Farmilo Primary School and Nursery

FARMILO PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th – 7 th November 2002

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FARMILO PRIMARY AND NURSERY 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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FARMILO PRIMARY AND NURSERY 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. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Woburn Road Mansfield Nottinghamshire

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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: Miss Gillian Forrow

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: N/A Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 2

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responsibilities

2451 Martin Creasey Registered inspector History Geography Music Physical education Special educational needs Inclusion Equal opportunities What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? How well does the school care for its pupils? (Pupils’ assessment) How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 8937 Howard Allen Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents? How well does the school care for its pupils? 24031 Iris Idle Team inspector Mathematics Foundation Stage Information and communication technology 17456 Angel Smithers Team inspector English Science Art and design Religious education Design and technology

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responsibilities

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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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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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 3 WC2B 6SE Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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? 9 - 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Farmilo Primary and Nursery School is a new school that opened in September 2001. This followed the reorganisation of primary education in Nottinghamshire by the Local Education Authority. There are 192 pupils on roll in the school including 19 full time equivalent places in the nursery. Twenty seven per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, slightly above the national average. Nineteen per cent of the pupils have special educational needs (SEN) which is in line with figures nationally. No pupils have statements of special educational needs and this is below the national average. There are no pupils learning English as a second language. The school admits pupils from the catchment area that has some owner-occupied houses, but also comprises a large area of rented local authority property. Pupils in the nursery and reception classes have a wide range of levels of attainment and, taking this into

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

account together with all the other aspects of the school, attainment on entry is judged to be below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school. Pupils make good progress in the nursery and reception classes and satisfactory progress throughout the rest of the school. By the end of the reception year most pupils attain the nationally required levels for five year olds. Standards in English and mathematics are satisfactory at the end of Years 2 and 6. Standards are below national expectations in science in Key Stage 1 but are satisfactory by the end of Year 6. There is no significant difference in attainment between boys and girls. The headteacher has provided good leadership, managing the school through some senior staffing difficulties in its first year and ensuring that sound processes for managing and leading the school are established. Teaching is satisfactory throughout the school with some that is very good and excellent, although there was some unsatisfactory teaching in classes at the end of Key

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Stage 1 and at the beginning of Key Stage 2. The governors are committed to the aims and values of the school and work hard to support the staff, parents and pupils. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Attainment at the end of Year 2 in national tests is good in reading and mathematics when compared to similar schools. • Teaching and learning is good or better in the nursery and reception classes and in Years 1, 5 and 6 and these pupils make good progress. • Curriculum provision is very good in the nursery and reception classes. • Pupils develop good attitudes and their behaviour around the school is also good. • Ensuring there are good relationships between pupils and pupils and adults. • Establishing very good procedures for finding out how well all pupils, including those with special educational needs are learning and achieving. • Providing a high quality of care and welfare for all pupils including very good health and safety provision. • Parents view the school very positively.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ standards in science by the end of Year 2. • The curriculum provision and teaching of information and communication technology (ICT) across the whole school. • The attendance of pupils. • The setting, marking and monitoring of homework in all year groups. 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

Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 6 No previous inspections; therefore no judgements can be made in this section.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on the 2002 National Curriculum test results. There were no pupils in Year 6 in 2002.

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Key

Reading N/A N/A C B well above average above average A B Writing N/A N/A D C average below average C D Mathematics N/A N/A C B well below average E

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Key

Pupils in Year 2 attained in line with the national average in reading and mathematics and below average in writing. Attainment was above average in reading and mathematics and average in writing when compared to similar schools (all those with free school meals percentages between 20 – 35 per cent). The lesson observations of Year 6 pupils and the scrutiny of work show their standards in English, mathematics and science to be in line with national expectations. The school has set targets for Year 6 pupils’ attainment in the 2003 National Curriculum tests. The expectation is that 63 per cent of the current Year 6 pupils will attain the required Level 4 or better in English and that 70 per cent of the Year 6 pupils will reach this level in mathematics. These are below the expected national targets but in line with similar schools’ attainment in 2002. The targets for pupils attaining the higher level 5 or better are

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Key

33 per cent in English and 26 per cent for mathematics. This is in line with similar school’s attainment in 2002. By the end of Year 2 standards in science are well below those expected nationally. Throughout the school standards in ICT are below those expected nationally because the pupils have not had the opportunities to cover the full curriculum during the building of the ICT suite. In all other subjects standards are satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils like the school and respond positively to the work and activities planned for them. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good out of the classrooms and generally good in classrooms. The small amount of unsatisfactory behaviour in classes was directly linked to unsatisfactory teaching. Personal development and relationships Very good. The pupils work and play well together and the ‘yellow cap’ system effectively involves them in maintaining and improving this aspect. Pupils relate well to adults. Attendance In the school year 2001/2002 attendance was below the national average. The percentage of unauthorised absences was higher than the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance is poor but has improved this school year. The school has taken a number of actions including immediate contact with parents following absence and rewards for class and individual good attendance records. The attitudes of pupils to school are very good and discussions with them revealed a high level of satisfaction with their experiences in school. The school is a safe environment and procedures for child protection are very good. Personal development is good and pupils have a good understanding about right and wrong and the consequences their actions have on others. All pupils are Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 7 encouraged to care for each other and especially those who might feel unhappy about any aspect of their life in school. This is a particular strength of the school and works well in the playground when pupils take it in turns at being ‘yellow caps’ and provide care and support for other pupils. There were no

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Aspect Comment

incidents of bullying during the inspection and these are rare according to pupils and parents. The indications are that they are properly and effectively managed.

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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

Teaching was good throughout the nursery and reception classes and well supported by the learning support assistants who work well in partnership with teachers. The teaching here contributes significantly to the good progress pupils make in their learning and social development. In Key Stage 1 teaching is satisfactory. There are weaknesses in teaching at the end of Key Stage 1 and in the early years of Key Stage 2. These weaknesses relate to teachers not using the good records and information about pupils’ learning to plan tasks to meet the different levels of pupils’ attainment and capabilities. Pupils often were not challenged to work quickly and accurately enough and to meet learning targets aimed at their abilities. The staffing problem caused by a teacher’s long-term absence has meant that some pupils’ learning and progress are disrupted. However, there was very good and excellent teaching observed in both numeracy and literacy, particularly the classes of older pupils in Key

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

Stage 2. Pupils were progressing quickly and applying new learning to tasks that matched their skills, knowledge and understanding. The work produced in these lessons demonstrated that pupils’ learning matched the teaching. Excellent and very good teaching was also observed in physical education, most notably dance in Year 1 and in ICT in Year 6 where almost all the teaching was good or better across all subjects leading to high quality learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The required curriculum is in place and planned but timetable constraints and over running lessons means that some pupils do not always have their full lessons in some subjects such as art and design, ICT and geography. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good with effective systems in place. Support assistants contribute well to pupils’ learning and progress. In a few lessons teachers do not always refer to individual education plans when preparing work for pupils with special educational needs. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Pupils develop very good social and moral skills. Cultural development is satisfactory and pupils are acquiring an understanding of different aspects of British and overseas cultures. Spiritual development is good in religious education and assemblies but more opportunities need to be

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Aspect Comment

provided for reflection in lessons. How well the school cares for its pupils Provision for pupils’ welfare is very good and they are well supported and cared for. Good systems are in place for monitoring and recording pupils’ progress and attainment but teachers’ use of this information is inconsistent.

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Aspect Comment

The school works well with parents and the positive attitudes expressed by a significant majority of parents in the questionnaire returns and during the parents’ meeting reflect this. The school organises Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 8 termly meetings for parents. Teachers are willing to meet parents at other times whenever requested. The curriculum for pupils in the nursery and reception is good. Overall curriculum provision is satisfactory throughout the school. The ICT curriculum requires attention to meet all statutory requirements now that the work on the ICT suite is complete. Educational visits are used well to support the curriculum and to widen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Extra-curricular activities are offered to pupils at lunchtime and after school. These are not significantly different to those provided in similar schools.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership and management by the headteacher are good. She has developed a clear vision and direction for the school since opening, overcoming some of the problems created by the absence of a deputy headteacher. Subject co-ordinators manage their areas well and there is good guidance and support structure in place for teachers. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors provide good support for the school. The chair of governors leads them well and maintains a regular presence in the school contributing to the work in classes and supporting the headteacher. The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Good systems have been established for examining the work of the school. The subject co-ordinators work at supporting their colleagues and monitoring pupils’ attainment and progress. Individual pupil information is not used well enough by some class teachers for

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Aspect Comment

planning and teaching. The strategic use of resources Good. Funds are well targeted to improve the school’s standards, particularly in providing resources for the Years 5 and 6 which had not been taught in the old school prior to 2001.

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Aspect Comment

The refurbishment to the new school means that accommodation is good and resourcing is satisfactory. The new ICT suite and subsequent staff training will enable the teachers to provide the full ICT curriculum. Staffing is a problem as there have been several supply teachers working with the Year 3 and 4 pupils and standards have been affected by this. Systems of supporting staff are good, as is the headteacher’s monitoring of teaching strengths and weaknesses. Governors have worked hard to produce most of the required policies during this first year of the school. They have yet to produce a policy on ‘best value’ where they are able to monitor and assess the school’s use and purchasing of resources in terms of pupils’ needs and attainment.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are good and the school maintains a high level of care for pupils. • Parents feel that their children make good progress in their learning. • A high percentage believe that their children like school. • Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • There is a strong belief that the school helps • A significant number of parents would like to see improvements in the way homework is used. • The way parents are informed about pupils’ progress. • A larger range of activities outside the classroom. • A small percentage of parents felt teaching was not good and all of these had pupils in the classes disrupted by the long-term Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 9 their children mature and take increasing amounts of responsibility. • A very high percentage of parents feel that the teaching is good. absence of teachers.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The returns from the parents’ questionnaires and comments during the parents’ evening show a high level of support for the school. Many parents travel from outside the school’s area to enable their children to attend Farmilo. However, some criticisms are supported by inspection evidence. The school has no consistent approach to homework and is working to rectify this following consultation with parents. An appropriate number of parents’ evenings and an end of year report to inform parents about their children’s work at school are provided. These reports do not set out clearly enough the progress pupils have made or the targets they should be working towards in order to improve. The after-school activities are in line with provision in similar schools. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The children who are under five years old in nursery and reception classes make good progress and most reach the nationally expected standards by the end of the reception year. The attainment of the majority of pupils on entry to the school is below that expected at their age. When they start the nursery, the attainment of the majority of children is below that expected for their age. Children begin with communication, language and literacy skills that are below average and their personal and social skills are poor. All children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in all the areas of learning. This means that the majority achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. Assessment records show that at least a third of the children exceed the levels expected at this age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the national tests for seven year olds this year, the first taken in this new school, pupils’ attainment was in line with the national average for reading and mathematics but below in writing. The number of pupils attaining the higher level, Level 3, in these subjects is good being above the national average throughout. When the results are compared with similar schools, that is those schools with between 20 and 35 per cent of the pupils eligible for free school meals, reading and mathematics scores are above average and writing is average. At the higher levels, reading, writing and mathematics are all well above the average for similar schools.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The teacher assessments for science show attainment to be well below both the national average and the average for similar schools. However, the higher level attainment is in line with the national average and above the average for similar schools.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. There were no eleven year old pupils in Year 6 last school year and therefore there are no test or teacher assessment results for this age group.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. During the inspection observations show standards in English and mathematics to be satisfactory for seven and eleven year olds. The literacy and numeracy strategies required by the government are in place and teachers are following the programmes appropriately. The effects of these strategies on pupils after one year in this new school are difficult to judge but appear to be satisfactory overall. However, standards in writing, particularly spelling and presentation, require improvement.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Standards in science are unsatisfactory at age seven and satisfactory for the older pupils. Key Stage 1 teachers’ knowledge and understanding of science particularly in the aspects dealing with materials and their properties and physical processes is insufficient to progress pupils’ learning and subsequently raise standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are unsatisfactory throughout the school. Good standards were observed in Year 6 but pupils were not able to send and receive email messages or control items on the screen using switches and simple instructions. However, the school has only been open for one year and during that time the computer suite was being built. The teachers have received government funded training in ICT but the benefits of these improvements have yet to affect the pupils’ standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Standards in art and design, geography, history and music are satisfactory across the whole school. Standards in physical education are good in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory in Key Stage 2. Standards in religious education are in line with the local authority’s agreed syllabus. Design and technology standards are satisfactory for the five to seven year olds but no evidence was available for judgements to be made about the seven to eleven year olds’ work. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 11 9. Pupils with special educational needs (SEN) make satisfactory progress throughout the school. There are individual education plans for all SEN pupils and these are maintained by the class teachers and the special needs co-ordinator. 10. Pupils in Years 1, 5 and 6 make good progress because pupils have targets to achieve based on a good assessment of previous learning. Progress is no more than satisfactory in other year groups

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

because learning targets are not always set based on prior attainment.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. There are no significant differences in attainment between boys and girls.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. All parents report that their children like coming to school and enjoy their work. Many pupils attend the breakfast club that is held three mornings a week where they warmly greet each other and the staff who run the club. In discussions, pupils, including many who were new to the school, were very positive in their views that they liked lessons and their teachers. In nearly all cases pupils begin lessons wanting to learn and are determined to do well. They respond well to enthusiastic teachers and are eager to answer questions when asked. Pupils are generally able to sustain concentration even when lessons are less interesting. Pupils show consideration for others during lessons. They help one another when working in groups and support each other when they find work difficult. Pupils also show consideration for others by moving quietly around the school when others are in lessons, for example when going to the hall for assembly or PE, or the ICT suite to

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. All parents are very pleased with behaviour at the school and are confident that there are no incidents of bullying. Most parents also consider the school helps their children become more mature and responsible. Both by observation and in discussions with pupils it is obvious they have a clear understanding of right from wrong and consider it important to take account of the feelings of others. Behaviour is consistently good. This is reflected in the good behaviour in classrooms and at lunchtime in the dining hall. Even during periods of bad weather when pupils are unable to go on the field at break times their behaviour remains generally good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils from all classes hand out and collect up items, such as drawing paper and pencils, during lessons when asked to do so by teachers and learning support assistants. Most of the older pupils enjoy the extra responsibilities they are given such as helping in the library, filling water bottles at the start of the day or looking after younger pupils in the dining hall. The school’s celebration assemblies are impressive, with pupils leading the assembly themselves and showing genuine support for others who have done well and achieved awards. Pupils’ social skills are well developed, with pupils displaying courtesy to each other and staff and any visitors to the school. Pupils in the top class display a high level of maturity and willingly exchange views on a wide range of topics to do with school. For example, they spoke in a mature way about the DARE programme (Drug Abuse Resistance and Education) that forms part of their personal, social and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

health education (PSHE) curriculum and were very clear that they understood the damage that peer pressure can cause and the strategies they can use to counter such pressures.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils’ attendance has improved significantly over the past 12 months. However, the level of pupils’ attendance remains unsatisfactory, particularly when compared with a national target of 95 per cent attendance for all pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching throughout the school is satisfactory. There were many lessons where teaching was good and some very good and excellent. There was a small amount of unsatisfactory teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. In the nursery and reception classes all the teaching is good, with some that is very good. All teachers provide the children with good quality learning experiences and have high expectations for children’s learning. Planning ensures balanced development in each of the six areas of learning. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 12 Activities are well structured, appropriate and ensure the continued development and consolidation of skills. Teachers ensure that they provide challenging tasks in a stimulating environment. Enthusiastic teaching and good planning makes sure that learning is exciting for children of all abilities. All lessons in the Foundation Stage include a rich variety of tasks. Tasks are well planned so that some provide opportunities to work with adults who support learning, whilst others develop independent learning skills. Very good use is made of assessment to ensure that tasks

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

meet the needs of the children. Throughout the Foundation Stage the teachers work as a very effective team and work alongside the nursery nurses and parent helpers, who consistently make worthwhile contributions to children’s learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. In Year 1 and Year 2 the teaching is satisfactory with some that is good and in Year 1 very good. In almost all the lessons of literacy and numeracy, teaching was satisfactory or better. In a very good Year 1 literacy lesson the pupils were very engaged in the story, ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.’ The teacher had introduced and read the story skilfully, involving pupils all the way through. There were high expectations of all pupils’ learning and the teacher carefully asked questions and set tasks that matched the pupils’ different abilities. At the end of the lesson pupils had extended their learning. Most were able to identify adjectives, make up their own to describe ‘muddy’ and ‘windy’ sounds and add letters to the ‘ng’ ending of words to make their own accurately spelt words. Above all they had enjoyed the lesson, progressed well and wanted to read the story again.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. There was some unsatisfactory teaching of the seven year olds in mathematics and science. In Year 3 teaching was unsatisfactory and led to the only incident of poor behaviour affecting other pupils’ learning. In unsatisfactory lessons teachers’ subject knowledge was often insufficient and failed to ensure pupils’ understanding of scientific or mathematical content. In one science lesson the teacher’s introduction confused pupils and they were unable to identify appliances that required a power source to operate. Many pupils had this knowledge but the slow pace of the lesson and lack of clear explanation meant that pupils’ learning was limited and progress slow.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. In unsatisfactory lessons teachers failed in their planning and teaching to use the very good information available about what individual pupils know, understand and can do. There were no clear expectations from teachers about the time available to pupils to complete tasks and the targets for achievement related to their capabilities. The more able pupils began to lose interest and made almost no progress. Pupils with special educational needs did not have tasks set for them that related to their capabilities as set out in their individual education plans and this restricted their progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. In the older year group classes of Year 5 and Year 6 there was no unsatisfactory teaching. Almost all the teaching was good, with more than half very good or excellent. The teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy in Years 5 and 6 was good or better in all lessons. In one excellent Year 6 numeracy lesson pupils were able to use ICT skills to develop their knowledge and understanding of angles. They could use an onscreen protractor accurately and measure angles, identifying the obtuse and acute angles appropriately using correct mathematical terms. Five groups of pupils were organised by ability and they were set tasks that matched these levels very well. The pupils responded to the challenges set by the teacher and maintained their concentration with very good behaviour and attitudes throughout.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. In most lessons teaching was well planned, with clear objectives and opportunities for teachers to assess pupils’ progress at the end of the session. In a few lessons, in subjects other than English or mathematics, some planning was not so effective. This lack of clarity meant that pupils did not know what was to be learnt or their teachers’ expectations of them in terms of progress and work completed. In these few lessons teachers did not use the school’s agreed planning forms but relied on the governments’ published subject guidance alone. Consequently work was not targeted at the school’s pupils accurately enough to challenge them and advance their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. In the satisfactory and better lessons pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress in their learning. In most classes teachers prepare tasks for them that are based on their prior attainment and Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 13 relate to the individual education plan (IEP) if appropriate. Most teachers demonstrate a commitment to the school’s strong policy on inclusion and ensure that pupils with SEN are involved fully in the work. The learning support assistants contribute well to the teaching and learning of pupils with SEN and work alongside teachers in the classroom effectively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The use of homework is a weakness across the school. There is no policy or guidance for teachers and parents and consequently it is used inconsistently. The school is in the process of producing a policy following consultations with parents. At the moment there are only a few examples of teachers using homework to meet individual learning needs, integrate with class work or develop independent learning. However, one good example of homework is reading. Pupils regularly take books home and there is a good partnership with parents who maintain a dialogue with teachers through the reading record book. This has had an effect on attainment in reading and provides the school with a good model of how homework can be successfully used to raise standards.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Classroom assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. This is most effective when teachers make good use of their presence and plan tasks linked to the individual needs of pupils. It was noticeable how pupils with SEN made more progress in lessons when assistants were working closely with them on specifically targeted work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The pupils maintained good attitudes and behaviour in almost all lessons and in only one lesson did this fall below the school’s own high standards. This was a response to unsatisfactory teaching from a class who had been taught by several supply teachers and were not as aware of the effect their behaviour would have on others.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. In all other lessons there were examples of enthusiasm towards learning demonstrated by pupils: the two Year 5 boys rewarded for their joyous singing; the nursery pupils waiting with awe and wonder for a page in the large story book to be turned; the Year 6 pupils eagerly trying their circuits and wiring to find the most effective way to make lighting brighter; the Year 1 dancers representing blowing leaves in a dance and moving wonderfully to the high, medium and low sounds of chime bars. These are just a few examples of many during the inspection.

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PUPILS?

28. The quality and range of opportunities for learning provided by the school are satisfactory. Almost all of the aspects of the curriculum required by law, including the teaching of religious education and provision of a daily act of collective worship, are met. Some requirements in ICT have not been met due to the building and equipping of the ICT suite during the last year.

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PUPILS?

29. The policies governing what the school provides have been put in place by the co-ordinators in the year since opening. They give clear guidance to staff on subject aims and objectives, planning teaching and assessment procedures. They have all been approved by the governing body. The quality of subject leadership is a developing feature of the school and all co-ordinators have played a key role in establishing a good basis for the teaching and learning and future monitoring and evaluation in their subjects.

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PUPILS?

30. The children in the Foundation Stage are offered a good curriculum, which is matched to the six areas of learning appropriate to the age group. The curriculum is imaginatively planned. This ensures a rich and varied curriculum that promotes learning and ensures children make good progress in all areas of their development. The careful planning ensures a smooth transition from the nursery to the reception classes and then on to the requirements of the National Curriculum in Year 1.

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PUPILS?

31. Arrangements to ensure the appropriate development of literacy and numeracy in subjects other than English and mathematics are satisfactory. Arrangements for the use of ICT to enhance pupils’ learning in the full range of subjects that make up the curriculum are satisfactory. However, Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 14 not all teachers take full advantage of this provision and on some occasions teachers do not use their classes’ time in the ICT suite. As a result, standards are unsatisfactory in some year groups.

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PUPILS?

32. There is equality of opportunity for all pupils in all aspects of provision. Policies to ensure that all groups of pupils are included appropriately are effective. The school has a ‘Family Life’ teaching programme that ensures sex education is taught to the older pupils through a planned and governor-approved programme. Other family issues are covered with younger pupils using the same programme.

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PUPILS?

33. The curricular provision for pupils with SEN is satisfactory. These pupils have full access to the curriculum. Their needs are recognised early and their IEPs set manageable academic targets. These are reviewed, up-dated and revised regularly, and agreed with pupils as well as parents. In a few classes teachers do not use individual education plans to prepare and plan an appropriate curriculum for pupils with SEN.

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PUPILS?

34. Provision for extra-curricular activities that enhance the quality of education is satisfactory. The parents of some pupils feel that not enough is done to provide sufficient activities. Inspection findings do not entirely support this view. Provision includes clubs and sessions for football, playing instruments and the choir provided free and French lessons that are charged for. Some older pupils did comment on the fact that they would like the opportunity to use the ICT suite for after-school activities. Within the year since opening and extending the age group of the pupils, the school has provided a good range of activities with the potential to extend these as time and staff expertise allow. There is a ‘before school’ club open three mornings a week which also has the potential for further development.

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PUPILS?

35. Pupils in each year group also have access to a good range of educational visits. The oldest pupils visit centres for outdoor and adventurous activities, contributing positively to their social and physical development. All year groups visit museums, art galleries, local areas of geographical interest and education centres, providing them with experiences that contribute to the standards they attain in a range of subjects.

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PUPILS?

36. The provision made for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good. There is a structured programme that is taught each week to pupils throughout the school that does much to meet their needs and help them to address some of the challenges they face. This programme includes drugs awareness education for Year 6 pupils involving their parents at key points during the course.

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PUPILS?

37. The quality of links with the community and with other schools and partner institutions is satisfactory. There are visits for pupils to the schools to which they transfer in the term before they leave Farmilo. Teachers from these schools also liaise closely about what is taught. There is a planned joint topic begun at Farmilo by Year 6 pupils and continued into Year 7 in the secondary school. Visitors to the school have contributed to pupils’ achievements and Year 6 pupils particularly recalled the visits by the poet, Andrew Tooze. One Year 6 boy said that he had bought the poet’s books and read them several times! Apart from that he did not like reading very much!

p.16

PUPILS?

38. The provision made for pupils’ moral education is good. Pupils know and observe the differences between right and wrong. Their understanding of these qualities is enhanced greatly when discussions during personal development time allow pupils to focus on behaviour and the impact of their behaviour. There is a wall in the hall that is used to focus on examples of good behaviour and there are rewards for those pupils named. The ultimate award is to be invited to lunch with the headteacher, a privilege much sought after.

p.16

PUPILS?

39. The provision made for their social education is good. Throughout the school pupils work well together, caring for and supporting each other. The ‘yellow cap’ system in the playground is also a way pupils help each other in the school. These pupils, chosen from each class, check on those requiring support, for example pupils new to the school or experiencing a problem, and provide a Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 15 ‘buddy’ in the playground or around the school. It works well but did irritate one pupil in the playground who told the inspector that she just wanted to sit alone and was regularly being asked if she was OK!

p.16

PUPILS?

40. The opportunities and provision for spiritual education are satisfactory. The acts of worship that follow recommended guidance and the weekly visit from the local minister contribute well to the spiritual aspect of school. Some lessons also do this, notably a music lesson where pupils were much moved by their first experiences of the sounds and rhythm of the calypso they were learning. There are too few opportunities, however, provided in art and other creative activities for pupils to experience awe and wonder and reflect on their feelings and emotions.

p.17

PUPILS?

41. Provision for pupils’ cultural education is satisfactory. Pupils’ understanding of their own culture and that of other cultures is developed well, as is their understanding of the values and beliefs of other faiths, taught through RE. This is an area that the school has prioritised for further development in other curriculum subjects as well as RE.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ welfare, health and safety.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Parents consider that this is a very caring community school where a high priority is given to the physical and emotional wellbeing of pupils. Inspection findings strongly support this. The school has recently developed a document for staff titled “Promoting Pupil Progress”. This is written from the viewpoint of the children and defines the educational entitlement of all pupils. This is a good example of the high quality of the practice and procedures in place that help ensure consistency and continuity of positive experiences for pupils throughout the school. Pupils feel valued and understand that they can talk to any member of staff if they have a problem or are concerned about any other child or upset for any reason. All pupils are encouraged to support and look out for others and they do this well.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. There is a common approach across the school from all staff, including non-teaching staff, to creating an atmosphere of warmth, security and wellbeing where pupils feel safe and valued. Child protection procedures are very secure and all staff have a clear understanding of the need to report any concerns about pupils’ welfare to the headteacher. There is an adequate number of staff trained in first aid within the school and there are good procedures for reporting incidents including informing staff and parents where appropriate. For example any child suffering a bump on the head wears a bump sticker around school during the day and a letter goes home.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Health and safety is given a high priority. The school utilises the expertise within the local authority to support the safety audits carried out by members of staff and governors. Formal risk assessments are carried out where appropriate and the school acts promptly where risks to pupils are identified. The school places a high priority on creating the right environment for learning and this is reflected in the school buildings being maintained in a clean, bright and safe condition. The practice of ensuring all pupils have easy access to drinking water throughout the day is one example of the priority the school gives to pupils’ health and wellbeing.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school places a high priority on good behaviour and positive pupil attitudes in order to create the right atmosphere for learning. Teachers are generally very good role models and consistently demonstrate to pupils that they have high expectations of them and expect them to behave responsibly and considerately. The school has four simple school rules that are understood by pupils throughout the school. This helps ensure there is a consistency of approach. Good behaviour and attitudes are acknowledged by the rewards system and poor behaviour by the behaviour check card system. The consistency with which behaviour procedures are applied across the school, including by the mid-day supervisors at lunchtimes, contributes significantly to the good behaviour. As a result of the good practice and systems in place, incidents of bullying are very rare. Pupils respond well to staff expectations that they are well behaved at all times and

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

are clear about what they would do if they thought any other pupil were upset or unhappy. Incidents of less positive pupil attitudes and behaviour during a lesson were the result of teaching Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 16 that did not demonstrate sufficiently high expectations of pupils and where management of pupils did not acknowledge positive behaviours or conform to the school’s defined procedures.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The formal PSHE curriculum and other activities, including whole school events such as celebration assemblies, help promote pupils’ personal development well. There are many opportunities for pupils to exercise some degree of responsibility, including being a member of the School Council, having defined responsibilities within their own classes, being a ‘yellow cap’ for the week and leading celebration assemblies. Older pupils have mature attitudes and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. They are clearly very confident and could cope well with even more responsibilities. Pupils in Year 6 were able to articulate very well how they felt the School Council could become more effective by improving the environment. They spoke very convincingly about how they should be trusted by being allowed into school during lunchtime to use facilities such as the library and the ICT suite.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school has satisfactory arrangements for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. In English and mathematics test results are recorded and stored for every pupil and these are passed on to teachers on a regular basis. The headteacher is the co-ordinator for this work and has established good systems that are clear and easy for teachers to use.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. In all subjects teachers judge pupils’ achievement against the nationally expected levels for each age group. These assessments are made termly, recorded formally and passed to the relevant subject co-ordinator. In English, mathematics and ICT pupils are involved in recording their progress and attainment. They have statements about what they know, understand and can do inside their books and with their teachers’ support, shade in the aspects they have completed successfully. In discussions about their reading pupils were able to talk about the books they liked to read and understood the concept of the reading levels they had achieved. Many pupils were also able to talk about what they needed to do improve their work.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The way teachers are using this information about pupils’ attainment and progress is inconsistent. In the classes where teaching is most successful the teachers use the data to group pupils according to their levels of attainment and set work that best meets their learning needs. The previous assessment of pupils forms the basis for challenging tasks and learning targets. Not all the teachers make such effective use of the information. Good procedures are in place, the information is collected by teachers, effectively recorded by the subject co-ordinators and fed back to staff, but inconsistent use is made of the data by some teachers in their planning and teaching.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. IEPs are in place for all pupils with special educational needs that require additional action from the school or other agencies to support them. The procedure for writing and reviewing these is clear and well supported by the teacher with responsibility for co-ordinating special educational needs (SENCO). The class teachers have dates by which IEPs have to be reviewed. Parents are involved in the process and pupils have also been given the opportunity to reflect on the progress they have made and participate in their own review. The learning support assistants keep information on the pupils they work with and these assessments are a useful contribution to the information on SEN pupils’ progress and attainment. Most teachers use the IEPs effectively when planning work for SEN pupils but practice is inconsistent and in some lessons pupils are not set work targeted at the appropriate level. In these lessons progress of pupils with SEN is slow and

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

unsatisfactory. Some teachers were unclear as to how a child in their class might be included on the list for SEN support as there is no written guidance or standardised form for this.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. The school has good links with parents. Most parents view the school positively and nearly all confirm they are comfortable in approaching the school with any questions or problems.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The school values and acknowledges the significant contribution parents can make to their children’s learning both in school and at home. Many parents rightly expressed concern with regard to the variable amount of homework their children are asked to do. As a result the school recently consulted parents on this and will shortly feed back with proposals on a formal homework Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 17 policy. In discussions with parents some expressed the view that they would like to see this consultation extended to other aspects of the school’s work.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. A significant number of parents expressed concerns that they did not feel sufficiently well informed about the progress their children made at school. Parents did confirm that they appreciate the opportunities they had of talking to teachers informally at the beginning and end of the day. Parents also understand that they can arrange to see a class teacher or the headteacher at any time if they have any particular concern. However, the format and timing of the parents’ evenings mean that consultations and formal discussions with regard to pupil progress do not take place until the spring term and this is too late in the context of parents being able to support their children. In addition, the annual report parents receive about their children, whilst descriptive with regard to the topics that pupils have covered and what they do well, contains too little information on the progress they have made or targets that should be worked on in future.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. There is good information for parents from the school by way of termly newsletters advising parents of the curriculum topics that their children will be covering during the term. A different newsletter is produced for each year group and this gives parents a good idea of what their children are doing at school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The support and information provided to parents of Foundation Stage pupils is of a very high standard. Prior to their children joining the nursery, parents are visited at home when school procedures and any special needs the children may have can be discussed. Parents also receive a booklet “All about coming to Nursery” at this time. Parents of Foundation age children receive excellent guidance on supporting their children’s learning at home by way of high quality booklets, “How can I help my child to become a better reader” and a similar one for helping with writing.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. Parents support the school by attending open days and parents’ evenings where they discuss their children’s progress. Other events such as church services and sports days are also well attended by parents. The school is fortunate to have an active parent-teachers’ association (PTA) that is successful in raising funds to support their children’s education by subsidising educational visits and purchasing important resources such as playground equipment.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The leadership provided by the headteacher is good. She has developed a clear vision for the school since it opened as a new primary school in September 2001. The headteacher has high expectations of herself, the staff and pupils and leads through personal example. She values the staff and ensures that appropriate training and support are provided to develop their skills. Government training in ICT has most recently been undertaken by all the teachers. The school has appointed a newly-qualified teacher who is receiving good support from within the school and from a deputy headteacher from a local school funded through a special scheme organised by the Local Education Authority.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. A major management problem has affected the school since the beginning of this year. The newly-appointed deputy headteacher has been on long term absence. This has meant that classes have had a number of supply teachers which has been detrimental to their progress and behaviour. It has also meant that the headteacher has been unable to delegate many of the management tasks to a substantive deputy. The governors are taking action to deal with this issue. In the meantime there is an acting deputy supporting the head, but the headteacher has taken on many of the management roles normally delegated to a deputy headteacher and also acts as curriculum and assessment manager.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Despite this problem, the headteacher has ensured that there is a full set of curriculum and management policies in place that provide a firm basis for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school. The headteacher has also put in place processes for assessment, monitoring and evaluation so that, as the school develops, improvement can be recorded and new targets set. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 18 61. The school is committed to the inclusion of all pupils from different backgrounds and of differing abilities in the academic and social life of the school. This commitment, together with the work of the SENCO and the support of the learning support assistants, ensures that processes are firmly in place to enable pupils with SEN to be assessed and supported appropriately.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The headteacher has prepared a school improvement plan that establishes priorities, sets out the action required to implement them and identifies success criteria for the senior staff, subject co- ordinators and governors to monitor its implementation. These criteria do not always relate to measurable improvements in pupils’ learning and attainment. For example, there is a priority to improve the way teachers use assessment information to match the tasks they set in lessons to pupils’ abilities but there are no success criteria to judge the improvements in terms of pupils’ learning and progress.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Subject co-ordinators have clear job descriptions and they are required to: contribute to the school improvement plan; identify subject priorities; monitor resources for the subject and prepare an annual audit of their subject for the governors. They also prepare their own action plans setting out how they will achieve their targets set in the school’s improvement plan.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The governing body provides strong support for the school. Governors undertake their statutory responsibilities well and have produced the required policies. These policies have yet to be reviewed as the school has only been open for one year. The chair of governors visits the headteacher and school regularly and works in partnership with the head and the governing body in the school improvement process. She also works as a volunteer in many classes during the week and is a welcome visitor held in high regard by both teachers and pupils. She was nominated successfully by the school and received the ‘Friday Hero’ award from the Times Educational Supplement which was presented during the inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The governing body has established the statutory committees and other committees with delegated powers that make decisions on behalf of the governors on financial, personnel, property and curriculum matters. Governors are involved with the monitoring of aspects of the school improvement plan and the statistics on pupils’ attainment. The headteacher provides good information to the governors on these matters. Other teachers have reviewed the subjects they co- ordinate and provided information to governors in order to inform spending decisions. The priority in the last year has been to ensure appropriate resources are in place to meet the needs of Year 6 pupils as this year group has not been taught in this school before.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The financial administration and budgetary controls are good. The governing body’s finance committee works in partnership with the headteacher to ensure that funding is appropriately directed to priority areas. The governors have taken on the concept of ‘best value’ but have not yet produced a policy to guide future spending decisions. Good use has been made of specific government grants to raise standards. All the teachers have received training funded by the government to improve the teaching and learning in ICT.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The school’s administrative assistant provides good service and support. She is efficient and ensures a friendly and helpful welcome to the school. The day-to-day financial administration is good and the monitoring of the spending means that the headteacher is able to keep governors informed on the progress of the budget. The school is clean and the site efficiently managed by the site manager and cleaning staff.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The accommodation and resources in the school are good, well looked after and are well used by staff to support the learning of the pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The indoor accommodation for the nursery and reception children is satisfactory. It is used well, with attractive and stimulating areas and displays. The outdoor area has an appropriate hard surface and a grassed area with fixed climbing equipment. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 19

p.20

and staff should:

1 Raise the standards in science by the end of Key Stage 1.

p.21

and staff should:

(i) Improve the teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum requirements regarding materials and their properties and physical processes. (ii) Improve the way teachers use assessment information when planning pupils’ work. (iii) Provide more challenging tasks in lessons designed to meet the needs of pupils with different abilities.

p.21

2 Ensure that the National Curriculum requirements are met and improve the standards

that pupils achieve in information and communication technology.

p.21

2 Ensure that the National Curriculum requirements are met and improve the standards

(i) Ensure that all teachers make full use of the ICT suite when timetabled. (ii) Provide opportunities for pupils to control items on the screen using switches and ordering simple instructions. (iii) Develop the opportunities for pupils’ emailing and wider use of the World Wide Web.

p.21

2 Ensure that the National Curriculum requirements are met and improve the standards

(See paragraphs: 7, 31, 116, 141, 143, 149)

p.21

2 Ensure that the National Curriculum requirements are met and improve the standards

3 Improve the setting, marking and monitoring of homework in all year groups.

p.21

2 Ensure that the National Curriculum requirements are met and improve the standards

(i) Introduce a policy for homework setting out the purpose, nature and extent for each year group. (ii) Ensure staff, parents and pupils understand and work to the policy and that it is regularly monitored.

p.21

4 Improve pupils’ attendance and reduce unauthorised absences to at least national

(i) Rigorously monitor attendance patterns and ensure regular and repeated absences are referred to the LEA support services for follow up visits. (ii) Follow up individual absences on the same day. (iii) Reward good and improved attendance by pupils.

p.21

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

(i) Improve the presentation of pupils’ work, concentrating on standards of spelling and handwriting. See paragraphs: 94, 95, 96, 139, 140 (ii) Provide appropriate time for all subjects by ensuring that timetable plans are not disrupted by swimming tuition and over running lessons. See paragraphs: 120, 126, 160 (iii) Ensure that individual education plans are used appropriately when teachers are planning work for pupils with special educational needs. See paragraphs: 20, 33, 51 Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 20

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

p.22

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 about two percentage points.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery Y1 – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 19 155

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 42

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery Y1 – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 20

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 26

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20

p.22

Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 21 % %

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.23

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 22

p.23

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 14 14 28

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

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

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

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (N/A) 79 (N/A) 86 (N/A) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 11 13 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 10

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (N/A) 86 (N/A) 79 (N/A) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.24

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 23

p.24

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.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

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.

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 2001 - 2002

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y1 – Y6 Total income 269,176

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 272,342

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 36.5 Expenditure per pupil 1745.78

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 28,038

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 24,872

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30 Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 24 Number of pupils per FTE adult 9.5

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 9

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 25

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 67 31 0 2 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 46 48 0 0 4

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 35 21 6 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 40 37 17 4 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 35 2 4 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 77 19 2 0 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 40 46 6 4 4

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 48 37 4 8 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 65 27 6 0 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 38 25 0 6 Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 26

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

70. Children start nursery the term after their third birthday and move to the reception class when they are four. Children attend nursery on a part-time basis until they enter the reception class when they attend full-time. As the local authority has changed the age of entry to nursery, the children in nursery have been there for at least a term at the time of the inspection.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. Provision for the children in the Foundation Stage is good. Teachers plan activities that give the children good experiences in all the areas of learning recommended for children of this age. The quality of teaching is good. The Foundation Stage is well led. Teachers and the senior teaching assistant plan and work very well together as a team. The senior teaching assistant supports children’s learning in nursery very well. She has contributed significantly to the continuity of learning during the absence, through illness, of the nursery teacher. Her additional responsibilities include supervising a student who is working in the nursery. There is no teaching assistant in the reception class as there are only eleven children attending at present. Planning clearly focuses on the Early Learning Goals.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. Thorough assessment records are in place and link closely to the Early Learning Goals. Good information is given to parents regarding the work the children are doing and how to help them with their reading and writing. However, the number of parents helping in the Foundation Stage is limited. The older children in nursery have additional support with their work in reading, writing and number to prepare them for their work in the reception class. The chair of governors works with individual children for two days each week. Her work makes a significant contribution to children’s learning and progress.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

73. The level of personal, social and emotional development of the majority of children when they start school is poor. Teaching in this area is good and children’s very good relationships with adults enable them to make good progress. By the time they reach Year 1, they achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area of their development.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

74. Children are very settled in their nursery group at this early stage in the year and have the confidence to talk to adults and visitors. During the inspection, the focus was on sharing and taking turns. The nursery children listened to a story about ‘The Little Mouse and the Big Red Apple.’ They thought it was sad when the mouse did not share the apple. Many of the children were able to give examples of how they have shared something during the day. For example, one child identified that she shared with a friend when she played ‘Snap’ while another has ‘shared with bikes.’

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

75. Older children in reception select toys and have to decide whether it is a good sharing toy or not. They are able to identify a construction kit as a good sharing toy ‘ because it has lots of bits and people can help you.’ In their number work, children heard the ‘ Old woman who lived in a shoe’ rhyme. When the children were ‘whipped very soundly and sent off to bed’ one child commented that ‘that’s not very nice, I have a story when I go to bed.’ Children co-operate and relate well to one another when they take roles in the toyshop.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

76. Children move independently from one activity to another. During shared time, activities, such as making models with gears, working in the toyshop and circle time, give opportunities for participation in different group settings. Snack time provides a lovely opportunity for children to eat and talk together in a social group with their teacher. Children’s behaviour is good. They concentrate and listen carefully to instructions and respond well when asked to clear their activities away. Younger children show good levels of co-operation when they work and play together in the ‘ toyshop’ role-play area. They stay in role well as the ‘shop assistant’ and are Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 27 confident to involve visitors in their role-play. Children gain spots for the good things they do. They show good independent skills when they stick these in their Record of Achievement. They know that when they have five spots, they can choose a special toy to play with. They understand that,

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

when adults mention the ‘blue sad face’, they are disappointed with something the children have done. Teachers do not need to show this face as to mention it is sufficient. Some parents use this at home and comment that it is very effective and improves behaviour. School rules are displayed on the wall and the teacher in reception uses these well to reinforce an understanding of acceptable behaviour. Children understand that having friends makes you happy and think it is good to share.’ They know that they ‘keep unkind comments to themselves’ and that ‘they move round the school safely and carefully.’ These children are very aware of the needs of others and show much sensitivity and understanding.

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Communication, language and literacy

77. On entry, many children have below average skills in speaking and listening. The good teaching means that they make good progress and this enables them to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. Teachers plan literacy activities that offer children opportunities to discuss and develop their ability in speaking; this is supported by the teachers’ effective questioning skills that encourage children to think carefully. For example, they think about how they have helped others and talk about how they have shared games and toys. Children have good opportunities to develop their speaking skills through role-play in the ‘toyshop.’ They explain, with some confidence, how much the toys cost and how they work. The very good interactions by teachers encourage children to extend their language skills. For example, when asked by the teacher if they could order a green car, the child’s response was ‘ I think we can order one but it

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Communication, language and literacy

78. The majority of children in nursery recognise their own name and identify correctly the first letter sound and name. However, more regular access to their name cards could encourage them to recognise more letters and begin to copy the letter shapes on a regular basis. Good provision is made for children to develop the early stages of emerging writing on the mark-making table. Gingerbread shaped papers encourage children to add facial features and attempt to write their name. They learn their letter shapes and sounds in a range of learning activities, for example, by taking small cars round a large letter shape, following the arrows to form the letter correctly. The more able older children in reception extend their writing skills by writing their own simple sentences about ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears.’ They use a wall display of magnetic characters in the story to help them. They achieve their sentences after they have written a sentence together

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Communication, language and literacy

to describe the picture in the storybook they are making. They also identify and write accurately the letter sound in words such as ‘went’ and ‘for.’ These children form their letters soundly when writing and leave spaces between words. They are beginning to use capital letters and full stops with some degree of accuracy. The additional support in the nursery helps the older children to learn their letter sounds, practise writing the letter shapes, begin to read simple words and use pictures in books to help their early reading skills. They take this work home for more support and practice.

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Communication, language and literacy

79. Children have a positive attitude to books and reading. When they listen to stories, they know the stories well and are keen to contribute their own ideas. During the inspection they were enjoying a range of traditional tales. They enjoy listening to stories from big books such as ‘The Gingerbread Man’ and different versions of ‘Goldilocks.’ In reception, children use different voices well for the characters in the story and confidently repeat the comments made by the characters. They explain accurately that ‘the latch is the handle’ on the door of the bears’ cottage. Children identify the differences well in two versions of the story.

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Communication, language and literacy

80. The development of literacy across the curriculum is a feature of both the nursery and reception classes. Every opportunity is used to reinforce the early skills of reading and to encourage children’s skills in speaking and listening.

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Mathematical development

Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 28 81. Children make good progress in this area of their learning and achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. Teaching is good and children make good progress. All the children in nursery count numbers successfully from 0 to ten and back again. They know that the next number is 11. They can count to 20 and the more able know that the next number is 21. They work individually with a parent to identify numbers to ten and select the same number of small objects to match the number card. They achieve this well and match the shape and colour of the objects successfully as well as the correct number. Children begin to understand the value of the one pence and two pence piece when they sell toys in the toyshop. Good planning helps children to learn in interesting ways. For example, after learning about capacity by using small bottles to fill a large bottle and counting the number required, the nursery teacher used her shoe to find how

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Mathematical development

many small plastic people were needed to fill it. The children estimated how many they thought would be needed and then counted the number the shoe held. They compared this with one of their own shoes and considered whether it would hold more or less plastic people. They knew that ‘it won’t hold as many because it’s smaller’ and proved this to be right. They had great fun filling a Wellington boot and thought ‘it would hold hundreds!’ The effective questioning by the teacher helps her to reinforce and assess the children’s learning.

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Mathematical development

82. Children in reception use the outdoor play area for the start of their number work. They select a painted number on the floor to stand on and have to jump up and down when the teacher calls that number. They achieve this well using numbers up to 20. They order number cards successfully from 0 to 20 and identify correctly any gaps when the teacher removes a card. Half the children order cards correctly to 10 and the other half successfully achieved ordering to 20. They all count back with some success. The teacher used this activity well to assess children’s understanding.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

83. Children make good progress in this area of their learning and achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. Nursery children develop a good understanding of how different materials are fastened together. They fasten paper wagons to a train using string and extend their understanding by riding bikes that have been fastened together when they are playing outside. Children explore natural materials such as straw and twigs. They fix these together using cellotape and masking tape to make a house for The Three Little Pigs. This learning was independently extended when a delightful puppet was made using different shaped paper fastened with sticky tape. Wool was added to create hair and strings to hold, in order to make it move.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

84. The older children look at a wide range of toys and decide which toy is best to play with outside, inside, on their own or with a friend. This work is linked well to their work on sharing and taking turns.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

85. Children in nursery have good opportunities to experience a range of construction materials. They develop their fine motor skills well when they build a ‘brick’ house for The Three Little Pigs. Good explanations by the senior teaching assistant help them to begin to understand how gears work and they make a working model. The ‘toyshop’ role-play area offers good opportunities to understand the different aspects of working in a shop. They answer the telephone, serve customers, keep the shop tidy and take orders. Very good interactions by teachers, in the shop, help them to extend their speaking, listening and social skills well. For example, when wrapping a toy for a ‘customer’, the instruction was ‘ hold it carefully in the middle because it needs two bags, one is not big enough.’ All the children talk about celebrating Christmas and remember visiting the local church to celebrate Easter and harvest. They are beginning to develop an understanding of

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

other cultures when the teacher talks about Diwali and the ‘Festival of Lights.’ They learn about the importance of this festival for Hindus and the reason why women paint Mendhi patterns on their hands to celebrate a marriage. Children have sound opportunities to use ICT to support their learning. They use the computer to develop their mouse skills and can ‘pick and drag’ items to create pictures of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. They use listening stations well to enjoy a quiet time listening to a story.

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Physical development

Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 29 86. Children make good progress in their physical development and achieve the Early Learning Goals in this area of their development by the time they reach Year 1. The secure, outdoor play area provides children with a range of opportunities to develop their physical skills. A good range of small and large play apparatus is available and the children make good use of this. Learning opportunities are good because there are good interactions between the children and the teachers. This helps children to explore different uses of the equipment provided. A range of games is painted on the outdoor area floor and this also encourages children to develop their own independent games. Children in both the nursery and reception classes play together at break times and use this good outdoor provision well.

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Physical development

87. The youngest children are developing an awareness of space when they work in the hall. They find their own spaces on entering the hall and understand the need to warm up by shaking different parts of their body. They show a good understanding of tall, low, fast and slow movements and respond well to the good demonstrations by teachers. They move well in space on their tiptoes, using large strides and bunny jumps. They thoroughly enjoy making waddling movements like the little yellow duck in the ‘Toy Parade’ song. They sing as they move and are fully involved. Individual children are confident to demonstrate their movements to others and the teacher’s positive encouragement of good behaviour contributed well to the overall success of the lesson. Children feel very secure in their learning environment and this is impacting on standards. Adults support well any child who is hesitant. The majority of children undress and dress themselves well

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Physical development

and only a few children need very limited help.

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Creative development

88. Children make good progress in this area of their development and achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. Although good provision is made for them to use a range of crayons, pencils, glue, chalks and a range of papers on a regular basis, paint is not available as a choice for their independent work. Children learn to mix colours using block paints and powder paint in teacher-led activities. There are no opportunities for pupils to explore independently ready mixed paint to help them to work on a large scale, to develop their letter and number shapes and begin to control large brushes. The displays show good examples of collage work when they create paper plate portraits. This work was extended well to encourage children to use pastel crayons to draw self-portraits. In reception, the older children create tissue family trees and pictures linked to their work on ‘Then and now.’ They develop sound skills when using scissors

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Creative development

and successfully cut round a template, stuck onto fur, to make the three bears puppets. This activity was well matched to the needs of the children and they stayed on task for an extended period of time. They chose from two different colours of fur and thought that ‘the bear was really dangerous if he was a dark colour.’

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Creative development

89. Children have very good opportunities to sing, both in the hall, supported very well by a visiting pianist, and in the classrooms as part of their on-going work. They sing well. Songs and rhymes are used well to support their number and letter work. For example, when learning the letter ‘m’, they sing “Old McDonald had a Farm” and identify the words beginning with ‘m.’ Children add actions to their songs and sing with enthusiasm and enjoyment. They particularly enjoy moving round the hall as a robot man, dinosaur and a floppy clown when singing ‘ The Toy Parade.’ Teachers and the senior teaching assistant support their singing very well. They show enthusiasm and enjoyment and model the appropriate actions well for the children to copy. The children in reception begin to develop an understanding of rhythm when they clap a simple beat to a range of nursery rhymes. They are confident to demonstrate to others and give a simple rhythm for others

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Creative development

to copy. Children also understand that thy can clap slowly or fast and identify the difference successfully. During the inspection, no work using musical instrument was observed.

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ENGLISH

90. The national tests undertaken in the summer of 2002 indicate that at the age of seven years, pupils’ attainment is as would be expected nationally in reading but below average in writing. More able pupils achieve well and above average numbers attain the higher level, Level 3, in both reading and writing. When compared to similar schools pupils’ attainment is above average in reading and Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 30 average in writing. There is no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls. The inspection evidence found standards average overall by both the ages of seven and eleven years and pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress.

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ENGLISH

91. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are average by the age of seven and eleven years. All pupils make satisfactory progress. Mostly pupils listen attentively to their teachers and to each other. It is when teaching is less effective that pupils do not listen well. Where teaching is good pupils are given time to reflect and give considered responses. As a result, they speak clearly and organise what they say well. Younger infants enjoy saying words such as ‘swishy’ and ‘swashy’ and the higher attainers know that these words are alliterative. Older pupils have the confidence to speak to the whole school in assemblies; they lead the celebration assembly and the whole school in prayer. Juniors use increasingly sophisticated vocabulary and answer questions clearly, but sometimes younger juniors are not encouraged to give more expansive answers because the teacher’s questions are less open-ended.

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ENGLISH

92. Drama lessons were not observed during the inspection. However, teachers' plans and discussions with the headteacher, staff, pupils and parents reveal that there are appropriate opportunities for pupils to participate in a range of drama activities through role-play, assemblies, and celebrations at Christmas.

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ENGLISH

93. Seven year olds and eleven year olds enjoy reading and make satisfactory progress overall and some achieve well, particularly the more able. Currently, the school is taking steps to improve pupils’ reading performance by allocating specific time to guided reading sessions and targeting specific skills more carefully. As a result older pupils are becoming more confident users of a wider range of strategies. Infants use pictures and letter sounds to help them read unfamiliar words in information texts, poems and stories. Year 1 pupils make good progress as they enjoy reading‘ We are all going on a Bear Hunt’ with lots of expression. Some Year 2 pupils make less progress when they re-read a book they have read the previous year with accuracy. The eight and nine year olds understand the main points of stories and can identify characters. Ten and eleven year olds read competently and with expression and they are able to talk about their preferences

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ENGLISH

in fiction and information books. They keep reading journals. Higher attaining pupils draw inferences, make deductions and give reasoned opinions about what they have read.

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ENGLISH

94. Infants and juniors are taught grammar and punctuation satisfactorily and progress in writing is sound overall. The more able produce writing of a good standard but some average and less able pupils do not achieve the expected standards. This is because in some classes there is insufficient challenge in the tasks they undertake and they are not given the time to complete their work. Year 1 pupils make good progress; they have a good understanding of phonemes and can add the initial sounds to ‘ng’ to make words such as ‘long’ and ‘swing’. Higher attainers identify descriptive words from text; for example ‘deep’ and ‘dark’ and make good suggestions of their own. The more able pupils in Year 2 know the difference between a blend and a phoneme in phonics. They recognise the key features needed when writing instructions. They do not always complete sufficient work.

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ENGLISH

95. Year 3 pupils use a cursive script but do not take sufficient pride in doing the best work they can. Older eight and nine year olds write for a good range of purposes and know the importance of planning before they start writing. They write stage directions and simple script for plays, they write in diary form and enjoy composing acrostic poems. They can identify the main features of a newspaper. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 make good progress. Pupils in Year 5 know that instructions are written using the imperative verb form and recognise an idiom when it is used. They have the opportunity to deduce for themselves the spelling rules relating to adding either ‘s’ or ‘es’ to words such as ‘boy’ and ‘hutch’ before being given the rule by the teacher. Year 6 pupils use non-chronological text to identify and analyse descriptive, factual and technical language.

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ENGLISH

96. The quality of teaching ranges from satisfactory to very good and is good overall. Where it is good or very good pupils make the best progress. The tasks are challenging, a good quantity of work is covered in the lesson and there are high expectations of what the pupils will achieve. For Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 31 example learning is made exciting and fun for the youngest infants when they learn through the story of the Bear Hunt. Year 5 pupils are expected to think for themselves and questioning is demanding. Year 6 pupils are expected to complete a good quantity of work and apply themselves throughout the session. Different work is set for pupils so that they are able to achieve at their own level but this does not happen in all classes. There is insufficient expectation that pupils spell words correctly. Frequently junior pupils mis-spell high frequency words and this is

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ENGLISH

97. The school has developed very good assessment procedures and tracks pupils’ progress carefully through the school. Pupils have individual targets and are given very good guidance about how well they are achieving. There is an excellent system of marking, whereby for each piece of work comments about how well pupils have completed the task are put in a ‘bubble’ and targets for future work are set within a ‘block’. Discussion with pupils shows that they really appreciate this information and in the best examples targets set in the ‘block’ are commented upon in future ‘bubbles’ and ‘blocks’. Currently this system is not consistent throughout the school. Recently the analysis of data has shown where pupils are not making as much progress as they should and procedures are being put in place to help these pupils. Assessment data is not used effectively by all staff in planning further lessons and so some pupils are not being sufficiently challenged.

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ENGLISH

98. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress due to the good level of support they receive both in class and while they are working in smaller groups. However, some teachers do not identify pupils’ particular needs within the planning or set work specifically to address the targets within their individual plans. Learning opportunities are missed.

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ENGLISH

99. The school uses national guidance to plan for the development of reading and writing. Recently, it has identified the need for a programme of work to support the teaching and learning of speaking and listening skills. The co-ordinator manages the subject well, she is knowledgeable and has put in place useful initiatives following her monitoring of teaching and learning. Resources are good and most staff make good use of them. There are two well resourced and organised library areas where pupils can undertake research or read and these make a good contribution to the provision. Pupils were very well motivated by the visit of the poet Andy Tooze and this enhanced their learning.

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MATHEMATICS

100. Standards attained by pupils in mathematics are in line with national expectations for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. Progress over time is sound and reflects pupils’ ability on entering and leaving school. The National Curriculum tests for 2002 show that pupils at the end of Year 2 attained the national average and were above average in comparison to similar schools. The percentage of pupils who achieved above the expected level was well above the national average.

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MATHEMATICS

101. As this is a new school and the first year that there is a Year 6 class, there are no national test results yet for these pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

102. By the age of seven, pupils are confident when counting forwards and back in twos and many also achieve this successfully when counting in tens. They show sound understanding when they comment that ‘they have made a number chain.’ They identify missing multiples of ten correctly when using numbers from ten to 100 and know that ‘the number is getting bigger.’ Pupils count back in tens successfully but the majority find it hard to add 10 to 89 when the teacher uses arrows and addition signs to demonstrate how to work this out. The higher attaining pupils explain very clearly how to identify even and odd numbers. For example, ‘If they end in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 they are even, if they end in 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 they are odd.’ They apply this very well and sort numbers up to 100 very accurately. The average and lower attaining pupils find this more difficult, even when using plastic blocks to support their work. Pupils use whiteboards successfully to record and show their

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MATHEMATICS

results. For example, five year olds write the numbers that follow 6, when adding in ones. They also count back and most pupils write these correctly. The higher attaining pupils work with two digit numbers such as 73 and 97 to start their sequence but find it hard to write 101 and confuse this with 110. Pupils understand ‘short’ and ‘long’, ‘small’ and ‘large’ and have a sound Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 32 understanding of measuring using hand spans and straws to measure objects around the classroom.

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MATHEMATICS

103. By the age of eleven, pupils use their mathematical knowledge well to solve problems and many are beginning to show, in their books, how they work these out. The majority of pupils identify acute, obtuse, reflex and right angles with a good degree of accuracy. They estimate and check their results by using a very good program on the computer. The higher achieving pupils successfully measure angles using degrees, in ones, up to 180 ° while lower ability pupils make their own angles and measure these to the nearest 10 ° . They all understand the need to place the protractor carefully on their angle in order to achieve an accurate reading. The lower ability pupils and those with SEN are well supported by a student teacher working with the class. Pupils measure and record temperatures and this helps their work in science and geography. They make sound progress in their work on shapes. For example, seven year olds look at two and three-

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MATHEMATICS

dimensional shapes and identify the lines of symmetry while nine year olds gain knowledge and understanding of regular and irregular shapes. The average and higher attaining pupils know the properties of polygons and begin to create a Carroll diagram using two properties linked to polygons and two to their learning on horizontal and perpendicular. These pupils also have a good understanding of fractions, percentages and of working with numbers to two decimal points.

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MATHEMATICS

104. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. There is good teaching in Year 1 and very good teaching in Years 5 and 6. In these classes, lessons move along at a good pace. Pupils are aware of the time available to complete the task and work hard to achieve this. They are challenged by the work set and this is well matched to the needs of all pupils including those with SEN. Constant praise and encouragement gives pupils the confidence to try and not worry if they are wrong. As a result, pupils develop very positive attitudes to mathematics, particularly in the older age groups. Teachers’ marking is also very positive and encouraging and this moves pupils’ learning on. They know where they are being successful and where more effort is needed and respond to teachers’ comments with enthusiasm. They work together well and help each other with difficulties. These pupils are keen to learn, anxious to please, concentrate very well and make

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MATHEMATICS

good progress. They are confident in discussions and able to work with a good degree of independence. Their behaviour is very good. Teachers show good subject knowledge and, as a result, pupils develop a good understanding of mathematical language. Overhead projectors and ICT are used well to promote learning but computers in classrooms were not used at all in the lessons seen during the inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

105. Teaching was unsatisfactory in two lessons seen. In these lessons, the pace was slow, pupils were not challenged and the work set for them did not match their individual needs. The time given to the mental and oral starter is far too long and pupils lose interest. Assessment information was not used to inform teachers’ planning and pupils did not make satisfactory progress. The school’s tracking records show clearly that little progress is made in one of these classes, when assessing the results of termly assessments. When pupils’ work was checked, it was seen that opportunities were missed to move higher attaining pupils on at a faster rate. The pupils in one of these lessons did not stay on task and their behaviour deteriorated.

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MATHEMATICS

106. The subject manager is absent on long-term sick leave and this responsibility has been taken by the headteacher. She has carried out a review of all the planning for teaching mathematics across the school and found that this did not identify the ways in which teachers were going to teach aspects of the subject. Changes were made to ensure that planning included the role of the teacher. Lesson observations by the headteacher and link advisor show that these changes have led to more effective teaching. The school is aware that pupils are not always showing their working out in their books and that opportunities for developing problem-solving skills in mathematics are missed. Additional training has taken place in order to rectify these aspects. The computer suite is time-tabled for each class to use for one mathematics lesson each week but, during the inspection, only one class made use of this very good facility. Good assessment

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MATHEMATICS

procedures are in place and pupils clearly understand how well they are achieving in mathematics as they have their own personal records in their books.

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SCIENCE

Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 33 107. Teacher assessment at the end of Year 2 during the summer term of 2002 indicates standards are well below the national average overall. Attainment at the higher level, Level 3, is as would be expected nationally. These pupils had a very good understanding of life processes but were below average in their understanding of materials and their properties and physical processes. The inspection findings confirm that overall standards are below those expected for seven year olds. A significant minority of pupils have a good understanding of the world around them and they are able to bring this knowledge to the lessons and achieve at the higher level. Their progress is satisfactory. Some average and less able pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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SCIENCE

108. Due to the good and very good teaching in Year 5 and Year 6 pupils’ attainment is as would be expected nationally by the time they are eleven years old. The achievement of the more able pupils continues to be satisfactory. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress and attain appropriately.

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SCIENCE

109. Standards throughout the school are not as high as they could be. This is because assessment is not used as effectively as it is in subjects such as English to target what pupils need to learn in order to improve. Where teaching is less effective the tasks pupils undertake lack challenge and are not sufficiently different to meet the range of pupils’ abilities in the class. The pace of learning in some lessons is slow. The curriculum is not planned sufficiently to identify what knowledge, skills and understanding are required for each year group.

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SCIENCE

110. Pupils in Year 2 know that certain household appliances need power to make them heat up or light up or produce sound. They know that an electrical power supply or batteries provide power. They understand the forces of pushing and pulling. For example you can change the shape of play dough by pulling it. They know that if a car is pushed down a ramp it will go furthest if it is a shiny floor with no bumps. Year 1 pupils identify and name some light sources. They are able to order objects showing the sun as the brightest light source and a candle as the dimmest.

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SCIENCE

111. Year 6 pupils experiment with circuits and discover that by changing the components they can change the brightness of the light bulb. Pupils in Year 5 are really interested in how sound is carried and enjoy feeling the vibrations that occur when they carry out their experiments. They are fascinated by what happens when sounds are made under water. Younger juniors also learn about simple electrical circuits and how magnets attract or repel one another. They know that high friction between the car tyres and the road is needed so that the car stops more quickly, whereas the low friction of the very smooth surface allows children playing on a slide to go down it much faster.

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SCIENCE

112. The quality of teaching ranges from unsatisfactory to very good. It is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. In the good and very good lessons teachers challenge and interest pupils through tasks which involve them to think and find out for themselves, for example tapping a chime bar under the water and listening to it through a stethoscope and seeing rice bounce on a drum, which has been hit. The pace of the lesson is brisk so that a very good variety of activities are undertaken to help pupils understand a concept, for example while learning about forces which push and pull the body in Year 1. Time is well balanced so that there is direct teaching, practical activities and the session ends with the opportunity to recap what has been learned during the lesson and shows pupils where this will lead in future sessions. For example the warm and encouraging relationships the teacher has with the youngest pupils allows them to have the

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SCIENCE

confidence to respond to her questioning, trying out the new subject-specific vocabulary they have learned during the session. Also, they have great fun sitting holding hands and pushing and pulling one another in a seesaw movement and so consolidate their learning.

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SCIENCE

113. Where teaching is less effective the pace is slow, pupils do not have time to complete the work they are given and the work planned is not covered. The tasks are insufficiently challenging; for example cutting out pictures of things that light up, heat up, or make sound are the same for all the pupils regardless of their ability. There is insufficient intervention to ensure that all pupils understand what they are required to do. For example a group of less able older infant pupils Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 34 spent much of a session not undertaking the task set because they did not understand what they had to do.

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SCIENCE

114. Where teaching is good or better, pupils contribute well to their learning through their interest in finding things out and their participation in all tasks. They do not show the same application to the presentation of their recorded work. Neither pupils nor teachers place sufficient emphasis on the spelling of scientific names so pupils learn to copy them correctly every time. Pupils enjoy working together and when they do so relationships are good. They help one another and contribute ideas so that the entire group learns from one another.

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SCIENCE

115. There are good assessment procedures throughout the school and teachers keep detailed records of pupils’ progress. However, these are not shared sufficiently with pupils so that they understand how well they are achieving and what they can do for themselves to improve their knowledge and understanding. The ‘bubble and block’ marking technique used in English and mathematics is not used in science. Consequently, marking is not sufficiently informative and pupils are not set specific, measurable targets that will guide them towards making improvements in their work.

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SCIENCE

116. The coordinator is knowledgeable about the subject and has a good overview of the developments within the school and manages the subject effectively. The curriculum follows national guidance and planning takes account of the suggested areas to be covered. It provides insufficient detail on what differences there will be for different year groups and what differences there will be for pupils who have different needs, for example, when pupils learn about electrical circuits in Year 2, 4 and 6 what additional knowledge, skills and understanding would be expected within each year. ICT is beginning to be used to support the subject. For example, Year 1 pupils produce and print pictures of sources of light, such as a man shining a torch and traffic lights, as part of their topic on light. Overall the use of ICT is insufficiently well developed. Resources are good and the accommodation is spacious and enables pupils to engage in practical tasks when they are

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. The school alternates these two subjects within the timetable. Limited evidence was available at the time of the inspection. It is taken from teachers’ planning, discussion with pupils and their sketchbooks, the small amount of work on display and the four lessons observed. No photographs or previous work were available.

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

118. From the limited evidence, seven year olds attain the standards that would be expected for their age in both art and design and design and technology. Year 1 pupils paint portraits of themselves showing a good awareness of the colour to use for the skin, hair and other facial features. They are learning to shade using pencils of different density. Year 2 pupils use a viewfinder and sketch what they can see through its window. In design and technology Year 1 pupils look at movement, they draw a range of objects and identify the pivots. For example they can find the pivot on scissors. Year 2 pupils measure and cut wood to make a car chassis. They effectively join the corners of the structure and provide it with wheels so that it moves.

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. Eleven year olds attain the standards expected in art and design but there is insufficient evidence to judge the standards in design and technology. Younger juniors compose an image portraying a relationship between at least two people. Year 4 pupils sketch the sequence of a dream. Year 5 pupils explore ideas in still life, they develop control of tools and techniques for painting and select and record from first hand observations. Year 6 pupils communicate movement in a visual form, investigate a range of materials and processes and combine and organise their work. They explore ideas about movement effectively.

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

120. The provision for both subjects is too fragmented and this directly affects teaching and learning. Pupils comment that they do not do much and would like to do more. Planning takes account of national guidance so that a range of topics is covered but the school has not identified when subject specific skills should be taught and pupils’ learning is not developmental. Until recently Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 35 teachers lacked confidence in teaching design and technology. The recent provision of professional development has provided staff with a good range of ideas and this is impacting on the teaching and learning. For example the Year 2 teacher was able to support some pupils making a chassis as a base to a car.

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

121. Where teaching is good pupils achieve well. Year 5 pupils arrange bottles at different heights and on different backdrops to produce an effective image and paint it skilfully with a variety of techniques. Direct teaching of the techniques required to draw people moving and the attention to careful observation results in Year 6 pupils being able to draw well. They enjoy creating a visual effect of objects moving and use ideas from the work of artists in their compositions.

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ART AND DESIGN AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

122. There are appropriate procedures for assessment in place but these are not shared with pupils so they can improve their work. Assessment is not used to inform future planning. The co-ordinators for both subjects are enthusiastic and are keen to manage the subject well. The monitoring of teaching and learning is at a very early stage and currently they have not had the opportunity make on impact on the provision. Resources are satisfactory but overall the subjects are underdeveloped and do not have a high enough profile in the curriculum.

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GEOGRAPHY

123. Standards achieved by seven year olds, the oldest infant pupils, are satisfactory. Work in Year 2 demonstrated satisfactory standards. Pupils could recall the local study work undertaken in their first infant year, Year 1, and go on to describe the work they are currently undertaking. Pupils are developing a sound understanding of places in this country and whether they were inland or by the sea, on the coast. Using the published stories about ‘Barnaby Bear, the pupils were able to describe and recognise the main features of the sea-side and relate Barnaby’s experiences to their own during holidays and day trips to the sea-side. The pupils responded well to the teaching and showed enthusiasm for the subject and a desire to demonstrate their developing knowledge and understanding. One boy kept insisting that he had been to Manchester for his holiday. The other children were tolerant of him, but showed their growing understanding of the theme of the lesson

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GEOGRAPHY

by pointing out to him and the teacher that Manchester was not by the sea-side.

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GEOGRAPHY

124. No teaching in Year 1 was observed but analysis of the work of the class and planning for the subject in the first half of the autumn term shows good coverage of the required curriculum. It also demonstrates that the pupils are developing fieldwork, observational and recording skills by recording on maps their own journey to school and adding local features such as the park or shops.

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GEOGRAPHY

125. Teaching of geography is satisfactory in Year 1 and Year 2. The Year 1 work shows some good elements in terms of coverage, teacher planning and completed pupils’ work. The teacher uses marking as a way of increasing pupils’ knowledge and indicating where improvements could be made. In Year 2 the teaching observed is satisfactory and is planned to meet the agreed programme of work for pupils of this age. The teachers set tasks for all pupils, expecting the more able pupils to complete the work in greater detail and more thoroughly than their less able counterparts. There is no evidence that special work is set for pupils of differing abilities or attainment levels.

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GEOGRAPHY

126. The main weakness in teaching is that in Year 2 geography is timetabled and planned in 15 minute blocks. When there is poor timing of other lessons, they over-run and reduce the time available for studying geography. This happened on two occasions during the inspection and raises concern about the coverage of the subject over the whole year.

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GEOGRAPHY

127. No lessons were observed in Year 3 or Year 4 and no work was available for analysis and therefore it is not possible to comment on standards, teaching and learning for these pupils. There is planning to show that these groups are expected to cover topics that relate appropriately to the government’s required study of geography for pupils of this age. The progress of this work requires careful monitoring by the school so that the quality of geography studied by the pupils aged seven to nine years matches that of the ten to eleven year olds. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 36 128. Geography lessons were observed in Year 5 and Year 6. Work from these pupils was also analysed and these sources show standards to be satisfactory. Teaching and learning in these year groups are satisfactory. The work of the ten and eleven year old pupils shows that much of the geography they are required to know and understand is covered at this end of the school and

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GEOGRAPHY

therefore attainment is satisfactory overall.

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GEOGRAPHY

129. The ten and eleven year old pupils in Year 6 had completed a detailed piece of work on rivers. They had used local maps to plot the courses of nearby rivers and studied their effect on the landscape and local industry. Fieldwork had been undertaken to identify important features of a river such as erosion, meanders, and small waterfalls. Pupils had completed on-site sketches of the features and provided text to explain them, such as how small rocks and stones erode rivers when the water flow drags them at speed around the bank. Pupils had also studied a river, The Nile, in a different location and noted similarities and differences to the rivers in their own area. This represented a high quality piece of work incorporating many geographical skills that extended pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the subject. The teacher carefully planned this work and monitored pupils’ progress throughout so that judgements could be made about individual pupils’

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GEOGRAPHY

130. The pupils were following up their study with the preparation of presentations using computers and a specialised program called ‘PowerPoint’, thus extending their geography work into the study of ICT. The planning, organisation and implementation of this study represents good work by the teacher and has led to the pupils’ attainment and learning also being good.

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GEOGRAPHY

131. Pupils’ learning is satisfactory across the school and there is no difference in the learning, progress and attainment of boys and girls. Pupils with additional learning needs are supported appropriately and make satisfactory progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

132. The provision for geography in the school is satisfactory. The school has produced a good policy in the year since opening as a new school and this provides very clear direction for teachers on how and what to teach. There are aims and objectives that relate appropriately to the government’s prescribed curriculum for geography and statements on the teaching methods and ways of assessing pupils’ progress. This comprehensive document is very practical and a strength of the provision for geography.

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GEOGRAPHY

133. The school uses the nationally suggested programme for studying geography as a basis for all their work. The school’s scheme sets out the units of geographical study that each year group is expected to work through during the course of a school year. There are clear planning guidelines and assessment sheets for teachers to complete at the end of each section of work. These are designed to ensure that teachers are assessing pupils’ progress as the class completes a unit of work throughout the year. The processes designed to support the teaching and assessment of geography are strengths, but the full implementation of the planned work by individual teachers is inconsistent and in some cases weak.

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GEOGRAPHY

134. The work of the co-ordinator in preparing this support material is good and a strength. Monitoring of the implementation of the policy and work programmes to assess the quality of colleagues’ work and the standards being achieved by pupils is planned.

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HISTORY

135. The standards achieved in history by seven year old and eleven year old pupils are satisfactory. There are no significant differences in achievement between boys and girls. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress.

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HISTORY

136. Because the timetable for the youngest children focused on another subject during the week of the inspection no teaching was observed. However, pupils were interviewed about the work they undertook on the Great Fire of London. They were able to describe the events that led up to the incident, the location and some causes. The pupils recognised that this happened a long time Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 37 ago although the youngest pupils were not so sure about how long in the past and historical time scales. Teaching and learning are satisfactory.

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HISTORY

137. The ten and eleven year old pupils were beginning a unit of work studying the Ancient Greeks. This began well and pupils were developing their knowledge and understanding of modern Greece, recognising that geographical and climatic features would influence the ancient civilisation. Pupils showed developing research skills and the ability to discuss ideas with the teacher and each other in order to further develop their understanding. The teaching in this lesson was good and followed the planning so that the key objective of introducing Ancient Greece by asking questions about and researching the present worked well. Pupils’ learning was enhanced by good teacher knowledge, clear and thorough planning and preparation and a lively presentation. The teacher ensured that she monitored pupils’ work during the lesson and engaged well in individual and group discussions. The lesson ended effectively, summarising the learning so far and identifying the

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HISTORY

138. The nine and ten year old pupils in Year 5 had completed a study unit on the Victorians and the work from this was analysed. This showed a good level of knowledge about the way the conditions for ordinary people had changed since the Victorians. A visit to the local workhouse, now preserved as a historical resource, had benefited pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Many were able to reflect in their work on the situations that caused people to be put in a workhouse and how the conditions affected them. Teaching is good. The teacher’s marking helped develop understanding, in one case pointing out that poor Victorian children would not be able to telephone a grandfather to tell them about life in the workhouse. She also explained that Victorian children would not have had modern technology. Although no teaching was observed, the outcomes of the lessons demonstrate good pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the topic. The planning is good

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HISTORY

and relates well to the government’s recommended programme for history.

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HISTORY

139. The seven year old pupils had completed work on the Roman invasion and occupation of Britain. Analysis of this work showed teaching and learning to be satisfactory. They had studied the battle techniques of the Romans and how life developed in Britain through improvements in transport and housing. Standards were in line with those expected of this age group. Presentation requires some improvement.

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HISTORY

140. The eight year old pupils in Year 4 had studied the Tudors and work available was analysed. This work showed several unfinished sessions and presentation was poor. Outcomes show teaching and learning to be unsatisfactory. There is a poor range of aspects covered and only parts of the life of Henry VIII and his wives is explored. The study of life in those times and significant occurrences, such as the Spanish Armada, law and order, execution of Mary, Queen of Scots and the life of Queen Elizabeth I are not covered. However, Year 4 pupils were using ICT to develop their work and research some aspects of Tudor life.

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HISTORY

141. The co-ordinator for history has produced a good policy that sets out the aims and objectives for the subject. This relates well to the government’s guidance for the subject and makes clear how history will be studied and when key study units will be taught. The policy has no guidance for teachers on how to use ICT in the subject. The very little evidence in the school of ICT being used in the subject shows this to be an unsatisfactory element of the study of history.

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HISTORY

142. There are well planned and documented visits available to teachers and the school is a member of the National Trust which further enhances this resource. There is a good process in place for assessment and the teacher assessment for last year is clear and indicates the standards achieved. Following her appraisal the co-ordinator has produced an action plan for the year outlining priorities. Two key priorities are to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning and to work with the newly-qualified teacher in order to raise standards for the eight year old pupils. These targets are appropriate and require attention now that the co-ordinator has established a good set of teacher guidance and assessment documents. How these are being used to teach the subject is a key area for development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 38 143. Standards are below the expected levels by both the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This is because this is a new school and provision for this subject has been affected by building works. The old computer suite was removed and a new suite has only been in use since the beginning of the autumn term. The teaching of this subject has been affected by the long-term absence of a senior member of staff and a number of supply teachers working with two classes. The ratio of computers to pupils is above that expected nationally. Teachers have all completed their nationally funded training and this has been well matched to their needs. The additional computers and the training are now having an impact on standards but insufficient use is made of both the computer suite and computers in each classroom. The suite is timetabled for each class to have one hour for the teaching of computing skills. Additional time is given to use the suite for one lesson of literacy and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

numeracy each week. Additional training has taken place to help teachers in their choice of software to support these two subjects. However, some teachers are not using the suite regularly and this is affecting children’s learning. The teaching of ICT is good in Years 1, 4, 5 and 6. Good procedures for assessing this subject are in place. All pupils have a progress wall in the front of their workbooks so that they also know how their skills are developing.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

144. Pupils enter Year 1 with sound mouse skills and develop their knowledge and understanding well because the teaching they receive is good. The teacher has very good subject knowledge and this helps pupils to understand how different keys on the keyboard make things happen. The work planned for them is well matched to their needs and this helps them to make good progress. For example, the lower attaining pupils work on a simple writing program to complete sentences by choosing the correct word from a simple word bank while other pupils work with a word program which has sound and they can hear the text they write. These pupils use arrow keys, and backspace well to move around the program. Some pupils successfully change the sound of the voice while others need a little help from the teacher. They use art packages well to create pictures of Goldilocks using their pick and drag skills effectively. Pupils also add text. They work

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

well together to create these pictures. They also use a drawing program to create pictures of themselves and show a good understanding of the use of the line tool. They can change the pencil size and colour and are developing an understanding of how to fill their shapes with different colours. They also add text to these pictures. The higher attaining pupils understand how to use arrow keys and backspace to correct their work and know that if a word is spelt wrongly ‘it is highlighted in yellow’ on the screen.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

145. By the end of Year 1, pupils have made good progress and reach the level required for their age. However, pupils in Year 2 do not have opportunities to use computers regularly and their progress is limited. There is no evidence to show that they cover the areas of work planned for this year group. There is only one piece of work in the sample seen and discussion with pupils reveals that “we keep forgetting to go in the suite.” They have written a story linked to their work in literacy and understand how to correct their work if they make mistakes with spelling, capital letters and punctuation.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

146. The majority of pupils in Year 3 can input text and change the size, colour and font of this text. They correct their mistakes using the cursor and delete key and can use arrow keys to move to the mistake. They know how to highlight text and how to find a range of colours to change the colour of their chosen text. They have not yet had opportunities to add pictures to their work as the appropriate program could not be found for the majority of pupils during their lesson. Pupils in Year 4 successfully use a drawing program to create repeating patterns using lines and block pattern makers. They know how to import pictures and create interesting headings for their work in history on Henry VIII. They work well in pairs in the computer suite but the higher attaining pupils need to be challenged further to extend their knowledge and understanding. The progress of pupils in this class was affected by the long-term absence of their class teacher last year. Although no teaching

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

was seen in Year 5 during the inspection, the work sample and discussion with pupils shows that pupils use the computer well in literacy when they write for different audiences. They learn how to use spreadsheets and databases and use the Internet successfully to support their work in science on healthy eating. Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 39 147. Year 6 pupils are faced with challenging work when they create a multimedia presentation. They chose their own theme for this work and selected these from their work in other subjects, for example, Buddhism, rivers, Charles Dickens, Shakespeare and stories such as Oliver Twist. They worked in threes and had created a number of slides, selecting an appropriate background for these to represent their theme. The teacher used the data projector very well to remind pupils of her expectations in the lesson. Pupils understand the refinements that are needed to achieve a

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

good presentation to the others in the class at the end of the lesson. They worked hard to improve the sounds and movements they had included and presented their work confidently. Pupils have a mature approach to their work and evaluate the work of others in a sensitive but thorough way. For example, they commented on the good match of pictures to the text and the careful selection of backgrounds to reflect the subject of the presentation.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

148. The very good teaching and the very good relationships between teacher and pupil impacts well on the progress pupils make and the quality of work they achieve. They really enjoy every moment of the lesson and work hard to please the teacher and achieve high standards of work. The teaching assistant gives very good support to pupils who miss some of the lesson, for additional help in literacy, in order to complete their presentation. A student from a local training college supports the lower attaining pupils very well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

149. Pupils have not yet had the opportunity to send and receive email messages. Resources are not yet in place for pupils to control items on the screen using switches and ordering simple instructions but these will be in school before the end of this year. Discussion with Year 6 pupils shows that they remember programming floor robots as part of their previous learning in school. They would like to have opportunities to use the computer suite during breaks and lunchtime and they are looking forward to a computer club.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

150. The subject manager has very good subject knowledge. Teachers have gained good subject knowledge and confidence during their nationally funded training and this is beginning to impact on standards. A nationally agreed scheme is in place throughout the school. The subject manager has not yet had the opportunity to monitor the teaching of her subject in school but monitors planning across the school. Good procedures for assessment are in place and pupils have a good understanding of the progress they make. The development plan for this subject is very thorough and identifies good links with other subject areas.

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MUSIC

151. The standards achieved in music are satisfactory throughout the school with some elements that are good. Both boys and girls achieve satisfactory standards and demonstrate enjoyment and engagement with the subject in lessons. Technology is used where resources allow and there is evidence of pupils using electronic keyboards for composing and accompaniment. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress and are fully included in the lessons.

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MUSIC

152. The seven year old pupils in Year 2 attain standards in line with those expected for the age group. In the lesson observed they were singing well to a piano accompaniment. They were joining in with enthusiasm, singing in tune accurately and keeping to the time and pace of the songs. Pupils learnt two new songs and could follow the words and match this to the tune played on the piano. The teaching was good and the class teacher encouraged the good learning by maintaining the pupils’ interest in the lesson. She provided many opportunities for pupils to listen to the tune and answer questions about phrasing and pitch. The peripatetic piano teacher contributed significantly to the lesson by requiring precise answers to questions and ensuring pupils used appropriate musical terms wherever possible that related appropriately to dynamics, pitch and timbre. The singing quality was good and teachers praised pupils and used them to demonstrate

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MUSIC

to others. Two boys showed particularly good singing skills and were given ‘reward cards’ for their efforts.

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MUSIC

153. Teachers’ planning for music is good for the six and seven year olds and follows both the statutory curriculum and the government’s recommended scheme. By the end of the year in addition to the good singing experiences, pupils are expected to be able to play tuned and untuned instruments Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 40 creating their own tunes and musical patterns. They are also exploring their ideas using music in the dance and movement work they were observed doing in physical education.

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MUSIC

154. The eight year old pupils in Year 4 were creating musical pieces as they were developing their knowledge and understanding of pitch. In a previous lesson the class teacher and the peripatetic piano teacher had judged that pupils required further work on this aspect. Pupils were exploring pitch by creating small tunes that went up or down in pitch for their colleagues to copy. A range of instruments were being used for this including electronic key boards. The partnership teaching worked well ensuring that the subject knowledge and content was good which led to the pupils both enjoying the activity and progressing their learning.

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MUSIC

155. The nine year olds in Year 5 experienced a singing lesson with the peripatetic piano teacher and their class teacher. The theme was ‘calypso’ and three new songs were introduced. The teaching concentrated on the tunes and words, listening carefully to the tunes first and then learning the songs in part. At this stage the teacher did not choose to have pupils use instruments or learn different parts to sing. They were encouraged to comment on their learning and where they thought it had gone well and where improvements were needed. In the song ‘Island in the Sun’ many pupils became very involved in the rhythm and feel of the chorus. They sang this very well and also moved in unison with the beat and feel of the music and this seemed to contribute to pupils’ spiritual experience of the arts. There is much potential in the work introduced in this lesson.

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MUSIC

156. No lessons were available for observation involving ten and eleven year olds in Year 6. However, teacher planning follows the nationally recommended scheme for pupils of this age. Pupils will be expected to develop their singing and listening skills, appreciate and progress their composition work using a good range of instruments and undertake the study of lyrics, writing their own as well examining the work of well known songwriters.

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MUSIC

157. The co-ordinator has written a good policy document setting out aims and objectives for the subject based on the nationally agreed government guidance for music. Teachers are enabled to complete assessments of pupils’ progress and attainment in music. These are completed and handed to the co-ordinator at the end of each unit of work, usually termly. At the end of the year these are recorded and contribute to class teachers’ assessments of pupils. The policy has no section on how ICT should be developed through music. Teachers are beginning to explore this, but more development is required for ICT to be satisfactory. There is a good range of resources available in terms of songbooks and instruments. These are catalogued in the policy.

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MUSIC

158. The co-ordinator has recently completed a review of the subject, the main outcome of which was to enhance the role of the peripatetic piano teacher so that her musical skills contributed more to the teaching and learning. The co-ordinator has observed improvements in this area and this judgement is supported by the examples of good partnership teaching in music noted during the inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

159. The standards achieved in physical education (PE) by pupils aged seven in Year 2 are good and satisfactory by Year 6. Some elements such as dance and swimming are good. Both boys and girls achieve satisfactory standards and demonstrate enjoyment and engagement with the subject in lessons. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress and are fully included in the lessons. Teaching and learning in lessons were good in Key Stage 1 and for the five and six year olds in Year 1 excellent.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

160. The Year 6 pupils were not observed during the inspection as they were timetabled for swimming on Friday, a day not included in the inspection. However, the swimming programme is proving successful and almost all the Year 6 pupils have achieved and exceeded the expected standard for eleven year olds of 25 metres. Most are able to swim 50 metres unaided. This success means that participation in swimming is opened up to other year groups and the Year 6 pupils will continue their planned programme for other aspects of PE. The involvement of other year groups Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 41 in swimming does cause problems in the timetable for those groups as they often have to miss subjects such as art in Year 4.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

161. Eleven year olds are expected to attain the appropriate standards by the end of the year. Teachers planning shows they will undertake a camping trip as well complete the programme for gymnastics, athletics, dance and games.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

162. Pupils aged nine and ten in Year 5 were observed in a dance lesson, the planned programme for the second half of the autumn term. The standards achieved were good. Pupils were able to prepare and participate in a dance routine based on their learning in history. Their movements were in time to the music, consistent and representative of Victorian children’s games. The dance included dodges, turns and jumps that extended the skills of the pupils. The teacher’s planning was good and during the lesson she ensured a good pace allowing pupils time to explore new ideas, develop them accurately and evaluate their own and others’ efforts. The attainment of all pupils was above that expected by pupils of this age and good progress was made including those with SEN. The pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were good and they showed concerted efforts and sustained enthusiasm for the activity. Music was used well to lead the pupils into the different

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

actions in the dance and they demonstrated good understanding of rhythm and time in their movements.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

163. The seven year olds in Year 2 attained levels expected for pupils of this age in gymnastics. They were able to move, balance and move again with skill. These movements were explored further in good pairs work and they supported each other safely and well. The lesson ended with groups of four beginning to develop co-operative movements across and around mats. This established the work to be extended in future lessons. The teaching was good, well planned with the teacher emphasising health and safety issues related to gymnastics work. Planned time for warm up and warm down was effectively used.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

164. In Year 1 pupils aged five and six participated in an excellent dance lesson. The teacher introduced the concept of leaves in the wind as the theme for the dance very quickly after the warm up. Pupils soon began to develop movements appropriate to this idea and showed great skill and creativity. Opportunities for evaluation of the ideas were incorporated into the lesson as were demonstrations of good work. These enhanced the pupils’ excellent learning. The teacher used chime bars to indicate when high, medium and low movements were required and pupils showed a good understanding of pitch as they responded to the music in their dances. Teaching and learning were excellent and pupils attained standards above those expected for this age group.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

165. PE is managed soundly in the school by the co-ordinator and planned time for the subject is appropriate ensuring good coverage of the government’s prescribed curriculum. The good systems in place for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment and progress are used by the teachers. Some work needs to be done with the timetable for swimming to ensure that the time for other subjects is not lost when year groups take up the opportunity to swim. The co-ordinator has undertaken an audit of the subject and as a result ‘warm up’ and ‘warm down’ aspects of the lessons have been improved. Resources are satisfactory and money has been allocated to improve the gymnastic and dance resources recently.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

166. Seven year olds and eleven year olds attain the levels expected nationally. Throughout the school pupils know a lot about the traditions and beliefs of a good variety of religions. During the inspection the teaching focused on the Hindu celebration of Diwali, the Muslim tradition of Ramadan and the stories and beliefs of Buddhists. Year 2 and Year 3 pupils have learned about the Jewish faith and know about the Torah scrolls, the symbolism of the Seder plate and the harvest festival of Sukkoth. In discussion, older pupils knew stories from the Bible and the beliefs of Christians. They know there are two sections to the Bible, the Old and New Testament, and are familiar with stories from both. Younger pupils are less secure in their knowledge of the Christian Farmilo Primary and Nursery School - 42 religion and pupils from Year 2 did not know that at Christmas Christians celebrate the birth of

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

167. Only a small number of lessons were observed during the inspection. The quality of teaching observed was good overall and very good for the older juniors. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the religions from around the world and so pupils learn accurate information. They use good resources to support learning. For example the tradition of fasting during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan was taught using a letter from a Muslim girl who described her thoughts and actions at this time. Good questioning and reiteration of the facts ensures that pupils understand the main traditions and beliefs of this time. Interesting stories provide background information on the beliefs of Buddhists. Skilful questioning and development of ideas enables pupils to see the moral connection between the values developed within the story and those which are part of the school ethos; behaving well towards others.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

168. Pupils enjoy their learning and participate well in the oral question and answer sessions. They take less care when recording their work. The standard of presentation is not high. Subject- specific words and high frequency words are regularly mis-spelt. There is insufficient expectation that pupils copy subject-specific words correctly and that they always spell simple words such as ‘when’ and ‘said’ correctly. The mis-spelling of subject-specific words can lead to later confusion. For example, one pupil recorded the ‘five pillows of wisdom’ instead of pillars.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

169. The curriculum is planned using the national guidance and the Local Authority’s agreed syllabus. Assessment procedures are in place, which effectively record what pupils know and can do. Currently, this assessment is not used regularly to inform future planning. The amount of time allocated to the subject is sound overall, but it is fragmented and this frequently means that learning is disjointed. Also, as some sessions are short there is the danger that they will be missed when other sessions extend beyond the recommended time. The co-ordinator is new to the post but is developing her role as manager effectively. There are a good range of books and artefacts to support learning. There are effective links with a local Christian church, pupils have the opportunity to visit the building and the vicar contributes to assemblies.

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