St Aidan's Church of England Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Derwentwater Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. NE8 2HQ

p.1

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24th to 27th February 2003

p.1

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.

p.1

PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Derwentwater Road Gateshead Tyne and Wear

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Reverend Richard Collins St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 22522 Mrs. M. Warburton Registered inspector Music What sort of school is it?

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Physical education The school’s results and achievements. Foundation Stage How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? 11468 Mrs. J. Menes Lay inspector Attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils and students? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 30499 Mrs. T. Woods Team inspector English How well is the school led and managed? Information technology History Equal opportunities 32097 Mrs. J. Bennett Team inspector Mathematics Art Design and technology English as an additional language 32653 Mrs. H. Goodchild Team inspector Science How good are the curricular and other opportunities? Geography Special educational needs St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 6

p.5

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

Information about the school 7 How good the school is 7 What the school does well 7 What could be improved 7 How the school has improved since its last inspection 7 Standards 8 Pupils’ attitudes and values 8 Teaching and learning 9 Other aspects of the school 9 How well the school is led and managed 10 Parents’ and carers’ views of the school 10

p.6

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements 11 Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development 12

p.6

AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES

St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 7

p.7

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St. Aidan’s Church of England Primary School is a new school, opened in 2000 following the amalgamation of St. Cuthbert’s CE Junior School and Derwent Infant School. It is situated in the Teams area of Gateshead and draws most of its pupils from the immediate area around the school. There are 200 pupils on roll, making it an average sized primary school. Six pupils speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) is average, and most of these pupils have learning difficulties. No pupil has a statement of SEN. The percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. The school has a 30 place nursery which includes both full and part-time children. Attainment on entry to the nursery is below average. The school is part of a small Education Action Zone (EAZ), and a joint therapies project. Priorities for

p.7

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

the school include raising standards, team building, staff development, parental and governor communication, developing leadership and management and promoting Christian values. Curriculum developments are identified in all subjects through action plans for the current year.

p.7

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school where the outstanding leadership provided by the head teacher, supported by a very good governing body and senior management team, ensures a commitment to on-going improvement. Pupils make good progress to achieve standards that are in line with national expectations and above those achieved by similar schools. The teaching is good overall and under the guidance of the head teacher it is improving. Given the resources available, and the careful decisions that are made about spending to ensure improvement, the school provides good value for money.

p.7

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Excellent leadership is provided by the head teacher who has created a clear vision and direction for the school and works very effectively with all members of the school community towards continuing improvement. • Consistently good teaching throughout the school ensures that pupils make good progress and achieve standards that are well above those achieved by similar schools in the national tests. • The good levels of care and very good provision for personal development ensure that pupils feel secure and confident, behave well and have good attitudes to learning. • The school provides a rich curriculum and very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development, with a strong emphasis on developing Christian values that results in the mission statement being fulfilled in the day-to-day life of the school.

p.7

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in English throughout the school, particularly in speaking and reading. • The consistent use of assessment information to improve standards and set curricular and learning targets for pupils. • Attendance, although the school works very hard to improve this. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since opening in 2000 the school has made very good progress in most aspects of its work. The head teacher, supported by an effective governing body and hard-working staff, has created a very positive ethos where all pupils feel valued and supported. Schemes of work for all subjects have been put in place that help teachers plan interesting and challenging activities for pupils. There is an on-going commitment to improving the quality of teaching through a good programme of staff development, and the standards achieved by pupils show a good improvement. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 8 St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 9

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.9

STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

p.9

STANDARDS

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

p.9

STANDARDS

The standards achieved by pupils are at the nationally expected levels in most subjects, and are improving. The standards achieved in mathematics throughout the school are a strength, with a significant proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels. Standards achieved in science by the end of Key Stage 2 are good. In English standards are below the national average, especially in speaking and reading, but they are improving. In the 2002 tests taken by pupils in Year 2, standards were well below the national average in reading, below in writing and above average in mathematics. When compared to similar schools standards were average in reading, well above average in writing and very high, in the top 5% in mathematics. Given that when they start in the nursery standards are below the expected levels, pupils’ achievement is good. Standards have improved dramatically since the school opened in 2000,

p.9

STANDARDS

and challenging targets for improvement have been set which the school is on line to achieve.

p.9

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and most are enthusiastic and keen to participate in lessons and other activities.

p.9

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils’ behaviour is good at lunchtimes and in the playground. Sometimes in lessons it is very good.

p.9

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils respond well to the strong ethos of caring and achievement that characterises the school. They care for each other and show consideration for the feelings of others.

p.9

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Below the national average but improving. The school has put in place rigorous systems to record absence and to improve pupils’ attendance at school.

p.9

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

The very good emphasis that the school places on personal development and relationships is successful in that pupils develop good attitudes to learning and behave well. Any instances of unacceptable behaviour are dealt with quickly and sensitively by staff. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 10

p.9

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

p.10

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

p.10

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Overall the quality of teaching throughout the school is good. It is very good in the nursery and reception class, and in Key Stages 1 and 2 it ranges from satisfactory to excellent, and is good overall. There were no unsatisfactory lessons seen during the inspection. Children in the Foundation Stage get off to a very good start because teachers are very sensitive to their needs and provide clear routines and guidance. Throughout the school lessons are well planned and prepared with a clear focus, and teachers use interesting, relevant tasks to motivate the pupils. Teachers have good subject knowledge, and the basic skills in numeracy are taught very well, but opportunities to develop pupils’ literacy skills, particularly speaking and reading, are sometimes missed. Relationships are very good throughout the school and are excellent in the Foundation Stage. Teachers give good support and guidance to pupils.

p.10

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Occasionally they could provide more opportunities for pupils to work independently and use their own initiative. Care is taken to ensure that all pupils are fully included in what is on offer, and the teaching of pupils who have SEN is very good; they are given good support in most lessons.

p.10

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant. The timetable is organised well to maximise teaching time. An appropriate emphasis is placed upon the teaching of literacy and numeracy. The curriculum is enriched through ‘Golden Time’ and a very good range of extra-curricular clubs.

p.10

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils are well supported during lessons and this enables pupils to make good progress.

p.10

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Pupils are given good support and are fully included in all lessons and activities.

p.10

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good throughout the school. There is a strong emphasis on developing Christian principals. Very good use is made of assembly times and pupils are frequently encouraged to reflect upon the consequences of their actions. Cultural development is good.

p.10

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The concept of care is embedded in the ethos of the school, and the school provides well for pupils’ health, safety and protection.

p.10

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school works well in partnership with parents and provides them with good information about their children’s progress. The curriculum provided is good in that it meets the needs of all pupils. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 11

p.10

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff Very good. The leadership provided by the head teacher is excellent and she is supported well by a relatively new senior management team. Subject co-ordinators have made a good start in providing effective leadership in their areas of the curriculum.

p.11

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors are committed and knowledgeable, and work very effectively to support the school.

p.11

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school has a very good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and plans very effectively for development.

p.11

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school makes very good use of all available resources to secure improvements.

p.11

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing levels and resources for learning are good overall. The accommodation is excellent and is kept in pristine condition by a dedicated caretaker and cleaning staff. The school applies the principles of best value very well when considering spending decisions.

p.11

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

p.11

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• That the school expects children to work hard and do their best. • The teaching is good. • Their children make good progress. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible. • The range of activities provided outside lessons. • The information they receive about how their children are getting on. • The amount of homework given.

p.11

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with the positive views expressed by most parents. The provision of activities outside lessons is judged to be very good, and the amount of homework is about right for children of this age. Parents receive good information about their children’s progress. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 12

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The standards achieved by pupils in Year 6 in the national tests in 2002 were below average in English and science but were average in mathematics. When compared to similar schools standards were well above average in English and mathematics and above average in science. This represents an improvement on the previous year, when the first results of the new school were published. Pupils in Year 2 in the 2002 tests attained standards that were well below the national average in reading, below in writing and above in mathematics. When compared to similar schools standards were average in reading, above average in writing, and very high, in the top 5%, in mathematics. These standards represent a decline in reading and an improvement in writing since the school opened, and the same high standards in mathematics have been maintained. At both key stages there was little difference between the performance of boys and girls.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. When children start in the nursery many have poor language skills, but as a result of good teaching all pupils, including those who have SEN and those whose first language is not English, make good progress. By the end of Year 2 most pupils can write a series of sentences to communicate a story, but only the higher attaining consistently use capital letters and full stops correctly. Their handwriting is good because a new approach to teaching a cursive style has been introduced. In reading pupils rely heavily on their knowledge of letter sounds to help them tackle unfamiliar words, but have developed few other strategies to help them. They can talk in simple terms about stories they have read, but missed opportunities to read aloud or to extend answers by using a broader range of vocabulary mean that the skills of reading and speaking are slower to develop than those of writing. By the end of Year 6 pupils use their

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

imagination to write descriptive paragraphs, and the higher attaining select words that will give interest to their work and generally spell common words correctly. Most pupils read fluently but only the higher attaining are confident to do so. Pupils find it difficult to express an opinion or to speak expressively because there are too few opportunities for them to do so.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Standards in mathematics are a real strength because the school has had a clear focus on improving this area. By the age of seven pupils have good number skills, investigate number patterns and measure accurately. By the end of Year 6 higher attaining pupils are working at a level above expectation for age. They have a good grasp of number work and shape. Almost all pupils have a good understanding of a range of strategies for calculation and set out their work very well.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In the 2002 teacher assessments of seven-year-olds in science, standards were well below the national average, but standards of work in the current Year 2 is in line with national expectations, and pupils demonstrate sound scientific knowledge and understanding, most knowing how to conduct a fair test. Throughout Key Stage 2 pupils make good progress so that by Year 6 standards achieved by some pupils are above the expected levels and they are on target to do well in the national tests. They confidently use and apply their scientific knowledge and understanding, explain their thinking and carefully observe and record their results. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 13 5. In all other subjects of the curriculum pupils make good progress and attain standards that are in line with national expectations, although occasionally in some subjects pupils’ ability to explain their thinking or record ideas is hampered by their poorer

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

language skills. However, when their prior attainment is taken into consideration pupils’ achievement overall is good. The school has set challenging targets for improvement and is on track to achieve them.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. Pupils like coming to school and enjoy the opportunities it provides. They take a pride in their school and their own achievements.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and most are enthusiastic and keen to participate in lessons. They listen attentively to the teacher and to each other, are keen to answer questions and concentrate well on their work. They quickly learn to co- operate and work together, for example a group of reception pupils were able to play a number game together sensibly without adult supervision. Behaviour in class is sometimes very good, particularly so when teachers have very clear expectations of good behaviour, lessons are well organised and teachers are effective in engaging pupils' interest. In a few lessons some pupils are easily distracted and lose concentration. There have been no exclusions, and pupils are able to work in an atmosphere free of harassment or bullying through a readiness to report incidents to staff, in confidence that they will be listened to.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils' behaviour is usually good at lunchtimes and in the playground; pupils move sensibly around the school and play energetically and happily together, using the equipment provided. They are proud of their new building and take care of it. Relationships are very good both between pupils and staff and amongst pupils themselves, so that they grow in confidence and respond well to the strong ethos of caring and achievement that characterises the school. Pupils are polite to visitors, and welcoming to children joining the school so that they quickly settle in and make friends. They care for each other and show consideration for the feelings of others, for example by electing 'buddies' from each class to help pupils who need someone to play with or talk to.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Older pupils willingly take on responsibilities to help with the running of the school, such as clearing up after the breakfast club and lunchtime and helping with the youngest children at break times. The school council has been successful in enabling pupils to take on responsibilities by representing their classmates and carrying their suggestions to council meetings. They are able to make a difference to the school by making decisions and carrying them out, such as the acquisition of play equipment and sale of fruit at morning break. Pupils volunteer to say prayers at assembly, and give musical performances with confidence and enthusiasm.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Attendance is improving although it is still below the national average. The school is rigorous in recording absence and contacting parents when no reason for absence is given. It works hard in partnership with the education welfare officer to reduce unauthorised absence and encourage parents to ensure pupils arrive at school on time. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 14

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

11. The quality of teaching throughout the school is good. It is very good in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stages 1 and 2 it ranges from satisfactory to excellent, and is good overall. There were no unsatisfactory lessons seen during the inspection.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

12. Throughout the school lessons are well planned and prepared and have clear intended learning outcomes that are shared with pupils and often re-visited at the end of lessons to check on what has been learned. Tasks build well on what has been learned before, and teachers provide interesting resources that motivate the pupils and encourage them to work productively. In a Year 4 mathematics lesson for example, pupils were motivated by the teacher’s use of a pendulum to encourage a quick response when halving and doubling numbers. In an excellent Year 6 science lesson, the provision of magnifying glasses and samples of decomposed food in sealed bags enabled pupils to make excellent progress and attain standards above the expected levels. Teachers are good at making the learning relevant for pupils by using everyday experiences as examples, such as in a Year 5 information and communication technology (ICT) lesson

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

where pupils learned to work with spreadsheets, using taking friends for a burger as a birthday treat as a context for learning. Tasks such as this help pupils to see the relevance of what they are learning to their own lives.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

13. Teachers have good subject knowledge, and the skills of literacy and numeracy are taught very well, although opportunities to develop pupils’ reading and speaking skills are sometimes missed, for example when joining in with reading in the literacy hour.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. Questioning is often good but sometimes teachers are too ready to accept one word answers from pupils in response to their questions, and sometimes do not give them sufficient time to think or to discuss with a partner before answering. Activities are usually well matched to prior attainment but occasionally there is insufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils, or lower attainers are unable to complete the tasks because they do not understand what they have to do.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. Teachers make good use of praise, and give good support and guidance to pupils, and this enables them to develop confidence in themselves. In a very good Year 6 mathematics lesson, the teacher circulated well, offering individual pupils very good support to calculate angles around a point. One pupil who had been absent was included very well through additional support and explanation. Occasionally teachers could provide more opportunities for pupils to work independently and use their own initiative. In a Year 6 geography lesson for example, tasks were very structured with few opportunities for pupils to draw on their own knowledge or to find things out for themselves.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. Teachers give very clear explanations and good demonstrations, for example in a Year 1 ICT lesson where the teacher clearly explained the purpose of the lesson and then St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 15 gave a competent demonstration of how to use the tools in a paint program, preparing pupils well for their own drawing, and building on skills learned in previous lessons. Good use is often made of opportunities to develop language skills through open-ended questioning and an insistence that pupils explained their thinking, but sometimes there are insufficient opportunities provided for pupils to talk. This is occasionally the case in the plenary session of lessons where there is too much teacher talk. However, these sessions are mostly used very well to consolidate the learning and to prepare for the next stage, as seen in a Year 3/4 English lesson where pupils could explain what a

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers make very good use of ICT to support learning across the curriculum. This was seen in a Year 6 mathematics lesson where a program to measure angles was used effectively by the teacher to motivate pupils, and in a Year 3 lesson where pupils were using the Internet to research the life of Henry VIII.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The head teacher has been pro-active in improving the quality of teaching throughout the school. She has provided good support and guidance to new, younger members of staff and they have responded very well to this by taking on board suggestions and strategies to improve their teaching.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

19. The school provides a broad and satisfactorily balanced programme for pupils’ learning that meets the statutory requirements for the curriculum. The school follows the requirements set out in the Local Education Authority’s (LEA’s) Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (RE). An appropriate emphasis is placed on teaching English and mathematics and there is sufficient time allocation for the other subjects. Careful timetabling ensures that opportunities for learning are maximised.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

20. The school has good strategies for teaching literacy, numeracy and science. Planning identifies what pupils in each year group need to learn and this is clearly reflected in what is taught in lessons. English and maths teaching is firmly based on the national literacy and numeracy strategies. More opportunities could be provided for pupils to practise, develop and extend their reading, writing and speaking and listening skills through purposeful opportunities provided in other subjects such as history, geography and RE. All pupils have individual termly targets relating to literacy, numeracy and behaviour. Although teachers are committed to the target setting process not all pupils know and understand their targets

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

21. The school’s curriculum is significantly enriched by weekly ‘Golden Time’. Pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 benefit from the opportunity to choose an activity to study weekly over a half term period. Activities include Spanish, French, cookery, paper craft, art, sewing, photography, board games, athletics and football. A number of pupils also have additional tuition in music, participating in the choir or learning to play the violin, ocarina, recorder or guitar. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities including performing arts, games, football and the planned ICT and confirmation classes.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

22. The school’s programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE) provides appropriate opportunities for pupils to learn to look after themselves and to understand St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 16 their responsibilities. The programmes of study teach pupils about the dangers of drug misuse and the school nurse covers the required curriculum in pupils’ sex education. Parents are provided with appropriate supporting information.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The school ensures equality of opportunity to all pupils. Those with SEN are provided with well-focused and effective support that enables them to make good progress and to be fully involved in lessons. All of the out of school activities are open to all pupils and are well attended.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The school benefits from very strong links with the community, Church and local schools. Parents and friends of the school regularly attend celebratory assemblies and concerts. Support is given for charities and most recently the pupils raised £900 through a sponsored run for Cancer Research. There are excellent links between the school and Kings Meadow Secondary School. There is close liaison between staff and sharing of good practice, for example a Kings Meadow teacher worked with primary pupils on a ‘play in a day'.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is very good. The provision for cultural development is good. There is a strong emphasis on developing Christian principles. Pupils are given regular opportunities to reflect on life experiences. All classrooms have a quiet area for ‘Pause for Thought’. These areas are given a high profile in each classroom, they are displayed with Christian symbols and candles and each area has a well-used prayer box. Inspirational messages are evident in all areas of the school and are a powerful motivational tool, for example ‘I believe in myself’. RE makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. Social development is highly effective throughout the school. Pupils are given many opportunities to work co- operatively within year groups and across year groups. Higher attaining pupils regularly support lower attaining pupils with recorded work, and pupils work across the year

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

groups during ‘Golden Time’. The ethos of the school continually encourages pupils to be aware of others and to feel part of a family that values them and helps them develop a clear understanding of what is right and wrong. The school’s mission statement and code of conduct is referred to throughout each school day. Assemblies are extremely thought-provoking and give clear messages about morality. A whole-school assembly observed during the inspection successfully encouraged pupils of all ages to consider the good and bad ways of using their hands. Overall the very positive attitudes and relationships are testimony to the success of the school in promoting pupils’ moral development. Music and art make a significant contribution to the pupils’ cultural development, this is supported to a lesser extent by other subjects, such as RE, history and geography.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

26. The concept of care is embedded in the ethos of the school, and the school provides well for pupils' health and safety and protection. Staff know individual pupils well and understand their needs. The school has achieved a Healthy School Award and provides good support for pupils' health and self-esteem through the curriculum, so that pupils learn how to make informed choices in their diet and lifestyle. One result is the decision of the school council to sell fruit to pupils at break times, which has proved to be popular. The breakfast club provides good care and support for pupils and working parents.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

27. The school makes every effort to improve attendance through communication with parents and rewards to pupils. A member of staff keeps records and regularly St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 17 monitors attendance of individual pupils and classes. She works closely with the education welfare officer to follow up pupils with poor attendance records. These procedures have had success in improving attendance in the last year.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

28. The school promotes good behaviour very well and has created an atmosphere in which bullying and racial harassment are unacceptable and effectively dealt with. It has clear and firmly established expectations that pupils will behave well and show consideration to others, and staff praise and reward those who respond well and encourage those who have difficulty to do better. Where pupils do not behave as expected an appropriate scale of sanctions is applied, records are kept and parents may be consulted.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

29. Pupils’ educational and personal achievements are well supported by the school. Achievement assemblies are held every week when a wide variety of awards are made including success in out-of-school activities. Pupils understand and value the rewards that they can achieve. They each have a book in which their merits are recorded with the reason, throughout their time in the school so that variations in performance can be monitored.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The systems to assess pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics are very good. Systems are less well developed in other subjects. On entry assessment is used appropriately for foundation stage children to identify their strengths and areas for development. Day-to-day assessments provide teachers with information about pupils’ short-term progress, especially in English and mathematics. Each class teacher maintains a detailed assessment file for each year group. Well-developed portfolios of levelled work give teachers good quality information with which to judge standards and assess progress. Pupils who have SEN have individual education programmes that are appropriately detailed and contain clear targets for improvement. Pupils are developing the ability to self-select high quality work to add to their individual record of achievement. Year 6 pupils reflect on what makes a good piece of work.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. The assessment co-ordinator takes responsibility for the collection, analysis and distribution of formal assessment data. Co-ordinators and teachers do not fully understand, and consequently use, the range of assessment information available to track pupils’ progress across the school year or to inform medium-term and short-term planning.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 18 32. Parents are very pleased with the work of the school and the education their children receive. They consider that the school has high expectations of pupils, that pupils make good progress and that teaching is good.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

33. The school provides good information to parents about pupils' progress through annual written reports and meetings with class teachers, and most parents feel that they can approach teachers with questions or concerns at any time. Parents are welcome to attend achievement assemblies every week to see their children receive awards. These are popular and well attended and help to keep parents in touch with what is going on in school. Information for parents about the school is good. Information on the curriculum is sent to parents at the start of the school year and the brochure and newsletters are attractively produced. Parents of pupils beginning in nursery and reception are well supported with information and opportunities to visit the school. The nursery teacher visits the child at home beforehand and arrangements for initial sessions are flexible to suit the needs of parent and child.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

34. The school is working hard to develop further links with parents and sends questionnaires annually to gather their views. This work is beginning to show success in increasing the involvement of parents in the work of the school. A regular drop-in session is held every week. Parents attending these sessions have carried out very useful tasks such as organising and cataloguing group reading books, and are planning to start selling fruit and vegetables to parents. Story bags have been produced for younger children to support reading at home and parents have participated in 'reading together' afternoons linked with book fairs. The school is planning a 'keeping up with the children' programme in literacy and numeracy for parents, which will help them to support their children's learning at home.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

35. The leadership and management of the school are very good. The outstanding leadership of the head teacher has provided a sense of vision and commitment that all share. This makes for very good relationships and a determination to support the school’s priorities for improvement.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

36. Since the school opened, standards have improved and they are beginning to compare favourably with those of schools in similar circumstances. A programme of classroom monitoring set up by the head teacher has ensured that the quality of teaching and learning is good and that the curriculum is well established. The senior management team is newly formed and includes the head teacher and the school’s two assistant head teachers. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, as they are for subject co-ordinators, resulting in a good level of support for colleagues. All are well placed to follow the example of the head teacher in developing their monitoring role as part of the school’s continuing work on raising standards. There is a strong sense of belonging throughout the school, nurtured by the head teacher and supported by a Christian ethos. As a result pupils have good attitudes to work; they behave well and make good

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

progress in both their personal and academic development.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

37. The governing body works very effectively to support the school. Governors are committed and knowledgeable. They have a clear view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses because they visit school regularly, sometimes linking with curriculum St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 19 areas, giving them more opportunities to talk to co-ordinators, teachers and pupils. They use reported information and what they have found out for themselves in order to shape the strategic direction of the school. This close working relationship with the head teacher and staff ensures that decisions, such as those relating to budget, are linked to the development plan. Therefore, actions are manageable and affordable. As all school development plan priorities are fully discussed, the plan is an effective document and one that takes full account of national initiatives, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The governing body fulfils all statutory duties and applies the principles

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

of ‘best value for money’ rigorously. A good example of the quality of the management of finances is the way the school has developed its very good facilities for the teaching of ICT. Funding for pupils with SEN is being used in combination with other grants to provide a high level of support throughout the school year, and this is managed very well by the co-ordinator for SEN.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

38. The school has sufficient staff and these are well deployed. Administrative staff make a very good contribution to the smooth running of the school. Support teachers and classroom assistants contribute well to pupils’ learning. Induction procedures for new teachers are very effective. Young and inexperienced teachers are nurtured by the head teacher and supported by mentor colleagues so that they feel confident in the contribution they make to the life of the school. A formal system for performance management is in place and assists in the identification of any training needs for individual teachers. Teachers also work together on issues that concern them all, for example in establishing the new aims and values and agreeing a system for managing and improving the standard of pupils’ behaviour when the school first opened. These initiatives have been very successful. For example, during the inspection teachers

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

shared the school’s mission statement with pupils each morning, setting the context for pupils to give their best throughout the day.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

39. Accommodation is excellent and is kept spotlessly clean and tidy. Very good use is made of wall space to provide attractive displays that support pupils’ learning and give value to their work. There are good-sized classrooms and outdoor play areas. The school benefits from a very good computer suite which is well organised and resourced and effectively maintained by a technician shared with the local comprehensive school. The well-stocked library has yet to be used to its fullest benefit but is suitably organised and provides a bright and stimulating additional teaching space for small groups in literacy lessons. The hall is a good size and easily accommodates PE lessons and whole-school assemblies. The school’s chapel is a superb resource and one that governors and staff wish to develop further. At the present time it provides a space for quiet reflection and is a reminder to the school community of the school’s faith and

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

purpose. Learning resources are of good quality. However, there is a need to improve the range of reading books particularly for older pupils. Overall the school gives good value for money. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 20

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

40. (a) Raise the standards achieved by pupils throughout the school in English by:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Providing more opportunities for them to develop their reading and speaking skills; • Planning more opportunities for them to practise and develop literacy skills across the curriculum.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraph Nos. 13, 14, 16, 20, 39, 51, 54, 58)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(b) Improve the effectiveness of assessment procedures throughout the school by:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Providing teachers with training so that they use the information gained through assessment to set learning and curricular targets for pupils; • Involving pupils more in the target setting process so that they are fully aware of what they are aiming for.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(c) Continue to implement the excellent procedures for improving attendance so that absence rates continue to fall.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraph Nos. 10, 27) St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 21

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.21

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. [When the total number is substantially less than 100, add] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one [two, three, etc] percentage point[s]. [Where the total is close to or greater than 100, use only the first sentence.]

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 20 156

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 103

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 32

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 5

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 14

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 17

p.21

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.21

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 22

p.21

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 11 16 27

p.22

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.22

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

Boys 9 9 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 13 16

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 70 (88) 81 (83) 100 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.22

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

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

Boys 9 11 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 14 12

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 74 (83) 93 (83) 78 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.22

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

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

p.22

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 17 18 35

p.22

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.22

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

Boys 12 11 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 15 16

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 66 (50) 74 (65) 83 (70) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.22

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

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

Boys 9 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 15 13

p.22

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

Percentage of pupils School 57 (60) 74 (65) 69 (80) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.22

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 23

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 24

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

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

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.2:1

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 519,124.00

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 495,335.00

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 47 Expenditure per pupil 2,477.00

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 77,468.00

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 101,257.00

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22 : 1

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 74

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 25

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child likes school. 57.2 33.3 9.5 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 57.1 42.9 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 47.6 42.9 4.8 0 4.8

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33.3 47.6 9.5 4.8 4.8

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 42.9 38.1 19 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57.1 28.6 9.5 4.8 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71.4 28.6 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 52.4 33.3 14.3 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 61.9 23.8 9.5 4.8 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57.1 38.1 4.8 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 47.6 28.6 14.3 4.8 4.8 St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. This is a strength of the school. When pupils start nursery they have below expected levels of attainment in all aspects of development and well below in communication, language and literacy. Children make good progress because of good, very good, and sometimes excellent teaching. By the end of the reception year children are close to the standards expected for their age overall, but in their mathematical development, personal, social and emotional development, and physical development, they attain standards that are in line with those expected nationally.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. Classrooms are well organised and provide a bright and interesting environment in which children can learn through play. Resources are of good quality and stored effectively to enable pupils to access them independently and to make choices. A good balance is achieved between activities led by adults and opportunities for children to work at activities they have selected themselves.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Pupils are warmly welcomed into school. Routines and procedures are well established and understood by everyone. For example, at the beginning of the nursery session pupils select their name and use this to identify the activity that they plan to do during the session. This is done quickly and effectively, ensuring a productive start to the day. Staff use very effective strategies to help children to work co-operatively and to help each other. Teachers’ daily planning is good. Pupils learn through a wide range of carefully planned activities that are well matched to prior learning. However, opportunities for children to write for a range of purposes requires further development, and the external environment is not yet used sufficiently to support learning in all aspects of development.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. Teaching is very good overall and sometimes it is excellent. Effective planning provides a clear focus for lessons. Staff plan challenging activities which are well matched to pupils’ prior learning, using methods which actively involve them in lessons. Staff have good subject knowledge and high expectations of pupils. Relationships are excellent. Staff know pupils well and use sensitive discussion, questioning and support to help them to learn. Very appropriate emphasis is placed upon the development of speech and language, and good opportunities are given for children to extend their vocabulary, and to speak and listen within a group. Staff work together well as a team and teaching assistants make a very positive contribution to children’s learning and personal welfare.

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

45. Children ask politely if they can have a turn, and they share materials fairly. They ask for help when needed using the social conventions of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Excellent opportunities are provided for children to talk about their feelings and to recognise the personal qualities of others. For example, pupils talk sensitively about a member of the class identified as ‘special person of the week’. They make comments such as, ‘he is kind and caring’, ‘he shares with others’, ‘he tidies up’. Pupils select from a range of independent activities, using their time well. They can maintain the rules of simple games, helping each other when it is needed. They are able to dress and undress independently, are independent in their personal hygiene, and take responsibility for tidying activities away. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 27

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

46. Nursery children listen attentively and a minority are confident to speak within a group, using related sentences to share their ideas. Teachers use questions and discussion very effectively to consolidate and extend pupils’ use of spoken language. Nursery children are beginning to understand the conventions of stories, they know, for example, that some stories begin ‘Once upon a time’. Reception children talk with enthusiasm about their work and are able to describe in simple terms the methods used, for example they explain that they made patterns by rolling marbles in paint. Reception children carefully select books within the classroom using the pictures to inform their choice. They recognise some common words on sight and are beginning to use their knowledge of letter sounds to build simple words. Children compose simple sentences for an adult scribe. They can copy writing with generally good control

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

over shape and size of letters. Children use letter shapes and symbols in their independent writing, however, insufficient opportunities are provided for them to write independently for a range of purposes.

p.27

Mathematical development

47. Nursery children use their developing mathematical knowledge in their play, for example they make ‘birthday cakes’ from dough with the correct number of candles. They recognise which set has more when comparing sets of objects up to 5. Reception children can recognise and write numbers to 10 and count accurately. They add and subtract sets of objects both mentally and practically, and can calculate 1 more and 1 less when working with numbers to 10. They can order three random numbers within 10, using positional language such as ‘before’ and ‘after’ to describe what they have done. For example, they know that 3 comes before 6, and that 8 comes after 6. They use resources such as a number line to check their answers.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

48. Children can identify their five senses, relating the tongue to taste, and ears to hearing. They are beginning to recognise materials such as wood and plastic and to sort them by properties such as ‘hard’ and ‘soft’. They use their hands and small tools to carefully shape dough, and select from a range of materials to build three-dimensional models in the technology area. Good use is made of visiting professionals, for example a dental hygienist helps children to understand the importance of cleaning teeth carefully. Pupils can identify the differences between old and new toys using words such as ‘clean’, ‘raggy’ and ‘hard’, to describe them. They can use the mouse appropriately to operate simple computer programmes, responding effectively to the verbal instructions given.

p.27

Physical development

49. Children use a range of small tools effectively. They use scissors to cut paper and sellotape for their models in the technology area, and use small tools to shape and mark when creating with dough. Children use large apparatus with confidence. They know that they need to ‘warm up their muscles’ before exercise, and they observe safety rules when using equipment. They choose different parts of their bodies to travel along, under and over apparatus. They can move in different directions and combine movements into a sequence. For example, they can travel sideways under a beam using hands and feet, and they can end their sequence by combining a jump with a forward roll. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 28

p.27

Creative development

50. Nursery children listen carefully to sounds and make sensible attempts to recognise them. For example, they listen to crunching paper and suggest that it might be ‘thunder’ or a ‘rain stick’. They are able to recognise and name some instruments such as ‘tambourine’. Reception children enjoy singing. They are able to combine words and actions, maintaining a steady beat, and inventing new actions to accompany songs. They are able to link movement to music and to respond to the beat. They enjoy mixing paints together and can use sponges to print. Adults are very sensitive to pupils’ interests and imagination, for example, they allow them time to explore the feel of paint on their hands and the effects they can achieve by layering paint onto sponges. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 29

p.28

ENGLISH

51. Standards in the tests for pupils at the age of seven and eleven are below the levels expected nationally. However, when results are judged against those of schools in similar circumstances, they are in line with the average for seven-year-olds and above at the age of eleven. This reflects the fact that pupils start school with low levels of language skills and that as a result of good teaching and good attitudes to work, all pupils including those with SEN and those whose first language is not English, make good progress. Last year higher attaining pupils did particularly well in comparison with pupils in similar schools, with a very good percentage reaching standards that are well above the national average.

p.29

ENGLISH

52. Since the school opened, standards in English have improved dramatically. This has been as a direct result of the leadership of the head teacher who has inspired teachers to share her commitment to raising standards. She has been well supported by the co- ordinator for this subject in getting the school’s policy agreed and the national literacy strategy fully implemented so that they are central to the teaching of English. Placing pupils in groups according to their ability has also contributed to improving standards, by reducing the breadth of ability in classes and in some cases the size of the group. This has made teachers’ planning easier to manage and has helped them meet the needs of all pupils in their group or class. Overall the leadership and management of the subject are good and make a strong contribution to raising standards.

p.29

ENGLISH

53. The school also has a well-established system for assessment and for identifying what it needs to do next in order to improve. These systems are already having a very positive impact on overall performance. For example, standards in writing have shown considerable improvement over the last year and a new approach to the teaching of handwriting has allowed pupils to develop a legible cursive style.

p.29

ENGLISH

54. Now that agreed approaches to the teaching of writing are part of everyday lessons, the school is turning its attention to improving standards in reading. Work has already begun on developing more effective methods of teaching in guided reading sessions but this has not yet had time to have a further impact on raising standards. A review of the quality and range of reading books has already been undertaken and a much- needed commitment to improving these has been made, particularly for older pupils, so that early skills can be built on more effectively. Pupils do not always select reading books for themselves and they only visit the library once a week. This has a limiting effect on promoting their interest and a love of reading. A group of parents make a positive contribution to the promotion of reading by taking on the organisation of book bags, originally run by teachers. Pupils are enthusiastic about taking these books

p.29

ENGLISH

home but the full impact of this project on overall performance has not yet been evaluated. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 30 55. Higher attaining pupils at the end of Year 2 can recount a fairy story, such as ‘The Elves and the Shoemaker’, in simple sentences. They sometimes use capital letters and full stops correctly and they make only a few errors in the spelling of common words. Average and lower attaining pupils are developing their ability to write a sequence of sentences to communicate the sense of the story but often forget to use simple punctuation and need a higher level of help with spelling. Pupils’ work shows a good standard of handwriting. All pupils are encouraged to enter a regular handwriting competition and successful entries are displayed for all to admire. In reading, pupils rely heavily on their knowledge of letter sounds to tackle unfamiliar words and have not

p.29

ENGLISH

yet developed a wider range of strategies to help them. They like reading and can talk in simple terms about the story when they know its plot and how it ends. In lessons they have more difficulty in expressing an opinion or communicating their ideas about characters or events in unfamiliar stories. They make good attempts to comment on these features when reminded to use picture cues and key words and phrases, for example in their discussion of a story called ‘The Maker’.

p.30

ENGLISH

56. By the end of Year 6, higher attaining pupils can select words that will give interest to their writing about ‘Perseus and the Minotaur’. They write in paragraphs and generally spell common words correctly but need to be reminded about the accurate use of punctuation. Their handwriting style is well developed. Pupils of average ability use their imagination to write a descriptive paragraph. They can put their sentences in a logical order and are developing the use of paragraphs and interesting vocabulary. They generally find it difficult to express an opinion and need a high level of support to help them to refer to the text to back up their ideas. Higher attaining pupils read with confidence but sometimes lack enthusiasm for this area of their work, particularly when asked to comment on the text. Pupils of average and low ability read with some fluency but sometimes find it difficult to use their voice in an expressive way to show how the

p.30

ENGLISH

characters are speaking or to reflect emotions and feelings.

p.30

ENGLISH

57. Teaching is good overall. In the best lessons teachers have secure subject knowledge and use this effectively in questioning and prompting pupils. Lessons are well prepared and planning is of good quality. This means that teachers are sure about what it is they want pupils to learn and they communicate this well to pupils at the start of lessons. Classroom assistants and support teachers provide good quality additional guidance, particularly for pupils with SEN and those who do not speak English fluently, when they are working independently or as part of a group. Support during whole-class sessions is less well developed. In the best lessons teachers target questions to these pupils so that they have opportunities to develop their skills and understanding. Most teachers make good use of materials designed to boost pupils’ ability to achieve as well as they can and use praise effectively to raise pupils’ confidence and belief in their own abilities.

p.30

ENGLISH

There are good displays to support learning in spelling and in structuring story and persuasive writing. Key words and lesson objectives are prominently displayed in all classrooms. Pupils’ work is given value by being carefully displayed using quality materials. All these displays provide a stimulating atmosphere in which pupils can learn. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 31 58. Frequent discussion helps pupils to understand the text they are studying, but teachers do not always encourage them to extend their answers by using a broader range of spoken vocabulary. Similarly opportunities are sometimes missed for reading aloud both individually and in whole-class situations. In the best lessons pupils are encouraged to join with the teacher in the reading of a shared text, allowing them to learn from each other and practise their skills. Teachers provide some opportunities for pupils to write and use other subjects of the curriculum as a starting point, but there

p.30

ENGLISH

is scope to develop this further. For example in Years 3 and 4 pupils work with a text that is linked to their study of ancient Egypt in history. ICT is used to present pupils’ written work in a variety of interesting ways. Marking is used to give positive comment and celebrate what pupils have achieved. Almost all teachers provide comments that help pupils to improve but these are not always linked to the targets that have been set for individual pupils.

p.31

ENGLISH

59. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and this helps them sustain good attitudes to work. Overall, pupils are prepared to persevere even when they find tasks difficult. They behave well and co-operate with each other when asked to take turns and share resources. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 32

p.31

MATHEMATICS

60. In the 2002 national tests taken by pupils aged eleven, standards in mathematics were in line with the national average, and well above the average attained by similar schools. In the tests taken by seven-year-olds, standards were above the national average and very high, in the top 5%, when compared to similar schools. Since the school opened in 2000 standards have improved in Key Stage 2 and have remained above average in Key Stage 1. Inspection evidence shows that standards are currently in line with expectation for age for pupils aged seven, and above the expected levels for pupils aged eleven, and that pupils make good progress throughout the school. Pupils who have SEN, and those whose mother tongue is not English, make the same good progress as all other pupils and achieve well.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

61. Pupils in Year 1 are beginning to develop a range of strategies for adding and subtracting numbers, such as putting the highest number first in an addition sum. They know the number bonds to ten and which are odd and even numbers. They recognise simple two-dimensional shapes such as triangles and circles, and are beginning to use mathematical language such as ‘more than’ and ‘shortest’ correctly. By the age of seven, higher attaining pupils add and subtract tens and units accurately, using a number line to help them count on or back in tens. They use a good range of strategies to add and subtract, such as finding the difference between two numbers by counting on. Almost all pupils have a sound understanding of place value. They investigate numbers on a one hundred square and the higher attaining can identify patterns in the two, three, four and five times tables. They measure accurately in centimetres and

p.32

MATHEMATICS

metres, and identify the properties of three-dimensional shapes such as cubes, cylinders and square pyramids, using the correct vocabulary to describe them.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

62. Higher attaining pupils in Year 3 are working at a level above expectation for age. They use their sound understanding of place value to accurately add and subtract numbers up to 10,000, and use the inverse operation to check their answers. Most pupils can multiply and divide by two, five and ten, and higher attaining pupils can accurately multiply by four and by six. Pupils extend their knowledge of the times tables and use this well to multiply by seven and eight. They investigate and explore numbers, developing a sound understanding of concepts such as square numbers, multiples and negative numbers. The higher attaining pupils have a good understanding of proportion and probability. Throughout Key Stage 2 pupils continue to make good progress in developing their mathematical knowledge and understanding so that by Year 6 higher attaining pupils are working at a level above expectation for age. They have a good

p.32

MATHEMATICS

understanding of place value beyond a million and can multiply and divide by ten, 100 and 1000. They multiply and divide using decimal numbers, and convert fractions to decimals. They have a sound understanding of proportion, ratio and percentages, and use this in investigative work. Their work in shape is above the expected levels. They accurately calculate the perimeter and area of triangles and use co-ordinates to plot shapes on squared paper. Pupils of average prior attainment accurately use the four operations when working with numbers up to 100,000, understand decimals to two places and can work out equivalent fractions. Almost all pupils have a good understanding of a range of strategies for calculation and most set out their work very well. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 33 63. Overall, teaching in mathematics is good. Throughout the school teachers’ planning is good and lessons are well planned and resourced. Good use is made of opportunities

p.32

MATHEMATICS

to promote the use of mathematical vocabulary and to encourage pupils to develop and explain a range of strategies to calculate and investigate. Explanations are clear and tasks are mostly well matched to pupils’ prior attainment and motivate them to try hard. This was seen in a very good Year 1 lesson where games using money to calculate amounts were well matched to pupils’ needs and they enjoyed the practical activities, participating enthusiastically and having pride in their achievements. Occasionally pupils’ progress slows when the needs of lower attaining pupils are not met in lessons, such as in a Year 4/5 lesson where pupils who did not understand work on angles were not able to carry out the planned task successfully. However, in most lessons tasks are well matched for all groups of pupils and they make good progress. In a Year 3 lesson for example, lower attaining pupils were able to create reflective patterns while

p.33

MATHEMATICS

the higher attaining were challenged to identify several lines of symmetry in complex shapes. Some very good teaching in Year 6 occurs when pupils work in sets that are taken by a teacher who has very good subject knowledge. In these lesson pupils make very good progress because the teacher has high expectations, the pace is brisk and pupils are given very good support.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

64. One of the main reasons for the good progress that pupils make throughout the school in mathematics is the very good leadership and management of the subject. Until very recently the head teacher was the co-ordinator, and mathematics has been a priority in the school improvement plan. The national numeracy strategy has been carefully implemented following staff training, and staff new to the school have received additional support. This has enabled all to have confidence and good subject knowledge. The setting arrangements implemented are successful in ensuring that all pupils, including those who have SEN and the higher attaining, are appropriately challenged. There are good assessment procedures in place that identify where further work is needed and these are used effectively to plan for most pupils’ progress. Resources for learning are very good and are used well, for example the use of

p.33

MATHEMATICS

individual whiteboards ensures that all pupils participate in the oral/mental part of the lesson. The school works hard to involve parents in the subject and a few have attended workshops. Homework is set weekly but its impact so far has been negligible as few pupils return it. However, the school is working hard to emphasise the importance of homework and pupils are beginning to respond by making more effort to return it.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

65. A new co-ordinator for mathematics has recently been appointed and has made a good start in leading and developing the subject. Under the guidance of the head teacher, her role is developing well, and she has quickly established an overview by putting together a very good portfolio that shows the progress that pupils make and the levels they attain. Given her enthusiasm and recognition that some of the developments that have taken place since the school opened two years ago need to be re-evaluated, the subject has the potential to continue to improve. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 34

p.33

SCIENCE

66. In the 2002 National Curriculum test for eleven years olds, standards were below the national average but above the average for similar schools. Results in science have significantly risen since 2001. There is no appreciable difference between the performance of girls and boys. In the 2002 National Curriculum teacher assessments made for seven-year-olds, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard was well below the national average.

p.34

SCIENCE

67. The standard of current work in Year 2 is in line with national expectations. Pupils in Year 2 are able to demonstrate sound scientific knowledge and understanding. Pupils explain with clarity how to use a simple electrical circuit to light a bulb and demonstrate how to construct and use a switch. Younger pupils investigate materials and classify them according to texture. Pupils can explain the principles of floating and sinking. Teaching ensures that opportunities are made to link scientific enquiry with real life, relevant experiences. Older pupils find out how to conduct a fair test.

p.34

SCIENCE

68. The standard of current work in Year 6 is above national expectations and good progress is seen in lessons. Pupils with SEN achieve well when measured with prior attainment. Pupils learn about materials and their properties and Year 5 pupils accurately describe the characteristics of solids, liquids and gases and explain the effect heat has on water. Pupils have a good understanding of circuits and systematically record experiments in diagrammatic format. Year 3 pupils understand about the function of teeth and of their care. They confidently use their scientific knowledge to predict the effect a fizzy drink will have on teeth. Pupils understand the need for careful observation and recording of results and are regularly reminded to use a good range of scientific vocabulary with accuracy and understanding. Year 3 pupils are able to discuss what comprises a fair test and talk about the factors that they can

p.34

SCIENCE

vary when testing the effect of different liquids on metal. Pupils are regularly given opportunities to work co-operatively in pairs and small groups, providing opportunities for pupils to explain their scientific thinking. For example, in a Year 5 lesson groups debated how to use the available resources to investigate rate of evaporation. Pupils in Key Stage 2 have very positive attitudes to science.

p.34

SCIENCE

69. Teaching and learning in science are good in Key Stage 1 and are very good in Key Stage 2. Pupils undertake science on a weekly basis and this, together with raised teacher expectations, is helping to improve standards. Lessons are very well planned giving opportunities to recap and build upon previously learned skills and knowledge. Learning objectives and success criteria are always shared and evaluated with pupils. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and have appropriate expectations of pupil behaviour and learning. Pupils with SEN are well catered for.

p.34

SCIENCE

70. Science leadership is developing well. The co-ordinator is gaining a detailed overview of the subject throughout the school. This overview is developing through effective, although not firmly established, procedures for self-evaluation. Teaching of science by the co-ordinator is a particular strength, with the potential to model good practice for other teachers. There is a wealth of assessment information available but this is not sufficiently well used to support the identification of priorities or to have maximum impact upon raising standards. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 35

p.34

ART AND DESIGN

71. At the end of the Foundation Stage pupils’ achievement in creative development is below expected levels. They make good progress in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 because of good teaching and by Year 6 achieve levels that are in line with those expected for their age.

p.35

ART AND DESIGN

72. Teachers’ planning reflects an appropriate range of activities, including opportunities for pupils to work with a variety of materials and processes, to learn about, and respond to, the work of professional artists, and to work in two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms. Good links are made with other subjects, for example, as part of a history topic pupils created their own ‘Egyptian Wall Art’ depicting their own lifestyle and culture. Some units of work, however, are not sufficiently relevant to the age and stage of development of pupils. This impedes progress in the systematic development of skills.

p.35

ART AND DESIGN

73. Pupils in Key Stage 1 use a range of materials and processes such as textiles, paint, clay, pastel, collage and computer generated designs. They use natural objects as well as the work of professional artists as starting points. For example, Year 2 pupils studied sculptures by Henry Moore before creating their own three-dimensional work using folded, curled and cut paper, and their computer-generated patterns were inspired by the work of Mondrian. They use small tools with increasing skill to create detail in their clay models and know how to add pieces of clay in order to further develop their work.

p.35

ART AND DESIGN

74. In Key Stage 2 pupils use ICT to investigate art, they further develop their skills and begin to combine colour and form in their work. For example, Year 4 pupils created clay tessellations inspired by Egyptian tiles. They pay attention to detail in the patterns and the colours that they employ. Year 5 pupils create line drawings depicting places, beginning to demonstrate perspective and shadow in their work. In Year 6, pupils use ICT to create their own still life images and they use charcoal and pencil in their observational drawings, which are inspired by the work of artists found on the National Gallery website. Pupils’ attitudes are good. They apply themselves to their work, pay attention to detail, and use colour and shape sensitively

p.35

ART AND DESIGN

75. Overall teaching is good. Pupils are provided with a good range of opportunities to develop their understanding of materials and processes, and to learn from the work of professional artists. Good links are made with other subjects such as ICT and history, which increases pupils’ understanding of differing times and cultures and extends the range of information sources available to them. Pupils are taught to use a range of tools and techniques effectively and to evaluate their work in simple terms. Good use is made of technical vocabulary. In lessons that are otherwise satisfactory the pace is sometimes too slow which results in a small number of pupils losing concentration.

p.35

ART AND DESIGN

76. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic, has a sound understanding of the strengths and areas for development and provides good support to colleagues. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 36

p.35

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

77. Pupils make good progress overall and by the age of seven and eleven they achieve the levels expected for their age in most aspects of design and technology (DT). However, pupils have too few opportunities to evaluate their work, therefore their skills in planning and evaluating are below expected levels by the end of Key Stage 2.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

78. Schemes of work provide a satisfactory framework for teachers’ planning. Medium- term plans reflect an appropriate range of activities, including opportunities for pupils to design, construct and evaluate.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

79. Pupils in Key Stage 1 use a range of materials and tools with increasing control. They are beginning to select materials for their properties and to understand simple joining techniques. For example, pupils in Year 1 used split pins to create characters with moving arms and legs, and they selected materials from a limited range to create a water effect for their weaving. In Year 2 this work is extended as children learn to build simple carts using fixed axles, and to decorate masks, selecting from a wider range of materials. They are able to test their designs and are beginning to make simple adaptations to improve them.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

80. In Key Stage 2, pupils combine their skills and knowledge in a range of projects. For example, Year 3 pupils can suggest a range of ideas for strengthening a model and Year 4 pupils design and make books for younger pupils using a range of joining techniques to create moving pictures. In Year 6 pupils use a range of information sources to research a project on containers, referring to books, magazines and relevant websites. With teacher support they are able to evaluate and simplify their designs, incorporating their own ideas into clay coil pots by adding shapes, colour and special design features.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

81. Teaching is never less than satisfactory and sometimes it is good. In the most successful lessons teachers provide clear explanations and use good questions to probe and extend pupils’ thinking. For example, in a Year 3 lesson the teacher explained how a pneumatic system worked, linked this to science work which pupils had done on forces, and challenged them to use pneumatics in their designs for a working model of ‘Humpty Dumpty’. In lessons that are otherwise satisfactory, insufficient time is given for detailed evaluation, therefore pupils do not consistently develop these skills or learn to use their evaluations to improve their future designs.

p.36

GEOGRAPHY

82. Standards in geography are in line with those expected for seven and eleven-year-olds. The school’s long-term plan for history and geography timetables the second half of the spring term as having a history focus and as a result only one geography lesson was seen during the inspection. Judgements were made based on scrutiny of pupils’ previous work, discussion with Year 6 pupils to discover the extent of their knowledge and their previous geographical experiences, scrutiny of teachers’ planning and an interview with the subject leader.

p.36

GEOGRAPHY

83. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make effective use of maps and globes to locate countries around the world. They explain reasons why and how places are both similar and different from other places. Younger pupils collect and record daily weather information and employ appropriate fieldwork techniques to do so. Pupils observe where things are located and successfully use digital photography to record place, people and events seen outside the classroom. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 37 84. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are able to demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of their local area and of contrasting localities. Limited speaking and listening skills mean that answers to questions are simple and lack detail. Most pupils have a clear understanding of the effects of tourism upon a coastal location. Teaching prioritises the need to reinforce technical vocabulary through direct teaching and display. Year 6

p.36

GEOGRAPHY

pupils use appropriate geographical vocabulary to describe town and coastal features and geographical processes, for example they successfully use the terms spit, erosion and deposition. Pupils are able to carry out geographical enquiry as promoted through good quality fieldwork. Year 6 pupils effectively used surveys, observational drawings and digital photography to develop an understanding of how physical processes have changed the Whitley Bay coastline. Year 6 pupils have a good understanding of the water cycle and of the erosive nature of the tide.

p.37

GEOGRAPHY

85. Teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and in lower Key Stage 2, and is good in upper Key Stage 2. Work is very carefully planned, resources are well organised and teachers effectively use the multimedia projector to display lesson objectives, success criteria and to use high quality websites as sources of information and stimulation. In Year 5 a website of a high quality map of Greece and the Greek islands was used to give a context to the study of ancient Greeks. Pupils are enthusiastic about their geography work, they listen well and take pride in their recorded work. Tasks are very structured and there are few opportunities for the higher attaining pupils to extend their learning through independent study.

p.37

GEOGRAPHY

86. There is a well-defined role for the geography co-ordinator who has a clear oversight of the subject throughout the school. An appropriate policy and scheme of work are in place and this effectively guides teachers’ planning. An appropriate amount of time is allocated to geography and there is full coverage of programmes of study. Monitoring of learning in the subject is not well developed and records of pupils’ progress in the subject do not sufficiently inform planning for individual needs. Development of some aspects of the subject is held back by pupils’ limited language skills.

p.37

HISTORY

87. By the age of eleven, pupils attain standards that are broadly in line with those expected nationally, although the quality of written work is often below that standard. Where pupils have underdeveloped speaking skills it is often difficult for them to express their ideas and share information. Most teachers recognise this and plan lessons that support pupils in tackling these difficulties. As a result pupils, including those with SEN and those with English as a second language, make good progress.

p.37

HISTORY

88. By the time they are seven, pupils have developed a satisfactory understanding of how things change over time. They correctly identify toys that are old and new and put them in order according to their age. They improve their ability to place photographs of toys on a simple timeline. Higher attaining pupils label drawings of old and new teddy bears to show the differences between them. By the age of eleven pupils have a sound knowledge of the way of life in ancient Egypt and the beliefs of the people. They understand why the River Nile was so important to Egyptian farmers and know some of the differences between the lives of the rich and poor. They know how to carry out a simple research task and improve their ability to use historical information to present an argument as to whether, for example, there is any truth in the story of the Minotaur, a mythical creature from the time of Ancient Greece. The use of the library as a valuable

p.37

HISTORY

resource for finding information is, however, underdeveloped. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 38 89. Teaching is good overall. In the best lessons teachers use their subject knowledge to guide discussion, and plan to use key vocabulary, questions and prompts that will encourage pupils to extend their answers. For example during the inspection, Year 1 pupils were encouraged to say more than one or two words about their reasons for identifying the odd one out in a series of three toys. Teachers plan activities that motivate pupils to learn. During the inspection, pupils in Year 3 took on the roles of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon so that others could ask them questions based on their Internet research. In Year 4 pupils were fascinated to learn and write about the ancient Egyptian process of mummification. Successful links are made to other subjects such as geography and art where pupils use maps to locate places of

p.37

HISTORY

historical importance and produce detailed drawings showing the clothes that people wore in Tudor times.

p.38

HISTORY

90. As a result of good teaching and a range of interesting activities, pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good. Teachers maintain good relationships with pupils and they in turn co- operate with each other well. This helps pupils to concentrate and persevere with their work and allows teachers to maintain a calm and supportive atmosphere during lessons.

p.38

HISTORY

91. Management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has been actively involved in drawing up a long-term curriculum plan, which is now being evaluated by teachers as they work through it. A useful portfolio of pupils’ work has been collected to help teachers with the assessment process at the end of each unit of work.

p.38

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

92. By the age of seven and eleven pupils achieve standards that are broadly in line with national expectations. Pupils, including those with SEN, make good progress and generally achieve well in lessons. Pupils with English as a second language also achieve well and make good progress. This is because good quality teaching includes all pupils. Resources are up to date and of very good quality. They provide pupils with a source of excitement and wonder.

p.38

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

93. The effective use of the computer suite supports learning in ICT and also in other areas of the curriculum, for example in mathematics, art and history. However, the planned use of classroom-based computers and control technology are less well developed. This is partly due to the fact that the school has only recently moved into its refurbished building and that teachers are still getting to grips with the very good range of resources available to them. Similarly a consistent approach to assessing pupils’ work has not yet had time to embed into practice but plans to do so are well underway.

p.38

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

94. In Years 1 and 2 computers are used appropriately to write short pieces of work and to develop pupils’ keyboard skills. Pupils know how to control the mouse and use simple art programs to create pictures involving shapes and colour. For example, Year 1 pupils drew a monster friend in response to a poem about a lonely monster. In Year 2, pupils collected and typed in information about their birthdays so that they could generate a database and block graph. Pupils know how to use the shift key for capital letters and use the tool bar to edit or add a new record. Higher attaining pupils understand the term ‘scroll’ and know how to save and print their work without assistance.

p.38

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

95. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 continue to make good gains in skills and knowledge and achieve well in lessons. They build on early work in word-processing using the computer to improve their presentation of descriptive writing and poetry. Year 3 pupils know how to St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 39 access the Internet and use the scroll bar and toolbar confidently to navigate their way around a website about the Tudors. Higher attaining pupils know how to highlight sections of text using the mouse. Year 4 pupils use different fonts and coloured print to enhance the presentation of a piece of imaginative writing. In Year 5, pupils understand how to use a formula for calculating costs on a spreadsheet. Year 6 pupils combine text and images to design invitations and posters. They can present information to the class using ‘PowerPoint’.

p.38

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

96. The quality of teaching is good overall. Support from the co-ordinator, ongoing training and a new scheme of work are making positive contributions to the continued development of teaching and learning. As a result teachers are confident in the use of ICT. They have secure subject knowledge and use this effectively when demonstrating and explaining tasks, often with the use of an interactive whiteboard. Lesson planning is thorough and resources are well prepared in advance. This means that time is used effectively to develop pupils’ skills and understanding with each step in learning being built on and consolidated. Teachers encourage pupils to understand the uses of ICT and to use correct ICT language when talking about computers and what they can do. Together with classroom assistants they provide good guidance when lessons are being introduced and when pupils are working at the computer.

p.39

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

97. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and the standard of behaviour in ICT lessons is good overall. Pupils enjoy activities planned for them in the computer suite. They respond well to their teachers, particularly when explanations and instructions are enhanced by the use of an interactive whiteboard. They co-operate with each other when working with a partner and need few reminders about taking it in turns to use the mouse and keyboard.

p.39

MUSIC

98. Standards in music are in line with expectation for age at both seven and eleven. When pupils start in Year 1 their attainment is below the expected levels and many have not yet achieved the early learning goals in creative development. Throughout the school all pupils, including those who have SEN, make good progress and achieve well.

p.39

MUSIC

99. Through investigating quiet and loud sounds pupils in Key Stage 1 have a good understanding of sounds and silences in music. They recognise the different sounds that instruments make and name instruments such as chime bars and cymbals. They sing a range of simple songs well and identify where they hear long or short sounds. Most pupils keep a steady beat going when accompanying a song, and higher attaining pupils know the difference between beat and rhythm. They listen attentively to recorded music and some pupils recognise and name the instruments they hear. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 40 100. Pupils in Key Stage 2 play instruments with increasing confidence and skill. They compose in small groups and perform confidently to the whole class and sometimes to the school. They record their compositions, such as work on sound-scapes. They follow simple notation and create their own methods to keep records of their

p.39

MUSIC

compositions. They listen well to recorded music but their appraising skills are less well developed because many do not have the vocabulary to express how they feel about a piece of music. They identify different types of music such as pop and classical, and use musical vocabulary such as ‘pitch’ and ‘lyrics’ appropriately. They identify similarities and differences between the music they listen to. Pupils who have SEN make good progress and participate fully in lessons and performances.

p.40

MUSIC

101. Teaching in music is good. Lesson are well planned and organised with tasks that are well matched to prior learning so that pupils make good progress. In Key Stage 1 good use is made of a visiting specialist music teacher, and lessons are well balanced to include opportunities for pupils to play instruments, to compose and perform and to listen to recorded music. In Key Stage 2 good use is made of the co-ordinator to provide some specialist teaching and this enables pupils to make good progress in improving their singing and composing skills. Tasks are well thought out to motivate the pupils, for example a Year 6 lesson included opportunities for pupils to listen to pop and dance music that they were familiar with, and to compose in the style of a football chant. These activities appealed to both boys and girls and kept the pupils interested and involved.

p.40

MUSIC

102. Leadership and management in music are good, and the co-ordinator has considerable expertise in the subject. She provides good support and advice for staff and has developed a very good portfolio that includes examples of what pupils have covered in the subject and what they have achieved.

p.40

MUSIC

103. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development. Pupils sing hymns in assembly and listen to a range of music from different styles and cultures, including their own local culture. A South American music group and Ukranian dancers have performed at the school. There are many opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively in pairs and groups, and to reflect on their own success and that of others when they perform their compositions. They receive awards for their good efforts in ‘Achievement Assembly’. The school encourages pupils to learn to play musical instruments by providing them with opportunities to learn the recorder, ocarina or violin after school, or the guitar during ‘golden time’. Good use is made of music workshops provided by the LEA music service, and these include opportunities for pupils to listen, appraise, compose and perform.

p.40

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

104. Standards in Physical Education (PE) are in line with the nationally expected levels at the age of seven and eleven. When pupils start in Year 1 their attainment in the physical development area of learning is around average for their age. Throughout the school pupils make steady progress and their achievement is satisfactory. By the time they are in Year 2, pupils know the effects of exercise on their bodies. Most move with control, altering speed and direction as necessary, although some lack control and co- ordination. They link movements in gymnastics together and are beginning to evaluate their work, though only a minority can suggest ways in which it could be improved. St Aidan’s Church of England Primary School - 41 105. During Key Stage 2, pupils begin to appreciate the importance of warming up to avoid injury, and how exercise affects the heart. By Year 6 most understand the importance

p.40

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

of exercise for a healthy lifestyle. Pupils in Year 4 develop a sense of pace and set distances by timing 50 metre runs, and improve their performance throughout a lesson. In Year 5 they improve accuracy in throwing and catching skills, higher attaining pupils showing good ability in developing fielding techniques. Those of lower prior attainment find it difficult to understand the rules of games, or how to field, block or throw accurately to a bowler. Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 have a good understanding of games such as tennis, and can hit the ball over a bench and return it accurately, using appropriate strokes and positioning of the feet. Those of average or lower prior attainment improve their hitting techniques through regular practice.

p.41

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

106. Pupils have good attitudes to learning in PE, and enjoy their lessons. Most work hard to improve their skills and have a sense of achievement when they are successful. In a very good Year 6 lesson pupils were challenged to keep the tennis ball going for ten strokes and were delighted when they managed to do eighteen.

p.41

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

107. Teaching in PE is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. Teachers have good subject knowledge, plan lessons well with an awareness of safety, and prepare and provide appropriate resources. Learning intentions are very clear and are shared with pupils. Tasks are clearly explained and good demonstrations are provided. Teachers are generally confident and enthusiastic about the subject. Occasionally in Key Stage 1 there are too many interruptions to manage pupils’ behaviour and this slows the learning. However, overall relationships are good and teachers manage pupils well.

p.41

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is new in post and has made a good start in monitoring and evaluating the subject and in supporting staff. He has prepared a good portfolio that demonstrates pupils’ attainment and the breadth of the curriculum. Assessment is satisfactory and used appropriately to gauge pupils’ progress. The curriculum is good and is enhanced by a range of additional activities such as visits to football grounds, participation in charity fun runs, athletics festivals and swimming galas. Resources are satisfactory overall but more large apparatus to develop pupils’ gymnastics skills in Key Stage 2 is needed.

p.41