Anthony Bek Community Primary School

ANTHONY BEK COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th - 10 th July 2002

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ANTHONY BEK COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 249938 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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ANTHONY BEK COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Anthony Bek Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rotherham Road Pleasley Mansfield Nottinghamshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Pauline Bowmer

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 th - 8 th May 1998 Anthony Bek Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6752 J M Dickins Registered inspector Mathematics Religious education Provision for pupils with special educational needs Equality of opportunity Information about the school The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well the school is led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9039 B Eyre Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 12326 P Cameron Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology 2229 D Hansen Team inspector English Geography History Provision for pupils with English as an additional language 17686 L Spooner Team inspector Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage Music Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Anthony Bek Primary School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Power House Inspections Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close CHASETOWN Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Anthony Bek 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? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school draws most of its 193 pupils, 111 boys and 82 girls, from three nearby former colliery villages, New Houghton, Pleasley and Glapwell. Following the closure of the mines unemployment is significantly higher than the national average. Many of the former mining houses are now rented out to families from different parts of the country who tend to remain in the area for a relatively brief time. This contributes to the very high mobility of pupils at the school. The school also provides for 25 children who attend its nursery part-time. Children’s attainment on entry to school is below average. About 18 per cent of pupils are recorded as being eligible for free school meals, which is about average when compared to other primary schools. This however does not convey an accurate picture of the high level of unemployment and poverty in the community, which is above average. Some 30 per cent of pupils have special educational needs which is higher than average. Eight pupils have a

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

statement of special educational needs this is much higher than the national average. Six pupils have an Indian heritage background they speak and use English well. Anthony Bek is the base school for children living on nearby permanent sites for travellers and fairground families. Currently 27 of them are registered at the school although during the inspection 21 of them were away from the site travelling.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Anthony Bek is an improving school albeit at a slower rate than the headteacher, staff and governors had planned for. High staff mobility in particular has interfered with the planned programme of improvement. The learning environment is satisfactory overall but is not helped by the poor quality of buildings. The headteacher, supported by the deputy headteacher has built a united staff team well but many management policies are out of date. Standards in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT) are not high enough but by the age of eleven years but most pupils achieve as well as they can. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall but the school relies too much on pupils achieving well in their last years at the school. Pupils have good attitudes to school although their attendance is not good enough because too many families take holidays in term time. The inspection team judged that staffing is now more secure and with radical

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

improvements to the accommodation starting immediately the future looks bright. The school just provides satisfactory value for money but this is set to improve next year.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Helps pupils learn more rapidly in the later years at school as the result of good teaching; • promotes good attitudes and relationships which include everyone; • teachers work hard to provide interesting lessons which make pupils want to learn; most pupils said they tried hard because they wanted to please their teachers; • promotes the personal, social, spiritual, moral and cultural development of pupils well so that they are learning to grow up as responsible citizens; • has developed an active partnership with the local Education Action Zone which is widening the opportunities for pupils to learn. The ‘purposeful talk’ project is a great success.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards are not high enough in English, mathematics, science and ICT by the time pupils leave the school. • School managers, governors and staff do not know enough about how well teachers teach and pupils learn because they do not check what happens in lessons systematically enough. • The school does not work closely enough with parents to help raise standards and improve attendance. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Anthony Bek Primary School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made reasonable progress in tackling the issues raised by the 1998 inspection. Staff changes have hampered progress. Most of the issues flagged in the previous report, for example, completion of the special needs register and leadership and management have been addressed. However work to improve assessment is new and has not had enough time to raise standards. The school now has a series of sensible strategies in place to check how well pupils are doing. Teachers have begun to use this information to improve planning but have yet to monitor how well the arrangements are working. The school development plan is well conceived and the targets are the right ones to lead improvement forward at an appropriate pace. The school is working well in partnership with the local Education Action Zone and this is helping the school improve more rapidly. There is strong indication that the school has the capacity to press ahead with improvement and make

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: All schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English E* E E* E* well above average above average A B Mathematics E E* E E Average below average C D Science E E B C well below average E

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STANDARDS

Similar schools are those with 21-35 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals. This has been changed to reflect the family circumstances of pupils more accurately

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STANDARDS

The school’s results in the 2001 national tests taken by eleven-year-olds were amongst the lowest 5 per cent nationally in English, well below average in mathematics and above average in science when compared to all schools. When compared with similar schools results were among the lowest 5 per cent in English, well below average in mathematics and average in science. The school did not reach the targets it had agreed in either mathematics or English. However, the school’s rate of improvement in standards towards the end of Year 6 is similar to that seen nationally. In 2001 standards achieved in national tests by pupils at the end of Year 2 were well below average in reading, average in writing and below average in mathematics. When compared with similar schools results are: reading, below average, writing above average, and mathematics average.

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STANDARDS

Managers have looked at these results critically and have taken positive steps to raise standards. They recognise that pupils achieve unevenly across the school and have improved the systems to check how well pupils are doing. In the work seen by inspectors standards were below average overall but pupils clearly learned more quickly in some classes than others. This was particularly so in the older junior classes. There was no significant variation between girls and boys performance in lessons. Both are equally enthusiastic for learning. Anthony Bek Primary School - 9 The school has just received its results for the 2002 national tests and early indications suggest that results at the end of Year 6 have improved by 12 per cent in English and 4 per cent in mathematics.

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STANDARDS

The youngest children start school in nursery with below average knowledge and skills and although they learn as they should these remain below average at the end of the year in the reception class. Inspectors looked closely at the available evidence and judged that fewer able children and more less able children are admitted to Anthony Bek than to most schools. The achievements of pupils who speak English as an additional language are similar to those of their class. Pupils with special educational needs receive extra help to enable them to achieve appropriately. Traveller/fairground pupils who attend regularly achieve as well as the rest of the class.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils like school. They like their ‘friendly teachers’ and want to do their best for them.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Satisfactory. Most pupils behave well all the time but a few find it difficult to conform to school rules. Generally teachers and support staff manage behaviour as they should but because of the wide range of behaviour they need some training to help them deal with the few more demanding pupils. The school works hard to retain all pupils in school and only excludes pupils for short periods when this is essential.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Satisfactory. Relationships are good. Pupils and staff get on well together and enjoy working together. Pupils are given small errands to do and act as class monitors but are not given enough responsibility to manage their own behaviour, time and work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Unsatisfactory. Too many pupils take holidays in term time.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is satisfactory overall with strengths in the teaching of basic skills such as reading and number work. Good teaching was seen throughout the school with some very good teaching in Years 3 and 6. There was a small amount of unsatisfactory teaching (3 lessons) observed during the week of inspection. These lessons were in Year reception and Year 2. Teachers select topics and materials that interest pupils and stimulate them to try hard. Good relationships ensure that most of the time classrooms are calm and orderly. Most teachers manage pupils well but some do not expect enough of their pupils. Occasionally not enough work is completed and pupils become too noisy. All pupils including those in the nursery and reception classes and those with special educational needs benefit from the additional support given to them. Those learning English as an additional language do not need any Anthony Bek Primary School - 10

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

additional support to help them learn as well as the rest of the class. Traveller/fairground pupils learn as well as the rest of the class but long periods of absence lead to disrupted learning.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

There is a good working atmosphere in classrooms and pupils show good interest in their work. Marking seen in most pupils’ books does not help them improve, as the comments are too general. A useful beginning has been made to setting targets for pupils to aim at but they need to be written in plain language so the pupils know and understand what to do and how well they are achieving. Although subject leaders see teachers’ planning and some visit lessons overall staff do not know enough about how well pupils’ achieve and how teaching needs to change in order to iron out erratic progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. Overall, the school teaches the National Curriculum and religious education as it should. But provision (equipment and systematic skill development) in ICT is not good enough and does not meet requirements. The National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy are beginning to raise standards because they provide teachers with a secure framework for planning work in lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory overall but good provision is made when extra support is available from visiting support teachers. Pupils make steady progress in improving their skills.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Currently no special provision is required as all pupils at the school speak and use English well. Younger pupils do sometimes need extra support from class teachers when they first start school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. School assemblies meet statutory requirements and pupils respond well. Pupils contribute to school rules and most obey them. Teachers expect pupils to show respect and care for one another and they do. Pupils work well together in lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. The daily care of pupils is good but the school relies too much on custom and practice and policies are not up to date. This does not support the work of new members of staff.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school works in partnership with parents Satisfactory. Communication between home and school is satisfactory. Reports meet requirements but they do not tell parents where their children need to improve. Little information is provided about what is taught in lessons. The school recently organised two events to explain to parents what the building alterations will mean for their children. They were not well attended. Anthony Bek Primary School - 11

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher has built a close-knit staff team who are all very committed to the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors are fully supportive of the school but vacancies on the governing body are hampering its committee work. As a result many policies, including those for health and safety, special educational needs and most subjects are out of date.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Unsatisfactory. There have been some observations of teaching and results from national tests have been examined. But subject leaders need to be given the brief, training and time to develop their subjects across the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school has an adequate level of teaching staff but a number are on temporary contracts. There are not enough support staff to meet the needs of all the pupils. The buildings are old and out-of-date and cost too much money to run. Learning resources are adequate. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils and gives just satisfactory value for money.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children like school and make good progress. • Pupils are helped to become mature and responsible. • Teaching is good and there are high expectations. • Parents feel able to approach staff with any concerns they have. • Behaviour • Homework • Extra-curricular activities • Leadership and management.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors judge teaching and progress to be satisfactory overall. In about half of the lessons teaching was good or better. Inspectors agree with all other positive comments made by parents. Overall behaviour is satisfactory although the behaviour of a few pupils (usually those who have been identified with behaviour problems) does need to improve. Staff, with support from the Education Action Zone ensure provision for extra-curricular activities is satisfactory but pupils often lack the commitment to attend regularly. Leadership and management are satisfactory but communication with parents about work in lessons could be improved. Provision for homework is satisfactory overall. ‘Writing Box’ for Year 2 and ‘Power Pack’ for Year 6 have been well received but there is sometimes a problem with the regular return of reading and spelling books for example. Anthony Bek Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The school has changed significantly since the previous inspection in 1998. All but three of the teaching staff are new, the pupils being educated then have transferred to secondary schools and the curriculum has undergone a major overhaul. The school is now providing for a more diverse group of pupils than it did in the past. Over a tenth of the pupils on roll are members of the traveller/fairground community and over 8 per cent of pupils have emotional and behavioural problems. Over 30 per cent of pupils have special educational needs and the number of pupils with statements is above average. Six pupils are of Indian heritage. Currently the school makes no special provision as they speak and use English well. Pupil mobility is very high at more than twice the highest rate. It is very apparent that the school is committed to the inclusion of all pupils and goes to great lengths to retain pupils in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

school who are in danger of exclusion. This is particularly commendable as the school is in an area of very high exclusion rates for the county of Derbyshire.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The standards achieved by eleven-year-olds in the 2001 National Curriculum tests were amongst the lowest 5 per cent nationally in English, well below average in mathematics and above average in science when compared to all schools. Results compared with similar schools have been recalculated to compare with Anthony Bek school with those in the second tier - those with free school meals between 20 and 35 per cent as there is overwhelming evidence that far more families are eligible for free school meals than claim them. When compared with these schools results were still amongst the lowest 5 per cent in English, were well below average in mathematics and average in science. The proportion of pupils achieving Level 5 in all three subjects is much lower than achieved nationally. Conversely a much higher percentage of pupils fail to achieve Level 4. Inspectors looked very carefully at attainment on entry and made two judgements. Firstly, attainment on entry to the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

nursery and at the end of a year in the reception class is below average. Secondly that few pupils of higher ability, and more pupils of lower ability are admitted to the school than usual. Inspectors concluded that progress over time is erratic with pupils achieving more in some years than others. Inspectors also decided that by the end of Year 6 most pupils had achieved at a satisfactory rate. There was no significant variation between girls and boys performance in lessons. Both are equally enthusiastic for learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Inspectors looked at the school’s records of standards achieved by pupils towards the end of Year 2 and concluded that it was not safe to make comparisons between standards at age 7 and age 11 for two reasons. Firstly, very high pupil mobility which meant almost half the pupils in Year 6 had not been at the school when they were 7 and small cohort numbers which exaggerated variations in performance over time. The school’s results in the 2001 national tests taken by seven-year-olds were well below average in reading, average in writing and below average in mathematics when compared with all schools. When compared with similar schools (above 20 per cent and up to 35 per cent free school meals) results in reading were below average, in writing above average and in mathematics average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Results are getting better. The trend in improvement is close to that achieved nationally but more improvement is needed. The school’s targets for Year 6 pupils’ performance in the 2002 national tests, in English and mathematics were revised downward to 50 per cent following close examination of Year 5 optional test results. The school missed the target in mathematics by 2 per cent and in English by 5 per cent. Nevertheless these results are an improvement on those obtained in 2001 being 4 per cent higher in mathematics and 12 per cent higher in English. Targets set for 2003 are reasonable but must Anthony Bek Primary School - 13 be more challenging in future years if standards are to rise to meet national averages. The inspection team judges that the school has good capacity to raise standards, particularly with the active support of the Education Action Zone and the Local Education Authority. It has set

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the right priorities to assist it in reaching its goals. Some parents are very supportive of the school; they are conscientious partners in the education of their children and their involvement is making a valuable contribution to the standards being achieved. However this is not universal and the school needs to make special efforts to win over those parents who may not see education as a priority given the problems in their personal lives.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. School managers and governors have looked at these results critically and have taken positive steps to identify shortcomings in the curriculum, teaching and learning. Working closely with consultants results in every year group having been examined closely and strengths and weaknesses identified in mathematics and English. Teaching has been observed and changes are being introduced to lesson planning and assessment. Information about the progress of each individual pupil is now recorded and annual targets set for them to aim at. The school intends to use this information to ensure pupils make the best progress they can each year rather than the present erratic progress exemplified by peaks and troughs across the school. Monitoring, by subject leaders, to ensure that the progress made by each pupil towards their target is the best has been identified by the school as the next step in the process. In the work seen by inspectors standards were below average overall but pupils

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

clearly learned more quickly in some classes than others. This was particularly so in the older junior classes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The youngest children start school in the nursery with below average skills particularly in language and mathematics. Provision for them is satisfactory overall and they make sound progress in both the nursery and reception. By the time they enter Year 1 few have achieved a secure foundation for the National Curriculum.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Other pupils at the school: • Pupils with special educational needs are identified early so that work can be devised specially for them. Targets in their individual education plans are clear and guide teachers and support staff well. Overall pupils make sound progress but when supported one-to- one they make good progress. There is a significant minority of pupils who find it difficult to concentrate and behave well in school. While their progress is satisfactory overall they achieve better in some classes than in others. The factor that makes the difference, is how well the teacher and support staff are able to manage the pupils’ behaviour. This is an area for some additional staff training. • Six pupils of Indian heritage attend the school. Currently no special provision is made for them as they speak and use English well. Some did require additional support when they joined the school and staff found the Early Literacy Strategy particularly useful in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

improving pupils use and understanding of English. In lessons they achieve as well as other pupils in their class and test results show they attain similar standards to other pupils. • There are 27 traveller/fairground pupils on the school roll. In recent years very few traveller/fairground pupils have been in school when National tests take place. However test results in 2002 show that those pupils who took the tests did as well as the rest of the class. • Although the school has not identified any pupils with particular gifts or talents the Education Action Zone offers more advanced lessons during the summer holidays for pupils who might benefit. Two pupils in the present Year 6 have been nominated by the school for these classes and will attend them shortly Anthony Bek Primary School - 14 8. Inspection evidence shows that strengths in teaching basic skills ensure that most pupils make sound progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills during their time

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

at school. Throughout the school there has been positive impact on the achievements of pupils from the successful implementation of both the National Literacy and National Numeracy Strategies. There are few able pupils in each class and many less able pupils; this wide range of ability makes teaching difficult especially for less experienced teachers. The lack of support staff and the very difficult behaviour presented by a few pupils means teachers have to be exceptionally talented to achieve high rates of learning. Where teachers are less experienced and lack a breadth of strategies to deal with difficult pupils they stick to the task and work hard but do not achieve as much as they plan for. The school needs to find ways to improve their pupil management skills and share the expertise of more experienced teachers across the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The school’s tracking and targeting systems are new and have not had time to bed in properly. It is too early for them to have had a significant impact on the progress pupils’ make. The introduction of a computerised assessment management system should aid the school in handling the amount of data available to assist it in tracking individual performance, whole class and the school’s performance overall.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils’ number skills are becoming sharper and most work with increasing speed and accuracy during the numeracy hour. The strong emphasis given to direct teaching and learning of number facts and relationships is paying dividends. In all classes a significant number of pupils have difficulty in problem solving. The school has identified this as an area for improvement. Pupils largely develop good reading habits and most are enthusiastic readers with a wide range in taste from modern classics to traditional stories. The school has put much time and effort into supporting less able readers and this is raising standards. Older pupils know how to use the school library to find information. Pupils’ written work in English books is satisfactory overall but little work of the same quality was seen in history, or geography. Spelling and handwriting are areas for continued development, as too many pupils cannot spell key vocabulary. Pupils are attentive listeners and follow instructions well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Many pupils speak confidently and enthusiastically and speaking skills are well promoted through the very effective personal, social health education programme and the ‘purposeful talk’ project promoted by the Education Action Zone.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils make sound progress in science. Standards in the 2001 national tests toward the end of Year 6 were above the national average but this was an exceptional result. Inspectors judged that standards in science are below average because not enough attention is being given to ensuring all pupils learn how to behave in a scientific manner. Standards in ICT are below average across the school. Pupils’ progress in all aspects of ICT has been hampered by inadequate equipment. Although the Education Action Zone has provided an interactive white-board and software which is proving beneficial. Standards in religious education are average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Purposeful discussion in religious education lessons supports work in literacy well. Standards in art and design, and design and technology are average across the school. Standards in physical education are average by the end of Year 2. No judgements could be made about standards in physical education at

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the end of Year 6 or in history, geography and music throughout the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Standards could be higher if learning was more consistently good. This is because of patchy coverage of some subjects such as ICT; geography and history. There is no clear structure as to exactly what knowledge, understanding and skills pupils need to develop in these subjects. Although the school has adopted national guidelines for most subjects they have not adapted these to meet the needs of pupils. The result is some missed opportunities to take learning forward at a good pace. Anthony Bek Primary School - 15 13. Everyone connected with the school knows that raising standards is the number one priority. Managers have the determination to take the necessary action to achieve this.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Across the school pupil’s attitude to the school, whatever their background or ability, is good. Their behaviour and personal development are satisfactory. When the last inspection took place these aspects were judged to be strength, but direct comparison is difficult because inspection parameters have changed. Attendance is unsatisfactory, principally because there is a very high level of unauthorised absence and too many pupils take holidays in term time. Previously this was well below the national average.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. In the nursery, children are expected to be as independent as possible and activities and resources are organised to help them achieve this. The children know where things are kept and are able to tidy up when asked at the end of sessions. They sit quietly when required and are well behaved when in a group. Occasionally, when not directly supervised a few children show immature behaviour such as not being as careful as they know they ought to be with toys and equipment. In the reception class most children behave well, a small minority finds it hard to control themselves, particularly at class discussion time. Some children call out inappropriately and do not listen to the teacher or to what other children are saying. Good opportunities are provided in the Estate Agent role-play area, for children to be independent communicate and learn to work together. In both classes, the children respond well to opportunities in ‘circle time’ to talk about their feelings and listen to and respect what

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Throughout the rest of the school pupils are well motivated and with few exceptions, they are well mannered. They respect each other’s feelings both in the classroom and when at play, they usually collaborate well with each other and their teachers. Older pupils welcome the opportunities they have to assist in the running of the school for example in designing a seating area for the playground. The inspectors noted that the vast majority of pupil’s relationships with each other are good but for a few, emotions and tantrums occasionally take over; when these incidents occur teachers are quick to intervene.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Standards of behaviour are satisfactory overall; they are often good, occasionally very good. The school population is very diverse but the different groups of pupils mix well together. Pupils were observed to be very supportive of disabled pupils and pupils from different ethnic cultural backgrounds are accepted and welcomed into the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. For a few pupils self-control is an underdeveloped skill. The school’s behaviour policy sets out the right objectives to promote sensible rules and sanctions, these have been produced following classroom discussions and pupils accept them as fair. The school is less able to promote pupils’ ability to self-manage their behaviour or to control instinctive reactions. Some training has been undertaken to promote consistent standards of behaviour management and the school is developing its relationship with external advisors in its endeavour to create consistency. This work is showing signs of success. The parents who met with the registered inspector or who completed questionnaires were broadly in favour of the standards the school promotes. For example, the additional supervision provided through the Education Action Zone has assisted in the improvement of behaviour at break times. There have been three temporary exclusions in the current year to help pupils calm down and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

make an agreement as to their future conduct before returning to school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils’ personal development is supported by the very high level of attention the adults pay to the welfare interest of the pupils; a good programme of study contained in the personal and social education programme supports this. An awareness of sensitivity towards others Anthony Bek Primary School - 16 and a respect of varying views of life style are promoted effectively. However, some pupils inability to relate to the subjects under discussion confirm that a number lack the maturity typical for their age.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Attendance is unsatisfactory, principally because there is a high level of unauthorised absence; the latest annually calculated data is not directly comparable to previous years because of an error in the way information was collated. This now shows that the attendance figure for year 2001/2002 is closer to the national average than at any time over the three previous years, but it is still below. Registers and admissions records are kept in compliance with the regulations. There is some lateness in the mornings, a matter freely acknowledged by the parents who attended the meeting with the registered inspector.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. It is impossible to make direct comparisons between the quality of teaching at the time of the previous inspection in 1998, as with the exception of 3 teachers, everyone else is new to the school. Staffing issues in the past have had a negative impact on the progress made by some of the oldest pupils in school. Parents in particular have been unhappy at the amount of temporary supply teachers the school has employed to cover teacher absence and short-term vacancies. During the inspection 3.2 teachers were on long-term temporary contracts for at least a year.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching is satisfactory overall but is more consistently good in the junior classes. Overall, teaching is leading to satisfactory levels of achievement by the time pupil’s leave the school at the end of Year 6. Almost half of all teaching is good or better. Most of the good teaching was seen in Years 1, 3, 5 and 6. All the very good teaching was in Years 3 and 6. Teaching was unsatisfactory in 3 lessons in two different classes. Teachers make sure classrooms are productive and purposeful places of learning in which pupils work hard and show good levels of interest and independence. Most pupils are learning successfully and achieving appropriately as a result of imaginative approaches to teaching and learning that motivate pupils well. There are three aspects of teaching that need to be improved. These are: • lesson planning which does not specify what pupils of different ability will learn in the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

lesson, • the use of assessment to check how well pupils are achieving, and • the quality of marking of pupils’ work to identify what they need to do next to improve. There are some systematic observations of teaching but this is not matched by an equal emphasis on checking learning. As a result the school does not know well enough which teaching methods and style are the most and least effective at promoting good learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The very best teaching leading to pupils achieving particularly well was observed in English, mathematics, personal, social and health education and religious education. There are common features to good and very good lessons that could usefully be extended more widely. Firstly, very close attention is paid to what pupils should learn and teachers constantly set new challenges that ensure all pupils, no matter what their starting point make good progress and achieve to a good standard. Teachers place strong emphasis on pupils’ contributions to the lessons and they use questioning well to enable pupils to share their learning with others in class. Some teachers use time targets well to ensure a good rate of learning. Review sessions are used effectively to find out what pupils feel they could do better in the next lesson. In these lessons pupils worked with high levels of motivation and concentration and were very keen to do their best. Good relationships in lessons support the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

enjoyment that teachers and pupils feel in working together successfully. Anthony Bek Primary School - 17 24. Teaching quality splits almost half-and-half between satisfactory and good (or better) teaching. The chief differences between the two are: • the experience and expertise of teachers, and, • the range of strategies they have to manage all pupils well. All teachers work hard at devising imaginative and interesting activities that capture the interest of pupils and motivate them to work hard. They have good relationships with pupils and many pupils commented how they liked their ‘friendly teachers’ and ‘wanted to please them’. But sometimes teacher’s good ideas are not as successful as they should be. Some teachers (and some support staff) simply do not have a wide enough range of techniques to deal with the major problems a few individual pupils present in class. This is an area where the school is in touch with outside agencies and is a priority for improvement. Without

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

improvement progress will continue to be erratic in some classes.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The school’s positive strategies for literacy and numeracy are resulting in some good teaching and learning in some lessons. But overall, inspectors judged that achievement is at a satisfactory level as evidence from the sample of pupils’ work demonstrated progress is uneven across the school with acceleration in Years 5 and 6. There are strengths in the teaching of personal, social and health education and religious education. Where teaching is good teachers show good levels of confidence in the subjects. They use resources and time well to enable pupils to have worthwhile experiences that regularly involve the pupils in productive ‘paired talk’. In personal, social and health education lessons pupils demonstrated clearly their ability to reflect on difficult issues, for example, how to withstand peer pressure or promote environmental issues successfully.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. In most subjects teacher’s work is supported by satisfactory long and medium term planning. Teachers generally plan lessons appropriately and structure lessons well to make best use of time. Teachers do not specifically plan work for support assistants but most contribute well to the success of lessons. However, inspectors observed that this was not always the case and occasionally members of the support staff appeared to be working differently from the class teacher.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teaching in Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall. There is some good work undertaken by the nursery team who assist the very youngest children in school to settle in quickly and improve their personal and social skills appropriately from a low start. The children benefit from carefully planned activities that assist them in becoming effective learners in all the areas they experience. In the nursery particular attention is paid to helping the children to make their own choices within the well-structured learning environment. This promotes their confidence and self-esteem well. This aspect of personal development is not so well developed in the reception class because for most of the time there is no second adult to work with these young children. By the time they enter Year 1 few pupils have attained a secure basis for work in the National Curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The teaching provided for pupils with special educational needs, including the high proportion with statements is satisfactory overall but good when they receive one-to-one support. Progress matches the quality of teaching and is satisfactory overall. Teachers know their pupils well and plan activities that are matched to their needs. Individual education plans are well written and contain precise targets for improvement, usually for language and literacy but also numeracy and in some cases, for behaviour. Support staff together with good input from the Support Services for Special Educational Needs give good assistance to pupils who have statements in place and this ensures that they can enjoy the same curriculum as the rest of the class. The deployment of support staff is satisfactory but there are simply not enough to provide all the support pupils need. One outcome of the new systems for assessment will be to identify unmet needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Anthony Bek Primary School - 18 29. No special provision is currently made for pupils with English as an additional language as they speak and use English well, although some pupils have needed this support in the past when they first joined the school. Results in tests indicate they achieve as well as other pupils. Teachers work closely with support staff from the Education Action Zone and this has been mutually beneficial. Equally they work well with staff to support traveller/fairground pupils and results in the 2002 national test demonstrated that this is successful in ensuring traveller/fairground pupils at the school achieve as well as other pupils. There has been no recent inset for staff about working with traveller/fairground pupils and as there are many new members of staff this is overdue.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Extra time has been allocated to literacy and numeracy to help pupils improve their work and this has resulted in a shortage of time for them to learn in sufficient depth in a few other subjects. This was apparent when inspectors examined pupils’ work in history and geography for example, and found little extended work. The teaching of reading in school is satisfactory and this is reflected in the skill, confidence and pleasure most pupils displayed when reading to inspectors. The school has set a whole school priority to improve writing and there is evidence that this is working in the improved results in the 2002 national tests towards the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Presentation is not good enough and insufficient attention is being paid to spelling, handwriting and punctuation.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. The provision for homework is satisfactory but an area where more dialogue with parents is required as they have very mixed views about the provision. Not all parents ensure reading and spelling books are returned to school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. One recent development concerns the use of assessment and target setting. The school has begun to use information to forecast end of year levels for each pupil but also to set more ambitious levels to be aimed for. This work is just beginning and has not had enough time to raise standards. It is part of a more systematic approach that has included the revision of planning, setting more specific targets for learning in lessons and improving marking. Some teachers already make effective use of time targets to aid the pace of pupils’ learning particularly when pupils work without direct supervision. Marking is satisfactory overall but generally does not tell pupils what they need to do to improve their work. The school has recognised that addressing these relative weaknesses will improve teaching and learning and improve consistency across the school.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. Overall the curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and the local Agreed Syllabus for religious education but is not well balanced. Provision for ICT is not good enough as it does not meet requirements fully or provide systematic opportunities for pupils to achieve appropriately in all aspects of the subject. The time allocated to history and geography is too low to allow the full development of pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. The curriculum planned for the nursery and reception class provides a satisfactory range of opportunities and experiences to help children reach the early learning goals. The school ensures that pupils have equal access to the curriculum, including pupils with special educational needs and irrespective of gender, race, ethnic background or lifestyle.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Satisfactory improvement has been made since the previous inspection when aspects of curriculum provision were identified as a weakness. The time allocation for pupils in Years 3 to 6 is now slightly above the recommended minimum requirements. Schemes of work are in place for all subjects and planning includes learning objectives as well as activities. Planning ensures coverage of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and Anthony Bek Primary School - 19 early learning goals in the Foundation Stage. However, policies are out of date as many have not been revised since the previous inspection and do not provide teachers with sufficient guidance on expectations for teaching and learning. Although subject co-ordinators receive copies of teachers’ planning, it is not consistently checked to identify areas for development within and across subjects.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The school has implemented the recommendations of the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies in a satisfactory manner and other subjects of the curriculum follow the most recent national guidance. Each subject has a long-term plan that identifies what is to be covered during the year. Termly and weekly lesson plans identify more specifically how skills are to be developed. The school has identified the need to link planning more to assessment and as a consequence has revised procedures for the beginning of the next school year to ensure that this aspect is given higher priority. In English, mathematics, science and religious education, in particular, some teachers plan topics very imaginatively and this results in some original and inventive work. Staff in the nursery and reception class plan work over a two-year period. This takes account of children being in each class for different lengths of

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. The programme for learning covers all aspects and provides a clear path for learning as pupils move through the school. Information about sex education and drugs awareness is taught as part of this programme as well as during science lessons. A specific series of lessons in sex education is provided for older pupils. Parents are well informed about the arrangements for these lessons. This indicates a significant improvement since the previous inspection when planning for sex education and drugs awareness was identified as a weakness.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. The school has taken steps to ensure that its provision for all pupils with special educational needs complies fully with the most recent guidance. School based staff and local authority staff use the targets in pupil’s individual education plans to provide and deliver the right level of work for these pupils; this ensures they are well motivated and work hard. As a result pupils make sound progress. Pupils whose main area for improvement is behaviour or personal and social skills overall receive satisfactory support and some benefit from one-to-one support through the ‘Launch Pad’ initiative. A few pupils need more input to help them manage their own behaviour. Occasionally, withdrawal for specific support means that some pupils miss out on what the rest of the class is doing and the school is not yet tracking the impact of this.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. The provision for traveller/fairground pupils is satisfactory and they receive good support from the local authority support service for travellers. Recent results in national tests demonstrate that traveller pupils succeed as well as other children over time. No specific provision is currently required for pupils learning English as an additional language. However some do require support on entry to school and the Early Literacy Strategy has been used effectively to promote good understanding and use of English for a few pupils.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. Learning is well supported by a range of educational visits, for example to Whaley Thorns Heritage Centre. With the support of funding from the Education Action Zone, pupils in Year 4 benefit from a residential visit to the Kingswood Centre where the focus is on developing ICT skills combined with opportunities for team building. Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to take part in a residential visit to Walesby Forest where they are involved in a range of outdoor adventurous activities. There are satisfactory opportunities for Year 6 pupils to take part in induction visits before transfer to their secondary schools. The provision of extra-curricular activities for pupils in Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory and includes opportunities for pupils to join the gardening club or choir, play football or take part in dance sessions. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are able to learn to play an instrument through subsidised specialist

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Anthony Bek Primary School - 20 teaching in school. Education Action Zone support provides opportunities for pupils to develop tennis and cricket skills. Pupils do not sustain interest in these activities for an extended period of time and the school needs constantly to relaunch extra-curricular activities.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

40. Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. This broadly reflects the judgement made at the last inspection. However, the provision to help pupils develop an understanding of cultures other than their own is not as strong as previously judged.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

41. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Pupils are provided with a good number of opportunities to explore beliefs and feelings and how they impact on people’s lives, particularly in ‘circle time’ and religious education lessons. Assemblies are based on religious and moral themes and acts of collective worship provide time and space for pupils to reflect on their feelings and to develop an understanding of their own and others’ beliefs. In one assembly, for example, the theme that ‘there is always room for more’ was told well through the story of Guru Nanak and the bowl of milk and created a perceptible tension as the story unfolded. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to reflect upon their own thoughts and feelings. Prayer is a consistent feature of collective worship and pupils are invited to take part.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

42. Provision for the pupils’ moral and social development is good. The values and principles of the school actively promote honesty and respect and as a result, pupils develop a secure sense of the difference between right and wrong. Many opportunities are provided for the pupils to explore moral themes and pupils are encouraged to think about the consequences of their actions. Pupils are encouraged to take part in collecting for a range of charities, for example, ‘Water Aid for Africa’ and ‘Help the Aged’, although they are not given opportunities to make decisions about which charities to support. Pupils are provided with many opportunities to work together in lessons through collaborating in activities and sharing ideas. Participation in residential visits provides pupils in Years 4 and 6 with good opportunities to work as members of a team in a range of situations. The school effectively operates the ‘Launch Pad’ programme to provide individual pupils with behaviour support on

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

a regular basis. In addition, a successful ‘Lunchtime Club’ is provided for nominated pupils from all classes as part of the school’s reward system for good behaviour and positive attitudes.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

43. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory overall. Pupils are given good opportunities to learn about their own cultural heritage. There are many examples of the school’s involvement in the community, pupils take part in well dressing and as part of the reclamation scheme at the local colliery, pupils have planted trees on the pit tip. The school has also been actively involved in the New Houghton Spring Clean this year when pupils produced prize-winning posters and helped to clear the Millennium Green of litter. Pupils have opportunities to learn about other cultures through work in religious education lessons. beliefs. As part of the geography curriculum, pupils study other cultures and are able to compare these to their own local area. Overall, the school does not make enough use of subjects such as art and design, music and literature to develop pupils’ awareness of other lifestyles and cultures and in this respect does not prepare pupils well for life in a culturally

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diverse society. Anthony Bek Primary School - 21

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Overall the provision for the health and safety of the pupils is satisfactory. Consequently the school is a safe place in which to learn. It has effective procedures to ensure the monitoring of academic standards and the promotion of personal development; some procedures are newly established so their effectiveness has yet to be fully evaluated. Provision for the care, safety and welfare of the pupils has been fully maintained since the previous inspection. Staff put considerable emotional commitment into the work they do. The parents who met members of the inspection team confirm that the school is a place where their children’s welfare interests are looked after well. The code of conduct and behaviour policy provides a secure platform to promote positive behaviour; however, in practice it is less successful in helping pupils to modify their behaviour. Consequently its effectiveness varies because it closely mirrors individual teacher’s classroom management skills. The

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

school is developing a good relationship with the behaviour support service and this shows considerable promise. It is already helping the school when it is necessary to devise individual behaviour management strategies and also to support families going through difficult times.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The personal social and health education programme includes a suitable amount of time for pupils and their teachers to discuss what constitutes acceptable behaviour and also the importance of having sensitivity to personal feelings and possessions. The school is fully committed to the creation of a climate in which all pupils feel equally valued and where they receive their full educational entitlements. They do this effectively. Induction arrangements for all pupils to the school are good. They include additional support for the children of travelling families and if required for pupils learning English as an additional language.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The school’s child protection co-ordinator manages this important matter well. The necessary training has been undertaken to ensure a full understanding of the latest guidance. All adults in the school receive periodical reminders regarding the signs and symptoms of physical and emotional abuse. Health and safety including first aid is satisfactory. Training has been given so that staff can respond to unusual medical conditions. Parents appreciate this greatly because they see this as confirmation of the level of commitment by staff. Fire drills are conducted appropriately. The school has been reminded that it is important to conduct risk assessments at intervals defined in policy documents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The procedures to ensure that pupils have appropriate support and guidance are satisfactory. Staff are alert to individual needs and detailed notes are kept about individuals to ensure that pupils are supported appropriately. These include a recently introduced initiative “reach for the stars” which it is hoped will raise aspirations. The procedures have only been put in place in recent months and their positive effects will take time to develop.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. Procedures for promoting and improving attendance are satisfactory. The school uses an electronic data retrieval system to collate attendance patterns and the registers are marked accurately but staff workload does not allow the information to be used quickly to follow up reasons for absence. This, results in an unacceptable level of unauthorised absence in the school, a matter that should be addressed with urgency because this creates a situation where potentially a child may be at risk. The attitude of both parents and children towards holidays taken during term time is worrying. Inspectors were told that ‘it does not matter’ providing a letter is sent. There appears to be little understanding of the setback to progress that such absences create. The education social worker supports the work of the school when she is made aware of individual attendance or welfare problems.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Improving assessment was a key issue at the previous inspection and the school has made satisfactory progress in addressing this issue although there is further work to do. Anthony Bek Primary School - 22 Statutory requirements for assessment at the end of Years 2 and 6 are in place and the school also uses the optional tests at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5. Results are analysed to identify strengths and weaknesses in the subject and how well different groups of pupils achieve. There is a sensible assessment policy in place which details what will be assessed and when. These procedures will ensure staff have an overview of how well pupils are achieving in English, mathematics and science. The school has yet to address assessment in other subjects.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. The school has collected together all the information it has on pupils and organised it in such a way that it is now possible to identify attainment on entry to the school and check on the progress made since. This information is being used to predict attainment at the end of the school year and to set more ambitious targets to be aimed for. More frequent checks to identify pupils who are doing better (or not as well) as expected have yet to be put in place but the deputy headteacher is well aware this is the next step. The use of assessment information to influence lesson planning has been discussed by staff and some new planning sheets have been developed these will be used from September. Some teachers have set literacy and numeracy targets for individual pupils and are using these when marking pupils’ work. But this is not general across the school and the targets need to be written in language

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the pupils understand and relate to National Curriculum levels. In this way pupils and parents as well as staff will be able to identify improvement in standards.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The parents have satisfactory views of the school; they value the support and interest they receive from individual members of staff but they would like to have more high quality information about school activities and the progress their children are making. A small minority said that a few matters, for example, behaviour problems in the classroom are not addressed with the seriousness they deserve. Some concerns were expressed about plans to introduce mixed age classes. Overall the relationship between parents and the school does not appear to be as strong as was last reported. Inspectors judge the relationship between home and school to be satisfactory but that further improvement is dependent on engaging the more active involvement of a greater number of parents. There are some positive signs for example in the recent revival of the parents and teachers association. The school recently organised two meetings to explain the move to mixed age classes. Meeting

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

times were chosen to appeal to the maximum number of parents and a crèche was provided. The meetings were not well attended.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. The annual reports that parents receive meet statutory requirements but are of minimal quality. They are too brief in the amount of information they contain and there are too few specific examples of what has been learned or what the next targets for learning are. Comments are made about the adverse effects of poor attendance, but they are not expressed strongly enough.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. There are three formal occasions in the year when parents and guardians can discuss the progress their child is making. The parents of the younger children are diligent in the efforts they make to attend these meetings. The parents of the older children are less inclined to attend and on occasions it is necessary to send individual requests home to secure essential discussions. The children understand, but regret, that it is not always possible for their parents to attend review meetings, but their keenest disappointment is when their parents do not attend concerts.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. The school sends out newsletters at intervals but there is no arrangement in place to inform parents systematically about the topics that are to be studied during the next term. The school brochure fully explains what subjects are taught and it includes helpful information Anthony Bek Primary School - 23 about the relationship it would like to have with parents, it does not explain what the school does to protect children from harm including child protection arrangements. This is not mandatory requirement, but it is considered to be good practice because it provides reassurance.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. The governor’s annual report does not fully meet requirements. It is not an inspiring document. There are no contributions from the governors with individual responsibilities. The information it gives about the arrangements the school has to ensure the needs of pupils with disabilities does not reflect what is provided and there is no explanation about the arrangements it makes for pupils with a special educational need.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The parents and teachers association is reawakening it’s support for the school; quite ambitious plans are being considered if they materialise they will greatly enrich the learning environment, for example by the creation of a computer suite. Relationships between most parents is strong and there is a well developed sense of community, this includes the mid- day supervisors who assist in the dissemination of information, they add an additional communication link between teachers and families especially with those who it difficult to get to the school. On the informal level this creates a strong sense of belonging.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. There are good arrangements in place for the parents of younger children with a guided reading scheme and most parents support this enthusiastically. The questionnaires returned indicated that the number of parents who felt that the number of activities outside lessons were good was balanced by an equal number who held opposing views. Inspectors judged provision was satisfactory.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. Consultation arrangements with parents of children with special education needs are fully in place. Parents are consulted when review meetings are planned and they are regularly informed about the progress their child is making. The individual records the school keeps confirm good practice. Children with emotional or mobility problems are made welcome and the school has made adaptations to meet their needs, although wheelchair access to some parts of the school is far from easy.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. When the school was inspected in 1998 the leadership and management was in need of some improvement. Today the leadership and management of the school is satisfactory overall. The leadership of the headteacher, deputy headteacher and acting co-ordinator, has sustained morale well through difficult times. Governors and staff are very committed to the school and work very well together as a team. They are determined that Anthony Bek school will be amongst the best schools because of their commitment to the pupils.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Management strategies, while broadly satisfactory are not as efficient or effective as they could be because the school tends to rely too much on ‘custom and practice’ rather than on systems and policies. Given the high staff and pupil mobility this is not appropriate and is one of the main reasons why pupils make erratic rather than consistent progress.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The governing body has struggled in recent years to fill all vacancies and this has had a knock on effect on the work of committees. The most important committee in bringing about school improvement in particular has so few members that it is often unable to complete all necessary business. This is unsatisfactory and one reason why the school policies are so out of date. All vacancies in the governing body will be filled by the Autumn term meeting when committees will also be re-established and ready to tackle the backlog of work. Anthony Bek Primary School - 24 62. Subject leaders generally do an effective job of planning the work for their subjects and ensuring teachers have the right resources. There has been some very effective dialogue with local consultants to identify strengths and weaknesses in English and mathematics that they have begun to act upon. New planning procedures are about to be

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

introduced and much improved procedures for assessment in English, mathematics and science are now in place. There has been some monitoring of teaching by the leaders for English and mathematics and the school understands where more support and training are required. The monitoring of learning of individuals and groups of pupils in the short term (weekly/monthly/half-termly) to ensure they are moving steadily towards the next level of attainment has not been secure. Previously the school had waited till the end of the school year to assess what had been achieved and had no way to identify which pupils were making more than expected or less than expected progress during the year. The new systems now provide a firm framework within which staff can check more effectively. However monitoring the success of the new policy for assessment is an essential next step for subject leaders. All subject leaders are keen and eager to take more responsibility for the success of their

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

subject; they need time, training and opportunity to do so more effectively.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. One major problem, which has hindered school improvement, has been the accommodation, which is old, out of date and a drain on financial resources. The headteacher and governors have now succeeded in bringing into being a much-needed building and refurbishment programme. This will rid the school of surplus accommodation and consolidate the school, except for the nursery, into one main building while still retaining access to a second hall and the school canteen. The refurbishment of the nursery will take place the following year but it will remain separated from the rest of the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The school works hard to be inclusive and retain difficult pupils in school. For example, it supports a high percentage of pupils with emotional and behaviour problems and by the careful use of temporary exclusions has kept them in school. Pupils only return to school following an agreement as to their future behaviour and overall this works well. The school is taking part in an unusual initiative known as ‘Launch Pad’ which provides one to one support for pupils who are vulnerable and who find it difficult to succeed at school. However the nature of the problems pupils are bringing to school is becoming more wide-ranging and some staff lack sufficient strategies to cope with these pupils in lessons. Support staff provide additional help but at times these staff members also seemed to run out of options.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The headteacher, as special educational need co-ordinator, retains overall responsibility for the provision for pupils with special needs. While this ensures this aspect of the work of the school is given high priority it is a very demanding role and competes for time with the many other tasks, which must be undertaken by the headteacher. The school copes with the full range of pupils with special educational needs and has altered its procedures in line with the latest guidance. As yet it does not have an up to date policy in place but appropriate provision is made for pupils with statements. Generally this is by staff based at the school but external support staff also work in the school regularly and provide well for pupils in their care. Plans for each pupil have been carefully drawn up and list clearly the areas where improvement is needed. These plans are reviewed regularly and more formal

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

reviews take place for pupils with statements of special educational need, as they should.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The school has on roll a significant number of traveller/fairground pupils only eight of whom were present during the inspection. These pupils make sound progress as a result of the support they receive. Support for traveller/fairground pupils is provided by the local support service but there has been no recent inset for school staff about traveller/fairground culture and lifestyle. This is unacceptable given the large number of new members of staff at the school. Anthony Bek Primary School - 25 67. There are a small number of pupils at the school who are learning English as an additional language. At the present time none require additional support as they speak and use English well. In the past pupils have required support on entry to the school and the early literacy scheme has provided useful material to support individual pupils. This has been successful because when results in national tests are analysed there is good evidence to

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

show these pupils do as well as they should.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The school has forged a very worthwhile partnership with the North East Derbyshire Coalfields Education Action Zone. School staff are contributing to the work of the Education Action Zone and the Education Action Zone staff are contributing to the work of the school. For example, inspectors commented frequently on the ‘purposeful talk’ they saw in lessons. This has been promoted as teaching and learning strategy by the Education Action Zone. Pupils at Anthony Bek have access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities and visits funded by the Education Action Zone. These include a range of sporting activities, holidays and a club for more able pupils.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The school budget was unusually high in 2000-2001 but this is due to additional payment arising from underfunding (due to pupil mobility) in the previous year. Funding will revert to a broadly average figure for each pupil next year. The buildings are a major drain on finances and the governors are looking forward to being relieved of the responsibility for some dilapidated buildings and very high heating costs. Additional funds have been used effectively to support the additional literacy strategy and booster classes. The school has too few support staff to cope fully with the wide range of pupils at the school but improving staffing levels is recognised by the governors and headteacher as a priority. Office procedures run smoothly and finance is well managed overall although there are still some items outstanding from the most recent audit. Finance is used to support priorities in the school development

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

plan and half-yearly checks take place to make sure the school is doing what it set out to do. Currently there is no effective delegation to ensure the school secretary follows up every absence immediately registers are marked. Inspectors noted with some concern the casual way in which pupils viewed attendance and holidays in term time. One pupil told inspectors she would have had eight weeks holiday and it was ‘all right if you bring a letter.’

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The school is doing a good job of turning out good citizens with a commitment to their local community. For the most part they are well behaved and want to do well. Attendance is not good enough. Standards are below average in English, mathematics and science and ICT but most pupils achieve as they should by the age of eleven years. But progress is erratic and the rate of improvement needs to be more rapid. Teaching is satisfactory and there is increasing stability in terms of staffing. Managers know they need to improve the management systems and the recent work in assessment and target setting will help them check that pupils do as well as they can all the time. Accommodation is about to improve radically. Overall, the school gives just satisfactory value for money. Anthony Bek Primary School - 26

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

71. The school is improving but the rate of improvement is not fast enough. In order to speed things up the school needs to address the following key issues as a matter of urgency. The school staff, governors and parents need to devise ways of involving more people in the process so that continued improvement is not put at risk. For example, by staff changes or vacancies on the governing body. In their work to further improve the quality of education at the school, the governors, headteacher and staff and parents should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise academic standards in English, mathematics, and science by: • providing training to increase the range of strategies teachers and support staff can use effectively to manage all pupils so that pace in lessons is always good; • identifying and sharing the features of the best teaching and learning to be found in school and use this information as the basis for a teaching and learning policy which sets out clear expectations for all staff; • providing better support for teachers’ planning by up-to-date policies and schemes of work for English, mathematics and science, so that it is clear exactly what knowledge, understanding and skills pupils need to build on in lessons; • implementing agreed changes to planning so that learning targets are written in plain language and it is clear what pupils of different ability will learn in the lesson; • providing guidance to teachers to support improvement in pupils’

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

handwriting, spelling and presentation of work in all subjects; • continuing to address those weaker aspects of mathematics teaching and learning which have already been identified; • improving marking so that comments provide pupils with clear messages about the standards they are attaining and what they need to do to reach the next level; • providing personal short-term targets for each pupil (or group of pupils), which they understand and know what they need to do to achieve them; • involving pupils more effectively in understanding how well they are doing by promoting self-review and peer review; (Paragraphs: 23, 24, 26-28, 30, 49 50 ,61, 64 ,79, 97, 102, 111 120, 121)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the management systems especially those which identify strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum, teaching and learning to ensure that there are better checks in place to identify more quickly where and how the school needs to change by: • developing a monitoring plan which will mesh with the improvements planned in Key Issue 1 to ensure they are happening and that standards are improving; • drawing more people, including governors, into the process of checking to see how well the school is doing; • involving subject leaders in monitoring and evaluation aimed at raising standards in the subject for which they have responsibility by agreeing with them what they need to do each term/year, providing training, and time to complete their tasks; • using a wide range of methods in a systematic way to check on standards, teaching and learning; (Paragraphs: 34, 35, 60-62, 64, 69, 70) Anthony Bek Primary School - 27

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the partnership with parents so they feel better informed about the work of the school and know how well their children are doing. Work together to improve attendance, and the completion and return of homework by: • providing opportunities for parents and pupils to take a more leading role in school improvement. By engaging the active participation of parents and pupils in tackling these issues; • finding out exactly what parents think or want to know about:- work in lessons, progress their children make, attendance and homework; • finding out exactly what pupils think or want to know about:- work in lessons, progress they make, attendance and homework; • preparing a range of responses for example: curriculum newsletters, curriculum competitions, daily, weekly, termly and yearly attendance competitions, a homework token scheme, etc. (Paragraphs: 31, 51-56, 102, 113)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Improve the provision for ICT by: • reviewing exactly what it is that pupils need to learn in ICT to build knowledge, skills and understanding successfully; • identifying opportunities to promote reading, writing, talk and research skills through ICT; • developing a simple but effective system to assess what pupils know, understand and can do and how well they are achieving in ICT; • improving the resources available for ICT. (Paragraphs: 145-149)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Continue with the good work already begun in assessment, target setting and the monitoring of pupils’ achievements. (Paragraphs: 32, 49, 50, 75)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the provision for history and geography by: - reviewing exactly what it is that pupils need to learn in history and geography to build knowledge, skills and understanding successfully; - identifying opportunities to promote reading, writing, talk and research skills through history and geography; - developing a simple but effective system to assess what pupils know, understand and can do and how well they are achieving in history and geography; (Paragraphs: 134, 137, 140, 142, 144) Anthony Bek Primary School - 28

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 39

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 193

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 35

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 64

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 34

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 53

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Attendance

School data 5.1 School data 1.8 Anthony Bek Primary School - 29 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 27 Other minority ethnic groups

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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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.2 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 486 989

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 488 728

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 117.05 Expenditure per pupil 2 444

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 26 000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 24 261

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 16.25

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5.8

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 3.2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Anthony Bek Primary School - 31 FTE means full-time equivalent. Anthony Bek Primary School - 32

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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 11 12 23

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 9 9 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 11 11

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (84) 87 (84) 96 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 9 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 11

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

Percentage of pupils School 87 (88) 96 (92) 96 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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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 7 11 18

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

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

Percentage of pupils School 33 (42) 44 (32) 89 (63) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

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

Percentage of pupils School 61 (53) 56 (53) 83 (68) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) Anthony Bek Primary School - 33 Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Where the number of boys or girls are ten or fewer in the year group the individual results are not reported. Anthony Bek Primary School - 34

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 54 35 5 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 38 27 16 8 11

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 30 43 8 5 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 54 32 8 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 30 0 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 54 43 0 3 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 32 51 5 11 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 35 38 11 11 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 46 46 3 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 22 24 16 11 22 Anthony Bek Primary School - 35

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. On entry to the nursery, the level of attainment is lower than expected and although a wide range of ability is represented there are less able children and more low ability children than seen in most schools. There were no traveller/fairground children or children learning English as an additional language in the Foundation Stage during the inspection. The children make sound progress in communication skills, mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world and by the time they join the reception class in September or January, overall attainment is closer but still lower than that expected in these areas of learning. By the end of the reception class, attainment in personal, creative and physical development is as expected for children of this age. This represents good achievement during their time in the Foundation Stage. Not as many children as in most schools will attain

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

all of the expected learning goals in communication, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world by the end of reception. Achievement is satisfactory in these three areas of learning. Children with special educational needs make similar progress to other groups in the class. Extra adult support is of a good quality but the amount provided is insufficient.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. At the time of the previous inspection, standards were judged as in line with expectations. Although this would seem to represent a decline in some areas, national initiatives have changed the expectations for children of this age.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74. There were twenty-five children attending the nursery for morning sessions only, and twenty-two children attending full-time in the reception class. Teaching is satisfactory overall. During the inspection, teaching was good in forty per cent of lessons and satisfactory in forty per cent. A small amount of unsatisfactory teaching was observed. There are strengths in teaching in the reception class, but the overall quality of the teaching is not as high as in the nursery. In the nursery, the good quality support of the nursery nurse makes a positive contribution to the children’s achievement. Not enough additional adult help is provided to support children’s learning in the reception class, particularly in small group work.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. Medium-term planning provides a secure framework for teaching and learning in all six areas of learning. Assessment procedures, although relatively recently introduced, are detailed and make good provision for children’s achievements to be tracked carefully against small steps in learning. Information from assessments is used particularly effectively in the nursery to plan the next stage in learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

76. There is currently no permanent co-ordinator to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage although the school has addressed this issue for the coming school year. Children in the reception class have access to the nursery outdoor play area when the nursery is not in session but there is no reception outdoor area to provide more flexible opportunities for learning. Some furnishings and fittings are of a poor quality, particularly in the nursery. Anthony Bek Primary School - 36

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Personal, social and emotional development

77. Teaching and learning in this aspect are satisfactory overall. The children are given a good start in the nursery as the teacher works hard to ensure that relationships and behaviour meet her high expectations, for example, to learn to wait until it is their turn to speak. By the end of the reception year, most of the children will have achieved the early learning goals in this area.

p.36

Personal, social and emotional development

78. In the nursery, children are expected to be as independent as possible and activities and resources are organised to help them achieve this. Parents are welcomed into the classroom where the well-established routines encourage the children to happily become involved in a range of ‘settling in’ activities. The children know where things are kept and are able to tidy up when asked at the end of sessions. They sit quietly when required and are well behaved when in a group. Occasionally, when not directly supervised a few children show immature behaviour such as not being as careful as they know they ought to be with toys and equipment.

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Personal, social and emotional development

79. In the reception class, the large majority of children make satisfactory progress in this area of learning. Although most children behave well, a small minority finds it hard to control themselves, particularly at class discussion time. Because expectations are not clearly and firmly established, some children call out inappropriately and do not listen to the teacher or to what other children are saying. As a result, time is wasted, as lessons often have to be stopped to ensure everyone is listening. Where activities are not well matched to the children’s abilities, as was the case in a mathematics lesson, a minority lose interest in what they are doing and do not complete the task. Good opportunities are provided at other times, for example in the Estate Agent role-play area, for children to be independent, communicate and learn to work together.

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Personal, social and emotional development

80. In both classes, the children respond well to opportunities in ‘circle time’ to talk about their feelings and listen to and respect what others have to say.

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Communication, language and literacy

81. Teaching and learning in this aspect are satisfactory. Although the majority of children are likely to attain the expected goals in this area of learning, the proportion is not as high as seen in most schools. In the nursery, the teacher’s high expectations ensure that the children listen attentively and they are provided with satisfactory opportunities to talk in a range of situations. For example, in circle time they have the opportunity to talk to a larger group and in the main teaching activities the teacher and nursery nurse ask well thought out questions and provide opportunities for children to talk about what they know and understand. Occasionally, as observed in ‘welcome time’, the children are not given enough time to talk about things that are of personal importance to them.

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Communication, language and literacy

82. Children in the nursery enjoy sitting in the library area and looking at books. As they turn the pages they talk with interest about what is happening in the pictures. The range of writing opportunities, both self-chosen and focused activities, provide opportunities for the children to develop early writing skills such as mark-making and an understanding that writing has meaning. Higher ability children are beginning to form individual letters under the teacher’s writing.

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Communication, language and literacy

83. Listening skills in the reception class are not well developed because expectations that children sustain attentive listening are not consistently applied in all lessons. As a result, a significant minority find difficulty in paying attention to and taking account of the views of others. This, in its turn, prevents them from learning how to take turns in conversation. The Anthony Bek Primary School - 37 majority of children are confident to talk about things that are important to them. In a literacy lesson, the teacher and a support adult provided good speech modelling. As a result, children were better equipped to use language for imagination, for example, when dealing with ‘clients’ in the Estate Agents role-play area.

p.36

Communication, language and literacy

84. In the reception class, the majority of children are beginning to recognise familiar words from the early books in the school’s reading scheme. Higher ability children use their knowledge of letter sounds to help them work out words they are not sure of. Reading records are carefully maintained to track the reading skills and identify what children need to learn to help them make progress. The information from these records is not always used well as reading books are not always accurately matched to the children’s ability levels. Satisfactory progress is made in the development of writing skills but the number of children who will achieve all of the learning goals in writing by the end of reception is smaller than in most schools. Higher ability children use their knowledge of letters to write simple, familiar words and make sensible attempts to write more difficult words, such ‘tabl’ and ‘jumpt’.

p.37

Communication, language and literacy

Average ability children are beginning to use letter strings and attempts at familiar words to represent the flow of writing. Good emphasis is placed on writing skills and as a result, the majority of children demonstrate satisfactory pencil control.

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Mathematical development

85. Teaching and learning in this aspect are satisfactory. The majority of children are on target to reach the learning goals for mathematics by the end of reception but this number is less than in most schools and therefore, attainment is below expectations. Teaching is satisfactory overall in this area of learning. In the nursery, children show an interest in counting out loud when working with the teacher and nursery nurse. A few are able to count reliably to five but the majority needs adult support to remind them to count carefully. They are developing an awareness that the total number of objects remains the same however they are grouped. Good procedures are in place to monitor children’s achievements. This was observed in a number activity group session where the nursery nurse kept a close record of each child’s understanding of numbers to four.

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Mathematical development

86. Evidence in books indicates that children make satisfactory progress during their time in the reception class. In the lesson observed, however, the teaching was unsatisfactory. This was because the planned activities were not matched accurately enough to the children’s learning needs and as a result, those in the higher and average ability groups did not make enough progress. Higher ability children count to twenty and are developing a basic understanding of estimating a number of objects in a group, checking and recording any difference. Other children in the class are developing confidence when counting numbers to ten and, for example, adding one more or less to a given number. Lower ability children with adult help are able to work with small numbers to five. There was little evidence in books or in the lesson observed of children being provided with opportunities to use their mathematical knowledge to solve more practical problems.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

87. By the end of the reception class, standards are below those expected. Teaching is satisfactory overall and this results in satisfactory achievement. Children in both classes are interested in the world around them. In the nursery, boys and girls play at being builders, using ‘mobile telephones’ to communicate with customers and using plastic bricks to build a bungalow. In the water play area; children explored what happened as they filled a floating container with water until it sank to the bottom. As part of their topic work on wood, a group of children were encouraged to observe the texture of the wood through magnifying glasses. Anthony Bek Primary School - 38 This was not as successful as it might have been as the children involved in the activity were unable to work in a concentrated way without direct adult support.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

88. Work in books and during lessons indicates that good opportunities are provided for children to develop mouse and keyboard skills to control events in a program. As a result, skills in this area are in line with expectations of children at the end of the reception year. In one lesson, the Education Action Zone teacher worked effectively with pairs of children and as a result, they achieved well. Work in books shows that higher ability children can draw a simple route from the classroom door to the sink. Others in the class are able to place pictures in a sequence to place the story of ‘The Little Red Hen’ in order. There is limited evidence of children being provided with opportunities to investigate, for example, through finding out about features of the environment, both natural and man-made.

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Physical development

89. By the end of the reception year, the large majority of children have achieved average standards. Teaching and learning are good in this area. Children in the nursery enjoy riding a variety of wheeled toys in the outdoor learning area and follow the ‘one-way system’. They show appropriate respect for other children’s space when playing around or with them. Good basic skills teaching ensures that most are developing appropriate skills when holding a pencil, using paintbrushes or manipulating materials such as play dough.

p.38

Physical development

90. In the physical education lesson observed, children in the reception class moved with confidence and in safety. Most children follow commands well as they move in different directions and at different speeds. A few children have not yet learned to listen at all times and so during the lesson were not always able to do what was asked of them. Good basic skills teaching is continued in the reception class and as a result, handwriting and cutting skills, requiring small, precise movements are satisfactorily developed.

p.38

Creative development

91. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in this area and most children are likely to achieve the learning goals by the end of the reception year. There is a satisfactory balance between supported activities and independent work and many children are able to work without the direct support of an adult. Children in the nursery make wooden houses using lollipop sticks and glue. They play in the ‘three little pigs’ house’ engaging in imaginative play as one tells another “Don’t let no-one in!”

p.38

Creative development

92. Children in the reception class work independently to produce Estate Agency brochures by cutting out pictures of different houses and sticking them onto paper. Work on display shows a satisfactory understanding of how colours can be changed by combining them, and vibrant ‘Teddy Bear’s Picnic’ pictures show a good awareness of the use of mixed media to produce a desired effect.

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ENGLISH

93. When the school was inspected in 1998, it was reported that standards were broadly average for seven-year-olds and below average for eleven-year-olds. Inspectors now judge standards in Year 2 to be below average. Despite a more varied picture for Year 6, evidence shows standards overall are below average for this age at the end of the school year. The trend in improvement is the same as that seen nationally. Inspectors judge that, having looked closely at pupils’ work and school records, achievement is satisfactory overall. Inspectors also identified that pupils’ progress varied between classes but is at its most rapid in Years 3, 5 and 6. The most effective teaching was also seen in these classes. Anthony Bek Primary School - 39 94. It is not valid to compare standards in 1998 with those seen today since the make up of the school has changed. There is a large group of traveller pupils on roll, more pupils who

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ENGLISH

learn English as an additional language, the percentage of pupils with special educational needs has increased and pupil mobility is very high compared to all schools.

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ENGLISH

95. In 2001 national tests 33 per cent of Year 6 pupils achieved Level 4 These results were amongst the lowest 5 per cent when compared with all schools and similar schools. The school has just received the results for the 2002 tests and although these are not yet validated they show that the percentage of pupils achieving Level 4 has improved to 45 per cent. Results in national tests towards the end of Year 2 have followed an erratic path over recent years. The school’s results in the 2001 national tests taken by seven-year-olds were well below average in reading and average in writing when compared with all schools. Compared with similar schools results are: reading below average and writing above average. Early indications are that results in 2002 are much the same.

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ENGLISH

96. In Year 2, pupils demonstrate satisfactory speaking and listening skills, including those for whom English is an additional language. The ‘purposeful talk’ project helps pupils concentrate on particular themes for discussion and fosters their good working relationships with a partner. By eleven, these skills are further developed and most pupils can confidently discuss issues with demanding content. For example, they debate the consequences and moral issues arising for a village when considering the proposed route for a bypass. A formal ‘public enquiry’ drama session demonstrates pupils’ abilities to draw on their growing social consciousness when discussing moral dilemmas. Pupils taking the part of local councillors and officers relentlessly defend their project, whilst the chairperson maintains a neutral stance throughout. Questions from ‘the floor’ were relevant, and at times politely provocative.

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ENGLISH

All pupils make satisfactory progress in learning English, and in Years 5 and 6 many make accelerated progress.

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ENGLISH

97. Pupils in Year 2 are developing basic reading skills. Able pupils read fluently and for meaning. They speak a character’s line from a story with expression, and have some strategies for reading unfamiliar words. For example, they base sensible guesses on letter sounds and picture clues. Pupils achieve unsatisfactory standards in writing overall at this end point of the school year. A few pupils use full stops and capital letters (mostly) correctly, forming simple sentences for their stories, and other writing. English as an additional language learners spell most of the simple words correctly, showing a grasp of spelling conventions when guessing more difficult words. Pupils practise handwriting skills, but not regularly enough, and so these are not, in the main, transferred to extended work or written work in other subjects. Presentation of written work is often untidy. In a literacy lesson these

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ENGLISH

younger pupils try to focus on letter groups such as ‘ar’ to find rhyming words, as in ‘car’, ‘far’, ‘star’. They enjoy and benefit from repetition of rhymes and songs, which they learn by rote. Pupils overall achieve less than satisfactory results in writing tasks. In the main this is because of the limitations of their reading ability, and under-developed handwriting skills. These barriers to achievement are sometimes coupled with learning activities that are too easy or too difficult for individual pupils. Bilingual pupils (those who learn English as an additional language) together with all other pupils benefit from in-class support help when this is provided. Traveller/fairground pupils are well supported in school by the local education authority traveller support service and achieve as well as the rest of the class.

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ENGLISH

98. Inspection findings for Year 6 are varied but positive. Many eleven-year-olds still need support with writing tasks in lessons. Most pupils can explain tasks precisely, but a number still find reaching set targets hard because of an uncertainty about, for example, word meanings or in ordering their ideas. On the other hand, a scrutiny of workbooks shows all pupils make some progress over a longer period. They improve their efforts through a re- drafting process. Most pupils, including those who are bilingual or traveller/fairground pupils, Anthony Bek Primary School - 40 of average and higher ability reach average standards, and the more able do better. Pupils of average and higher ability structure stories and factual accounts sequentially, mindful of their effect on the reader of the words they choose. Most write using joined-up writing using pens. Towards the end of Year 6 writing is usually neat and well formed, with pleasing presentation.

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ENGLISH

Spelling is mostly correct and pupils use dictionaries well. They build successfully on earlier learning and most achieve at least satisfactory reading skills by eleven. The ‘Beat Dyslexia’ project is making a significant, positive impact on the reading-confidence and self-esteem of a group of pupils who find reading difficult. During the inspection this project was an element of the school provision Year 6 pupils described to the inspector with due pride as something they “really liked about their school” because of the “second chance” it gave to pupils to “catch up”. A few pupils demonstrate higher levels of reading ability. For example, a pupil interested in general environmental issues, and with a growing awareness of world-wide social and moral dilemmas, listened to a story read by his teacher about people who lived on a rubbish dump where they reclaimed various things to sustain their life. Later he sought out

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ENGLISH

the story for himself, and at the time of the inspection was reading this in play format, a very difficult self-chosen challenge. He enjoyed describing the characters and the ideas and issues behind the story.

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ENGLISH

99. Teacher’s plan well for the literacy strategy following the guidance set out for each year group. The most successful teachers stress the importance of learning intentions by writing these where everyone can see and refer to them, together with success criteria. However, in some classes success criteria are less well (or not at all) explained, and in these classes few pupils have any idea how to start to assess their own performance. Teachers check pupils’ progress during written tasks and intervene helpfully to move learning on. For example, in a Year 2 lesson requiring pupils to compose questions ‘to ask Rosie’ (a character from a story recently read to the class) the teacher checked that higher attaining pupils worked at a more challenging level. However, the lack of a classroom assistant in this lesson meant that it was impossible for the teacher to give each group of younger pupils the help they needed when they needed it. This seriously impeded the pupils’ opportunity for

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ENGLISH

learning. Year 3 pupils were writing letters for a particular purpose - in this instance to their headteacher asking for their afternoon playtime break to be restored! Year 4 pupils were evaluating a range of video-recorded television advertisements in order to identify and discuss ‘persuasive elements’ in the commentary and images. Year 5 composed letters to the local planning officer in relation to the geography unit currently being studied concerning the route of a bypass, this demonstrated well the application of literacy skills to a different curriculum subject. Year 6 were challenged with speed writing of short paragraphs for defined sections of an extended novel – this is also preparing pupils well for efficient note- taking in the next stage of their education.

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ENGLISH

100. Teaching across the school is satisfactory overall with some good and very good teaching observed in the latter stages of the school. There are particular strengths in Years 5 and 6, in the support given to traveller/fairground pupils and classes benefiting from the Education Action Zone initiatives. Pupils with special needs also benefit from good quality support. Where teaching is good, (or very good) teachers keep an eye on a lesson’s ‘main purpose’ ensuring pupils’ focus their attention and energies on achieving a successful outcome to the lesson. For example, a stimulating discussion in Year 5 led to all pupils wanting to show their speaking, listening, and social skills through participating fully. Discussion with pupils later revealed they had enjoyed the oral work. It had deepened their understanding of the importance of thinking deeply about issues which might one day affect their lives and they felt prepared and confident to defend their position.

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ENGLISH

101. The additional time given to literacy activities each day provides very good opportunities for pupils to extend their writing and use literacy skills for different purposes. Pupils are encouraged to see real purpose in re-drafting work to improve results. Time given Anthony Bek Primary School - 41 in lessons for drama is improving pupils’ speaking and listening skills and increasing their confidence when meeting visitors. Pupils’ can speculate around a character’s feelings and give possible reasons for a character’s actions. Use of the full range of literacy skills is not found applied across all curriculum areas, or in all classes.

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ENGLISH

102. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly. There is some very good marking in some classes. In Years 3, 5 and 6 pupils are clearly advised on how well they are achieving and how they might further improve. But such best practice is inconsistently applied in the other years. High expectations, when coupled with good monitoring of, and support for, pupils’ handwriting skills has a noticeably positive effect on pupils’ presentation of work, as seen in Years 3, 5 and 6. Homework is given in line with the school policy. Teachers monitor pupils’ ‘shared reading’ homework diaries very well but many parents–carers do not appear to contribute. Occasionally in lessons pupils are provided with opportunities to use their word processing skills on the computer, but overall the limited availability of computers is seriously hampering older pupils (particularly) from acquiring the more advanced word processing skills such as those required for desk top publishing. Not all computers are fully utilised

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ENGLISH

during literacy lessons. The Education Action Zone has a set of laptop computers, which are occasionally made available to the school for use in literacy lessons. This has a positive impact on the quality of work produced.

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ENGLISH

103. Co-ordination of the subject is good. The recently appointed co-ordinator is a very experienced teacher with good knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm for the subject. She has monitored literacy lessons consistently and has clear understanding of current provision and the standards reached across the school. She has welcomed the Education Action Zone initiatives and association with the school, and has worked with the specialist literacy teacher to devise a unit of work now offered across the zone’s schools. Through auditing resources, checking teachers’ planning and scrutinising pupils’ work as well as analysing the results of statutory tests she has a clear overview of the strengths and weakness of the subject. Library provision is unsatisfactory; many books are dated or simply ‘tired’. The range and quality of books is not good enough to support pupils’ research work in other subjects of the

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ENGLISH

curriculum. A plan of action drawn up by the co-ordinator shows how these and other related literacy goals will be addressed. Overall the resources for delivering the English curriculum are of variable quality and limited in quantity, although just sufficient to cover planning for the literacy strategy.

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MATHEMATICS

104. When the school was inspected in 1998, it was reported that standards were below average; this remains true today but the trend in improvement is the same as that seen nationally. Inspectors confirm that standards are below average but having looked closely at pupils’ work and school records judged that achievement is satisfactory overall. Inspectors also identified that pupils’ progress varied between classes but is at its most rapid in Years 3, 5 and 6. The most effective teaching was also seen in these classes.

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MATHEMATICS

105. In 2001 national tests 44 per cent of pupils achieved Level 4; this was an improvement over 32 per cent who did so in 2000. There was a further small improvement in the 2002 tests when 48 per cent achieved Level 4. Results are well below average when compared with results from similar schools but a very slight increase in the average points score (0.2) would have moved the school to the below average category.

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MATHEMATICS

106. Results in national tests towards the end of Year 2 have followed a roller-coaster path over recent years. In 2001 results were below average when compared nationally and average when compared with similar schools. Ninety six per cent of pupils achieved Level 2 or better. Nationally 28 per cent achieved Level 3 while the figure for Anthony Bek was 9 per Anthony Bek Primary School - 42 cent. In 2002 only 67 per cent achieved Level 2 and above. Teachers’ assessment failed to identify any pupils as attaining Level 3 but in fact five pupils did so.

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MATHEMATICS

107. Very sensibly the school sought advice from a numeracy consultant. Working together they have identified strengths and weaknesses in the mathematics curriculum, teaching and learning and major changes are being introduced to address these issues. Mathematics is a priority area for continued improvement.

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MATHEMATICS

108. Inspectors judged that standards achieved in lessons and in recorded work are below average but the increased emphasis on tackling aspects such as problem solving and speed and accuracy are beginning to lift standards. Teachers in Years 5 and 6 are using timed activities and oral work to address these shortcomings and pupils are aware that they are able to work faster. Across the school as a whole, progress is satisfactory but there are variations, often due to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning.

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MATHEMATICS

109. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and at best are very good. There has been satisfactory impact from the successful introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy and all teachers show confidence in planning and delivering it to conform to the guidance. Most pupils are learning successfully in mathematics but as yet not many are achieving the levels identified in the Numeracy Strategy for their age. Three things which need to improve are: • The pace and variety of mental mathematics activities; • Greater emphasis on problem solving and investigations at a younger age; • The presentation of pupils’ work.

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MATHEMATICS

110. A Year 6 mathematics lesson was conducted at a brisk pace and because the teacher observed pupils very closely she identified errors in their understanding and used them effectively to re-teach as necessary. Pupils were working on problem-solving activities. They were quick to identify important words and phrases and reject unimportant information. They worked quickly and with enthusiasm. In Year 3, the lesson began briskly with quick fire mental sums to reinforce pupils’ understanding of their multiplication tables. Pupils then worked independently solving problems. Some found this difficult to do, as they were not sure which method to use. The teacher used previous assessment of what pupils know well to plan work that was demanding but within their reach. In Year 4, pupils learnt how to present data in different ways. The teacher involved all pupils in the activity and did not allow a disruptive pupil to disturb the lesson. In this she was well supported by a member of the

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MATHEMATICS

support staff. In Year 5, the teacher used a game, time targets and competition to reinforce speed and accuracy. This motivated pupils well so that when the game was over they wanted to begin again. In Year 1, pupils counted backwards and forwards to 20, identified odd and even numbers and the most able pupils completed a good volume of work. A traveller pupil was well supported by a member of the specialist traveller support service. In Year 2, the teacher had many good ideas and worked with enthusiasm which the pupils responded to positively. Unfortunately they also became rather noisy and lacked the self-discipline to work carefully and accurately.

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MATHEMATICS

111. There are aspects of teaching and learning that need improvement. Whilst none of these things are of unsatisfactory quality, attention to them has the potential to ensure far more consistency in progress, particularly in infant classes. The aspects for development are: • Improved planning to show what different groups of pupils are expected to learn some planning seen was barely adequate; • Set targets in plain language, at different levels so that pupils know whether they have achieved them; Anthony Bek Primary School - 43 • Improve the use of comments in marking to show pupils how well they are doing and what they need to do next; • Make sure pupils understand the comments and targets they are working towards; • Improve pupil management skills so that the most difficult pupils do not disrupt teaching and learning.

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MATHEMATICS

112. The relative weaknesses in these things mean that the school is not aware of the rate of progress made by individual pupils during the year. As a result, teachers are unable to intervene soon enough when pupils do better or not as well as expected.

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MATHEMATICS

113. There are strengths in teaching and learning in mathematics. Basic skills of numeracy are taught well, teachers have good subject knowledge and devise interesting tasks for pupils that motivate them well. Homework is satisfactory but many parents do not actively support their children’s learning at home. This is an area for better communication between home and school. Pupils respond to their teachers well and in the main work hard producing appropriate amounts of work and building skills and knowledge in a satisfactory manner. There is not much additional support for pupils with special educational needs in lessons, even though a number of those with special needs have numeracy as an element of their individual education plans. Overall, these pupils make satisfactory progress. No particular support is provided for pupils learning English as an additional language as none is currently required. These pupils achieve as well as the rest of the class. Traveller/fairground

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MATHEMATICS

pupils benefit from support from the specialist support service and achieve as well as other pupils when they attend regularly.

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MATHEMATICS

114. The curriculum for mathematics is satisfactory; mathematical skills and knowledge are used in subjects such as science and design and technology. The use of ICT in mathematics is limited. The assessment of mathematical attainment is now effective, though the use of the data produced to track pupils’ progress is a recent development. Much data is now being collected and a start has been made to target setting and tracking but the whole process, along with that for monitoring and evaluation of lessons, has been geared more to what has been taught than what has been learned.

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MATHEMATICS

115. Mathematics is appropriately managed by the new subject leader. She has not long been in school but has some good ideas about what needs to be done. She has not yet had the opportunity to observe teaching and learning and will need training and time to enable her to do this effectively. There are still a number of things to do to improve teaching and learning in mathematics but the commitment and drive are present to assist in future success.

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SCIENCE

116. At the time of the previous inspection, standards towards the end of Year 6 were well below average. Since then, standards at the end of Year 6 have improved more quickly than the national trend. The proportion of pupils reaching or exceeding the level expected in the 2001 national tests was above average. When results were compared with similar schools, attainment was average.

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SCIENCE

117. At the time of the last inspection, standards at the end of Year 2 were broadly average. The proportion of pupils of this age reaching the level expected in the 2001 assessments made by their teachers was above the national average.

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SCIENCE

118. Inspectors judged that current standards at the end of Year 6 are below average although achievement is satisfactory as most pupils do as well as they can. Particularly beneficial to pupils’ learning in Years 3 to 6 is the emphasis on methodical development of pupils’ thinking skills during practical activities, so that they are learning to think scientifically, Anthony Bek Primary School - 44 using a wide range of thought process. This was seen in a lesson on light and shadow where the pupils discovered that it is the earth that moves not the sun in a well planned practical activity supported by good resources.

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SCIENCE

119. Inspection evidence indicates that standards in Year 2 are below average but pupils achieve in a satisfactory manner. Pupils are shown how to apply themselves and use their existing subject knowledge when working on a practical task. The methods and activities planned for pupils’ on “hearing” and how to explain vibrations matched the lesson objectives well. The expectations of behaviour and achievement are clearly understood by the pupils. They listen well and co-operate with one another during practical work.

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SCIENCE

120. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and occasionally good. Pupils are given opportunities to work in pairs and share initial ideas before working on the main target for the lesson. Lessons are well planned and teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge in their teaching and questioning skills. Pupils are eager to share their findings and the use of pupil managers in some classes, encourages listening skills and co-operation between the groups. In the best lessons, teachers encourage good behaviour by supporting learning through appropriate activities, resources and clear expectations for learning. A small but significant proportion of pupils’ struggle to maintain concentration and work well independently or in their groups. One or two teachers tend to accept this too readily and it reduces pupils’ ability to learn effectively.

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SCIENCE

121. Sometimes expectations of behaviour and achievement are not made explicit enough to the pupils and, as a consequence, scientific enquiry is sometimes reduced to playing with the equipment rather than investigating predictions. Some pupils’ are unaware of what a fair test is and how to predict what might happen in a practical activity. The teaching methods used and expectations do not challenge or deepen pupils’ understanding of the topic and too little emphasis is given to accuracy in setting up an investigation.

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SCIENCE

122. The curriculum is good. The nationally recognised scheme of work is used well and good links are made with other subjects, for example circuits in Design Technology work helps to develop the pupils learning carefully. Planning is much improved, but the assessment of pupils learning is not recorded systematically enough to improve standards in the subject. Better use of assessment would also support the identification of gifted and high achieving pupils.

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SCIENCE

123. Effective co-ordination of the subject has supported the significant improvement since the last inspection. This has included a good emphasis on evaluating the pupils’ performance using agreed sheets for investigation work, and sharpening the teachers’ planning through published curriculum support materials. Little direct monitoring is done, and this limits understanding of what is done well and what needs to be improved.

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ART AND DESIGN

124. Standards in art and design are broadly average throughout the school. This is unchanged since the school was inspected in 1998. Pupils have some knowledge or experience of artistic techniques and a range of media. Not enough use has been made of art and design to develop pupils’ awareness of non-European cultures. Some use is made of art and design to support work in other subjects, for example chair designs and signs for a school visit, which were then made. Anthony Bek Primary School - 45 125. Pupils’ skills’ development is satisfactory but looking at work from the past year, there has not been sufficient emphasis on this aspect to enable pupils to make good progress in developing their skills. Much of the pupils’ work shows little evidence of skills being developed over time, or pupils’ knowledge of media and techniques increasing as they move through the year and the school. This has begun to change and the co-ordinator has carried out a full

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ART AND DESIGN

audit in preparation for developing the subject across the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

126. Too little teaching and learning was observed during the inspection for an overall judgement to be made. However, in the analysis of pupils work and observations of displays a range of media (clay, paint, paper, card, etc.) and use of drawing from real life were seen. Records of pupils work are kept using a digital camera and some very good work using pattern to create Joseph’s coat of many colours was seen in Year 2 sketch books.

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ART AND DESIGN

127. The subject leader has identified the need for better co-ordination of pupils’ experiences throughout the school to ensure skills are built consistently. A specialist art and design room will not be available next year and the co-ordinator is aware of the need to reassess the resources and refine the recording of pupils attainment in the subject. A greater emphasis on the design element in the subject is also a priority.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

128. Standards in design and technology are average across the school. This is the same as when the school was inspected in 1998.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

129. Good use is made of the nationally recognised scheme of work to plan activities appropriate for pupils’ ages. There is, however, much greater emphasis on making than on giving pupils the knowledge and understanding of the materials they are using. In some classes, such as Year 2, pupils are given good opportunities to develop their ideas and plan how they might work, using their design notebooks to record samples of the techniques they have carried out.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

130. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding is reinforced well through good cross-curricular links. For example, in a Year 4 task to design and make a light, they use circuits and switches linked to previous work carried out in science. Good use is made of support staff. They are well used to enable all pupils to have either individual or group guidance. This ensures those pupils with special educational needs, those learning English as an additional language and traveller/fairground pupils succeed as well as the rest of the class.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

131. When exploring a different form of pattern making for Joseph’s coat in Year 2, the class worked in three groups to produce tie-dye, fabric and repeated painted designs with the help of the adults in the class. In these ways, pupils are given support that is well matched to their abilities and enables them to make good progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

132. Teaching and learning are satisfactory throughout the school. Pupils’ attitude to the subject is good and this has much to do with the interesting activities teachers’ plan for them to do. In Year 6 the evaluation of the slipper project was well directed by the teacher who identified the key elements with the pupils. The questioning and analysis was structured carefully and expectations were demanding, this ensured pupils’ carried out the task effectively. In a Year 4 class the design sheets help pupils to follow a series of stages, which posed questions about the light design and its fitness for the planned use. The tasks and activities the pupils are given are imaginative and motivate pupils well. They are clearly enthusiastic in lessons. Anthony Bek Primary School - 46 133. Co-ordination is satisfactory. Although the co-ordinator has only been in post for three months she has a good understanding of the work being carried out in the school. She

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

provides informal support for staff and expertise is shared through the class displays that record the work of the children. She has highlighted more staff training and the assessment of pupils’ work as priorities for future development. Currently there is very little monitoring of teaching and learning and this limits the co-ordinator’s opportunities to recognise areas that need further development.

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GEOGRAPHY

134. The last time the school was inspected, standards and progress at the end of Year 2 were judged satisfactory. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement by the end of Year 6. This time, inspectors decided there was not enough evidence to judge standards attained, teaching quality or the improvement made since the last inspection. Only two geography lessons, in Years 3 and 5, were observed, very little work from the past year was available for analysis and teachers’ planning for the year was also not available. Coverage of the subject is adequate and, although the school has adopted nationally produced guidelines for the subject, they have yet to adapt them to meet the pupils’ needs. The amount of time allocated to geography is low.

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GEOGRAPHY

135. The analysis of pupils’ work in Year 1 and 2 demonstrated pupils had learned about simple road mapping, road traffic signs, and the journeys pupils make from home to school. Year 1 pupils were proud of their display about the seaside. Postcards from around the world featured in a Year 2 display for locating ‘Where is Barnaby Bear’? on a world map. Older pupils in Year 3 considered the temperate regions. They studied how the weather affects everyday human activities in Derbyshire, and impacts differently in other parts of the world. Pupils are in the early stages of using an appropriate geographical vocabulary. In Year 4 pupils had observed and could talk about some of geographical features of a different kind of area observed during their educational visit to an ICT specialist centre in Norfolk. Year 5 had studied rivers, and an environmental issue in depth. They had conducted and recorded a traffic survey on a nearby busy main road. Year 6 had studied climate and weather. Pupils

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GEOGRAPHY

can, when given the opportunity, find specific information about places from atlases and other resource material.

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GEOGRAPHY

136. The local area provides a rich resource for learning in the subject and from time to time education study visits are arranged to places of geographical interest, but there is no planned rota of visits to support the teaching and learning of specific topics. Little evidence is available to demonstrate what is done to improve pupils’ knowledge and understanding of places and cultures across the world.

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GEOGRAPHY

137. Pupils for whom English is an additional language, pupils with special educational needs, and traveller/fairground pupils, all make progress broadly in line with their peers. Overall, learning in geography is barely adequate; there is little evidence of sustained work across the school leading to acquisition of a secure base of geographical knowledge and skills. Opportunities to reinforce literacy skills are not being used effectively.

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GEOGRAPHY

138. Teachers have satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the subject. Where teaching is good, teachers’ questioning skills help pupils gain a better understanding of place and community, and what can bring about changes, such as hurricanes or drought.

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GEOGRAPHY

139. The subject is managed by a recently appointed humanities co-ordinator. She has plans to extend the range of resources available for the subject when funding is made available. Specific geography topics have been allocated to all year groups but are not consistently planned for. At present there is no formalised monitoring of geography teaching, Anthony Bek Primary School - 47 although there are plans for this to happen in the future as part of the development of the subject across the school. Resources to support the subject are limited; there are insufficient maps, globes, resource books and ICT software to support the subject. At present there is no agreed system to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching, or the learning outcomes achieved from the units of work.

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HISTORY

140. At the time of the previous inspection the report stated there was insufficient evidence to make full judgements about history. This situation remains unchanged. Overall there is insufficient evidence to judge the standards attained, teaching quality or the improvement since the last inspection. Only two history lessons were observed and very little work was available for analysis. Teachers’ planning for the year was also not available. Coverage of the subject is adequate. The school has adopted nationally produced guidelines for history but has yet to adapt them to meet the needs of pupils. The school rightly focuses on literacy and numeracy provision, and this, in part, means the amount of time allocated to history is low and the school has not identified opportunities where work in history can reinforce literacy and numeracy skills.

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HISTORY

141. A lesson in Year 1 demonstrated that pupils can identify and sort miniature toys representing an early 20th Century household equipment such as a wooden ‘dolly pusher’ and tub, a flat iron, a willow washing basket, and a wooden roller clothes wringer according to their use. They can name and describe the properties of the materials they are made from. They are able to describe and name the things that have replaced the older items in their present-day homes. Some modern materials are named as replacement materials for articles, such as plastic baskets. Pupils are learning to separate past from present, and to use a limited historical vocabulary. The attractive display of equipment arranged by the teacher fully engaged the pupils’ interest; her request that the pupils were to “look but not touch please" was respected. Year 2 learned a little about the Great Fire of London, Florence Nightingale, and the purposes of buildings for shelter (this also linked with religious education)

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HISTORY

They are at a very early stage in developing a sense of chronology by placing events, such as The Great Fire of London, into manageable blocks of time.

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HISTORY

142. In Years 3 to 6, pupils build on the knowledge and experience gained in the subject in Year 1 and 2. There is evidence which points to a small number of pupils being enthused to read around the subject by choice and in their own time. Pupils in Year 4 are learning about the Ancient Greeks, and the gods and goddesses they revered. In Year 5 pupils study the life of the Aztecs, the Ancient Egyptians, and the Tudors. Pupils use a limited range of sources of information to find out more about past people and events. Resources include old or facsimile newspaper articles, reference books, artefacts, and pictures. Pupils for whom English is an additional language, pupils with special educational needs, and traveller/fairground pupils, all make progress broadly in line with their peers. Overall, learning in history is barely adequate; there is little evidence of sustained work across the school to build a secure appreciation of history through the ages.

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HISTORY

143. From time to time educational study visits are arranged to places of historical interest such as Hardwick Hall, but there is no planned rota of visits to support the teaching and learning of specific topics. Teachers have satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the subject. Where teaching is good, teachers’ questioning skills helps pupils gain a better understanding of past times. They also make effective use of time at the end of lessons to reinforce learning. Anthony Bek Primary School - 48 144. The subject is managed by a recently appointed humanities co-ordinator. She has plans to extend the range of resources available for the subject when funding is made available. The school makes some use of Local Education Authority resources to support the teaching and learning of history. Specific history topics have been allocated to all year groups but are not consistently planned for. At present there is no agreed system to evaluate the

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HISTORY

effectiveness of the teaching, or the learning outcomes achieved from the units of work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

145. Throughout the school, standards in ICT are below average. This has not improved since the school was last inspected, largely because the provision does not meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. Too few opportunities are taken to teach ICT skills or to use them in other subjects. Pupils are not given the opportunities necessary to enable them to learn the usefulness of information technology in modern society, for example when collecting, handling and interpreting data. One reason for this is the lack of sufficient computers and software.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

146. There was some evidence of ICT work in other subjects. For example, in Year 4 where digital pictures and text are used, Haiku poetry using different fonts and the use of control technology using the turtle show that the subject is beginning to develop in some classes. However there is no evidence of much ICT work having been carried out over a lengthy period of time. Pupils’ records and files contain little evidence of ICT work or the use of ICT to support learning in other subjects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

147. Insufficient teaching was observed to form an overall judgement. In the lesson seen, the teacher displayed a high level of knowledge and understanding about the subject but the planning and management of the pupils did not ensure that pupils made good progress as a result of the teachers’ expectations. Since the last inspection, there has been little development overall in teachers’ planning for the use of computers and this has restricted the progress of the pupils. The Education Action Zone brings laptop computers into school and when they are available this has a positive impact on the use of ICT and the results achieved.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

148. The curriculum is unsatisfactory. There is no detailed scheme of work to show how and when key skills will be developed, used in other subjects and developed further. The assessment, recording and progress records for pupils’ learning are not in place for ICT and this procedure is needed to ensure that teachers use the information gathered about what pupils can do to plan the next stages of their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

149. The co-ordinator has recently been appointed and is well supported by technical support from the Education Action Zone. Staff training is almost complete and this will raise confidence for teachers on how to use the best programs to meet specific lesson objectives. Further planned training should provide greater opportunities for staff to develop all the skills needed to deliver the curriculum satisfactorily. However, more monitoring and support of teaching and learning by the co-ordinator is needed if the subject is to improve sufficiently

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MUSIC

150. Standards at the time of the previous inspection were judged as above average by the end of Year 2. No judgement was made about standards by the end of Year 6. It was only possible to observe two lessons and therefore there is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on standards, teaching quality and improvement since the previous inspection. Anthony Bek Primary School - 49 151. Pupils in Year 2 did not achieve as well as they might because the teacher’s management of the behaviour of a significant minority of pupils was unsuccessful. As a result, too much time was wasted in dealing with inappropriate attitudes.

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MUSIC

152. Pupils in the Year 4 lesson achieved satisfactorily in their appreciation of pieces of music. They listened attentively and were able to record the images that the different pieces conjured up in their minds. Pupils were sensitive in some of their contributions, for example, one pupil said, “The music is like climbing up a mountain and getting more and more excited”. A little of the impetus of the lesson was lost in that the pupils were expected to listen and respond to too many pieces and this resulted in some loss of concentration towards the end of the lesson.

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MUSIC

153. Pupils sing enthusiastically and with good expression in assemblies. Those learning to play an instrument use their developing knowledge of music theory to good effect in their performances. The choir performs both in school and in the community where they participate in various events such as singing at the Friends of Pleasley Pit meeting and at the community centre at Christmas. Pupils with special educational needs, traveller/fairground pupils and those learning English as an additional language are fully included in all aspects of the subject and in lessons and other activities such as the school choir.

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MUSIC

154. The co-ordinator has good music skills and promotes the subject actively through assemblies, opportunities for older pupils to learn to play an instrument and to be a member of the school choir. The policy for the subject is out of date and does not provide teachers with clear guidelines for teaching and learning. Planning addresses the full programme of study and takes appropriate account of the most recent curriculum guidelines. There are no agreed assessment procedures in place so that teachers have a clear knowledge of how well pupils are doing and what they need to learn next. Links with ICT are satisfactory. Evidence of the use of a computer program to help pupils link sound and visual representation as part of compositional work was observed during the inspection. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ personal development in appreciating and taking part in a range of musical activities both in school and as a part of the community.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

155. Standards at seven are average. This is the same as at the previous inspection. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on standards at eleven as only one lesson was observed. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 take part in swimming for approximately six weeks in each school year. By the end of Year 6, standards in swimming are below average as records indicate that only half of the pupils who attend swimming lessons have achieved or exceeded the minimum standard. During the inspection, it was not possible to observe all aspects of the subject although these are fully addressed in the scheme of work and in planning. Traveller/fairground pupils and those learning English as an additional language are fully included in all physical activities. There is no difference in their enthusiasm and interest in the subject. Pupils with special educational needs, including those with physical disabilities, are included in all activities where possible and their achievement overall is

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

similar to that of other pupils in the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

156. In the Year 1 lesson observed, pupils were developing satisfactory throwing and retrieving skills as they worked in pairs with beanbags. Effective management and organisation and well-established routines promoted responsible behaviour and pupils demonstrated a good awareness of their own safety and that of others. A good feature in the lesson was the opportunity provided for the pupils to set their own challenges as they aimed their beanbags into hoops from ever increasing distances. The pupils enjoyed this activity and tried hard to beat their own challenges. By the end of Year 2, pupils in the lesson Anthony Bek Primary School - 50 observed were developing satisfactory skills in changing their balance through repeating and linking different footwork combinations. The lesson appropriately developed the level of challenge as it progressed. Pupils are developing early skills in evaluating their work and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

during the lesson commented on the things they thought were contributing to good performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

157. In the Year 5 games lesson, pupils achieved well in their development of volleyball skills. This was because the teacher’s good subject knowledge and focussed skills teaching resulted in the pupils working hard to learn new skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

158. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Good teaching was seen in Year 5. The good features seen were particularly in the planned challenge for children to develop their skills. Lessons and resources are organised efficiently and pupil management ensures that safety aspects are followed. Although teachers ensure that warm up and cool down sessions are part of the lesson, opportunities are sometimes missed to ensure pupils understand the benefits of exercise.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

159. The co-ordinator has a secure level of subject expertise. However, there have been few opportunities during the year the co-ordinator has held the post to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning across the school. There are no agreed assessment and recording procedures in place. As a result, teachers do not have enough information about how well pupils are doing and what they need to do next to improve their skills. Resources are adequate but are poorly organised. Pupils from Years 3 to 6 are given satisfactory opportunities to take part in a range of after school sports clubs and inter-schools competitive sport. Pupils however find it difficult to sustain interest in extra-curricular activities over an extended period of time. The most successful activities are those which run during the lunch hour. Pupils in Years 4 and 6 take part in residential visits to Kingswood and Walesby Forest. Physical education makes a good contribution to spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

development through the promotion of teamwork, individual endeavour and sportsmanship.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

160. The provision for religious education was satisfactory at the time of the previous inspection and this level of provision has been sustained. Pupils’ current attainment is broadly average and meets the requirements of the local scheme of work. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, and pupils respond well in lessons. Work in lessons develops pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding equally well because of the good emphasis on purposeful discussion. This ensures the two elements in religious education (learning from religion and learning about religion) are equally well promoted.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

161. Teaching and learning are satisfactory across the school but some very good teaching was seen in Years 3 and 6 when the lessons were taught by a religious education specialist. Pupils in Year 1 begin to learn about religion when they think about what happens in different buildings and visit the local church. They demonstrated good recall of the features in the church and know the cross is a Christian symbol. The way the teacher conducted the lesson ensured that pupils were also learning that churches are special places and that religious artefacts need to be handled with respect. Pupils in Year 3 were very well motivated during the lesson on Islam because the teaching was stimulating. They had been taught an appropriate subject vocabulary and used Eid, Eid Mubaraak, Ramadan, Mosque, Hajj and Qur’an correctly in their responses. Their individual work was of high quality and this was confirmed by work seen in pupils’ books. A Year 6 lesson provided pupils with a good

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

opportunity to undertake research about Sikhism using a range of resources. Careful planning ensured they reinforced their literacy skills well. Pupils were required to record and share their findings in a way that would be understood by Year 3 pupils. This lesson was a Anthony Bek Primary School - 51 good example of the effective use of specialist teaching as the subject leader (who usually worked with Year 3) taught the lesson. Evidence from pupils’ books confirmed that good opportunities have been identified in religious education to support pupils’ written work. For example, ‘God of the Dump’ had clearly stimulated pupils’ interest very well and some sensitive, reflective written work was the outcome.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

162. All pupils, regardless of background or ability, respond well in lessons. This is because the topics chosen by teachers and the tasks they provide are creative, imaginative and they expect pupils to discuss, often difficult, issues in an open manner. Teachers ensure the climate for discussion is positive and that all views are treated respectfully and seriously. Pupils demonstrate the ability to see things from different perspectives, are realistic and optimistic for the future.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

163. The subject leader is confident and very influential. She has ensured that all planning follows the same format and is active in discussing the content and reviewing how the lesson went with all staff. A new local scheme of work will be introduced shortly and she is busy developing a new system for assessment. While there is no direct observation of teaching and learning provision is secure and complements the school’s good personal, social and health education programme very well.

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