Goodyers End Primary School

GOODYERS END PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd to 6 th June 2003

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GOODYERS END PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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GOODYERS END 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. Goodyers End Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bowling Green Lane Bedworth Postcode: CV12 0HP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs J Jackson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 13 th October 1997 Goodyers End Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

17454 Brian Aldridge Registered inspector Mathematics What should the school do to improve further The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught How well is the school led and managed 13526 Richard Barnard Lay inspector Educational inclusion How well does the school care for its pupils Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents 23566 John Iles Team inspector English Physical Education How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils 3692 David Hill Team inspector Foundation Stage Art and design Music 2766 Rashida Spencer Team inspector Science Design and technology Religious education 21114 Malcolm Johnstone Team inspector Information and communication technology (ICT) 8339 Hugh Protherough Team inspector English as an additional language Geography History

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

SES Ltd. 132 Whitaker Road Derby DE23 6AP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Goodyers End 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Goodyers End Primary Schools is a larger than average primary school and draws pupils from a reasonably wide range of socio-economic backgrounds. The number on roll has decreased slightly since the last inspection and is now 404 (219 girls, 185 boys). At the time of the current inspection 56 children were in the school’s reception class. There are very few pupils of minority ethnic heritage; virtually all pupils speak English as a first language. Ninety-nine pupils have special educational needs (well above average) including five pupils who have statements. Special educational needs are classified as moderate and specific learning difficulties, speech and communication and emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. About 15 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is about average. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is below average and particularly so in the skills of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

communication, language and literacy; overall readiness for learning has fallen since the last inspection. The school experiences great difficulty in recruiting and retaining teachers and at the time of this inspection there was one supply teacher and one temporary teacher in the school. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and all of the senior teachers have been in post for less than two years.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This school is providing a satisfactory standard of education but has more to do to raise standards, notably in writing. This is because, although teaching is satisfactory overall, it varies between classes and there are still too many lessons where learning is not as rapid as it could be. The headteacher, a good leader and manager who is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and governors, is effectively improving the school. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The headteacher has set a clear course for improvement and her initiatives are beginning to raise standards • Pupils’ personal development including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good • The provision for the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs is very good • The relationship with parents is very good • Governors support the school very well • Standards in art and design and music are above average

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in writing, particularly in Years 1 and 2 • The consistency and overall quality of important aspects of the teaching • How the school checks on the standards it achieves 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 rate of improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory. The issues identified at the last inspection for improvement have been handled well. The curriculum, assessment arrangements, special educational needs provision, the monitoring of the numeracy and science strategies, relationships with parents and the care and welfare of pupils have all improved. More than twice the number of pupils now achieve the expected levels in Year 6 in English, mathematics and science than did so at the time of the last inspection, though in a few subjects inspection observations indicate a fall in standards. There is more teaching of high quality, although there are still too many lessons in which teaching is unsatisfactory, and teaching remains satisfactory overall. Systems designed to raise Goodyers End Primary School - 7 standards are now proving effective in mathematics, art and design and music and are beginning to have

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

an impact on standards in English. The school’s capacity to improve is good.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

A number of factors need to be taken into consideration when interpreting the school’s results. Children enter the school with attainment below the levels expected for their age and the proportion of pupils with special educational needs is about twice the national average. Similar school comparisons are based on free school meals and do not take into account these factors. The school’s standards trend is in line with the national trend and the gap between this school’s performance and the average of the country’s schools has narrowed markedly since the last inspection. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests, Year 2 pupils achieved well below average results in reading and writing and average in mathematics. The school mirrors the performance nationally in the lower levels of the National Curriculum and the school meets the needs of lower attaining pupils well in the development of literacy skills but average and higher

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

attaining pupils do not do as well as they should. Boys and girls achieve in line with the national picture.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Children enter the school attaining standards below the expected levels and this is particularly the case in the skills of communication, language and literacy. Achievement is satisfactory in the reception year and, although most pupils will attain the early learning goals expected of them in the areas of mathematical and creative development by the time they join Year 1, in the other four areas of learning they will not. By the time pupils are in Year 2 standards in English are well below average, below average in science and religious education and average in mathematics. Standards are at the expected levels in all other subjects except in music where they are above average. In Years 3 to 6 some classes make good progress but in others, where teaching is unsatisfactory, pupils do not make enough progress. Overall, progress through these years is satisfactory. In Year 6 standards in English,

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

mathematics and science are below average. In art and design and music standards are above average. In all of the other subjects standards are at the expected levels. There is strong evidence that standards are rising in mathematics and ICT as the school’s newly established systems begin to take effect.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Attitudes to the school Satisfactory. Pupils are generally enthusiastic about coming to school although there are some pupils who find it difficult to accept school rules.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Generally satisfactory though a small group of boys in the upper part of the school sometimes misbehave and are disrespectful to teachers. Behaviour is excellent in assemblies and on school visits. Goodyers End Primary School - 8 Personal development and relationships Good. Older pupils see it as their responsibility to help their younger friends. They are eager participants in all aspects of the school’s work.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Attendance Consistently good although there are still too many families who take their holidays in term time.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The proportion of lessons taught well and very well has increased since the last inspection. However, there are still too many lessons where the quality of teaching is weak. This is particularly evident from the scrutiny of pupils’ written work. There are some common strengths and weaknesses in Years 1 to 6. In the very good lessons, pupils are interested and concentrate well to complete their tasks because teachers capture their imagination. In these lessons teachers concentrate on ensuring pupils complete good quality pieces of written work. Throughout the school, teachers do not expect pupils to complete enough written work, with the result that pupils do not have a written record of what they have done and have insufficient opportunity to develop the skills of literary expression, handwriting, spelling and presentation. The teaching of literacy skills is unsatisfactory partly because teachers’ expectations are

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

too low. However, the school does teach numeracy skills well. Pupils are taught how to calculate systematically and these methods are shared throughout the school. The same models of good practice and high quality work in numeracy are evident in all classes. This is because mathematics has been a key area of work for the school over the past two years. This consistency is not evident in writing and is the main fault in the quality of teaching. ICT is taught well and used across the curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and rich; it contains an exciting and varied set of learning opportunities. The school’s art week is an excellent example of this provision.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Teachers and classroom assistants support pupils very well with well-developed skills.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The very few pupils who are at the early stages of learning English enjoy good provision.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good, with particular strengths in the provision for social and cultural development. The school council provides an effective forum for discussion and its views are taken seriously in the running of the school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good and an improvement since the last inspection. Assessment arrangements have improved since the last inspection.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school works very hard with some success to form partnerships with parents. Goodyers End Primary School - 9

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides good and clear leadership for the school and is ably supported by the deputy headteacher. Since her appointment the school has made good strides in improving the quality of teaching from a low base.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The work of the governors is good; they are very good advocates for the school and monitor the school’s work well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory; many of the systems are relatively new and have not had time to add to the school’s effectiveness.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good planning and day-to-day management of the school’s financial and other resources.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Accommodation is plentiful and of good quality. Learning resources are satisfactory. The school has difficulty recruiting teachers and staffing is satisfactory. Some coordinators are fairly new to their posts and are learning the skills of leadership and management. The school improvement plan is a good tool to chart school improvement. It is well costed and has measurable criteria and the school applies the principles of best value very well.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Children make good progress • The quality of teaching is good and pupils work hard • Children like school and are helped to become mature • Parents feel welcome in the school • The school is well led and managed and is improving • The after school activities • The information parents receive and homework pupils are set • Pupils’ behaviour

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors largely agree with parents’ positive views. However, the inspection team judge the after school activities to be of very good quality and wide ranging. The information that parents receive is very good and contains relevant information about the curriculum, school activities and how well their children are doing. Inspectors agree with parents’ views about behaviour. There is a small group, usually of boys, in Years 5 and 6 who present challenging behaviour in classes. Usually this is dealt with well but when lessons are slow and uninteresting unsatisfactory behaviour interrupts learning. Goodyers End Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. A number of important factors should be taken into account when looking at the school’s national test results: • since the last inspection the school’s intake has changed in a significant manner. Attainment on entry has fallen and is now below average • the school has almost twice as many pupils with special educational needs than the national average • the school is experiencing difficulties in recruiting teachers to class teaching posts and to posts within the senior management team. This has caused some disruption to certain classes, notably the reception classes and Years 3 to 6. Currently there is one supply teacher and one temporary teacher working in the school • the headteacher has been in post for just under two years and in that time has introduced a set of key school improvement measures that are clearly resulting in higher standards. There is evidence of improved standards in the higher

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

levels of attainment in mathematics at the end of Year 2 and in higher levels of attainment in English and mathematics at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The last inspection showed that although standards were judged to be broadly average, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected levels were almost half the national average at that time. There has been an improvement in these standards and although the school’s trend has kept pace with all the country’s schools as a whole, the gap had narrowed markedly in the school’s favour. This is despite the fact that the proportion of pupils with special educational needs has risen and attainment on entry has fallen. The results of the most recent national tests and tasks are given below.

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Year 2 Year 6

Reading • Well below the national average and that of similar schools English • Below the national average and that of similar schools Writing • Well below the national average and that of similar schools Mathematics • Below the national average and that of similar schools Mathematics • In line with the national average and that of similar schools Science • Below the national average and that of similar schools Together with inspection evidence, the school’s good quality assessment records and results indicate that pupils make satisfactory progress but that this is variable between classes because the quality of teaching is inconsistent.

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Year 2 Year 6

3. Children enter the reception classes, which make up the school’s Foundation Stage, with low skills in communication, language and literacy and generally below the average levels of skills and knowledge usually seen for children of this age. They make satisfactory progress in all areas of their learning. Teaching in these classes is satisfactory and although there are many interesting learning opportunities these are insufficiently challenging to promote high rates of progress. Too many opportunities are missed to provide good models when speaking to children. Goodyers End Primary School - 11

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Areas of learning Standards achieved by children

Communication, language and literacy Below average Mathematical Average Knowledge and understanding of the world Below average Creative Average Physical Below average Social Below average

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Areas of learning Standards achieved by children

4. Inspectors found that pupils’ learning is tied very closely with the quality of teaching. In those classes, usually one in each year group, where teaching is strong then learning is rapid and pupils are interested and produce good rates of achievement. Where teaching is less than satisfactory, pupils do not achieve as well as in the well-taught classes. This is particularly the case in pupils’ progress in writing compared to mathematics in Years 1 and 2.

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Areas of learning Standards achieved by children

Standards in the work seen in English, mathematics and science. • English is well below average in Year 2 and below average in Year 6 • Mathematics is average at Year 2 and below average at Year 6 • Science is below average in Years 2 and just below average in Year 6

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Areas of learning Standards achieved by children

There are a number of reasons for the variations in standards in Year 2 and why standards are improving at a faster pace in mathematics than in other subjects. English - Teachers do not have an agreement about what constitutes a high quality piece of written work. This results in handwriting, spelling and grammar not reaching satisfactory standards - Pupils do not have enough opportunities to write about their work and record what they know, understand and can do. In discussions with pupils they often showed that they knew more than was recorded in their exercises books - Because they do not write enough, pupils have difficulty linking letter sounds to their reading and spelling and they do not remember enough of their work - English is now the focus of attention and learning opportunities have been improved to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills. For example, the use of drama in English, geography and history

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Areas of learning Standards achieved by children

- The concentration on teaching pupils letter sounds and how words in English are formed is also a focus of attention in the school and is beginning to bear fruit Mathematics - Improving mathematics learning has been a main focus for the school over the last two years - Teachers have agreed a calculations policy and consistently put it into practice in each lesson - Each lesson seen during the inspection contained at least one investigation and gave pupils the opportunity to apply what they had learned in practical, real-life situations - Teachers have common, high expectations of pupils’ quality of presentation, accuracy and speed of working and as a result mark work to help pupils improve - Higher levels of attainment are now evident in Years 1 to 5 as a result of the new approaches

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Areas of learning Standards achieved by children

Science Goodyers End Primary School - 12 - More able pupils in Year 2 recall the work they have covered and talk about the practical investigations they have carried out - Average and less able pupils find it difficult to remember because they record the results of very few of their experiments and observations - Marking does not help pupils correct their errors in Year 2 - In Years 3 to 6 significant progress is being made

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Areas of learning Standards achieved by children

Generally, girls do better than boys in the Year 2 tests and tasks but boys tend to catch up so that by the time they reach Year 6 there are no discernible differences. Pupils from minority ethnic families are well represented in the top sets.

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Areas of learning Standards achieved by children

5. There has been some improvement in the standards in other subjects of the curriculum

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Subjects Year 2 Year 6

Art and design Average Above average Design and technology Below average Average Geography Average Average History Average Average ICT Average Average Music Above average Above average Physical education Average Average Religious education Below average Average

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Subjects Year 2 Year 6

Art and design - standards have improved since the last inspection - the school has concentrated on improving the curriculum for arts subjects and this has proved very successful Design and technology - in Year 2 there is little evidence of recorded work - in Years 3 to 6 pupils gain an understanding of the design, make and evaluate process Geography and history - pupils know and understand at higher levels than their writing indicates ICT - there has been a very good improvement in standards since the last inspection when they were judged to be below average - teaching in the subject has improved and there are now good opportunities to use ICT across the curriculum Music - standards have improved since the last inspection - the quality of the school’s provision and the wider learning experiences have a positive affect on pupils’ achievement Physical education - the quality and range of after school activities helps pupils achieve well in this

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Subjects Year 2 Year 6

subject Religious education - in Year 2 average and below average pupils are confused about the religions whereas higher attaining pupils remember more of what they have been taught - the links with the schools provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development support learning in religious education

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Subjects Year 2 Year 6

6. Pupils who have special educational needs make good progress towards the targets set for them in their individual education plans. Whilst standards are below the Goodyers End Primary School - 13 expectations for their age, many achieve well over their time in school. Pupils who have statements of special educational needs make particularly good progress as a result of the high quality support they receive from teachers and learning support assistants. For example, two pupils in Years 6 have progressed up to 3 National Curriculum levels in English and mathematics between Years 2 and Year 6. Constructive support and encouragement from other pupils is also a good feature and helps pupils access and make progress across the range of subjects, for example, when working in pairs in ICT lessons and when engaged in role play in a geography lesson in Year 6. Teachers have access to useful support for pupils who have

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Subjects Year 2 Year 6

behavioural or emotional needs and this is largely effective. For example, an initiative based on the sharing of feelings and thoughts about behaviour related issues in Year 5 is bringing about a positive impact on pupils’ personal development and has a knock on effect on their academic achievements. The provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved very well since the last inspection.

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Subjects Year 2 Year 6

7. Higher attaining pupils do well. The oral nature of much of the work suits their learning styles and they remember a good deal of that they have learned. The school is now teaching in a variety of styles, including a good measure of practical work, concentration on the basic skills of speaking, listening and teaching pupils letter sounds, as well as helping those pupils who learn in a variety of ways. Minority ethnic pupils are well represented in the higher attaining groups and sets.

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Subjects Year 2 Year 6

8. The school’s work on improving the standards in mathematics, the main focus of improvement strategies, has been successful over the past two years. The assessment systems, agreements on calculations policies and setting out of work have all helped to raise standards. The same types of strategies are now being directed at work in English and are beginning to take effect in most classes. The school needs to ensure that all teachers apply the agreements in the same consistent manner.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils’ good enthusiasm for school and good levels of attendance have a positive impact on their personal development. Because of the impact of the good provision for their spiritual, moral social and cultural development, the personal development of the pupils is a strength of the school. Attitudes to learning and standards of behaviour are satisfactory. Standards are similar to those described at the time of the previous report apart from attendance, which has improved.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Their parents and the pupils say they enjoy coming to school. Both groups speak about how they feel happy and valued at school. They respond well to the wide provision of extra-curricular activities and this both helps them develop self-esteem and confidence and has a positive impact on their achievements especially in music.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are satisfactory throughout the school. Attitudes are directly linked to the quality of teaching. Where lessons are lively and challenging pupils work keenly and achieve well. For example, in a Year 1 mathematics lesson they show good work routines and develop skills very well, helping them to sort three-dimensional shapes because of the interest generated by the activities. They are particularly keen and enthusiastic when using computers and this reflects in their achievements in ICT. On a number of occasions, especially in Years 3 and 4, attitudes suffer when pupils are not challenged in their work. This was seen in a Year 4 physical education lesson when the lack of any development of skills in the tasks set led to pupils losing Goodyers End Primary School - 14 concentration and becoming restless. The same is also true of pupils, usually boys, in Years 5 and 6, where teaching is uninteresting.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Behaviour is satisfactory. There has been only one temporary and no permanent exclusions in each of the last two years, a figure well below the national average. Behaviour in assemblies is very good. In the playground the pupils benefit from the good provision of separate play areas and a wide range of activities. Pupils are developing a sound sense of fairness and awareness of the impact of their actions on others. They know the parameters set in the school rules and most respond well to the positive approach to behaviour management shown by most staff. This generally ensures that the challenging behaviour of a number of pupils, mainly boys, throughout the school has a limited impact on the learning of others. In some lessons where teachers struggle with managing behaviour the pace of learning does slow. No bullying was observed during the inspection although several pupils are boisterous and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

sometimes over-aggressive. Pupils and parents show few concerns about potential issues in relation to oppressive, racist or sexist attitudes or behaviour and feel the school handles them well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. In most lessons, pupils who have special educational needs show good levels of concentration and pride in what they achieve. Pupils in Year 6, for example, present their work neatly and respond positively to comments made in the marking of their work. The pupils identified as having behavioural needs are usually supported well although on occasions when activities fail to stimulate them, they become inattentive and their behaviour deteriorates. Pupils who have statements of special educational needs are rewarded effectively for good work, behaviour and attitudes and this builds up their self-esteem well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils’ personal development is good. Most pupils organise themselves and take responsibility for their own work especially because they know their own targets. Pupils undertake a good range of duties and responsibilities, for example, acting as prefects or members of the school council. This council is an important and successful aspect of school life and is developing pupils’ awareness of citizenship very well. Its impact on areas such as improving the school toilets and in involving a pupil voice in relation to the school improvement plan demonstrates its effectiveness. Pupils, from Years 2 to 6, show great confidence in both running and participating at council meetings but also at reporting back to their classes and generating further debate on issues raised.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils’ independence and self-confidence are developed well, for example, through the provision of residential visits, day visits to a wide range of areas of interest and extra- curricular clubs. Pupils’ aspiration to learn varies. It is enhanced by the richness of the curriculum, especially the emphasis on music, drama and dance including many multi- cultural aspects. Their response to a superb range of activities during Arts Week was excellent. In other areas such as an appreciation of books or poetry or a feeling for the wonders of science their reactions are weaker than to the work they do in practical activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Relationships are satisfactory throughout the school. Pupils are usually kind, considerate and courteous towards each other, staff and visitors. They all get on well together and help each other. In some lessons pupils show some disrespect for staff and this spoils relationships. Pupils also co-operate well in pairs and groups, as was seen very well in a Year 5 personal, social and health education (PSHE) session when pupils’ very good discussion in groups helped them reflect very well on examples of when relaxation techniques may help them in difficult situations. Answers vary from; “When out horse riding” to; “When I was angry with my brother.” Goodyers End Primary School - 15 17. Attendance is good. Numbers of authorised and unauthorised absence have steadily reduced over the last three years and overall attendance levels are now above the national average. The great majority of pupils arrive promptly and lessons start on time.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

The main reason for absences is the number of pupils who are taken on holidays in term time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

18. Teaching is satisfactory overall and in each stage but varies from very good to unsatisfactory. The proportion of unsatisfactory teaching has increased since the last inspection but so has the proportion of lessons taught very well. The lessons judged to be unsatisfactory were not confined to one part of the school or to one subject. Classes that experienced unsatisfactory lessons usually also experienced good and occasionally very good teaching. The headteacher communicates very clearly to all members of staff that improvement in the school begins in the classroom. To make certain of improvement in the quality of teaching the headteacher makes sure that teachers help pupils to learn well. Where there are shortcomings teachers are set exacting targets which help them to develop higher quality skills and expertise. Support and training are provided for teachers to ensure they develop the appropriate levels of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

knowledge and understanding about the subjects they teach. The school has found it difficult to appoint teachers over the past few years. During the inspection there were two temporary or supply teachers teaching and a senior post was unfilled.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

19. Planning is generally successful and teachers usually set work for pupils of different abilities. This is also the case in sets where teachers use an interesting range of methods in English and mathematics. Teachers plan practical activities based on the ways pupils learn. Teachers have tested pupils to see whether they learn best by visual, aural or kinaesthetic methods. Generally pupils learn knowledge, skills and ideas well, notably in practical and creative subjects and where they have to investigate and devise their own solutions. Learning is less successful where pupils miss opportunities to write about their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

20. There are many elements of teaching that are generally satisfactory and one in particular in which there should be some improvement. The aspect for development is that of expectations; generally teachers do not expect enough of pupils, and this is particularly the case with regard to their written work. Teachers provide pupils with too few opportunities to record and write what they know, can do and understand. This means that some pupils, who learn best by seeing words on paper, do not have their oral learning reinforced. This is most obvious in English but is also true in science, geography, history and religious education.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

21. Expectations of what pupils should learn by investigating, applying what they already know and can do to new situations and solving problems are high. Additionally, practical activities are plentiful. For example, drama in history and English help to support pupils’ writing. Some teachers correct pupils’ speaking when it is incorrect. This helps pupils form a solid understanding of how sounds in English build up to make words and subsequently helps pupils with their reading and spelling. This is not the case in the reception classes where too many opportunities are missed to help children develop their speaking skills. However, some very good work takes place with children who have particular difficulty with speech and language. In this case, support by classroom assistants is exacting and well taught. Goodyers End Primary School - 16 22. Day-to-day assessment procedures including marking, are satisfactory. However,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

there is some marking where work is simply ticked and which does not help pupils to improve their learning. The best marking highlights errors, shows pupils what they have to do to improve and sets targets for future work. Some pupils take this further and set tasks for their teachers based on their current learning. Pupils understand their targets and know what they have to do to improve. This aspect of day-to-day assessment works well and supports the analysis of assessment carried out by subject coordinators and the assessment coordinator.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

23. At the root of the shortcoming of all of the six unsatisfactory lessons was a low level of subject confidence and knowledge. For example, shortfalls in subject knowledge caused lessons to be too slow and thus pupils became bored and uninterested and learning faltered. In other lessons teachers could not question pupils closely enough because their subject knowledge was lacking and accurate assessments of pupils’ capabilities could not be made. This meant that pupils were not challenged and made to think hard.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

24. The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs has improved since the last inspection and is now good overall. This has come about as a result of several successful initiatives. There has been a good programme of courses to develop the expertise of teachers and learning support assistants. This has included training in specific needs such as autism, the use of the computer and the writing of individual education plans which was a weakness identified in the previous report. The training programme for learning support assistants has been particularly effective and they have a significant impact on pupils’ learning in literacy and numeracy. For example, in Year 5 a learning support assistant works effectively with an ICT program designed to improve pupils’ writing skills. Teachers now have greater involvement in the drawing up of individual education plans and targets for improvement and pupils have their own

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

literacy, numeracy and behavioural targets with them for all lessons. This acts as a constant reminder of what they need to do to improve. There is now greater teacher involvement in evaluating the effectiveness of support and intervention strategies and the tracking of pupils’ progress. Pupils are encouraged to write their own self- evaluations of progress under given headings and develop good knowledge of their own learning. Teachers and learning support assistants are careful to ensure that pupils are involved in whole class activities by, for example, targeting questions to them. In a few lessons, ineffective management of the inappropriate behaviour of groups of mainly boys, some of whom have emotional and behavioural needs, has a detrimental effect on their learning and at these times their progress is unsatisfactory.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

25. Homework is used satisfactorily to support learning in classrooms and although some parents were concerned about this aspect of their children’s work, inspectors judge the amount and quality and teachers’ reaction to it, to be about average.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

26. The curriculum is broad, balanced and of good quality. It meets statutory requirements and includes all National Curriculum subjects and religious education. Unusually for a primary school, French is taught to all years. Since the previous inspection aspects of the curriculum have improved and there are schemes of work for all subjects. A current priority is to develop the curriculum further to more precisely meet the needs of the pupils and the community. Goodyers End Primary School - 17 27. The literacy strategy has been soundly implemented and the numeracy strategy has worked well; both have played an important part in structuring learning. However, the school identified the need to focus on developing speaking and listening skills and the use of drama to provide more practical learning opportunities and extend pupils’ range of vocabulary. There is evidence that the changes made to widen language

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

experiences to support learning across subjects is successful but still at an early stage of implementation. This aspect of the curriculum is accurately identified as an area for extension and will continue to be a key issue for the school to address.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

28. The curriculum is broad and balanced and promotes the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils very well. The latest National Curriculum guidance and the adoption of the local syllabus for religious education support teaching and learning and ensure appropriate coverage. The emphasis being placed on broadening knowledge and understanding of the arts and humanities through problem solving and investigative approaches are enabling pupils to enjoy a wide range of opportunities which include visits, discussions, the use of video, Internet access and tasks which require partner and group work. These changes are motivating pupils and making learning fun. In discussion, pupils in Year 6 describe the economic differences between different countries they have studied. They have well-developed concepts of similarity, difference, fairness and equality because these issues have been discussed and led

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

well by staff. The planting of spring bulbs in the remembrance garden at the local church is just one example of how pupils are prepared to consider the wider dimensions of life and death. Opportunities to take decisions about school life through the school’s council enable the development of rules, initiative and a clear understanding of right from wrong. The quality of their learning is often not reflected in written work because pupils have difficulty in recording the depth of their understanding in writing. The focus placed on raising standards of literacy and numeracy through links with other subjects is beginning to be effective but work in mathematics has been the main focus of attention over the past two years and therefore has been more effective.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

29. The use of time for the arts and humanities is well balanced and reflects the enthusiasm and effective leadership of the headteacher to tailor the curriculum to embrace the community. Drama and music and the use of cultural expertise and talents within and beyond the local community are very effective in enhancing the provision and pupils’ learning. For example, links with a local beacon school enable pupils to work alongside pupils with visual impairment. All pupils have the chance to develop understanding and empathy of how others learn. In an observation, pupils learned the importance of the senses as they created dragons using a range of textures and recognized differences between Welsh and English as they learned to sing a simple song in Welsh. The planned production of ‘West side Story’ for Year 6 pupils has been structured to enable them to appreciate the similarities between Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and a modern love story. Indian and Salsa dancing

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

opportunities enable pupils to compare dances from different parts of the world while contributing effectively to their physical development. Many were seen dancing their way home, which expressed their eagerness to share their learning with their families. The careful planning of a practical curriculum is successfully increasing pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for learning. Pupils’ self-esteem is raised because they have a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses across the breadth of subjects they are taught.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

30. There is a very good range of visits which are carefully linked to subjects such as ICT, history, science and PSHE. These support learning very well. Pupils from reception to Year 6, benefit from visits to museums and factories, the local hospital and health education caravan. Residential visits to the Lake District and day trips to Derbyshire Goodyers End Primary School - 18 also support learning in history and geography. The youngest pupils enjoy picnics when exploring the school grounds. There is a very good range of clubs that are well attended and supported by parents. These include music, choir, art and craft, sports and time to enable pupils to do their homework and make more use of the library. Pupils value these opportunities and appreciate working with their teachers in well-structured, informal settings.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

31. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and reflects the school’s commitment to inclusion. The school complies with the recommended code of practice and has devised very good programmes to meet pupils’ needs. Expectations are clearly outlined in a good school policy. The pupils are fully involved in all the activities that the school provides and this has a positive effect on their progress and self-esteem. Pupils are offered an appropriate range of support. This includes help within a small group for literacy and numeracy and specialist group or individual support with a specific reading, writing or number programme. Learning support assistants play a vital and effective role at these times. For example, in a small group activity for pupils in Years 3 and 4, there was very good learning of phonic skills as a result of the learning support assistant’s knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm for the

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

task. In Year 6, the learning support assistant’s effective questioning and one-to-one support for a child with a statement of special educational needs enabled her to be fully involved in a class literacy activity.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

32. The school’s provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and is particularly strong in giving pupils opportunities to study art, music, drama and the cultures of others. The school has widened the scope of learning in these areas and provides pupils with many opportunities to consider the world around them; for example, studying the fairness of trade with developing countries. Pupils come to appreciate the cultures of other peoples and the school prepares them very well for life in a multicultural society.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

33. The school has established good links with a range of agencies and organisations with expertise in, for example, speech therapy, behaviour management and educational psychology. There is a level of inconsistency in the effectiveness of the provision for pupils with behavioural needs since in a few classes, their behaviour, is not managed as successfully as in most others.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

34. Provision for personal and social development is very good and a strength of the curriculum. Health education including a programme to promote healthy eating is linked to science. Sex education is taught through dedicated time and supported by the school nurse. The local community policeman supports drugs abuse education. The policy is under review as part of the rolling programme of development. The school council is very effective and enables pupils to express their views about their learning and how to improve the school environment. This has included making signs encouraging hand washing in the toilets and the use of stencilling techniques to decorate the walls in the toilets to make them more attractive. There are many opportunities for pupils to discuss social and personal issues. These valuable opportunities encourage pupils to understand the impact of their attitudes and behaviour on others.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

35. The school has an appropriate policy for equal opportunities and racism. Staff have received appropriate training and have a good awareness of the needs of individuals and groups of pupils including those who are gifted and talented. Curriculum managers have responsibility for equal opportunities and meeting the needs of all pupils in their subjects. Goodyers End Primary School - 19 36. Links with partner institutions are excellent. This significant strength has been achieved through the headteacher’s drive to raise the profile of the school within the local community. Links with a nursery, other local junior, secondary and special schools are well established. Local industry links with the Coalfield Regeneration Board have funded the appointment of a pastoral care worker who spends two days a week at the school to meet the needs of individual pupils. These partnerships provide valuable additional resources and expertise. Combined bids are being placed to support the

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

further development of learning using a range of teaching styles.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

37. This is a very caring school that makes very good provision for the health, safety, and welfare of its pupils. This enables pupils to feel secure and valued and has a positive impact on their personal development. The quality of provision has improved since the previous inspection.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

38. Health and safety procedures and monitoring are very good. The school has adopted a very good policy and very good measures identify potential issues and risks. Security arrangements are very good. Pupils are well supervised at work and play. Good care is taken at the end of school to ensure a responsible adult collects each pupil from the reception and Year 1 and 2 classes.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

39. Child protection procedures and awareness are very good. Members of staff handle issues with a sensitive but rigorous approach. First aid arrangements are very good with very good staff training ensuring all areas of the school are covered. Members of staff know the pupils and their home circumstances very well. This allows them to monitor personal development and provide very good personal support allowing pupils to develop confidence and feel valued. The appointment of a pastoral care worker is having a significant impact in all areas of pupils’ personal support and care. Very good inclusion is a key feature of school life.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

40. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are generally effective. The behaviour policy with an emphasis on the use of rewards and praise is having a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and development of self-esteem. Not all members of staff have yet to adopt a consistent approach to this recently reviewed policy. Procedures to discourage and deal with bullying, racist or sexist behaviour are good and any potential incidents are monitored and recorded promptly and rigorously. Parents and pupils all remark on the prompt and fair manner in which any issues are dealt with.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

41. Procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are excellent. They allow the headteacher immediate access to the relevant information to identify potential issues and to ensure levels of attendance continues to improve. Parents know and follow procedures well.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

42. The school maintains good records of attainment in English, mathematics and science. Teachers generally use the information effectively to adapt the work of individual pupils and set them appropriate targets. They also use the information effectively to identify areas of weakness throughout the school to inform the school improvement plan. Pupils’ academic progress is supported well especially through sharing targets. Inconsistent marking sometimes reduces the quality of support. Goodyers End Primary School - 20 43. Assessment and its use in developing learning for pupils with special educational needs are good and have improved markedly since the last inspection. There is early screening and identification of children who may have special educational needs. Very good records of progress are maintained and the achievements of all pupils are carefully tracked and monitored, for example, through analysis of National Curriculum

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

results and appropriate literacy and numeracy tests used by the school. This results in additional support being targeted to specific literacy, numeracy or emotional and behavioural needs. Pupils’ individual education plans are very good. They are drawn up using a consistent whole-school approach. Teachers identify targets with support from the co-ordinator and with the learning support assistants, annotate these regularly to check progress or difficulties encountered. Targets are relevant and achievable and are reviewed regularly. This results in some pupils being moved between stages as they progress. The requirements outlined in the statements of special educational needs are fully met and all appropriate funding and support is provided to meet the targets.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

44. The partnership with parents is very good and has a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes to school. The school gives very good encouragement for parents to be involved in their children’s education in a wide variety of ways. The partnership has improved significantly since the previous inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

45. Parents’ views of the school expressed at the parents’ meeting, in response to the pre- inspection survey and given during the inspection are very positive. Parents feel that their children like school, teaching is good, they feel comfortable approaching the school, the school helps the children to make good progress and to work hard, and the school is well led and managed and is improving. A small number of parents have some concerns over the level of homework given, the information they receive on progress, the behaviour of a small number of pupils and the level of extra-curricular activities. Inspectors generally agree with the parents’ positive views. Evidence shows that the level of homework set is about normal for a school of this type, information on progress is good, the behaviour of a few is an issue, and the school provides a very good level of extra-curricular activities.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

46. Parents show satisfactory involvement in the their children’s learning. Some help regularly in classes but supporting homework and encouraging children to read is patchy. Apart from those who take their children on holiday in term time, they support their children’s regular, prompt attendance. The Parents Association organises significant fundraising. Parent governors play an effective part in the good liaison between school and home.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

47. The school is making very good efforts to involve parents further in the school and their children’s education. Letters are regular and give good information on school life and areas of work to be covered by classes each term. Parents are made most welcome in school and all staff are readily available if problems arise. The headteacher provides a very good role model and is held in high regard by the parents. Annual reports give parents good information on their children’s progress and feature good advice on areas for future improvement in English and mathematics. They have been revised this year following full consultation with parents. Consultation with parents on a wide range of issues, such as the school’s review of the behaviour policy and school improvement, is having a very positive impact on the close partnership and shared ethos. Goodyers End Primary School - 21 48. Parents of pupils who have special educational needs are fully involved in their child’s

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

education. Teachers send all parents of special educational needs children an appointment for parents’ evening or a time to suit them during a designated ‘individual education plan week.’ At these times they are informed about pupils’ progress and sign the individual education plans. If they do not attend the meeting, a copy is sent to them. Plans are reviewed each term and there is an interim review half-termly. The special educational needs co-ordinator holds a ‘drop in’ session once a month when parents have an open invitation to discuss any problems, seek help or ask questions.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

49. The leadership and management of the headteacher are good. She provides the school with a very clear steer for its work. She has designed good quality systems to check on the progress made and provide coordinators and governors with the information they need to make relevant judgements. She has identified the ways and means to raise standards and these are beginning to have an impact, for example, on the mathematics results of the school. The deputy headteacher and some coordinators ably support the headteacher. The headteacher has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of teaching. Where appropriate formal targets for improvement have been set; in other cases training has been provided. In all circumstances the focus is to improve the quality of teaching and thus ensure learning improves.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

50. Since her appointment two years ago the headteacher has also improved, to a very considerable degree, several areas of the school’s work, as directed by the governing body. There is now coordinated engagement of management activities, such as the collection and analysis of assessment data, the performance management of teachers and professional development opportunities, focussed on raising attainment. Inspectors judge that these good quality systems are just beginning to make a positive impact but have yet to work through to the tasks of all coordinators. For example, whilst subject coordinators check on the quality of teachers’ planning and the progress pupils make, they do not pay sufficient attention to the standards pupils achieve. The analysis of performance in mathematics is particularly useful and in Year 6 teachers are beginning to develop systems to track individual pupil’s progress and the standards

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

they achieve on a regular basis. The improvements in the provision for and standards in mathematics have been successful. This has been the main focus of attention over the past two years and the same sharp systems are being used in English to raise standards and improve the consistency of teaching. There are signs that these systems are beginning to take effect.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

51. This level of analysis and the subsequent focus on raising standards is a priority set out clearly and unambiguously in the school improvement plan. Governors are highly committed, understand the strength and weaknesses of the school and are very good advocates for the school. This very good level of understanding comes from their own monitoring of standards, teaching and the curriculum and the good quality discussions they have with subject coordinators. The headteacher provides good quality information and has instituted a range of questionnaires and other information systems, which the school uses to good effect.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

52. Leadership and management of special educational needs are very good. This aspect of the school’s educational provision has a high profile and figures strongly in the school development plan. The school’s commitment to this aspect of its work is also reflected in the co-ordinator being designated two full days per week to work on special educational needs matters. She has developed procedures and training programmes Goodyers End Primary School - 22 that have had a marked effect on the provision for pupils with special educational needs. Monitoring has focused on classroom observations; the effectiveness of individual education plans as working documents, the work of learning support assistants and the effectiveness of support programmes such as the social use of language programme (SULP). Inspection evidence indicates a high degree of success in these areas. All documents and records are up-to-date and there are very good

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

tracking systems. The co-ordinator holds weekly meetings with learning support assistants and these help to keep them fully informed and to discuss any problems or issues arising from the week. There is close liaison with the governor responsible for this aspect of the school’s work. Resources are good and ICT has been developed well to support the work of the teachers and to develop pupils’ learning.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

53. The headteacher and governors have a clear grasp of finances and funding issues, especially in relation to the fluctuation in pupil numbers. A small surplus has accrued mainly due to savings due to staff absences and changes. Management and administrative systems are very good, enabling the school to plan and monitor its finances very effectively on a day-to-day basis. Annual budget allocations are linked well to overall school priorities. The school has a very good three-year financial plan that is securely linked to the school improvement plan. No significant issues were raised in the last financial audit and day-to-day financial administration is of a very high standard. The expert support provided by the office staff keeps the administrative burden on the headteacher and other staff to a minimum. Special funds are used effectively to support school improvement, especially those designated for pupils with

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

54. The accommodation is of good quality and spacious. Teachers are suitably qualified and learning support assistant have undertaken a wide range of training. As a result they offer pupils very good levels of support. The governing body has gone to great lengths to attract teaching staff to the school and provide financial resources to ensure staff welfare is a high priority. However, the recruitment of staff remains an issue for the school. Goodyers End Primary School - 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

55. In order to raise standards and improve the quality of education, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

(1) Raise standards in English by improving*: § pupils’ opportunities to use their literacy skills, especially that of writing, across the curriculum § the precision of reading assessment and associated targets § the frequency with which pupils read to adults § the quality and range of books suitable for high achievers (Paragraphs 2-5, 8, 27, 50, 61, 67-73, 79, 80, 85, 92, 95, 99, 104, 105, 109, 136)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

(2) Improve the quality and consistency of teachers’ work by*: § ensuring that the school’s marking and behaviour policies are applied consistently § ensuring that all teachers have high expectations of all pupils, especially of the quality and quantity of their written work § identifying particular weaknesses in subject knowledge and providing appropriate training § ensuring that lesson plans are implemented consistently (Paragraphs 8, 11-12, 23, 33, 40, 45, 49-50, 69, 75, 82-83, 95-96, 136)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

(3) Improve the quality of monitoring to ensure that subject managers identify with more precision the standards pupils achieve and the strengths of and barriers to pupils’ learning*: (Paragraphs 50, 85, 98, 104, 109, 140)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

*Denotes that the school is aware of the issue and has made provision for it in the school development plan Goodyers End Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 41

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.24

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 one percentage point.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 404

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 62

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 5

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 99

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 5

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 28

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 16

p.24

Attendance

School data 5.0 School data 0.3 Goodyers End Primary School - 25 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.24

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Goodyers End Primary School - 26

p.25

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 25 31 56

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.26

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

Boys 19 17 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 28 28 27

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 84 (78) 80 (85) 89 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 15 17 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 21 25

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 (80) 68 (94) 75 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.26

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

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

p.26

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 31 36 67

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 22 21 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 23 28

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 69 (71) 66 (56) 82 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 21 24 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 25 20 29

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 69 (65) 66 (73) 85 (85) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.26

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Goodyers End Primary School - 27

p.26

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.27

Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background

p.27

Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background

p.27

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. Goodyers End Primary School - 28

p.27

Teachers and classes

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16

p.28

Teachers and classes

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

p.28

Teachers and classes

Total number of education support staff 11

p.28

Teachers and classes

Total aggregate hours worked per week 258

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5.2

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 7

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 1

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Goodyers End Primary School - 29

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 33 54 12 1 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 28 52 13 5 2

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 21 51 19 8 1

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 27 47 18 7 1

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 49 38 7 6 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 52 40 5 0 4

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 26 48 16 8 1

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 41 38 8 5 8

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 38 51 9 2 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 26 42 19 7 6 Goodyers End Primary School - 30

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. Since the last inspection children’s attainment on entry has deteriorated. At that time children’s attainment and readiness for learning was judged to be broadly average and well prepared for school. Now attainment on entry into reception is below than normally found for four-year-olds. The school’s provision for children in the reception class is satisfactory. The curriculum is based on the nationally defined early learning goals, designed to provide a wide range of exciting experiences. The provision of an ‘outdoor’ classroom is a good feature of these classes. There is very good support for children with special educational needs by teaching assistants who give help when needed. This is particularly helpful for some children with speech and language difficulties.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. There are good procedures to ensure children enter the school in a happy and confident manner. Most have attended the nearby nursery/playgroup and have been visited both there and in the home by the reception teachers and teaching assistants. Home visiting is a recent development. The impact of this innovation has been evaluated through a survey of involved parents who have responded positively, with some making valid suggestions for further improvement of this initiative.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. The children are divided equally into two classes, making sure that there is a gender balance in each. Children with special educational needs are similarly divided equally. In effect, the two classes work together closely and there is a frequent interchange of teachers. There was a teacher change in February last term and there is only one teacher assistant working between the two classes. Because the needs of a majority of children are great, especially in language and communication skills, the level of adult support is critical to children’s learning. Children learn best when there are sufficient adults to engage them in focussed sessions of talking and listening.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. By the time they enter Year 1, most children are below average in most areas of their learning with the exception of their mathematical understanding and creative development which are in line with national expectations.

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Personal, social and emotional development

60. As a result of satisfactory teaching, children make satisfactory progress and, as a consequence, are well adjusted to school life by the time they enter Year 1. There is a good level of interaction with children by adults who give them support and guidance. The children use materials carefully and are taught to treat property with respect. They are given opportunities for self-chosen activities, but teachers make sure they have a balanced range of experiences and activities keep a careful check. Routines have been well established and the children understand these structures. They work co- operatively with one another, taking part in a range of learning tasks in various group sizes. The teachers are aware that there is a strong tendency for boys to play together and, when appropriate, organise the work so that there is a gender balance. The children are taught to appreciate similarities and differences between people, customs

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Personal, social and emotional development

and costume, as in their work on Kenya. They are all able to dress and undress independently and manage their personal hygiene. Goodyers End Primary School - 31

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Communication, language and literacy

61. Progress in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory. Analysis of baseline assessments show that, on entry into the school, almost all children are below or well below that normally found. At times, teachers miss opportunities to extend the children’s language skills, for example, in too readily accepting single word responses and not developing these further when reading to the children. Reaction by the children to the story is not fostered to the extent needed, using phrases, such as; ‘What do you think will happen next?’ or; ‘Let’s look at the pictures to tell us what to expect’. When the story telling is good, difficult words, such as ‘obstacle’ are explained well and the teacher’s speech is clear with emphasis on initial and final consonants. Children are encouraged to write about their experiences. Attention is given to correct letter formation and, through the use of word banks, higher attainers can write sentences

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Communication, language and literacy

accurately, for example; ‘Mum and Dad wanted to put floppy in the bath’. These children are also able to copy words accurately from the board, but there are many who have no pencil control and a few who are at the early stage of writing over the teachers’ writing. Most have little understanding of letter sequence in words, with insufficient encouragement being given for the children to hear the sounds at various points in words used when writing. The book corner contains a range of books, although poetry is under-represented. Some of the books are inappropriate, as language levels are too high. Children do not readily go to the book corner and are not enthused by books. Many are unattractively displayed with insufficient attention given to the provision and display of books which will encourage children to value reading. The teachers foster home reading, but response is mixed. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and

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Communication, language and literacy

progress is not as good as reported at the time of the last inspection.

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Mathematical development

62. Children are more confident when handling number and they make good gains and, by the end of the reception year, most are in line with expectations. There is good teaching of number and of other mathematical concepts, such as heavier than/lighter than and the names of various two-dimensional shapes. The teaching is supported well by parents who feel more confident when helping their children with mathematics than in language. Numbers are well modelled in songs, rhymes and stories and children are confident in counting on and counting back. Their mathematical vocabulary is increasing, a third using the term ‘digit’ correctly. When looking at a number line 0-20, a quarter were able to say which number goes in the middle. This led to debate which helped all the children to understand number order. Almost all can count up to 20 with a few up to 60. The children are beginning to understand how to solve problems using a

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Mathematical development

sequence of activities. Many are able to make up their own problems. Good opportunities are provided for them to begin to understand capacity through water and sand play. The children are increasing their understanding of mathematics in everyday life, for example, time and in the use of coinage. Progress has improved since that reported at the last inspection.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

63. Many children have limited experiences and find it difficult to talk about the natural world and about places outside their immediate environment. Their knowledge improves because of the emphasis given to this aspect of learning. For example, they are taken on local walks, visiting the nearby supermarket. The school grounds are used well to develop awareness of the rhythm of seasonal change, for example in observing weather patterns. They are growing beans and know the developing stages of the bean seed and that plants need light and water. They are given opportunities to record their Goodyers End Primary School - 32 findings, for example, by drawing these carefully. On the whole, though, the children are too accepting and are not used to asking further questions to develop curiosity. In their study on Kenya, linked to an awareness of similarities and differences between people, they wore typical Kenyan clothing and were fascinated by the colour and length of the

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

fabric. The use of an adult from the local church community, who had spent a considerable time in East Africa, added to the interest and enthusiasm of the children. The display of artefacts from Kenya also helped the children to understand something of the lifestyle. The children turn readily to the use of ICT. They have a good understanding of how to change colour and size as they draw animals visiting a water hole. Their control of the mouse is broadly average. Teachers work hard to provide a range of experiences to develop curiosity and this is improving slowly. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory.

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Physical development

64. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and children make satisfactory progress. The children dress quickly and appropriately for physical activities. Their physical development is good, being in line with that expected. They use space well and are careful not to conflict with others when running in a sequence of activities showing good control. They are taught the importance of warming up before physical activities and cooling down afterwards. Most show very good balancing skills when using apparatus above floor level and are well aware of the importance of exercise in maintaining a healthy body. The children are very enthusiastic in their physical activities and enjoy showing others what they can do. They readily applaud good movement sequences performed by others. A generous amount of time, two hours per week, is made available for each reception class to use the hall for physical activities. The

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Physical development

children are given opportunities to manipulate intricate pieces of construction kits, which they enjoy, these activities further developing their fine motor skills when cutting and sticking.

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Creative development

65. The quality of teaching is good and children make good gains in their learning. One of the reception teachers holds the post of responsibility for art and design within the school and her expertise is instrumental in providing reception children with a range of challenging tasks. By the time they enter Year 1, their attainment is average for their age. The children are encouraged to use a wide range of media from fabric paint, ready mixed paint, pencil, inks, play-doh and materials which can be used for construction activities. The children have made their own musical ‘shakers’ out of yoghurt pots, which they decorated attractively, and are painting a large cloth mural to depict a jungle scene. Weaving is encouraged in the outdoor classroom with children encouraged to weave large patterns. They use computer programs successfully to create animal pictures but many find it difficult to colour in shapes accurately when using templates,

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Creative development

showing below average control. In music, they sing tunefully singing a good range of songs and rhymes from memory. Many children are showing good control when using beaters with percussion instruments. The use of the drum by a child to signal a particular phase of the school day gives children a good chance to perform. Their creative development is very well provided for.

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ENGLISH

66. Standards for pupils in Year 2 are below average in speaking and reading and well below average in writing. In Year 6 standards improve in writing but overall attainment in speaking, reading and writing are below average. Though test results are better than at Goodyers End Primary School - 33 the time of the last inspection, inspection evidence points to a decline in standards since the previous inspection, which possibly reflects changes in the schools’ circumstances.

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ENGLISH

67. Raising standards in English is now a key priority for the school. Attention has been focused on extending opportunities to develop literacy skills within and beyond the literacy hour. The school has introduced a range of strategies to improve all aspects of language, placing particular emphasis on speaking skills and the development of pupils’ breadth of language. Staff have received training to increase their skills and knowledge and extend the range of teaching strategies used across subjects. This is beginning to have a positive impact on learning as pupils begin to benefit from the improved opportunities to speak to an audience and record work in different writing styles. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Most teachers plan activities which meet pupil’s individual needs and teaching assistants give good support promoting self-esteem and confidence. All pupils have opportunities to take part in the

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ENGLISH

full range of experiences regardless of their gender, ethnicity or individual needs. Pupils use computers well in their learning and this aspect of the school’s provision has improved.

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ENGLISH

68. The drive to improve speaking and listening skills reflects the accurate analysis of weaknesses in spoken language. Pupils have difficulty expressing their ideas and opinions, particularly in the infants. A high proportion of pupils in the current Year 2 have language related difficulties and this is a reason why standards dip for this age group. While the literacy strategy has been implemented according to national guidance there has been insufficient application of skills across subjects to reinforce learning. Frequent staffing changes have resulted in discontinuity in learning. The analysis of work reflects inconsistency in the quality of marking, presentation and expectations of what pupils can achieve. Marking in some classes does not always indicate how pupils can improve their work well enough. These unsatisfactory features have been identified through regular monitoring by the coordinator and headteacher.

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ENGLISH

The school recognizes that pupils’ achievements are not as high as they could be.

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ENGLISH

69. Year group differences are reflected in the variations in reading standards. The standard of reading for pupils in Years 2 and 6 is below average and too few pupils achieve the higher levels. The quality and range of books does not provide enough challenging material for higher achievers. Reading assessments do not indicate precisely enough the areas that each pupil needs to develop to improve and targets are too broad. They do not focus precisely enough on the next steps in learning to enable pupils and parents to support progress in reading fully. Because speaking skills are weak, a significant proportion of pupils struggle to understand the meaning of words even though they can pronounce them. While the teaching of letter sounds is a strength, pupils do not become fluent, expressive readers because they find it hard to understand the context of their reading. Pupils do not read to adults regularly enough.

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ENGLISH

Lower achieving pupils practise reading aloud more regularly and make good progress. Despite these difficulties pupils show enthusiasm for books, especially in Year 6. Most retell stories and identify reasons for their book preferences, often referring to text to support their opinions. They predict how stories may develop and use the school library to research information to extend their learning. They competently use the contents, index and glossary sections of non -fiction books. The library is used well and has a sufficient range of books to meet pupils’ additional needs. An annual budget ensures that a small number of new books are added each year.

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ENGLISH

70. Although standards in writing are below average, there has been a recent improvement in the quality and range of work across subjects as the application of skills across Goodyers End Primary School - 34 subjects becomes better developed. By the end of Year 2 most pupils write simple sentences and understand how to use capital letters and full stops. Weaknesses in presentation and the use of descriptive language mean that few pupils achieve the higher levels. While pupils are beginning to understand the links between speaking, reading and writing, they lack the ability to express their knowledge and struggle to put ideas into writing. All pupils have writing targets to improve their work that are well understood and shared with parents.

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ENGLISH

71. By the end of Year 6 pupils make satisfactory progress, which accelerates during the year because teaching is very good for this age group. Regular handwriting practice is supporting more consistent presentation using a joined style. Spelling is mainly accurate and inaccuracies reflect patterns of speech. A range of writing is evident, including poetry linked to religious education, newspaper reports, biographies, book reviews and letters. Grammar work shows the accurate use of connectives, clauses, prefixes and suffixes. Performance in these specific tasks is mainly accurate but many pupils need help to apply the skills independently across subjects. Higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged in this respect. However, they write complex sentences that reflect debate and personal ideas. The aim now is to increase the proportion of pupils who apply these skills independently in order to reach higher

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ENGLISH

levels. The initiatives taken to improve teaching and learning have not had enough time to impact sufficiently well across year groups.

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ENGLISH

72. The lessons seen in Years 1 and 2 were at least satisfactory and a third were good. In one very good lesson in Year 2 the teacher challenged pupils well and very good pace and questioning supported the extension of speaking and listening. Tips to improve writing and how to spot and check errors motivated pupils well. The frequent and regular interaction with all groups and reinforcement of specific vocabulary was very effective. This was drawn together well at the end of the lesson as the teacher used samples of pupils’ work to demonstrate success and involved the pupils in assessing their own learning. Other staff have the opportunities to observe this very good practice and this is contributing to improving subject knowledge and expertise of teachers and assistants.

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ENGLISH

73. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is also at least satisfactory and in almost half the lessons it is good. Only one unsatisfactory lesson was seen and that was due to a lack of clarity in planning and insufficient attention given to prepare pupils to present their ideas and opinions to the class formally. In two very good lessons in Year 6, teachers had very good classroom management skills, pupils listened carefully and used new words to extend their personal vocabulary, generating interest and refining skills. These teachers use effective strategies to support the development of writing: - reading through work samples with pupils - supporting pupils to make decisions about the best style of writing to use - assessing the quality of description, presentation, punctuation and use of grammar - using questioning techniques to raise self esteem and enable pupils to successfully identify their mistakes and successes

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ENGLISH

The pairing of teachers with good subject expertise with those who are less confident is effectively ensuring that the strengths of staff are used to support raising the quality of teaching higher in order to raise standards. The headteacher, deputy head and coordinator are making considerable improvements in the management and organization of literacy teaching. They have a clear understanding of how to move forward and the capacity for further improvement is good. Goodyers End Primary School - 35

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MATHEMATICS

74. Pupils in Year 2 attain the standards expected for their age and pupils in Year 6 attain below average standards. There has been a doubling of the proportion of pupils achieving the expected levels since the last inspection. At that time less than a third of the Year 6 pupils achieved the expected level 4 or higher; in 2002 more than two-thirds of pupils achieved this standard. The standards in Year 2 are higher than in Year 6 because the very good improvements in the curriculum and teaching have shown in the classes for younger pupils first. However, there is plenty of evidence in lessons that older pupils, who have more distance to catch up than younger pupils, are gaining ground and learning well. This is because: - teachers now expect more of pupils - there is an agreed and implemented calculations policy - most lessons contain opportunities for pupils to investigate ideas in mathematics

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MATHEMATICS

- there are many opportunities for pupils apply their learning to real life situations In Year 2 girls achieve ahead of boys but this levels out by the time pupils are in Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs make good and at times very good progress, gaining three levels between Years 3 to 6. Higher attainers are achieving well in mathematics because they are encouraged to think hard and solve problems in a variety of ways. Teachers consistently pupils to estimate their answers before calculating and this helps to reinforce the importance of place value and the reasonableness of their answers

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MATHEMATICS

75. Pupils in Year 2 have a satisfactory knowledge of number and calculate mentally with accuracy. They understand the idea of odd and even and higher attaining pupils have grasp of numbers up to and beyond 1000. They multiply whole numbers by 10 and begin their work on algebra by identifying missing numbers in sequences and calculations. They identify two and three-dimensional shapes around them and know the properties of common shapes. Pupils in Year 6 have an improving grasp of number and how to perform quick and accurate mental calculation. For example, pupils in the highest set of this year multiply by 0.1 and 00.1 mentally, although there are still too few pupils achieving the higher levels in this year group. In Year 5 this is not the case and this groups of pupils is working at the levels expected for pupils of this age. Throughout the school work is neatly set out.

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MATHEMATICS

76. Teaching is at least satisfactory, often good and at times very good. Subject knowledge is assured and this is a significant factor in teachers preparing lessons of good quality to quicken the pace of pupils’ learning. Each lesson begins with a brisk activity to sharpen pupils’ mental skills. Teachers are skilled at asking pupils questions about how they arrived at solutions and in the best lessons, questions are aimed at particular groups to challenge at an appropriate level, such as the lesson seen in one Year 2 class. Teachers ensure that pupils show their working and at all times produce neat well set out work. In almost all of the lessons seen, pupils used computers. At times this was to practise their number skills and calculation speed and accuracy, at other computers were used to aid calculations such a in the use of spreadsheets. Marking is good throughout the school. Teachers strike a dialogue with pupils which

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MATHEMATICS

results in targets being set. Teachers often write comments that help pupils to understand how well they have done against the learning objective of the lesson. A very good example was seen in Year 6, where pupils set sample calculations for their teacher based on their current work. Homework is regularly set and helps to reinforce what pupils have learned during the day. Goodyers End Primary School - 36 77. The acting mathematics co-ordinator is leading the improvements in the subject well. The analysis of annual tests and the subsequent alterations to the curriculum and teaching styles are proving effective.

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SCIENCE

78. In Years 2 and 6 standards are below the national average. The unvalidated Year 2 teacher assessments in 2003 indicate that the proportion of current pupils achieving the higher Level 3 remains high but lesson observations, scrutiny of work and discussions with Year 2 pupils indicate that standards remain below average overall. In Year 6 standards are improving and are just below the national average. Since the last inspection standards observed by inspectors appear to have fallen, though Year 6 national test results are higher than they were in 1997.

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SCIENCE

79. There is very little recorded work in Year 2 books. The coverage shows limited work in all science attainment targets. Whilst there is practically no evidence of pupils developing and increasing their skills in planning and recording investigations, pupils have carried out practical activities and the more able can recall, for example, how they have made a simple circuit. The only work in their books was a cut and pasted picture of a circuit. In last year’s national teacher assessments, the proportion of high attainers was in line with the national average in all aspects of the subject except life processes and living things. Pupils’ work shows they have studied the life cycle of a frog and a butterfly. They have considered the differences between living and non-living things and how to group animals into furry and smooth. Work is sometimes pitched too low, and consequently pupils’ attainment remains low. Pupils’ understanding of forces is not

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SCIENCE

developed accurately. For example, in learning about ‘push and pull’, pupils’ conclusions about how to make cars travel fast or slow is that ‘you push a car to make it go faster and to make it go slow you pull it back’. There is not much evidence in the written work of Year 2 pupils being encouraged to build on their prior attainment and extend their understanding beyond Level 1. Sometimes work is repeated in consecutive years with few, if any, additional demands. The standard of presentation in one Year 1 class was not sufficiently high. There were many average and below average pupils who had not completed their work. The marking of work did not consistently help pupils to improve or correct their errors.

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SCIENCE

80. Yet higher attainers achieve well. This is partly due to the fact that much of the work is done orally. Pupils are involved in discussions and carrying out activities. Higher attainers retain what they have learnt and are able to tackle assessment tasks. Discussions with pupils confirmed this view. Average and below average attainers could not recall accurately what they had learnt and certainly could not apply their knowledge and understanding in a different context. Their progress is handicapped because they do not have any recorded written work for reference and they do not develop their skills in recording, making observation and writing simple conclusions. The rate of pupils’ progress, including those with special educational needs, is slow.

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SCIENCE

81. By the time pupils reach Year 6 pupils have made significant progress. The science curriculum is addressed well. Pupils can predict, give reasons and often explanations if the predictions are not correct. Pupils show increasing skills in using data, drawing graphs and record charts. For example, they have taken a series of readings to test water temperature and these are recorded neatly and accurately. Pupils show a good understanding of forces and motion and that light reflects, taking into account different angles and surfaces. The work scrutiny shows a good level of understanding of electrical circuits. There are some interesting examples of work on materials. Their investigation skills show how well these are applied in making predictions. For example, Goodyers End Primary School - 37 when filtering dirty water the prediction was that the amount of water which will filter through will be less than the amount starting the process because water will be

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SCIENCE

retained in thick mud lumps. Pupils investigate results thoroughly and with often well thought out reasons, such as ‘when taking the temperature of the cold water the variation in results was from 10 seconds to two minutes. This suggests we would need to repeat the experiment more than once’.

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SCIENCE

82. Pupils make inconsistent progress through Years 3 to 6. The quality, quantity and range of work in pairs of classes of each year group varied. Above average pupils made good progress. However, matching work activity and investigation to the average and below average is not well planned and pupils’ books show incomplete work. In other classes there is an over-reliance on worksheets, which do not always develop pupils’ scientific enquiry skills effectively. Pupils enjoy practical work but, in some cases, where a minority of pupils is not well-focused, poor management and understanding of how to engage these pupils’ learning effectively results in unsatisfactory behaviour. Their unacceptable behaviour also prevents some of the girls getting on with their tasks and, hence, has an adverse impact on their learning. In some classes pupils do not work together collaboratively and do not share resources sensibly. The majority of pupils are

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SCIENCE

keen to learn and discuss their work. They show respect for, and take good care of, resources and materials.

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SCIENCE

83. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. It is good in Year 1 and Year 6 and inconsistent in other years. This is partly due to how well teachers know the National Curriculum requirements, and at what level the work should be pitched. This was exemplified, for instance, when pupils in a Year 5 class were asked to investigate ‘how to measure that the rate of evaporation is constant’. This was a demanding task. Without proper prior knowledge and understanding pupils were left feeling bewildered about what was required of them.

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SCIENCE

84. In good lessons teachers use a wide range of organisational strategies, such as enabling pupils to work in pairs and groups to best achieve lesson objectives and to reduce the impact of pupils with difficult behaviour problems. Confident teachers allow pupils to make choices and select activities. Marking is inconsistent. There are some very good examples in Year 6 classes where marking is thorough and pupils’ inaccurate understanding of a process or investigation is addressed effectively. There is greater emphasis on learning the correct spelling of technical and scientific vocabulary but insufficient attention is paid to the correct spelling of everyday words.

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SCIENCE

85. The science co-ordinator has had the responsibility for two years. This is not her specialist subject but she has done an excellent analysis of what pupils know, understand and can do. She has helped teachers to adapt their short and medium-term plans to take account of aspects are not covered or taught well. She has applied herself to this task intelligently and with a very high level of commitment and is providing very good leadership. Further work on scrutinising the quality of written work is a priority of the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

86. Standards in Year 6 have improved since the time of the last inspection and are now good. Standards have been maintained at a satisfactory level in Year 2 and remain in line with expectations for the age group.

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ART AND DESIGN

87. Standards have risen in the juniors because the school has placed emphasis on pupils being given good opportunities to develop their art and design skills. A sensible amount Goodyers End Primary School - 38 of curriculum time is set aside for this subject and, through the use of outside specialists, staff and pupils are developing their skills, especially in the range of materials, tools and techniques when creating artwork. This was observed in a day set aside for a Year 4 class who participated in a workshop on colour, line, tone, pattern and texture relating to the design of typical Indian symbols on cloth. They examined embroidered Indian fabric, made their designs in sketchbooks and then worked on the design co-operatively on large pieces of cloth. The pupils concentrate well on creating pleasing designs and, because the day was carefully staged, their interest did not flag. In a Year 6 class, pupils used paint well to create different textures. They had studied

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ART AND DESIGN

the various periods of Picasso’s work and could talk knowledgeably about its development. When creating their paintings, they referred freely to examples of painting by the artist. Year 1 and Year 2 pupils have effectively made collage pictures representing the four seasons and the Great Fire of London. During the inspection a Year 2 class worked effectively on a collage representing the seaside and obtained good results. Overall, though, in Years 1 and 2, there is a lack of evidence of the use of paint, and the development of direct observational skills is limited.

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ART AND DESIGN

88. The quality of teaching ranges from satisfactory to excellent. When the teaching is better than satisfactory, the teacher has a firm grasp of the subject and a clear view of what should be achieved by the end of the lesson. Expectations are high, both of the work rate of the pupils, their span of concentration and their desire to succeed. Not too much guidance is given to pupils so that they feel they are creating their own designs and representations. When the teaching is satisfactory, a little too much guidance is given to pupils, for example, when shapes of boats are pre-cut by the teacher. These were identical and this limited the pupils’ artistic creativity. Although this was done to enable pupils to achieve more with their picture making, it resulted in a degree of ‘sameness’ amongst the finished pictures.

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ART AND DESIGN

89. Throughout the school, pupils’ artwork is displayed prominently, with a number of the pictures being framed in order to emphasise their importance. There are good examples of pupils evaluating their finished work and also of how this might be improved. Some of the artwork is used to enhance understanding of a topic, for example Year 5 making canopic jars as part of their work on Egypt.

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ART AND DESIGN

90. The subject manager has been in post for three years. She has a wide knowledge of what pupils are capable of, having had experience of teaching all primary years. A very detailed submission has been made for a national Artmark and the school has been awarded a ‘silver’ standard, thus reflecting well the standards achieved. The school enters the local Festival of Arts in which high standards are achieved in a variety of media. Of particular note is the very good quality of paper sculpture submitted for the current festival. There is a designated link governor for the arts, which gives further status to the subject. ICT facilities are being used increasingly to further develop pupils’ art skills, but these are, as yet, in their infancy. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated well into all arts activities.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. Only two lessons were observed. Discussions with pupils, analysis of the teachers’ plans and pupils’ work and models provided the evidence base for evaluations. Standards in Year 2 are below those expected but by the end of Year 6 pupils attain expected standards. Since the last inspection standards in Year 2 appear to have fallen while in Year 6 standards have been maintained. Goodyers End Primary School - 39 92. In Year 2, there was very little evidence of pupils’ work or models. While Year 2 pupils have been engaged in a small number of projects, their work is not sufficient to enable them to reach the required standards. Year 1 pupils have completed work at an appropriate level, for example, selecting, designing and making simple finger puppets. During the inspection, pupils prepared a fresh fruit salad which they had planned the previous lesson. They had drawn the fruit they were given and identified the tools they

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

needed. They had written simple, one-word instructions. They cut the fruit and assembled their fruit salad. They were beginning comment on the colour, taste and how they looked. These pupils were making good progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they understand the technology process from designing to producing and evaluate their efforts. They plan, develop and communicate their ideas. For example, they made a picture frame and discussed how such a frame could be made aesthetically more pleasing. Their skills in drawing and labelling accurately have improved since September. In making a pencil case and money purse they have explored the appropriateness of different materials and who would use such cases. Packaging of food and musical instruments are disassembled and evaluations made as to suitability. The strength of structures is considered when pupils are challenged to make a strong structure. Pupils are developing an ability to evaluate whether their construction is able to perform its intended task. A pupil’s written comment illustrated this; ‘I have learnt that if you roll paper into a tube it is stronger than

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

putting many pieces of paper flatly on top of each other’.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. Cross-curricular links are well developed, particularly in ICT and mathematics. For example, Year 4 carried out a survey of what type of biscuits are preferred by adults and pupils, and Year 5 evaluated and costed different fillings in sandwiches. They drew graphs, interpreted the results and costed out the price per unit of a biscuit.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

95. Progress in design and technology is good in Years 3 to 6. Pupils carry out a range of interesting activities and use a variety of materials and equipment. Areas which need further development are writing clear, sequential instructions and improving overall standards in drawing and labelling. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, especially in the making elements of the subject. Their understanding of progress is enhanced by the very good support they receive from the learning assistants. Pupils’ attitudes are good and they show enthusiasm and application in carrying out a task. A minority of pupils’ behaviour tends to distract other pupils’ attention, particularly where the classroom organisation and management is not well planned and managed.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

96. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers at the top end of the school and in Year 1 provide interesting activities for pupils to investigate and plan their lessons well. Planning and execution are inconsistent in the middle years. All teachers do not have a secure knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum requirements. In some cases, learning objectives lack clarity and this confuses pupils. Sometimes insufficient choices are provided in using and considering materials, so, for instance, pupils were not encouraged to select fruit and in another lesson all pupils were given the same cut strips of paper to investigate how to make a strong picture frame. Health and safety measures are not emphasised properly, hence younger pupils were using plastic knives incorrectly to cut fruit. In another lesson pupils were not given clear instructions on how to open sharp-ended metal joining pins with care.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

97. Overall, teachers are increasing their knowledge and understanding of the subject requirements and are growing in confidence when organising lessons. They make Goodyers End Primary School - 40 good links with other curriculum areas, particularly in mathematics and ICT. More effective links with literacy and art and design would further enhance pupils’ progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. The co-ordinator took over the subject two years ago. He has carried out an audit of resources and is replacing much of the old inappropriate resources which impact adversely on standards. He is supported well by the link governor who is helping to collate a portfolio of photographs of pupils’ work. The co-ordinator is aware that, as this is not his subject specialism, he needs further training and development. This is an important issue for the school as he was not able to offer an evaluation about the current standards in design and technology in the school

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GEOGRAPHY

99. The standards achieved by the pupils in Years 2 and 6 continue to be in line with the levels expected. Conversations between inspectors and the pupils reveal that a good deal of interesting work is being covered in this subject so that many children speak enthusiastically and intelligently about what they have learnt. However, the analysis of the children’s work in their exercise books and folders often shows considerable shortcomings, especially in Years 1 and 2, because the writing skills of many pupils are unsatisfactory and develop at too slow a rate. As a consequence the written recording of work in this subject fails to do justice to the steady progress being made by the pupils in acquiring the necessary geographical skills, knowledge and understanding.

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GEOGRAPHY

100. One of the main reasons why the children are learning well and retaining so much information is because the teachers have made a determined effort to ensure that their lessons demand the pupils’ active engagement with the subject. For instance, in Year 2 the same lesson was delivered to two parallel classes. In both lessons the children’s interest was seized instantly by the teacher’s discovery of a strange bag in the classroom. Who might it belong to? Where might the owner have come from? As the contents were removed one by one the pupils made sensible guesses about the identity of the owner and the seaside location suggested by the shell, post cards and other artefacts. Soon afterwards they were offering intelligent examples of the features of seaside towns and later managed to classify these as either human or physical. A significant strength of the good teaching in both lessons was the way that teaching

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GEOGRAPHY

assistants supported the lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs in completing the simplified tasks prepared by the teacher, but that related clearly to the purpose of the lesson and the work of the majority.

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GEOGRAPHY

101. Further conversations with the Year 2 pupils reveal that most have a reasonable grasp of seasonal change and its effect upon the weather. They have all previously drawn their own simple maps of the Island of Struay. The higher attaining pupils enjoyed examining a map of the Midlands and spoke confidently about the points of the compass. One was able to explain that to get to Skegness; “You’d drive north then east a bit.”

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GEOGRAPHY

102. Similar imaginative approaches to teaching are in evidence in Year 6, although the levels of effectiveness are more variable. The pupils have visited the village of Castleton in the Peak District as part of their study of a contrasting environment. Following consideration of some of the physical differences, the teachers are currently helping the children to become aware of the potentially conflicting points of view of different interest groups within the community when faced with a proposed new development such as a new sports and leisure centre. In both classes the teachers sensibly decided to make use drama and role play to achieve their objectives, but in the lesson where the teacher gave each child one “character” to play the results were far Goodyers End Primary School - 41 more successful than in the parallel class where the pupils had to think about a range of interest groups. In the good lesson the teacher’s firm and friendly discipline, probing

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GEOGRAPHY

questions and thorough preparation of materials and resources ensured that her objectives were met and that the pupils gained good insights into some of the problems surrounding rural development and economic interests. However, the unsatisfactory lesson failed largely because the teacher had miscalculated the ability of the pupils to deal with so much fresh information in such a short period of time. This, along with a lack of advanced preparation of resources and materials and unsatisfactory time management, led to a significant minority of children becoming bored, restless and behaving poorly. Learning for all but the higher attaining pupils was unsatisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. Even so, separate conversations with the pupils indicate that teaching overall is satisfactory. Not only do the pupils show a good recall of previous work on mountains, they also have a secure basic knowledge of how to use maps and atlases. Further probing about work on other countries reveals that they have also begun to develop an acute appreciation of the contrast between first and third world economies and some of the causes that lead to food producers earning so little for their crops. Effective teaching in other subjects such as PSHE and religious education is evidently prompting a moral awareness of some of the fundamental issues surrounding “Fair Trade” that has affected some of these pupils at a deep level.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. The new subject manager was on maternity leave during the inspection. However, conversations with the headteacher and an analysis of the co-ordinator’s folder and action plan indicate that a sound start has been made to managing the subject. There is a good awareness of the need to extend the use of ICT within the subject and to increase still further the supply of globes, maps and atlases that have been identified as resource needs within the allocated budget. A good start has been made to establishing an overview of the standards achieved by the pupils in every class, but the causes behind the current variation in teachers’ assessment have yet to be established. The next step is to establish a sharper focus on the quality and quantity of the pupils’ written recording and the following up of the teachers’ marking that ensures that suggested improvements and corrections are always carried out.

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HISTORY

105. It was possible to observe only one Year 4 history lesson during the inspection so the following judgements are based primarily upon the evidence collected from the discussions held with groups of children and the analysis of their written work in books, folders and displays around the school. The vast majority of the pupils in Years 2 and 6 continue to achieve satisfactory standards in line with those expected nationally. However, the school-wide issue surrounding the unsatisfactory standards of the children’s writing means that their ability to record what they have learnt is limited.

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HISTORY

106. The Year 2 pupils have very little history work written in their exercise books. However, a group of children were able to tell the inspector about the many famous people they have learnt about during the year. They know that Florence Nightingale is famous because she “…looked after soldiers in a war.” When asked; “How long ago?” the higher attaining pupils were able to say; “Over a hundred years ago.” They respond eagerly to questions about the Great Fire of London and recall many of the key factors along with a fascination for the diaries of Samuel Pepys whose account they had been read by the teachers.

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HISTORY

107. By the end of Year 6 most pupils are developing a good understanding of the chronology of some of the important periods and civilisations of the past three thousand Goodyers End Primary School - 42 years. Year 6 pupils speak informatively about the Tudors, Aztecs, Romans and Anglo Saxons and identified accurately these periods of history on a time line for the inspector. They have evidently learned a great deal about what it was like to live in these times and are clearly impressed by the technological skills of the Romans, the roads they built and the control of their Empire by armies working without the benefits of radios or modern weapons. They recognise many of the drawbacks facing people living in cities in the times of Henry VIII and use good technical language to express this; “There was little medication in Tudor times. Things weren’t hygienic.” Most importantly the pupils expressed a clear understanding of the different sorts of evidence we use

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HISTORY

today to make sense of the past, the stories that are told from generation to generation, the written documents and analysis of artefacts and buildings. Most recently the pupils have studied World War II. They recall a great deal of important information about the causes and effects of the war, but the quality of their written work varies dramatically. Although the higher attaining pupils are frequently able to write in a variety of styles such as notes, post cards from evacuees and newspaper articles about the Blitz, the lower attaining pupils frequently find this too difficult and do not finish their work. Although the teachers mark the pupils’ work and make encouraging comments, they seldom check to see if their suggestions have been carried out or provide time for completion or correction.

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HISTORY

108. There are several signs of strength in the teaching of history. For instance, there is widespread use of drama that helps to bring alive for the pupils such events as World War II, Ancient Greece and the burial ceremonies of the Ancient Egyptians. Some classes are making use of the Internet to carry out research and others encourage pupils to word process some of their work. However, although the average standards achieved are a good indication of sound teaching, the one Year 4 lesson observed was unsatisfactory. On this occasion the teacher planned that the children would learn about the difference in the ways that children were treated in Victorian times compared with nowadays. The idea of teaching the children one or two Victorian parlour games to contrast with modern games was a good one. However, the children played the games for too long and many became bored or distracted. The absence of any direct teaching

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HISTORY

related to the key objectives meant that the children made no real gains in their understanding of the Victorian era.

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HISTORY

109. History is under new management. The co-ordinator has only held this responsibility for a few months but has made a good start. Her academic credentials are good with a first degree in history and a subject knowledge that is a useful point of reference for colleagues. She is building a clear impression of standards across the school through the collation of the teachers’ assessments at the end of each unit of work. However, she is aware of the need to moderate these judgements, and to place a special focus on examining the pupils’ abilities to record neatly and accurately their learning. For instance, the regular analysis of exercise books and folders with detailed written feedback to teachers will be an important next step to ensuring more rapid improvement in this vital aspect of the children’s development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

110. Standards are similar to the national average by the end of Years 2 and 6. This represents good improvement since the last inspection when standards were below average. Pupils’ progress was judged to be unsatisfactory at that time. Given this low base, pupils’ achievements over time have been good. Boys and girls achieve similar standards and pupils of different abilities, including pupils who have special educational needs make mostly good progress in the subject. Goodyers End Primary School - 43 111. Improvement has been brought about by regular use of the computer suite, improved resources, intensive training programmes for staff and learning support assistants and improved planning to ensure all aspects of the subject receive appropriate coverage. The provision of three small units of computers outside classrooms has also had a good effect on pupils’ learning in literacy and numeracy work by enabled pupils,

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

including those who have special educational needs to use computers more regularly to extend and consolidate their work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

112. By the end of Year 2, most pupils have satisfactory basic keyboard and mouse skills. They use the spacebar, return key, backspace and delete keys to produce simple sentences. They use ICT to organise and classify information and to present their work, for example, average and above average pupils combine simple pieces of text and pictures. They enter and save their work and above average pupils retrieve files unaided and print out their work. Pupils know how to give instructions to a programmable toy in order for it to move in a predetermined way. Above average pupils successfully move the toy through 90 and 180-degree turns.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

113. By the end of Year 6, pupils develop their knowledge and skills well. They add to, amend and combine different forms of information from a variety of sources. They use ICT to present information in different forms and show awareness of the intended audience. For example, when supported by the teacher, pupils in Year 4, use a digital camera image as an attachment to an e-mail, design a simple questionnaire and pupils in Year 6 have designed a multi-media presentation with text, graphics and sound. Pupils have had experience of using e-mail and, during the inspection, pupils in Year 3 were learning to send and receive e-mails with a local primary school. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have had experiences of monitoring and control work and have produced simple sequences to operate model traffic lights. This aspect of the subject is not, however developed as well as others. At all stages, weaknesses in pupils’ reading and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

writing skills occasionally slows down their progress in the completion of work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

114. Computers are used satisfactorily to aid pupils’ understanding across all subjects, with the exception of music, and are used particularly well in literacy and numeracy work. In a Years 1 lesson, for example, pupils followed up work on the properties of two and three-dimensional shapes by extending and consolidating learning using a mathematical shapes program. This also helped the development of basic keyboard and mouse skills and added excitement to learning. Pupils in Year 2 use a multiplication program successfully to help learn their tables and pupils with special educational needs in Year 5 consolidate and extend learning in literacy using a program designed to improve their writing. Pupils in Year 4 have used classification programs in science successfully and have constructed graphs, tables and maps to supplement work in history and geography. In Years 1 and 2, pupils use painter programs to create

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

attractive ‘cold’ and ‘warm’ colour images.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

115. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory, often good and sometimes very good. It is closely linked to the improved confidence, expertise and the commitment of teachers across the school. Good training programmes and links with a local school that has particular expertise in the subject have brought this about. Many teachers now use the interactive whiteboard to demonstrate key learning skills. For example, it was used very successfully in a Year 1 lesson on shape, in a Year 2 lesson on number and in a Year 3 lesson on e-mailing procedures. Lesson planning is good, being based securely on national guidelines for the subject. This ensures key skills and experiences are introduced progressively. Teachers encourage pupils to work in pairs and to co- operate to achieve the task. This works well and the large majority of pupils are seen to actively support one another and share out tasks. This impacts well on their social and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Goodyers End Primary School - 44 moral development. A good feature in two lessons in Years 1 and 2 involved a competitive element in the work and this added extra challenge and enjoyment to the task. In the few lessons where teaching was only satisfactory, organisational and management shortcomings and the rushing of important parts of the lesson had a negative effect on learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

116. The subject is well led and managed. The co-ordinator has raised the profile of the subject across the school and has been instrumental in developing resources, staff training and curriculum planning. The recent appointment of a technician has successfully ironed out many of the niggling operational problems that affected learning in lessons and took valuable time away from the co-ordinator. A school computer club has been set up for pupils in Years 5 and 6 and this has a good effect on their learning. All relevant Internet safety procedures are in place.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

117. Prior to the start of the academic year, there was no whole-school assessment system to track pupils’ progress. This made it difficult to ensure key skills were developed consistently across all year groups. A promising new system was introduced at the beginning of the year and all staff are now using this effectively to gauge pupils’ progress against National Curriculum objectives. The system has not been established for long enough to measure how successfully it can be used to modify learning to account for the relative progress of various groups of pupils.

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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

118. French is taught in each year, including the reception classes. Teachers’ planning was analysed, one lesson was observed and discussions were held with pupils. Standards are close to average in pupils’ knowledge of French and France but speaking skills are below average as most pupils have difficulty using a French accent when responding to their teachers’ questions. Pupils achieve well because French is taught in each year of the school. There are no differences between the attainment of boys and girls and pupils from minority ethnic groups are well represented in the higher attaining groups. Pupils with special educational needs do well because they are supported well by learning support assistants and teachers take care to set tasks which are interesting and fun.

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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

119. Pupils’ learn the names of the equipment they use in lessons and around the classroom. They know how to greet each other and ask simple questions and answer enquiries about the weather. In the Year 6 lesson seen pupils learned about the types and names of animals kept as pets in France. Pupils learned the names of some domestic animals and tried very hard to achieve the correct pronunciation. Some were fairly successful in this but a large majority pronounced the letter sounds as if the words were English. The teacher used a good and interesting range of methods including a quiz to test pupils’ listening skills. Pupils worked together well to answer as a team. The lesson was taught skilfully and with lots of good humour and tact as some pupils found it difficult to answer in French. The teacher showed useful subject knowledge that helped pupils achieve good rates of learning.

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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

120. Planning for the subject is of good quality. Teachers plans activities that will help pupils to acquire useful vocabulary, for example, in Year 5 pupils study words relating to transport systems and the seaside and countryside that will be useful if they take holidays in France. Planning also ensures pupils learn by different methods, such as playing games. Pupils feel it is important to be able to speak another language and see the advantage of speaking French when they join their next school. The subject makes a valuable contribution to the pupils’ cultural development. Goodyers End Primary School - 45

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MUSIC

121. Pupils throughout the school attain above average standards. They enjoy music making activities. The tuition provided by visiting instrumental teachers, and by an expert teaching assistant, is a strength of the school. Choir ensembles, to promote enjoyment in singing and for those who wish to develop their talent further, and the provision of recorder, violin, brass and woodwind teaching further enhance the provision for junior age pupils. These elements especially enable the more able pupils to achieve well.

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MUSIC

122. Singing is of a very high standard. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 attain good standards in their composition and in their ability to read music but, for those who do not receive specialist help, the standard of playing tuned and untuned instruments, and in the recording of their compositions, are not high enough and need developing. This is because, until recently, there has been insufficient emphasis on providing sufficiently progressive experiences. The adoption of a new scheme of work with associated in- service training is effectively providing teachers with confidence to develop their music capabilities to higher levels.

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MUSIC

123. Younger pupils benefit from the regular development of their instrumental skills. They listen attentively to recorded music and to the musical efforts of their peers. Their singing is of a very good standard with a wide repertoire of songs often linked to multicultural themes. Dance and music are closely associated, for example, with the pupils having opportunity to listen to typical South American music played live while they are taught to dance the salsa.

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MUSIC

124. In order to further improve their music skills, pupils are being taught to record their compositions and then to evaluate and discuss how improvements may be made. They listen respectfully to each other’s efforts and make helpful suggestions as to how further improvements may be made, although often lesson time is restricted for this important activity, and speaking, listening and appraising skills are, therefore, not being fully developed.

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MUSIC

125. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good and has improved since the last inspection, when it was satisfactory with junior pupils and good with the infants. Teachers’ planning is monitored effectively by the subject manager who also regularly collects assessment sheets in order to track the progress of pupils and year groups. Pupils with special educational needs are included in all music activities and they are given assistance by learning support teachers when it is needed. They are making good progress. Those with challenging behaviour respond very well to their music lessons. In extra-curricular music, girls show greater enthusiasm than boys. The school is aware of this imbalance. There is little use of ICT to develop composing skills.

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MUSIC

126. The subject is well led by the manager who has been active in developing music in the school, particularly in the expertise of teachers. Due to staff changes, this is an ongoing task. The profile of the subject is high within the school and the local community. The choir performs regularly for local senior citizens and is due to perform shortly in the Mayor’s Parlour. A compact disc has been made of the choir, which has also performed at the Albert Hall with other Warwickshire choirs. The Arts Week, held at the time of the inspection, had a strong musical element, ranging from a study of West Side Story by Year 6 pupils to African drumming patterns by Year 2. There is an excellent link with the local Beacon Special School in music making. The school has a good collection of instruments. Goodyers End Primary School - 46

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. By the end of Years 2 and 6, standards in physical education are in line with those expected. This appears to be a deterioration since the previous inspection when they were described as above those expected for the age ranges. The subject manager for physical education is not a specialist and is currently away from school through illness. The headteacher temporarily covers the responsibility in her absence but the quality of subject development and teacher knowledge has diminished.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

128. Teachers’ planning is supported by a commercial scheme. The school is aware that dance is not sufficiently well developed and this is a priority that the school is addressing. For example, as part of the school’s Arts Week very good links with a project in English, contrasting Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and the musical West Side Story, were supported by a small group of musicians and a professional teacher of dance. At first, boys were less enthusiastic than girls to match dance movements to the rhythm of the music. This very quickly changed through rigorous and enthusiastic teaching that provided challenge for all pupils, including the most able athletes. All pupils quickly became aware of the hard work required for this demanding work.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

129. Teaching and learning are broadly satisfactory and there is some good teaching and learning in Years 2 and 6. The good weather during the inspection enabled pupils to play outdoor games. Pupils in Year 3 went swimming. They travel to the local leisure centre that provides qualified instructors to teach pupils. Good emphasis is placed on water safety and this boosts confidence for reluctant swimmers. During the summer term pupils who experience difficulty learning to swim receive additional support. By the end of Year 6 approximately 75 per cent of pupils are awarded 25 metres certificates.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. The school is fortunate to have very good facilities for teaching physical education. There are two halls, good quality hard play areas and an extensive playing field marked with an athletic track and pitches for team games. Additional provision to extend learning after school attracts many pupils who learn skills in a range of games, including basketball. This work receives good support from parents.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. The other areas of physical development are built upon consistently and pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. Pupils enjoy games and in a good quality rounders lesson pupils responded well to the high level of activity demanded by the teacher. The teacher encouraged pupils to analyse their performances and this improved skills and techniques. The quality of teaching in one lesson was unsatisfactory. After the pupils warmed up and were ready for rigorous activity too much time was spent sitting and listening to instructions and this led to restlessness. Additional time was spent dealing with challenging behaviour and this reduced the rate of learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. In a good quality dance lesson in Year 2 there was good emphasis on improving pupils’ control and poise. Through skilful questioning by the teacher pupils devised and demonstrated movements to reflect the mood and tempo of a range of music. The teacher shared with pupils ways in which their performances could be improved and this broadened their experiences and supported them in making more reliable choices. Individuals and groups were pleased to share their skills with the rest of the class and this made a valuable contribution to good learning. Goodyers End Primary School - 47 133. There are good arrangements for pupils to play competitive sport against other schools and in this way develop good attitudes to sportsmanship and a sense of healthy competition.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

134. Standards in Year 2 are below those expected in the locally agreed syllabus and in Year 6 they are in line with its expectations. Compared to 1997, standards in Year 2 appear to have fallen, whilst in Year 6 standards have been maintained.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135. Pupils in Year 1 enjoy their work and are achieving well. They contributed well to a lesson on charity. Their responses were reflective and showed a developing understanding of helping different groups of people. This was exemplified by a pupil who demonstrated her understanding of helping by explaining; ‘I helped my Nan who had hurt her feet. I told her to sit down and fetched a glass of water’. Pupils understand what they are learning. For instance, in discussion with a pupil who had been studying Buddhism, she showed her lovely line drawing of a person meditating. When asked what meditating meant, she sat upright, closed her eyes and said ‘concentrating!’

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136. Above average pupils in Year 2 gave a good account of when Buddhist people celebrate Wesak and what are important symbols and what are the differences between Buddhist religious symbols and Japanese ones. However, average and below average pupils were confused about different religions and simple rituals associated with these religions. One of the factors impeding pupils’ learning is the very limited amount of written work expected of them. Pupils do not have a reference point for their accumulating knowledge and have to rely on holding information and ideas in their heads. They lack opportunities to record and consolidate their understanding; above average pupils could do so but others struggle. Additionally, the standard of work presented was often untidy; handwriting was ill-formed and spelling haphazard, relying on phonetic guesses so that even common words were spelt incorrectly. As the subject involves some difficult vocabulary and concepts, pupils’ learning is

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

handicapped by not being given an opportunity to apply and use their literacy skills.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. Pupils in Year 6 gain broad levels of knowledge and understanding of Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. The current topic is Buddhism. The links with spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are promoted well. Hence, pupils learn about the values and beliefs of other religions and are able to put them in an everyday context. They recognise the need for religious tolerance and understanding. The impact of pupils’ achievement, in some cases, is profound as illustrated by this very thoughtful verse written by a Year 5 pupil.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

But some of the laws in this world Are actually quite right Like defying wars and racism God loves us black and white.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. Pupils’ written work shows a high level of engagement and shows that they are given opportunities to express opinions, to consider their responses and to be reflective. The amount, quality and quantity of work shows pupils have made significant progress from Year 2. They have positive attitudes, are keen to learn and generally listen well and behave well.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. Teaching is good at the top end of the school and in Year 1. Work is marked carefully and the teaching approach engages pupils to discuss and celebrate important issues. Goodyers End Primary School - 48 This was well demonstrated in a Year 1 class where the teacher asked questions for pupils to discuss in pairs. This approach promoted speaking and listening skills effectively and the buzz that followed each time demonstrated the full engagement of pupils. They accepted each task with enthusiasm and concentration. Teaching is not effective when the teacher introduces difficult concepts, such as Buddhism, without a proper introduction, pupils not being clear, for example, about the geographical location of Buddha’s birthplace. Without effective conceptualisation they found it difficult to understand the importance of Buddha. They learn about simple symbols, such as the lotus flower but do not understand their significance. New vocabulary is not introduced,

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

even in some cases when pupils asked for words, such as ‘existence’ and ‘enlightenment’ to be written on the board. Marking is inconsistent. Sometimes the same comments are written in all books and simple spelling and other errors are repeated.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. The co-ordinator took over responsibility last September. Since then she has carried out an audit of resources. She has started monitoring and has identified areas of weaknesses. An interim scheme has been written in line with national guidelines and Warwickshire’s Agreed Syllabus. As a whole-school policy, end-of-unit assessments have been introduced and in due course these will provide a useful basis for further analysis. The religious education co-ordinator is conscientious and is aware that, as this is not her specialist subject, further training is needed. The headteacher is providing good support in identifying and securing specialist individual training.

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