Other · Ofsted report

Whitleigh Community Primary School

Inspected — · published 20 Feb 2003 · URN 132215

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Full report text

WHITLEIGH COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18-22 November 2002

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WHITLEIGH COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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WHITLEIGH COMMUNITY 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. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lancaster Gardens Whitleigh Plymouth

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Barbara Miller

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19-22 January 1998 Infants 11-13 October 1999 Juniors Whitleigh Community Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

5281 Phil Gadsby Registered Inspector Music Religious education Special educational needs Educational inclusion What sort of school is it? The school's results and pupils achievements How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further?

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Aspect responsibilities

9009 Valerie Bradley Lay inspector Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for it's pupils 29380 Sally Noble Team inspector English Art and design Design and technology English as an additional language How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

27710 Susan Guy Team inspector Science Geography History Foundation Stage 32088 Margaret Carter Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Physical education How well are pupils taught? Whitleigh Community Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Kingston Centre Fairway Stafford ST16 3TW

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Whitleigh Community Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7 - 11

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12 - 15

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Whitleigh Primary is a new community school for boys and girls between three and eleven years old. It opened in September 2000, the amalgamation of previously separate infant and junior schools, both of which were found to have serious weaknesses in previous inspections. There are currently 291 pupils on roll, with an even balance between boys and girls. Fifty-two children are in the nursery class on a part-time basis, and fourteen children under six years old are in the reception class. There is a further intake of children in January 2003. The school serves an area on the north- western edge of the City of Plymouth. It experiences a high level of social and economic difficulty. The proportion of its pupils who are eligible to receive free school meals is above the national average and other indicators, such as the national index of child poverty, confirm that on the whole the local community is needy. Families are supportive of their children. The number of pupils with

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

special educational needs, mostly learning difficulties, is above the national average. Three pupils have statements of special educational need, which is average. There are three pupils for whom English is an additional language, which is below average. One of these pupils is at an early stage of learning English. When children enter the nursery class their attainment is well below average, especially in the development of their language. The school and its predecessors have experienced a great deal of instability over the past four years. There has been some loss of pupils, many changes in the school’s leadership and a very high turnover of teaching staff. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and well over half the teachers have only been at the school since September 2002. Only four of the present teachers have been at the school since it opened. Children are taught in nursery and reception classes; in the infants in classes some of which are mixed-age some of which

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

are single age groups; and in the juniors in six classes three with pupils from Years 3 and 4 and three from Years 5 and 6. In the infants and juniors pupils are taught in groups formed according to their levels of attainment in English and mathematics lessons. The school has received significant support, including financial support, from Plymouth local education authority.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is improving and gives its pupils a satisfactory education. The proportions of pupils reaching and exceeding nationally expected levels in national tests at the age of 11 in English, mathematics and science remain well below average but have improved. The performance of pupils in national tests for seven year olds has improved significantly, especially in mathematics and reading where they achieve the nationally expected levels. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour have improved dramatically and are now good. Relationships are very good and a positive ethos permeates the school. The school promotes equal opportunities and all pupils are fully included in the life of the school. Teaching is good and has a positive impact on pupils’ learning, which is good in many areas. The leadership and management of the school, by the headteacher, senior staff and the governing body, are very good. Everyone in the school is committed to its further improvement. Systems to

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the school are now in place; principles of best value are applied to decision-making and the school gives satisfactory value for money. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 9

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What the school does well

• Leadership provides a clear focus on improvement which is shared by everyone in the school. • Teaching is good throughout the school. • Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good and they behave well. • Pupils are now making good progress in most subjects. • Relationships are very good: a positive ethos and culture pervades the school. • The school cares for its pupils well: they are safe and secure. • Good quality support staff make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of the school. • Pupils social development is good; they speak and listen well. • Good support is given for pupils with special educational needs. • Increasingly good relationships with parents, who have a growing confidence in the school.

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What could be improved

• Standards of achievement for all pupils in English (especially writing) mathematics and science. • Standards of achievement for more able pupils. • The organisation of the curriculum. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

This is the first inspection of the school.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Standards achieved in national test results in 2002 remain well below average. In English and mathematics they are in the lowest 5% nationally. However, within this pattern of low standards there is improvement from 2001, with results in all three subjects showing an increase in the proportion of pupils achieving nationally expected levels: in English by 20%; in mathematics by 10%; in science by 17%. These results slightly exceeded the school’s targets for 2002. The school’s Whitleigh Community Primary School - 10 targets for attainment in 2003, if achieved, continue this trend of improvement. Inspection evidence indicates that the targets are realistic, given the quality of teaching pupils now receive. The school’s results in national tests for seven year olds in 2002 show an even more marked improvement, with standards for pupils achieving expected levels in reading and mathematics now at the national

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Key

average, although too few achieve levels higher than the expectation, when compared with national figures and those for similar schools. Writing is the weakest area of attainment, well below the national average, and with the average for similar schools. With all of the test results taken into account, standards in English are unsatisfactory overall. In science, teacher’s own assessments indicated that pupils attainment in science was above the national average for pupils achieving the nationally expected standard. In English, mathematics and science, and in other subjects, except design and technology, inspection evidence shows that most pupils achieve standards that are broadly in line with the national expectations for eleven and seven year olds. In design and technology, standards achieved by pupils at eleven is above average.

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Key

Most children are on track to achieve the goals for early learning by the end of the reception class in the areas of mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. The majority will not reach expected standards in personal and social development and communication, language and literacy, although they make at least satisfactory progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils show very positive attitudes, are courteous and well-mannered and work well together. Pupils like their school. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils behave well in response to teaching, which has high expectations in this regard. Personal development and relationships Good. When given the opportunity, pupils take responsibility, and work well, collaboratively and independently. Relationships are very good. Attendance Satisfactory with effective measures to improve attendance.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching and learning was at least satisfactory in all of the 52 lessons observed. Eight out of ten lessons were good or better, with thirteen very good and one excellent, a science lesson to a Year 3 and 4 class. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 11 The overall quality of teaching is weakened because the teaching of writing needs to be improved. Throughout the school, teaching, including the teaching of English, including literacy and mathematics, including numeracy, is characterised by good, positive management of pupils’ behaviour, good collaborative planning, good questioning and a range of effective teaching approaches. Support staff are used very well to support pupils’ learning and pupils are interested and motivated by their teaching. Pupils with special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language are taught well.

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

To raise the quality of teaching further, improvements need to be made in the use of time in some lessons, the expectations teachers have of what the most able can achieve and the work all pupils can produce in lessons, and subject knowledge in writing. On the whole, pupils learn well and are gaining knowledge, skills and understanding in all subjects. They work hard and are becoming more aware of their own learning and how they can improve. They would benefit from being given more opportunities to work independently.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. There is a need to review some aspects of the timings and organisation of subjects in order to improve teaching and learning opportunities, particularly in writing.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils make good progress, with an effective contribution made by classroom support staff. They have full access to the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Classroom support staff support these pupils well. They are fully included in all lessons

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Provision for pupils’ social development and a strong emphasis on moral development and their understanding of right and wrong. Satisfactory provision is made for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for its pupils very well. They feel and are safe and secure. The school effectively promotes race equality.

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Aspect Comment

The school now works very well in partnership with parents, who confirm that relationships have improved recently. They are supportive of the school, feel welcome and comfortable in it and appreciate how the school is improving. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 12

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. Clear and decisive leadership from the headteacher has been critical in creating what is now a very strong team, committed to improving the quality of education the school provides and the achievements of its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body fulfils its duties well. It is aware of how the school has improved and weaknesses which have still to be addressed.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Clear procedures for school self-evaluation are in place and are beginning to impact on the quality of teaching and the standards of pupils’ attainment.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school has deployed resources well to achieve its educational aims. It is clear about and beginning to implement the principles of best value in its decision-making processes.

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Aspect Comment

Accommodation, resources and staffing are satisfactory. The nature of the buildings does cause some difficulties, in particular the provision of outdoor activities for the children in the Foundation Stage. Resources are generally good, although the range and quality of books, particularly in the library, need improving. There are far reaching plans to incorporate the school into a 0-16 educational campus, which are due to begin in 2003.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The good teaching. • The progress their children make. • Their children’s behaviour in school. • The approachability of the school. • The school’s leadership. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with what pleases the parents most about the school. The inspection judged that the school has worked hard to provide a growing range of activities outside lessons. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The inspection took place in the first term of the school year and evidence at this time gained through observing lessons, analysing pupils’ work, hearing them read and talking to them indicates that standards overall are low in English, mathematics and science. This is particularly true for pupils in Years 3 to 6. However, the standards seen at present show improvement. The inspection judgement is that the very focused leadership of the school and the good and very good teaching that was seen in most subjects, will build on and accelerate the progress pupils are making. The school is making good progress towards achieving the attainment targets for 2003 that it has set in English and mathematics. Achieving these targets will continue the trend of improvement identified in national test results and through inspection. Progress towards achieving targets in English is slowed because standards in writing are not so

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Initial assessments of children’s attainment when they enter the reception class show that they are below average, especially in the development of their language. Inspection evidence indicates that the attainment of children when they enter the nursery class is very low and well below average. A significant number have poor language development, especially in speaking and listening. Many have poor social and emotional development. About a third of the children who enter the nursery class have already been identified by care and support agencies as having some kind of special need.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Children are on course to achieve the nationally recommended learning goals in the areas of mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. The majority will not reach expected standards in personal and social development and communication, language and literacy, although they make at least satisfactory progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The results of national tests taken by seven year olds in 2002 show that the school’s standards are well below the national average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics when taking account of attainment at all levels of the National Curriculum. When compared with schools in similar contexts the results are average for reading and mathematics and well below average in writing. Overall, standards are depressed because a very small number of pupils achieve beyond the expected levels of attainment for seven year olds. The school’s attainment in reading and mathematics is above the average for schools in similar contexts in terms of pupils reaching the expected levels. However, it remains below average for writing. Nevertheless, however the 2002 results are analysed, they show a very marked improvement over the 2001 results. Inspection evidence indicates that this improvement will be maintained.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Further improvement will require more pupils to achieve the higher attainment levels, beyond the national expectation and particularly in writing. In science teachers’ own assessment of the attainment of seven year olds in 2002, shows it to be above average, a significant improvement from 2002. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 14 5. The overall attainment of eleven year olds in 2002 was very low in English, mathematics and science. For English and mathematics, the school’s results are in the bottom 5% nationally. This poor performance is also reflected in comparison of the results for schools in similar contexts. Nevertheless, the 2002 results show improvement from those in 2001. Also, the school performed relatively well when its 2002 results for eleven year olds are compared with those for seven year olds in 1998. Its performance against this prior attainment measure was above average for reading and mathematics and just below average for writing. A continuing

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

issue for the school is the small number of pupils who achieve the higher levels in the tests.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. For both seven and eleven year olds, the most recent test results show encouraging signs of improvement in most subjects. Inspection evidence confirms this trend. Pupils are making good progress in speaking and listening. They are developing the ability to speak confidently and fluently, expressing their ideas clearly. They can extend their responses and are aware of the audience for and context of their speaking. In reading, pupils’ understanding and use of their knowledge of letter sounds is improving as a more systematic teaching approach is adopted. Most eleven year olds read with reasonable fluency and show good basic understanding of content, but are less secure when asked to infer or deduct meaning from a text. Writing is the weakest area and too many pupils are not making good enough progress. Spelling is poor; punctuation is incorrect; handwriting is inconsistent with much of it not joined

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

up. Pupils’ writing style has not developed as they have got older because opportunities for extended writing have been too limited and writing has not been systematically taught. However, the school is now beginning to put more emphasis on these issues, with a subject co-ordinator who has the skills and knowledge to lead improvement. In mathematics, seven year old pupils are using mathematical vocabulary correctly. They know addition and multiplication facts, can add and subtract and are starting to use them in simple problem solving tasks with money. They know odd and even numbers and fractions. They identify two- and three-dimensional shapes, and can classify them according to different attributes. They can use standard measures. Overall, attainment in numeracy is now close to the national average for seven year olds. Higher attaining eleven year olds are proficient in a range of calculations,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

using different strategies. They can add and subtract decimals, find perimeters, understand fractions and use percentages. They understand when it is appropriate to use a calculator. However, lower attaining pupils are operating at levels below those expected for eleven year olds and many are unlikely to achieve the average standards. In science, pupils in Years 1 and 2 are developing secure knowledge and understanding about life and growth processes, including the connection between diet and health. They are beginning to use ideas of comparison, similarity and difference in their investigations and their skills of scientific enquiry are about average. Eleven year olds are developing knowledge and understanding of physical processes, electricity and the solar system. Concepts of fair testing and variability are beginning to be understood but pupils’ skills of scientific enquiry remain under developed.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils with special educational needs, the three from minority ethnic groups and those for whom English is an additional language achieve at least satisfactorily in all subjects. All groups participate fully in all of the work in lessons. Pupils capable of higher attainment are not achieving as well as they should. This is a key issue for the school. They need more challenge, higher expectations of what they can do and more opportunities for extended, independent and Whitleigh Community Primary School - 15 investigative work. The relative achievement of boys and girls is unclear, with variations between the different age groups. In English, for example, seven year old girls have done better in writing than boys; but eleven year old boys have performed better than girls in the writing tests. What is clear from inspection evidence is that the school is responding by the use of a range of teaching styles and strategies to include all pupils, and gender imbalance is not a

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

feature of the teaching and learning seen.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are satisfactory for seven and eleven year olds. Pupils’ acquisition of ICT skills is good. They make consistent progress throughout the school. The use of ICT in other subjects is variable and in general is under developed. Pupils are, therefore, not able to apply and develop their skills sufficiently in a range of contexts.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Standards in religious education, art and design, history, geography, music and physical education are broadly in line with those expected for pupils at the ages of seven and eleven. They achieve well in all of these subjects, and in design and technology, where standards of eleven year olds are above average, and in physical education, where progress is good.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Standards in all subjects, but particularly in English, are affected by some weaknesses in the way that curriculum time is organised and used. Some lessons are over-long. Pupils sometimes experience a lesson which is too similar in content and style to the previous one, for example a half-hour spelling session immediately following a literacy hour. In these circumstances the quality of teaching and learning and the pace of lessons drops. Also, in some lessons, the whole class sessions are too long. This squeezes the amount of time pupils have for group and individual work. They do not then have enough time to produce the amount of work necessary to consolidate and extend their learning. The school should carry out an urgent review of how its curriculum organisation and structure impacts on how well pupils achieve and the standards they attain.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

11. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good throughout the school. All of the evidence given by parents and classroom staff who have been at the school a long time indicates that the behaviour of pupils has improved dramatically over the past twelve months. During the inspection it was good in nearly all lessons, and often very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

12. Pupils enjoy coming to school, show a high degree of interest in their work, and persevere well with the tasks set. Pupils are polite and courteous to visitors, and to each other. A strength of the school is the excellent relationships evident between pupils, and between pupils and adults in the school. These provide a very positive learning environment.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

13. In lessons pupils try hard to please their teachers, and work well together. Teachers have high expectations of good behaviour, and pupils respond very well to the praise and encouragement freely offered. They take pride in their new school uniform. Pupils enjoy the opportunities to present good work to others during assemblies. Their collaborative work in pairs is very good, and pupils show good standards of teamwork in games and physical education lessons. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 16 Some excellent collaborative work was observed in the booster Year 5/6 English literacy classes.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

14. Pupils listen with interest, sometimes over long periods of time. All pupils, even the very youngest, listened with great interest to the class assembly, which told the story of Anne Frank and her family during the Second World War.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

15. The attitudes and behaviour of pupils throughout the school show that they think carefully about their actions and are very conscious of the impact these have on others. They wait patiently for other pupils to make their contributions in lessons, and listen to each other well.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

16. During the last school year there were four fixed period exclusions, involving three boys. These boys were successfully re-integrated back into the school. During this school year there has been one fixed-period exclusion.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

17. Pupils’ personal development is good. The youngest children respond well to the teachers and support staff in the Foundation Stage. They settle well into the routines of the school, and steadily gain in confidence, self-esteem and language skills. Pupils enjoy carrying out tasks within the classroom. When given the opportunity to take additional responsibility, for example answering the telephone at lunchtime and when older girls help in the nursery during the lunchtime break, they respond very well. In general, however, opportunities for independent learning and for pupils to take responsibility are too limited.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

18. Pupils of all ages elect class representatives to attend the School Council, when they are able to put forward their views. In addition, the headteacher has provided opportunities for pupils to give him their views on a variety of issues. A number of pupils were recently effectively involved in helping to judge a preliminary round of a national competition.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

19. Pupils are enjoying taking part in, and responding well to, the increased number of extra- curricular activities available to them.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

20. Attendance has improved during the last two academic years, and is now just below the average nationally. There was no unauthorised absence recorded in the last academic year. Most pupils arrive at school punctually, enabling a prompt and effective start to the school day.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The overall quality of the teaching observed during the inspection was good with many strengths that far outweighed the areas for development. Fifty-two lessons were observed and good teaching was seen at all three stages of education. Eight out of every ten lessons were good or better, including one, which was particularly outstanding, and thirteen, which were very good. None of the lessons observed were unsatisfactory. Evidence collected from the teachers’ planning records and from the pupils’ books indicates that the teaching observed during the inspection is typical of that usually found in the school. 22. There are twelve classes in the school. The nursery and reception classes make up the Foundation Stage. There are three classes in the infants and six in the juniors. There are Whitleigh Community Primary School - 17 mixed age classes in both key stages. For English and mathematics in Years 5 and 6 the three

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

classes are made into four by the use of an extra teacher. Pupils are selected on the basis of assessments and teacher knowledge into higher ability and mixed middle and lower ability bands.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Common strengths that were identified in the lessons observed where teaching was judged to be at its best were: good management of pupils, particularly their behaviour; good questioning skills; a good range of interactive teaching methods; very good use of support staff; interesting and motivating pupils; good quality team planning. These strengths play a major part in the good progress made by the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. In the lessons where teaching was only satisfactory, the weaknesses were: poor use of time resulting in some lesson being too long; expectations of some pupils were too low; subject knowledge in writing; achieving insufficient pace and productivity of working in lessons; a lack of knowledge of how best to teach investigative and experimental science. The use of homework to develop and reinforce the learning in lessons varies. It is at its best in mathematics.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage was good overall. In total eight lessons or part lessons were observed. In four lessons the teaching was judged to be good and in the other four lessons teaching was judged to be satisfactory. In a lesson in the reception class, teaching was good, requiring the children to taste different kinds of orange drinks and then systematically record their favourites. In a good lesson in the nursery the teacher was using real objects to teach children the letter sounds. Teachers in the Foundation Stage were well supported by a nursery nurse and learning assistants who were clear about their roles and had a positive impact on the progress made by the children.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Overall, the quality of teaching in the infant classes was good. In total thirteen lessons or part lessons were observed. In four lessons teaching was judged to be very good; in six lessons it was good and in three lessons teaching was judged to be satisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Very good teaching was observed in the Year 1/2 classes when teachers were developing the pupils’ skills in numeracy. In each lesson the teachers made very effective use of the national guidance for the subject. The lessons were well planned and the clear structure in the sessions enabled pupils to make good progress. In all lessons when the pupils moved to group activities, the clear instructions given by the teacher and the good quality support given by teaching assistants meant that pupils got on with the tasks confidently.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Good teaching was observed in the Year 1 and 2 classes in a range of subjects including mathematics, English, science, ICT, music, design and technology and physical education. In these lessons the materials provided for pupils were stimulating and the pupils were keen to be involved in the activities and as a result they made good progress. In a Year 1/2 design and technology lesson, the teaching enabled pupils to learn techniques for joining different materials together using practical approaches. This led to a high degree of motivation and good progress in their learning. 29. Overall, the quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 is good. In total thirty-one lessons or part Whitleigh Community Primary School - 18 lessons were observed. In one lesson teaching was judged to be excellent, in nine lessons very good; in thirteen lessons good; and satisfactory in eight lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Good teaching was observed in all year groups in the juniors, and in a number of subjects including mathematics, English, geography, design and technology, science and physical education. In these lessons the work given to the pupils took account of their past learning and enabled pupils to make further progress. In a Year 5/6 class the teacher used a torch and a world globe to effectively teach the pupils how the moon and the earth move. Teachers ’ secure subject knowledge, clear explanations and effective questioning ensured that the lesson was exciting, engaged the pupils and led to good learning. The well-established classroom routines meant pupils moved from one activity to another without wasting time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. The teaching of English is good for all pupils. Some very good teaching was observed in Years 3 to 6. The teachers are successfully implementing the National Literacy Strategy. The lesson organisation and suggested teaching strategies are securely in place. Overall teaching is better in the literacy lessons than in the reading and writing lessons. There is a good emphasis on the teaching of speaking and listening skills. The teaching of writing, however, is under developed. Many teachers are not fully competent or confident in the approaches necessary to raise standards.

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32. The good and very good lessons share many of the features of effective teaching with good relationships and effective behaviour management so that pupils are keen to learn. Teachers have high expectations of pupils in terms of behaviour and share these with them frequently. They plan effective tasks that interest the pupils, are relevant and promote independence. The pace is brisk in lessons with pupils making good progress. Good use is made of questioning and explaining so taking the pupils’ thinking and learning forward.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. The teaching observed in mathematics was good in both the infants and the juniors. The school is making good use of the national strategy for raising standards in numeracy. A common characteristic of the good teaching was the way that the teachers used questions that made pupils think about their answers. For example, in a Year 5 lesson where pupils were developing their multiplication skills, the teacher asked questions that helped pupils develop their knowledge about the relationships between numbers. The school has decided to arrange pupils in attainment groups for numeracy lessons. This arrangement has proved to be effective in raising standards of numeracy. Teaching resources for numeracy are used well and support staff deployed effectively to enhance the pupils learning. The weakness in the teaching of mathematics is that in too many lessons, the higher attaining pupils are not expected to achieve

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enough, either in terms of the amount of work they produce or its level of difficulty.

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34. In science, the teaching of experimental and investigative science needs some improvement. At its best, it is very good, but this standard is not apparent throughout the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

35. Teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence in ICT are good. Good teaching of ICT was observed throughout the school during the inspection. The teachers make some use of ICT to support literacy and numeracy and other curriculum areas such as, science and design and technology, art and design, history and geography. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 19 36. Overall, in English, mathematics, science, ICT, and physical education the teaching is good for all pupils in both the infants in Years 1 and 2 and the juniors in Years 3 to 6. Teaching is very good in design and technology in Years 3 to 6. Teaching is satisfactory in history, geography and religious education. It was not possible to make a judgement about the teaching of art and design, as none was observed during the inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

37. The progress made by pupils as they move through the school is good, with the exception of the higher attaining pupils, who do not make fast enough progress. Some teaching does not challenge them to achieve more. Children enter the Foundation Stage with well below average levels of attainment. Many children make good progress to reach standards in line with those expected nationally for five year olds when they transfer to Year 1 and 2 classes. The good progress continues in the infant classes, so that many pupils are attaining standards in line with those expected for seven year olds. This progress also continues in Years 3 to 6, where an increasing number of pupils are attaining standards in line with those expected by the age of eleven. The progress made by pupils is a reflection of the quality of teaching. Work in the pupils’ books shows that over a period of time, they are developing their knowledge, skills

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and understanding in all areas of the curriculum. However, the quality of marking varies. It rarely focuses on specific objectives or gives pupils clear feedback on what they need to do to improve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

38. Pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs generally make good progress as they move through the school, as do those pupils for whom English is not their first language. The good quality learning support assistants enable these pupils to access the whole curriculum. Pupils are provided with structured opportunities that enable them to build on their previous learning.

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TO PUPILS?

39. The school provides a broad and reasonably balanced curriculum in the Foundation Stage and for infants (Years 1 and 2) and juniors (Years 3 to 6) that satisfactorily meets the needs of all its pupils. It enables the pupils to participate in a range of relevant experiences that support all round development. In both the infants and juniors, the use of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the schemes of work provided by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) have helped ensure that pupils are exposed to a range of worthwhile learning opportunities. The school now needs to develop planning systems to identify more challenging work for more able pupils in English, mathematics and science. There is also a need to provide more opportunities for extended writing and to ensure that adequate time is allocated to the teaching of science and ICT.

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TO PUPILS?

40. Curriculum planning for the youngest children in the nursery and reception class appropriately reflects the nationally agreed areas for learning and early learning goals. However, there are limited opportunities for outside play activities due to the unsuitability of the play areas. In both infant and junior classes, medium term planning is detailed and contains clear objectives. For subjects other than English, mathematics, science and ICT, planning is carried out in a two- Whitleigh Community Primary School - 20 year cycle. This system enables sensible links to be made between subjects. Good links between the content of different subjects are identified in all classes. For example, science and design and technology work on ‘structures and materials’ is woven appropriately across the curriculum in the Year 1 and 2 and the Year 5/6 history focus on ‘World War Two’ is very well integrated into English, personal and social, design and technology and art and design

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teaching. Securing appropriate cross curricular links and applications in ICT remains an area for development. The school allocates ample time for the development of literacy and numeracy, but the organisation of time for literacy is not yet having a positive impact on the amount and quality of work produced in writing. There are good opportunities for developing speaking and listening.

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41. Short term planning is precise but varies in the extent to which it caters for different levels of attainment and how it sets out the ways in which pupils’ learning will be assessed. For example, the planning for English in Year 5 and 6 is not sufficiently clear in relation to different learning experiences and objectives for the wide ability and age range. This is having a negative impact on attainment for average and more able pupils in Year 6.

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42. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is satisfactory. There are discrete programmes of work that cover relevant topics such as sex and drugs education, and opportunities to discuss aspects of healthy living. The school makes appropriate links with neighbouring secondary schools. They collaborate to ensure transfer arrangements work well. Some subject co-ordinators value personal meetings with secondary school staff to develop subject links. The pupils have also benefited from using secondary school ICT, design and technology and physical education facilities.

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43. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good overall. The learning support assistants make a valuable contribution to curriculum provision and support pupils well. In most lessons teachers provides effective guidance. Occasionally, especially in whole class sessions, it is unclear how the support staff are deployed to support the learning targets of the lesson. Pupils with special educational needs enjoy their full entitlement to the whole curriculum and to the range of extra-curricular activities provided. They are particularly well integrated into whole class work because they are given the opportunity to access a wide range of interactive learning styles, which mean that they can participate fully in lessons. They are encouraged to discuss their points of view with partners, to use personal ‘show me’ boards and letter fans. Overall, in class support for pupils with learning difficulties associated

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with literacy and numeracy is effective. The after school ‘conferencing club’ is effective in providing emotional and academic support for older pupils who need a boost with basic literacy and numeracy skills. The pupils with medical, emotional and behavioural needs all receive good support. The few pupils form ethnic minorities and those with English as an additional language are also provided for appropriately.

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44. The staff work hard and with increasing success to develop a sense of community within the school and also raise the pupils’ awareness of the immediate community. Visits are used well to extend and enhance pupils understanding of the curriculum. For instance, Year 5 and 6 pupils recently visited the Anne Frank exhibition at Plymouth Museum and used the knowledge gained to produce a thoughtful and very moving assembly which conveyed the drama and Whitleigh Community Primary School - 21 irony of life for the Frank family. The assembly closed by drawing pupils back to behaviour codes in their own playground. It emphasised the need to respect the beliefs of others and to respect differences within the school community. Visitors are also used well. A recent visit of the author Simon James has been used to develop pupils’ understanding of story writing and to develop a love of reading.

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45. There is an improving range of extra-curricular clubs, which are well supported by the pupils. It includes sports clubs, music and book clubs and gymnastics.

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46. The provision to foster pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. The school has worked very hard over the last year to develop a climate in which all pupils can flourish, respect others and be respected. Pupils have opportunities to focus on the larger questions in life during school assemblies where their self-esteem is consistently raised through reference to their personal and academic achievements. In Years 3 to 6, the work on World War Two has helped develop pupils sense of empathy with others, concern and compassion.

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47. The provision for pupils’ moral development is strong, especially in relation to its social aspects. Adults provide very good role models for fairness, respect and resolution of conflicts in all they do. Pupils respond well to earned praise. This is apparent in the playground, in classes and in assemblies. The pupils are expected to know the difference between right and wrong and are consistently helped to acquire an appropriate range of moral principles. There are some opportunities for the pupils to assume routine responsibilities around the school and the school council provides appropriate opportunities for debate and decision-making. The school pays particular attention to the management of behaviour and this is a very strong feature of the school. There are very clear school rules, which establish what represents acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Pupils are frequently asked to work in teams, groups

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or pairs to in order to complete tasks or share resources, and are taught explicitly to respond to each others’ needs and to treat others fairly. For instance, in a Year 5/6 design and technology lesson two pupils with special educational needs are helped to complete their structure for an Anderson shelter by others in their group without being asked.

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48. The cultural provision through the curriculum is sound. The strongest aspect of the school’s work in this area is through literature. The recent book week, work on Ann Frank’s diaries and a visiting author have broadened the pupils’ understanding of the influences which have shaped their own cultural heritage and that of others. Pupils in the extra-curricular book club are developing a strong partnership with a Plymouth book shop. A number of pupils have visited the Houses of Parliament; others have also explored Chinese New Year and Diwali. Attractive, high quality displays offer opportunities to extend cultural development across the curriculum. However, opportunities to explore diverse cultures are underdeveloped. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 22

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Relationships within the school are very good. Teachers and support staff provide caring and thoughtful support to pupils. Newly appointed teachers have benefited from the support staff’s very good personal knowledge of pupils, which has helped them to quickly establish good relationships with the pupils in their classes. The good relationships within the school are now a significant strength, and are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Support for the very small number of pupils for whom English is an additional language is good, helping them to make good progress. Information collected through the assessment of pupils’ work is not yet used in a consistent way to plan the next stage of learning. The school is working towards the full implementation of its accessibility plan; no issues of any kind concerned with access for disabled people were noted during the inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The school has successfully encouraged a climate for good behaviour by having high expectations, and by the praise and encouragement given to pupils who behave well. Parents and pupils say that behaviour has improved dramatically over the past twelve months. No unsatisfactory behaviour was observed during the inspection. Appropriate advice from the Behaviour Support Team was effectively used during the inspection to ensure that potential bullying was discussed within the classroom in an appropriate and useful way. The school’s policy for promoting race equality is effective. There was no evidence of racist attitudes or behaviour observed during the inspection, and there is no sign of racial tension in the school. The very small number of pupils who come from a minority ethnic background are fully part of the life of the school. There are good levels of supervision on the playground areas, and pupils

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confirm that they feel safe and secure within the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. Behaviour at lunchtime is good. Although the dining area is noisy, this is mainly as a result of the design of the building. Lunchtime supervisors know pupils well, and have well organised routines ensuring that supervision levels are high and effective. There is a good range of activities available in classrooms for use during wet playtimes.

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52. Monitoring of pupils’ behaviour and social development is informal, but effective. Support staff and teachers know their pupils well, and any concerns are appropriately discussed.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. The school has recently put in place a comprehensive computer based program for recording assessments of pupils’ academic progress. The deputy headteacher, charged with responsibility for devising and implementing this tracking system, has worked hard and achieved a considerable amount in the very short time since her appointment. As yet the process is not fully impacting on the processes of teaching and learning. The school is very aware that it now has to ensure that all staff understand how the data can be used to measure progress, inform curriculum planning and teaching and contribute to the setting of accurate, challenging targets for improvements in standards. There are also implications for the consistency and accuracy with which assessments are made by individual teachers. The school has planned for developing teachers’ skills in assessment through training and moderation sessions. This is particularly important in order to ensure that gifted and talented

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and more able pupils are fully identified. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 23 54. The requirements for recording and reporting pupils’ attendance are met. Registers are marked in accordance with statutory requirements, and parents know the procedures to inform the school of the reason for pupils’ absence. The school has successfully implemented a system of telephoning parents on the first day, where possible, to establish the reason for their child’s absence. Arrangements to monitor the attendance of pupils are very good, and have been used well, so that the level of attendance has risen over the last two academic years. There is good liaison with the education welfare officer.

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55. Child protection procedures are satisfactory and meet statutory requirements. The headteacher is the person designated as having responsibility for child protection. Liaison with appropriate support services, including the school nurse, when necessary, is satisfactory. The school has in place effective procedures to ensure that when pupils are using computers, access to inappropriate material on Internet is blocked.

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56. The health, well-being and safety of pupils are given an appropriately high priority. Regular safety checks are regularly carried out, and a governor with appropriate experience is effectively involved in health and safety matters.

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57. Overall the school provides good support, advice and guidance for its pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. The school now very successfully encourages parents to be actively involved in their children’s education. Parents confirm that the relationship has been improved recently and appreciate the role of the new headteacher in promoting this improved relationship. Parents are now very supportive of the school, feel welcome in school, and appreciate the care and support given to their children as well as the improvement in behaviour generally.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. Parents confirm that they feel able to approach the headteacher and teachers, and that support and guidance is now freely offered and available. Information from parents' questionnaires returned, and at the parents’ meeting, indicates that pupils enjoy coming to school. This was confirmed by parents and pupils consulted during the inspection. In addition, parents very much appreciate the increased range of extra-curricular activities now available to their children.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. The quality and range of information available to parents is good. The prospectus provides a good range of useful information, but is in the process of being reviewed to simplify its presentation. Regular newsletters are being produced, effectively informing parents concerning school events and activities. Parents are given good information regarding the work to be covered in each class each term.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. Parents are informed weekly about the homework set for their children, and have a good opportunity to communicate their concerns or queries to teachers when the homework sheets are returned to the school. Whitleigh Community Primary School - 24 62. Annual reports of pupils’ work are satisfactory. The reports give parents a satisfactory range of information concerning what their child knows and can do, and gives details of the work covered during the year. Reports tell parents how their child has progressed, but do not always tell parents how they can help their child progress further. Some reports set targets for pupils, but most of these targets are very general, and could be made more specific and useful.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

63. Parents’ evenings are well attended, and support from parents and grandparents for the weekly class assemblies is very good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

64. Parents of younger pupils are successfully encouraged to be involved in helping their child by hearing them read regularly. The Welcome to Nursery sessions provide a very effective opportunity for young children and their parents to become familiar with nursery staff and the school surroundings. Parents confirm that this helps their children to settle more quickly into the nursery.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

65. The weekly Coffee Club run for a number of years by a group of dedicated parents provides a very valuable opportunity for parents to meet, with younger siblings, to establish social links, and to make a very useful contribution to the life of the school. During the inspection parents were actively involved in designing and making costumes for the nativity play.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

66. The Friends of Whitleigh Primary School, comprising parents, teachers and members of the community, organise a range of social and fundraising events, effectively supporting the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

67. A number of parents make a very good contribution to the life of the school. They help in classrooms, in a variety of roles, on a regular basis. The help provided is very much valued and appreciated by the school. In addition parents help with swimming sessions and accompany pupils on educational visits.

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