils achieving well. The school takes much care to ensure that all pupils are included in its ‘family’. Individuals, including the most able and those with particular needs, are supported and assisted very well to help them learn. The very good contribution of friends of the school to its daily life significantly enhances the pupils’ education. The commitment the school shows to involving all parties in evaluating how well it is performing is a particularly strong feature. Crockerton School provides good value for the money invested in it.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The teaching and learning are always good or better, resulting in pupils achieving well. • The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and involves as many people as possible in reviewing its performance and planning for improvement. • The school makes excellent use of the help available to it from members of the community. • Very good provision for pupils’ personal development promotes very positive attitudes to learning, high standards of behaviour and excellent relationships. • A very good range of stimulating lessons and other activities contributes strongly to pupils’ achievements.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The provision of computers and other information and communication technology [ICT] equipment. • The effectiveness of teachers’ marking of pupils’ written work. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since it was last inspected in January 1998. Over the last few years the trend in the overall results of the national tests, gained by pupils leaving the school, has risen. Improvement in the issues identified in the last inspection report has been good. A long-term vision for the school’s future has been established, measures to manage the performance of staff have been implemented and guidelines are now in place to help teachers in the planning of all subjects. The school now checks how well it is doing. The Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 7 provision of personal and social education is much better and now includes teaching about citizenship. Pupils are far more involved in their own learning thanks to the emphasis placed on ‘learning to learn’.

p.6

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

By the time they leave the school, most pupils’ strongest subject is English. The table above indicates that in 2001 and in 2000, 11-year-olds gained results in English that were in the top five per cent nationally. In mathematics and science standards were well above average. Compared to the results of schools working in similar circumstances, standards in all three subjects were well above average.

p.7

STANDARDS

In the national tests of 2001* the standards of seven-year-olds were below average in reading, average in writing and above average in mathematics. Judged against similar schools, standards were well below average for reading, below average for writing and average for mathematics. A greater proportion of pupils aged seven had special educational needs in 2001. This meant that standards were lower than in 2000, when the results in reading, writing and mathematics were in the top five per cent nationally.

p.7

STANDARDS

Caution is needed when comparing one year’s results with another, or the school’s results against similar schools because of the small number of pupils in each cohort. The analysis of the school’s results over the last few years gives a better guide to its effectiveness. Using this method, it is clear that most pupils achieve well.

p.7

STANDARDS

Inspection evidence shows that the children currently in the Foundation Stage** are making good progress, and most are on course to exceed the goals set for this age group by the time they finish the reception year. Inspection findings indicate that currently the standards of both seven and 11 year olds are above average in English, mathematics and science. The standards of pupils aged 11 have risen over the last few years at a comparable rate to the improvements made nationally. The school was given a curriculum award by the government in 2000 and 2001 in recognition of the pupils’ improved performance in the national tests.

p.7

STANDARDS

Boys and girls attain equally well. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in achieving the targets set for them in their individual education plans. The school uses its information about pupils’ attainment well to set challenging targets, which it often exceeds.

p.7

STANDARDS

*There are no comparative data available yet for the 2002 tests. ** The Foundation Stage is the period of education from age three to the end of the reception year. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 8 It was not possible to check the standards achieved by all the Year 6 pupils in ICT, and no lessons for this subject were observed during the inspection. Nonetheless, it is unlikely that the majority will reach the expected level of attainment by the time they leave the school because the number of computers for pupils to practice on is too small.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils are keen to learn and try to do their best. They are responsible and responsive and show very good attitudes to learning in everything they do.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. In lessons, at play and when moving around the school, pupils behave very well. Often their conduct is excellent.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils relate very well indeed to each other. They show great maturity and are sensitive to the needs of all members of the school’s family.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Good 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.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is good throughout the school and the pupils learn well. English and mathematics lessons are of good quality, thanks to the very good understanding that teachers have of these subjects. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well. The very good use of adult help in the Foundation Stage and the stimulating range of activities have a positive effect on the progress made by the children. In the infant and junior parts of the school, the teachers are particularly good at questioning pupils and explaining things to them. All members of staff work hard and effectively to meet the needs of pupils of different ages and abilities in their classes. More use could be made of the marking of pupils’ work to raise standards. Classroom support assistants make a very positive contribution to the quality of pupils’ education.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The provision of extra-curricular activities is excellent. The contribution of the community to pupils’ learning is also of the highest quality.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school takes good care of pupils with special needs, and as a result, they make good progress. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 9 Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school is very good at promoting pupils’ personal development. The provision it makes to ensure that they develop into responsible and trustworthy young people is excellent.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils are very happy in the school because all the adults who work with them are very supportive and caring.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school works very effectively to involve and inform parents, for example, through initiatives such as setting up a ‘Staff-Parents Panel’*.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

* This is a committee made up of parents representing each year group and members of the teaching, classroom support and office staff. It meets each term to discuss general school issues.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The positive, purposeful nature of the leadership of the headteacher and the good support given to her by all members of staff strongly support learning. The headteacher has a very clear idea of how to move the school forward and has built a strong team to achieve this. Everyone is determined to improve the school’s performance and do the best for the pupils.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very supportive and fully involved in the life of the school. They have very effective arrangements in place to gain information about what goes on. These include liaising with subject coordinators and checking the work done in different year groups. These measures help them greatly in shaping the direction the school takes.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school involves all ‘stakeholders’ in reviewing its performance and planning for the future. A good programme of checks on the quality of lessons and the use of a wide range of tests to assess pupils’ progress help the school to judge how well it is doing. It makes good use of information about pupils’ achievements to decide how to work.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school takes good decisions about the use of the resources at its disposal. Spending is planned wisely to achieve agreed objectives. The principles of best value are applied well.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Despite recent improvements, the building still poses problems because of shortage of space for the youngest children, the lack of facilities for physical education and poor storage provision. The school makes appropriate use of facilities in a town nearby to provide pupils with opportunities to work on the different aspects of physical education, but valuable time is lost in travelling. The oldest pupils are housed in a mobile classroom. Since the last inspection more up to date computers have been bought but there are too few to allow pupils to practice often enough. The school recognizes this and has put some money aside to buy more equipment. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 10

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children enjoy coming to school. • The teaching is good and pupils make good progress. • The school is led and managed well. • Pupils are expected to work hard and do their best. • Behaviour is very good. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible. • The range of extra-curricular activities . • Some parents felt that the school could work more closely with parents. • A few said that they would not feel comfortable about approaching the school with a problem. • Some parents thought that the range of extra-curricular activities was not sufficiently wide.

p.10

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team fully endorses the positive views held by the vast majority of parents. Inspectors find no evidence to substantiate the concerns expressed by a few. The number and range of extra-curricular activities are better than in most schools. The school does all it can to involve parents in their children’s learning. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 11

p.10

The teaching and learning are always good or better, resulting in pupils achieving

1. All the lessons seen throughout the school were of good quality, with some that were very good. English and mathematics are taught well. As a result, pupils learn the skills of literacy and numeracy well. Questioning pupils and explaining things clearly to them are particularly strong features of most lessons. Teachers relate very well to the pupils. As a result, pupils show very good levels of interest and learn well. Classroom support assistants work very effectively, greatly enhancing the quality of pupils’ education. An assistant observed working with pupils with special educational needs made very good use of a variety of methods and resources, which were successful in showing how stories can be planned. All members of staff work hard to cater for the wide range of needs of pupils in their classes.

p.11

The teaching and learning are always good or better, resulting in pupils achieving

2. The results gained in the national tests vary due to the differing performances of the small number of pupils in each successive year group. Much caution needs to be exercised when comparing the results achieved in different years because the small numbers make this statistically unreliable. Looking at the school’s performance over the last few years, despite an increase in the percentage of pupils with specific learning needs being admitted, standards are high, and are improving. In 2001, the last year for which national comparisons are available, the standards of 11 year olds in mathematics and science were well above average compared to all schools and those with similar intakes. Their performance in English was even better, being in the top five per cent of results in the country. The very effective leadership of the school is instrumental in driving up standards. In both 2000 and 2001 the school was given

p.11

The teaching and learning are always good or better, resulting in pupils achieving

awards by the government for improvement in the results gained in the national tests.

p.11

The teaching and learning are always good or better, resulting in pupils achieving

3. Teachers provide a good range of opportunities for pupils to write for different purposes which give strong support to the development of writing skills. Pupils aged seven compile ‘favourite poem factfiles’. An average 11 year old used her growing understanding of the value and impact of repetition to good effect in writing about Sioux Indians. She wrote; “Sometimes they watched fire darting among the clouds. Sometimes they watched fire wishing it would come to them. Sometimes they watched fire hungrily. Sometimes they tried capturing it”.

p.11

The teaching and learning are always good or better, resulting in pupils achieving

4. By the time they leave the school, most pupils show a well-developed knowledge and understanding of many aspects of their mathematical work, such as rotational and reflective symmetry. In a mathematics lesson for Years 5 and 6, very effective, detailed explanations, combined with the teacher’s high expectations of what pupils could achieve, resulted in most of the class understanding probability very quickly. Most were working above the level expected for their age in deciding the outcomes of given situations based on a six point scale. The high level of challenge and a good balance between the input from the teacher and the responsibility given to the pupils resulted in good standards being achieved in a history lesson for Years 3 and 4. The good questioning in Years 1 and 2 was instrumental in the pupils developing a clear understanding of life in a medieval castle. Children in the Foundation Stage benefited

p.11

The teaching and learning are always good or better, resulting in pupils achieving

greatly in their art activities from the stimulating mix of well-planned experiences offered by the teacher. Her quiet, encouraging manner made them feel secure and confident. As a result, they enjoyed the work, behaved very well indeed and showed very good levels of interest. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 12

p.11

The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and to involving as many

people as possible in reviewing its performance and planning for development.

p.12

The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and to involving as many

5. The efforts made by the school to look critically at how effective it is and how it can get better are powerful factors in the improvements brought about recently. This work is led very ably by the headteacher. An important part of the process of evaluating, planning and reviewing which drives the school forward, is the lead taken by the headteacher in developing the quality of teaching. She retains a heavy teaching commitment and encourages both governors and staff to watch her teach, as well as working alongside the other teachers in their lessons.

p.12

The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and to involving as many

6. The way in which the school has set about reviewing its performance and deciding its priorities and objectives reflects the very strong sense of community it creates. Each group with strong interests in the work of the school - pupils, parents, governors and staff - has nominated representatives to make up a ‘stakeholders’ committee’. A different questionnaire about the strengths and weaknesses of the school was devised by each of the groups associated with it. The replies have been analysed and discussed by each group, before the results were considered by the committee. The outcomes of this whole school evaluation have been used to plan its development over the next three years. The improvements made to the quality of this planning have been a key factor in maintaining and improving the high standards that pupils achieve. This way of working has been used by local education authority advisers as a model of best practice offered to other schools.

p.12

The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and to involving as many

It makes excellent use of the help available to it from members of the community.

p.12

The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and to involving as many

7. The talents of parents, friends and members of the local community are used very well indeed by the school. The goodwill it engenders in its supporters is greatly valued by everyone concerned with the school, not least the pupils. The system under which volunteers come into school regularly to hear pupils read remains as successful as it was at the time of the last inspection. The careful deployment of these ‘listeners’ to give support and encouragement to pupils increases their interest in reading, helps to improve their skills and has a positive impact on their personal development. One of the volunteers said that he looked forward greatly to his visits to the school and felt that he gained as much from his work with the pupils as he hoped they did.

p.12

The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and to involving as many

8. The provision the school makes for higher attaining pupils is greatly enhanced by the work of one of the governors, who is a retired teacher. She has invested a great deal of time, energy, expertise and commitment into teaching a group of gifted and talented junior pupils every week and devising a programme of work for them. The wide-ranging nature of the tasks and the very high level of challenge present them with the kind of stimulus they need, as well as raising their confidence and self- esteem. This was evident during a demanding discussion about different types of intelligence. Pupils used terms such as ‘kinaesthetic intelligence’ confidently and developed a better understanding of their own gifts as a result of this session.

p.12

The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and to involving as many

9. A beautiful ‘millennium peace garden’ has been created for the school by a group of local residents. Some of the pupils worked with a parent who is a landscape gardener to decide its design. The pupils had the idea of using the slope to make a water feature. A local artist involved the pupils in creating sculptures representing the year 2000 which are a central feature. This involvement gave considerable impetus to pupils’ interest in art. The chance to learn about how an artist works helped to increase their knowledge and understanding of the subject. The garden is a wonderful resource, giving opportunities for pupils to sit quietly and reflect on matters Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 13 of personal significance. It is used well to raise pupils’ knowledge and understanding of living things in science lessons.

p.12

The school is strongly committed to improving what it does and to involving as many

10. The school involves parents very well. There is a very active ‘Friends of the School’ and events put on to raise funds are always supported well. Twice a year parents are invited to an ‘information evening’. One held recently focused on helping parents to exploit learning opportunities at home. In the recent past, the school worked with mothers to help them support their daughters in learning mathematics. This was successful in improving the girls’ confidence, and hence their performance in the national tests.

p.13

The very good provision for pupils’ personal development promotes very positive

attitudes to learning, high standards of behaviour and excellent relationships.

p.13

The very good provision for pupils’ personal development promotes very positive

11. Invariably, visitors to the school remark upon its ethos. There is a supportive, family atmosphere, based on mutual respect between everyone. This gives rise to the very good quality of relationships that are evident throughout the school. A couple of pupils were asked why they liked coming to school. They replied, without hesitation, “It’s because everyone treats each other so well.” There is a sensitivity to the needs of others that underpins the high quality care and support that pupils receive, and promotes very good social values. The adults in school provide very good models for pupils to imitate. A particular feature of the school’s provision is the ‘feelings’ book which alerts staff to the special circumstances of individual pupils, for example, ensuring that teachers know if a bereavement has happened.

p.13

The very good provision for pupils’ personal development promotes very positive

12. All the parents responding to the pre-inspection questionnaire agree that behaviour is good. The Christian ethos of the school provides a firm set of principles on which pupils base their behaviour towards others. The school’s mission statement promotes high social and moral values: “Together we live, learn, care and celebrate. For each other and for ourselves we aim for the best.” The headteacher has a “Dear Mrs Culff” box into which pupils can put notes to alert her to issues that are bothering them. The creation of opportunities for pupils to take responsibility has a strong effect on their personal development and sense of worth. ‘Class councils’ have been set up to empower pupils and give them a forum for discussing their needs. The elected representatives put forward ideas for ways in which the school can be improved. During the inspection Year 6 pupils were very excited about emailing the

p.13

The very good provision for pupils’ personal development promotes very positive

headteacher to discuss plans. The inspection team judges the provision made for pupils’ social and moral development to be excellent.

p.13

The very good provision for pupils’ personal development promotes very positive

13. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. In an English lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, a ripple of excitement went around the class in anticipation of tackling the challenge set by the teacher to provide a set of questions to use as a journalist. The rate of attendance is very high. Pupils are motivated well to come to school and involve themselves fully in the tasks they are set. In nearly all the lessons seen pupils listened carefully to the adults with whom they worked and concentrated hard.

p.13

The very good provision for pupils’ personal development promotes very positive

14. The high quality of the provision for pupils’ personal development, and the very good response the children make to what the school has to offer, greatly enhance learning.

p.13

A stimulating, very good range of learning opportunities contributes strongly to

15. The range and quality of learning opportunities have a very positive effect on the progress that pupils make. The school adopts a very thoughtful approach to the curriculum it offers. Links between different subjects are used well to increase pupils’ Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 14 understanding and enjoyment. This is done well in science. In Year 2, the teacher makes full use of opportunities in work on different types of sound to teach and consolidate vocabulary such as ‘cry’, ‘mutter’, ‘sigh’ and ‘yell’. The mathematical skills of Year 6 pupils are extended when they are asked to produce line graphs to record the results of their experiments about rates of evaporation. This policy of integrating subjects has helped to raise the standards of literacy among boys, who prefer to develop their English skills through work in a variety of subjects such as history.

p.13

A stimulating, very good range of learning opportunities contributes strongly to

16. The curriculum is rich and stimulating. It is enriched in a variety of ways. A seven year cycle of special weeks contributes strongly to this. During these periods, the whole school concentrates on one theme. Focuses include Shakespeare, the environment and media. A recent innovation is the use of drama and role-play to make learning more meaningful. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have increased their enjoyment and understanding of the work done about the Victorian period because of this. All the pupils in the junior part of the school have timetabled sessions in which they ‘learn to learn’. The pupils find these opportunities to explore how their brains work very valuable.

p.14

A stimulating, very good range of learning opportunities contributes strongly to

17. An abundance of visits and visitors adds greatly to the quality of learning. Pupils in the junior part of the school go on two residential trips, one with a geographical theme and the other historical. Those in Years 5 and 6 use the nearby Lake Shearwater to study micro-organisms. Years 3 and 4 further their study of history through trips into the village. Infant pupils make full use of the school’s forest location in their work. Villagers, parents, county councillors and many others share their knowledge and understanding with the pupils. The very close links with the local church, and the regular leading of worship at school by the vicar, help considerably in promoting pupils’ spiritual development. The excellent contribution of the friends of the school is celebrated elsewhere in this report.

p.14

A stimulating, very good range of learning opportunities contributes strongly to

18. Everyone has equal opportunities to learn and to succeed. Classroom support assistants are trained to help pupils who do not find learning easy. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Gifted and talented pupils are given regular enrichment work. Additional teachers are brought in to further support both lower and higher attaining pupils. Programmes are in place to ensure that those needing early or continuing support to develop literacy skills get it.

p.14

A stimulating, very good range of learning opportunities contributes strongly to

19. The range of extra-curricular activities provided is excellent. For two years running the school has won ‘Education Extra Awards’ for its after-school programme. The pupils take full advantage of these opportunities, to the extent that some are over- subscribed. More than half the pupils in Years 2 to 6 learn a musical instrument at school. There are plenty of chances to engage in sports too. Tag rugby and judo are played competitively and successfully, with the school winning the Warminster judo tournament last year. The rugby team was chosen to represent West Wiltshire in the South Western Counties Championships. Three new after-school clubs are planned.

p.14

A stimulating, very good range of learning opportunities contributes strongly to

20. Very productive links with local schools also enrich the work of the school. Crockerton takes full advantage of the outreach programme provided by the local secondary school, a sports college. The tennis, cricket and soccer coaching the college lays on, has helped to raise standards in physical education. Every year pupils in Years 5 and 6 go to work with the performing arts staff at the secondary school. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 15

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The provision of computers and other ICT equipment.

p.15

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. Since the last inspection the computers have been replaced and now are of modern design. However, there are too few to allow pupils to practice often enough. The ratio of pupils to computers is currently 22 to 1. The nationally recommended provision is 11 to 1. The school recognizes this problem and has planned to increase the number of machines over the next two years. It was not possible to check the standards attained by all the Year 6 pupils, and no lessons of ICT were observed during the inspection. Nonetheless, the school agrees that since there is only one computer in their classroom, it is unlikely that the majority will achieve the expected level of attainment in the different aspects of ICT by the time they leave the school.

p.15

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. The school covers the programme of work set out in the National Curriculum for both infant and junior pupils. Discussions with pupils in last year’s Year 2 showed that their teachers had taught them nearly all the necessary knowledge and understanding, but opportunities for individuals to practice and apply the skills were limited. Observation during the inspection showed that the teachers made good use of classroom support assistants and parent volunteers to help pupils working on the computer, but this provision was restricted by the lack of machines. The pupils were very keen on using computers and spoke excitedly about programming electrical toys and drawing castles on screen. Some had printed pictures from the Internet.

p.15

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

23. Pupils in Year 6 gave a similar account of doing interesting things such as monitoring the temperature using a probe linked to the computer. They access the Internet to gather information about the Ancient Egyptians and use a computer to make a presentation of their work in geography. Retired engineers had come into school to work with some of them to design products that were controlled by computer. However, the majority had too few opportunities to use their skills in a wide enough range of tasks. For example, pupils had been shown how to work with databases and spreadsheets, but had not had the chance to do this for themselves.

p.15

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

24. All the teachers are confident, keen to teach computer skills and are appropriately trained. There is an appropriate collection of programs for teachers to use in most subjects. The lack of software for teaching pupils with special educational needs reduces the options available to increase the progress they make. Some of the printers are unreliable and of poor quality.

p.15

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The effectiveness of teachers’ marking of pupils’ written work.

p.15

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. The scrutiny of pupils’ past work shows that there are some very good examples of teachers marking written work in such a way that it is clear what needs to be done to improve. Much praise and encouragement are given and the use of phrases such as, “To be more effective you need to…..”, gives them clear guidance about areas for development. However, the provision of such guidance is inconsistent and overall there is not enough to help raise standards.

p.15

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. Sometimes the marking does not focus enough on the skills, knowledge and understanding the teacher planned for the pupils to gain in the lesson or unit of work. Generally, too little attention is paid to correcting mistakes or underdeveloped literacy skills. Even in English books, teachers do not bring to pupils’ attention things such as punctuation errors in such a way that the individual learns from the mistakes they Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 16 make. In marking work in other subjects too little attention is paid to giving written reminders about, for example, the failure of older pupils to join letters in their handwriting.

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

27. To make further improvements to the quality of education the headteacher, staff and governors should:-

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[1] improve the provision of equipment for teaching ICT by:

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[a] pressing ahead with plans to buy enough new personal computers to achieve the recommended ratio of machines to pupils at the earliest opportunity; (See paragraphs 21, 22 and 23)

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[b] replacing unreliable printers as soon as possible; and

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[c] providing suitable software to enhance the teaching of pupils with special educational needs; (See paragraph 24)

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[2] increase the effectiveness of teachers’ marking of pupils’ written work in raising standards, by:

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[a] improving the consistency with which teachers’ comments show pupils how to improve their work, and/or achieve the objectives set for the lesson or activity;

p.16

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[b] marking to improve skills of spelling, handwriting and punctuation in subjects other than English. (See paragraphs 25 and 26) Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 17

p.16

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

p.17

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.17

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 21 79 0 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 seven percentage points.

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) n/a 91

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals n/a 2 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need n/a 2

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register n/a 12

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.17

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.17

Attendance

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

p.17

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 2001 6 9 15

p.18

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.18

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

Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 Boys and above Girls

p.18

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 [100] 80 [100] 100 [100] at NC level 2 or above National 84 [83] 86 [84] 91 [90]

p.18

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.18

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

Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 Boys and above Girls

p.18

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 [100] 93 [100] 80 [100] at NC level 2 or above National 85 [84] 89 [88] 89 [88]

p.18

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

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

p.18

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

In order to ensure that the performance of individual pupils cannot be identified, the table for 11-year- olds has been omitted and only the totals for boys’ and girls’ results have been included for seven- year-olds. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 19

p.18

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.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.19

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. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 20

p.19

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.3 Financial year 2001/2

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.2

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 238,138.04

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 250,177.84

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 76 Expenditure per pupil 2,810.98

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 20,319.00

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) n/a Balance carried forward to next year 8,279.20

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher n/a

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff n/a

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week n/a

p.20

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

p.20

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0

p.20

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.20

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.20

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. Crockerton CE VA Primary School - 21 Results of the survey of parents and carers

p.20

Recruitment of teachers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

My child is making good progress in school. 59 37 1 0 3

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

Behaviour in the school is good. 69 31 0 0 0

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 51 44 0 1 4

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 54 40 3 0 3

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 69 24 3 1 3

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 73 27 0 0 0

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

The school works closely with parents. 63 33 4 0 0

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

The school is well led and managed. 80 20 0 0 0

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 68 30 0 0 2

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 69 27 1 3 0

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

Because of rounding not all totals will equal 100.

p.21