Green Dragon Primary School

GREEN DRAGON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 - 16 January 2003

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GREEN DRAGON 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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GREEN DRAGON 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. Green Dragon Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: North Road Brentford London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Roddy Hallifax

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: No previous inspection Green Dragon Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

19227 Paul Missin Registered inspector Art and design What sort of school is it? How high are standards? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9499 Phiroze Daruwala Lay inspector How high are standards? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 10827 Martin Marjoram Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Music Physical education 3588 Kuldip Rai Team inspector Geography Religious education Special educational needs English as an additional language Educational inclusion, including race equality 27426 Terence Aldridge Team inspector English Design and technology How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 5565 Bimla Thakur Team inspector Mathematics

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Aspect responsibilities

History Children in the foundation stage Green Dragon Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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 Green Dragon Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Green Dragon Primary School educates boys and girls aged from three to 11 years. There are currently 359 pupils on roll full-time, 207 boys and 152 girls. This is much bigger than most other schools of the same type. At the time of the inspection 32 boys and 30 girls attend the Nursery part-time. These children and 57 in two Reception classes are taught in the Foundation Stage. One hundred and seven pupils use English as an additional language (27.4 per cent) and 32 are at an early stage of language acquisition. Pupils are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Of the four racial groups which are most numerous in the school, 147 are white British, 23 Black African, 19 other black and 10 Pakistani. Four pupils are from refugee families and five are designated travellers. One hundred and thirty-nine pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register (35.6 per cent). This is well above average. Fourteen pupils have statements of special educational

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

need, (3.6 per cent). This is above average. In the last school year, 35 pupils joined the school other than at the usual time of admission and 40 left other than at the usual time of transfer. This is very high. One hundred and twenty-four pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals (31.8 per cent). This is above average. When they enter the school, most children are achieving standards that are well below those expected for their age, especially in their language acquisition. This is a new school, which was formed by the amalgamation of neighbouring infant and nursery, and junior schools in September 2001. There has been a significant movement of staff in the past two years and there is currently a high proportion of teachers who are new to the school and who have been overseas trained.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Green Dragon school is a caring school where the welfare of all pupils is a high priority. It works hard to ensure that all pupils are fully included and involved in all aspects of its work. The degree of harmony and understanding between the several ethnic groups in the school is impressive. The recent school amalgamation has been managed well, but this, the recent high level of staffing change and the high proportion of teachers new to the school, have led to some loss of impetus in the drive to improve the school, especially in relation to raising standards. By the time they leave the school, most pupils are achieving standards in mathematics and science that are below average and those in English are still well below average. The headteacher’s leadership is sound and she is given satisfactory support by the governing body. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. The school provides an acceptable standard of education for its

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

pupils and gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The good provision for children in the Foundation Stage enables them to make a good start to their time at school. • The school is an effective community where care and welfare procedures are well established and ensure that all pupils are fully included in all aspects of its work. • The good provision for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language enables these pupils to make good progress towards their own learning targets. • The strong links established with parents and the effective initiatives being developed with the local community give the school an important community focus. • Procedures for assessing the attainment and tracking the progress pupils make in English, mathematics and science are good. • The clear promotion of the variety of cultures represented in the school and the inventive opportunities provided for pupils to take responsibility in the school contribute well to their personal, social and cultural

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What could be improved

• Too many pupils are achieving standards below those expected for their age in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. • The procedures for monitoring teaching and learning and the standards pupils achieve are insufficiently rigorous. • The priority of raising standards is not sufficiently emphasised in the work of the school in the school improvement plan. • The statutory requirements relating to the Performance Management of teaching staff and the provision of a daily act of collective worship for all pupils are not being fully met. • Procedures for assessing and recording the attainment and progress that pupils make in subjects other than English, mathematics and science are insufficiently developed. Green Dragon Primary School - 8 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 a new school and has not been previously inspected.

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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 N/a E D well above average above average A B Mathematics N/a N/a E C average below average C D Science N/a N/a E D well below average E

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Key

The table shows that in 2002, when compared with all schools, pupils in Year 6 achieved standards that were well below average. However, when compared with similar schools, standards were below average in English and science and average in mathematics. The school sets annual achievement targets for the proportion of pupils reaching the expected Level 4 and above in English and mathematics. However, the very high turbulence factor in the school makes the setting of targets difficult and the analysis of the results unreliable. In 2002, the school failed to meet its targets by a significant margin. The school is unlikely to meet its published targets for 2003. The findings of this inspection are that pupils in the current Year 6 are likely to achieve standards that are well below average in English, below average in mathematics and science and average standards in most other subjects. There was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made in

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Key

history across the school and in religious education, geography and physical education in Years 1 and 2. Across the school, pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress and achieve good standards compared with their previous attainment. Pupils in Year 2 achieve standards that are well below average in English, below average in mathematics and science and average in all other subjects where judgements can be made. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve standards that are well below those expected for their age in communication, language and literacy, below average in mathematical development, above average standards in their creative development and average standards in all other areas of learning. Across the school, most pupils achieve soundly and make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make good progress. Most children make good

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Key

progress in the Foundation Stage which is due to the well planned and well taught curriculum. Pupils in Years 1 and 2, and those in Years 3 to 6, make satisfactory progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Most pupils are enthusiastic learners and are keen to participate in class activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Playtimes are lively and friendly. Most pupils behave well in class but a few occasionally exhibit challenging behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. There is an impressive degree of racial harmony in the school community. Opportunity to act as buddies and to take part in the meaningful work programme significantly enhances pupils’ personal development. Green Dragon Primary School - 9 Attendance The rate of attendance is well below the national average but the overall trend is a rising one. The school has introduced good measures to improve attendance. Green Dragon Primary School - 10

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

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

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

Overall the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is satisfactory. Overall, the teaching of English, including literacy, and the teaching of mathematics, including numeracy, are satisfactory, although there are several important weaknesses in the school’s overall approach to literacy. These are related to the lack of a whole school, structured approach to the teaching of spelling, phonics, and reading. Strengths in teaching are in the quality of teachers’ lesson planning and the way in which the learning intended in the lesson is shared with the pupils. Most pupils are managed well and teachers give clear explanations and instructions. This ensures that pupils know what is expected of them, encourages and motivates them and improves their learning. Shortcomings in teaching are where lessons are not taught at a sufficiently brisk pace and where the inappropriate behaviour of the minority limits the learning of the majority. The findings of this inspection

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

are that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in most subjects. However, in history across the school, and in religious education, geography and physical education in Years 1 and 2, there was insufficient evidence for an overall judgement to be made. The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is good overall with several very good features. Strengths here are the effective contribution of the Nursery nurses, the attractive and stimulating learning environment and the wide range of interesting and challenging activities. Across the school, the teaching of pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is also good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a soundly based curriculum. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage and for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. The curriculum is enhanced well through opportunity for French and musical and sport tuition. There are too few extra-curricular opportunities for all pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good. Pupils have clear and appropriate individual learning plans that are regularly reviewed and revised. Pupils are well supported by classroom assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision is good. An effective combination of classroom support and withdrawal for specialist support is provided. Many pupils have been enabled to have full access to the National Curriculum and no longer need extra language help.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. Strengths are the way in which the school promotes a clear moral code and encourages personal responsibility and positive attitudes. The school has devised interesting and imaginative ways in which to develop pupils’ social responsibility and commitment to the school community. The effective promotion of the multicultural traditions represented in the school is one of its strengths.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Care and welfare issues are treated seriously and promoted well. The monitoring of pupils’ personal development is largely informal. Assessment procedures in English, mathematics and science are good, but less well developed in other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The creation of a safe, secure environment where all pupils are treated fairly and consistently is a high priority for the school and is achieved well. The positive promotion of the lifestyles and cultures of the ethnic groups represented in the school helps to create a cohesive community with shared values and outlook. This is an important strength of the school. The partnership the school develops with its parents is good. Green Dragon Primary School - 11 Green Dragon Primary School - 12

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher’s leadership and management of the school are sound. The recent amalgamation has been managed well. The work of the senior management team is well established but senior teachers and subject co- ordinators have insufficient opportunity to monitor teaching and the standards pupils achieve. The support provided for teachers new to the school is very good. The school improvement plan does not sufficiently recognise the importance of the crucial aim to improve standards across the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors give sound support to the school’s work. They have worked particularly hard to ensure a smooth transition during the time of amalgamation and to support the school during this period. However, until relatively recently, governors have not been sufficiently proactive in the drive to improve standards. The statutory requirements relating to the provision of Performance Management for teachers and provision of a daily act of collective worship for all pupils are not being fully met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Procedures adopted by the school and the governing body to evaluate its work critically are sound. Issues are discussed thoroughly but subject co- ordinators have insufficient opportunity to evaluate work in their subjects. Assessment data in English, mathematics and science is beginning to be analysed to provide information to judge the school’s effectiveness.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources This is satisfactory overall. Resources for mathematics, geography and religious education are good, but there are insufficient fiction books in English. The school makes good use of its strategic resources for staff training and for the provision for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. Financial planning is sound and priorities appropriately costed. The school ensures that it receives value for money when purchases are made or building improvements secured.

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Aspect Comment

Overall, the leadership of the school has provided good support and guidance during the period of amalgamation. However, this has not been sufficiently focused on the need to raise standards and increase the rate of school improvement.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The standards pupils achieve, especially those with special educational needs • The fully inclusive nature of the school community. • The positive impact of the buddy system and the meaningful work programme. • Good information provided by the school. • The school welcomes parents. • Behaviour of the few limits the learning of the majority. • The range of extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection findings confirm most of the strengths of the school identified by parents except that the standards pupils achieve are well below average in English and below average in mathematics and science. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress. The inspection findings confirm that in a few lessons the inappropriate behaviour of the few limits the learning of the majority, but across the school pupils are managed well and behaviour is generally good. The school provides a limited range of extra-curricular clubs. Green Dragon Primary School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Several important factors affect the standards which pupils at this school achieve and the analysis of statistical test data. This new school was established in September 2001 and has little history of standards achieved in previous years for comparisons to be made. The current inspection is the first in its history so throughout the report no comparisons can be made with previous inspection findings.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. There has been a significant and continuing increase in the proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds. In the separate Infant and Junior schools in 1997, 15 per cent of pupils were from minority ethnic groups. In 2001, it had risen to 31 per cent and in January 2003 it was 49 per cent. The proportion of refugees and asylum seekers and those with limited command of English had also increased. At the time of the inspection 10 per cent of pupils using English as an additional language were at the early stage of language acquisition. This has meant that the school has not had a long tradition of catering for ethnic minority pupils and has changed the profile of pupils entering the school, particularly in the area of language competence.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Turbulence is also a major issue for this school. This impacts significantly on the school’s capacity to reach national standards and in the accuracy of any target setting. In the previous school year, 35 pupils joined after the usual time of first admission and 40 left other than at the usual time of transfer. This is very high. In the current Year 2, almost a quarter of pupils have joined the school since the beginning of Year 1, and 40 per cent of pupils in the current Year 6 have joined the school since the beginning of Year 3. A significant proportion of these pupils had special educational needs and used English as an additional language.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school’s capacity to reach national standards is also affected by a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. At the time of the inspection 34 per cent of pupils were on the special educational needs register and 14 had statements of special educational need. Twenty-seven pupils who have English as an additional language are also on the special educational needs register.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The standards achieved in the school have also been affected by significant recruitment and retention problems. Two teachers left the school when the schools were amalgamated in September 2001 and three left at the end of the following year. During this time the school advertised both locally and nationally and received few and sometimes no applications for some posts. The school decided to make use of agencies dealing with overseas-trained teachers and currently there are five overseas- trained teachers and one newly qualified teacher on the staff. Although induction procedures are very well organised and managed these difficulties affect the continuity in teaching and the school’s capacity to raise standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Data from the single year since amalgamation indicated that boys achieved better than girls did at both key stages. There was insufficient evidence to show a significant trend in this area, but the school is aware of the issue and is analysing test data according to gender. No significant differences in the standards achieved by boys and girls were evident during the inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. When they enter the school, most pupils are attaining standards that are well below those expected for their age. The language confidence and competence of many is at a very low level. The high proportion of pupils using English as an additional language and those at this early stage who have only a basic command of English pose a particular problem for the school. However, some effective community initiatives which aim to support young children and their parents in the family setting are being developed through the community centre which is attached to the school. By the end of the Reception Year, most children are likely to achieve standards in their communication, language and literacy that are still well below those expected for their age. Standards in mathematical development are below average, but standards are likely to be average in most other areas of learning including children’s personal, social and emotional development. Standards in children’s creative development

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

exceed those expected for their age. Progress is good in all of the areas of learning and most children achieve well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2002, when compared with all schools, pupils achieved Green Dragon Primary School - 14 standards in reading, writing and mathematics which were well below average. When compared with similar schools, standards were well below average in writing, below average in reading and average in mathematics. The assessments made by teachers in science were also below average. 9. The findings of this inspection are that the current Year 2 pupils reach standards in reading and writing that are well below average. Standards in mathematics and science are below average. Standards in all other subjects are average, except in religious education, history, geography and physical education where there was insufficient evidence for an overall judgement to be made. As compared with the results in the 2002 national tests, standards in reading, writing and science were the same. Standards

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

have improved in mathematics across the school as a result of the effective implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In the national tests for eleven-year-olds in 2002, when compared with all schools, pupils achieved standards in English, mathematics and science that were well below average. When compared with similar schools, standards in mathematics were average, but below average in English and science. The school failed by a significant margin to achieve its published targets for the percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 4 and above in English and mathematics in the 2002 national tests. The very high turbulence factor is an important reason for the inaccuracy of the school’s target setting.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. The findings of this inspection are that the current Year 6 pupils reach standards in English that are well below average. Standards in mathematics and science are below average. Standards are average in all other subjects except in history where there was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made. As compared with the results of the 2002 national tests, standards in English are the same but they have improved in mathematics and science. Standards have improved in science as a result of the effective leadership of the subject.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. The attainment of pupils who have special educational needs is well below national averages. However, they make good progress as a result of early identification of their needs, effective management of provision for them, and good support by teachers and teaching assistants. A measure of the school’s success is that pupils are taken off the special educational needs register as well as placed on it.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. The standards achieved by pupils learning English as an additional language are similar to those of other pupils of their age. However, they make good progress in the acquisition of English. This is as a result of the very welcoming atmosphere in the school, and the good support provided by the school and the specialist staff from Hounslow Language Service.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

14. There are no significant differences in the attainment and progress of boys and girls, and pupils from different minority ethnic groups. This is so because the school values all its pupils regardless of their background, and is committed to providing education which is based on the principle of equality of opportunity.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

15. Across the school most pupils achieve soundly and make satisfactory progress. When they enter the school, most children are attaining standards that are well below those expected for their age, and many have a very poor command of English. Most make good progress in the Foundation Stage to achieve below average standards by the time they enter Year 1. In Years 1 and 2, and in Years 3 to 6, pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress towards their own learning targets. Overall, pupils in Years 1 to 6 make satisfactory progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Across the school, pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development are good. This has a positive impact on the quality of learning and satisfactory level of attainment found in most classes. Pupils like school. They are happy, and show their enthusiasm for all that the school has to offer. Most pupils are enthusiastic learners and they are keen to participate in classroom discussions. They collaborate with each other and are eager to work either on their own or in pairs and small groups. Pupils show positive attitudes to opportunities provided for them and willingly take personal responsibilities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Although this is a new amalgamated school, with pupils coming from a wide range of social backgrounds, an awareness of community and togetherness has quickly been established across the school. This is an important achievement. Most pupils are friendly, welcoming and polite. They are happy in their school and readily accept the school’s ethos and values. In lessons as well as in assemblies and during extracurricular activities, pupils generally show interest and enjoyment. Most Green Dragon Primary School - 15 settle to work quickly, engage eagerly in lessons and work purposefully to complete the given tasks

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

on time. For example, in Year 3, during registration at the start of the school day, pupils were reading quietly a book of their choice. Pupils would respond only when the class teacher called their name during the registration check.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Behaviour is good overall, both inside and outside the school. With a few exceptions, pupils show good behaviour in lessons. A minority of pupils has specific behavioural needs and a few occasionally exhibit very challenging behaviour. There was evidence during the inspection of teachers and support staff who dealt very competently with behaviour issues, but also examples of lessons where the quality of learning of the majority was limited by the inappropriate behaviour of the minority. Pupils are aware of the school’s expectations of positive behaviour. For instance, the school’s expectations were reinforced during circle time in Year 3. Pupils were asked to recall ‘Playground Rules’ and how they should conduct themselves during break time and when to seek help from the playground supervisor. Playtimes are lively and friendly. Pupils recognise and appreciate the system of rewards and sanctions and most of them respond positively. No instances of bullying were seen at the time of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

inspection. Pupils are sensitive to the cultural differences and needs of different ethnic groups within the school, and are keen to respect the feelings, values and beliefs of others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Relationships amongst pupils and between pupils and all other adults in the school are also good. The system of splitting the school into ‘pastoral halves’ for assemblies encourages pupils to forge relationships with those in other year groups. Pupils are tolerant of views and opinions different from their own. Pupils show concern about others who are less fortunate than themselves. They are sensitive to the needs of others and contribute to a range of good causes, including funds for children in Croatia and Rumania. In lessons pupils readily participate in on-going discussion and feel free to express their point of views, when the opportunity arises. Pupils’ personal development is good. Through lessons such as religious education they develop a positive awareness of different beliefs and cultures.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Children in the Foundation Stage are happy and secure in their enclosed surroundings within the Nursery and Reception classes and show pleasure whilst engaged in a variety of activities. Relationships are good throughout the Foundation Stage, between children and with adults, and between the adults. Classroom routines are well established and the learning areas well organised.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils with special education needs and those acquiring English language skills show positive attitudes to school. They are an integral part of the school community. These pupils mix well with their peers. Most of these pupils are highly motivated and are eager to learn. They are becoming more confident and positive, and developing their self-esteem. They co-operate with learning support staff and, generally, behave well. They work together and support each other in their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. The enthusiasm and pride with which pupils with responsibilities explained their duties was evidence of the seriousness and commitment given to these tasks. In addition a number of pupils undertake duties as school monitors in setting up the hall for school assemblies, helping their teachers by distributing equipment, and tidying up at the end of lessons. Pupils respect property, displays and equipment.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. The level of attendance of 92.7 per cent for the academic year 2001-2002 is well below the national average and is unsatisfactory. However, the trend is improving and the most recent figures indicate a picture closer to national average. During the same period, the rate of unauthorised absence at the school was broadly in line with the national average. Although there is a lack of punctuality on the part of a small minority of pupils at the start of the school day, most pupils are punctual, both in terms of arriving at the school each morning and returning to classrooms after the morning and lunch breaks. All lessons begin and end on time and this has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. In the lessons observed during the inspection, teaching and learning in just under a half were good, and just under a half were satisfactory. In one in ten they were very good. A very small proportion was unsatisfactory. This positive teaching profile has been achieved despite important recruitment and retention problems and with a significant Green Dragon Primary School - 16 proportion of teachers who are new to the school and several who are overseas-trained. This has been achieved through the careful induction support provided for new teachers. 25. Across the school, the most important strengths in teaching which impact positively on pupils’ learning are the clear and detailed lesson plans which teachers use. The learning intended in the lesson is clearly identified and shared with the pupils and activities are devised which interest and challenge

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils. Pupils are generally managed well and teachers’ introductions and explanations are given clearly and precisely. These strengths ensure that pupils understand what is expected of them and helps to increase their motivation and their knowledge of and commitment to their own learning. Most teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and very well in some circumstances. However, the challenging behaviour exhibited by a few older pupils impacts negatively on the learning of the majority in the class. The teaching of numeracy is satisfactory and the national strategy is being implemented well. There are features of the planning and organisation of literacy across the school which reduce the effectiveness of the teaching of basic literacy skills. Although, during the inspection, the teaching of literacy in individual lessons was usually satisfactory and often good, the lack of a whole school structured approach to the teaching of spelling, phonics and reading is a weakness. This means that

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

methods are not always as effective as they could be in enabling pupils to acquire the necessary skills. A further weakness in the quality of pupils’ learning is that teachers do not consistently use homework to extend and develop work done at school. Across the school, teachers do not use information and communication technology sufficiently in other subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The quality of teaching and learning for children in the Foundation Stage is good in all areas of learning and particularly good in promoting children’s creative development and their personal, social and emotional development. Teaching is consistently good or very good for children in the Nursery. Here the teacher manages the children and support assistants very well. She has a warm and welcoming manner which gives children confidence so they are soon ready to explore new learning situations. The teacher provides a very good range of challenging activities which develop children’s skills and understanding. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning in the Reception classes are good. Teachers plan well and have a good understanding of the curricular and social needs of the children.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. In Years 1 and 2, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. In the lessons observed, a half was satisfactory and over a third was good or better. About one in ten lessons at this key stage were unsatisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in all subjects, except in religious education, geography and physical education where there was insufficient evidence for an overall judgement to be made. There are no significant differences between the quality of teaching and learning in the different year groups at this key stage.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. A Year 1 science lesson, where pupils were investigating the forces of pushing and pulling, demonstrated several features of good effective teaching which had a good effect on the quality of pupils’ learning. The teacher was very well prepared. Her lesson plan was very detailed and the collection of resources was interesting, appropriate and accessible. The teacher’s introduction was clear and set the context of the lesson well within the work that pupils had previously done. Key vocabulary was introduced well, discussed and constantly reinforced during the lesson. The activities were introduced well so that pupils were very keen to find out for themselves. They had great fun with the cars and spinners and as a result of their investigations they made important gains in their understanding of how forces cause different movements. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, teachers allow the pace of lessons to drop so that time is not used well and some pupils become bored,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

unresponsive and uncooperative. Expectations are not sufficiently high and significant amounts of time are lost in giving out equipment and in moving from one activity to another.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. In Years 3 to 6, the quality of teaching and learning is also satisfactory. In the lessons observed, nearly a half was good and nearly a half was satisfactory, and a small proportion was very good. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in all subjects seen during the inspection. The highest proportions of good and very good teaching and learning were observed in Year 4 and Year 5. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed at this key stage.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. A literacy lesson for pupils in Year 6 illustrated several features of good, effective teaching. The focus of the lesson was consideration of humorous verse and the way that poets use nonsense words to add effect to their work. This interested the pupils. The teacher shared other poets’ work with the pupils, demonstrating on an overhead projector. They had fun in talking about the possible meanings of words like ‘grobble’, ‘swooming’, and ‘scrushing’. The teacher ensured that the lesson proceeded at a brisk pace and several important subject-specific words were introduced and recorded on the class Green Dragon Primary School - 17 whiteboard. The group activities were appropriate for pupils of different abilities and enabled a further investigation of different word forms. This was an effective lesson where the teacher’s good subject knowledge and clever management of pupils resulted in most pupils making good gains in their

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

knowledge and understanding of suffixes and prefixes and in their enjoyment of language. 31. The teaching and support of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers and teaching assistants know pupils well. They use this knowledge well to plan lessons so that tasks and resources are matched to pupils’ needs. Teaching assistants are well trained and effective. They work closely with class teachers and provide a good blend of support and challenge during group work so that pupils do not become too dependent on them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. The quality of support teaching for pupils learning English as an additional language is good. Class teachers and specialist staff have good knowledge of pupils which they use effectively to plan work for them. The specialist staff work closely with class teachers, and provide pupils with enhanced opportunities for speaking and listening in the context of their normal work. The bilingual classroom assistants also make good use of pupils’ first languages to help them understand the curriculum. Pupils learning English as an additional language are involved fully in all areas of the curriculum. When they are sometimes withdrawn for intensive support by the specialist teacher, she ensures that pupils in the withdrawal group carry out the same work as their classmates. A good example of this was seen in a withdrawal lesson where the specialist teacher effectively supported a group of pupils from

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Year 3 to learn the vocabulary related to their topic on ‘weather’. She had planned the lesson in consultation with the Year 3 class teachers which enabled her to use the topic on ‘weather’ as a context for developing pupils’ speaking and listening, reading and writing skills. When getting pupils to talk about weather, she was particularly successful because she made good use of questions and prompts to encourage pupils to talk about weather in their own countries. This had a positive effect on their progress in the learning and consolidation of ‘weather’ words. When specialist support is not available, class teachers provide overall good support to pupils learning English as an additional language. They work hard to explain new ideas in a way that makes sense to all pupils. As a result, pupils make good progress. However, sometimes although teachers are aware of the needs of these pupils, they are not able to provide any specific additional guidance to them as, for example, was seen

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33. The quality and range of learning opportunities offered to pupils are satisfactory overall. The curriculum sufficiently meets the interests, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and pupils for whom English is not their first language. The school has made satisfactory progress in developing the curriculum since amalgamation although there remain areas for further development especially in English.

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34. The quality and range of learning opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage are good and are a strength of the school. The curriculum is broad and balanced and relevant to the children’s needs and ages, covering all recommended areas of their learning. There is a good balance between child- initiated play and adult-directed activities. The curriculum is well structured and the planning is shared between the team as a whole, which ensures consistency of practice throughout the Foundation Stage. Long, medium, and short-term planning is detailed and linked appropriately to all six areas of learning. The planning is evaluated regularly and the future planning is adjusted on that basis. Literacy is an identified area for improvement, in order to raise standards, and is part of the school improvement plan. Literacy is encouraged in all areas of their learning and through all classroom activities. Nursery

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children have planned literacy times and children in the Reception classes have the ‘Literacy Hour’ adapted to their needs.

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35. The curriculum for pupils in Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory and fully meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and the locally Agreed Syllabus for religious education, and includes drugs and sex education. The school allocates sufficient time for each subject and ensures satisfactory breadth and balance across the curriculum overall. The range of work covered in subjects is generally satisfactory, except in English where there are shortcomings in the quality of learning activities. Literacy lessons follow the recommendations of the National Literacy Strategy but there is no overall structured approach to the teaching of spelling, phonics and reading. The National Numeracy Strategy has been satisfactorily implemented, generally providing appropriate opportunities for developing pupils’ numeracy Green Dragon Primary School - 18 skills.

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36. All subjects have curriculum plans based on national guidance which is used satisfactorily to guide teachers' planning. However, there are very few up-to-date policy statements indicating how subjects should be taught and this leads to some inconsistency in practice. Several of these have not been updated to include the most recent expectations of the amalgamated school. There is a clear curriculum overview indicating when subjects should be taught. Often geography and history, and art and design and design and technology alternate on a termly basis. Termly planning is presented in a common format, although learning intentions are not always closely linked to the programmes of study of the National Curriculum. Teachers of similar aged pupils construct their weekly plans carefully together and this ensures their pupils receive similar experiences.

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37. The school makes good provision for pupils' personal and social development through a planned programme of study. Issues are dealt with mainly in timetabled 'Circle Time' sessions, where pupils sit in a circle to discuss issues, and also separately and informally as they occur. There is a school council and pupils in Years 5 and 6 train as ‘buddies’ to assist in the playground and about the school which gives them responsibility and raises their self-esteem. There is also a good ‘meaningful work programme’ where pupils apply for, and are interviewed for specific jobs around the school, such as delivering registers, sorting school post, preparing the hall for assembly, ‘environmental officers’ and ‘paramedics’ which gives them confidence and means they take an active role in the running of the school.

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PUPILS?

38. Pupils with special educational needs have full access to a broad and balanced curriculum because they are well supported, mostly in the classroom. All pupils’ Individual Educational Plans and appropriate work programmes are in place, and they are kept in the teachers’ files for quick reference. The pupils’ targets set in the plans are good because they are specific and manageable, and are formulated in consultation with teachers, older pupils, and outside agencies where appropriate. The classroom assistants are fully involved in the setting of targets for statemented pupils. They are not involved in the setting targets for pupils on school action and school action plus, though they are made aware of them.

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39. Pupils learning English as an additional language have full access to a broad and balanced curriculum because they are supported mostly in the classroom. When they are withdrawn for specialist support, great care is taken to ensure that they do not miss any aspects of the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

40. There are sound opportunities for all pupils to study other cultures in the curriculum, particularly in religious education. The school values and celebrates the cultural and linguistic diversity in its population through displays, resources and the celebration of a range of religious and cultural events. Furthermore, there is good use of different languages as a resource for supporting pupils, and communicating with parents.

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PUPILS?

41. Overall, the opportunities provided by the school for extracurricular activities and enhancements to the curriculum are satisfactory. The range of extracurricular activities open to all is very limited. However, the school organises additional activities available to the pupils which include a breakfast and after school club, French, football and dance for which a small charge is made. There is a sound range of visits linked to curriculum subjects. For example, all pupils make an annual visit to local areas of interest, such as Hampton Court, in connection with their historical studies. Pupils' learning benefits from sound links with the wider community and they participate in local events. For example, Year 2 and Year 4 pupils visit the Gunnersbury Museum when they study the Victorians, and Year 3 the London Museum as part of their work on Romans and Egyptians. Visits are also made to places of

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PUPILS?

worship as part of religious education. There is a residential week at an adventure centre for Year 6 and local visits and activities for those who do not attend. The curriculum is further enhanced with a wide range of visits from theatre groups, authors, the police and musicians.

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PUPILS?

42. The contribution of the community to pupils’ learning is very good with many visitors and members of the local community providing support to the school. The school has established effective links with the police, the local Sikh temple, and West Thames College. They all provide pupils with enriching experiences. For example, members of the Sikh temple have agreed to talk to pupils on the celebration of the Baisakhi festival in April. West Thames College provides a tutor to teach English to mothers of bilingual pupils twice a week. The school is also used for adult classes and there are curriculum meetings for parents and friends and regular Family Learning Weekends take place where Green Dragon Primary School - 19 parents and pupils take part in a wide range of activities. The work of the community liaison teacher provides a very good link between the school and the members of the ethnically diverse local

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PUPILS?

community. These parents are very appreciative of the opportunities provided. There are also links with residential homes and the pupils deliver harvest parcels to the needy. Relationships with other schools in the area are satisfactory. Teachers from the local secondary schools visit annually to talk to Year 6 pupils and the school is used for work experience and by trainees from the local adult college. There are regular after-school subject managers’ meetings with teachers from other schools in the area to share common problems and expertise. However, there are few contacts with other schools in the area for sporting and cultural activities.

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PUPILS?

43. Overall the provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils in the school is good, with strengths in moral, social and cultural development. However, there is no whole school policy document, and curriculum policies and lesson planning do not identify opportunities that may arise to enhance the growth and expansion of this aspect of pupils’ personal development. The caring and supportive ethos of the school permeates all activities helping to augment pupils’ good relationships, attitudes and personal development.

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PUPILS?

44. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. It is developed mostly through lessons in religious education. Opportunities in other lessons are not exploited sufficiently. The acts of worship, which usually follow a theme, often concentrate on moral ideas, such as doing one’s best in all pursuits, and make a positive contribution to pupils’ understanding of such issues. However, too little emphasis is placed on this as an opportunity to develop pupils’ spiritual awareness, for example, by providing time for pupils to reflect and make a personal response. Some assemblies enable pupils to gain insights into the values and beliefs of other principal faiths. They also provide opportunities to reflect on personal experiences and explore relationships with others. For example, during the inspection, an assembly for pupils in Years 1 and 2 led by the community teacher was based on her

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PUPILS?

religion, Sikhism. She made reference to the spiritual dimension by stating one of the fundamentals of Founder of Sikhism about the omnipresence of God. It also entailed social guidelines about showing goodwill to all mankind and helping all those who are unable to help themselves. Opportunities for spiritual development are enhanced by a range of visits to local places of worship, such as a synagogue and occasionally through contribution from pupils and their parents, such as experiences at the festivals of Diwali and Eid, and religious occasions such as the celebration of Guru Nanak’s birthday. However, the opportunities are missed for experiences to be planned into lessons, in order to develop the spiritual aspect more fully.

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PUPILS?

45. The provision for pupils’ moral development is good. It enables pupils to distinguish between what is right and acceptable and what is wrong and inappropriate. The school’s aims and expectations encourage good moral values. There are high expectations of pupils’ behaviour by all adults and individual classes formulate their own classroom rules. These are reflected in a whole school policy on behaviour which highlights pupils’ rights and responsibilities. Most pupils respond in a positive manner to the behaviour code. Teachers promote the values of tolerance and understanding and these qualities are seen in the conduct of many pupils as they listen and share experiences with others. Various topics on personal, social, health education and citizenship enable pupils to think about and discuss feelings and personal issues. In one of the assemblies for Years 3 to 6, the headteacher illustrated the

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efforts made by weaver birds to build the best nests for their offspring. She then urged her pupils to do their very best in all their pursuits and commitments.

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PUPILS?

46. The provision for pupils’ social development is good. There are good opportunities for pupils to work, participate in sports and pursue social activities which encourage their social development. These are well promoted by the school and are reflected in the way the older pupils participate enthusiastically in different ‘meaningful work programmes’, in their involvement in the school’s ‘Buddy’ scheme, and in school’s council where they discuss issues of mutual interest to themselves and their younger peers. Pupils’ social development is also augmented when pupils go on a residential trip and participate in team sports. In lessons, pupils co-operate well with each other and when working in pairs or groups. Care for others is promoted by the school’s involvement in fund-raising for charities such as providing resources for children in Croatia and ‘Jeans for Genes’.

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PUPILS?

47. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. The school has an impressive multicultural approach to most of its work, and different languages that are spoken within the school community are valued. In classrooms, there are notices in different languages including English; for instance, Green Dragon Primary School - 20 designated areas such as ‘Listening Area’ and ‘Library’ are identified by posters printed in three to five different languages known to pupils in that classroom. Pupils’ understanding of different cultures is promoted very well through the good use of their diverse cultural backgrounds. For instance, during registration in Year 2, the teacher would say, ‘good morning’ in a language other than English, thus reflecting the cultural make up of her classroom, before calling a pupil’s name. Most pupils reciprocated willingly to the teacher’s greeting in the same language. For pupils in Years 1 and 2,

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music assemblies provide a worthwhile opportunity to sing songs in English, Somali and a few other languages. Pupils learn about the indigenous British culture in subjects such as English, music, history, and in art and design. The main Christian festivals of Christmas, Easter and harvest are celebrated. The varied religious backgrounds of the pupils are used competently to promote the multifaith approach to religious education. Green Dragon Primary School - 21

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school is totally inclusive, with all groups of pupils equally focused on in its policies and procedures. There are many good features in the way pupils’ well being, general care and safety are promoted in the school. Pupils are well supported by the ethos of the school and the very caring approaches of all staff. In spite of several changes in teaching staff, close relationships between the staff and pupils are evident and pupils are well known to teachers and other staff. The school’s aims instil respect for diversity of cultures and religions. Friendship and good rapport exist amongst pupils and between pupils and teachers and all other adults in the school. This positive approach is reinforced by the school’s coherent and effective behaviour policy.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The school demonstrates a positive approach to health and safety, and related issues highlighted in its policies. Newsletters are sent to parents providing relevant advice. The school carries out an annual risk assessment. Pupils’ activities throughout the school are well supervised. Procedures to promote and encourage positive behaviour, and for improving regular and uninterrupted attendance and consistent punctuality at the start of the school day, are good and are generally followed by all staff. The school has an adequate number of trained first-aid staff. All records and reporting of injuries are noted accurately and securely. Fire drills are held every half term at different times. Procedures for child protection and health and safety checks are good. The child protection officer is identified in the school policy document and known to all staff.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Procedures for eliminating any oppressive behaviour and harassment are good. Both the headteacher and her deputy counsel pupils who behave badly. They are patient and effective in dealing with a minority of pupils who are sometimes disruptive in lessons. Effective systems exist to monitor behaviour across the school as a whole, and that of individual pupils. This has a positive impact on pupils’ achievements and personal development. Good standards of behaviour are nurtured and sustained in most lessons, especially where teachers’ expectations are clearly set with well established routines. Staff provide good role models for pupils by demonstrating ways of working co- operatively in classrooms and about the school, welcoming visitors and being constantly courteous in their personal relationships. Lunch time supervisors record any unacceptable behaviour during the afternoon break and report back daily to respective teachers. Pupils’ good efforts and work are duly

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

recognised and they are rewarded for their accomplishments. This raises pupils’ self-esteem and makes them feel confident. Each class has on display its own code of conduct. Most parents are supportive of the school policy on behaviour.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The school is very clear about its intolerance of bullying, and racial and sexual harassment. It has very effective procedures for recording racial incidents, and reporting them termly to the senior management team, local education authority and governing body. There were 15 recorded incidents of racism last year, and there have been eight such incidents so far this year. The school sees this as a success of its procedures for dealing with racism because it is evidence that these issues are being taken seriously and pupils feel confident to report them.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. Pupils are given a good range of opportunities to help others and contribute to the life of the school community. The school has necessary procedures and policies to promote pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. Older pupils are expected, through the ‘Buddy’ system, to befriend younger ones and help them at dinner time and in playground. Pupils are also keen to participate in the school’s ’Meaningful Work Programme’. Under the programme, pupils go through a formal selection procedure which is effectively managed by learning support assistants. They are then allowed to perform a variety of tasks, by acting as liaison officers, catering officers, environmental care officers, security officers, and paramedics, each clearly identified by the pupils wearing different coloured hats.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. There are good procedures to monitor, promote and improve attendance. The school has effective procedures to improve punctuality. Good procedures are adhered to in communicating with parents about any unexplained absences. Last academic year, the level of attendance was well below the national average. This weakness is taken seriously by the school. The low rate of attendance is mainly attributed to higher mobility amongst families and the number of pupils taking extended holidays. The education welfare officer visits the school at regular intervals and is effective in using attendance and punctuality data collected by the school to investigate any unauthorised or disproportionate absences, or lapses in punctuality.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. A high priority is put on the care and welfare of children in the Foundation Stage. All adults help to Green Dragon Primary School - 22 make the classrooms safe, friendly and challenging environments. Transition arrangements are very good, both from home to the Nursery and from the Nursery to the Reception classes. This helps to prepare children well in the next stage of their learning. The collection of assessment information, the records of children’s progress and the use of assessment data to plan future teaching and learning, are good. The Nursery teachers are aware of what is required and what is good practice. They make good use of the children’s assessment on entry to the Nursery and plan suitable activities for them. Observations are made on a regular basis and these details are transferred to the next teachers in the Reception classes, and this information is used well by the Reception class teachers to ensure

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

continuity in children’s learning and progression. Teachers in the Reception classes know what the children can do when they start their full time school, using the recommended assessment on entry to the school programme. The Reception class teachers know their children well and make regular notes of their achievements. There is a timetable of assessment, and records are made of important elements in language, development including early reading and writing skills, mathematics and other aspects of their development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. Systems for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory overall. They are good for English, mathematics and science but are unsatisfactory in all other subjects because there are no whole school systems. The school has recently introduced half termly assessments across the school in aspects of English, mathematics and science to assess what pupils know and can do. This information is carefully recorded and tracked and the school is beginning to use this information effectively to set individual and group targets to involve pupils in improving their own learning. However, although these are accessible to all pupils by being placed on their tables, many do not yet refer sufficiently to them as they work. The school uses the suggested optional tests in English and mathematics in Years 3, 4 and 5 together with the results of the statutory tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This year the school has successfully implemented a thorough analysis by gender and

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

ethnicity which has shown how these groups of pupils are performing against local authority expectations. There has been insufficient analysis of the effect of turbulence across the school. The school has also undertaken a thorough analysis in English, mathematics and science by question to identify weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This has provided clear information about the way the curriculum is working. The use of assessment information is satisfactory overall. Although assessment information is used effectively to group pupils of similar ability in English, mathematics, and science it is not always used effectively in other subjects.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

56. The procedures for the assessment of pupils with special educational needs are good. The school identifies these pupils at an early stage in the nursery and reception classes, using a range of assessment and screening procedures. From the earliest stage, the pupils’ progress is well monitored. The school has developed good links with specialist support agencies. Individual Education Plans are reviewed termly, or sooner if there is a need. The annual reviews of statements of special education needs meet the requirements of the Code of Practice. The help of translators is sought in order to fully involve parents who are less proficient in English in these annual reviews or in other matters. Adults, including teachers and classroom assistants know pupils with special educational needs well, and give them good quality support.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

57. There are good procedures for the support of pupils with English as an additional language. Pupils’ attainment is assessed regularly and records of their progress are kept. Records of newly arrived pupils also include information on their social backgrounds and mother tongues.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. The school emphasises the importance of working with parents and encouraging them to participate in their children’s education and works hard to get parents involved. The part-time community teacher organises workshops designed to give parents more involvement and understanding. English classes are held in the school for parents for whom English is an additional language. Overall, the school’s links with parents and the contribution they make to their children’s learning are good. This aspect is considered as a strength of the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. This is a new school and it is held in high regard by parents and the local community. It is successful in establishing a positive and purposeful partnership with parents and relationships between the school and parents and carers are good. Parents are welcomed and encouraged to visit the school and help in the life and work of the school community. ‘Friends of Green Dragon’ is a successful parent/teacher Green Dragon Primary School - 23 association raising funds for the benefit of the school. Various social events are organised for parents and this helps to develop positive relationships amongst parents as well as with parents and teachers. The school makes every effort to involve parents in the life of the school. A small group of volunteer parents painted and decorated the walls surrounding the infant playground. Other volunteer parents help in classrooms and assist in hearing pupils read and in other classroom activities. The home-

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

school agreement is well established. The responses to the parents’ questionnaire and comments at the parents’ meeting indicate that parents, on the whole, are very supportive of the school. They have positive views about their children’s progress and the standards of teaching. Parents are pleased with the school’s ‘Open Door’ policy and the way the school is led and managed. A very small number of parents do not fully support the school in its efforts to make sure that all pupils attend continuously and regularly and are punctual in arriving at the school in the morning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. The school provides a good range of high quality information for parents. Information is comprehensive and easy to read. The school prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents contain the full range of required information. Weekly newsletters are informative and celebrate achievements of pupils as well as providing useful information about the forthcoming events. For instance, an older pupil was praised in the newsletter for making a ‘rangoli’ pattern with rice and glitter during the festive season of Diwali. Each half-term parents receive a curriculum guide keeping them well informed about the work their child is doing. Parents of pupils with special educational needs receive the relevant information at regular intervals and are fully involved at all stages of their children’s learning and progress. Twice a year, the school produces a newspaper called, ‘Green Dragon Gazette’. The editorial team consists of

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

both teachers and pupils, providing useful and interesting news items and snippets to the whole school community.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

61. The quality of the annual reports on pupils to their parents is satisfactory overall. In the Nursery and Reception classes, reports cover the six areas of learning and provide a very good picture of the areas of study and the child’s attitude to learning. In Years 1 to 6, comments on English, mathematics and science are usually detailed and provide a clear picture of attainment. However, there is a variation between teachers in the relevance of teachers’ comments, as some focus more on attitude than attainment. Comments in subjects other than English, mathematics and science are brief and do not always provide sufficient detail about the standards the pupil has achieved. Parents have the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress in detail at the subsequent consultation meeting. During the course of an academic year, formal and informal consultations are also available to parents, enabling them to discuss their children’s work with teachers.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

62. The impact of parents on the work of the Foundation Stage is good. Parents are involved well with their child’s education and the information provided to the parents is of very good quality, both before and after the children’s admission. Parents are pleased with the levels of progress children make in the Nursery and in their Reception Year. These strengths help to ensure that children make a good start to their time at school and little impetus in their learning is lost.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

63. The school is effective in involving parents of pupils with special educational needs, who are kept informed about the needs of their children from the time they are put on the special educational needs register. Their involvement in the review of Individual Educational Plans and annual reviews is good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

64. The school is committed to the involvement of parents from minority ethnic communities in the education of their children and the life of school generally. To communicate with parents who are less proficient in English, the school is able to seek support from interpreters from the Hounslow Language Service. The teacher from the Hounslow Language Service works closely with the parents of pupils learning English as an additional language to ensure that these pupils do not miss out on any aspect of their education.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. Overall, the leadership and management of the headteacher and the impact of the work of the governors are sound. The amalgamation of the two schools, which has been a major focus, has been managed well. The management of the combined budgets, the bringing together of teachers and curricula from different phases and the maintenance of a positive school ethos have continued to secure the confidence of most of the school’s parents. Important factors relating to the recruitment and retention of teaching staff have militated against the school’s capacity for improvement. The loss of several Green Dragon Primary School - 24 teachers during the amalgamation process and the difficulty of recruiting replacements have been an important feature of the school. Despite several local and national advertisements, the school used the services of agencies which recruited overseas teachers and at the start of the current school year five

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

teachers were overseas-trained, including one who was interviewed by phone from South Africa. At the time of the inspection, one teacher was newly qualified. This proportion of teachers new to the profession, new to the school, and new to the education system put pressure on the school’s induction procedures and reduced the number of staff who were able to assume curriculum responsibility. However, an important shortcoming in the overall leadership and management of the school has been that, in several crucial areas, the leaders have not been sufficiently proactive and the pace of improvement has been too slow.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. One of the strengths of the school which parents appreciated had been continued after amalgamation was its caring and inclusive character. This has continued to be one of its strengths. The caring ethos is well exemplified by the example set by the headteacher. On several occasions during the inspection she was seen to be involved with individual pupils showing an encouraging and supportive attitude. The clear promotion of shared values where pupils of both genders and different ethnic groups are given equal opportunity is consistently emphasised in conversation with the headteacher and other staff and through the school’s documentation.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The current school improvement plan, which is the first which has been devised for the amalgamated school, has some strengths. It is clearly prefaced by reference to the school’s aims and includes a comprehensive record of staff responsibilities. It includes reference to action plans relating to most areas of the school curriculum and aspects of the school. The reference to the management of the Healthy Schools Programme and particularly the Community Development Plan are detailed and well thought out. The processes by which the whole school plan is devised and reviewed by senior teachers and the full staff are sound, although not all co-ordinators were fully involved with their part of the current plan. However, the most significant shortcoming is the lack of emphasis given to raising standards across the school. Reference is made to raising standards within some of the subject action plans but the lack of overall impact does not sufficiently recognise and promote this crucial area

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. Financial planning is sound. The school has currently managed only a part of the first annual budget cycle for the amalgamated school. The bringing together of three separate budgets in the previous year meant that there was some uncertainty in the carry forward figures from those budgets until well into the current year. The current carry forward figure is about 12 per cent of the annual budget which is above the recommended level but this has been earmarked for further building improvements and information and communication technology equipment. The governing body provides sound support and monitoring systems but the processes of devising the draft budget and monitoring spending in the school depend too much on the expertise of the headteacher and while she receives appropriate secretarial support from the school office, there is insufficient specific financial support.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The governors give the school sound support in its work. Through the regular full meetings and the several committee meetings, governors have a clear view of the working of the school. Several governors make formal and informal visits to the school, and several use their own interests and expertise well in their work. The governors have also experienced a change in personnel and operation as they too moved to an amalgamated governing body. A scrutiny of the minutes of recent governing body meetings indicates that there has been a full discussion of some important features of the development of the school, and that issues concerning the amalgamation of the schools have been the main focus of the governors’ work. Governors have worked hard to ensure a smooth transition during the period of amalgamation and to support the school during this time. However, this has meant that systematic and rigorous consideration of the other priorities in the school improvement plan, including

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the drive to improve standards across the school has not, until very recently, been sufficiently prominent in the governors’ work.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The procedures for inducting teachers new to the school and new to the profession are very well planned and implemented. They are well managed by the deputy headteacher and are very well integrated into a clear and comprehensive whole school staff development programme. Good use is made of opportunities provided to support these staff by the local education authority. Individual teachers’ needs and the context of the whole school are taken into consideration as a detailed programme of familiarisation and school in-service training is planned and provided. Each of the overseas trained teachers has a detailed in-service training and induction plan which is carefully linked Green Dragon Primary School - 25 with other planned whole school initiatives and other available training courses. A good programme of classroom monitoring has taken place with appropriate opportunity for teachers to be released from

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

class responsibility to observe and work alongside their peers. This is important for the school considering the high number of overseas trained teachers and the number who are relatively new to the school. This very good provision has impacted well both on the quality of teaching and on the overall morale of the teaching and support staff. However, a weakness in this area is the fact that the school has not fully implemented Performance Management procedures. All teachers have not had objectives set or reviewed and the required classroom observation processes have not been introduced. The effect of this is that the process of bringing together all the elements involved in whole school review and improvement has not been able to be established. 71. A further important shortcoming in the leadership and management of the school is that governors have not ensured that two separate statutory requirements have been satisfactorily met. Firstly, the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

requirements relating to the introduction and implementation of the Performance Management procedures for teachers have not yet been fully introduced. This has meant that the consistent application of the required procedures for setting teachers’ targets, classroom observation and reviewing teachers’ work have not yet been established. Secondly, the requirement to provide a daily corporate act of worship for all pupils is not being met. During the inspection week, several assemblies were important curriculum enhancement times but the elements of shared worship were not sufficiently important features.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. Procedures to enable the headteacher, senior staff and subject co-ordinators to monitor teaching and learning and curriculum development are not sufficiently systematic or rigorous. Since amalgamation a regular process of monitoring and review by the headteacher and other staff has not been established. This weakness is compounded by the incomplete application of the classroom observation element of the Performance Management procedure. Subject co-ordinators have not been sufficiently involved in devising their own subject action plans. However, some monitoring by the senior management team and by local education authority advisers has taken place but this has not been systematic. The monitoring which has been related to the induction of the teachers who are new to the profession and the school has been managed and implemented well. However, the school’s overall approach to monitoring has lacked clear direction and overall pattern.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. The work of the Foundation Stage is managed very well. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator has a good understanding of the needs of these young children and encourages an effective mix between adult-directed and child-initiated learning activities. The Nursery nurses and other support staff are managed well and all have a good understanding of their role and are encouraged to make a full contribution to the children’s work. They contribute significantly to the effectiveness of provision in this area. There is a very good level of co-operation and commitment amongst all staff and this has a very good impact on the children’s learning. All classroom areas are well organised and children are well managed. The ‘Planning’ times provide them with a good deal of freedom to choose what they like to do best and children are encouraged to share with their peers what they have been doing and how they

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

have succeeded. The planned outdoor play provision has improved recently and successfully promotes children’s learning, particularly their physical development. A good range of equipment is available for children in the Nursery and there is a regular slot on the timetable for outdoor play. Reception classes have access to the outdoor space and equipment and children make use of it during their ‘Planning’ times. The further use of outdoor space and resources for children in the two Reception classes is a priority on the school improvement plan. Resources are good to promote all areas of learning and are used well by adults and children. Displays are attractive and provide a good learning ethos.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

74. The support for special educational needs is well managed. The special educational needs co- ordinator has a clear understanding of her responsibilities, which she carries out effectively. She liaises with class teachers, teaching assistants, outside agencies, parents and the special educational needs governor effectively. However, her role in relation to monitoring the provision for pupils with special educational needs in the classroom is less developed. The provision for in-service training for special educational needs is good. The teaching assistants are deployed effectively. The governing body meets its responsibilities to report to parents on the implementation of the special educational needs policy.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

75. The arrangements for the management of provision for English as an additional language are good, with the specialist staff being deployed effectively. Their work is jointly monitored by the deputy head and the area co-ordinator of the Hounslow Language Service. The range and quality of resources for English as an additional language are good. Green Dragon Primary School - 26 76. The responsibility for the implementation of educational inclusion is shared by two co-ordinators, the deputy head and the English co-ordinator for pupils in Years 3 to 6. They have a clear understanding of issues related to this area and promote it well. As a result, all pupils are well integrated in the school and the degree of racial harmony evident in the school community is impressive. The range and quality of resources to celebrate and promote cultural and linguistic diversity are good.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

77. The school has an adequate number of qualified and experienced teachers to meet the needs of all pupils and cover the full requirements of the National Curriculum. Teachers and pupils are supported well by an appropriate number of suitably trained and effective support staff. They make a valuable contribution to the work of the school, and in particular to the good progress made by pupils with

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

special educational needs. The efficient administrative staff, meals supervisors, caretaker and cleaners are valued members of the team and make their own significant contributions to the smooth running of the school.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

78. The accommodation is adequate to meet the demands of the National Curriculum and the needs of the pupils. The classrooms enhance the range and quality of pupils’ learning with bright, attractive displays around the walls. However, the space allocated for library is small. The number and range of reference and non-fiction books are inadequate. The two halls are bright and have suitable floor surfaces for activities such as physical education and physical development. Provision for information and communication technology is good because of the successful addition of a new computer suite. This houses a good number of computers and it is used regularly by classes throughout the school. The classrooms and grounds are maintained well. The school reports that the small grassed area that is used for some games activities is prone to flooding and not always usable.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

79. Other than in the library, the range and quality of resources to support teachers in their work is at least satisfactory in most subjects. For mathematics, geography and religious education they are good. Resources are well organised and easily accessible. The co-ordinator in charge has managed successfully the rationalisation of all resources since the amalgamation of the two schools and this has had a beneficial impact on teaching and learning.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

80. In order to continue to improve the quality of education provided by the school the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.26

the school by;

English: - introducing a more structured approach to the teaching of reading and speaking and listening and ensuring a more consistent approach to the teaching of phonics; - improving pupils’ library and retrieval skills; - increasing the opportunity for pupils to write for a wider range of purposes in English and across other curriculum areas; - revising the subject policy guidelines to support teachers in the teaching of literacy skills; - improving the range and quality of fiction books; - ensuring pupils develop an appropriate joined handwriting style. Mathematics and science: - fully implementing the priorities identified in the school improvement plan. See paragraphs 8, 9, 10, 11, 80, 97 - 108, 109 - 115, 116 - 120

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senior teachers and subject co-ordinators rigorously monitor the standards of teaching

and learning, planning and the quality of pupils’ work. See paragraphs 72, 74, 115, 129. 133, 138, 144, 153, 157

p.26

3. Ensure that the work of the school through its improvement plan is more clearly

Green Dragon Primary School - 27 focused on raising standards. See paragraph 67

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matched to National Curriculum criteria in all subjects other than English,

mathematics and science, and for using this information in future planning. See paragraphs124, 129, 133, 139, 144, 149, 153, 157 Green Dragon Primary School - 28

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Continue with the school’s positive measures to improve attendance and punctuality. See paragraphs 23, 53

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Ensure a more consistent approach to homework across the school. See paragraphs 25, 115

p.28

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Ensure that all whole school policies clearly reflect the expectations of the amalgamated school. See paragraphs 115, 124, 139

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Extend and improve the use of information and communication technology to support work done in other areas of the curriculum. See paragraphs 124, 129, 149, 153, 157

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Increase the scope and range of extra-curricular activities. See paragraph 41 Green Dragon Primary School - 29

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 35

p.29

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 31 390

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 124

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 14

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 139

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 107

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 35

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 40

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Green Dragon Primary School - 30

p.29

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 27 34 51

p.30

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.30

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

Boys 20 19 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 17 19

p.30

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

Percentage of pupils School 76 (n/a) 71 (n/a) 84 (n/a) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 17 20 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 16 19

p.30

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

Percentage of pupils School 61 (n/a) 71 (n/a) 86 (n/a) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

p.30

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 19 23 42

p.30

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.30

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

Boys 7 14 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 10 16

p.30

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

Percentage of pupils School 43 (N/a) 57 (N/a) 79 (N/a) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys N/a N/a N/a Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls N/a N/a N/a

p.30

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

Percentage of pupils School N/a (N/a) N/a (N/a) N/a (N/a) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Green Dragon Primary School - 31

p.30

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.31

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 14 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 10 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 5 1 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 19 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 17.9 Financial year * 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income *

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 17 Total expenditure *

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 163 Expenditure per pupil *

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year *

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year *

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 31 * There is insufficient reliable information as the school has not yet completed a financial year since amalgamation. Total number of education support staff 2

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 48.75

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Green Dragon Primary School - 32

p.31

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5

p.32

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

p.32

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.32

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.32

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.32

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Green Dragon Primary School - 33

p.32

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.33

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 68 29 2 2 0

p.33

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 44 37 10 6 0

p.33

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 54 32 13 0 2

p.33

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 51 38 8 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 63 29 8 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 27 11 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 48 40 6 2 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 52 32 5 2 10

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 62 32 5 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 40 30 22 0 8

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Other issues raised by parents

• The fully inclusive nature of the school community. • The positive impact of the buddy system and the meaningful work programme. • Behaviour of the few limits the learning of the majority. Green Dragon Primary School - 34

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

81. The Nursery has 62 part time children on roll, 36 attend in the morning and 26 in the afternoon. The Nursery children are admitted for half-day sessions at the beginning of the year in which they are four, and for full-time sessions in Reception classes at the beginning of the school year in which they are five. Most of the children from the Nursery transfer to one of the Reception classes in this school. Transition arrangements are very good, both from home to the Nursery and from the Nursery to the two Reception classes. Home visits by Nursery and Reception staff are particularly helpful in giving children a smooth start to their new learning environment. Useful guidance is available to their parents in this regard.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

82. Attainment on entry to the Nursery is well below that expected for this age group. This is particularly noticeable in children’s literacy skills and in the large number who enter with little or no knowledge of the English language. By the end of the Reception Year, most children are likely to achieve standards in their communication, language and literacy that are still well below those expected for their age. Standards in mathematical development are below average, but standards are likely to be average in most other areas of learning including children’s personal, social and emotional development. Standards in children’s creative development exceed those expected for their age. Progress is good in all of the areas of learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

83. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall, but with several very good features in the Nursery. Teaching and learning are consistently good or better in the Nursery and ranges from very good to satisfactory in the two Reception classes. Children make good progress overall in the Nursery from their low starting points and make good gains in the Reception classes. This includes those learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs. The language support teacher and bilingual assistants make good contributions in developing English-speaking skills. Support for children with special educational needs is effective in meeting their needs. The good teamwork, including the Nursery nurses, parents and teachers, is helpful in this regard.

p.34

Personal, social and emotional development

84. In their personal, social and emotional development, children make very good progress in the Nursery because of the very good teaching in this area. They are motivated to learn and are encouraged effectively to develop their concentration spans. They learn the established routines in the Nursery and ways to share and get along with each other. They also become independent in matters of personal hygiene. They learn to make choices and to take their turn. During ‘circle times’ they are encouraged to share friendly things that have happened during the week. By the time they enter the Reception classes, they are comfortable in the school environment. In the Reception classes, equally good teaching ensures that they build up good levels of concentration and self-esteem and co-operate well with teachers and Nursery nurses. They learn the classroom and school rules, and to play games fairly. Through different activities, they are encouraged to develop their listening and speaking skills,

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Personal, social and emotional development

and they take turns to talk and listen to others with patience. During their ‘planning’ times, they make independent choices and are fully involved in their own learning. Good opportunities are provided to become aware of other cultures, for example, festivals are celebrated from different cultures and food and clothes from other cultures are tried during day-to-day activities. The school’s multicultural ethos helps to promote children’s understanding that people have different needs, views and beliefs, and that these must be respected. Most children are likely to reach the expected levels in this area.

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Communication, language and literacy

85. Progress is good overall in this area in the Nursery and in the Reception classes and teaching is consistently good. Children enjoy stories in the Nursery, especially those using visual aids. Story times are carefully planned and children develop good interest in listening to stories. Children are encouraged effectively to take books home to share with their parents. The staff offer support and encouragement to all children in their language development, especially those who are learning English as an additional language. Stories, such as ‘Give me a Yam’ are chosen carefully, keeping in mind children’s needs and interests. Visual aids, like a real yam, are used well to feel the texture of yam and talk about it. They are asked questions about the main story characters. Children respond well Green Dragon Primary School - 35 and show a sound understanding of the story. By the end of Nursery year, most children have begun

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Communication, language and literacy

to communicate to some extent in English. 86. Teachers in the Reception classes successfully develop children’s vocabulary and levels of fluency through carefully planned work and group targets. Children in the Nursery and in the Reception classes experience elements of the National Literacy Strategy. The first session of the day is used effectively for shared reading, and the staff use this session well to extend the children’s language by reading big books or cards with rhymes. Imaginative approaches are used for learning letter sounds. Letter names, sounds and corresponding words are constantly reinforced through ring games, using a good range of resources. Children are involved well in these activities and staff ensure that learning is fun. Writing areas are provided for children to write their name and make marks and for teachers to scribe on their books. Speaking and listening areas are used regularly to listen to familiar stories and

p.35

Communication, language and literacy

poems. The computers are used well to support children as they learn the sounds of letters.

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Communication, language and literacy

87. A very good team approach by both teachers and the Nursery nurses ensures that good language use is constantly modelled and children’s vocabulary is extended by example. Literacy activities are well structured and exciting in the Reception classes. Children are encouraged to take books home to share with their parents. Teachers keep a record of children’s progress in reading and writing. One or two children have begun to read some words and most are keen to try. Most can recognise their name and some write their names independently. However, by the end of the Reception year, most children are still attaining standards that are well below those expected for their age, although some more able pupils are achieving average standards.

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Mathematical development

88. Teaching is good overall and often very good in this area of learning. Progress in mathematics is good in the Nursery and in the two Reception classes. Detailed planning supports good individual progress in counting, learning about shapes, space and patterns, and in problem solving. Assessments are detailed and used well to move learning forward. Follow up activities are well structured to ensure repetition and development. In the Nursery, children learn to count to ten and many have the knowledge of numbers to six. Games and activities, including outdoor activities, support children well in their counting and with numeral recognition in the Nursery. Often their language is too limited to include discussion of problem solving.

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Mathematical development

89. In the Reception classes, children use number lines well and count to 20 or beyond, as a group activity. Sequencing of numbers is taught well so that children learn the correct order of numbers to ten. They begin to understand the position of numbers, as the teachers use the appropriate vocabulary to ask questions about their position, for example, ‘one before’, ‘one after’, ‘between two numbers’, ’the smallest or the largest’ number. Children demonstrate developing understanding of number names and positions, by selecting and placing number cards in their right order on the white board. A good range of number games, cards and resources is used to support their learning. Often parents provide useful support with these activities, particularly where both language and learning support is necessary. However, overall most children are still likely to achieve standards that are below those expected for

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Mathematical development

their age by the end of the Reception year.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

90. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good and this leads to children making good progress in this area of learning in the Nursery and in the Reception classes. In the Nursery, children are introduced to a wide range of things from the natural and made world. Natural materials such as sand and water are constantly in use. Children use pliable materials such as dough to manipulate, feel and mould into shapes. They learn to use simple tools safely and appropriately. Through role-play, children in the Nursery learn about a Chinese restaurant and how it operates. The key language is identified and used well by the adults throughout the day. Activities through the day are well linked and language development is emphasised through relevant storybooks. During the inspection, children learned to cook Chinese stir-fried vegetables and tasted them, using chopsticks skilfully as a whole

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

group activity. Children learn the names of vegetables they use in their cooking, talk about them and explore their qualities, using appropriate senses. They are developing a sound awareness of the variety of foods that are eaten around the world.

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

91. In the Reception classes, children learn well about the seasons and the past and present events in their lives. Investigation is encouraged through well-resourced areas, where children can explore Green Dragon Primary School - 36 objects such as mirrors, torches, magnifying glass and magnets. They learn to look at maps and globes, to find out where Africa is. They learn about farmers in Africa and vegetables and fruits they grow, and the type of markets they use. The class topic on Africa generates much interest, and children look at the African art, musical instruments and artefacts with commendable interest. In both classes, there is good access to computers and a good range of software. Children are generally confident and keen to use the mouse. They move the mouse accurately to drag and click on icons. Most children are likely to reach the expected levels at the end of the Reception year.

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Physical development

92. Children make good progress in their physical development in the Foundation Stage, due to the good teaching in this area of learning. Children have access to a good range of outdoor climbing and balancing activities on a fairly regular basis, especially when the weather conditions are good. They are able to use an extensive range of equipment that includes bikes, scooters, buggies and wagons. Once a week, they also have a physical education lesson in the infant hall. Here they listen well to their teachers and show good skills in balancing and moving. They are able to find a space and move in different ways while being aware of others. Small muscle skills are well developed by the time the children reach the Reception classes. Activities, such as sewing, threading, weaving, working with nails and hammers, and cooking activities, all help to develop small muscle skills. In Reception classes, dance and movement lessons, use of construction sets and planned lessons in the infant hall

p.36

Physical development

provide good opportunities for physical development. Children use the apparatus well to show different movements, for example, first on the floor and then on the apparatus, reflecting different movements of African animals. Children move confidently and purposefully on different pieces of apparatus. They walk with a beanbag on their head and balance over a narrow beam with some adult support. Reception classes have some access to the Nursery outdoor facilities. Most children are likely to reach the expected standards in their physical development.

p.36

Physical development

93. The Nursery is housed in the same building as the school and has its own self-contained outdoor area and equipment. Reception class children use the infant playground for regular playtimes and at lunchtimes. The Reception classes have access to the Nursery playground and equipment but this is not on a regular basis. For Reception class children to have regular access to the Nursery playground and equipment is an identified priority and part of the school improvement plan. Improving the outdoor provision, including planning in all six areas of learning, for both age groups, is part of the school improvement plan.

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Creative development

94. This area is taught particularly well across the Foundation Stage. Nursery children make very good progress. They have good access to creative development activities and a good variety is available. Activities offer a good range of media to use. For example, children make pictures of meals, such as spaghetti with cheese and tomato sauce, using wool and a variety of textured papers and materials. They have access to role-play areas, which helps children to use their imagination well and become aware of other lifestyles. For example, they have props for the Chinese Cafeteria ‘Yun Kim’s’ for their role-play. Singing in the Nursery is a regular feature of the day, which helps children to extend their language. There is a good range of musical instruments to use on display.

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Creative development

95. In the Reception classes, children have access to a wide variety of activities. They use the role-play areas well - for example, they dress up as a fireman, a doctor or a shopkeeper. They remind each other of how many children can play at a time in the role-play area. Adults provide useful support and join in to help extend their language. Children pretend to use the telephone and have a conversation with their teacher - for example, to say what they plan to do in the afternoon for the free-choice session. There are good resources for dressing up, for example, as the ‘Green Dragon’ and the ‘Fairy Princess’. Classroom displays show an attractive collage on the theme of ‘winter’ created by a group of children, using a variety of materials, such as shiny straws, tinsel, and textured paper, to show the changing weather conditions and what they need to keep themselves warm. They paint their pictures

p.36

Creative development

creatively by blowing bubbles on a piece of paper and looking at the effect. Children are encouraged to make three-dimensional objects, such as African masks, which are attractively displayed. They learn to join things with glue and tape successfully.

p.36

Creative development

96. The Reception classes use multicultural musical instruments to good effect. These are effectively displayed in the classrooms. Children needing more support with English learn to be aware of the Green Dragon Primary School - 37 different sounds they hear outside, like that of an aeroplane, car and a push chair, and learn to differentiate between the louder and quieter noises. They make loud and quiet sounds, using a range of musical instruments, and try making different noises, such as a baby crying. Good standards are achieved generally, and progress in developing creative skills is very good. By the end of the year most are likely to exceed the expected standards. Green Dragon Primary School - 38

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ENGLISH

97. Standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are well below average. The standards pupils achieve are significantly affected by very low attainment on entry to the school, by the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language, and pupils’ high mobility. However, the national literacy strategy is not firmly embedded in the school’s practice and not all elements are taught with sufficient focus and rigour. Pupils identified as having special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language receive good support which means they often make good progress during lessons. All are fully included in class activities. Extra support is given to pupils in Year 1 and 2 in literacy through the Early Literacy Support programme and for Year 3 through the Additional Literacy Support programme. Booster classes are held for Year 6 pupils in literacy and

p.38

ENGLISH

numeracy. There is also targeted support for low achievers in English in Year 2 and Year 6.

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98. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, results in reading and writing were well below the national average. Compared to schools in a similar context, standards were below average in reading and well below in writing. Girls performed better than boys in reading but there was little difference in the performance of boys and girls in writing. From the work seen during the inspection and from the schools assessment and tracking systems, standards indicate that the current group of seven-year-old pupils is likely to reach standards in reading and writing that are well below average.

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ENGLISH

99. In the 2002 national tests at the end of Year 6 results were well below average compared with national results but below average compared with schools in a similar context. There was no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls. Inspection evidence and the schools assessments indicate that the standards of the current Year 6 are similar to those seen last year.

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100. Standards of speaking and listening are well below average in Year 2. There is a significant number of pupils who have limited listening and speaking skills and teachers work hard to address this. Most pupils lack confidence when speaking and use a limited range of words. Their speech conveys simple meanings in phrases or short sentences although a few more able pupils are beginning to display more confidence especially when they talk about their interests. However, most are not confident when talking to an audience and find it difficult to give clear explanations. Most pupils in Year 6 listen soundly to teachers and other pupils and show respect for what they have to say. Many have a limited range of words and find it difficult to hold a detailed conversation often speaking in simple sentences. More confident pupils often rush in without clearly thinking about what they want to say. Across the

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school, the good relationship between adults and pupils and amongst pupils helps develop pupils’ self- confidence and encourages them to do their best. All pupils, including those who are on the special educational needs register and those who have English as an additional language, know that their contributions will be valued and this gives them confidence and raises their self-esteem well. However, except for some good practice seen in a Year 3 class, where speaking and listening partners were used well, most teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills between pupils.

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ENGLISH

101. By Year 2, standards in reading are well below average. Most pupils do not recognise many words and need to be encouraged to use pictures and context clues to help them read new ones. Pupils choose their reading books from a colour coded selection but chosen books are not always suitable or at the right level. This range of different reading books means that pupils do not have the opportunity to read familiar repeated words and build up a list of words they recognise. The achievement of most pupils is unsatisfactory as they do not read regularly enough at home and in school. However, there is a small number of higher attaining pupils who read familiar texts soundly and are beginning to develop expression. They show sound understanding of the main points of what they have read and talk about the main plot and characters in the book they are reading. Most pupils show knowledge of the sounds

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associated with letters and this is helping them to read unfamiliar words. Lower attaining pupils talk about pictures and recognise letters in their names and a few recognise simple words such as ‘and’, ‘me’ and ‘the’. Pupils identified as having special needs and English as an additional language are soundly supported. Although they have limited reading skills, with encouragement they use picture clues and their emerging knowledge of letter sounds to help them to attempt to read some unfamiliar words. Pupils are heard read regularly but the current provision for guided reading is not focused enough for developing the needs of those pupils who are not directly supported by adults.

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ENGLISH

102. By Year 6, standards in reading are also well below average. Pupils have had few opportunities in the Green Dragon Primary School - 39 past to read on a regular basis both in and out of the school. There is no whole school approach to guided reading sessions which means time is not always used effectively to develop individual reading skills for those pupils who are not directly supervised by adults. Most pupils receive insufficient guidance from teachers in the choice of their reading books outside the guided reading sessions. There is an inconsistent use of reading diaries kept by pupils. Because of this, most pupils have yet to develop an enthusiasm to read for pleasure and acquire a wide and interesting vocabulary through reading a range of different and challenging texts. Few pupils have developed a critical appreciation of a range of books, can compare texts and authors, or confidently discuss plots and characters because

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they do not read often enough. Few younger and lower attaining pupils know, for example, the difference between fiction and non-fiction, biography and autobiography or can discuss the literary merits of books they have read. Most pupils including those on the special needs register and those with English as a second language use their knowledge of letter sounds to split up words into small parts to help them read unfamiliar words. However, few pupils understand the purpose of a contents, index and glossary or are able to retrieve information from non-fiction books confidently. Very few pupils can compare texts and authors, confidently talk about different characters and plots, or have developed a critical appreciation of different books because they do not read often enough.

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ENGLISH

103. By Year 2, standards in writing, spelling and grammar are well below average. However, most pupils are achieving at least soundly because standards are well below average when they enter Year 1. However, a few higher attaining pupils are reaching standards of writing that reflect the expected level for their age. Handwriting and presentation are sound and sentences are usually marked with a full stop and capital letter. However, average and lower attaining pupils have not yet fully grasped an understanding of the use of full stops and capital letters. Lower attaining pupils are at a beginning writing stage with only a few recognisable words. Standards in spelling are below average and very few pupils know simple sound blends or know the most common words usually learnt in the reception year. Insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to develop an understanding of letter sounds and blends

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and use them in a structured and focused way in their writing.

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ENGLISH

104. By Year 6, standards in writing and spelling are below average for the majority of pupils. There is a significant number of pupils who are unsure of the basic key words and spelling strategies, rules and conventions. Pupils are given weekly spellings to learn but these are not always closely matched to their needs. The quality of writing is hampered by a lack of vocabulary and poor spelling. Most pupils use full stops and capital letters with increasing accuracy as they write simple sentences. However, there is a lack of use of connectives such as ‘so’, ‘because’ and ‘while’ to write more complex sentences. Few pupils write at length and writing is not a strong feature in other subjects. There is, for example, little evidence of extended pieces of writing in history, geography, science and religious education.

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ENGLISH

105. The handwriting and presentation skills of most pupils are below expectations by Year 2 and Year 6. Although teachers use handwriting sessions to improve shape, space, joins and consistent letter size, these are not often or rigorous enough. Pupils do not receive sufficient support to help with capital and ascending and descending letters and practice is not reflected in pupils’ writing outside these sessions. Very few pupils have developed a legible, joined flowing style by Year 6.

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ENGLISH

106. The quality of teaching and learning at both key stages is satisfactory. In lessons seen during the inspection, it ranged from satisfactory to good. Teachers plan lessons well in year groups so that similar aged pupils receive similar experiences. Most clearly share the lesson purpose with pupils so that they are aware of what they are doing and learning and this creates interest and provides motivation. Most teachers manage pupils well and behaviour is usually good. Most pupils enjoy their lessons and show good levels of interest and concentration and relationships are good. Several features of good, effective teaching were seen in a Year 3 lesson where pupils were being encouraged to consider the way in which information from different sources is presented and displayed. The learning intended in the lesson was shared with the pupils and the teacher’s introduction interested and motivated them. The pupils watched two video clips of different weather forecasts and identified

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similarities and differences between them. Pupils then investigated other information sources including Internet reports and newspaper articles. Throughout the teacher had high expectations of what pupils could achieve and the good pace and the interesting and challenging subject matter promoted good overall learning by the pupils. Teachers make satisfactory use of resources and materials which are usually appropriate to the purpose of the lesson. Shortcomings in otherwise satisfactory lessons were where pupils do not always produce as much work as they could, lesson introductions are too long with insufficient involvement of pupils. Sometimes, the summing up at the end of the lesson is not Green Dragon Primary School - 40 long enough and insufficient opportunities are given for pupils to talk about what they have learnt. 107. There are weaknesses in the teaching of basic literacy skills. There is no whole school structured

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approach to the teaching of spelling, phonics and reading. This means that methods are not always as effective as they could be in enabling pupils to acquire the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to build on what they already know. Insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to listen, record and use letter sounds and blends in a progressive way. Pupils are given lists of spellings to learn each week but these are not always closely matched to their individual needs. The purpose of guided reading sessions in some classes is unclear and pupils do not always use this time effectively. The use of a colour-coded selection of reading books does not provide a sufficiently clear, structured approach to the acquisition of new vocabulary or the progressive development of appropriate reading skills. Pupils’ reading diaries, which act as a reading record, are often not completed or monitored to

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ensure pupils are reading regularly. The libraries are not used effectively to teach pupils library and research skills as pupils rarely visit to be taught how to find a book. Most older pupils have not yet developed an enthusiasm for reading or read a range of challenging and different texts. Opportunities for developing speaking and listening skills, for example using speaking and listening partners, are underdeveloped.

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ENGLISH

108. There are some strengths, but also some shortcomings in the overall leadership and management of the subject. The recently introduced assessment and tracking procedures are good. The school undertakes careful analysis of annual test results by gender and ethnicity. Thorough analysis is also made of common errors and this information now needs to be used to improve the quality of teaching to raise standards. Pupils are also assessed on a half-termly basis in reading, spelling and writing and results are used to set targets for National Curriculum levels. Group and individual learning targets have recently been introduced but most pupils are not aware of them which means the usefulness is lost. However the two subject co-ordinators do not have sufficient opportunity rigorously to monitor teaching, learning, planning or standards across the school and there is insufficient guidance to support teachers in their work. There is a sound range of literacy resources. However, there are

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insufficient good-quality group and guided reading books and non-fiction texts to support the teaching of reading. Computer technology is not used enough to consolidate and extend pupils’ literacy skills in writing and research. The use of literacy in other subjects is underdeveloped and there are missed opportunities especially in history, geography and religious education for extended writing. The subject is enhanced by a range of visitors to the school and the school has recently embarked on the production of a termly newspaper to promote a range of writing within the school.

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MATHEMATICS

109. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils achieve standards in mathematics, including numeracy, that are below national averages. In 2002, results in the national tests for seven-year-olds were broadly in line with pupils in similar schools, but were well below the national averages. Results in the tests for eleven-year-olds in 2002 were also well below national averages, but in line with the standards reached by pupils in similar schools. Inspection evidence shows that standards are improving, but are still below the national averages. The school’s forecasts are in line with the current inspection judgements and indicate that pupils in Year 6 are making sound progress. The standards pupils reach are influenced by the number of pupils with special educational needs, the very low starting point of pupils who arrive at the school, including those with English as an additional language and high turbulence.

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MATHEMATICS

Additional strategies applied by the school to raise standards are beginning to have a positive effect on raising standards across the school. Progress is good for pupils with special educational needs, and for pupils with English as an additional language at the very early stages of English acquisition, as a result of good support structures within school.

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MATHEMATICS

110. By the end of Year 2, pupils add and subtract numbers up to 100. Higher-attaining pupils are beginning to explore quick ways of adding, such as by adding 10 to a number first and then adjusting the answer. Pupils recognise how many groups of tens there are in a two-digit number and know the value of each digit. More able pupils have secure understanding of place value to 100 and apply this in solving ‘money’ problems to £1. Pupils are beginning to learn the two, five and ten times tables. Pupils learn the vocabulary of estimation and approximation and practise their skills by guessing a small number of objects in a container. Many pupils recognise, label and describe common two-dimensional shapes. They learn to measure familiar objects in centimetres, but lower-attaining pupils need much support to accomplish this correctly, but with support manage to do so. Green Dragon Primary School - 41

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MATHEMATICS

111. By the end of Year 6, pupils explain well their own methods of calculations. This is because they are taught to use a variety of strategies and encouraged to share their strategies with others. The precise use of mathematical vocabulary by teachers themselves encourages the use of newly learned mathematical vocabulary and ideas by pupils in their daily contexts. Pupils in Year 6 learn to multiply and divide whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1000 and observe what happens to the digits. They learn to use factors to solve multiplication and division calculations. More able pupils make links between the two, and use their calculators to check the accuracy of their answers. Pupils are encouraged to apply their knowledge to solve real life problems, but are at an early stage. Problem solving in a range of contexts is not sufficiently developed across the school. This is an identified area for improvement.

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MATHEMATICS

Pupils need much support from their teachers in solving relatively simple problems. Written methods of recording information in a range of contexts are not sufficiently emphasised or taught during lessons. Pupils’ recording skills in mathematics are below the expected standards for age. This considerably reduces the pace of pupils’ work during their group activities.

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MATHEMATICS

112. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall with many good features. Aspects of strong, effective teaching that have a good effect on the quality of pupils’ learning are good relationships with pupils which create positive attitudes to their work. Teachers’ planning ensures that all pupils are included in lessons and teachers and support staff all work hard to help those in the early stages of learning English, and to support pupils with a wide range of special educational needs. They do this successfully and, as a result, these groups of pupils make good progress. Other features of very good teaching were observed in a Year 5 class. The interesting yet challenging work in problem solving which was provided involved all pupils well. The teacher’s confident and enthusiastic approach resulted in pupils achieving good levels of confidence with their mental calculations, and with written methods of

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MATHEMATICS

computation. By the end of the lesson, pupils had understood the processes of doubling and halving and were able to recognise different number patterns. More able pupils established useful links with multiplication, division and fractions, and had learnt the correct use of brackets in their problem solving. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, teachers lack the knowledge and confidence to clarify pupils’ misconceptions about the value of different digits in a number and the use of poor quality worksheets does not sufficiently interest or challenge pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

113. Overall, teachers have sound knowledge of the National Numeracy Strategy and use the Numeracy Framework well to plan their lessons. Whole class sessions at the beginning of each lesson are lively and teachers question their pupils well. As a result, pupils are given good opportunity to demonstrate what they know, understand and can do. Teachers’ demonstrations are generally good and they make good use of resources to help develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding. The brief plenary at the end of the lesson is used well to conclude the lessons, although not as well to assess what has been learned by different groups of pupils. This is mainly because of the lack of time towards the end of the lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

114. The National Numeracy Strategy is well established. Both newly qualified teachers and overseas teachers trained are well inducted and supported. Shared planning in parallel classes is particularly useful in this regard. The school is implementing the National Numeracy Strategy well and this is having a good impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Standards in numeracy are rising as a result. Pupils use number skills satisfactorily in other subjects. There were examples of this in subjects such as history, geography and science. However, there is limited use of information and communication technology to support work, for example, in number, shape and data handling or by pupils in their own investigations, as a normal part of everyday learning.

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MATHEMATICS

115. The good assessment procedures in mathematics for monitoring attainment, for tracking pupils’ progress, and for using optional tests, enable teachers to identify pupils who need additional support, and to set group targets for improvement. Focused projects are successful in raising standards among small groups of targeted pupils. The co-ordinator is well supported by other senior teachers and by the advisory staff from the local education authority. The whole school policy for mathematics is not yet in place, to ensure that expectations throughout the school are clear, for example, in relation to assigning homework to pupils. The co-ordinator of the subject provides sound leadership and is well aware of the areas that need improving, some of which have been included in the school improvement plan. The role of the co-ordinator, in monitoring the quality of pupils’ work and in relation to monitoring teaching and

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MATHEMATICS

learning, through direct classroom observation, is insufficiently developed. Opportunities to monitor and support colleagues’ work are improving. The school is well placed to move forward. Green Dragon Primary School - 42

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SCIENCE

116. By the end of Year 2, most pupils make satisfactory progress but achieve standards that are slightly below the national average. By the end of Year 6, most pupils make satisfactory progress and are likely to achieve standards that are below the national average. Pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs make good progress when specialist staff and classroom assistants support them. Overall, pupils achieve soundly and make satisfactory progress. Better progress is hindered by weaknesses in pupils’ writing skills. This restricts their capacity to express what they know and understand. The targets set for the current academic year are suitably challenging but realistic.

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SCIENCE

117. A strength in the achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is in their understanding and appreciation of investigations. For example, during the inspection, Year 1 pupils investigated the different ways that objects move, such as rolling, turning, twisting and spinning. They described accurately the movement of familiar items such as a pushchair, car or wheelchair. They discussed whether this was attributable to the force of a push or a pull and drew appropriate conclusions. Pupils learned a good range of key scientific vocabulary. Using a range of toy cars and other vehicles, Year 2 pupils investigated successfully the different ways that some objects move. They learned about factors that influence the movement of vehicles, such as size and weight and the nature of the surface. They applied their mathematical knowledge well through measuring accurately the distances travelled by the vehicles.

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SCIENCE

Recorded evidence indicates that in this key stage there are good links to personal and social education. For example, pupils show in their writing that they have a basic understanding of taking some personal responsibility for their own good health, including what they eat.

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SCIENCE

118. In Years 3 to 6, the work on investigations is also a strength in pupils’ achievement. Pupils in Year 5 undertake experiments to show that sounds are made when objects or materials vibrate. Most make sensible and accurate oral observations about their investigations and draw the correct conclusions from their work. Pupils in Year 6 explore ask questions about physical phenomena related to magnetism, forces and motion. Across this key stage, pupils talk enthusiastically about their work in whole class and group discussions. Many demonstrate a reasonably sound scientific knowledge and use appropriate scientific vocabulary confidently. However, most pupils show that they have a better understanding of science than is evident in their written work, where weak writing skills continue to restrict progress. This is the weakest aspect of their achievement.

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SCIENCE

119. Across the school, the quality of teaching is satisfactory and this results in satisfactory learning. Teachers plan well and often the new vocabulary to be introduced is clearly identified and carefully introduced and reinforced. Where appropriate, teachers make good reference to the importance of fair testing. Teachers organise their lessons well with helpful introductions, group activities and a summing up at the end. Further features of good and very good teaching were observed in a Year 1 lesson where the focus was on identifying pushing and pulling forces. The lesson built systematically on pupils’ prior knowledge and understanding. The work was challenging and exciting and resources were used effectively to support learning. Due attention was paid to the development of key vocabulary. Links to literacy were used effectively, for example through the big book entitled ‘Push and Pull’. As a result of

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SCIENCE

this very good teaching all pupils enjoyed a very good learning experience. For most, learning was fun. In the good lesson in Year 2, the teacher used open ended questions well to elicit information about fair testing, and the practical and written tasks were suitably matched to pupils’ different levels of ability. Additional support was focused on a small group of pupils with English as an additional language. This was implemented successfully and ensured that those pupils made similar good gains in their learning. Pupils used knowledge and skills learned in other subjects to enhance their work in scientific inquiry, for example their ability to measure distances that they had learned in mathematics.

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SCIENCE

120. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The experienced and capable co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and has led a comprehensive review of the subject. As a result, there is a clear understanding about what further developments are required and how their success will be measured. These are recorded in the school improvement plan and include, for example, improving standards of achievement through identifying areas for specific focus in teaching and learning. Having responsibility for the induction of new staff, the co-ordinator is actively involved in the monitoring of some teaching and learning. Using a wide range of criteria, the subject co-ordinator led and completed a detailed and thorough analysis of the pupils’ results in national science tests. As a result of this analysis the school is now well placed to improve pupils’ performance in identified areas of weakness, particularly

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SCIENCE

scientific enquiry and life and living processes. Assessment procedures are very good. They are used Green Dragon Primary School - 43 successfully at regular intervals to monitor pupils’ levels of understanding

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SCIENCE

and their rates of progress. Resources are satisfactory and are used effectively to help pupils carry out their investigations and reach their conclusions. The use of information and communication technology across the subject is not sufficiently strong or well planned.

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ART AND DESIGN

121. In Years 2 and 6 pupils achieve average standards. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language achieve similar standards to their peers.

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ART AND DESIGN

122. Across the school, pupils achieve satisfactorily. A strength in the achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is the way in which they imaginatively use a wide range of materials as they compose different collages. For example, large, colourful collages have been made to illustrate the story ‘Five Little Ducks’ in Year 1, and the infant hall is attractively decorated with collages depicting the postman and his work. A strength in the achievement of pupils in Years 3 to 6 is the development and application of their observation skills. Older pupils do careful observational drawings of flowers while younger pupils observe and draw a range of different fruits.

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ART AND DESIGN

123. The quality of teaching and learning across the school is satisfactory overall, although in the lessons observed during the inspection it ranged from good to unsatisfactory. Across the school, teachers’ lesson planning is full and the learning intended in the lesson is clearly identified. Teachers use a range of resources to interest and challenge the pupils. For example, in a Year 1 lesson, the teacher had gathered a useful collection of natural materials, such as twigs, leaves, stones and bark, which the pupils were encouraged to assemble artistically to create a temporary sculpture. In a Year 5 lesson considering the art and craft of different cultures, the teacher had collected an interesting range of containers from different parts of the world for the pupils to observe. Other features of good, effective teaching which impacted well on pupils’ learning were seen in a Year 4 lesson where pupils were

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ART AND DESIGN

considering artistic representations of journeys they had made. Pupils’ interest was quickly gained as the teacher shared with them the work of other artists on the same theme and the teacher’s introduction was effective as she regularly checked pupils’ understanding. The class was managed well and was stopped at appropriate times for further instruction and encouragement. A good variety of other resources was available including route maps and Internet access. The result was that the pupils were very well challenged and they made good gains in their artistic appreciation skills. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, time is lost in moving from one activity to another, resources have not been sufficiently prepared and insufficient attention is given to the teaching of the specific skills identified in the lesson plan.

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ART AND DESIGN

124. The subject is managed well by two enthusiastic co-ordinators who represent different key stages in the school. This works well. A shortcoming is that the policy guidelines produced have not yet been matched to the expectations of the amalgamated school and they do not contain sufficient guidance for teachers in the development of particular skills or in interpreting the scheme of work. The co-ordinators have organised recent whole-school in-service training and in the previous school year they organised a successful art trail which provided a useful focus for parents and for teachers on art provision across the school. Interest in the subject is further promoted by art curriculum assemblies where all classes share work which they have done, and through the work of visiting artists. Examples of pupils’ work are displayed well in classrooms and around the school. A strength in provision is the collection of

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ART AND DESIGN

planning and work in class portfolios. This provides a good overview of what had been taught and achieved in each year group and is encouraging teachers to expect higher standards. Overall, resources are satisfactory, but the links with information and communication technology are insufficiently developed. Assessment procedures are underdeveloped. There are currently no agreed procedures for assessing and recording the progress that pupils make through the National Curriculum.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

125. By the end of Years 2 and 6, most pupils achieve standards that are broadly similar to those expected nationally. Achievement for most pupils, including those identified as having special educational needs and English as an additional language, is satisfactory. All pupils are fully included in all activities. The subject alternates with art on a half-termly basis and is soundly planned using national guidance on an Green Dragon Primary School - 44 annual cycle. Green Dragon Primary School - 45 126. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 experience an appropriate range of activities. In Year 2, pupils’ hand puppets and the designing of a moving vehicle clearly show that lessons are soundly planned to develop the stages of designing, making and evaluating. Pupils use their imagination well in their designs and most follow these closely, taking care in their work. They select from a sound range of materials and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

their cutting, sticking and joining skills are satisfactory overall. Teachers encourage pupils to evaluate their work and talk and write about what they have learnt and how they could improve.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

127. In Year 6, standards are similar to those expected nationally. Pupils are introduced to an appropriate range of materials and most have a sound knowledge of the safe use of tools such as saws and other woodwork equipment. In a Year 3 lesson observed, pupils enjoyed sampling different types of sandwich and completed a class chart on what they liked and disliked about the appearance, flavour and texture in preparation for making their own. Sound opportunities are provided to promote relationships and personal and social development as pupils works in pairs or groups, discussing and sharing what they are doing. This also provides good opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills. Weaknesses in pupils’ achievements are when their design plans are not sufficiently detailed or show clearly sizes and dimensions. Also their evaluations do not always identify how finished products might be improved or what went well.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

128. Across the school, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. This judgement is made after looking at termly and weekly planning, talking to pupils and looking at examples of pupils’ work. Most teachers have at least sound understanding of subject requirements and teachers of similar aged pupils plan their lessons soundly together so that their pupils receive similar experiences. Relationships are a good feature of lessons seen and pupils are managed well so that most have a positive attitude and behaviour is good. Most lessons are at least satisfactorily planned using national guidance although what pupils are expected to learn and do is not always as clear. There are some shortcomings in teaching in otherwise satisfactory lessons. The pace of lessons is not always quick enough and work is not always completed in the time allotted. There is not always enough investigating and evaluating

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

of familiar products and items or sufficient emphasis on small focused tasks to practise skills and techniques before making the final product. Expectations in the designing, planning and making stages are not always high enough to ensure a good-quality final product.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

129. The enthusiastic subject manager, who teaches in the school part-time, manages the subject soundly in the time available but does not take full responsibility. There is some informal monitoring of pupils’ work in the school through visiting classrooms but there is no formal monitoring of teaching, learning and standards. There are no formal assessment procedures and the co-ordinator has identified the need for these. She is developing a folder of examples of previous work but these are not annotated against National Curriculum levels to help teachers make more accurate assessments. There is a satisfactory range of construction kits to support the design process and a sound range of materials and resources some of which are shared with the science subject manager. These are accessible and satisfactorily organised in storerooms. There are good facilities for food technology and a rota of willing

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

parents who supervise activities Resources for controlling models are available but are currently not used because no one has the necessary experience. Some good displays in classrooms show that pupils’ work is valued and raise the subject profile. The use of information and communication technology in the subject is underdeveloped.

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GEOGRAPHY

130. Because of the way in which the subject is planned and taught there was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made on standards achieved in Year 2, but by the end of Year 6, pupils achieve expected standards. There are no significant variations in standards achieved by pupils from different minority ethnic groups. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well. As a result, they make good progress. The standards achieved by pupils learning English as an additional language are similar to those of other pupils of their age. Girls and boys achieve similar standards.

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GEOGRAPHY

131. There was also insufficient evidence for a judgement or comment to be made on pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2. In Year 6, a strength in pupils’ achievement is in their knowledge and understanding of the major geographical and human features of their locality and their effect on the lifestyles of its residents. They talk in great detail about the changes which are taking place in Brentford as a result of regeneration and they express views on how regeneration is changing its character and history. As they express these views, they suggest improvements to their locality which would benefit its Green Dragon Primary School - 46 residents. Pupils are able to compare and contrast some of the features of their locality with those of Harefield which they have studied in the past. In their current topic on ‘investigating rivers’, they are developing a sound understanding of the way rivers change people’s lives. Pupils’ map skills are well

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GEOGRAPHY

developed, and they make satisfactory use of technical vocabulary in their work, for example ‘evaporation’, ‘condensation’, ‘source’, ‘tributary’ and ‘meander’.

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GEOGRAPHY

132. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about the quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2, but in Years 3 to 6 it is satisfactory with some good and very good features. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject, and they generally plan their lesson well. Their questions and explanations are clear as a result of which pupils know clearly what is expected of them. Features of very good teaching were observed in a Year 4 lesson on ‘improving the school environment’. Planning and resources took into account the needs of all pupils in the class and the learning intended in the lesson was shared explicitly at the beginning of lesson. Teaching was lively, informative and well structured and questions and explanations were very clear. These features enabled pupils to work at a good pace and improved the quality of their learning. Weaknesses in teaching in otherwise satisfactory

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GEOGRAPHY

lessons occur where although teachers explain new words clearly, they do not spend sufficient time to reinforce their meanings, and to ensure that pupils have understood them.

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GEOGRAPHY

133. The subject is soundly managed by two co-ordinators, one of whom is currently on maternity leave. The other co-ordinator, who is currently supported by the headteacher, has a clear understanding of her role. However, the new co-ordinator has had insufficient opportunity to monitor teaching and standards and procedures for assessment are underdeveloped. Resources are good, and they are used well. The school makes good use of the local environment to enhance the geography curriculum. The use of information and communication technology to support geography is satisfactory.

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HISTORY

134. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 attain standards that are below those expected for their age. This is mainly because of pupils’ under-developed literacy skills which are particularly impacting in Years 2 and 6. Standards in other years are closer to average and most pupils achieve satisfactorily and make sound progress. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs and for those who speak English as an additional language is better, largely due to the additional support that is provided.

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HISTORY

135. Across the school, pupils achieve soundly and are introduced satisfactorily to the historical topics which they are studying. For example, pupils in Year 1 begin to appreciate how things change over time as they learn about changes in toys that were used in the past, and compared those to the ones they use today at home or in school. A grandparent was invited to talk about her experiences from Ghana. Pupils in Year 2 learn about Florence Nightingale from using old photographs and through reading a big non-fiction book with help from their teacher. Most gain sound basic factual knowledge, and some are able to compare the condition of the hospitals during the Crimean War with the modern hospitals. They are beginning to appreciate why Florence Nightingale was famous. Weaknesses in pupils’ achievement at this key stage are where they have limited understanding of aspects of the past beyond living memory and several have difficulty in using terms concerned with the passing of time,

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HISTORY

136. Weaknesses in pupils’ achievement in Year 2 are where they have limited understanding of aspects of the past beyond living memory and several have difficulty in using terms concerned with the passing of time, such as then, now and in the past. Shortcomings in pupils’ achievement in Year 6 are where pupils have limited knowledge and understanding of significant events, people and changes in the past. Several have difficulty in remembering dates and terms, and in describing some of the main events, people and changes they had studied in the previous term. Pupils in Year 5, on the other hand, have a sound knowledge of events in the Tudor period from the previous term, and give their own interpretations of why kings and queens during the Tudor period acted as they did.

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HISTORY

137. Across the school, the overall quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is satisfactory and has a number of strengths and some weaknesses. Strengths in teaching which impact positively on pupils’ learning are where teachers use time lines well to ensure that pupils place different events, people and changes into correct periods of time. History of the local area is taught well through walks that are arranged in their own locality. Pupils study the history of Brentford by comparing maps from the Roman period to those of today. Other strengths of teaching are teachers’ secure subject knowledge, Green Dragon Primary School - 47 appropriate expectations, sound history content and the good use of books, photograph and artefacts. However, where teaching in unsatisfactory, teachers’ expectations are not sufficiently high and the specific subject concepts and skills are not sufficiently emphasised.

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HISTORY

138. Teachers use the nationally recommended scheme of work, although the schemes have not yet been adjusted to suit the needs of the new school. The Yearly Plan ensures that pupils in all age groups cover the expected topics for their key stage. However, the subject policy and guidelines have not yet been revised since amalgamation and so there is insufficient guidance to help teachers in their work or to ensure consistency of practice across the school. A whole school policy is an identified priority for the school and part of the school improvement plan. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. However, the co-ordinator does not have a role at present in monitoring teaching or in sampling pupils’ work, to ensure that the standards of work are in line with expectations for age or that the subject is taught to a sufficient depth. Assessment at the end of taught topics has been

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HISTORY

introduced recently, but the practice is inconsistent across the school. There is no assessment and recording of pupils’ attainment which is matched to National Curriculum criteria.

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HISTORY

139. Work in the subject is satisfactorily integrated into other curriculum areas. For example, in the lessons observed, pupils’ literacy skills in reading, speaking and listening are promoted well. Pupils make some use of the Internet and information books to help them with their research. Art is used productively to learn about people in the past, and this adds to the pupils’ interest in learning history. For example, pupils in Year 5 have been learning about the Tudor monarchs by looking at their portraits. Visits have been arranged to Gunnersbury Museum, and to British Museum, to support pupils’ work on history topics, such as the Romans, Tudors, Victorians and the ancient Egyptians. However, opportunities to further develop pupils’ writing skills are not sufficiently taken. Generally, pupils’ recorded work is over dominated by commercially produced worksheets, which provide limited opportunities for extended

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HISTORY

writing, for example, to give pupils’ own views and interpretations of the past. Resources are satisfactory. Good practice is shared through curriculum assemblies, and there are good history displays in some classes. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through opportunities to empathise with people and events in the past.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

140. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils attain average standards and most pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make good progress in their learning when they receive support from their teachers and classroom assistants. At other times they make satisfactory progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

141. In Years 1 and 2, pupils access computer programs reasonably successfully. They are beginning to use mouse-control and the keyboard with increasing confidence. For example, with adult support a group of lower attaining pupils in Year 2 read a computer version of the story of Jack and the Beanstalk successfully. They clicked on to the relevant icons and drew down the information related to the various characters in this tale. Year 2 pupils describe accurately how to use tools successfully to create pictures from the Paint program and show off their results. In oral answers in lessons, these same Year 2 pupils show a reasonable understanding of some other functions of computer tools such as the spray and pencil.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

142. In Years 3 to 6, younger pupils show familiarity with a range of other technological equipment. They demonstrate through role-play that they can use tape recorders and video effectively when presenting a weather forecast in connection with their studies in geography. Pupils in Year 4 build successfully on this prior enthusiasm for the subject when they present their ideas for improving the environment. Using tape recorders they investigate noise levels in the school at different times of the day and consider how to reduce excessive noise to more acceptable levels. Most pupils in Year 5 enter labels and numbers on a spreadsheet successfully and they know how to create folders and save work. In Year 6 pupils access the Internet confidently when researching for information about rivers. They select the most appropriate search engine from a variety and give the reasons for their choices.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

143. Across the school, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers are enthusiastic and this helps encourage pupils’ positive attitudes to the subject. Teachers are becoming increasingly Green Dragon Primary School - 48 confident and competent because they have access to good-quality professional development and training. Strengths are in the teaching and reinforcement of skills in well-planned weekly sessions in the computer suite. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to work successfully in mixed ability pairs. This collaboration promotes well pupils’ personal and social development. Other features of good effective teaching were observed in a Year 5 lesson in the computer suite. The focus was to input data into a spreadsheet and this interested and challenged the pupils. The teacher demonstrated good, confident subject knowledge and the class was managed well. Pupils were given effective support as

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

they worked at their machines. The effective summary at the end of the lesson reinforced well what had been learnt.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

144. The policy and guidelines are currently being revised to meet the requirements of the amalgamated school. The level of resourcing has been improved significantly recently and is now in line with the national average computer to pupil ratio. The new computer suite is being used well and relevant in- service training has helped to increase staff awareness and expertise. The leadership of the subject is satisfactory, but the co-ordinator has had insufficient opportunity to monitor teaching and learning and the standards pupils achieve. The use of information and communication technology to support work in other subjects has improved. For example, links to literacy are well promoted as younger pupils read and discuss the accompanying text. However, in several other subjects this has not yet been fully achieved. The assessment and recording of pupils’ progress, matched to National Curriculum criteria,

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MUSIC

145. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils achieve average standards. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make the same satisfactory progress as their peers. These judgements have been made from observation from a limited number of lessons, from the observation of several different opportunities for singing and discussion with pupils and staff.

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MUSIC

146. A strength in the achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is the confidence and enjoyment shown when they sing. This was clearly seen in the singing assembly that included all the pupils from the Reception classes and from Years 1 and 2, where pupils were singing songs from a well-established repertoire. In the weather song, pupils’ actions were matched well to the tempo of the music. This collaboration promoted pupils’ social development effectively. Similarly, pupils’ cultural development is enhanced because the range of songs learned includes a proportion of songs from countries world- wide. Pupils are much less assured when tackling new material and this shows in their lack of expression and empathy for the genre of the music. In class lessons pupils in Year 2 combine different elements of music reasonably successfully using unpitched percussion instruments. They learn that symbols can be used to represent different sounds and begin to compose a simple score. Overall

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MUSIC

however, pupils’ self-evaluation skills are limited.

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MUSIC

147. In Years 3 to 6, younger pupils sing reasonably tunefully but not always with a strong sense of rhythm. This limitation was seen, for example, when they practised movement to the Ghanaian singing game entitled ‘Pass the Pebble’. Elsewhere in this lesson there were further good links to cultural development because the pupils were required to match text descriptors to different pieces of music. They listened attentively to extracts from three different compositions by Delibes, Rimsky-Korsakov and Elgar and gave pertinent reasons as to which mood expressed in a specific piece of music matched best a particular piece of writing. In Year 6, pupils’ singing is of a satisfactory standard. It is reasonably tuneful and shows some awareness of pace, phrasing and timing.

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MUSIC

148. Across the school, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers’ planning follows closely a commercial scheme that is well established in the school. This is sensible because teachers’ own expertise is limited. Teachers frequently work co-operatively and teach paired classes jointly. This is also sensible because they make best use of each other’s strengths. Where the teachers’ own voices are strong and they are confident, they give a solid lead for the unaccompanied singing. This helps to maintain quality and accuracy of pitch. However, the leadership of singing is only satisfactory and does not generally extend or challenge pupils’ performance sufficiently. All pupils are encouraged to join in and participation levels are satisfactory as a result. Teachers’ sound management of pupils and praise for their efforts encourage most pupils to work hard. However, in some lessons there is a growing restlessness that requires teachers themselves to work hard at

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MUSIC

managing the pupils. The school does not enhance learning very well because it does not provide Green Dragon Primary School - 49 sufficient additional experiences such as recorder groups or choir outside the classroom.

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MUSIC

149. The leadership and management of the subject by the current non-specialist co-ordinator are satisfactory. Working with the local education authority music adviser she has arranged some useful in-service training for her colleagues to enhance their skills and to increase their confidence. There are no specific procedures for assessing pupils’ musical attainment and the use of information and communication technology is underdeveloped. These are unsatisfactory and remain areas for development. Resources are satisfactory and are used soundly to support pupils’ learning. Overall however, music does not have a sufficiently high profile and makes but a modest contribution to the life of the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

150. There was insufficient evidence for an overall judgement to be made about standards achieved in Year 2, but by the end of Year 6, pupils achieve average standards. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make satisfactory progress as a result of teachers’ careful strategies to engage all pupils actively and fully in their learning. All the required elements of the National Curriculum are taught, including swimming in Years 3, 4 and 5 and outdoor and adventurous pursuits in Year 6. However, not all of these were observed during the inspection. The school indicates that most pupils achieve the expected standard in swimming by the time they leave the school. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress in the various elements of the subject.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

151. In Years 1 and 2, older pupils demonstrate reasonable levels of control and co-ordination when exploring the basic skills of sending and receiving. They use beanbags confidently and develop satisfactory throwing and catching skills. They show a growing awareness of space when throwing and catching at different heights and speeds or when throwing at a target. They are at the elementary stage of evaluating their performance. In Years 3 to 6, younger pupils build successfully on their prior learning as they develop their hockey skills. Many dribble and pass a ball reasonably accurately using their hockey stick. In basketball practice pupils in Year 6 are reasonably competent when throwing, catching and passing a basketball. In an introductory session to badminton, pupils in Year 5 quickly acquired good basic skills of serving and returning the shuttlecock because of the good quality of the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

instruction provided. Pupils in Year 6 build systematically on their prior learning in gymnastics when they balance and perform sequences of movement on free standing or fixed apparatus.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

152. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory, resulting in satisfactory learning. The most effective teaching is characterised by teachers’ good knowledge and understanding of the subject combined with their high level of expectation and good management of pupils. This was provided most successfully by the specialist badminton teacher. Matters relating to pupils’ personal, social and health education are addressed well. For example, all pupils are taught about the benefits of exercise. Teachers and pupils dress appropriately and in all lessons teachers pay due attention to issues related to health and safety.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

153. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and a clear understanding of how best to lead the future development of the subject. As part of this process she is already committed to the continuing development of the School Sports Co- ordinator Programme that will provide better opportunities for pupils to participate in various inter-school activities. The curriculum is planned appropriately and provides a satisfactory variety of learning opportunities. The school has developed several useful initiatives which add opportunity and increase interest in the subject. For example, Brentford Football Club provides football training and the school hosts a weekly dance club. The school takes part in the Middlesex ‘Badminton into Schools’ initiative. Pupils also benefit from participating in outdoor and adventurous activities during the residential visit for

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Year 6 pupils to the Adventure International centre in Bude However, there are insufficient opportunities for all pupils to take part in extra-curricular sports activities. Assessment procedures are underdeveloped and the co-ordinator has had insufficient opportunity to monitor the quality of teaching and learning. Resources to support learning are satisfactory. The two halls are small but provide adequate space. The grassed area is not entirely satisfactory because it is not well drained and is sometimes water logged and unusable. There is little evidence of information and communication technology being used to support the subject. Green Dragon Primary School - 50

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

154. There was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made on standards achieved in Year 2, but in Year 6, pupils achieve standards that are in line with those expected in the local agreed syllabus. These judgements have been made from observation of teaching in Years 3 to 6, a scrutiny of teachers’ planning, displays, discussions with the teachers and pupils, and the evidence in photographs of the celebration of a range of religious festivals. There are no significant variations in standards achieved by pupils in relation to gender or ethnicity. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well. As a result, they make good progress. The standards achieved by pupils learning English as an additional language are similar to those of other pupils of their age. Pupils across the school are developing positive attitudes towards religious beliefs and traditions other than their own.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

155. There was insufficient evidence on which to make judgements or comments on pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2. In Years 3 to 6, pupils develop their understanding and knowledge of different religions well. For example, as part of their unit of work on ‘journeys’, Year 5 pupils have made a good start in learning about why Muslims go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. This is helping them to develop their knowledge and understanding of Islam, and the technical vocabulary related to it, for example ‘Allah’, ‘Hajj’, and ‘Hajji’. By Year 6, pupils show a sound understanding of the religions they have studied. For example, they can talk with confidence about some of the beliefs and practices of the followers of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. The school’s programme of visits to different places of worship is particularly helping pupils to gain a deep insight into these religions. While discussing their

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

visit to a gurdwara, a group of pupils showed deep understanding of the way the Sikhs treat their holy book, the Guru Grant Sahib. Pupils express their understanding of religious education better orally than in writing.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

156. There was insufficient evidence for a judgement to be made about the quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2. However, a Year 2 assembly taken by the school’s community worker made good contribution to pupils’ understanding of the Sikh faith, and to their spiritual and moral development. The pupils were introduced to different aspects of Sikhism through stories explaining parts of their traditions. These added a spiritual and moral dimension to pupils’ understanding of religion. Teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 are satisfactory with some good elements. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject and they provide a carefully balanced programme of work. Lesson planning is satisfactory. Teachers’ questions and explanations are clear which helps pupils to understand what they are doing. Where teaching is good, teachers have good subject knowledge and they present lessons in a stimulating way. A good range of resources and well-structured activities supports

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

teachers’ planning. Pupils learning English as additional language and those with special educational needs are supported well; and where possible teachers use pupils from different faiths as a resource for learning by others. Weaknesses in teaching occur where the pace of learning slows down, or pupils are not given sufficient guidance on the carrying out of written tasks.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

157. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant, and meets the statutory requirements of the agreed syllabus. The subject is managed soundly by two co-ordinators who are both very enthusiastic, and are working well as a team to produce a scheme of work. However, arrangements for monitoring teaching and learning and the standards of pupils’ work are unsatisfactory. Furthermore, the procedures for assessment are underdeveloped. Resources are good, and they are used well. There are good opportunities for enhancing pupils’ understanding of religious education through visits to places of worship or inviting representatives from different religious communities to the school. Very little evidence of the use of information and communication technology to support religious education was seen during the inspection.

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