Dorchester Primary School

DORCHESTER PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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DORCHESTER 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. Dorchester Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Dorchester Road Worcester Park Surrey

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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 Paul Ashurst

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 May 1998 Dorchester Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

3697 Godfrey Bancroft Registered inspector Music What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 8992 Julian Vischer Lay inspector How high are standards? b) 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? 8798 Dennis Maxwell Team inspector Foundation stage 31742 Janet Marsden Team inspector Design and technology Geography Information and communication technology 20534 Nichola Perry Team inspector Science Physical education How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

3588 Kuldip Rai Team inspector English as an additional language Special educational needs Mathematics Religious education Dorchester Primary School - 5 15372 Patricia Walker Team inspector Equal opportunities Art and design English History

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Aspect responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Dorchester Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This primary school, for pupils from age 3 to 11 has 398 pupils on roll and places for 52 children in its nursery. Most pupils live within easy reach of the school, although an increasing number come from beyond the area that it traditionally serves. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The number of pupils from homes where English is not the first language is low. None of these pupils, who are of statutory school age, are in the early stages of learning English. Children’s attainment on entry to the school is average, with the exception of their communication, language and literacy skills, which are below average. There are 67 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs, of which seven have formal statements of special need. Pupils’ special needs include a range of learning difficulties and a small number of pupils with Down’s Syndrome. Because of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

the very high cost of housing in the area, the recruitment of appropriately qualified teachers presents a significant challenge.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. Inspection findings show that by the end of Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science are above average. Standards in music and physical education also exceed national expectations, though those in art and design and in design and technology are not high enough. The quality of teaching is good overall. The quality of leadership and management is also good. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain high standards in reading, writing, and music by the end of Year 2, and in English, mathematics, science, music and physical education by the time they leave the school. • Provision for children in the Foundation Stage of their education (nursery and reception) is good. • Teaching is good. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good, consequently pupils’ attitudes to the school and their work, their behaviour, the relationships they form and their personal development are very good. • Procedures to ensure child protection and welfare are very good. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school is very good.

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What could be improved

• Standards in art and design throughout the school and standards in design and technology by the end of Year 6. • Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than English and mathematics. • The use of information and communication technology to enhance pupils’ learning in a number of subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Improvement since the time of the last inspection in May 1998 is satisfactory. Standards of attainment and the quality of teaching and learning are similar to those found at that time. Most of the issues identified then have been addressed successfully. The role of subject co-ordinators has developed well in many subjects and especially in English and information and communication technology. Subject leadership is unsatisfactory, however, in art and design and in design and technology. This is reflected in the low standards found in these subjects. English and music now make good contributions to pupils’ cultural development and their understanding of other cultures and beliefs. This is not the case in art and design which does little to broaden pupils’ views. Behaviour in the playground is now good. The governing body’s annual report to parents and the school prospectus are complete and meet requirements.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Children’s attainment on entry to the school is broadly average. They achieve well during their time in the Foundation Stage and make good progress. By the time they begin Year 1, their personal, social and physical development is good and they have learnt a lot about the world around them. Their attainment in early reading, writing, mathematical and creative work is average. By the end of Year 2, the most recently available national tests, for 2001, show that pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics are above average. Inspection findings, which relate to the current Year 2 pupils, present a similar picture, other than for attainment in mathematics, which is now average. Inspection findings for attainment by the end of Year 6 differ from those shown in the table above. Standards in English, mathematics and science for the current year group are judged to be above average. Standards in music

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Key

and physical education are higher then usual by the end of Year 6. However, pupils’ attainment in art and design and in design and technology is lower than expected by this time. Attainment in all other subjects is in line with national expectations. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6 make good progress and achieve well in English, mathematics and science, music and physical education. They make satisfactory progress and achieve appropriately in other subjects, except for art and design and design and technology, where too little progress is made. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well, because of the very good provision made for their learning. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve in line with their abilities.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are very enthusiastic learners, showing great interest and involvement in the activities provided by the school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. There is marked absence of any form of oppressive behaviour, including bullying, sexism or racism.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils show very good respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others. They show initiative and undertake responsibilities willingly.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance is close to the national average, but is affected by the school’s policy of authorising some holidays during the school term. Dorchester Primary School - 9

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching 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.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching in the nursery and reception classes is good and gets children off to a good start. The quality of teaching for English, mathematics and science is good and the skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well. The school meets the needs of all pupils well. Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well. Teachers and classroom assistants ensure that they are included well in all aspects of educational provision and this helps them to make good progress. The quality of teaching in most other subjects is satisfactory. The exceptions to this are in music and physical education, where the quality of teaching is good, and art and design, where it is unsatisfactory. Teaching in music and physical education is typified by great enthusiasm for the subject. Pupils, in turn, respond with enthusiasm in these subjects, learning well and making good progress. Teaching is unsatisfactory in art

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

and design, mainly because pupils are not taught the basic skills necessary to produce work of an appropriate quality. In some subjects not enough opportunities are provided for pupils to record the findings from their research. The quality of teachers’ marking is very good in English, but inconsistent elsewhere. In some other subjects it does not give pupils enough information about what they need to do to improve.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Unsatisfactory. All the legal requirements for provision of the curriculum are met. However, the way that time is allocated for teaching art and design and design and technology is too fragmented and means that pupils do not make as much progress in these subjects as they should. Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. These pupils make good progress because they are included effectively in all aspects of provision and are supported well by teachers and by classroom assistants. The provision made for pupils with statements of special educational need is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language All pupils of statutory school age speak English competently. They are included well in the school’s provision, achieve well, and make the same progress as their peers.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. Provision for spiritual and social development is good, provision for moral development is very good, and provision for cultural development satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for its pupils well. Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance and for promoting good behaviour are effective.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very well in partnership with parents. The involvement of parents in the life of the school and the contribution they make to their children’s learning is very good. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good in English and mathematics. However, these procedures are Dorchester Primary School - 10 currently unsatisfactory in several other subjects. The school includes pupils well in all aspects of educational provision. Strategies for teaching the basic skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology are good. There are not enough opportunities, however, for pupils to use their computer skills to enhance their learning in other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The community holds the school in high regard. The headteacher is very supportive and staff and pupils feel valued. The deputy headteacher and subject leaders work hard to raise standards. However, there are weaknesses in the subject leadership of art and design and design and technology.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body fulfils the duties required of it by law satisfactorily. Governors are very supportive of the activities promoted by the school and their contribution is greatly valued by the staff.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance There is a well structured school development plan. However, the governing body and some subject co-ordinators are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the quality of provision.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources for learning are used well. Governors monitor the school budget effectively and spend wisely. The resources designated for the development of the accommodation and to support pupils with special educational needs are used well and are supplemented from the school’s own resources.

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Aspect Comment

The adequacy of teaching and support staff is satisfactory. The school faces difficulties in attracting teachers because of the very high cost of housing in the area. However, the governing body and headteacher are working very effectively to meet this challenge. The school applies the principles of best value appropriately.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Parents feel their children like school and that they are making good progress. • Behaviour in the school is good. • The quality of teaching is good. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with problems. • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • The school is well led and managed. • The school is helping children to become mature and responsible. • A few parents feel they are not kept well informed about how their children are getting on. • A few parents do not feel that school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. • A few parents do not feel their children get the right amount of work to do at home.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents have very positive views of the school. This is confirmed by the responses to the parents’ questionnaire and by the parents’ meeting. Inspectors agree fully with those features about the school that parents like. Inspectors do not agree with most of the things that the minority of parents feel could be improved. Parents are kept very well informed about how their children are getting on. Parents are able to meet with teachers regularly and the quality of the annual reports to parents is very good. Inspectors judge that the amount of work provided for children to do at home is satisfactory. The school provides a good range of interesting activities outside lessons. Dorchester Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When children start in the nursery and when they are assessed again at the start of the reception class, their attainment is close to expected levels in most areas of their learning, except for communication, language and literacy where their skills are below average. During their time in the nursery and reception classes children make good progress. By the time they begin Year 1, their attainment in their personal, social and emotional development, their knowledge and understanding of the world and their physical development exceeds that expected for their ages. Attainment in communication, language and literacy, mathematical and creative development is close to that expected. This is because the provision and teaching for children in the nursery and reception classes are good.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The table below shows attainment in the most recent national tests and the inspection judgements for reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2:

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judgements

Reading Well above average Well above average Above average

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judgements

Writing Above average Above average Above average

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judgements

Mathematics Above average Above average Average

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judgements

3. Assessments undertaken by teachers in science in 2001 for pupils at the end of Year 2 indicated that standards were above average. Inspection judgements show attainment in science to be close to nationally expected levels for the current group of Year 2 pupils.

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judgements

4. In recent years standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2 have been above average and sometimes well above average. A similar pattern is evident when comparisons are made with similar schools. Inspection findings show that this pattern has been maintained in reading and writing. Standards in mathematics are average, having fallen slightly from those found in the 2001 national tests. During their time in Years 1 and 2 pupils make satisfactory progress and achieve appropriately for their abilities.

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judgements

5. The table below shows attainment in the most recent national tests and the inspection judgements for English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6:

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Inspection

Mathematics Average Average Above average

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Inspection

Science Below average Below average Above average

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Inspection

6. Until 2001, standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6 have been well above average, although standards in science have shown a tendency to vary more from year to Dorchester Primary School - 12 year. In 2001, the national tests for this age group showed attainment in science had fallen to below average levels. Inspection findings show that the traditionally high standards attained by this age group in these subjects have been restored. This is because the school has focussed strongly on raising standards in these subjects. The provision made to develop pupils’ writing has proved to be particularly successful in this respect. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well and make good progress in these subjects.

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Inspection

7. The following table shows standards in subjects other than English mathematics and science:

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

Information and communication technology At the expected level At the expected level

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

Religious education At the expected level At the expected level

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

Art and design Below the expected level Below the expected level

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

Design and technology At the expected level Below the expected level

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

Geography At the expected level At the expected level

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

History At the expected level At the expected level

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

Music Above the expected level Above the expected level

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

Physical education At the expected level Above the expected level

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

8. Pupils achieve appropriately and make satisfactory in most of the subjects listed in the above table. Their progress in music and physical education is good. However, their progress in art and design and in design and technology by the end of Year 6 is unsatisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well for their abilities and make good progress. These pupils are supported well by their teachers and by teaching assistants. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve in line with their abilities.

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By the end of Year 2 By the end of Year 6

9. Standards in many subjects are similar to those found at the time of the last inspection. Standards have fallen slightly in mathematics and science by the end of Year 2 and are now in line with those expected for pupils’ ages. Standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6 are similar to those found at the time of the last inspection. Standards in art and design and design and technology have fallen and are below those expected by the end of Year 6. The school sets appropriately challenging targets for attainment by the end of Year 6. For the current year and for next year these are likely to be met.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils’ attitudes to school and to their learning are very good across all year groups. They clearly enjoy coming to school and work with concentration and enthusiasm in lessons. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are very good. These have a very positive effect on the quality of learning and pupils’ personal development. The majority of pupils are thoughtful, polite and eager to help one another and adults. These very positive attitudes and the very good Dorchester Primary School - 13 relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults create a relaxed atmosphere, where good behaviour is the norm. These high standards reflect those found at the time of the last inspection. 11. During lessons pupils take their tasks seriously and enjoy their learning. For example, in a Year 6 information and communication technology lesson, pupils’ interest and involvement generated

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

high levels of concentration and self-confidence. This enabled them to move through the sequence of tasks with considerable pace. Pupils organise themselves well, are articulate, and are comfortable with school routines, observing these well. In an assembly given by Reception pupils many individuals were very keen to play their roles, in spite of performing twice in succession in front of a packed school hall of pupils, parents and staff. Pupils show initiative. They are happy to help each other and adults and to take on whatever responsibilities are offered to them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils with special educational needs have very positive attitudes to learning and behave well in lessons. As a result of school’s commitment to an inclusive education these pupils are integrated very well into the life of the school. There are very good relationships between pupils with special educational needs and other pupils. The respect they have for each other and the mutual support they provide is a significant feature of their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school and in lessons is good. In the Foundation Stage children behave very well. In lessons all pupils behave well and this contributes positively to their achievements. Only a few occasionally need to be reminded about their behaviour as they have poor concentration skills. Behaviour during school assemblies is very good. Pupils display appropriate patience and respond well at these times. In the playground, behaviour is good. Pupils look forward to playtime as a happy time, playing well together and respecting each other’s space, with little adult intervention. There have been no exclusions during the past year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Relationships are very good between pupils and between adults and pupils. Adults provide good role models for pupils, helping them to develop their self-esteem and showing respect for one another's work. In many classes pupils spend time working in pairs and in groups. They do this constructively, often discussing their tasks and suggesting solutions. For example, in a Year 6 information and communication technology lesson, pupils chose their own partners. The pairs were of differing abilities, with higher attaining pupils supporting lower attaining pupils well. Pupils are very respectful of others’ feelings, values and beliefs, and aware of the impact of their actions on others. In a Year 4 lesson on personal, social and health education pupils worked very well as a large group, listening to each other and responding constructively to each other’s views. The school’s ethos of social inclusiveness is very well developed and successful. Relationships

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

between pupils from different ethnic backgrounds and of differing abilities are very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The very positive picture of pupils’ attitudes and values and personal development is not always reflected in the attendance rates. These are currently satisfactory. Figures for 2000/2001 show an unsatisfactory level of attendance, falling below the national average. Levels of unauthorised absence are negligible and therefore better than the national picture. Figures for 2001/2002, recently calculated, show a return to the national average and to the levels recorded in previous years. The number of unauthorised absences is negligible. Punctuality is good, and lessons start very promptly. These standards have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching for children in the Foundation Stage of their education is good. The quality of teaching in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6 is also good. This judgement is the same as that made at the time of the last inspection. During the current inspection, teaching was good or better in two thirds of lessons and was very good or better in almost one third of lessons. A significant proportion of the very good teaching is found in English and mathematics in Years 3 to 6 and is responsible for attainment being above average in these subjects by the end of Year 6. Only a small number of lessons were unsatisfactory or poor. Dorchester Primary School - 14 17. The quality of teaching in English is good. Teachers apply the principles advocated by the National Literacy Strategy well. Additional lessons are provided in Years 3 to 6 to improve pupils’ attainment in writing. These have a very positive effect on the standards pupils’ attain, especially

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

for those in Year 6. Not enough use is made of opportunities for pupils to write in other subjects. For example, pupils do not record the outcomes of their investigations in science or the results of their research in geography in sufficient detail. Teachers make good use of opportunities in subjects other than English for pupils to develop their speaking and listening abilities, for example, during discussions in religious education lessons and in personal and social education lessons. Because of this pupils attain high standards in speaking and listening. Throughout the school the basic skills of reading are taught well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching in mathematics is good. The principles of the National Numeracy Strategy are taught satisfactorily. In some lessons not enough time is allocated at the start to developing pupils’ mental and oral mathematical abilities. Even so, good use is made in other lessons of opportunities for pupils to apply the basic skills of numeracy.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. In science the quality of teaching is good, consequently pupils learn well. However, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teachers’ planning across the school. This results in there not being enough opportunities for pupils to devise and record the outcomes of scientific investigations. In common with many other subjects not enough use is made of information and communication technology to enhance pupils’ learning in science.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching in most other subjects, although satisfactory, tends not to reach the good quality found in English, mathematics and science. The exceptions to this are music and physical education, where the quality of teaching is good, and art and design, where it is unsatisfactory. Teaching in music and physical education is typified by great enthusiasm for the subject. There are good schemes of work and good quality guidance, provided by the subject co- ordinators. These are helping teachers to teach well. Pupils respond with enthusiasm in these subjects, learning well and making good progress. In art and design, where teaching is unsatisfactory, this is mainly because not enough time is allocated to teaching pupils the basic skills they require to produce work of an appropriate quality. Not enough use is made of the work of famous artists to inspire pupils and to enable them to respond in a sufficiently wide range of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

styles. In geography, the teaching of mapping skills and of geographical enquiry are taught well, but not enough attention is given to pupils’ recording of their findings. A similar picture is found in history where pupils do not have enough chances to record the findings of their research.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The teaching of information and communication technology is good. Consequently standards are rising in this subject. Teachers and classroom assistants are making good use of the recently opened computer suite. The basic skills of the subject are taught well. Sometimes higher attaining pupils are not challenged sufficiently to develop more advanced skills. Not enough use is made of the subject to enhance pupils’ learning in other subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent across the school. The best practice is found in English and mathematics, where it is typified by supportive comments and advice that makes clear to pupils what they need to do to improve. In other subjects marking often lacks the evaluative advice needed to guide pupils to know what they need to do to improve. The use of homework to enhance pupils learning is satisfactory. Again the best practice is evident in English where homework is set regularly and supports pupils learning well, especially in reading and writing.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, achieving well for their abilities. These pupils are supported very well. Teachers and classroom assistants ensure they are included very effectively in all aspects of the provision. The school has a small number of pupils with Down’s syndrome. These pupils are also supported very well and make very good progress. They are also included very effectively in all aspects of school life and make a very good contribution to the wide range of activities in which they participate. Dorchester Primary School - 15 24. A small number of pupils come from homes where English is not the first language spoken. None of the pupils of statutory school age is in the early stages of learning English. However, they are included very effectively in all aspects of the provision made for their education. Dorchester Primary School - 16

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TO PUPILS?

25. The curriculum provided meets the requirements for the teaching of the National Curriculum and religious education. The national strategies for the teaching of literacy and numeracy have been successfully introduced and the school makes considerable efforts in developing the spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal well being of its pupils. However, the breadth, balance and relevance of the whole curriculum are currently unsatisfactory. This is because of the time allocated for teaching art and design and for design and technology is not distributed appropriately. This is part of the reason why standards in these subjects are below national expectations. The curriculum provided for Foundation Stage pupils is good and is reflected in the good progress that the youngest children make.

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TO PUPILS?

26. There are issues with the organisation of the curriculum that need to be addressed. The schemes of work for art and design and for design and technology do not meet the needs of teachers or pupils sufficiently well. There is an urgent need to adapt and customise these, so as to ensure that the pupils’ knowledge and skills are developed systematically across all year groups. The links between subjects are not planned sufficiently well and there is no effective whole school curriculum map to give an overview of what is taught in subjects, other than English, mathematics and science. Consequently what pupils learn in one subject does not always build on their learning in other subjects.

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TO PUPILS?

27. The strategies that the school has adopted for the teaching of literacy and numeracy are effective. Planning is generally good in these subjects and pupils of all abilities make good progress. Literacy is promoted well across the curriculum. However, pupils are not offered a sufficiently wide range of opportunities to use their writing skills in other subjects; for example, where some teachers are overly reliant on the use of published worksheets. There are some opportunities for pupils to further develop their mathematical skills through design technology and science; for example, in the use of graphs and accurate measuring and recording, but these also need to be extended in order to raise standards in other subjects.

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TO PUPILS?

28. Provision for the development of pupils’ basic skills of information and communication technology is good, especially when the recently opened computer suite is used. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to apply these skills in other subjects.

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TO PUPILS?

29. The school successfully offers all pupils equal access to the curriculum and is socially inclusive. Teachers plan effectively to take account of the range of ability in their classes and to ensure that all pupils are able to access the curriculum according to their needs. Teachers make appropriate, and sometimes very effective use, of classroom assistants to ensure that pupils of all abilities are supported and included well.

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TO PUPILS?

30. Pupils with special educational needs have full access to the curriculum. They receive support appropriate to their identified needs, mainly within the classroom, and make evident progress in their learning. Other pupils who are identified as requiring support in their literacy skills are making good use of the Early Literacy Support and Additional Literacy Support sessions provided by the school, and these are impacting well on standards. Higher attaining pupils do not always have access to tasks and activities which challenge and extend them, or enough opportunities for independent learning to ensure that they achieve in line with their abilities.

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TO PUPILS?

31. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities and these are valued and well attended by pupils. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to take part in sports, drama, musical activities and assemblies, which develop their confidence as performers and enhance their speaking skills.

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TO PUPILS?

32. The school has well developed good links with the community and these contribute well to pupils’ learning. For example, the involvement of Wimbledon Football Club in teaching pupils football. A large national company has contributed very effectively to the development of the environmental Dorchester Primary School - 17 area. The ‘makeover’ groups, which help with decorating, gardening and other fund-raising events, make a significant contribution to the life of the school. Pupils’ interest in learning is stimulated by a range of visits and visitors. These include authors and poets twice a year, a visiting drama group to support history, visits to places of worship, trips to museums, art galleries and the theatre for pupils of all ages and two residential trips, one in Year 3 for a long weekend with a mediaeval focus and another in Year 6 to an outdoor adventure centre which also focuses on information and communication technology.

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TO PUPILS?

33. The school has developed some good links with partner institutions. For example, there are links with a local beacon school to develop assessment procedures for foundation subjects, links with work experience students from local secondary schools, transition meetings to ensure smooth transfer for pupils with special educational needs and induction days for Year 6 pupils to visit their secondary schools. Links such as these benefit pupils through contact with the older pupils and help to make their transfer to the next stage of their education a smooth one.

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TO PUPILS?

34. The school promotes a very positive ethos for learning and addresses pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness effectively, through assemblies and aspects of the taught curriculum. The essential elements are included in a range of policies. For example, the behaviour policy or through the school’s schedule of assembly themes. Acts of worship are mainly Christian but take due account of other faiths represented in the school. Assemblies are excellent and offer proper opportunities for prayer, meditation and contemplation and comply with statutory requirements. The school uses music effectively to enhance pupils’ spiritual experiences during assemblies.

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TO PUPILS?

35. The school’s provision for developing pupils’ personal, social and health education is good and is also delivered through circle time activities, science and physical education. Pupils in Year 6 also work in groups of four to shop, cook and serve lunch for invited staff on a weekly basis during the second half of the summer term. Due account is taken of ethnic diversity and religious traditions of other cultures and sex education and drugs awareness are appropriately taught through the personal, health and social development curriculum and science lessons. Citizenship is not yet fully developed although pupils are given opportunities to discuss aspects of citizenship and the responsibility of each contributing to the good of all; for example, during religious education lessons. The school is currently considering the introduction of a school council.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

36. The school places a strong emphasis on the promotion of pupils’ personal development, which it does successfully. The provision made for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Since the last inspection, it has improved the provision for spiritual development, and maintained the provision for moral, social and cultural development.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

37. Spiritual development is good, and it is fostered through very good assemblies, and the very calm atmosphere in the school. The yearly programme for assemblies provides a good basis for promoting values such as ‘respect, love, kindness and sharing’. During the inspection, pupils had very good opportunities to explore the theme of ‘striving’, with teachers relating it very successfully to stories such as Robert the Bruce to illustrate the importance of ‘not giving up’. Very good opportunities for valuing each other’s work and celebrating their achievement were also provided in assemblies. In lessons, teachers value pupils’ ideas across the curriculum, and give them appropriate praise and encouragement. They also provide ample opportunities for them to reflect on their own and each other’s achievement. Music, both in assemblies and lessons, and religious education make a strong contribution to spiritual growth. However, there are limited

p.17

TO PUPILS?

opportunities for spiritual development in other subjects. The school meets the requirements of the daily act of collective worship.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

38. The provision for moral development is very good, with the school expecting very high standards of behaviour from pupils. There is very good teaching on the difference between right and wrong. There are clear rules regarding behaviour, some of which are formulated by the pupils themselves. For example, classroom rules are discussed and agreed with the pupils. They provide very clear expectations of behaviour, and pupils are reminded of them when appropriate, although the need for this rarely arises. Pupils understand the concept of fairness and show respect for others. Dorchester Primary School - 18 Adults in the school provide very good role models of behaviour by their courtesy and respect for pupils. They also have very high expectations of behaviour. Relationships between staff and pupils, and between pupils themselves, are very good. Relationships between girls and boys, and pupils from different groups are also very good.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

39. There are good opportunities for pupils to develop their social skills. There is a positive emphasis on consideration, tolerance and understanding that promotes socially acceptable attitudes. Care is taken to ensure that pupils from different minority ethnic groups, and those with special educational needs are fully integrated into the life of the school. Boys and girls are equally provided for in all aspects of the curriculum. Teachers are both professional and caring, and there is clear evidence of positive and successful relationships between pupils and teachers. Annual visits to Dorset for Year 3 and to Hindhead Adventure Centre for Year 5, enhance pupils’ social development. The development of social skills is also promoted through pupils belonging to clubs and raising funds for charities. Although there is no school council, Year 6 pupils have some opportunities to develop an understanding of citizenship and democracy through electing prefects

p.18

TO PUPILS?

for the spring and summer terms. There is also a head boy and head girl whose main responsibilities are to organise prefects, and show visitors around the school. Pupils are encouraged to develop positive attitudes to good social behaviour in lessons, assemblies and life in the school generally. Each class has monitors who carry out a range responsibilities, and the older pupils have opportunities to represent the school through a range of sports teams.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

40. The provision for cultural development is satisfactory. At the time of the previous inspection the provision for cultural development was generally sound, but the development of the multi-cultural aspects of provision was a key issue. At the time the school was not doing enough, especially through art, music and literature, to prepare pupils more fully to take their place in a multi-cultural society. The school has addressed this issue successfully in relation to music and literature, which now make a satisfactory contribution to preparing pupils for life in a multi-cultural society. However, it has been less successful in using art as a vehicle for promoting this aspect of its work. The school is successful in promoting the cultural traditions of its own area, and to some extent preparing pupils for the wider world. Visits from authors, poets and artists, and visits to museums and art galleries enhance further the pupils’ learning and development in this area.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

There are also opportunities for pupils to broaden their understanding of different cultures through the celebration of festivals from a range of traditions and the study of the major world faiths in religious education. However, there are fewer opportunities to promote cultural development as an integral part of other subjects.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school takes good care of its pupils. The high quality of this provision has been maintained since the last inspection. The school’s caring and inclusive ethos is supported by good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour, good first aid and health and safety administrative procedures, and good attendance monitoring. Child protection procedures are very good. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are good in English, satisfactory in some other subjects, but unsatisfactory in several others, including art and design, design and technology, geography and history.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school monitors attendance well. Registers, which are quickly marked and returned to the office, are closely monitored and patterns of absence or poor punctuality are easily identified. Rewards for promoting attendance are well developed. Good attendance is rewarded by half- termly and annual certificates. There are good links with the Education Welfare Officer.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. There are good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour, and for monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour. The behaviour policy is based on a positive approach to rewarding good behaviour, which is seen as an integral part the personal development of the pupils. Pupils have been involved in generating the rules that govern behaviour and are involved in reviewing them. Appropriate logs are kept and procedures to liaise with parents are well established. Pupils are ready to talk to staff if a problem arises. There is an effective reward Dorchester Primary School - 19 system for pupils who work and behave well in lessons. This is recognised in assemblies and is celebrated by the whole school. Lunchtime supervisors are also closely involved in rewarding good behaviour and helpfulness. This has been introduced since the last inspection and impacts positively on pupils’ attitudes to the school. Staff entrust pupils with good opportunities to take on

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

responsibilities and develop independence, in the classrooms and in the dining hall. The prefect system for Year 6 pupils is very democratically organised with elections every term, contributing to the development of pupils’ knowledge of citizenship. 44. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are good. Staff monitor this aspect well, both formally and informally. Effective support is provided in a number of ways. For example, there is a section in the annual report of each pupil highlighting areas for personal development. The school gathers pupils’ views informally and through the time-tabled sessions provided for them to discuss issues of concern and interest. This helps to promote pupils’ self- esteem and fosters the very good relationships between staff and pupils, and between pupils. In a Year 4 personal social and health education lesson, for example, discussion time was devoted, in

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

a mock Class Council, to preparing for the planned School Council. During this discussion pupils were given very good opportunities to express their views and respond to the views of their classmates and their teacher.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Good health and safety, and good first aid procedures ensure pupils’ wellbeing. The safety of the building is regularly monitored by the headteacher, caretaker and a governor. The improvements to the playground and use of the large playing field have led to increased space for activities and consequently greater safety for pupils. There are very effective procedures for playground safety and organisation.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress and the use made of that information to guide curricular planning are unsatisfactory overall. The school has not continued to build on the good assessment procedures from the time of the last inspection except in English and in the Foundation Stage of children’s learning. Pupils have target cards, which are useful for them and their parents to monitor their own development. These are used very well in English. In this subject pupils’ results in national tests, optional tests, and reading and spelling tests, as well as regular ongoing assessments, provide a clear picture of how well pupils are doing. These are most often linked to the specific skills outlined in the planning. However, the school has yet to establish effective procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ attainment and progress in several other subjects. Marking is also inconsistent across the school and often lacks the evaluative advice

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

needed to guide pupils to know what they need to do to improve.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Adults, teachers and classroom assistants know pupils with special educational needs well, and give them good quality support. The procedures for the assessment of pupils with special educational needs are good. Assessment information is used effectively to identify pupils with special educational needs, and set targets in their individual educational plans. These targets are good because they are specific and manageable, and are formulated in consultation with teachers, classroom assistants, pupils, and outside agencies where appropriate. Individual education plans are reviewed termly. The annual reviews of statements of special education needs meet the requirements of the Code of Practice. Translators are sought, wherever possible, to aid communications with parents who are not fully fluent in English.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents’ views of the school are very positive. They are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and complimentary about the quality of education it provides for their children. Those who attended the meeting for parents affirm these views, which are further supported by the questionnaires returned by parents. A small proportion of parents do not feel that they are kept well informed about how their children are getting on. Inspectors judge that parents are very well informed, though there are two important caveats to this judgement. Firstly there have been considerable improvements in communication during the last year and, secondly, problems in Year 2, due to staff changes, have disrupted the parent consultation’s timetable, and reduced opportunities for informal discussions. Some parents feel that there are not enough extra- Dorchester Primary School - 20 curricular activities. Inspectors judge this provision to be good. A smaller proportion of parents

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

are not happy about the amount of work their children are expected to do at home. Inspectors feel that homework is used well in the Foundation Stage and satisfactorily in Years 1 to 6.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Links with parents are very good. The school has a well-established tradition of being open to parents at any time, with any concerns. Parents and staff feel this works very well. Parents feel welcome. Induction arrangements for new parents are very good. Parents are offered two consultation evenings per year, plus an optional consultation to discuss pupils’ annual written reports in the summer term. This is satisfactory provision and is supplemented by the availability of the headteacher and staff at the start or end of the school day. The provision of curriculum information is very good. It forms a substantial part of the very good newsletters to parents and can also be found on the very useful and easy-to-use school website. Curriculum workshops are held. Annual written reports give very good information on what pupils’ have achieved and where they need to improve. The positive links with parents have been maintained since the last

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

inspection and both reports and newsletters have improved in the last year.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The school is effective in involving parents of pupils with special educational needs in their children’s education and keeps them well informed. Most parents attend the meetings arranged to review individual education plans and annual reviews. Every effort is made to seek support from translators for parents who are not fully fluent in English. As a result of the good provision, the school is popular with parents of pupils who have special educational needs.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The impact of parents’ involvement in the life of the school is very good. They help in various ways and have a very positive relationship with the school. An unusually high proportion of parents help in classrooms on a regular basis, especially in the younger year groups. They help to prepare for class assemblies, such as the fashion show. Parents attend school events, such as productions, in large numbers. During the inspection over fifty parents attended an assembly. Many help on school trips and excursions. ‘Makeover Days’ to decorate parts of the school buildings and improve the environment are very well attended and make a significant contribution to the excellent spirit that exits within the school’s community. They involve staff, parents, and frequently pupils. The outcomes include attractive displays, which testify to their success. The Friends of Dorchester Primary School are very committed to, and supportive of the school. The

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

association has a long tradition of raising substantial funds for the school and helping to organise special events.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff are good. The headteacher is a central figure in maintaining the caring ethos of the school. She has established strong pastoral systems in which staff, pupils, governors, parents and members of the community feel valued and hold the school in high regard. The headteacher and governing body provide a clear educational direction for the school and its aims and values are reflected appropriately in its work.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The governing body fulfils those duties required of it by the law appropriately and plays a satisfactory role in shaping the direction of the school. For example, the role of the governing body in supporting the improvement of the school’s accommodation is good. The headteacher and staff value the governing body’s support highly, particularly the way it contributes to the school’s caring ethos. However, the role of the governing body in monitoring the quality of education is unsatisfactory. Some governors visit the school regularly and a few have observed lessons. Procedures for evaluating what is seen on these visits are not sufficiently rigorous. Consequently, some governors do not have a sufficiently strong grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Many members of the governing body are relatively new and have not had sufficient time to establish themselves fully in their role.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school is well placed to maintain the high standards attained by pupils by the end of Year 6. The headteacher, governing body and staff share a clear commitment to improvement and their capacity to succeed is good. This is recognised by parents and by the community served by the Dorchester Primary School - 21 school. Careful analysis of standards by the headteacher and senior colleagues enables appropriate areas for development to be identified. For example, current priorities include the objective of raising the proportion of pupils gaining higher than expected levels in the national tests for the end of Years 2 and 6. The actions taken to meet the identified targets are also good. This year priority was given to raising pupils’ attainments in writing. Additional teaching time was allocated for this purpose. As a result standards in this area of pupils’ learning are improving. There is a very good school improvement plan. This sets out clearly the school’s priorities for

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

development. It includes details of the actions that will be taken to meet the identified priorities, states who is responsible for overseeing the developments and how the success of initiatives will be measured.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The delegation of duties to staff with subject responsibilities is satisfactory. However, some of the current initiatives are in the very early stages of development and have yet to have an impact on pupils’ learning and the progress they make. The exceptions to this are in the subject co- ordination of English and mathematics where pupils achieve well, attaining high standards by the end of Year 6. However, in other subjects there are too few opportunities for co-ordinators to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. The leadership and management of art are unsatisfactory and this contributes to the lower than expected standards and unsatisfactory progress that many pupils make in the subject. Not enough has been done to ensure standards in design and technology are high enough by the end of Year 6. Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress in many subjects are unsatisfactory. As a result, some subject co-

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

ordinators have difficulty in judging standards of attainment in their subjects. The arrangements to do this in English, mathematics, and information and communication technology are good. Many of the subject co-ordinators are recent appointees and have not had enough sufficient time to establish themselves their roles or to have any impact on pupils’ learning.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. Arrangements for the day to day running of the school and for the regular monitoring of spending are good and the office staff fulfil their roles efficiently and effectively. Educational priorities are supported well by thorough and well structured financial planning. This is clearly evident in the school’s improvement plan. The governing body makes a good contribution to financial planning and their grasp of the arrangements to manage the school’s budget and to ensure resources are used appropriately is strong. Grants designated for specific purposes are used very well. Examples of this include the very good use of resources to support pupils with special educational needs, those allocated for the development of the school’s accommodation and for the development of the new computer suite. The principles of best value are applied appropriately and new technology is used well to ensure management systems operate effectively.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The match of teachers and support staff to the demands of the curriculum is satisfactory. The school spends a significant amount of money on the provision of classroom assistants. They provide very good value for this investment, making a significant contribution to the quality of education and to pupils’ learning. The school spends more on the support of pupils with special educational needs than is provided for this purpose by external sources. This money is also spent well and the provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. There was a substantial carry over of funding at the end of the last financial year, much higher than that recommended. However, this was planned by the governing body to cover additional building developments, the cost of the new computer suite and the effects on staffing of changes to the school’s admission policy.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Because of the very high cost of housing in the area the recruitment of appropriately qualified teachers presents a significant challenge. The governing body and headteacher are working very effectively to meet this. However, during the past academic year the number of teachers who taught the classes disrupted the progress of some year groups. Towards the end of the year staffing became more settled and pupils in all year groups made appropriate progress. In English and mathematics in Year 2, pupils’ progress was particularly good during this period.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The school’s arrangements for the induction of new staff are satisfactory. Because of the high proportion of good and very good teaching found in the school and good quality of support that teachers provide for each other the potential for training new teachers is good. The support that Dorchester Primary School - 22 teachers provide for each other when they plan together in their year groups makes a very positive contribution to the good quality of provision made for many subjects. The school’s strategies for the appraisal of staff and for the management of their performance are good. These involve all staff appropriately and give due consideration to balancing the need to meet the school’s priorities for development and those for the individual professional development of staff. Good opportunities for training are provided for staff and these are linked to the school’s developmental needs. For

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

example, in response to the identification of instances of inappropriate behaviour in the last inspection report training was provided for lunch-time supervisors. This has proved to be very effective.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The quality of accommodation is good and the adequacy of resources to support pupils’ learning effectively is also good. Resources allocated for the development of the accommodation are used well by the governing body. Recent extensions to the school’s buildings have brought significant improvements to the quality of provision. These include the provision of several additional classrooms and the recently opened computer suite. The school grounds are maintained well and provide a rich range of learning opportunities for pupils. These include an outdoor play area for pupils in Years 1 to 6 that is used well by pupils to extend their physical abilities. There is also good provision for outdoor play for children in the Foundation Stage of their education.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Resources for learning for many subjects are good. The school library is well stocked with up-to- date books. Pupils use this facility well to extend their reading abilities and to undertake research in subjects such as geography and history. The school has an adequate number of computers. Those in the new computer suite are used very well. However, too little use is made of the computers in classrooms to enhance pupils’ learning in other subjects.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

62. In order to improve provision the governors, headteacher and staff should -

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in art and design throughout the school and in design and technology by the end of Year 6 by • ensuring that the time allocated to teaching these subjects is distributed appropriately in order to maintain continuity in pupils’ learning • ensuring the requirements of the schools schemes of work for these subjects are fully covered • developing fully the role of the subject co-ordinators for these subjects to ensure they are well placed to evaluate the quality of provision • making sure that suitable arrangements are in place to assess pupils’ attainment and progress in these subjects (Paragraphs 7, 9, 20, 26, 120-124, 125-128)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Ensure that suitable arrangements are in place to assess pupils’ attainment and progress in all subjects by • retaining samples of work in each subject that typify the levels of attainment expected of pupils in each year • providing a manageable system for teachers to regularly record pupils’ levels of attainment in each subject • creating systems for all subjects where the progress made by each pupil is readily identifiable to teachers and to subject co-ordinators • relating these procedures to the targets that are set for the improvement in attainment for each pupil (Paragraphs 46, 55, 116, 124, 128, 133, 139, 147, 160, 166)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the use of information technology to enhance pupils’ learning in lessons other than those dedicated to the subject by • ensuring that computers, in classrooms, are used regularly and appropriately Dorchester Primary School - 23 • increasing the opportunities for pupils to use computers for research in subjects such as science and geography • making available suitable computer programs for pupils to use in subjects, such as mathematics (Paragraphs 19, 21, 28, 106, 117, 128, 140 -147, 166)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition, the governors should also consider the following areas for improvement for inclusion in their action plan

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Put suitable arrangements in place to ensure that governors are able to monitor the quality of provision more thoroughly (Paragraph 53)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) Develop the marking of pupils’ work by teachers to ensure it provides pupils with enough information to help them improve in all subjects (Paragraphs 22, 46, 117, 123, 133, 165)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school is aware of all these issues. It is well placed to address them and has already begun working on them. Dorchester Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 48

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 373

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 26

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery Y R – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 7

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4 67

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 15

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 29

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 15

p.24

Attendance

School data 6.2 School data 0.0 Dorchester Primary School - 25 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.24

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Dorchester Primary School - 26

p.25

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 27 28 55

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.26

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

Boys 26 25 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 26 26

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (100) 93 (98) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 26 26 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 26 26

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (100) 95 (98) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.26

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

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

p.26

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 22 31 53

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 17 18 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 27 22 28

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (96) 75 (92) 91 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 18 17 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 22 25

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 77 (94) 74 (92) 85 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.26

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Dorchester Primary School - 27

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 5 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 4 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 7 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.4 Financial year 2001-02

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.2

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y6 Total income 880,348

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 11 Total expenditure 826,113

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 245 Expenditure per pupil 2,215

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 47,292

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.0 Balance carried forward to next year 101,527

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1.0

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 8.0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 9.0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.4 Dorchester Primary School - 28 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Dorchester Primary School - 29

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 44 49 3 0 3

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 40 53 3 0 3

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 49 16 3 3

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 33 45 17 5 1

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 38 1 0 1

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 40 2 0 3

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 38 48 11 1 1

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 50 48 0 0 1

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 53 0 0 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 31 38 15 6 11 Dorchester Primary School - 30

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. The provision made for children in the Foundation Stage is a strength of the school. The co- ordinator’s very good leadership and management promotes high quality learning. The broad variety of purposeful activities, noted at the time of the last inspection, has been maintained. Capacity for further improvement is good. A very clear action plan shows good insights into the needs of the children as well as the procedures and support required to meet them.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Children are admitted to the nursery on a part-time basis after they have their third birthday. They attend either the morning or afternoon session by parental choice where possible. Children currently transfer to the reception class in September and after Easter during the year in which they are five. The admission arrangements are due to change from next September in order to improve children's first access to school. The present arrangements are not conducive to providing children with the most suitable experience as several are only in the nursery or reception classes for one term. A few five-year-olds are still in the nursery. Most children in the reception classes have attended the school’s nursery previously.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. The provision for the children’s all round development and education in the Foundation Stage is good. Staff plan and work together effectively. The quality of teaching and learning is good in all areas of learning and work is well planned in each class, although the organisation and quality of environment in one reception class is not as stimulating as the others. The reception rooms are rather small, making creative use of space difficult; the school has good plans to make building improvements. There were several examples of very good teaching that extend pupils' understanding. The reception classes build well on the work of the nursery to provide good progression in the teaching of skills and children’s experiences. For example, the good focus on speaking and listening in the nursery is picked up and extended as children share ideas in the reception classes. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is planned well to cover the different

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

needs of the children and promotes the early learning goals effectively in all areas of learning and development. Good planning ensures a smooth transfer to the work in Year 1.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. Home visits to children prior to them entering the school ensure a smooth transition from home to school. Information supplied voluntarily by parents is used sensitively to plan activities that are relevant for the children. Relationships with parents and carers are good and this partnership helps the children's learning. Effective links with teachers in the infant years supports the continuation and development of the good early years’ practice. Initial assessments done during the early weeks following the children's admission show that language skills are below average overall and that other aspects of learning are broadly average. Good record keeping procedures track the children's progress from the nursery and notes on selected activities help with teaching and further planning. The staff do not yet set targets for the children to aspire to. The reception teachers make good use of nursery records.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. The children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in the nursery and reception classes through a combination of well-chosen activities and good teaching that sets high expectations and stimulates the children's interest. Most children are likely to meet the expected levels in their communication, mathematical and creative skills, by the end of reception and to exceed the expectations in the other areas of learning. There is a good and effective level of support for children who have English as an additional language. They are included well in activities and make appropriate progress. All members of staff ensure that all children have full and equal access to the areas of learning. The parents value and appreciate the work children do in the nursery and reception classes.

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Personal, social and emotional development

Dorchester Primary School - 31 68. All members of staff promote children’s personal, social and emotional development well and are very sensitive to each child's needs. The quality of teaching and learning is good within the mostly well-planned environments of the nursery and reception classes. The members of staff treat children thoughtfully by listening carefully and valuing their ideas and contributions. Most children settle quickly and happily into the well-organised nursery. They make good progress in their personal and social skills through being encouraged to take part in individual or small group work. They are also encouraged to make choices from amongst the many thoughtfully planned activities and resources, such as sand-play, joining in with a computer song or enjoying snack time. The children gain social skills through taking turns to choose a piece of fruit and listening to each other’s comments. They broke into peals of laughter when a boy said 'I've got a blue banana',

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Personal, social and emotional development

clearly bringing out their sense of fun, as well as their knowledge of fruits.

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Personal, social and emotional development

69. The children quickly become confident in moving around the nursery or going outside. Most children concentrate well on their choice of task, for example in the home corner where children organised fruits. “You make the mess together, I have to tidy up”, stated one child whilst clearing up. Children are interested in the planned activities, such as in making a mask. The teachers reinforce social development well by establishing clear routines, such as sitting and listening on the carpet, and taking turns. Children in the reception classes show good personal and social skills, for example, when they use the outside play area. During a combined physical education lesson for the reception classes, the children co-operated well when using the climbing frames, taking turns. They also spontaneously clapped the success of children who climbed to the top of the fireman's pole, and encouraged them enthusiastically on the way.

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Personal, social and emotional development

70. Most children enjoy their work and try hard to do well. They listen well to their teachers and increasingly to each other. Most children co-operate well with each other during group activities, such as playing their musical instruments to time as they make music. They understand the usual routines of school life, such as taking the register and returning it to the school office with a friend, and they move in an orderly way around the school. All adults establish good relationships with the children. The teachers have a very positive, interactive style that prompts children to become involved or to give an answer. The calm management of the children is a significant feature that sets boundaries but allows children freedom to make choices. Good organisation allows children to become increasingly independent. They respond well, with a developing maturity. By the time they start Year 1, their attainment overall exceeds the expectation. This is

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Personal, social and emotional development

similar to the findings of the last inspection.

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Communication, language and literacy

71. The quality of teaching, learning and the provision for communication and language skills are good. Children’s skills are below average on entry to the and the staff give clear priority to providing high quality experiences that encourage observation, thinking and talk. Several children find listening hard. The good organisation of both time and facilities in the nursery are strongly linked to promoting language. New vocabulary and expressions are introduced to the children in contexts that give meaning and opportunities to respond. During a story most children listen and enjoy the story, commenting on things they know, such as that turtles have shells, and several children know the names of shapes such as triangle. Pupils listened closely to a story 'I wish I was a pirate' and many recognised that the crew was the Teddy, the baby, the cat and so on.

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Communication, language and literacy

72. A good range of books and language material interests the children and they become familiar with how to handle books. Most children turn the pages correctly and recognise that print has meaning. Children are taught the correct way to hold and handle books and enjoy following the stories and pictures. Regular opportunities for the nursery children to visit the school library stimulate their interest as they listen to stories and are prompted to find books along similar themes. Many children find suitable books and enjoy sharing them, learning to replace them close to where they were found.

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Communication, language and literacy

73. The imaginative start in the nursery is developed well in the reception classes. The class teachers take good account of suitable elements from the National Literacy Strategy to develop children’s understanding of letter sounds and word building. They make clear links between the Foundation Dorchester Primary School - 32 Stage curriculum and the Literacy Strategy in their planning which contributes well to the good progress children make. For example, children are encouraged to write a sentence in their diary most days. The average and higher attaining children are given an appropriate focus, such as full stops and capital letters for their writing.

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Communication, language and literacy

74. Most children form at least a few recognisable letters, several form simple words using letter blends, and a few higher attaining pupils write two or three readable sentences. Their writing ability is broadly average by the end of the reception year.

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Communication, language and literacy

75. Teachers encourage a wide experience of language. As a result, children make good progress in their ability to share ideas, experiences and feelings, as they act out real life situations. The good support enables children with special needs and those who have English as an additional language to acquire early language skills. Most children are on course to reach the early learning goals for language by the end of reception, a similar finding to the last inspection.

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Mathematical development

76. Teaching, learning and provision for children’s mathematical development are good. Children enter the nursery with broadly average skills and understanding in early mathematical ideas for their age. They know about simple numbers and shapes, and may count to five correctly. The good balance between directed and free-choice enables children to make good progress in developing and reinforcing their number skills. For example, a task, supervised and assessed by an adult, required children to form an alternating pattern of shapes. Most children were not consistent without help. Children’s early mathematical skills are taught through a very well structured series of activities that are linked to a common theme, and include matching, sequencing and counting.

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Mathematical development

77. Few children know what day of the week it is, although several know part of the sequence beginning Monday and a few know the next day. They sort objects and thread beads in a simple sequence. They explore mathematical ideas through building towers or constructions with bricks and other materials, making simple patterns or riding the bikes along a track. Children form a good basis of understanding of spatial patterns and number. They have good access to sand and water play to develop their ideas of capacity or simple properties of the materials, and the theme of water links well to other work. The good organisation and planning allow for a wide variety of materials to be fitted and formed into shapes, such as playdough and 'slime', all of which develop awareness of space and structure.

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Mathematical development

78. Within the reception classes, children's mathematical understanding is developed well, and activities are linked appropriately to the numeracy strategy. The task of telling the time was a real challenge for most children. Most know and write the numbers 1 to 12 legibly, and know where many of the numbers are placed on a clock face. The majority of children describe correctly where the hands are for the o'clock times and put the hands into the correct position. The higher attaining children have good understanding and know how the half past is placed and record the time correctly, an example of 4.30 being recorded by one child. Children are taught to count correctly in order and build their early numeracy skills using everyday objects. The language associated with number work is emphasised correctly such as, that linked to time or to the sequence of days, and this provides effective support for children, especially those who have

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Mathematical development

special needs. Most children count and order objects to ten confidently, and others are learning to count consistently one-to-one. Most children are likely to reach the national expectation by the end of reception, a similar finding to the last inspection.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

79. Teaching, learning and provision for children’s knowledge and understanding of the world are good. Children enter the nursery with broadly average understanding of early ideas for their age and know about animals, fruits, relations and something about where they live. Staff prepare well to ensure that there is a rich and varied selection of activities and resources that promote children’s understanding. The well structured and thoughtful planning takes good account of the learning Dorchester Primary School - 33 needs of all children, including those with special needs or English as an additional language. Much planning and activity is directed towards individual children so that overall they make good progress in their understanding of materials and how things work. For example, there is a good variety of materials to explore - sand, water, playdough, wood, paint, crayons - all of which develop differing skills in order to use them. Children are gaining knowledge about materials, as

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

80. Children in both the nursery and reception classes have many opportunities to explore their real or imaginary world, including the excellent provision for outdoor play. Children have looked at how plants grow and have planted seeds in a pot. They have begun to understand that people, animals and plants need water, food and warmth to grow. They know some of the properties of their clothes, like jumpers providing warmth and footwear needing to be hard-wearing. They acquire an early knowledge about machines as they use the tricycles outdoors. They recognise the differing properties of sand, water, wood and plastic as they play and make constructions.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

81. By the end of the reception year, children have made generally good progress. They use a computer more confidently and know about several tools and equipment. Most children are likely to meet the national expectations by the time they enter Year 1, showing that standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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Physical development

82. A good range of facilities provides well for children’s physical development. The outdoor play area offers a wide range of opportunities to explore and use large apparatus and wheeled toys such as scooters. Children adapt well to the differing skills needed, for example in scooting to cycling, while both require balance. The quality of teaching and learning is good so that children have a very wide variety of good experiences. In the nursery the children have opportunities to use pencils, crayons and paint brushes and to learn the fine control required to produce early letter shapes or a picture. Most children have satisfactory control. Many children have the early skills required to glue or to decorate a face mask or hat. These skills are extended well in the reception classes, where children hold their pencils with more control.

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Physical development

83. Excellent provision on the adventure playground, as well as free choice in the nursery play area helps children to acquire co-ordination and control. The children have good balance and control as they ride a bicycle and move around simple circuits. Very good supervision ensures all children are safe, and those with particular needs are supported individually. The reception children demonstrated good skills that exceed the expectation as they climbed onto the posts, climbed up and over the bars or manoeuvred the chain bridge. Two children were seen to reach the top of the fireman's pole, which is the only competitive piece - and children cheered on those who were trying it. All members of staff promote the development of physical skills well so that children learn well and make good progress, with control, balance and co-ordination skills that exceed the expected standards by the end of reception. This indicates a similar standard to that found during

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Creative development

84. The quality of teaching and provision for children's creative development is satisfactory overall, helping the children to make steady gains in their learning. All members of staff include ideas for children to explore materials or situations as a rich part of their experiences. Within the nursery, tasks are planned carefully. Thus pupils who were making the themed face mask or hat were able to choose from several designs as to how theirs would be. They also chose from a selection of materials to decorate their hat. However, too much help from adults sometimes limits the children's creativity. The perceptive support given by some adults when children engage in free play promotes their creative development well and results in good learning. The nursery teacher is very clear about the need to teach skills and to allow children to use them in their own way. Dorchester Primary School - 34 85. Within the reception year, the classes combined to create ‘pond’ music on percussion

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Creative development

instruments. This very good session provided children with the opportunity to explore the sounds made by differing instruments such as a tambourine, shakers or wood blocks. The children, with some adult persuasion, chose instruments that represented how pond skaters or frogs moved, choosing the boom whackers appropriately for the frogs. The children demonstrated good control and care in producing a pleasing sound, making sure that the quality of sound was good and as like the animal as possible. They produced, collectively, a creative sound of pond animals to the teacher's baton, and their faces shone as they listened to their efforts played back through the tape-recorder.

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Creative development

86. Overall, the adults have a good awareness of how to add creative dimensions to children's work, although this appears to be stronger in the nursery. This informs their ideas of what the children may achieve. Children have made good progress in their musical skills and creativity as they learn how to produce quality sound, although there is less evidence of the same quality deriving from painting or collages that are the children's own creations. The children have opportunities to explore the colours formed through colour mixing and to learn the techniques of modelling playdough. The generally good teaching provides good opportunities for creative experience, though adults do not stand back sufficiently at times to allow children to explore the media. The children have good opportunities to develop and build links with rhymes and word patterns. There is regular access to music and a variety of songs and number rhymes are enjoyed. Most children

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Creative development

are likely to reach the expectation by the end of reception year. This indicates a similar position to the time of the last inspection.

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ENGLISH

Strengths • Attainment is above the national average throughout the school and creative writing is a particular strength. • Pupils thoughtful and well-informed responses to what they read. • Teaching is good throughout the school and in years 3 to 6 it is very good. • The assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress is good and promotes high standards.

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ENGLISH

87. In 2001, the attainment of pupils at the end of Year 2 in national curriculum tests in reading was well above the national average and also well above average for schools in similar circumstances. In writing, attainment was above the national average and also above the average for similar schools. Based on the average points scored by pupils in their tests, attainment in reading has remained consistent since the previous inspection, while there has been some improvement in attainment in writing. In 2001 the attainment in reading of girls was below that of boys, while in writing the attainment of girls was slightly above that of boys. Overall, during the previous four years the disparity in attainment between girls and boys has narrowed considerably and is now smaller than that seen nationally. Provisional results for 2002 indicate that attainment in reading is likely to be broadly in line with the national average while attainment in writing is likely to be

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ENGLISH

88. The full range of evidence seen during the course of the inspection indicates that attainment at the end of Year 2 is above what is seen nationally in both reading and writing. The improvement in standards of writing which has occurred over the past few years is being maintained and writing is now an emerging strength of the school.

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ENGLISH

89. Pupils enter the school with attainment in communication skills which is below what is seen nationally and by the end of Year 2 their attainment in these areas is above the national average. Their achievement in English by this time is good. They make good progress in all areas of the English curriculum, but particularly in their understanding and use of punctuation and correct Dorchester Primary School - 35 grammar and also in the development of a wide and rich vocabulary which they use confidently. This progress lays good foundations for future development.

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ENGLISH

90. In 2001 the attainment of pupils at the end of Year 6 in national curriculum tests was broadly in line with the national average and also broadly in line with attainment in similar schools. Over the four years previous to this there had been a steady increase in the average points scored by pupils in these tests and attainment was well above average, but there was a marked decline in 2001. Although the attainment of girls remains higher than that of boys, the gap has narrowed considerably over the past four years and is now appreciably smaller than is seen nationally. Since the dip in attainment in 2001 attainment has again risen. The school’s appropriately challenging targets for 2002 match the inspection findings which indicate that attainment is above average, with creative writing a particular strength.

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ENGLISH

91. Pupils start Year 3 with attainment which is above average and achieve well by the end of Year 6. This is true of pupils across the attainment range, including those with special educational needs, who meet well the increased demands of the subject as they progress through the school. Pupils make especially good progress in the way they use language, in both its spoken and written forms, in order to express their ideas vividly and clearly in a range of situations.

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ENGLISH

92. Attainment in speaking and listening at the end of Year 2 is good. All pupils make thoughtful contributions to class discussions, and can express their ideas clearly using the full range of their vocabulary. The quality of their answers and also of the questions they ask make a valuable contribution to the learning process and they make good progress by listening to each other. They are confident and articulate conversationalists, including with visitors, and take care to ensure that their ideas are expressed in a clear and lively manner.

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ENGLISH

93. Attainment in reading is good. Across the ability range pupils read accurately, with understanding and make use of the punctuation to help with pace and expression. Higher attaining pupils make excellent use of expression to convey their enjoyment. When they find a word difficult they use their knowledge of how letters are joined together to make sounds to work the word out for themselves. Pupils talk about their reading with great enthusiasm and have well- formed tastes and preferences. They enjoy discussing what they have read and all use words such as ‘author’ and ‘illustrator’ in order to express their ideas more precisely. Across the attainment range pupils use non-fiction texts in order to extract information and use a range of dictionaries when they come across an unfamiliar word.

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ENGLISH

94. Attainment in writing is good. By the end of Year 2 all pupils write in complete, properly constructed sentences and many pupils use a range of connecting words in order to write more complex sentences in an extended sequence. Capital letters and full stops are used consistently and most pupils are beginning to use other forms of punctuation, for example commas in lists. Pupils are fascinated by language and all, including those with special needs, take great pains to select vocabulary, especially adjectives, which will express their ideas vividly. They use language adventurously and creatively and their writing is interesting and varied. The spelling of basic words is usually accurate, but when pupils are using more advanced vocabulary for the first time their enthusiasm leads them to forget to check the spelling, although they do know how to use dictionaries competently.

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ENGLISH

95. By the end of Year 6 attainment in speaking and listening is good. Pupils explain their ideas articulately and use discussion as a valuable learning tool. For example, pupils discussing the distinctive features of diary writing were able to clarify and extend their understanding of this by exchanging ideas about writing in the first person and present tense. They are prepared to hypothesise during discussion, or express ideas which are not yet fully formed, knowing that they will be listened to with respect. This type of discussion is helped by the fact that all pupils have an at least adequate, and frequently quite extensive, vocabulary of the terms of literary criticism with which to express their ideas precisely.

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ENGLISH

96. Attainment in reading is good. Across the attainment range pupils read fluently and confidently. They express great love of reading as a valuable leisure pursuit, speaking enthusiastically of the Dorchester Primary School - 36 opportunity it gives for relaxation and silence. They enjoy their reading not simply on the level of story or information, but also show great gusto for the analysis and discussion of what they have read. They have well-formed tastes and opinions about their reading. For example one pupil expressed the opinion that the films have spoiled the Harry Potter experience because being able to watch it on the screen has meant that the reader no longer has to engage their own imagination. Both boys and girls, across the attainment range, show a mature and very sensitive response to what they read and put thought into analysing, for example, the author’s use of language.

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ENGLISH

97. Attainment in writing is at least good and is sometimes very good. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, punctuate their work accurately and show good understanding of the use of more demanding punctuation such as speech marks and hyphens. Most pupils write in well-balanced, complex sentences and use a broad range of connecting words so that their writing has a mature style. Pupils take their use of language very seriously and painstakingly select their vocabulary in order to achieve their intended effect. They show awareness of the needs of the reader in the way in which they strive to make what they write interesting and clear. They place a high priority on using the most effective words and have acquired an extensive vocabulary and the confidence to use it adventurously. For example, a lower attaining pupil in Year 4 wrote as part of a poem “the sea is as shimmering as a mermaids tail; it is as soft as a

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ENGLISH

water snail’s body”. The quality of creative writing is sometimes very high. Some pupils hold their pens in a very awkward grip, which does not allow them to write fluently or quickly and this is not preparing them to meet increased demands for writing in the coming years. This is also true of younger pupils.

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ENGLISH

98. Overall, the teaching of English is good throughout the school. All teaching seen, except in one lesson, was at least good and in Years 3-6 more than half the teaching was very good or better. In two lessons the teaching was excellent. No teaching seen was less than satisfactory. Teachers plan their lessons very thoroughly, with good provision to meet the needs of pupils across the attainment range. Good support is given to pupils with special educational needs. Teachers are very clear about what they expect pupils to learn in each lesson and share this with pupils, so that they know what to expect and what is expected of them. They have high expectations of all pupils, both in terms of their attitude to their work and what they are able to achieve. Pupils respond to these explicit expectations by working very hard and maintaining their concentration. Teachers make good use of discussion and questioning to check on

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ENGLISH

understanding, to probe pupils’ thinking and to extend their understanding. In response to this, pupils adopt a thoughtful attitude to their work and are prepared to attempt an answer even when they are not totally sure of their ideas. On these occasions pupils make particularly good progress. Teachers use resources which are simple but very effective. For example, the discussion of a piece of shimmering fabric prompted enormous enthusiasm from pupils, who went on to write about this for an extended period and were delighted when they were given extra time to complete their poems. On this occasion all pupils made very good progress and were surprised and delighted by what they had achieved. Teachers offer very good support to pupils in developing their vocabulary and in using it confidently. The time given by teachers for discussion at the end of lessons is adequate for the purpose, allowing them to explore with pupils the

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ENGLISH

progress which they have made and to identify areas for further work. Teachers make good use of marking to offer advice to pupils about what they need to do to improve and some of this advice is transferred regularly to pupils’ target cards, so that all pupils are very clear about their own progress. The good quality of teaching reported at the time of the previous inspection has been maintained.

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ENGLISH

99. The leadership and management of the subject are good. Priorities for development have been clearly identified and strategies put in place to meet these. The improvement of attainment in writing has been achieved by the provision and appropriate use of considerable additional time for the teaching of English, in particular writing. In Year 6 this has taken the form of ‘booster’ classes for those identified as needing these. At the same time the gap in attainment between girls and boys has been narrowed by the selection of texts and writing tasks which will be equally appealing to both sexes and some good examples of this have been seen. Procedures for the assessment of the attainment of pupils are good, are consistently used and are shared with Dorchester Primary School - 37 pupils in the form of their target cards. There is good provision for the monitoring and support of the teaching of English on a regular basis, including formal observation of lessons as well as the

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ENGLISH

monitoring of planning and pupils’ work. Good use is made of information and communication technology, especially for the support of pupils with special educational needs.

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MATHEMATICS

Strengths • Standards by the end of Year 6 are above average. • Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is good, leading to good progress by pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

Areas for development • The increased use of the introductory part of lessons to improve pupils’ oral and mental mathematical abilities. • The use of information and communication technology to enhance pupils’ learning. 100. Test results for Year 2 pupils in 2001 were above the national average for all schools, and they were also above average when compared with similar schools. Year 6 test results were in line with the national average for all schools as well as for similar schools. Test results in the school do not show a clear trend over time. However, Year 2 results have at least remained above the national average since 1998. Results in Year 6 show a decline in standards from 1997 to 1999, followed by a sharp rise in 2000 and then a sharp fall in 2001. According to the school, the main reason for the variations in results has been the relative strength or weakness of particular cohorts of pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

101. The evidence from the inspection shows that Year 2 pupils achieve standards which are in line with those expected from pupils of their age. These standards are not as good as those indicated by last year’s national test results. The main reason for this is that standards in one Year 2 class are much lower than those in the other class, which has depressed standards for the whole year group. This has happened as a result of a lack of continuity in learning, with pupils in this class having been taught by three teachers this year because of staffing difficulties.

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MATHEMATICS

102. Year 6 pupils achieve standards which are above those expected from pupils of their age. These standards are higher than the test results last year. The reason for this is that the quality of teaching in Year 6 is very good currently. Compared to the last inspection, standards are now lower in Year 2, but there is no change in them in Year 6. Achievement is satisfactory among the infants, but good among the juniors. There are no significant differences in the standards achieved by pupils in relation to gender and ethnicity. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

103. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2. In Year 1, most of them can count to 100, and add and subtract numbers to 10. The higher and the average attainers begin to break down two-digit numbers into 10s and units to carry out addition and subtraction. By Year 2, pupils can read, write and count numbers to 100, and some beyond. They use various signs such as plus, minus, and equals to record different operations in number sentences. They extend simple number sequences, for example by counting on in twos, fours and fives, and begin to understand that multiplication is repeated addition. The higher attainers recognise that the addition is the inverse of subtraction. Pupils’ mental mathematics and multiplication tables are comparatively less secure because during oral mental work, they do get sufficient opportunities to recall number facts rapidly. Most pupils know the names and properties of common two-dimensional shapes.

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MATHEMATICS

They solve simple problems involving money, and are beginning to make appropriate use of mathematical language when discussing their work. In both Years 1 and 2, pupils gather information and communicate their findings in block graphs. Dorchester Primary School - 38 104. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Year 3. However, from Years 4 onwards, they begin to make better progress so that by the time they are in Year 5, their progress is good, and it remains good in Year 6. This is as a result of consistently good, and sometimes excellent teaching, in Years 5 and 6. By Year 6, the numeracy skills of most of pupils together with their mental calculation and rapid recall, are good. However, the lower attainers, who form a small proportion of pupils, produce work at a level below that expected of pupils of their age. The higher and average attainers have a good understanding of place value which they use to multiply, divide,

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MATHEMATICS

add and subtract numbers. They add and subtract numbers with three or four digits, and sometimes those involving decimals. Many pupils can carry out long division correctly to divide two-digit numbers by those with one digit. Pupils’ understanding of fractions, decimals and percentages is developing well. For example, during the inspection, most pupils in Year 6 showed good understanding of calculating the proportion of a number in terms of equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages. Pupils have satisfactory understanding of ‘shape, space and measures’. They draw angles of different sizes, and are able to find the perimeter and area of simple shapes. Pupils have carried out a range of work on ‘data handling’, including the construction and interpreting of line graphs. Their knowledge of ‘using and applying’ mathematics is sound, and they show confidence in explaining how they solve problems. However, the school

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MATHEMATICS

recognises the need to develop this aspect of mathematics further.

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MATHEMATICS

105. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and frequently better. Where teaching is good or better, teachers’ instructions and explanations are very clear, and questions are used effectively to check and extend pupils’ learning. Expectations are high, and lessons proceed at a good pace. Through enthusiastic teaching and the use of a good range of practical activities, teachers are able to engage pupils’ interest so that they are focused and learn well. Pupils are prepared well for independent work, with tasks being matched well to their stage of learning. Teachers are particularly good at including all pupils in the lessons. This helps to maintain pupils’ interest and involvement in their work, as a result of which they make good progress. In the one excellent lesson with the lower ability Year 5 set, questions were used very effectively to include all pupils, including those with special educational needs, pace was very good, and pupils were

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MATHEMATICS

praised, encouraged and challenged throughout the lesson. This helped them to make excellent progress in reading the time on a 24 hour clock and calculate the difference between two different points of time. During the inspection only a small number of lessons had weaknesses in teaching. This occurs when lessons lack pace and enthusiasm, teachers have difficulty in sustaining pupils’ interest, and planning does not take into account the needs of all pupils. Sometimes the introductory part of lessons is not used well to prepare pupils for independent work later in the lesson. As a result, the pace of pupils’ work slowed down, and in some cases they either got stuck or started making mistakes in their work.

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MATHEMATICS

106. The school has implemented the National Numeracy Strategy successfully, which most teachers apply with confidence. All teachers follow the three-part lesson structure, although the review part of the lesson is not always used effectively to bring the lesson together. Planning is always at least good. Teachers’ explanations and instructions are generally very clear, and they make appropriate use of questions to engage pupils in learning. There are good opportunities for pupils to explain and demonstrate their methods on the board. Teachers have overall a good knowledge of the subject, and they manage pupils well. Pupils’ work is marked regularly although marking does not often inform pupils how to improve their work. The provision for homework to help pupils to consolidate their understanding of mathematics is satisfactory. Although a very good example of Year 5 pupils showing the effect of pollutants and fertilizers on germination on a line graph was

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MATHEMATICS

seen in science, other subjects make insufficient contribution to mathematics. Very little use of information and communication technology to support mathematics was seen during the inspection week.

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MATHEMATICS

107. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant. The school’s framework for teaching mathematics supports teachers in carrying out planning which provides a clear structure for continuity and progression. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. However, assessment information is not currently used to establish individual target for pupils that can help teachers to keep track of pupils’ progress. Resources are good, and they are used well. The management of the subject is satisfactory, with the newly appointed co- Dorchester Primary School - 39 ordinator having a clear understanding of her role. She has a good action plan which is likely to help her to adopt a more rigorous approach to the identification of the strengths and weakness in the subject to inform areas of development in the future. The key issue identified in last inspection regarding the development of ‘use and application of mathematics’ has been addressed

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MATHEMATICS

satisfactorily although the school recognises the need to develop this area further. Standards at the end of Year 6 have been maintained since the last inspection. However, they have declined by the end of Year 2. In order to improve standards, the school should ensure that the action plan prepared by the coordinator is implemented effectively. There is also a need to ensure that all teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to improve their mental mathematics.

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SCIENCE

Strengths • Attainment by the end of Year 6 is above average. • Teaching is good, resulting in good progress by pupils. Dorchester Primary School - 40 Areas for development • Opportunities for pupils to undertake scientific investigations and record their findings, especially in Years 3 to 6. • Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress. • The use of information and communication technology to enhance pupils’ learning.

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SCIENCE

108. Standards in science by the end of Year 2 are in line with those expected for pupils’ ages, with some pupils attaining at higher levels. At the end of Year 6 pupils are achieving standards which are above national expectations. This broadly reflects the position at the previous inspection, although the school has had significant issues with staffing recently which has had some impact on standards at the end of Year 2. The quality of science teaching throughout the school is good and pupils make good progress in their learning, including those with special educational needs.

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SCIENCE

109. Pupils enter the school with standards of attainment in line with national expectations. They make appropriate progress in Year 1, developing their general knowledge and range of scientific experiences and attain standards which are close to the national average. In a Year 1 lesson on growing plants, pupils were required to name parts of a plant and later to hypothesise about what might happen to their bean plants which were growing in their teacher’s cupboard, in the dark. A good number of pupils were able to recall their prior learning when naming the parts of a plant but only the highest attaining pupils were able to illustrate what their plants might look like when they have germinated, and why, in spite of having studied this before. Standards in Year 2 are better and are generally in line with the level expected, with several pupils attaining higher levels, although this is not yet consistent between the two parallel classes. Pupils’ knowledge and

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SCIENCE

understanding of how plants grow are developing well; for example, most pupils know that plants require water and light in order to germinate and that without these plants will not grow.

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SCIENCE

110. Experimental and investigative work is less well developed, although pupils in some classes have good opportunities to carry out simple experiments and investigations. In these lessons, most pupils work collaboratively and use their well developed speaking skills to articulate their ideas clearly. Pupils’ developing literacy skills enables them to record their work accurately; however, opportunities for recording work in their science books are not always used fully and many pupils’ books do not reflect either the amount of work done, the progress made or the standards pupils are achieving. Worksheets are over used and this is preventing pupils from developing their scientific writing skills further.

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SCIENCE

111. Progress is effectively maintained in Years 3 to 6 and this, along with pupils’ increasingly well developed literacy skills, is contributing to standards that are above average by the end of Year 6. Standards in experimental and investigative science are higher than in earlier years. Pupils have more opportunities to carry out investigations and some of these are challenging the most able pupils well. Higher attaining pupils would be further challenged by increased opportunities to pose problems and devise investigations to solve them and enable them to achieve in line with their ability.

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SCIENCE

112. The investigative work, as pupils progress through the school, results in valuable opportunities to practise mathematical skills by careful measurement and displaying findings through graphs and charts, such as pupils in Year 6 who made good use of line graphs in their experiment on predicting what happens during evaporation. Similarly, literacy skills are effectively used by pupils having the opportunity to write reports on their experiments and investigations. Pupils are being encouraged to think scientifically and language skills are being promoted well through discussions, collaborative activities and the use of scientific vocabulary. Teachers introduce this appropriately and pupils take pleasure in being able to think scientifically and use correct terminology to describe what they are doing. By the time they leave the school, pupils fully understand the principles of ‘fair testing’ and the importance of accurate recording.

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SCIENCE

113. Standards in other areas of science, which are dependent on knowledge, exceed those expected nationally. Teachers are extending pupils’ experiences and general knowledge well and this is supporting their progress in science; for example, in a Year 5 lesson the teacher talked to pupils Dorchester Primary School - 41 about the relevant axes in graphs and pupils used scientific terminology appropriately to describe how fertilisers can both enhance and restrict growth depending on how much and how often it is applied. Pupils in Year 6 know that materials can be changed and that some changes are reversible, whilst others are not and higher attaining pupils understand how to find out which material is the most effective insulator and make very good use of hypothesising.

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SCIENCE

114. Pupils’ knowledge of physical processes is developing well. Pupils in Year 6 show a sound understanding of forces, such as gravity, and are beginning to apply their knowledge and understanding to make sensible predictions. They understand that objects may be subject to more than one force at a time and are able to make generalisations and predictions based on their scientific knowledge and understanding.

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SCIENCE

115. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported in class through appropriately differentiated planning and the use of additional adult support where this is required, either through a statement of special educational need or as a result of an individual education plan.

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SCIENCE

116. The quality of teaching is good and pupils learn well as a result of this. However, there are inconsistencies and not all lessons reach the same high standard; two science lessons seen were unsatisfactory and poor. Most teachers have good subject knowledge but the style, and sometimes the quality, of their planning is variable. All teachers cater well for lower attaining pupils but some do not plan to ensure that the most able pupils are properly challenged. Teaching is usually well focused on what pupils should learn from each lesson and activities planned accordingly. Most teachers are making good use of the scheme of work and consequently pupils’ knowledge and understanding are being developed systematically. However, some teachers are not taking full account of the scheme of work and this is resulting in some inconsistencies in the curriculum. For example, there is unnecessary and inappropriate repeating

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SCIENCE

of a topic already covered in an earlier year, rather than recalling pupils’ prior learning and building on this to extend their learning. Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are not developed sufficiently well.

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SCIENCE

117. Teachers are conscious of the need to develop pupils’ vocabulary, both general and scientific and good examples of are evident in most lessons. There is less awareness of the opportunities to develop information and communication technology skills through science and this element of the curriculum is currently under developed. All lessons except two, contained good direct teaching of scientific facts and the most successful included opportunities for pupils to undertake some investigative work. Teachers use questioning techniques skilfully to probe and deepen pupils’ understanding and some, but not all, use demonstration mixed with clear exposition very effectively. Resources are generally used well. In two lessons seen the pace of the teaching was excellent and significant ground was covered. In other lessons, pace was poor as a result of insufficient subject knowledge, lack of confidence in teaching and poorly developed classroom

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SCIENCE

management strategies. As a consequence, pupils did not make appropriate progress in their learning. Teachers’ ongoing assessment in lessons is often effective and misconceptions are quickly clarified, however, the quality of marking is less well developed; areas for pupils’ development are not clearly identified and guidance on how they can improve is lacking. There was no evidence during the inspection of homework being used or referred to.

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SCIENCE

118. The leadership and management of science are satisfactory. An existing member of staff has recently taken over the role. She has appropriate expertise and has a clear vision of priorities requiring development. Procedures for assessing pupils’ progress and attainment in science are already being developed, with implementation planned for the autumn term. The school is aware that there are inconsistencies in the science curriculum, including the lack of science teaching in Year 6 for the whole of the summer term, which require attention. There are plans to revise and customise the scheme of work so that appropriate progression and continuity are ensured, in line with school priorities.

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SCIENCE

119. There has been some monitoring of teachers’ plans, but monitoring of teaching and learning has been limited as a result of emphasis on the development of literacy and numeracy. A planned programme of monitoring lessons needs to be undertaken as part of the co-ordinator’s new action Dorchester Primary School - 42 plan so that all staff clearly know what good teaching looks like and current weaknesses in teaching are appropriately addressed. Resources for science are good and are well used by teachers.

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ART AND DESIGN

Provision in art and design is unsatisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

Areas for development • Attainment in art is below the national expectation at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • The teaching of art is unsatisfactory and teachers have low expectations of pupils. • There is no monitoring and support of teaching in the subject. • There is no system for the assessment of attainment and progress in the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

120. Attainment in art at the end of Year 2 is below the national expectation for pupils of this age. Pupils undertake an appropriate range of activities in variety of media, including work in clay, but in general their skills are underdeveloped and their work shows insufficient imagination or creativity. Although there is evidence that pupils understand the basic skills used in colour mixing and understand the difference between primary and secondary colours, their finished work and work in progress is frequently carried out using colour media that cannot be mixed or blended, for example felt tips. When they do use paint, they frequently use ready mixed colours and do not attempt any subtle shade or tone. For example, a wall display of paintings of pupils’ faces, although lively and attractive, shows many faces with skin of an identical colour. Pupils’ weaving is neatly carried out but is far too simple for Year 2 pupils since they use wool of only

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ART AND DESIGN

one thickness and do not mingle any other material or texture into their woven pieces. Paintings of Florence Nightingale were carried out in a lively manner and showed clearly that they understood the type of clothing that might be worn by a nurse in Victorian England. Pupils do not use their sketchbooks appropriately. They are not used sufficiently for planning or experimentation and frequently they are used for little more than scribbling, with little pride in presentation.

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ART AND DESIGN

121. At the end of Year 6, attainment in art is below the national expectation for pupils of this age. Pupils’ drawing and application of colour are immature and insufficiently developed. The use of paint is rather limited and colour is frequently applied with crayon which cannot be mixed. Pupils’ sense of colour and the way it can be used to create mood and atmosphere is undeveloped. They do not consistently use proper sketching pencils for their drawing and the hard pencils which they use do not permit them to use shading effectively. Pupils do not use the same sense of creativity and willingness to experiment which they display in other subjects and are content to copy the examples provided by their teachers. For example, “punk rocker” heads using paper clips and spiked hair were all identical and showed no originality. When pupils use pattern, this frequently takes the form of colouring-in printed outlines and becomes a routine activity.

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ART AND DESIGN

Sketchbooks are not used appropriately or regularly. They contain insufficient planning and experimentation and work in these books is frequently carried out carelessly and with insufficient attention to detail. There is very little evidence of the evaluation of pupils’ plans by teachers or by the pupils themselves. In discussion, pupils have little knowledge of the work of well-known artists and the styles for which they are famous. There is little evidence of pupils using the styles and techniques of famous artists as source of inspiration to enhance their own work.

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ART AND DESIGN

122. Achievement in art throughout the school is unsatisfactory. Pupils do not develop an appropriate range of skills and techniques and do not work in a sufficiently wide range of media. Their skills remain immature and undeveloped and they do not gain the confidence to use their creativity and imagination.

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ART AND DESIGN

123. The teaching of art is unsatisfactory throughout the school. Teachers’ expectations of what their pupils are able to achieve are too low and pupils are not encouraged to review their work or reflect on how they could improve it. Teachers do not, in general, introduce pupils to more demanding Dorchester Primary School - 43 media as they progress through the school and as a result, pupils remain, for example, relatively inexperienced in paint and the use of colour throughout their time in the school. There is very little comment by teachers in the sketchbooks and little advice on how to improve. Neither is there any comment on the careless and untidy way in which many pupils use these books. While many of the activities which take place in art are clearly enjoyable, for example the production of the Golden Jubilee displays, they lack rigour. Art lacks status in the eyes of pupils, who tend to regard it as a relaxation and have no clear recollection of the work they have done in

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ART AND DESIGN

art. This represents a considerable decline in the quality of the teaching of art since the previous inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

124. The leadership and management of art are unsatisfactory. The very recently appointed co- ordinator of the subject has correctly identified some areas for improvement, for example the need to raise pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the work of well-known artists, but has had insufficient time to take action. The scheme of work is one produced by a national educational organisation, but it is unclear if this is adhered to. There has been no monitoring of the teaching in art in recent months. The system whereby art is taught alternately with design technology in half term blocks does not promote the steady and progressive development of knowledge and skills and it is possible for pupils to do no art for several months. There is no formal structure for the assessment and recording of attainment in art and there is thus no way to monitor if pupils are making sufficient progress or are attaining the national expectations for art. Art makes little

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ART AND DESIGN

contribution to the spiritual or cultural development of pupils. The previous inspection report commented on the fact that pupils had no knowledge of the work of non-European artists, although pupils knew about the work of a wide range of artists from Europe. There has been a decline in this situation, in that pupils now have only a very limited knowledge of the work of European artists.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Provision for design and technology is unsatisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Strengths • Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are good.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Areas for development • Standards by the end of Year 6 are below those expected. • Opportunities for pupils’ to undertake the planning and evaluative aspects of design and technology. • Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress. • The use of information and communication technology to enhance pupils’ learning. • The leadership and management of the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

125. By the end of Year 2, standards are in line with those expected. Examples of good work are seen in Year 1. Pupils in Year 1 can plan and make ‘Peepo’ models and they are able to carry out a simple evaluation. In food technology, most pupils can describe the taste and texture of fruit and vegetables and express a preference. They also carry out experiments to find the best method of joining materials by making hinged doors from paper and express their views on the best outcome. Year 2 pupils consider taste, texture and combinations of ingredients when planning what they would put in a ‘healthy sandwich’. They taste and evaluate different types of bread that may be used. They are able to plan and make a model of a room or garden using a cardboard box. However, many of these activities are not always planned in sufficient detail or adequately evaluated.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

126. By the end of Year 6, standards are below those expected for pupils’ ages. This is because detailed planning and evaluation are insufficiently developed to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum Programme of Study. The standards achieved by pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not maintained, progress slows and acquired skills are lost. During the inspection evidence that Dorchester Primary School - 44 satisfactory work on pneumatic systems had recently taken place in Year 3 could clearly be seen and, in Year 6, work of an appropriate standard in designing and making slippers had begun. Previous work in books of most Year 3 to 6 pupils, however, showed inadequate attention to planning and evaluation and drawings of poor quality, much of it unmarked by teachers. Despite a recent attempt to address some of the shortcomings in the subject through a special design and technology day, standards of much of the work on display from pupils in Years 3 to 6 is below

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

127. During the inspection, the standard of teaching in design and technology was satisfactory. In some lessons pupils are given good opportunities to make choices and express opinions. However, there are not enough of these opportunities in Years 3 to 6. Teachers expect high standards of work from pupils and lessons are well structured, promoting the skills of literacy and numeracy well. Where teaching is less good pupils have reduced opportunity to make decisions for themselves and the quality of planning and evaluation is given a lower profile. Pupils are well motivated and behaviour is good. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs are well supported and enjoy the practical nature of the subject. All pupils clearly enjoy the opportunity to work collaboratively. One Year 6 pupil said that it is more fun to work with others ‘because if we get stuck someone always comes up with an idea’. Pupils in Year 5 showed the

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

marble runs they had created with great enthusiasm.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

128. There is currently no permanent co-ordinator for the subject. Staffing difficulties and other issues have left insufficient time for monitoring teaching, although planning has been monitored. An audit of the effectiveness of the school’s adopted scheme of work has been undertaken and areas for adjustment have been identified. Further subject development and review have been scheduled for the autumn term and training needs for new staff have also been identified. However, arrangements to assess the attainment and progress made by pupils and to enhance pupils’ learning by using information and communication technology are unsatisfactory. The subject is adequately resourced in accordance with requests from teachers, normally through a budget allocation bid from the co-ordinator. The school is aware of the need to raise standards in the subject by building on the good practice seen in Years 1 and 2 and to further develop the use of

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GEOGRAPHY

Provision for geography is satisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

Strengths • Pupils show good attitudes to their learning. • Good development of pupils’ mapping skills and their skills of geographical enquiry.

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GEOGRAPHY

Areas for development • Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress. • Limited opportunities for pupils to record the findings of their geographical research. • The quality of teachers’ marking.

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GEOGRAPHY

129. Standards in geography by the end of Years 2 and 6 are in line with national expectations. There is also evidence of a good standard of work in Year 1 and Year 3, in pupils’ books. In these classes a good range of activities, including independent and investigative work is seen.

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GEOGRAPHY

130. Progress is satisfactory overall and in some year groups it is good. Pupils in Year 1 make particularly good progress and are developing good basic mapping and independent enquiry skills. These basic skills are built upon further in Year 3. However, this trend is not consistently maintained and developed throughout the school.

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GEOGRAPHY

131. Pupils in Year 1 draw maps and express opinions about the environment satisfactorily. They use a roamer to plan a route for ‘Rosie’. This is well linked with their work in information and Dorchester Primary School - 45 communication technology and in literacy. By the end of Year 6 pupils compare physical and human features and draw maps of their local area accurately. They have satisfactory knowledge about the use of natural resources, such as water. They know the purposes of maps and use symbols correctly to represent features on the maps they make. Some of the work in pupils’ books is unsatisfactory and is not sufficiently challenging for higher attaining pupils. Where this is the case, there is limited evidence of pupils undertaking independent work or conducting their own research.

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GEOGRAPHY

132. Year 3 pupils have a good understanding of the use of maps and are able to locate amenities in Worcester Park. They are able to say why this is more useful than a map of southern England or even Surrey. Year 5 pupils can name several mountain ranges and are able to explain how climate affects the lives of people who live in a mountain region. By the end of Year 6, pupils can recognise physical and human processes. They have knowledge and understanding of a range of places and environments. Opportunities for older Year 5 and 6 pupils to pose questions and carry out their own investigation and research are limited. Pupils do not record much of the work undertaken and discussed orally.

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GEOGRAPHY

133. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and teachers show sound knowledge of the subject. Pupils have a good attitude to learning and they are able and enthusiastic. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good. It is clear that teachers are beginning to make more use of new technology to enhance teaching and extend learning. Appropriate use is made of an overhead projector to explain worksheets and pupils explain clearly how they use the Internet for research. The analysis of pupils’ books shows insufficient work is recorded by older pupils. Pupils in Year 6 are given good opportunities to extend their learning in literacy through discussion of the effects of environmental change. When pupils do this, they speak and listen well. Some good marking for assessment purposes is seen in the books of Year 5 pupils, but this is the not uniformly carried out across the school. Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are

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GEOGRAPHY

134. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The geography curriculum is at present under review and the co-ordinator is planning to work with a local beacon school to revise the scheme of work. This is intended to include more systematic monitoring and assessment. The subject is well resourced and the recently opened computer suite offers good opportunities to more fully develop the use of information and communication technology. The co-ordinator is aware that there is a need to ensure that older pupils record their work in a more formal and systematic way and that the same high expectation of quality found in core subjects is extended to written work in geography.

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HISTORY

Strengths • Teachers’ provision and use of resources promote pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. • Teachers make good use of discussion to promote learning. • There is a good programme of visits to places of historical interest.

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HISTORY

Areas for development • The regular recording by pupils of their knowledge and understanding in written and other forms. • The provision of tasks which promote the progress of higher attaining pupils. • The introduction of a structured system to assess and record pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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HISTORY

135. At the end of Year 2, attainment in history is broadly in line with national expectations. Pupils show understanding in their written work of the concept of the passage of time and that events Dorchester Primary School - 46 have taken place in both the recent and the more distant past. They can relate the passage of time to their own lives and that of their families. They understand that artefacts and other sources of historical evidence have characteristics which are typical of the time at which they were produced and use these characteristics to help them decide when they might have originated. For example, pupils understand that different means of lighting were used at different periods of history. Many pupils can also explain how things change over time and why there are many differences between the past and the present, drawing on their knowledge of lighting at different periods in history to explain that people had to use gas light until the discovery of electricity.

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HISTORY

Pupils have satisfactory knowledge and understanding of some events and personalities from the past and can write about these, beginning to use dates to clarify their chronology. They record their knowledge and understanding using a range of methods including writing, diagrams and drawings. Pupils have also done portraits of Florence Nightingale which clearly depict her role as a nurse and the fact that her clothing was very different from that of a present day nurse’s uniform.

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HISTORY

136. At the end of Year 6, attainment is in line with national expectations, although pupils do not use their generally high standards of literacy to include as much depth or detail in their writing as they should. Pupils understand how to interpret historical source material. For example, pupils looking at old photographs of their own locality looked at such features as styles of dress and transport in order to decide when and in what order they were probably taken. They write about history from the point of view of people who were alive at the time although all pupils, particularly those with higher attainment, fail to include sufficient historical detail. For example, pupils writing a letter from a World War 2 evacuee did not back up their personal reflections on the plight of evacuees with enough of the historical detail which was available to them. Pupils understand that situations and events in history have both causes and effects and can answer the questions of “how?” and

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HISTORY

“why?”, explaining, for example, why Henry VIII married six times. All pupils can distinguish between fact and opinion.

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HISTORY

137. By the end of Year 2 pupils’ achievement of in history is satisfactory. They acquire both historical knowledge and the skills which are necessary to make simple interpretations of these. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ achievement remains satisfactory overall, although higher attaining pupils do not make as much progress as they might. This is especially the case in the key historical skill of the recording of historical knowledge and understanding in both extended writing and note form.

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HISTORY

138. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers plan their lessons in appropriate detail and have clear objectives for what they expect pupils to learn. They put thought and initiative into the resources they provide in order to stimulate pupils’ interest and pupils respond to these with enthusiasm and sustained concentration. For example, a set of “then and now” photographs from their own locality which pupils matched by identifying changes and similarities prompted great interest. Pupils worked hard on the task, making progress in this key area. Teachers make appropriate use of both questioning and discussion in order to encourage pupils to think hard and draw their own conclusions. Pupils participate in discussions with great enthusiasm and make better progress in this than they do in written tasks. The marking of history is regular and recognises the work which pupils have put into completing their tasks, although it does not give

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HISTORY

sufficient advice on what pupils should do to improve. When teachers plan work which meets the needs of pupils across the attainment range, all pupils make at least satisfactory progress, but this does not happen frequently enough. Often one task is set for the whole class and this means that it is too difficult for some and not sufficiently challenging for others. For example, higher attaining pupils who coloured in and added slogans to an illustration provided by the teacher were working well below the level of which they were capable and on this occasion made little progress. Teachers’ expectations of higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently high and some of the written work of these pupils falls well below the level of which they are capable.

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HISTORY

139. The leadership and management of history are satisfactory. The scheme of work is based on that produced by a national educational organisation and has been reviewed by the whole staff. Although history is taught to every class each week, which promotes continuity in the acquisition of most key skills, some topics are allowed to extend over a protracted period of time which, however relevant and interesting the topic, is too long and leads to lack of pace. The area of recording and organising knowledge and understanding is sometimes ignored for a number of Dorchester Primary School - 47 weeks and pupils do not make the progress in this of which they are capable, especially considering the good literacy skills of most pupils. There are no formal procedures for the assessment and recording of pupils’ attainment in history. Thus there is no way of formally tracing pupils’ progress in history. There is a good programme of visits to places of historical

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HISTORY

interest which is well matched to the age and experience of the pupils. Satisfactory use is made of information and communication technology by both teachers and pupils in researching from the Internet.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for information and communication technology is satisfactory.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Strengths • Teaching is good and pupils make good progress. • Pupils are developing good keyboard skills. • Pupils show good attitudes to their learning and are well motivated. • There is very good support for pupils with special educational needs. • Teachers use the recently opened computer suite well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Areas for development • The provision is not used sufficiently to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. • More challenge is needed to develop the advanced skills of higher attaining pupils, especially in Years 3 to 6. • Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

140. Standards are in line with national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. This is similar picture to that found at the time of the last inspection. In Year 1 the basic skills of some pupils exceeds the levels expected for their ages. Development has been hampered by numerous staff changes and the update of equipment and new facilities. Progress of pupils has been patchy because teachers and pupils have only recently been able to access the new computer suite. They are now making good progress, although because of staff changes, some teachers are still awaiting training from the New Opportunities Fund.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

141. Progress of lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs is good because of the support they receive and the good use of adapted equipment, such as tracker boards and laptops. This provision makes a very good contribution to the learning and inclusion of Down's syndrome pupils in the subject and is used well to support the learning of these pupils in other subjects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

142. Pupils in Year 1 are developing good practice in basic keyboard skills. They can locate the home keys on the computer keyboard and use the correct fingers for typing. They use the spacebar and enter key with confidence and most can locate and use the backspace and delete keys. They are able to give commands to programmable toys such as Roamer. By the end of Year 2 most pupils can search a text and select and use key words to search for information on a CD-Rom. They can enter, save and retrieve work and use computers and technology to communicate a range of ideas.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

143. At the end of Year 6 most pupils can find websites, bookmark files and use a complex search to locate information. Pupils in Year 6 can explain how to enter control procedures and use the Powerpoint program to present their work. They send and receive e-mails and use spreadsheets to display data in appropriate ways. Opportunities for higher attaining pupils to develop advanced skills are underdeveloped. Dorchester Primary School - 48 144. Pupils have a good attitude to learning and are able and well motivated. They have a lively interest in the subject and are particularly enthusiastic about the new computer suite. Pupils participate eagerly in opportunities to use computers at lunchtime and before the morning start of school. There are good opportunities for lower attaining pupils to develop their basic word processing skills. This is helping to improve their spelling.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

145. Teaching is good. Teachers use information and communication technology well to support the developing literacy skills of pupils with special educational needs. Information and communication technology links with other subjects however not always fully explored. In some lessons there is insufficient use of classroom computers, many of which require upgrading to better support learning. In the computer suite where teaching is good lessons are well planned, briskly paced and teachers are confident in their subject knowledge. Basic skills are soundly taught and health and safety principles are successfully encouraged. Pupils explain their work and share their findings with peers well, often showing good understanding of the learning that has taken place. 146. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and is working effectively to develop the subject and further her own knowledge. She has only

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

recently been employed full time but has attended numerous training conferences and taught herself many new skills including web building. The school’s website as been commended in the local media and provides helpful and informative information for parents and for pupils about the school’s activities. The co-ordinator has implemented several major curriculum changes and has sent schemes of work to teachers in electronic form to help develop this aspect of their working. She feels that her subject has considerable potential for development due to the abilities of the pupils, good parental support and access, for many pupils, to computer equipment at home. The school’s adopted scheme of work has already been adjusted to reflect the more advanced nature of pupils’ pre-school experiences by moving some of the tasks into the Foundation Stage curriculum. Other activities have been rescheduled in order to ensure more consistent progression

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

without diminishing opportunities for extending learning by the end of Year 6. The subject is well resourced, however, many staff have not yet received training in the use of some of the new equipment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

147. Arrangements to assess pupil’ attainment and progress are underdeveloped. Work has recently started, in liaison with a local beacon school, focussing on the use of nationally recommended assessment tasks and the development of an ‘on line’ portfolio to assist the accurate assessment of pupils’ work.

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MUSIC

Strengths • Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 exceed those expected for pupils ages. • Teaching is good and pupils make good progress. • The quality of singing in assemblies is good. • Extra-curricular provision is good and enhances pupils’ learning well, especially the choir.

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MUSIC

Areas for development • More opportunities are needed for the co-ordinator to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning by watching lessons.

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MUSIC

148. By the end of Years 2 and 6 standards exceed those expected for pupils’ ages. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well and make good progress. This is because they are included well in all aspects of provision made for the subject and the quality of teaching and learning is good. Dorchester Primary School - 49 149. At the time of the last inspection, standards in music exceeded those expected for pupils’ ages. This is similar picture to that found at the present time. Consequently, improvement since that time is satisfactory.

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MUSIC

150. During lessons pupils in Years 1 and 2 sing and use percussion instruments with great enthusiasm. For example, they compose music to represent different types of weather by combining their voices with a selection of instruments. They do this skilfully and are able to guess successfully the weather types represented by each others music.

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MUSIC

151. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 respond well to their teachers’ questions. These are used successfully to extend pupils’ understanding of the subject. Teachers often ask pupils how they think they can improve. Pupils speak confidently and express clearly how the music they create and hear makes them feel. They use musical terminology, such as presentation, tempo and dynamics correctly. During the inspection pupils in Year 3 composed music to accompany the words of well known ‘tongue twisters’, using instruments such as glockenspiels, xylophones and drums very well. When they did this they were carried along by the enthusiasm and very good subject knowledge of their teacher. Levels of co-operation, in groups and in discussions, showed how well pupils understood their learning in music, were very good. In many lessons, pupils in Years 3 to 6 write down their compositions, using correct musical notation and naming the notes they have written

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MUSIC

152. Singing in assemblies for Years 1 to 6 is good. During the inspection the focus for assemblies was religious music. Pupils responded very well to this. When they sing at these times pupils are supported very well by the subject co-ordinator who plays the piano. The school also has a very successful choir, made up of pupils from Years 3 to 6, and led very effectively by the subject co- ordinator and a colleague. Pupils who attend the choir attain high standards, singing with clear diction and appropriate volume. They are frequent contributors at musical events in the area. For example, they sing at the annual Sutton Schools’ Music Festival and regularly make a significant contribution to school productions, such as ‘Alice’. Peripatetic musicians contribute well to the quality of provision and the good standards. A significant number of pupils benefit from this provision, which includes teaching for piano, keyboard and guitar.

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MUSIC

153. The use of information and communication technology to enhance pupils’ learning is satisfactory. Pupils often record their performances and use these well to evaluate the quality of their work. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. An area for improvement at the time of the last inspection was to develop pupils’ cultural education through music. The school now does this well.

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MUSIC

154. The quality of leadership and management for the subject is good. The subject co-ordinator supports her colleagues well and has recently provided a very helpful scheme of work to guide their teaching. Discussions amongst teachers, and led by the co-ordinator, contribute well to maintaining high standards. However, there are too few opportunities for the co-ordinator to observe lessons at first hand in order to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning.

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MUSIC

155. Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory. Resources to support pupils learning are good. The subject leader works effectively to ensure these are maintained in good condition and are readily available for teachers and pupils to use. There is a dedicated room for teaching the subject. This also makes a positive contribution to the quality of provision.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision for physical education is good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Strengths • Standards, by the end of Year 6, exceed those expected for pupils ages. • Teaching is good and pupils make good progress. Dorchester Primary School - 50 • Extra-curricular provision is good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Areas for development • Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

156. Standards for physical education are in line with those expected at the end of Year 2. By the end of Year 6, standards exceed those expected for pupils’ ages with significant numbers of pupils attaining at higher levels in gymnastics. This does not fully reflect the position at the previous inspection; however, the curriculum is now much broader and the school has experienced significant issues with recruitment and this has impacted on some aspects of teaching. Teaching has now improved and is good overall and pupils make good progress in their learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

157. By the end of Year 2, most pupils attain levels that are good in gymnastics. They understand that exercise warms the body and affects the heart rate. Pupils have developed a sound understanding of space and can move around without bumping into others. There was good evidence of this during warm up sessions in the playground. They are learning different types of jumps such as the pin jump, star jump, tuck jump and twist jump and pupils work hard to improve their movements and can put together a sequence of movements well. Co-ordination skills are generally developing well although some pupils still have significant difficulty with this; for example, some pupils in a Year 2 lesson were struggling with arm and leg co-ordination in star jumps. There are good opportunities for creative dance in Years 1 and 2 and pupils make appropriate progress. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 do not have access to swimming lessons. Overall

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

there needs to be greater attention paid to developing pupils’ basic skills, particularly those which help pupils with their co-ordination.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

158. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ knowledge and understanding of physical activities are developing well and further good progress is made in gymnastics. In a Year 6 lesson pupils understood the need to bring all parts of the body into action during a warm up session. Discussions demonstrate that they have a good understanding of the benefits of exercise and the need for warming up at the beginning of exercise and cooling down afterwards. However, this is not supported by their poor levels of fitness and a significant number of pupils found jogging and exercise taxing. Problems with co-ordination still exist, for example, using alternative arms and legs when skipping or clapping under their legs whilst skipping. Many pupils are able to throw and catch a ball accurately, although hand, eye, ball co-ordination remains a difficulty for a significant number of pupils as observed in a Year 6 rounders’ game. Batting skills are developing and some pupils can

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

hit the ball very well. Opportunities for dance have been well used by most pupils and the current Year 6 boys have coped particularly well this year with ballroom dancing. Pupils in Years 3 and 6 have access to a ten week block of swimming. All but four pupils can now swim 25 metres. The school’s aim is for all pupils to achieve this by the end of Year 6. Pupils do not yet have sufficient opportunities to compete against other schools in team games. Overall the general fitness level of many pupils is preventing them from attaining at higher levels and the school needs to take full account of this, along with further developing basic skills, so that pupils’ awareness of fitness and health are properly addressed.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

159. The school offers a good range of extra-curricular activities throughout the year, mostly for pupils in Years 3 to 6. These are well attended and they certainly help to raise pupils’ attainment. For example, pupils demonstrated good throwing, catching and dodging skills during netball club which is run very effectively by a high school pupil, although there is no opportunity currently for pupils to engage in inter-school matches. Wimbledon football club works with pupils in years 5 and 6 both after school and during lessons. In a Year 6 lesson pupils demonstrated good dribbling, passing and shooting skills and showed good understanding of attack and defence tactics. Girls achieved as well as boys in this session. These pupils have access to an inter- school league and cup matches. An athletics club enables pupils to participate in the district sports and there is also a girls’ football club during the autumn and spring terms.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

160. Pupils’ learning is generally good. They clearly enjoy their lessons, work hard at improving their skills and make good progress. Poor attitudes were seen in only one lesson where the teacher’s classroom management skills were not sufficiently well developed to deal with inappropriate Dorchester Primary School - 51 behaviour. Pupils with special educational needs, including those with significant needs, are well supported in lessons and they make similar progress to other pupils. The school works hard to include all pupils and those with special educational needs have attended, with their peers, a residential trip to Hindhead where they had the opportunity to do abseiling, quad biking and orienteering. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ moral, social and personal development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

161. In the lessons observed, teaching was very good overall, with just one lesson unsatisfactory. Lessons are well planned with activities well matched to learning objectives and to pupils’ abilities. Teachers have satisfactory subject knowledge. They provide pupils with very clear instructions and maintain high expectations of performance and behaviour. Use of exemplars is very effective in helping pupils understand what is good about a particular performance and teachers also model movements or actions very well. Lessons proceed at a good pace and teachers give pupils helpful guidance on how to improve techniques or movements. Teachers develop pupils’ language well by emphasising appropriate vocabulary and by involving them in evaluation of their own and others’ performances. Particular attention is paid to health and safety. Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are unsatisfactory.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

162. Leadership of the subject is satisfactory, although there has been no substantive co-ordinator recently and this position is not now going to change for the autumn term. The interim co- ordinator is aware that subject has had a low profile during recent years, although she does attend co-ordinator meetings and has attended courses on dance and gymnastics. Resources are good and most old equipment has now been removed, except for the wall bars and ropes, which are no longer used. The co-ordinator is aware that the school needs to develop music for dance. The adventure trail is very good and is used during some lessons and occasionally at lunchtime, although supervision is an issue at lunchtime.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

163. The subject policy has been re written and the school has adopted nationally recommended guidelines. These are to be adapted to meet the needs of the school. The co-ordinator has been working in collaboration with the LEA and other co-ordinators to develop a new scheme of work which it is intended to adopt from September and trialled for a year. There has been no formal monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning in the subject, although the headteacher looks regularly at teachers’ planning and at teachers’ evaluations of their lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Provision for religious education is satisfactory.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Strengths • Pupils show good attitudes to their learning. • The subject is helping pupils to show positive attitudes towards those with other faiths and beliefs. • Good opportunities for discussion are promoting pupils’ speaking and listening abilities well. • Assemblies make a good contribution to pupils’ learning in the subject.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Areas for development • Arrangements to assess pupils’ attainment and progress. • Opportunities for pupils to record the findings from their research in the subject.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

164. Standards are similar to those at the time of the last inspection, with pupils in Years 2 and 6 meeting the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Achievement is satisfactory overall. There are no significant variations in standards achieved by pupils in relation to gender or ethnicity and those with special educational needs make good progress. The standards achieved by pupils learning English as a second language, none of whom are currently at an early stage of English, are similar to those of other pupils of their age. Dorchester Primary School - 52 165. Year 1 pupils’ previous work shows that they have covered a satisfactory range of work in religious education. In their current work on churches in Christianity, they make good use of terms such as steeple, cross, porch and stained-glass widow as was seen in a Year 1 lesson. By Year 2, pupils show a sound understanding of the work they have carried out in the past. For example,

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

most of them know the names of the holy books of the religions they have studied, and that they should be treated with respect. They also know that churches and synagogues are places of worship for Christians and Jews respectively. Pupils are able to talk about the major festivals in Christianity and Judaism, including how they are celebrated. They talk about God as: ‘Someone who made the whole world. He cares for people. He lives in heaven. He cannot be seen.’ In Years 3 to 6 pupils continue to develop their understanding and knowledge of different religions as well as developing respect for those other than their own. By Year 6, pupils show a clear understanding of the religions they have studied. They know the importance of religion and prayer in the lives of the believers, and how belief in God can help them. They talk about the importance of religious rules and laws to the believers in showing them the way they should lead their lives.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Pupils discuss the part played by religion in the lives of people like Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King who were inspired by their faith in their work. Pupils across the school are developing positive attitudes towards people whose religious beliefs and traditions may be different from their own.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

166. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers provide a balanced programme of religious education and they have a secure knowledge of the subject. Although pupils’ work is marked regularly, the quality of marking varies. There is currently no policy on the amount of written work pupils should produce across the school. For example, although the amount of written work produced by pupils in most classes is satisfactory, it is very limited in Years 5 and 6. The reason for this is that teaching of religious education in Years 5 and 6 is mainly discussion based. This type of teaching provides pupils with a sound understanding and knowledge of religious education as was seen in a discussion with a sample of Year 6 pupils. However, it is important that there are also opportunities for pupils to produce a sufficient amount of written work in the subject. Where teaching is good as was seen in a Year 4 lesson, planning is detailed and well structured.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

In this lesson, the teacher made good use of questions to challenge pupils’ thinking, and drew out of them their previous knowledge and built on it successfully. For example, she helped the pupils to relate ‘going to Hajj’ to previous work they had carried out on journeys in their class, and the Five Pillars of Islam in an assembly. This resulted in pupils taking part in a role play exercise with enthusiasm and understanding to experience what a Muslim does before and during Hajj.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

167. The religious education curriculum is broad and balanced, and meets the statutory requirements of the agreed syllabus. The management of the subject is satisfactory, with the newly appointed coordinator having a clear understanding of her role. She has a good action plan which is likely to help her to adopt a more rigorous approach to the identification of strengths and weakness in the subject to inform areas of development in the future. Currently the arrangements for assessment are underdeveloped. The quality and range of resources in religious education are satisfactory and they are used well overall. Teachers make good use of local resources, particularly places of worship, to enhance pupils’ understanding of different religions. The assemblies in the school also make a good contribution to the enrichment of the subject. Not enough use is made of information and communication technology to enhance pupils learning in the subject.

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