Other · Ofsted report
All Saints CofE Primary School, Horsham
Summary
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- Inspectorssingle source
Foundation Stage
- URN verified
133321
Deep dive
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Strengths
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- Children get a flying start in the reception class where they learn very well as the result of very well planned, very good teaching and achieve very well. p.7
- The resulting document is one in which the areas for development for the school are extremely well judged and prioritised and forms an excellent basis for future development. p.19
- All pupils knew exactly what was expected of them and worked very well independently as a result of the teacher’s high expectations of behaviour and pace. p.13
- Parents have outstandingly positive views of the school and feel that it does an excellent job for their children. p.17
- In addition, in an excellent piece of collaboration, parents have helped to make many story sacks that encourage pupils to enjoy books by providing a range of toys, tapes and materials to accompany stories. p.17
Concerns
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- This includes a concern about some remaining problems within this newly built school which may prove problematic and have not yet been resolved satisfactorily – especially problems concerning the drainage of rain water from the playground and surrounding grassed area. p.16
- Of the other subjects, secure judgements about standards in All Saints CE Primary School - 11 geography and music were not possible as too few lessons could be seen and there was insufficient completed work from this year to analyse. p.10
- These include limited storage space, problematic drainage from the field and the lack of shelter over the outdoor area of the Foundation Stage classroom. p.19
- The proportions of pupils gaining at least the expected Level 2 in reading and writing were also in the top five per cent of schools nationally, but the proportions gaining the higher Level 3 in reading and writing were weaker: in reading it was about average and in writing below average. p.10
- is affected by pupils’ restlessness, calling out and other low level disruption. p.13
Next steps
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- Improve the governance of the school by ensuring that governors undertake training appropriate to their roles to help all governors come to a shared understanding of the roles, responsibilities and duties of a governing body. p.20
- Elements of this have already been identified in the school development plan. p.20
- Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection p.21
- Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 22 p.21
- Summary of teaching observed during the inspection p.21
- Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor p.21
- Percentage 0 39 35 26 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. p.21
- Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points. p.21
What the report dwells on
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Communication & language40
“Information and communication technology is very well used to support learning.” p.14
Anatomy of the report
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- Pages
- 37
- Words of findings
- 14,706
- longer than usual (typical 1049)
- Reading level
- Fairly hard
- Flesch 54, typical 45
- Average sentence
- 18 words
- Next steps
- 8
- typical 5
- Hedged sentences
- 6%
- “some”, “not always”, “most”…
Where the words go
Full report text
ALL SAINTS CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Date of inspection: 21 st – 23 rd October 2002
p.1
ALL SAINTS CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Full inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.
p.1
ALL SAINTS CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. All Saints CE Primary School - 4
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Tylden Way Horsham West Sussex Postcode: RH12 5JB
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The governing body
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Name of chair of governors: Mr Stephen Buckman
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: None All Saints CE Primary School - 5
p.4
responsibilities
23031 Ian Knight Registered inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 1165 Peter Dannheisser Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 12997 Chris Cheong Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Art and design Music 16492 Bob Lever Team inspector Special educational needs English Geography History Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?
p.5
responsibilities
Full Circle division of Parkman The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT
p.5
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:
p.5
responsibilities
The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division
p.5
responsibilities
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE All Saints CE Primary School - 6
p.5
PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6
Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved 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
p.6
HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
All Saints CE Primary School opened in September 2001 with two classes. It was opened to relieve pressure on another local school, serving new housing in north Horsham. A year later, there are four classes: reception, Year 1, Year 2 and a class including Year 3 and 4 pupils. There are no pupils in Year 5 or in Year 6 as yet. Currently, there are 95 pupils on roll, including 14 pupils aged four who attend the reception class part-time. Almost all pupils are of white European backgrounds. Few pupils are identified as having a special need. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is above average overall.
p.7
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
All Saints CE Primary School is a good school. Standards overall are above expectations, especially in mathematics and English. Children get a flying start in the reception class where they learn very well as the result of very well planned, very good teaching and achieve very well. This start is consolidated and extended in Years 1 and 2 through good teaching so that pupils here achieve well and attain high standards in National Curriculum tests. It is too early to form a view of the whole of the juniors, but in Years 3 and 4, pupils continue to enjoy good teaching so they learn and achieve well. This success has been brought about in one year by the very good leadership of the headteacher, supported by the staff. A clear development plan charts out the school’s needs for this year and as it grows in the future. However, the governing body, like the school, is new and whilst it supports the school, and
p.7
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
some members are very effective, not all understand the roles, duties and responsibilities of governance. The success of the school in terms of standards, teaching, and leadership and management has been achieved at a reasonable cost, when the costs of starting up a school are considered, and so the school provides good value for money.
p.7
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
What the school does well The very good leadership of the headteacher, supported by other staff, has resulted in the creation of a school in which: • Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good; • Standards are high in many subjects and outstanding in mathematics; • Teaching is good; • Links with parents and the church are strong; • Future developments as the school grows are well planned.
p.7
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
What could be improved • The governing body does not operate effectively enough. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.
p.7
STANDARDS
Judgements cannot be made about standards in Year 6 as the school has no pupils of that age. However, considering the attainment of pupils currently in Years 3 and 4 in comparison with what could be expected, then these pupils are achieving well. In the National Curriculum tests for the 12 pupils in Year 2 in 2002, standards were well above average in reading and writing, and in the top five per cent nationally in mathematics. However, fewer pupils than nationally gained the highest levels in writing. Teachers’ assessments in science show that, on average, standards were above those nationally, though few pupils gained the highest levels. As children end reception, they have exceeded all the recommended Early Learning Goals except in physical development, which is average. Currently, in Years 1 and 2, standards in mathematics are outstanding, in English are well above national expectations and standards in science are above expectations. Of the other subjects, standards are
p.7
STANDARDS
All Saints CE Primary School - 8 above expectations in art and design, history, information and communication technology and gymnastics and in line with expectations in design and technology. There was insufficient evidence to form a view in the other subjects. These judgements show that pupils achieve well throughout the school. The school has set challenging targets for its future performance in tests for Year 2 pupils and is making good progress towards meeting them.
p.8
Aspect Comment
Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school, are very enthusiastic, and are very interested and involved in activities.
p.8
Aspect Comment
Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils generally behave well in lessons. There are isolated incidents of misbehaviour in some lessons.
p.8
Aspect Comment
Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils show a good understanding of the impact of their actions on others. They show good levels of respect for feelings, values and beliefs. Relationships are good.
p.8
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years
p.8
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Lessons seen overall Very good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.
p.8
TEACHING AND LEARNING
The teaching of English is good and of mathematics is very good. Literacy and numeracy are taught well, with good links in other subjects. All pupils, including those with a special need, have their needs met well and make good progress. Teaching assistants are used well to support pupils. Individual targets help pupils to know how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. The most effective teaching is very well planned so that all in the class are challenged well and learn at a brisk pace. When teaching is less effective, behaviour is not managed well enough so that the pace becomes steady and learning slows.
p.8
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
The quality and range of the curriculum Very good in the Foundation Stage; good elsewhere. The school makes effective use of national exemplar schemes of work.
p.8
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good provision leads to good progress.
p.8
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development; satisfactory provision for cultural development. All Saints CE Primary School - 9 How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Good procedures promote good behaviour and attendance. Good assessment procedures are well used in future planning.
p.8
OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
The school works very well in partnership with parents.
p.9
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher has shown a very clear vision which has guided the school’s early development. As it has grown, staff have begun to exercise leadership in their spheres.
p.9
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Unsatisfactory. Although the temporary governing body worked effectively to establish the school, the current governing body, whilst supportive, has too many members who do not fully understand their roles and responsibilities.
p.9
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The quality of teaching is rigorously monitored and evaluated. Test results have been carefully analysed to inform future teaching.
p.9
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
The strategic use of resources Very good. The school has planned very carefully and prudently to allow for the school to phase spending as it grows over the coming years.
p.9
HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED
The school enjoys good levels of staffing, very good accommodation and very good levels of resources. The principles of best value are applied well.
p.9
PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school, are taught well and are making good progress. • Behaviour in the school is good. • They are comfortable in their dealings with the school. • The school works closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • The school is helping their children become mature and responsible. • Although individual parents made some comments, there were no issues supported by a significant number of parents.
p.9
PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL
The team agreed with parents’ positive views. A large number of parents had answered ‘Don’t know’ to a number of questions because, they explained, they had only had experience of the school for a few weeks. All Saints CE Primary School - 10
p.9
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
1. This is a new school in its second year with pupils only in reception and Years 1 to 4. In its first year, it had pupils only in reception and Years 1 and 2. Consequently, no National Curriculum test results are available for pupils in Year 6 last year. In the tests for pupils in Year 2, however, overall standards in reading and writing were well above average, and standards in mathematics were very high, that is, in the top five per cent of schools nationally. By all measures, standards in mathematics were in the top five per cent nationally, including the proportion who gained the higher Level 3. The proportions of pupils gaining at least the expected Level 2 in reading and writing were also in the top five per cent of schools nationally, but the proportions gaining the higher Level 3 in reading and writing were weaker: in reading it was about average and in writing below average. There are no tests in the other core subject of science,
p.10
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
but teachers’ assessments indicate that the proportion gaining at least the expected Level 2 was well above average, whilst the proportion gaining the higher Level 3 was below average. No secure comparison can be made with similar schools as this comparison is based on the eligibility for free school meals and the local education authority do not provide a school meals service. In this situation, the proportion of pupils eligible for a free school meal cannot be accurately measured.
p.10
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
2. Standards in national tests are important, but in this school they need to be interpreted with care. In particular, the results above refer to only 12 pupils of whom only ten had been in the school for the whole year before taking the tests. In addition, they can only refer to a limited number of subjects and can give no information about pupils’ achievement, that is, how well pupils in this school do compared with how well they could reasonably be expected to do. Inspection evidence, which includes observations of pupils in lessons, analyses of completed work and discussions with staff and pupils, can fill some of these gaps.
p.10
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
3. Children in the Foundation Stage, that is, the reception class, entered the school with attainment that was above average overall. Following very good teaching and learning, they have exceeded the expected Early Learning Goals as they entered Year 1. The current group, who have only been in school a few weeks, are well on track to exceed the Early Learning Goals in all areas except physical development, which they are on track to achieve. Very good teaching gives these children a flying start to their education and they achieve well.
p.10
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
4. The fact that very high numbers of pupils in Year 2 last year attained the higher Level 3 in mathematics, but did not repeat this attainment in reading, writing or science, appears at first glance to be an anomaly. The school explains that these pupils were in the school for only a year and, based on the school’s own assessments, pupils exceeded what might have been expected given their attainment last year. The inspection team checked these assessments and found this argument to be well founded: the pupils in last year’s Year 2 were weaker on entry in English and science than in mathematics. The school used a variety of strategies to improve pupils’ English performance in the one year they had them: this had some success as shown in the overall standards that were well above average. This year’s Year 2 are on line to attain similar high standards: inspectors judged standards now to be well above average in all aspects of English, above average in science and outstanding in
p.10
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
mathematics. Of the other subjects, secure judgements about standards in All Saints CE Primary School - 11 geography and music were not possible as too few lessons could be seen and there was insufficient completed work from this year to analyse. In the remaining subjects, standards were judged at least in line with national expectations in all subjects, and above expectations in art and design, history, information and communication technology, and gymnastics (other aspects of physical education could not be observed). As this is an aided school, religious education was not inspected, being the subject of a separate inspection. These high standards across the board follow from good teaching in Years 1 and 2. When these standards are considered in the light of the school’s context, the progress made by pupils and the quality of teaching and learning observed, then it is clear that pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well.
p.10
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
Although there are imbalances in the numbers of boys and girls in the two classes, no differences in the progress of boys and girls were noted. The school is well aware of the imbalances and teachers’ long and medium term planning takes account of this to enable all pupils to achieve as well as they can. Planning also ensures that the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are developed across all subjects of the curriculum.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
5. It is not possible to make sensible judgement about attainment in Years 3 and 4: the class has only been in existence since September when the few pupils in Year 4 arrived in school having transferred from elsewhere. However, it is possible to make a judgement about their achievement, based on lesson observations, the level of challenge with which they are presented, and the progress they are making at the moment. The teaching of Years 3 and 4 is good, leading to good learning and good levels of challenge in lessons. These features combine so that pupils in Years 3 and 4 are currently achieving well.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
6. Last year, only one pupil was identified as having a special need. Support was effectively given informally through the small class sizes and the use of teaching assistants. This year, however, more pupils are identified with special needs and support is organised more formally. Pupils have clear individual education plans that are sufficiently specific to allow accurate assessments of pupils’ progress to be made. Targeted support is available from teaching assistants where needed. As a result, pupils make good progress against their own specific targets and goals. Only one pupil is identified as having English as an additional language; informal support is effective in ensuring learning is effective, but there is insufficient evidence to form a secure judgement about provision and progress in general. The school has not yet identified pupils who might be gifted and talented: this is included as a target in the
p.11
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
school’s development plan and the priority given at the start up of the school to ensuring the school was able to deliver a broad curriculum to all pupils was appropriate. Overall, the school succeeds in being an inclusive school.
p.11
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
7. The small team of adults that work with the children in the Foundation Stage develops attitudes, behaviour and relationships well. They help the children to develop very positive attitudes to their work by providing them with interesting and challenging tasks. Behaviour is generally good, again helped by the strong input of the reception class staff, although the behaviour of a small number of children is not so good. Through their planned and incidental discussions with children, staff reinforce child-to- child relationships while being good role-models themselves through their calm and friendly manner. There is a happy orderly atmosphere, in which children feel secure.
p.11
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
8. In Years 1 to 4, pupils’ attitudes to school are good. Their enthusiasm for school is apparent in their high level of attendance and in the interest they show in lessons and activities such as the grounds development club, football club, and their participation All Saints CE Primary School - 12 in community events, such as dancing at the church’s annual summer fair. The majority of pupils try hard and participate fully in the life of the school. They enjoy their new school and both parents and their children are very happy to be associated with the school, many comparing it favourably with their previous schooling experiences. There were no exclusions during the last school year.
p.11
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
9. Children throughout the school enjoy coming to school. They have good relationships with their teachers and other adults. As a result they are happy, confident and ready to learn. They behave well. The majority of older pupils are willing to take part and work hard when learning objectives are clear and teachers’ expectations are high. Generally, behaviour in class and around the school is good and this helps pupils concentrate on the tasks in hand and encourages learning. Occasionally, the buzz of enthusiastic learners makes behaviour even better and almost never is behaviour less than satisfactory. Sometimes pupils’ good attitudes show in their willingness to be completely quiet and watch and listen; for example, as a box full of leaves and fruits was unwrapped and unpacked to a hushed audience in an assembly.
p.12
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
10. The school’s programme for promoting pupils’ personal development is becoming well established. With few older pupils in the school, the opportunities for giving pupils responsibilities are limited. Nevertheless, they are provided with appropriate opportunities for their age. Pupils take registers to the office and there are further tasks such as play monitors, library monitors, helper of the day in classrooms and ‘helping hands’ in the playground. Pupils are clearly pleased to be asked to contribute to the smooth running of the school and thus are helped to gain self-esteem and a pride in their school.
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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
11. Relationships between staff and pupils are good. Pupils are aware of the results of their actions upon others and are confident to discuss their feelings about a variety of issues.
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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
12. Relationships between pupils are positive in lessons and they work together amicably and share material sensibly.
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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
13. The pupils care about each other and their actions display good moral and spiritual dimensions. They understand the school’s expectations and what the result of doing well or needing support might be. Levels of attendance are very good and pupils are punctual and lessons start on time.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
14. Overall teaching in the school is good. Twenty-three lessons were observed. Teaching and learning were judged to be very good in nine lessons, good in eight and satisfactory in the remaining six. An analysis of the lessons and evidence of expectations, planning and marking from the analysis of completed work confirm the view of good teaching and learning. This high quality of teaching allows pupils to learn and achieve well.
p.12
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
15. In the Foundation Stage, teaching is very good. Basic skills of reading, writing and number are taught very well. The teacher makes the work exciting and relevant, and provides some very good opportunities for children to practise their spoken language and develop skills of listening. In these activities, the teaching assistant plays a large and effective role by listening and encouraging children to extend their use of language. As a result, children make good progress in their learning and in their ability to maintain interest and concentration. Adults are very effective in the way they All Saints CE Primary School - 13 promote children’s knowledge and understanding of the world and mathematical development. For example, in a lesson in which children were learning about using their senses, the teacher chose objects for the children to explore very well. She encouraged them to look, feel and listen to the objects, maintaining a brisk pace and
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
ensuring that all children were included. Her questioning helped children to organise their thoughts as she asked, for example, whether the marble object felt hot or cold. The teacher’s subject knowledge is very good, both of the content to be taught and the needs of young learners. There is a good, balanced combination of individual, group and whole class teaching. There is also a good balance between activities that are led and managed by adults, and those that children choose for themselves. These latter activities develop children’s independence well.
p.13
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
16. In Years 1, 2, 3 and 4, teaching is good overall. This leads to good learning in which pupils make good progress, working at a good pace and showing good levels of interest. Teachers set explicit targets for learning which are shared with pupils and regularly referred to. In addition, each lesson’s objective is shared with pupils and they review their own progress at the end of the lesson. These features mean that pupils have a very good understanding of their own learning. Teachers manage behaviour well and use informal assessment during lessons effectively to ensure all remain challenged. Teachers plan well and the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught. Homework is used appropriately to extend and reinforce learning. Good methods capture pupils’ interest and maintain a brisk pace to learning. However, when teaching, whilst satisfactory, lacks the same urgency, then the pace
p.13
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
is affected by pupils’ restlessness, calling out and other low level disruption. It was not possible to make a secure judgement about the quality of teaching in each subject of the curriculum, however, all teaching observed was at least satisfactory, and it was good in the core subjects of English and science, and very good in mathematics.
p.13
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
17. All pupils are included in teaching, including those with a special educational need. Teachers use appropriate methods, which enable these pupils to learn effectively. They take appropriate account of the targets set out in Individual Education Plans which contain clear targets and are sufficiently practical for class teachers to implement when support staff are not present. The teaching assistants offer good support and keep accurate records of the progress of pupils with special educational needs.
p.13
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
18. In the best teaching, the teacher immediately grabs pupils’ attention. This happened in a very good lesson combining English and information and communication technology in Year 2. The teacher started by reading a poem extremely well so that the class were engrossed. Their task was to correct the version the teacher had typed into the computer, including spellings and the use of capitals. All pupils knew exactly what was expected of them and worked very well independently as a result of the teacher’s high expectations of behaviour and pace. By the end of this lesson, pupils had made strides in their understanding of poetry, grammar and the use of word processors to amend drafts. In a very good mathematics lesson for Years 3 and 4, the teaching assistant was very effective in enabling the weakest pupils to take part, paraphrasing the teacher’s words and allowing her group to operate at a slightly
p.13
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
steadier pace than their quicker peers. All were included in the opening session as the teacher carefully targeted questions at individuals. Throughout this lesson, the teacher showed attention to detail in planning as all groups had different
p.13
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?
tasks that challenged them very effectively. This lead to pupils rising to the challenge to work beyond their comfort zone and making very good progress. All Saints CE Primary School - 14 19. When teaching is less exciting, then the pace is much steadier because the teacher does not always manage behaviour as effectively.
p.13
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
20. The curriculum is broad and balanced and provides appropriately for pupils’ academic and personal needs. It meets all the statutory requirements. The school provides equal opportunities for all its pupils, and there is no significant difference in achievement because of gender, disability, race or culture. The school ensures that all pupils have the opportunity to take part in the full range of activities provided, and teachers’ questioning of pupils and allocation of jobs within the classroom show no bias towards any group.
p.14
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
21. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is very good. It is very broad and appropriately balanced. It is appropriately built around the ‘Early Learning Goals’, the recommended curriculum for this age group. The curriculum provided ensures that prior attainment is being systemically built on. Teachers provide a very good range of experiences across all the six areas of learning. Planning is very good.
p.14
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
22. Planning for the curriculum in Years 1 to 4 identifies clear learning targets for each area of study and each lesson. An appropriate amount of teaching time is allocated to English and mathematics, and to other subjects of the curriculum. The school has put in place national guidelines to plan the curriculum and is preparing to adapt these as the school grows. National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are fully in place, and useful additional lessons are provided for reading and writing. Teachers are providing good opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects, such as history, science and design and technology. Subject specific vocabulary is well used in all subjects. Information and communication technology is very well used to support learning.
p.14
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
23. There is good provision for the small number of pupils with special educational needs, and the school complies fully with the requirements of the new Code of Practice. The curriculum is well organised so that these pupils take a full part in all activities. Pupils’ individual targets provide a good focus for teachers and teaching assistants to plan work to improve pupils’ skills.
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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
24. A programme of personal, health and social education provides good opportunities for pupils to discuss issues that affect their own lives, and the governors have determined that sex education will be taught, but as yet they have not decided how. A good range of visits and visitors enhances the curriculum to make learning come to life. These are systematically planned for all classes throughout the year. For example, children in the reception class have explored the local area and plan a farm visit and a train journey for later in the year. In Year 2, pupils have had a visit from a nurse as part of their topic on Florence Nightingale and Year 3/4 plan to visit key historical features of the local area.
p.14
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
25. Considering the size of the school and the number of staff, there is a good and varied programme of activities outside the classroom. As well as the visits there are clubs for football and ‘Fitkids’, and during the school day pupils can take violin lessons and take part in mini-tennis sessions. Clubs are planned for later in the year for music and gardening. 26. The school’s provision for spiritual, moral and social development is good. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory rather than good, as more All Saints CE Primary School - 15 needs to be done to improve pupils’ knowledge and understanding of other cultures and the nature of our multicultural society.
p.14
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
27. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Teachers are developing a strong community in which pupils can develop, grow and excel. The provision for spirituality is made in a variety of ways, including through daily acts of collective worship, which are Christian in character. During the inspection, assemblies made a positive contribution to spiritual development. There was discussion about the importance of saying ‘Thank you’, and understanding the feelings of others, as well as more direct Christian teaching about, for instance, Jesus healing the lepers. The opening of a box containing natural objects connected to autumn engendered a good sense of awe and wonder about the natural world. However, the opportunity for pupils’ personal reflection was sometimes too brief. Subjects such as science, geography and art are well used to develop spirituality. Here, too, pupils are reminded
p.15
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
of the beauty and diversity of the world around them. The needs of others are given prominence; for example, design and technology is used to promote an understanding of being confined to a wheelchair. Respect for all those within the school community is well promoted by teachers in lessons.
p.15
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
28. The school’s Christian ethos lays the foundation for its good provision for pupils’ moral development. Teachers and other adults form good role-models and deal with their classes fairly and sensitively. They have high expectations of how pupils will behave in lessons, to which the majority of pupils respond. As a result, pupils of all ages know right from wrong and understand the consequences of misbehaviour. Each class has a system for rewarding good behaviour as well as dealing with bad behaviour. The effectiveness of these systems is evident in the good behaviour reported above. Assemblies also have a moral dimension through their themes and well told stories.
p.15
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
29. The provision for pupils to develop their social and interpersonal skills is good. Staff provide good role-models for pupils to base their own behaviour and relationships on. The school is successful in promoting a good sense of community, a good achievement for such a new school. Boys and girls mix freely and mostly play together well, although sometimes in the reception class self-chosen activities are split strongly into gender groupings. Pupils co-operate well together in lessons and teachers give them good opportunities to do so. For example, pupils plan science experiments together in Year 3. In Year 2, they sensitively evaluate other children’s collage work in art. There are good opportunities for pupils to learn social conventions through contact with the many visitors to the school, and through regular school visits to places of interest. Some pupils take on the responsibility of being a ‘helping hand’
p.15
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
in the playground or as a helper in class, promoting their social skills and understanding. Pupils’ social development is further enhanced through fund raising, such as for the ‘Tear Fund’.
p.15
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
30. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Provision is good for their knowledge and understanding about British cultural traditions and practices. Pupils study occupations, and talk to visitors who do those jobs such as hospital nurse and artist. They visit museums and the local park and church. They also celebrate Christian festivals such as Harvest and Easter. The school’s provision to promote respect and understanding of the beliefs, values and ways of life of other cultures is satisfactory. These are promoted largely though teaching about other religions in religious education lessons. For instance, in the reception class children
p.15
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
learn about Jewish religious practices and the home corner becomes a ‘Sukkah’. All Saints CE Primary School - 16 But, overall, more could be done in this area.
p.15
PUPILS OR STUDENTS?
31. The school has good links with the community to enrich learning. Recent visitors include the school nurse, the police liaison officer, the fire brigade, the local MP and the Bishops of Chichester and Horsham. A good link with the local playgroup helps ease pupils’ entry to the reception class, and provides the school with valuable assessment information. There are good links with other local primary schools, especially those from which pupils are transferring.
p.16
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
32. The school’s good admission procedures and practice ensure that children and parents are given a warm welcome to the school. Parents of pre-reception children attend a meeting and are given good, comprehensive written information. Children visit the school prior to their formal start.
p.16
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
33. All staff provide good support and welfare for all pupils. Health and safety procedures are very good. They include risk assessments undertaken termly by a designated member of staff and governors. There are also safety assessments made before all journeys out of school. Professional inspections of fire prevention, physical education and electrical equipment are made annually. The premises officer, governors and staff share as a priority the creation of a safe and pleasant environment for all who use the school. This includes a concern about some remaining problems within this newly built school which may prove problematic and have not yet been resolved satisfactorily – especially problems concerning the drainage of rain water from the playground and surrounding grassed area.
p.16
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
34. The school’s procedures for child protection are in place. The headteacher has responsibility in this area. Her level of understanding and experience ensures the effectiveness of the procedures. Staff have all had instructions concerning child protection procedures.
p.16
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
35. A number of policies are yet to be drawn up with this new school wisely concentrating on its priorities. For example, there is no exclusion policy, but then the school has not yet had a need to implement one, and would work within the framework of the local education authority if necessary. Similarly, there is no policy as yet for racial equality, or for pupils who are not living at home (so called ‘looked-after children’).
p.16
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
36. Three members of staff are fully trained in first aid and take appropriate care of those who need it. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported in the classroom and around the school. In an English lesson a pupil with special needs was given one to one help throughout the lesson by a second teacher and although he was encouraged to do his own work, he still contributed to the general sessions. He was fully included in the whole class activities by the class teacher and listened to with respect by his friends.
p.16
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
37. Registrations are efficient and pupils are encouraged to learn at the same time. For example, in one class they were remembering how to name the day and date and describe the weather during the registration session. The school monitors and promotes attendance and punctuality very well and has achieved good results. The attendance data is fed into a database that enables rapid and effective analyses to be done. Office staff attempt to contact the family on the morning of any pupil’s unexplained absence. All pupils and families are reminded of the importance of good attendance and rewarded for success. All Saints CE Primary School - 17 38. Teachers throughout the school have a positive approach, and set good examples to pupils through their own behaviour and relationships. Their standards are clear and consistent, so that pupils know what to expect. All classes have personal and social education lessons which often take the form of ‘circle time’ in which all the pupils have
p.16
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings in a safe, confidential and positive atmosphere. The school makes sure that the pupils learn about relationships within the family and learn to respect their own bodies and know about healthy foods and medicines.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
39. Rewards and sanctions are fair, and pupils understand the systems. Classroom strategies help to maintain good behaviour. Personal development is fostered by a degree of responsibility given to some pupils. Teachers monitor and assess pupils’ development and work closely with parents at the first signs that pupils need special support. Successes are recognised by stickers and at the weekly achievement assemblies.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
40. The school’s procedures for assessing pupils’ progress are developing well. In the Foundation Stage, staff have devised a comprehensive system for assessment, which is carried out when the children start school. Children are then observed and their attainment is updated. Work is planned to ensure the correct level of challenge is given to each child. Whilst already satisfactory, these systems are shortly to be improved in line with new local authority systems to ensure that children’s progress is tracked more closely against the ‘Stepping Stones’, the developmental stages in the curriculum for this age group. This will further improve present practice. Currently, there is little individual target-setting carried out and urgent short term targets, such as forming a letter correctly, are sometimes missed.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
41. In Years 1 to 4, there is a clear policy for assessment and portfolios of moderated work are being developed. There is an appropriate programme of formal testing and teachers evaluate their teaching at the end of each week. All groups in classes have group targets in the core subjects of English and mathematics. Pupils are aware of their targets and teachers’ planning takes good account of them. The school analyses assessment data from national tests to identify strengths and weaknesses in learning and determine the action needed. They use guidelines from the curricular planning documents to show whether pupils are working at nationally expected levels, exceeding these or falling short, and this provides a clear picture of how pupils are progressing. The school uses assessment data from teachers, National Curriculum tests and standardised tests to inform target-setting procedures in Individual
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
Education Plans for pupils with special educational needs. It is using teachers’ knowledge of the children and assessments made on entry to school, and during Key Stage 1, to enable early identification of pupils needing extra support.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
42. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents have outstandingly positive views of the school and feel that it does an excellent job for their children. This tribute to a new and growing school is an important achievement that the staff have worked hard to accomplish. Parents say that their children are happy in school and that they are expected to work hard. Over 60 parents responded to the pre-inspection survey. All said that their children like the school. Pupils also say that they enjoy the school, and like and trust their teachers and the learning assistants. Some parents were not able to give judgements because their children had only just started at the school.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
43. Inspection findings support the positive views held by parents. The school gives All Saints CE Primary School - 18 parents plenty of high quality information about itself, including a welcome booklet when their children are about to join. Teachers provide parents with information about the topics their children will be covering during the term and a leaflet about the teaching of mathematics. There are termly meetings and regular informative and well produced newsletters that include a list of those pupils given certificates at the weekly achievement assemblies. Together with the homework set, these provide a clear starting point for parents who want to work with their children at home. In addition, in an excellent piece of collaboration, parents have helped to make many story sacks that encourage pupils to enjoy books by providing a range of toys, tapes and materials to accompany stories.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
44. Parents and carers say that they feel that the staff are always accessible and that they go out of their way to support their children. Reports to parents on their children’s progress give useful information on what they have been learning and the standards reached compared with national expectations.
p.18
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
45. The contribution of parents to the work of the school and to their children’s education is very good. Several parents and friends of the school help out in classrooms, or around the school – for example, in the grounds. They are well briefed by teachers and as a result make a significant contribution to learning. The school and parents work well together through the parents teachers association to raise additional funds and to help create a caring community atmosphere in which home and school together value learning.
p.18
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
46. The headteacher has shown very good leadership in the creation of this new school, and its development has been managed very well. The school’s performance has been monitored well over the year. The resources allocated, including grants, have been used very effectively in the setting up of the school, with the result that there is a good match between the needs of the curriculum and the staff employed. There is very good accommodation and the school is very well resourced. The school uses the principles of best value well. However, the governing body is inexperienced and not all members understand their roles and responsibilities fully as yet.
p.18
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
47. The headteacher was appointed prior to the school being built and immediately set about the creation of a new school, complete with a strong Christian ethos, supported by the temporary governing body. When the school opened last year, it had only two classes. Nevertheless, the headteacher had ensured that the required policies were in place and the building and resources were ready for pupils. She led the small team from the front during the first year, building a cohesive unit with their support. The school’s aims were at the forefront of the staff’s thinking during this time as the school developed its Christian ethos. The expansion of the school this year to almost double its previous size was very well managed. All staff support the school and the headteacher. However, their roles as curricular co-ordinators are not developed: in the first year, with one class in the Foundation Stage and one combined Year 1 and 2
p.18
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
class, a formal system of co-ordination of all subjects was impractical. This year, with more staff in place, some responsibilities have been delegated, but it is too early to make a judgement on the effectiveness of this delegation. The school development plan includes targets concerning the development of staff in their roles as co- ordinators as the school grows and this is entirely appropriate.
p.18
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
48. The headteacher has monitored teaching closely through a variety of means over the last year. Her observations are perceptive and designed to help staff develop their All Saints CE Primary School - 19 practice. Staff have also monitored pupils’ performance closely. This highlighted the relative weakness in writing in last year’s Year 2 and strategies were put in place to improve matters. There has been little opportunity to analyse data from assessments in the one year since the school began, but pupils’ responses in the 2002 National Curriculum tests have been closely analysed with the analysis to be used to amend teaching in the future. The school has an appropriate performance management policy in place.
p.18
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
49. The permanent governing body was only set up in November of 2001. Some members of the temporary body which steered the creation of the school stayed on, others were unable to. The current governing body supports the school and includes members from a variety of backgrounds. Some governors have been very effective in their role as a critical friend to the school. However, not all have taken part in training for the role and not all yet fully understand their roles as individual governors or the nature of corporate decision making. Consequently, although the governing body has played its role in the school’s development satisfactorily and fulfils its statutory duties, it is not yet effective in carrying out its full range of responsibilities.
p.19
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
50. The initial school development plan was very much the brainchild of the headteacher as the school started. Since then, she has consulted widely about the direction in which the school should go, including questionnaires to parents and pupils. This consultation also involved the governing body. The resulting document is one in which the areas for development for the school are extremely well judged and prioritised and forms an excellent basis for future development. The action taken so far in respect of the targets set has been very effective and has set the school on course for future success. All staff share the headteacher’s vision of excellence for the school so that the potential for further improvement as the school expands is very good. The development plan is rigorously costed, and the funds set aside for the setting up of the new school have been well spent. The apparently large underspend
p.19
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
this year is the result of funds for setting up the remainder of the school as it grows. The school is already making very good use of new technology: several examples were observed of lessons in the computer suite reinforcing concepts across the curriculum, and the school’s administration is making very good use of information and communication technology.
p.19
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
51. The teachers and teaching assistants are appropriately qualified for their roles in school. All work effectively as part of the team, as do the administration staff, lunch supervisors and the premises officer. Procedures for the induction of new staff are good – staff new to the school reported that they felt welcomed and supported in the school. In addition, there are sound procedures in place for performance management. The accommodation is very good overall, with good wheelchair access and extensive grounds. It is kept clean and tidy by the hardworking premises officer. However, there are a few points that could be improved which the school has already identified. These include limited storage space, problematic drainage from the field and the lack of shelter over the outdoor area of the Foundation Stage classroom. The school is very well resourced: the headteacher and staff have bought
p.19
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
wisely. All Saints CE Primary School - 20
p.19
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
52. To ensure the school continues to improve in the future, the school should:
p.20
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
• Improve the governance of the school by ensuring that governors undertake training appropriate to their roles to help all governors come to a shared understanding of the roles, responsibilities and duties of a governing body. (see paras 46 & 49)
p.20
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
Elements of this have already been identified in the school development plan. All Saints CE Primary School - 21
p.20
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 22
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Percentage 0 39 35 26 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 89
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 1 FTE means full-time equivalent.
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 1
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 9
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Authorised absence Unauthorised absence % %
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.4 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. All Saints CE Primary School - 22 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)
p.21
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year:
p.22
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
p.22
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Girls N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above
p.22
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
School 100 (N/A) 100 (N/A) 100 (N/A) Percentage of pupils at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)
p.22
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
p.22
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
Girls N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above
p.22
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
School 100 (N/A) 100 (N/A) 100 (N/A) Percentage of pupils at NC Level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
p.22
PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS
The breakdown by gender is not given as the numbers are too small for secure comparisons to be made. All Saints CE Primary School - 23
p.22
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
White – any other White background 0 0 0
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. All Saints CE Primary School - 24 Teachers and classes Financial information
p.23
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Total number of qualified teachers FTE) 5.2 Financial year 2001/2002
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.1
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Education support staff: YR – Y1 Total income 201,538
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 145,918
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Total aggregate hours worked per week 67 Expenditure per pupil 3,105 Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous Year
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 55,620
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Total number of education support staff N/A
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A FTE means full-time equivalent.
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5.2
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0
p.24
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. All Saints CE Primary School - 25
p.24
Results of the survey of parents and carers
Questionnaire return rate Number of questionnaires sent out 96 Number of questionnaires returned 62
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
Percentage of responses in each category
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know My child likes school. 80 19 0 0 1
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
My child is making good progress in school. 56 42 0 0 2
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
Behaviour in the school is good. 49 42 1 0 8
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 41 39 1 1 18
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 49 29 5 0 17
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 80 17 3 0 0
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69 25 0 0 6
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
The school works closely with parents. 67 29 1 0 3
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
The school is well led and managed. 78 17 0 0 5
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 29 0 0 7
p.25
Results of the survey of parents and carers
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 47 8 1 17 All Saints CE Primary School - 26
p.25
AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
53. Very good teaching in the reception class enables pupils to make a successful start to their school careers. Very good teaching methods and high expectations, coupled with good use of support staff, ensure that the needs of the youngest children in the school are well met. At the beginning of the year, many children enter the class with an overall level of attainment higher than that found nationally. This is confirmed by an initial assessment of what children can do. By the time they move on to the Year 1 class, children have made good progress.
p.26
Personal, social and emotional development
54. Staff provide a safe, happy, very stimulating and caring environment for children in their first year of schooling. The personal, social and emotional development of all children, including those with special educational needs, is good and all children are included well.
p.26
Personal, social and emotional development
55. Many children start school with mature skills in personal and social development. By the time they leave reception, all children have improved their skills, and have made good progress in this area of the curriculum. The teacher ensures that the learning experiences provided are of high quality and this motivates the children well and helps them to be confident learners, and to contribute in groups; for example, to find a word to help form a sentence in a whole class activity. With appropriate reminders from the staff, children share equipment well; for example, when playing with the train set, handling objects from different cultures, or working on the computer.
p.26
Personal, social and emotional development
56. From the start, children are encouraged to take responsibility for organising aspects of their work. Adults provide equipment and resources that are labelled and easily accessible for children to get out and put away for themselves. Staff provide a very wide choice; for example, by providing different sorts of writing equipment and suggested starting points for free writing and making things, such as an invitation to a party. These features are effective in promoting children’s independence.
p.26
Personal, social and emotional development
57. The awareness of right and wrong is well promoted. The adults - teacher and teaching assistant - provide good role-models for the children, which in turn generally leads children to show consideration to each other and to treat both adults and other children with respect and friendship. Overall, relationships are very good. Children take part in whole school assemblies, and these occasions enable the children to feel part of the whole school community and of the spiritual life of the school. The children’s behaviour is generally good, although a small minority of children find it hard always to do as they are asked.
p.26
Communication, language and literacy
58. At the beginning of the year, attainment is higher than average in communication, language and literacy, especially in speaking and listening. Because of very good teaching, the vast majority make good progress. In the present reception class, children are on track to exceed the Early Learning Goal in communication, language and literacy, with a significant minority well above average. The teacher provides a All Saints CE Primary School - 27 very good range of opportunities that effectively promote early reading and writing skills, as well as very good ongoing work to develop speaking and listening.
p.26
Communication, language and literacy
59. The teacher is very successful in promoting a love of books and reading. Through carefully chosen ‘big books’ and ‘story sacks’ (beautifully made by school helpers) she captures children’s interest and helps them understand how print conveys meaning. The stories are then used well to teach understanding of letter sounds and sentences, and to draw attention to the way that printed text is written and to the meaning of words. Elements of the literacy framework are well used by both teaching and support staff to promote reading in small groups, in which children talk about books and begin to use picture clues to understand and read the text. Children are appropriately encouraged to take books home, and reading is very well taught. As a result, children make good progress in learning to read.
p.27
Communication, language and literacy
60. Children of all abilities make good progress in developing early writing skills. Staff provide regular opportunities for children to practise writing patterns, write on white boards and use the writing area. As a result, children are never reluctant to have a try. However, many children enter school with incorrect letter-formation already established, and not enough is done over the year to establish the correct formation. Consequently, some pupils enter Year 1 with some letters still formed incorrectly, and lacking a fluent style.
p.27
Communication, language and literacy
61. The teacher provides many very good experiences for developing speaking and listening skills and extending the children’s vocabulary; for example, by playing with the water tray filled with cornflour and discussing how it feels and acts. She reads a wide variety of books to the children, discussing them with the class. As a result, children express themselves clearly, with a growing vocabulary and interest in words.
p.27
Mathematical development
62. Children make good progress in their mathematical development, largely because teaching is very good. By the end of the reception year, many children are on track to achieve the level expected and a significant number exceed it, so that attainment overall is above expectations.
p.27
Mathematical development
63. Number activities are a daily feature, with children being given many formal and informal opportunities to recite numbers, order amounts and identify numerals. The teacher, justifiably, has high expectations for this area, with children already chanting numbers to 20 rather than just to ten. A good example of this high challenge seen during the inspection was in ordering numbered carpet tiles to 24, and then ‘driving’ toy cars up and down the numerals. Children sing number songs well and ‘clap’ small numbers correctly. Planning for this area of learning, as for all others, is effective, with appropriate learning objectives. As a result, the teaching assistant is clear about what she has to do and why. Throughout the activities, staff continually check children’s understanding through questioning and observation, and have good systems for recording these small steps of progress. They are very good at teaching
p.27
Mathematical development
the vocabulary of mathematics; for instance, ‘more’ and ‘less’. Through this practice, children are beginning to show an awareness of number operations; for example, ‘what number comes after six’ and ‘two more’.
p.27
Mathematical development
64. Teachers provide very good opportunities for children to learn mathematical language through their play to describe amount, measures, positions and shapes. For example, when making rockets, children compare their height. Children are All Saints CE Primary School - 28 encouraged to talk about what they are doing and, through this continuous exchange, staff extend their understanding very well. Children sort objects, use computer programs and engage in a wide variety of activities. As a result, some children can already read and identify properties of some two-dimensional shapes.
p.27
Knowledge and understanding of the world
65. The teaching of knowledge and understanding of the world is very good, and children of all abilities make good progress in this area. Most children enter the school with a good level of experience and understanding of the world around them. Children are on course to at least achieve the expected level, and a considerable minority will have exceeded it, indicating that attainment is above that found nationally.
p.28
Knowledge and understanding of the world
66. The teacher provides extremely interesting and stimulating objects from other countries for children to handle and talk about. She uses questioning and prompts very well to enable them to look closely, and to talk about similarities and differences and the properties of the materials from which the objects are made. Children work in pairs with the computer very well, and without help. They are able to follow simple instructions very confidently. Children click on icons to alter the size of a line, or the colour they have chosen when using a painting program. They have regular access to the computer suite where their skills are extended even further.
p.28
Knowledge and understanding of the world
67. Children learn about the local environment and amenities, and about the wider world. For instance, their home corner is currently made into a ‘Sukkah’, a small building used in Jewish religious practice. They extend their knowledge and experience of their home area by playing with a large wooden train set, where they talk with a good level of knowledge about their own experiences of visiting London by train and the use of a footbridge. Some good interventions from staff help to move their understanding forward. Children are keen to talk about their past experiences, homes and families and the different ways they come to school. Many are able to talk about landmarks that they pass regularly.
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Knowledge and understanding of the world
68. Using the very good range of resources and experiences provided, children construct things with a clear purpose in mind and use a wide variety of tools, such as hammers, and cutters for salt-dough. They have some clear ideas about the passage of time, helped by the routines of the school day and by some very good learning opportunities. For example, they compare photographs of themselves as babies with how they are now, and consider how they have developed over the intervening time.
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Physical development
69. The teaching in this area is good. Children enter the school with a wide variation of skills but with levels of attainment generally similar to those usually found. By the time they enter Year 1, they have made satisfactory progress and are as agile as would be expected, having achieved the Early Learning Goal. Many, however, are better than average at skills such as manipulating a paintbrush or cutting out. This is a result of the good teaching and constant reinforcement given. The class uses the school hall regularly for physical education and movement activities, where children can run, and try hard to improve their throwing and catching skills. They are confident when moving, and all can dress and undress themselves, some much more quickly than others. The class has a soft-surfaced outdoor play area that is used well when the weather allows, and suitable outdoor toys are available. Children join the rest of the
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Physical development
All Saints CE Primary School - 29 school at play-times. All Saints CE Primary School - 30
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Creative development
70. The teaching of the creative areas of development is good, and children make good progress. They are on target to attain the expected level for this area by the end of the school year, and many are on course to exceed it. This indicates attainment that is above expectations. Children’s artwork is valued and displayed well by staff, helping to enliven the room and give children a pride in their achievements.
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Creative development
71. The teacher provides a good range of activities within art, craft, music, imaginative role-play and construction play, all of which promote children’s growing creativity. Role-play is well used. Children greatly enjoy playing in the home corner and the ‘Sukkah’. They act out the story they have been focusing on for the week with a great deal of energy, with small puppets used for the different animals involved. Children sing tunefully and, already early in the year, to a good standard. They have already been taught a wide range of songs that they sing from memory. They join in the actions, for example, when singing ‘Clap hands and follow me’, and nearly all can already clap in time and repeat a pattern of sounds such as the syllables of their name. The highest attaining children do this very well. Most children express their ideas satisfactorily in painting and drawing, and in modelling.
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ENGLISH
72. Pupils attain high standards in English across the school because of consistently good teaching and a well balanced curriculum. All pupils are achieving well and building successfully on previous learning.
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ENGLISH
73. By Year 2, standards in speaking are high, and in all years pupils listen attentively to their teachers and each other. They show increasing vocabulary and developing confidence, and continue to achieve well in the Year 3/4 class. An example of this high quality speaking followed a visit by the poet Brian Moses. Year 2 pupils wrote some exciting poems inspired by ‘Walking with my Iguana’ and produced an exciting recording of their ‘walking’ poems. They used a range of sound effects and voices to make their poems come to life.
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ENGLISH
74. By Year 2, pupils’ standards in reading are high. Most quickly gain a good understanding of the use of letter sounds, which enables them to decipher new words. They read confidently, and understand what they have read. About average numbers of pupils are operating in the higher Level 3. The good support provided for pupils with special educational needs enables them to know and understand how to use letter sounds, which increases their ability to read and to access other areas of the curriculum. Most pupils enjoy reading and all look forward to sharing books and reading to others. They talk about their favourite books with reasonable awareness, and about their favourite authors. A higher attaining pupil read with real enthusiasm and extremely good expression. She used a range of voices and had fun. Pupils continue to build on their high standards in the junior class. Many read regularly at
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ENGLISH
home, use the public library for research as well as a source for more fiction, and are confident in using library classification systems. They are able to choose their own reading material from a good selection of available books. They show good research skills from books, the Internet and CD-ROMS.
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ENGLISH
75. The percentage of pupils reaching the national expectation in writing in Year 2 is very high and, although no pupils reached Level 3 in the most recent national tests, the All Saints CE Primary School - 31 overall average remains high. A scrutiny of last year’s work shows that pupils’ writing is clear and well formed, and some move on to joined writing. Most pupils use capital letters and full stops and other punctuation is developing well as pupils write in more complex sentences. There are good opportunities for pupils to write at length. In English and other subjects, pupils extend their use of imaginative and structured language. However, last year’s Year 2 pupils arrived with weaker writing skills and only had one year of this school’s good teaching, so were unable to attain the highest levels. In Year 3/4, pupils extend their use of alliteration as they ‘Savour the Senses’ and three pupils wrote co-operatively ‘ I saw a sand snake slither sideways over the
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ENGLISH
Sahara Desert’. In their work following Celia Warren’s poem ‘As Tasty as a Picnic’, they wrote mouth-watering poems which included:
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ENGLISH
‘ As crunchy as any biscuit As smelly as Stilton Cheese’
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ENGLISH
76. In Year 2 pupils wrote imaginatively about a tarantula spider and showed a real feeling for the unexpected:
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ENGLISH
‘He’s scary He’s hairy A frightening sight He’s spiky He’s creepy I love you!’
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ENGLISH
77. No differences were noted in the performance of boys and girls, and pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the well organised and planned support available.
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ENGLISH
78. The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Teachers have a good knowledge of the National Literacy Strategy, and their lessons are suitably structured to teach pupils skills, give them opportunities to develop them further in group work and assess their progress at the end. In all classes, pupils develop good reading and writing skills as the teachers provide work that is matched well to pupils of different abilities. This ensures that pupils learn important basic skills, and higher attaining pupils are starting to press ahead. The quality of teaching was very good in a Year 2 lesson. Pupils listened spellbound to the teacher’s reading of ‘Big Billy’ by Peter Dixon and they responded with amusement as the teacher explained how she had been muddled when she wrote it on the computer. The ensuing work extended pupils’ editing skills on a piece of text on the computer. The high quality teaching led
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ENGLISH
to pupils reaching a high standard in both their computer skills and grammatical awareness.
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ENGLISH
79. The headteacher managed the subject well last year and the new co-ordinator has effectively taken over the role. She looks at planning, monitors teaching and reviews pupils’ work. The school has developed good assessment procedures that show pupils’ progress, and uses this data well to show the next steps that will move pupils on to the next levels. A feature of all lessons is that the Learning Intention is clearly shared with the pupils and they refer back to this to see what they have successfully learned. Groups within classes have ongoing group targets which feature in teachers’ planning. Book resources are good, and the library is appropriately used to find fiction books and research for topics. A strong emphasis is placed on writing, and the skills of literacy in general, in all subjects and the absence of simple work sheets ensures that pupils have many good quality opportunities to write. Information and
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ENGLISH
All Saints CE Primary School - 32 communication technology is well used and provides good support for the teaching and learning of English across the school.
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MATHEMATICS
80. Standards in mathematics in the school are outstanding because of very good teaching and learning overall.
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MATHEMATICS
81. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests, the Year 2 group’s average performance was in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Indeed, three-quarters of the group of 12 gained the higher Level 3, compared with less than a third nationally: this put the school firmly in the top five per cent on this and all other comparisons.
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MATHEMATICS
82. However, these high standards were achieved by a small group of pupils in one year group who had been in the school only one year. An analysis of the work carried out by all year groups last year, and so far during this year, confirms a picture of very good learning and high standards. The work completed by pupils in Years 1 and 2 last year shows a healthy emphasis on number, with a variety of visual methods taught to enhance understanding. Some significant improvement could be seen in books: one boy was writing 5 + 5 = 01 with the fives reversed in September; the same boy in July was able to write and calculate 906 + 9 = 915 using a blank numberline and the method of adding ten and subtracting one. Pupils in the current Year 2 are also working at a high standard for this time in their school careers. For example, many pupils were already operating at the level expected by the end of the year in a
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MATHEMATICS
lesson observed in which they doubled two digit numbers. The highest attaining pupils could use pencil-and-paper methods to double tricky numbers by the end of the lesson, their weaker peers were confident doublers of numbers using coins, whilst the lowest attainers were able to double simpler numbers with adult help. These observations confirm the very high attainment in Year 2 noted above. In addition, all pupils, including those with special needs, met exactly the right level of challenge in lessons in Years 1 and 2 due to careful planning and the teachers’ use of their own knowledge of the class. This means that these pupils are achieving very well in mathematics. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are achieving well at this early stage in their junior careers at the school. No differences were noted between boys and girls.
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MATHEMATICS
83. These high standards come about as the result of very good teaching and learning. Teachers plan very effectively and have high expectations for their classes. These high expectations, and well matched tasks, enable a brisk pace to learning to take place. For example, rigorous time limits for segments of a lesson motivated pupils as they looked at number sequences. This led to pupils vying with each other to complete the work accurately and to a high level in a short time. Pupils concentrate hard, discuss their work with classmates and take on new learning well. Although a few pupils can be disruptive, they are usually managed effectively by the teacher and other adults, especially teaching assistants. This ensures that the overall pace of the lesson is not disturbed. This happened in a lesson about doubling. The weakest pupils were supported by an adult helper so that they could make good progress in
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MATHEMATICS
their own learning even though they could not keep up with the pace of the rest of the class. A feature of all lessons is the sharing of the lesson’s learning intention with pupils, which is then reviewed at the end of the lesson, ensuring that pupils know what they have learned. However, when the management is not so effective, then the pace can flag. This happened in one lesson in which the pace of an activity in which pupils looked for patterns in coloured number cards laid out by the teacher was affected. This useful and well planned activity was rendered less effective because calling out by a minority of pupils slowed the pace and was not dealt with effectively enough. All Saints CE Primary School - 33 84. The co-ordinator for the subject is a leading mathematics teacher and leads by example. She has closely analysed the results of the 2002 National Curriculum tests to identify any common weaknesses. Last year, when the school consisted of only
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MATHEMATICS
two classes, the headteacher carried out all monitoring of teaching. This year, the co- ordinator, in common with all staff, receives release time for her monitoring duties, although this early in the term little has yet taken place. The school uses the National Numeracy Strategy effectively to plan and teach exciting and pacy lessons, enhancing learning. The skills are then reinforced in all subjects of the curriculum. Information and communication technology is used well to support learning. Regular, good quality, assessment means that staff know pupils well and can plan for their needs. All pupils have targets for mathematics negotiated with them, based on their prior attainment, and planning takes account of these.
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SCIENCE
85. Throughout the school, good teaching of science is leading to standards that are above average. All pupils, including those with a special need, are achieving well and building well on their knowledge gained in earlier years.
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SCIENCE
86. In Year 2, standards are improving. There are no national tests in science at the end of Year 2. The teachers’ own assessment in 2002 indicates that attainment was above the national average, with all pupils achieving at least the nationally expected Level 2. However, the proportion reaching the higher Level 3 was below average. This year, pupils are on track to do better because they have had the benefit of the school’s good teaching for longer.
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SCIENCE
87. Throughout the school, much of the pupils’ good level of learning and understanding derives from a high amount of practical experiences as well as written work. For example, in a very good lesson observed in Year 2, pupils had predicted which small creatures they would find around the school grounds, and had been outside to discover and see for themselves if their predictions were correct. They were observed back in the classroom as they recorded where they found the creatures in the form of imaginative and carefully made posters. The higher attaining pupils were spurred on by the teacher to be able to suggest why particular creatures were in different particular locations such as, ‘They like the dark’.
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SCIENCE
88. Pupils in Years 3 and 4, at this very early stage in the development of a newly formed class, continue this high level of achievement. This assertion is supported by the good standards of work seen in the week of the inspection. In particular, pupils were able to carry out and record their investigational work for themselves. In Year 3, pupils grappled successfully with devising a fair test for finding the best paper for mopping up water in response to a letter from the reception class teacher coping with ‘dripping coats on wet mornings’. The highest attainers already had a very firm idea of how to devise and carry out a fair test and all of the group were beginning to understand the properties of different papers and explaining their uses. In Year 4, pupils devised tests to try and filter sand, sugar and flour out of water, and could accurately describe their methods and the best type of filter. The teacher gave them
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SCIENCE
a large, but suitable, amount of freedom to devise their own ideas for their tests. Pupils were therefore working on the investigational aspects of the subject, as well as the more knowledge-based units. This combining of areas of study is working well. Pupils enjoy, and learn well from, this style of teaching. There is no difference in the learning of boys and girls. The teachers also give very good opportunities for pupils to All Saints CE Primary School - 34 work in pairs supporting their social development as well as their speaking and listening skills. Pupils are very keen to answer questions, with girls taking as full a role in the discussion as boys. 89. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers are very well prepared for their lessons. Their planning is generally good with the activities based around nationally recommended units of work. In the very good lessons, teachers’ explanations were
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SCIENCE
clear and teachers’ knowledge was very good. The tasks given to pupils were clearly focused on science rather than other subjects. The correct vocabulary is emphasised very well. Teachers also use questioning and demonstrations very well to draw out and develop pupils’ understanding. When teaching is this good, pupils concentrate very well and behaviour is good.
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SCIENCE
90. The subject does not yet have a co-ordinator because of the point in the school’s evolution. Nor is there yet a formal way of recording progress. In spite of this, work is generally being set with the correct level of challenge, and resources are very good. The headteacher has started to analyse the school’s science results to ensure that pupils’ difficulties are addressed. The monitoring of planning and pupils’ books takes place regularly, and the school is systematically building up a portfolio of examples of work of different attainment targets and levels of attainment, which is good.
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ART AND DESIGN
91. Pupils’ attainment in art is above expectations at the end of Year 2, while in the very newly formed Year 3/4 class attainment is in line with national expectations. The school places a good deal of emphasis on the arts, and plans to have a visit from a practising artist. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special education needs, take part fully in art lessons and make good progress in Years 1 and 2. In the Year 3/4 class, progress is currently satisfactory. The difference in progress between the Year 2 class and the class for older pupils is due to the better teaching in Year 2. The teacher took many of the pupils in this class last year and therefore was well aware of their needs and strengths. The Year 3/4 class is a newly-formed class from a diverse group of pupils with a new teacher using a government recommended art topic that the school recognises, in hindsight, needed adaptation for this class. The school is
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ART AND DESIGN
92. Drawing skills are encouraged and taught well throughout the school. There is evidence of good progress for the pupils who have been in the school since the beginning. Pupils in Year 1 are able to choose the right sort of pencil for the effect they want to achieve. They are given the correct resources and encouraged well to experiment with different media, such as pencils, water-based crayons and chalk, and make different quality of lines. Pupils make good progress in learning these skills of mark making. In the Year 2 class, they transfer these skills well to their designs and finished work, but this is weaker in Years 3 and 4. Across the school, pupils are developing skills of observation, many to a good standard. They use sketchbooks to a satisfactory standard overall and higher attaining pupils use them well.
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ART AND DESIGN
93. Pupils throughout the school have good opportunities to work with colour and paint. From an early stage, pupils are taught to mix colours to achieve different shades and tones. By the end of Year 2, pupils have made good progress in this aspect. They use tone confidently and a wide range of methods to portray leaves in a collage, including printing and sewing material they have dyed. In Years 3 and 4 they build satisfactorily on these skills by mixing three colours for their exploration of a journey. All Saints CE Primary School - 35 94. Pupils are taught well about the work of famous artists and craftspeople. As a result, many pupils are able to recall an artist and say something about their work. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are learning about Mondrian’s work and his use of the streets of New York as a starting point. In Year 2, pupils are very familiar with Andy Goldsworthy’s work using the natural environment. They are able to compare it well with the work of
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ART AND DESIGN
other artists interested in nature, such as William Morris and John Constable, as well as to use elements of it in their own work.
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ART AND DESIGN
95. Teaching is good overall. In a very good lesson seen in Year 2, the teacher’s very good subject knowledge, combined with good skills of motivation and pupil management, and very high expectations, enabled pupils to learn very well. Throughout the school, links with other subjects such as history, geography and religious education provide satisfactory opportunities for pupils to practise skills, such as drawing pictures representing good or bad deeds in Year 1. The policy and planning documents are satisfactory. Most of the teaching is based on the government’s recommended scheme. In planning, there is a good balance between art as a subject in its own right and its use to support learning in other areas. There is no whole school system for assessment and record keeping in the subject, and no co-ordinator yet. But the school has sensibly started to assemble a portfolio of examples of pupils’ work at different stages. The school has a good range of art
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ART AND DESIGN
materials and a good collection of reproductions of artists’ work. Pupils’ work is displayed well in the school and helps to enliven the building.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND MUSIC
96. Because of the school’s timetabling arrangements and inspection priorities, it was not possible to gain sufficient evidence to form all the usual judgements about design and technology, geography, history and music. No lessons could be observed in design and technology, and only one lesson could be observed in history, geography and music. In addition, there was little evidence of pupils’ work available to analyse in design and technology, geography and music.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND MUSIC
97. In history, pupils attain above average standards by the end of Year 2. Standards in design and technology are in line with expectations: the school has begun to compile a folio of accurately levelled work in design and technology that clearly shows that many pupils attain the expected Level 2, but there is little evidence of the higher skills from Level 3. In history, work on buildings past and present shows a developing sense of chronology. Pupils are encouraged to think why people in the past acted as they did and use information sources to answer questions about the past. In geography, it is not possible to make an overall judgement on standards but an analysis of a limited amount of previous work shows pupils in Years 1 and 2 have been taught appropriate early map work skills. Discussion with last year’s Year 2 pupils shows they have good general knowledge and understanding of the world.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND MUSIC
They can talk about what is attractive about the local area and what they would improve. They like Horsham because it has good shops, good schools and nice parks. They don’t like the amount of traffic and say it is difficult to park. They talk knowledgeably about pollution and the need to recycle more. In Years 3 and 4, pupils show good environmental awareness. They look to reduce pollution and have looked closely at a weekend’s waste. In music, inspectors considered video and audio-tape examples, teachers’ planning and pupils’ singing as a whole school in hymn-practice and collective worship. Pupils are taught a wide range of songs. In assembly they sing sweetly and to a good standard when they know the hymn well. All Saints CE Primary School - 36 98. It is not possible to make a secure judgement about teaching in these subjects, Nevertheless, in the history lesson observed, the teacher’s skilled recap showed how
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND MUSIC
much pupils had learned about Florence Nightingale and the Victorian era. The teacher provided a good role play situation to reinforce the unhygienic hospital conditions in Scutari before Florence’s training and the improvements that followed. This is contrasted to modern practices explained and demonstrated by a visiting nurse. In the music lesson seen, the teacher used a story as a stimulus and played pupils some Mozart, encouraging them well to listen carefully. Pupils used their mouths to form a wide variety of sounds, in order to illustrate actions such as a clock ticking. They played untuned percussion instruments to a satisfactory level.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY AND MUSIC
99. In all of these subjects, the school is using centrally prepared exemplar schemes of work which are appropriate in ensuring pupils gain a balanced curriculum. Assessment is largely informal at the moment, but this is effective. There are few curricular co-ordinators in place, due to the stage of the school’s evolution; this is well catered for in the school development plan.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
100. The school makes good provision for information and communication technology, and standards are above those expected.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
101. Pupils in Year 2 have skills well above the level expected in word processing. In a lesson, using a word processor, they edited confidently using the return, backspace and arrow keys, as well as changing the colour and font of text. They were aware of the program’s warnings about spelling and grammar. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have skills beyond what would be expected. They were seen creating a greetings card, combining graphics and text. All pupils, including those in Year 3, were already working within the levels expected at the end of the year, as they used the vocabulary of ‘Clip art’, ‘Word Art’, ‘word wrap’ and ‘text box’ confidently, and searched the manufacturer’s website for further clip art using key words. These observations of pupils at work in the computer suite indicate that they are achieving well in the subject.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
102. The teaching of the subject is good overall, leading to good learning and achievement. The purpose-built computer suite is a valuable resource and is used well. However, it currently has no large screen computer or computer projector so that pupils have to watch the teachers’ demonstrations on a standard monitor. With the larger classes, this is a disadvantage as not all can see clearly and they therefore need extra help when working individually. The school is aware of this, and the purchase of an interactive whiteboard is part of the school’s development planning for the subject. The most effective teaching begins in the classroom as pupils are introduced to the task with which information and communication technology is to help. This overcomes some of the problems inherent in the small screens, although a demonstration is still typically needed to ensure all pupils know which software to use
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
and how to access the features new to them. This was seen in a lesson about greetings cards. The common features of commercially produced cards were discussed in class. This introduction was very good because the teacher had high expectations of behaviour and pupils’ understanding of the technical vocabulary. In the computer suite, these pupils showed good technical skills, but some became engrossed in a search for clip art to the detriment of the design of their card, making the pace here slower than that of the opening section. Pupils were very well managed in a lesson which used information and communication technology to All Saints CE Primary School - 37 practise the skills of correcting a draft for spelling and simple punctuation. The lesson was well planned and pupils knew exactly what was required of them. Because the work was well matched to their needs, pupils were concentrating hard and they
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
behaved well. They reinforced the skills of both literacy and information and communication technology very effectively in this lesson. In general, information and communication technology is well used to support learning across the curriculum.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
103. The co-ordinator is new to the school and has had little time to commence the duties of co-ordinator as yet. The development of this role, in common with other subjects as the school grows, is a target in the school development plan. The school is using a nationally approved exemplar scheme of work as the basis for its teaching: this is due to be reviewed on a half termly basis, but the first review was not due until after the inspection. Nevertheless, the provision in the subject is progressing steadily in line with the school’s development planning.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
104. Standards in Year 2 are above average for gymnastics and in Years 3 and 4 are average for games. The swimming programme is not planned to start until January and other aspects of the curriculum were not observed so no judgements can be made. There are no differences in the standards achieved by boys and girls.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
105. In the two lessons seen the quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory in Year 1 and good in Year 2. In Year 1 the teacher gave clear instructions but not all pupils paid attention. However, they made steady progress in making body shapes, moving in different directions and using a range of balances. Some pupils who go to a gymnastics club show good poise and movement and are well used for demonstration. In the Year 2 lesson, pupils move quickly into well established warm- up routines and describe the effect of exercise on their bodies. The teacher managed the class well and pupils performed tasks sensibly and safely. The teacher chose pupils to demonstrate and encouraged them to evaluate their own and others’ performance critically, using appropriate vocabulary. They recognise star, pin and tuck jumps and they think about sequence and describe movements. In the juniors, pupils showed average tennis skills when taught by a visiting tennis coach.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
106. The school provides a sound range of extra-curricular activities for sport given the age of pupils and development of the school. There is a club for football and a ‘Fitkids’ session. A mini tennis session takes place in Years 3/4. The school has a good field, a good hard surfaced area and a good hall, which all support learning well. Resources are good.
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