St Matthew's Bloxam CofE Primary School

(CONTROLLED) 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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(CONTROLLED) PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Webb Ellis Road Rugby Warwickshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Farnell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 February 1998 St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 4

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Team members

18645 C.D. Loizou Registered inspector 11229 M. Freeman Lay inspector 27242 E. Rice Team inspector

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Team members

PkR Educational Consultants Ltd 6 Sherman Road Bromley Kent BR1 3JH

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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 St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 19

St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St. Matthew’s Bloxam is a Church of England (Controlled) Primary School in the town of Rugby in Warwickshire. Most of the pupils come from the immediate area which has a mixture of private and local authority owned housing. The headteacher was appointed to start last September after the unavoidable closure and temporary relocation of the school for major refurbishment to make the building safe. This led to the pupils and staff working in another school in Rugby for the previous two terms. The school is average in size and admits up to 30 children into its Reception year. There are 208 pupils on roll between the ages of four and eleven and they are taught in seven classes. There is also a Nursery class which admits up to 40 part-time children aged three years of age (24 full-time equivalent). Seventy five per cent of the pupils are of white heritage, 86 per cent have English as their first language and there

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

are 29 pupils (14 per cent) that also speak another language such as Gujarati or Punjabi. Attainment on entry to the Reception year is in line with the standard expected of four-year-olds. Eighteen per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school has identified 27 per cent of its pupils as having special educational needs, which is above average. Four per cent of the pupils have a statement of special educational needs.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a good education and there are some very good features. The pupils achieve well and attain above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Standards in National Curriculum tests are rising at a rate above the national trend. The pupils make good progress in most subjects. Although the pupils reach the standards expected in information and communication technology, standards could be higher. The teaching is good overall. It is very good in the Nursery and a significant amount of teaching across the school is very good. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, senior staff and governors. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • The teaching in the Nursery is very effective and is of high quality. • The pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language make good progress. • The teaching across the school is good, well planned and effective. It is having a positive impact on the pupils’ attitudes to learning. It is also having an impact on the achievement of more able pupils as a larger than average proportion of pupils exceed the standards expected for their age by the end of Year 6. • The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide very good and effective leadership. Senior staff manage their subjects and areas very well, consequently, there has been good improvement in standards in most subjects. The governors manage the school very well. • The teachers monitor the pupils’ progress well. They assess how well the pupils are doing and set

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What the school does well

appropriately challenging targets. These assessment procedures are successfully employed by teachers and are used to guide their planning. • The personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils are very good features of the school. This is having a very positive impact on relationships across the school.

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What could be improved

• Standards in information and communication technology. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 1998 and has made good progress since then. All the key issues from the last inspection have been successfully addressed. The school has improved assessment procedures. Standards in English have improved well, particularly in writing. The senior management team are much more effective in monitoring and, together with the governors, they are better informed about the work being done in the school and the progress the pupils make. Mathematics and science standards have improved as well as those seen in English with more St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 7 emphasis on practical and investigative work. Consequently, since the last inspection standards have risen in all three-core subjects.

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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

2000 2001 2002 2002 English B B C B well above average above average A B Mathematics C B B B average below average C D Science B C A A well below average E (The “similar” in the table above refers to the percentage of free school meals and not the size of the school.)

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Key

The 2002 tests for Year 6 show that the school’s results were in line with the national average in English and above average in mathematics. Science standards were well above the national average. Results compare well with similar schools in English and mathematics and are well above average in science. Standards in English fell slightly last year compared with previous years because there was a larger than normal proportion of pupils with special educational needs in Year 6. Inspection evidence confirms that standards in Year 6 are currently above those expected in English, mathematics and science so that standards continue to rise at a rate faster than the national trend.

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Key

The performance of the pupils in the national tests for Year 2 show that standards were average in reading, well above average in writing and above average in mathematics and science. Inspection evidence confirms that, like the junior years, standards in the infant classes are rising significantly in all areas. The pupils achieve well in speaking, listening, reading and writing by the end of Year 2. Although standards in information and communication technology are in line with those expected by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, the pupils could achieve higher standards. The disruption to the school last year which led to the re-location of pupils and staff to another school contributed to this as the pupils had little or no access to computers. The Nursery children achieve very well with a significant number exceeding the standards expected for their age by the time they start the Reception year. They make

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Key

steady progress in Reception and standards overall are in line with those expected by the end of Reception.

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Key

The school’s much improved curriculum and good teaching enable the pupils to achieve above average standards in most other subjects with good evidence of art and design and design and technology work displayed across the school. The improvement in writing standards affects the pupils’ achievements in geography and history where their recorded work is clear and consistent. This signifies good improvement in standards since the last inspection. The pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils’ attitudes to learning, to school and to each other are very good. They try hard and enjoy learning, applying themselves well, often co-operating and helping each other. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. This helps to create an orderly and positive learning environment. There were five temporary exclusions last year.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The pupils are independent and show maturity. Relationships are very good. The pupils enjoy celebrating the achievements of others. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 8 Attendance Average. This is satisfactory and the rate of authorised absence is below average. Unauthorised absence was slightly above average last year.

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

Quality of teaching Very 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.

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

The teaching is good overall and ranges between satisfactory and excellent. It has improved well since the last inspection. The most consistently effective teaching is in the Nursery where the teaching is of a high standard. Most of the teaching seen across the school has sufficient challenge; the work set for the pupils is well matched to their abilities. The teaching of literacy and mathematics is consistently effective across the school and this has a positive impact on how well the pupils learn in other subjects. Teachers effectively assess how well the pupils are doing, especially in literacy and numeracy, and this is guiding their planning, resulting in rising standards by the end of Year 6. The teaching is having a positive impact on the pupils’ learning, although more could be done to improve information and communication technology (ICT) skills as there is greater inconsistency in the quality of teaching.

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

However, a great deal has been achieved by the school in improving staff confidence and resources which now need to be consolidated to raise standards further in ICT. The pupils with special educational needs receive good support in lessons and, as a result, make good progress. The school provides effective teaching for the small number of pupils who are learning English as an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is good. Teachers provide a good range of practical and relevant tasks with opportunities for the pupils to use computers to support their learning. However, the quality and range of information and communication technology vary, resulting in some inconsistencies in what the pupils know and can do. There is a good range of extra- curricular activities. More able pupils with particular aptitudes in English, mathematics and science are given appropriately challenging activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The pupils receive good and effective support. They are identified early and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good assessments of pupils’ needs are made. They are supported well in lessons. Teaching assistants are on hand to support these pupils and make a valuable contribution to the progress these pupils make.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is very good and is supported by a broad range of activities in school and outside school times. Very good provision is made for the pupils’ personal development. The pupils are developing a good understanding of life in a multi-cultural society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils There is a very good level of care provided for all pupils. The school has good procedures to assess how well the pupils are doing. Teachers use these assessments to set learning targets for the pupils to achieve.

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Aspect Comment

Parents believe that the school improves their children’s personal development very well. Good quality information about the curriculum and school events is provided for parents. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership. The deputy headteacher and senior staff work closely with her to monitor lessons, pupils’ work and their progress. The management of the school is very well focused on raising standards and providing a rich and broad curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body provides very good and effective support. They work closely with the school and its staff and have a clear understanding of their role in managing and monitoring the work of the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance This is very good overall. The governors and staff have established clear priorities in the school development plan through an effective process involving audits, monitoring progress and evaluating closely the pupils’ performance in tests. The strategic use of resources This is good. There are targets which are matched to spending priorities. The school manages its finances well, ensuring best value for money when committing the school’s budget to specific resources.

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Aspect Comment

The administrative staff are efficient and make themselves available to parents and visitors as well as managing the smooth running of the school and its finances. The school building and school site are well maintained and managed.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and make good progress. • The teaching is good and sets high expectations. • They feel comfortable approaching the school and are kept well informed. • The school is well led and managed. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The information provided about their children’s progress. • Some parents would like the school to work more closely with them. • The range of activities provided outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents think well of the school and are pleased with the way the headteacher and staff are approachable and supportive. The inspectors agree with all of the positive views expressed by parents and judge that the school provides a good range of activities outside lessons. Inspectors judge that the information provided by the school is of good quality. Now that the school has settled into its normal routines after the disruption caused by temporary re-location, inspectors believe that the school is well placed to work closely with parents. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 10

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

1. Inspection findings confirm that standards are above those expected by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 in most subjects. In last year’s National Curriculum tests, Year 2 results show that standards were above the national average in mathematics and science and well above average in writing. Year 6 pupils performed equally well and achieved above average standards in mathematics and well above average results in science. Reading results for Year 2 pupils and those achieved in English by Year 6 pupils showed average standards. However, a larger than normal proportion of pupils with special educational needs in Year 6 depressed the English results. Compared with similar schools, the results were well above average overall by the end of Year 6.

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

2. By the time the pupils start Year 1, they read and write with confidence and have a good understanding of numbers. For example, Year 1 pupils can use their knowledge of letter sounds very well to write imaginary words which are spelt correctly. By Year 2 the pupils can find information in stories and non-fiction texts and are able to write sentences independently with accuracy and understanding. In mathematics, infant pupils can use their good understanding of number facts to quickly work out the difference between two numbers up to 20. In the observed lessons, both the Year 1 and Year 2 teachers used good techniques to encourage the pupils to use word banks and experiment with their knowledge of sound blends to improve reading and writing skills. Good use was made of poetry in Year 2 to help the pupils look for rhythms in poems and discuss the story behind the poem called ‘Breakfast Boast’.

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

The pupils’ workbooks show that both Year 1 and Year 2 pupils revise basic spelling rules to help them improve their independent writing.

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

3. In the junior classes, teachers use an interesting range of tasks to keep the pupils focused on reading and writing skills. In Year 3 the pupils investigate legends to identify key features. This helps them to research information, looking for key facts that identify how the stories describe good and evil, and write independently. Year 5 pupils focused on characters and setting when looking at the story of ‘Beauty and the Beast’. The pupils were able to distinguish key features in the text such as plot, endings and the use of phrases that describe indefinite time such as ‘long long ago’. There is clear progression in what the pupils learn in English so that by Year 6 they are able to write fiction stories using flashback and time-slips. The standards achieved by the end of Year 6 are clearly above those expected for pupils this age.

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

4. The pupils make good progress in mathematics and science throughout the school. Building on the good work done in the infant classes, junior pupils can choose the most appropriate number operations to solve a range of problems. For example, Year 4 pupils quickly use multiples and factors to work out number patterns such as those in factors of nine or seven. The pupils used rules of divisibility to help them quickly check their answers when calculating number problems. Throughout the school teachers teach the pupils good techniques to help the pupils self-correct by reversing multiplication and division and this has improved their confidence when attempting to solve problems independently. In Year 5, the pupils are able to use and interpret information and data and can present these as graphs, tables and matrices. Workbooks show that by the end of Year 6 the pupils are able to apply their numeracy

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 11 skills very effectively to a range of problem solving activities that involve money, decimal fractions, time and measures.

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

5. The pupils’ good knowledge of basic skills, such as reading, writing and numeracy are helping them to make good progress in other subjects, including science. This is also reflected in last year’s teacher assessments in Year 2 where the pupils achieved above average standards in science. By the end of Year 6, science standards were well above average in last year’s tests. This has been a consistent improvement since the last inspection, reflecting how well the teaching has improved and also underlines the effectiveness of the curriculum and teachers’ planning. In the science lessons seen in Years 4 and 6, the pupils demonstrate a good understanding of air resistance (Year 4) and electricity (Year 6). Evidence from a scrutiny of pupils’ workbooks shows that their recorded work includes detailed and well labelled drawings of their investigations and good quality writing about observable similarities

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

and differences when classifying and drawing conclusions from their findings. Year 4 pupils offer sensible reasons about how and why their model parachutes respond differently when measuring the effects that different shapes of parachute have on flight and the reaction to air-resistance. The pupils are able to identify the problems they encounter, such as the composition and weight of the models and the accuracy of the timing. In Year 6 the pupils show that they have retained a good understating of the terminology associated with electricity and circuits. Building on the work they covered two years ago, the pupils are able to recall basic facts about electrical sources, components and basic rules that apply to electric circuits. Other work seen throughout the school in pupils’ books or displayed on walls shows that the teaching has clearly developed the pupils’ understanding of scientific properties of plants from

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

a basic understanding of root growth in Year 1 to more advanced hypotheses in Year 3, with searching questions about the most effective conditions in which plants grow and thrive. The pupils’ reading and writing skills help them to record their findings clearly and when asked to read information from non-fiction texts during science lessons they are able to understand the main points very well because of their good reading skills.

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

The teaching in the Nursery is very effective and is of high quality.

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

6. Initial assessments of the children when they first join the Nursery class show that their attainment in language, communication and mathematics is just below that expected of three-year-olds. From an early age they are taught the basic skills of reading, writing and numeracy very effectively. The children make very good progress so that by the time they start the Reception year they have achieved the early learning goals in all of the areas of learning. In the Nursery, the teacher and nursery nurses work very well as a team to prepare activities and plan what the children are going to experience each term. The planning is excellent because it sets out long term objectives planned in each area of learning to relevant short term learning goals which are achieved through practical and interesting tasks and activities. The Nursery areas and teaching spaces are very colourful and provide stimulation, mystery and wonder for the children. Every area of the room is filled with

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

children’s work, colourfully displayed labels and prompts, for example, the ‘Hospital’ role play area and an ‘Office’ writing area. There are spaces for painting, craft and exploration such as the ‘Animal Habitat’ area where the children water plants and investigate what animals are there as they explore the ‘camouflage’. All the staff, including nursery nurses and a bi-lingual nursery nurse were observed leading high quality sessions with groups of children using a range of materials and resources. The teacher was observed assessing a group of children using reading material and writing activities. Another group of children were busy mixing flour and water and St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 12 were fully engaged in what they were doing. The children described the changes to the ingredients, “Look it’s all sticky now….”, or, “I can roll it flat and it’s hard….”. The teacher skilfully focuses the children’s attention during every session and asks the

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

children to chat to a friend. Other children are invited to offer ideas and suggestions with one child looking at the illustrations in the book and calling out spontaneously, “There’s Thomas (the tank engine)… I’ve found him”. The children in one group were encouraged to talk about animals and pets that are familiar to them. In this way the staff successfully evoke meaningful discussion and are able to encourage the children to verbalise what they are doing and thinking as well as learning to listen to others and wait their turn when talking together as a group.

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

7. The teaching in the Nursery is very effective because it allows the children to choose activities and then to complete a range of tasks that relate to a topic or theme. The children were fully involved and absorbed by a range of tasks related to animals. The children play happily in the role-play area set out as a hospital. The staff use familiar topics to help the children develop an understanding of time and sequences of events during the day. Very good pictures and writing are displayed on the theme of “Night and day” where the children draw pictures of what they do at night and during the day. Seasonal differences are covered so that the children learn to sequence the seasons and months of the year as well as days of the week. Much of the practical development of fine motor skills is reinforced when children play outside, learning to ride their wheeled toys on the imaginary road and waiting for the correct sequence of

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The pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by

lights when the traffic lights are used. The staff use characters in stories as a focus for the children to help them when writing or reading. The Nursery teacher has developed very good quality records of achievement which can be accessed at any time. The children happily showed their records to an inspector, confidently describing past events and achievements which are set out as photographs and examples of the children’s writing and drawings. These provide a very effective diary which is kept up to date periodically. It also acts as a valuable record for parents to access of what their children have achieved.

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The pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an

8. The school has good and effective systems to identify, assess and monitor pupils with special educational needs (SEN) from an early stage. There is an above average proportion of pupils on the SEN register and over half of those who have learning difficulties achieve the standards expected for their age by the end of Year 6 in the National Curriculum tests. All the pupils make good progress because the school monitors their work closely and the pupils receive very good support in lessons and when they are withdrawn for additional work with learning support staff. Parents are kept well informed about their children’s progress. The pupils’ targets, progress and achievements are shared with parents in order to maximise parental support and co-operation. The small number of pupils who are learning English as an additional language also make good progress. Teaching assistants and support staff are well deployed to help and support these pupils. These pupils are highly motivated

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The pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an

and achieve well in national tests. In one mathematics lesson in Year 4, for example, a group of pupils was working with the teaching assistant using Venn diagrams and computers to help them sort multiples of 7,8, 9 and 11. The pupils enjoyed responding to individual questions, reflecting how well the teacher and the teaching assistant understood their specific learning needs. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 13 9. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) keeps good records of the pupils’ progress. Learning support for the pupils is well targeted in lessons and the school’s support assistants are timetabled to work with individuals and groups of pupils who are identified as in need of additional support. This ensures effective support for SEN pupils in class and when they are withdrawn. Support staff sit with a group of pupils, ensuring that they all participate and contribute to the group. This is

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The pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an

particularly effective in enabling those pupils identified with learning difficulties to participate in all parts of lessons and class discussions. Throughout the school, individual education plans are reviewed regularly by the SENCO together with class teachers. She also tracks and monitors the progress of these pupils to plan the most appropriate support and work to extend their learning further. In this way the school regularly reviews its plans and adapts the teaching to meet the needs of all the pupils.

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The pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an

10. The school groups pupils by prior attainment in English and mathematics to help identify those pupils who are capable of achieving high standards. For higher attaining, gifted and talented pupils, extension work and homework are provided to complement what has already been covered in lessons. Those pupils identified with SEN in literacy and numeracy lessons and who have learning difficulties receive effective support from learning assistants. Learning support assistants record how well the pupils respond during class discussions and then share this information with the class teachers. This enables teachers to provide specific work for individuals and groups in future lessons.

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achievement of more able pupils as a larger than average proportion of pupils

exceed the standards expected for their age by the end of Year 6.

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achievement of more able pupils as a larger than average proportion of pupils

11. The teaching is good and ranges from satisfactory to excellent. The teaching in most of the lessons seen (four in five lessons) during the inspection was at least good. Two lessons were satisfactory and two excellent lessons were observed in the Nursery and in Year 4. One in five lessons were of high quality (very good or excellent) with no unsatisfactory teaching observed. The headteacher and staff ensure that teachers’ planning takes account of the needs of pupils according to their age and abilities. Parents are pleased with the progress their children make and say that the teachers do well to help them become mature and responsible in a supportive and positive learning environment. The curriculum is planned to match the needs of all year groups and the teachers monitor and adapt their planning to take account of the pupils’ progress and abilities. All the teachers and support staff expect the pupils

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achievement of more able pupils as a larger than average proportion of pupils

to behave well, contribute to class discussions and respond to others with courtesy and respect. This expectation is consistent throughout the school and, as a result, pupils make good progress, show very good attitudes to learning and behave well.

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achievement of more able pupils as a larger than average proportion of pupils

12. The teaching is well organised and planned. In an excellent mathematics lesson, Year 4 pupils made excellent progress investigating multiples and factors and using tests of divisibility, for example, numbers dividing by three can be tested by adding the digits of the number to see if it is divisible by three also. Nursery children are provided with very good and excellent teaching which is well organised by the staff to incorporate real life experiences such as caring for pets and animals or visiting the doctor in role play. In most lessons the pupils are grouped by ability and this includes the pupils identified as needing additional support to help catch up to standards that reflect those expected for their age in English and mathematics. By grouping and planning work specifically for individual and groups of pupils, teachers are well placed to build on the work and progress the pupils make. In a Year 2 religious education

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achievement of more able pupils as a larger than average proportion of pupils

St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 14 lesson, for example, the pupils had a clear understanding of the period of Lent in the Christian calendar and enjoyed making ‘Lent boxes’. In a good Year 3 physical education lesson, the pupils reinforced their ball-handling skills with increasing control and accuracy. This lesson, like so many others across the school, built on the work done previously because the planning and assessment of the pupils’ needs and progress are effective across the school. During a good history lesson, Year 6 pupils used their knowledge they had gained previously about the events leading to World War II, to investigate facts about the personalities and individuals that influence the outcome of the war.

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achievement of more able pupils as a larger than average proportion of pupils

13. The teachers use resources very well in their lessons. Teachers plan lessons so that the pupils use and investigate a range of texts and sources of information. Good use was made of the school’s interactive white board to teach computer skills. Teaching assistants are well deployed to support groups and individuals. In all the lessons seen during the inspection it was clear that teachers’ planning is based on a secure understanding of the subject being taught and a good understanding of the needs of their pupils and the progress they are making.

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there has been good improvement in standards in most subjects. The governors

14. The headteacher provides very good leadership. In a short time she is valued by the parents, admired by pupils and respected by her staff. She provides effective leadership through her warm and positive personality and determination to raise standards. The school’s stated aims are a reflection of her personal dedication to the pupils. They are based on high levels of achievement and improvement for all. The headteacher and governors work closely with the senior management team and staff. The deputy headteacher provides very good support and helps the headteacher to monitor lessons and support teachers and pupils. The reports of the monitoring process show that the school is self-critical and evaluative about its teaching. The governors and staff have managed the recent disruption to the school very well. The temporary re-location last year to another school while the building was made safe

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there has been good improvement in standards in most subjects. The governors

after finding asbestos was done smoothly and with the minimum of disruption to the pupils’ education. This has been endorsed by parents who are very supportive of the school.

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there has been good improvement in standards in most subjects. The governors

15. Effective monitoring of teaching and learning is clearly defined by the headteacher and governors. It is aimed at helping the school to be clear about how well the pupils are doing and how well the teachers teach. This has involved the staff who lead subjects of the curriculum or aspects of the school. There is a good balance of expertise amongst the staff and their very good subject knowledge enables them to review the impact each subject is having on the pupils’ achievements and progress. Members of the senior management team produce position statements which are put into the school’s development and management plan so that priorities can be established over the long and short-term. A thorough review of the school’s curriculum planning has led to improvements in standards, especially in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The headteacher, senior staff and governors have undertaken a school-

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there has been good improvement in standards in most subjects. The governors

wide evaluation with the focus being on improvement. This has given a clear educational direction for the work of the school.

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there has been good improvement in standards in most subjects. The governors

16. The governors are knowledgeable and experienced and very committed to the needs of the school and its pupils. They are provided with regular reports by the senior staff St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 15 and headteacher. This helps the governors to monitor the work of the school giving them a clear insight into the work being done and the progress that the pupils are making. The resources of the school are good overall. They are well used and easily accessible. In particular, the resources for information and communication technology have been improved so that all the pupils have regular access to computers and new technologies.

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there has been good improvement in standards in most subjects. The governors

17. Financial planning is good and the budget is used well. The school development and strategic improvement plan is very well set out, showing priorities for further improvement. In the short time since her appointment last September, the headteacher has refined the school development plan so that senior teachers are assigned specific priorities that affect both subjects and cross-curricular areas such as provision for children in the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception), the provision for pupils with special educational needs and those who are gifted and talented. These priorities have been arrived at through careful audits, reviews and monitoring, led by the headteacher and guided by local and national initiatives. The headteacher and governors, together with the senior staff, set appropriate targets for improvement which are costed with clear terms of reference for the governors and staff to be able to measure how well each area is progressing. In this way the school

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there has been good improvement in standards in most subjects. The governors

makes efficient use of its budget ensuring that spending provides value for money. This is very much driven by the headteacher’s determination to provide high quality resources for the pupils in an educational environment where second best will not do.

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doing and set appropriately challenging targets. These assessment procedures are

successfully employed by teachers and are used to guide their planning.

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doing and set appropriately challenging targets. These assessment procedures are

18. The school has very good and effective systems to identify, assess and monitor the pupils. This has improved very well since the last inspection as this area was found to be an area for improvement at that time. The pupils make good progress because the school monitors their work. Parents are kept well informed about their children’s progress. The pupils’ targets, progress and achievements are shared with parents in order to maximise their support and co-operation. The school also identifies those pupils who have a particular talent in an area or subject or are gifted. In the Nursery, the staff regularly monitor and record how well the children do. In addition to this the staff keep and maintain records of the pupils’ work and build up an excellent record of achievement file which parents and children can access and observe every day.

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doing and set appropriately challenging targets. These assessment procedures are

19. The pupils are grouped by prior attainment, especially in English and mathematics lessons, to help identify those pupils who are capable of achieving high standards and those who need additional support. Extension work and homework are provided to complement what has already been covered in lessons. The parents commented on how useful the homework diaries are in helping them to contribute to their children’s learning at home. Teachers plan work for individuals and groups of pupils based on their assessment of the pupils’ progress. Teachers’ marking is often sharp and analytical with descriptions about the context of the lessons or the work being done by each pupil. For example, in response to some independent writing, one teacher wrote, “This work was done unaided with some help with spellings”, and then wrote what she plans to do in future lessons for that particular pupil. Optional national tests

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doing and set appropriately challenging targets. These assessment procedures are

in the junior classes for every year group are given at the end of each year. The results of the end-of-year optional tests are analysed thoroughly by the headteacher and senior staff to predict targets and attainment levels for every pupil throughout the school. These analyses include trends in the pupils’ performance, including St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 16 references to gender, age groups, SEN needs and the predicted targets for higher attaining pupils.

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good features of the school. This is having a very positive impact on relationships

20. The school successfully monitors and improves the pupils’ personal development and ensures that the pupils are very well cared for and supported. Provision for this is very good. There is a very good and positive working environment which is underpinned by a strong social and moral code that is respected by the pupils, staff, parents and the community. Teachers, teaching assistants, administrative staff and all those involved in the upkeep and maintenance of the school demonstrate a sensitive and caring attitude towards the pupils. The procedures for ensuring the welfare of pupils are very good and the school has been successful in maintaining this since the last inspection. All the pupils have equal access to the school’s curriculum and teachers are also effective in improving the pupils’ self-esteem. School assemblies have a strong moral theme, such as that of treating others as you would want them to treat yourself, which is helping the pupils to relate to familiar

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good features of the school. This is having a very positive impact on relationships

situations in their own lives and apply these in school.

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good features of the school. This is having a very positive impact on relationships

21. The staff successfully promote the pupils’ personal development and ensures that the pupils are well cared for and supported. Relationships across the school are very good and there is a positive working environment throughout. The school has a strong social and moral code that is respected by both pupils and staff and understood by parents and the community. Teachers and learning support assistants, with their sensitive and caring attitude towards the pupils, provide very good role models. The staff are very successful in improving the confidence of those pupils who would not otherwise participate in class discussions. Teachers are also effective in improving the pupils’ self-esteem and developing speaking and listening skills. Through good quality art and design work, the pupils are developing an increasing appreciation of different cultural traditions that influence art and society. For example, the theme of ‘reconciliation’ was well illustrated in the Year 6 three-

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good features of the school. This is having a very positive impact on relationships

dimensional display of art and design work about Dresden and Coventry which were inspired by studies of the World War II bombing raids on both countries. Year 1 pupils wrote about the Queen Mother’s recent funeral and this provided a good opportunity for the pupils to explore their feelings and thoughts about this national and world event. Through poetry, play scripts and factual accounts of famous events, the pupils are provided with a rich variety of tasks and opportunities to see the wider world, its many cultures and influences on literature, art and the history of humankind. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 17

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards in information and communication technology.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with those expected by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This is similar to the standards found at the time of the last inspection. Given that standards in English, mathematics and science are above average and have been rising at a rate above that compared with all schools and similar schools, standards in ICT could be higher. However, the disruption last year to the pupils’ education, which led to the pupils and staff working in another school for two terms, affected the quality and range of ICT. In this respect, the subject co-ordinator and staff have done well to maintain standards in these difficult circumstances. Resources have improved and staff confidence is developing but still remains inconsistent across the school so that standards vary from year to year. These inconsistencies are reflected in the subject expertise of individual

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

teachers so that the progress the pupils make can be directly related to the quality and range of ICT teaching. The staff have undergone continuing professional development but there is still much work to be done to ensure that the quality of teaching in ICT is consistently good so that standards improve across the school to bring them in to line with the rise in standards seen in other subjects.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

23. The subject co-ordinator is very competent and well qualified to continue to make improvements and to improve staff expertise across the school. The pupils benefit from those lessons where the teaching is most effective but in discussion with older pupils, it is clear that there are some gaps in the pupils’ learning in ICT. This is more pertinent to the most recent innovations and technologies in the ICT curriculum, for example, control technology, graphic modelling and using web links as part of the development of presentations and web pages using the power of the Internet. Furthermore, when using the ICT suite, the pupils are clearly working at different levels but the work provided in some lessons is not sufficiently matched to the needs of all abilities. A review of computer software and resources would highlight more opportunities for the pupils to have work that is better matched to their abilities and

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

progress. Now that the school has settled into its normal routines and with the improvements to ICT resources, including the regular use of a dedicated ICT suite, the school is well placed to raise standards under the competent stewardship of the headteacher and subject leader. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 18

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

24. In order to build on the good education provided by the school, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

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further by:

- providing more time for the pupils to consolidate what they learn when using computers;

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further by:

- continuing to develop staff confidence and competence across the school so that the quality of teaching in ICT is consistently good;

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further by:

- grouping pupils so that those who are not making sufficient progress receive appropriate support, and those who are more able are highly challenged;

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further by:

- improving the pupils’ understanding of control technology, graphic modelling and the use of the Internet, hyperlinks, electronic mailing and web pages to search for information.

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further by:

(Paragraphs: 22-23) St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 8

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 24 208

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 38

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 52

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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 29

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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 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

School data 5.4 School data 0.5 St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 20 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 21

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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 2002 13 19 32

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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 12 13 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 18 19

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (89) 97 (89) 94 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 12 11 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 19 18

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (89) 94 (89) 97 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 24 11 35

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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 17 18 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 9 11

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

Percentage of pupils School 77 (80) 77 (83) 97 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 18 18 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 10 11

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

Percentage of pupils School 80 (80) 80 (87) 94 (90) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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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. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 22

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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 1 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 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 3 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 564,923

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Total expenditure 566,768

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 204.5 Expenditure per pupil 2,258

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: Nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 41,611

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 39,766

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

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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 75.4 St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 23 Number of pupils per FTE adult 8

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.4

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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. St. Matthew’s Bloxam C.E. (Controlled) Primary School - 24

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know My child likes school. 55 43 0 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 41 58 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 29 64 5 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 26 54 14 2 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 37 27 0 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 55 43 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 49 44 7 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 21 48 31 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 22 69 0 0 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 32 60 2 0 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 17 21 43 5 14

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Other issues raised by parents

Parents are very pleased with the way the headteacher has managed the school. They are especially appreciative of the changes made to the school and say that standards are much improved and teachers’ expectations are high. The parents say they choose the school because it provides a positive and supportive environment for their children. They are particularly pleased with the way the staff managed the disruption last year resulting in the pupils having to be temporarily taught at another school.

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