St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 9 - 12 September 2002

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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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. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Magdalen Road St. Leonards E Sussex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 May 1998 St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 4

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responsibilities

16493 Neville Sherman Registered inspector Science Information and communication technology Physical education The Foundation Stage Pupils with English as an additional language How high are standards? The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? What could the school do to improve further? How well is the school led and managed? 9352 Malcolm Weaver Lay inspector How high are standards? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 30724 Delia Hiscock Team inspector English Design and technology Art and design Music How well does the school care for its pupils?

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responsibilities

20877 David Pink Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Pupils with special educational needs How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to the pupils? St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge Cambs CB1 2RS

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic 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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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 28

St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School is situated in the district of St. Leonards in the town of Hastings in East Sussex. It is part of the Hastings and St. Leonard’s Educational Action Zone. The school is of a similar size to other primary schools and provides education for pupils aged 4 – 11. There are 220 pupils on roll and an even number of boys and girls. Forty-two pupils have special educational needs, a figure that is average. Twenty pupils claim free school meals, a figure that is below average. The school has a lower than average number of pupils who leave or enter the school other than at the normal admission times. A number of children at the school are from families who are seeking refugee status. The percentage of pupils with English as an additional language is slightly above average. Pupils enter the school with average levels of attainment.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a satisfactory standard of education, although there are a number of shortcomings at Years 3 - 6. Strengths in provision include the quality of education at the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 where teaching is consistently good. As a result, pupils reach well above average standards in reading, writing and above average standards in mathematics by the end of Year 2. Progress at Key Stage 1 is good. The pace of learning slows at Years 3 - 6 where the quality of teaching, while satisfactory, does not build on the good progress many pupils make in Years 1 and 2. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and the quality of relationships at the school is very good. The headteacher, since her appointment to the school, has been successful in leading it forward despite having to deal with the impact of a high degree of teacher turnover at Key Stage 2. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. • By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards that are above the national average in mathematics. • By the end of Year 2, pupils reach standards that are well above the national average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. • The quality of teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good. • Pupils have good attitudes to learning and the quality of behaviour in and around the school is very good. • The quality of relationships is very good. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development is very good. • The headteacher provides the school with clear educational leadership.

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What could be improved

• Standards in science at the end of Year 6. • Standards in history and geography and music at the end of Year 6. • How some teachers in Years 3 - 6 plan learning to ensure that higher attaining pupils undertake work that really challenges them. • The use some teachers in Years 3 - 6 make of assessment information in order to plan pupils’ learning. • How the deputy headteacher undertakes his managerial responsibilities. • The role of the co-ordinator in monitoring teaching and learning. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in May 1998. Since then it has made satisfactory progress in addressing the key issues from the last report and in improving other aspects of school provision. Good progress has been made in raising standards in Years 1 and 2, particularly in reading, writing and in mathematics. Standards are currently above the national average in both key stages. Standards have also been raised across the school in information and communication technology. The quality of education in the Foundation Stage has improved, as has the quality of teaching in the school generally. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 8 However, overall progress has been hampered, particularly in Years 3 - 6, by a high turnover of teachers since 1999. This has restricted improvements in some subjects and standards have declined in a number of subjects. The school shows good capacity to build on its strengths and improve further.

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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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schools

1999 2000 2001 2001 well above average A English C D D E above average average B C Mathematics C D D E below average well below average D E Science E D D E

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schools

The above table shows that in the National Curriculum tests in 2001, pupils reached standards at the end of Year 6 that were below the national averages in English, mathematics and science. When the results are compared with those of similar schools, based on the number of pupils who claim free school meals, standards were well below average in all three subjects. The overall trend in making improvements in the tests is in line with that seen nationally. The most recent results, based on the 2002 tests, indicate a good improvement over those of previous years with a higher number of pupils reaching the higher levels being evident.

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schools

The findings of the inspection, based on the current cohort of Year 6 pupils, are that standards are above average in mathematics and in line with national expectations in English. In science, standards are below average. Pupils make satisfactory progress in English and mathematics but progress in science is unsatisfactory, particularly by higher attaining pupils. Standards in literacy and numeracy are in line with expectations, although the school could do more to promote pupils’ literacy through other subjects of the curriculum. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with national expectations. Pupils reach the standards expected for 11-year-olds in design and technology and physical education, and progress is satisfactory. Standards in geography, history and music are below expectations. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in these subjects.

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schools

In the tests taken in Year 2 in 2001, standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well above the national average. When compared with similar schools, standards were above average. The most recent results for 2002 are very similar to those of the previous year. The findings of the inspection are that standards in reading and writing are well above average. In mathematics, standards are above average. Pupils make good progress in their development of English, including their speaking and listening skills. Progress in mathematics is good. In most other subjects, pupils reach standards that are in line with expectations and in art and design and design and technology they are above those normally found by seven-year-olds.

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schools

Children at the Foundation Stage make good gains in their learning and reach standards that are above the expectations of the Early Learning Goals in their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, creative and physical development by the time that they enter Year 1. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets identified for them in their Individual Educational Plans. Pupils at the early stages of learning English and those who are refugees receive good support in lessons and make good progress in both settling into the school and in their academic development. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils work hard in lessons and are keen to succeed.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils relate well to one another and pupils are polite and courteous in their dealings with both one another and with visitors.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Relationships are very good and the school is highly successful in ensuring that pupils treat one another with respect. The school misses some opportunities for pupils to develop their own lines of enquiry to their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance rates are in line with the national average.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teaching in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 is consistently good. Strengths in teaching across the school include how pupils are managed and in the warm praise and encouragement that all pupils are given in the work they undertake. While there is some good teaching in Years 3 to 6, there is some variation and shortcomings are evident in Year 3. The teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy is effective in Years 1 and 2, although the school has yet to develop effective strategies for promoting these in Years 3 to 6. There are weaknesses in how science, history, geography and music are taught in Years 3 to 6. Some lack of knowledge and understanding of how to effectively plan and challenge pupils by devising work that meets the different range of pupils in the class. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good,

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

particularly when learning support assistants help them. Pupils who are developing their skills and confidence in English are taught appropriately and they make good gains in their use of English.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Children in the Foundation Stage have undertaken learning that is well planned to meet their needs. In Years 1 and 2, the curriculum meets statutory requirements. However, at Key Stage 2 pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to explore aspects of science, history and geography in sufficient depth.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. All staff are mindful of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and plan their learning well to ensure that the pupils make progress in line with their abilities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Pupils at the various stages of learning English are well supported in lessons by both teachers and staff from the local education authority. As a result, the pupils make good strides in their confidence and ability to use English St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 10 Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school is very effective in planning provision for pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development. Planned provision for pupils’ cultural development is good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils All pupils, and particularly those who are refugees, are well cared for on a day-to-day basis. While the school has made satisfactory progress in developing procedures to monitor and track pupils’ academic progress, some teachers in Years 3 - 6 make insufficient use of the information gained to plan pupils’ future learning, resulting in some pupils undertaking work that does not stretch them sufficiently.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school works in partnership with parents The PTA provides good support for the school. The school is aware of the need to improve the regularity with which it informs parents of events at the school. Pupils’ annual reports are unsatisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides clear educational leadership to the school, and together with a hard working staff has been effective in giving a clear lead to the school’s development. The deputy headteacher is not effective in fulfilling his managerial responsibilities. The role of the co-ordinator in monitoring teaching and learning is under-developed.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors provide good support for the school. However, they are not fully effective in fulfilling their legal responsibilities, as there are omissions in the governors' annual report to parents.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is making increasing use of information from evaluating teaching in order to raise standards in key subjects of the curriculum. However, in Years 3 – 6 not all teachers make sufficient use of assessment data in order to plan the subsequent steps in pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Effective use is made of the extra grants and resources given to the school to support pupils’ learning. Governors have a satisfactory awareness of the principles of ‘best value’ and apply them well when making spending decisions.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources There are a good number of teachers and support staff for the number of pupils on roll. However, in Years 3 - 6 not all teachers have sufficient knowledge and understanding in teaching aspects of science effectively. The quality and range of resources are good.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• How the school promotes a sense of ‘community’. • The leadership of the headteacher. • How the school promotes a sense of respect for individuals regardless of their ethnic background and academic ability. • How the school promotes a sense of everyone • Aspects of how the school communicates with parents on a day-to-day basis. • Staffing stability in Years 3 - 6. • The provision made for higher attaining pupils. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 11 being ‘special.’

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors support parents’ positive views of the school. The school is aware of the need to improve the quality and regularity of information to parents; inspection findings indicate that while higher-attaining pupils in Years 1 and 2 are challenged sufficiently, those in Years 3 – 6, particularly in science, are not provided with enough sufficiently challenging work. Inspectors support parents’ views on this issue. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The children begin their education at the school with average levels of attainment. Children make good progress in their first year at the school largely as a result of the good quality of teaching. By the time they begin Year 1, the children attain standards above expectations in their personal, social and emotional development, as well as in their communication, language and literacy, creative and physical development. Children reach the expectations outlined in the Early Learning Goals in their mathematical and knowledge and understanding of the world and progress is satisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. On the basis of the 2001 National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments for Year 2 pupils in 2001, the number of pupils reaching the expected level in reading and writing was well above average. In mathematics, standards were well above average. When the results are compared with similar schools, based on the number of pupils who claim free school meals, standards were above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Over a three-year period, standards have improved greatly in all three aspects. The 2002 results mirror those of 2001. The teacher assessments in science in 2001 indicate that pupils reached standards that were below the national average. Standards reached by pupils in 2002 are similar to those of the previous year.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The findings of the inspection are that standards in English are well above average. Pupils make good progress in reading and writing as they do in their development of their speaking and listening skills. Good attention is paid by teachers to promoting pupils’ ability to speak clearly and to listen effectively to one another. The teaching of early reading skills is effective and pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in their ability to read with expression as well as in their understanding of the works of famous authors of children’s fiction. In writing, pupils understand the need for full stops and capital letters and apply these consistently in their written work. Standards of handwriting are good. Although standards in presentation are satisfactory in English, pupils do not always demonstrate the same degree of care in how they present their work in other subjects. Pupils are confident spellers and are not afraid to make

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

informed guesses at unfamiliar words before using a dictionary or asking an adult to check on the accuracy of their efforts. Overall, greater use could be made of information and communication technology to support pupils’ writing development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. By the end of Year 2, the pupils’ attainment in mathematics is above the national average. Pupils make good progress in their ability to solve problems involving number, and are confident in solving addition and subtraction problems, and are able to use the appropriate mathematical language in explaining the similarities and differences between two and three-dimensional shapes. Pupils are able to present numerical information in the form of simple charts or bar graphs, although greater use of computers could be made in extending pupils’ progress in this aspect of their mathematical learning. In science, inspection findings indicate that standards are average. The reason for inspection findings being different from teacher assessments is that teachers are somewhat over harsh in terms of the assessments they make on pupils’ progress. Evaluation of pupils’ work indicates that overall attainment is more in line with the national average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. By the end of Year 6, English National Curriculum tests in 2001 indicated that pupils reached standards below the national average. Compared with similar schools, they were well below average. Early indications are that standards reached by pupils in 2002 are an improvement on those of 2001, with a larger proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 in the tests. Inspection findings confirm that attainment in English is in line with the national average. Literacy standards are in line with expectations, although the school has yet to develop more effective ways to ensure that other subjects contribute more effectively to the development of pupils’ literacy skills. By the end of Year 6, pupils are confident readers, read widely and are confident in expressing reasons for preferring one author to another. Most pupils are able to locate information in reference books quickly and make notes to assist them when writing longer pieces of writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Standards of handwriting are high and pupils are mindful of the importance that the presentation of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 13 written work has on the reader of their work. Standards in speaking and listening are average. Pupils currently make satisfactory progress in English. The high turnover of teachers in Years 3 - 6 has limited the impact of initiatives designed to raise achievement in English and standards have not risen at the same pace as those seen in Years 1 and 2. Early indications are that the school’s more current secure staffing structure is having a positive impact on consistency in teaching and this is raising the standards pupils are reaching in English.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The 2001 National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments in mathematics indicated that standards reached by pupils at the end of Year 6 were below the national average, and well below average when compared with similar schools. The 2002 results are a marked improvement over those of the previous year. The findings of the inspection are that standards are above average and reflect the time and attention the school has paid to developing aspects of mathematics over the past academic year. Pupils make good progress in the knowledge and understanding of number as they move through most of the classes, although progress is less marked in Year 3 where the teaching is less effective. By the end of Year 6, pupils are confident in approaching open-ended mathematical tasks and they have a secure grasp of number. Pupils’ understanding of shape, space, and measurement is also secure. While pupils are able to devise charts and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

tables from numerical information using pencil and paper methods, their ability to do so using information and communication technology equipment and software is less developed.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The 2001 National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments in science in Years 3 - 6 indicated that standards were below average when compared with schools nationally and when compared with similar schools. The 2002 results are an improvement on those reached in 2001, with more pupils reaching the higher Level 5 in the tests. Inspection findings indicate that standards are below average and that progress, particularly of higher attaining pupils, is unsatisfactory. Inspection evidence strongly indicates that teaching is not effective in ensuring that pupils generally have regular and challenging opportunities to develop their investigation skills. Progress in this aspect of the science curriculum is too slow.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In information and communication technology, standards are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Since the previous inspection good progress has been made in improving the range and quality of information and communication technology for pupils to use. Teachers’ knowledge and confidence in integrating this equipment into their day-to-day teaching has been improved. Pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through each of the classes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. By the end of Year 2, pupils reach standards in art and in design and design and technology that are above expectations. Pupils make good progress in the development of their art and design skills as they move through each of the classes in Years 1 and 2. In all other subjects by the end of Year 2, pupils reach standards that are in line with expectations and progress is satisfactory. By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards that are in line with expectations in art and design, design and technology, and physical education. Pupils make satisfactory progress in these subjects. However, progress in history, geography and music is too slow. Pupils do not get sufficient opportunity to explore these subjects in depth and as a result, standards are below expectations by the end of Year 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Those pupils who have English as an additional language (EAL) and who receive additional support from teaching staff from the local education authority have their needs identified early and are given good support. They make good progress in their confidence in using English both for speaking and listening and in their reading and writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress at the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. There is close liaison between the special educational needs co-ordinator, teachers and support staff and those pupils who experience difficulty with aspects of their work are given good support and this raises their self-esteem in their approach to work, resulting in good progress. In Years 3 - 6, in some classes the pupils’ Individual Education Plans, while suitably devised, are not referred to sufficiently by some teachers when planning learning and this restricts pupils’ progress. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 14 12. The end of Year 2 National Curriculum data indicate that the boys achieve slightly higher than the girls yet by the end of Year 6 this trend has been reversed and girls achieve slightly better than the boys in National Curriculum tests. However, evaluation of pupils’ work and inspection findings

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

indicate that there is no major disparity between the attainment of boys and girls. Inspection evidence indicates that higher-attaining pupils at the end of Year 6 do not achieve standards of which they are capable in a number of subjects, which include science. The school sets challenging targets for improvement in National Curriculum tests and the 2002 National Curriculum data strongly indicate that these targets have been met in English and mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. The school has made satisfactory progress in raising standards since the last inspection, and the overall trend of improvement has been in line with that seen nationally. Recent progress has been more marked in Years 1 and 2 than in Years 3 – 6 where the high turnover of teachers has affected the continuity in pupils’ learning. However, lack of progress is also due to the quality of teaching and learning being less effective in some year groups and in some subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils are keen to attend school and, as their parents’ views confirm, they show a good deal of enthusiasm for their work and the many activities the school provides. They are consistently courteous and welcoming to visitors. Their behaviour overall is very good and despite a small number of bullying concerns recorded, there is freedom from any oppressive or racist behaviour. With very few exceptions, they behave very well throughout the school and show respect for property and the feelings and needs of other pupils. These findings indicate an improvement since the last inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The orderly routines and the largely clear expectations of what the teachers require give pupils a sense of security that enables them to settle to work confidently. Pupils are eager to work and take pride in their achievement. Most pupils listen attentively and sustain their concentration. Where teaching is very good, pupils respond in a very mature manner and become absorbed in their work. In a lesson where teaching was weak, however, pupils did not perform to their level of ability and higher attaining pupils showed little determination to work hard.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils’ relationships with their peers and adults are very good. They work in pairs and groups constructively and pupils with special educational needs and those from other minority ethnic groups are well integrated into the class and work and play together harmoniously. Pupils show very good understanding of the impact of their actions on others and take concern for one another’s welfare, with regular examples of pupils supporting each other in their work and at play readily being seen. The support they show for one another in applauding good work and achievement in class and in assemblies is a positive feature within the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. The previous inspection report noted that pupils worked with minimal direction and undertook their own independent research. While pupils continue to reflect their keenness to work sensibly and with minimum supervision, there is less opportunity for them to conduct their own research using the computer room or library. This is an area requiring further development across the school, particularly for junior pupils. Opportunities to increase pupils’ personal and social development are good. The school council is effective in enabling pupils to have a voice in the work of the school and they show a mature attitude and approach to a range of issues being considered. Pupils also take full opportunity to involve themselves in the large number and range of after school clubs, responding well to the extra challenge the clubs bring, such as in learning a foreign language.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The level of attendance is good and is slightly above the national average. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Although the figure for unauthorised absence is slightly higher that figure is slightly above the national average the number of authorised absences is below the national figure. Only one pupil was excluded from school during the last year.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 15 19. The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, although in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2, it is consistently good. During the inspection, the quality of teaching was very good or excellent in 25 per cent of the 44 lessons seen, good in 41 per cent of lessons and satisfactory in 32 per cent. In two per cent, amounting to one lesson, it was unsatisfactory. There is some variation in the quality of teaching in the school and while good teaching was noted in all classes, the greater percentage of very good teaching is at the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. There are shortcomings in the quality of teaching and learning in Year 3. Since the last inspection, the quality of teaching has improved. In 1998, unsatisfactory teaching was evident in 15 per cent of lessons. The headteacher and staff have successfully tackled the shortcomings

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

identified in the last report, although there are still aspects of teaching in some subjects that need to be strengthened.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is good. The teacher has a good understanding of the learning needs of the children and a good balance is achieved between the use of structured play and more formal teaching in order to move the children on in their learning. Children are well supported in their first weeks at the school and the good rapport that has been established with the parents helps to ensure that the early strides that the children make in their learning are effectively supported by parents at home. Good use is made of the assessment information that is gathered on the children in their first half-term in order to ensure that planned learning builds on what the children already know, can do, and understand. Teachers assess pupils daily and make careful note of the children’s progress and of the areas that they may be experiencing difficulty with. The teacher and support staff modify subsequent teaching to give the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

children additional support in order to master what they may be finding difficult. Good attention is paid to the development of the children’s early literacy and numeracy skills, and the good attention paid to promoting the children’s confidence in speaking and listening has a strong impact on the good progress that many children make in this area of their language development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The teaching of English is very good in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. In Years 1 and 2, teaching successfully builds on the literacy skills the pupils have mastered while in the Foundation Stage. Basic skills of handwriting, spelling and punctuation are taught well, although teachers’ expectations of how pupils present their work in subjects other than English are too low. In Years 3 to 6, while there is some good teaching, particularly in developing pupils’ ability to write and understand that writing can be for different reasons and different audiences, teaching does not effectively promote pupils’ literacy skills in other subjects. For example, in science lessons, teachers fail to ask pupils to write up the results of their investigations in more detail. The teaching of mathematics is good in many year groups. Teachers have good subject knowledge and understanding and have successfully integrated the guidance outlined in the National

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Numeracy Strategy to support their teaching. In Years 1 and 2, teachers make good use of practical equipment to support the pupils in their learning and this helps the pupils to clarify and deepen their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. In Years 1 and 2, the teaching of art and design and of design and technology is good, effectively ensuring that pupils achieve well. The teaching of science, history, geography, music and physical education is satisfactory, ensuring that pupils of all ages and abilities make satisfactory progress. In Years 3 to 6, there are shortcomings in the teaching of science, geography, history and music. Some teachers’ knowledge and confidence in teaching science and music are weak and this results in pupils’ undertaking work that does not present them with sufficient challenge and their learning suffers as a consequence. Pupils get too few opportunities to record their findings as reports, charts and graphs and teaching does not extend pupils’ literacy or numeracy skills sufficiently through science. In history and geography, while teachers utilise the local area to extend pupils’ learning, the lack of time given to the subjects results in pupils having too few

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

opportunities to extend their historical and geographical skills. In Years 3 - 6, the teaching of physical education seen during the inspection was good. Effective use is made of the local sports centre to provide pupils with good opportunities to develop their small group skills in playing games such as badminton.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The teaching of information and communication technology is satisfactory and a good improvement on that noted at the time of the last inspection. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding are appropriate and when specific information and communication technology St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 16 teaching is undertaken, teachers are effective when demonstrating what skills pupils are expected to acquire. However, teachers too often fail to give pupils opportunities to use computers. Pupils are provided with some scope to use the Internet to support their learning. However, teachers in Years 3 to 6 in particular do not take full advantage of the pupils’ capacity to work independently at the computers that are sited in another part of the school and their learning is restricted as a result.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. In all classes, pupils are managed well. All staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the pupils and relationships are warm and purposeful. Pupils are treated with courtesy and respect and pupils respond positively to this. Lessons often start briskly and pupils are provided with good opportunities to discuss what they have previously learned. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to discuss teaching points in small groups and summarise their learning to the rest of the class or in the end of lesson sessions. Tasks are clearly explained and this ensures that pupils know what is expected of them during lessons. Teachers are effective in how they organise their classrooms and resources to support their teaching and this ensures that very little time is wasted in pupils searching for equipment or materials.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 make effective use of day-to-day assessment of pupils’ progress. Learning support assistants, for example, are used creatively in this respect as they often make informal notes of the difficulties in understanding that some pupils are experiencing. This information is often used to plan activities to clarify pupils’ misperceptions in order for them to clarify and deepen their learning. In Years 3 to 6, and in Year 3 in particular, teaching is less successful in ensuring that the teaching builds on what pupils know and understand in order to move pupils on at a greater pace. Work planned for the pupils is too often aimed towards the majority of the class and higher-attaining pupils do not get sufficiently challenging work in order to move them on at a greater pace. Across the school, effective use is made of homework to support pupils’ learning in English and mathematics. This consists of pupils reading, learning spellings or

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

completing written and numeracy work commenced in lessons. In the main, too few opportunities are provided for pupils to extend their learning in other subjects. Some pupils have, for example, good access to information and communication technology at home but are not always given sufficient opportunities to use it in order to broaden their day-to-day learning. The marking of pupils’ work is satisfactory.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. The teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs are good. In small group work, the teacher knows the pupils well and has the knowledge to match learning to the needs of the individual pupils. Pupils are effectively engaged in talk and exercises so they establish confidence. Pupils receive help in remembering letter sounds. Teaching is also good in class lessons, where well-trained teaching assistants know their pupils well and are able to support pupils and so include them in their lessons. Pupils have targets to guide teachers in their teaching of these pupils.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. The teaching of pupils with English as an additional language and those who are refugees is satisfactory overall, although often good when being given direct teaching by members of the local education authority who support the pupils at different times of the week.

p.16

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The quality and range of the learning opportunities in some subjects in Years 3 – 6 is unsatisfactory overall. The statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and religious education are met. The curriculum that is planned for children in the Foundation Stage is very good and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. While pupils in Years 3 to 6 get access to a broad curriculum, insufficient time is given to some subjects. This results in pupils not getting sufficient opportunity to explore certain subjects in sufficient depth and this impacts negatively on their learning. All classes have daily literacy and numeracy lessons. Literacy and numeracy skills are consolidated in some other subjects but the planning for this is weak and could be improved. Satisfactory provision is made of the teaching of sex and drugs education as part of a programme of personal, social and health education. The provision for homework makes a satisfactory

p.16

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 17 contribution to pupils’ learning. The provision for those pupils with special educational needs is good. The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The curriculum in Years 3-6 is not planned well enough. In subjects, other than English and mathematics, the lessons follow nationally developed schemes of work. The monitoring of these is unsatisfactory. As a result, it is unclear as to how much time is allocated and spent on each subject, and the changes that some teachers make to their timetables are not monitored sufficiently. At the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2, monitoring and planning are good. In Years 3 to 6, how teachers plan pupils’ learning in history, geography and music is unsatisfactory. In history and geography, work does not meet the needs of the pupils in Years 3- 6, and pupils’ skills are not well enough developed as they move through the classes. However, the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy are closely followed and these have contributed in the improvement in standards. Whilst the planning in history, geography and

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

music have shown too little improvement since the previous inspection, there has been a satisfactory improvement in the access and use of information and communication technology and design and technology.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The range and quality of the extra-curricular activities are very good. The school plays competitive sports through clubs in soccer, netball, cricket and athletics. Language classes are held in French and Spanish. There is a choir, which leads singing in assemblies. There is a gardening club for Year 2 pupils. There are annual performances at Christmas and Easter. A technology club is supported through the local business partnership. There is a range of visits to support history in Year 4 and Year 6 pupils take part in an annual residential trip. The school makes use of the artist in residence scheme. All these activities have a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The equality of access to the curriculum is satisfactory. The support given to pupils with special educational needs and to lower attaining pupils is good and ensures that these pupils gain full access to the curriculum. The support given to pupils with English as an additional language is also good, although class teachers could do more to build upon work done by specialist teachers. Provision for the more able pupils in English, mathematics and design and technology is good, although the needs of this group are not being met in other subjects of the curriculum, because the teacher’s set work is not always demanding enough.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The school makes good use of the community to foster the education of the pupils. Close links are maintained with the local church authority. In Years 1 and 2, good use is made of the local area for visits and fieldwork. The school is part of an Educational Action Zone and through this has improved training of teaching assistants and provided training for teachers in behaviour management. It is currently involved in an information and communication technology project on the use of laptop computers. There are good links with the local business partnership, which has resulted in a local engineer helping Year 6 pupils improve their understanding of technology. The school helps parents of reception pupils by holding social meetings during the day. The school regularly offers places to teachers in training and has the experience to make a good contribution to this. Links with other schools and nurseries are good. Most pupils transfer to the same local

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

secondary school and regular contacts are established for Year 6 pupils from January in the transfer year. The special needs co-ordinator assists parents in choosing schools that will be appropriate to the pupils needs.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The work of the support assistants ensures that pupils are fully included in all lessons. The special needs co-ordinator maintains good relationships and makes good use of specialist teachers and agencies from outside the school.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Since the last inspection, the school has maintained the very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is a strength of the school, reflecting the distinctiveness of the school’s Catholic purpose. This permeates the work of the whole school and includes the staff, the parents, the Church and many of the local community. Regular collective worship and assemblies are well planned and create a calm and positive time for reflection and prayer. This flows through into lessons and provides prime opportunities for each St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 18 child in the school family to think about the world beyond and nurtures awareness of a greater presence in their lives. Singing plays an important part in assemblies and the choir provides good opportunities for talented pupils and for pupils who wish to join. The shared times for prayer that mark morning and afternoon sessions provide a special time in the day for all pupils to participate.

p.17

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

This prepares pupils well for times of personal reflection and is nurtured in the curriculum through literature. The small number of pupils who have a different family religion or sets of beliefs are welcomed into the school and benefit in the rich environment.

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. Pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong from the earliest opportunity. There is a fairly consistent teaching approach to this across the school which is reflected in lessons and around the school. Overall, pupils show respect towards each other. They negotiate and offer help and advice as they work with each other. They demonstrate good listening skills and respond well to instructions. Most pupils can explain why something is wrong. This is because the school has very high expectations and messages about right and wrong and important moral values, such as trust and forgiveness, are played out in assembly stories and in action in the school day. Pupils understand that if they make mistakes or do something wrong, they do not lose their value as individuals and that it is important to make amends. Teachers and support staff are good role models and reinforce the

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

moral values and beliefs of the school. This sense of moral responsibility through care for others reaches beyond the school, recognising those less fortunate. Pupils are sensitive and responsive to this message because the school’s framework for developing their moral awareness is very effective.

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. The provision for pupils’ social development is also very good. The School Council is well established in the school and has undertaken some responsibility for the development of the new playground equipment, the environment and discussions about anti-bullying. This involved listening to and representing the views of other pupils in meetings. Pupils age six and seven take great care of the outside areas for which they are responsible. The various garden plots are well maintained and pupils take pride in the plants they have grown. Junior pupils take on the role of monitors in classes. The school’s high expectations of behaviour provide a clear model of courtesy and respect. Relationships are very good. By the age of seven, most pupils know that taking turns to speak and listen is essential and this is partly because they understand that their views are valued. Pupils’ very good social skills are also a result of the planning for regular

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

opportunities for pupils to work in pairs, in small groups and often, in performance through assemblies and school dramas. Throughout, a positive climate is promoted in which pupils learn about relationships without threat or fear.

p.18

TO PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good overall. There is very good use of the local museum, the seaside heritage, school visits, literature and the work of artists-in-school. A silkscreen painter worked with pupils on a large silk mural that represents ‘Noah’s Ark’. Provision for music in assemblies has improved and pupils listen to a range of music that increasingly includes music from different traditions. Pupils’ understanding of other cultures is supported by the vibrant images celebrating the traditions and heritage of pupils from different ethnic groups. The school mainly uses artefacts from other cultures by borrowing from local resources centres. Although the school’s story and poetry books support pupils’ understanding of other cultures, there are few non-fiction books in the school library to support this aspect of the curriculum.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school provides caring support for its pupils. The strong Christian emphasis underlies the school’s work and ensures a good basis for pupils’ development. This supports the findings of the last inspection. Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils' welfare, health and safety are good overall. The headteacher is the designated person for child protection matters and ensures that all staff receive appropriate guidance in following the school’s procedures. Satisfactory links are held with social services and all relevant confidential documentation is kept securely. There is a good number of staff trained in first aid and records of any concerns whether large or small are maintained in line with the local education authority’s requirement. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 19 40. Safety checks are conducted regularly and a very comprehensive risk assessment document has

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

been raised, with actions identified to ensure the safety and welfare of the pupils. A few items requiring checking, however, have been brought to the school’s attention including the poor condition and unpleasant toilets for boys and girls. The school recognises these as issues that require urgent attention. A number of parents also reported the unsatisfactory state of toilets during the inspection. The infant playground and the Foundation Stage outdoor play areas have improved, but attention is still required to ensure that infant and junior playgrounds receive attention in line with the school development plan to prevent unnecessary accidents.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good and show an improvement since the last inspection. Office personnel are committed to record all reasons for absence and inform staff accordingly. The high rate of unauthorised absence has been reduced owing to the school’s more rigorous approach to ensuring that statutory requirements are met and many parents have readily responded to the more rigorous requirements. Good links are held with the education welfare officer and periods of extended absence or continual lateness are followed up well.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The procedures for monitoring and improving behaviour are good and are consistently applied. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Staff have clear awareness of the school’s policies including dealing with any bullying, and follow them closely. As a result, pupils’ behaviour was very good during the inspection, reflecting the application of behaviour systems that are fair and implemented consistently. No oppressive behaviour was evident during the inspection. The school has involved pupils in considering their own behaviour and that of bullying. Pupils have compiled a portfolio identifying appropriate behaviour and they are involved in considering the level of sanctions they should receive in the event of inappropriate behaviour. This works well and ensures a developing maturity in pupils’ behaviour and reasoning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Procedures for monitoring and improving pupils’ personal development are satisfactory overall. They are good in relation to the opportunities for pupils’ social development within the school community. A wide range of after-school activities and clubs support their personal development, including gardening for Year 2 children. The effective use of the school council and roles of responsibility such as house and sports captains further strengthen these activities. While many pupils are aware of how well they are doing academically, further attention is required to provide regular opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. The school has raised the profile of assessment across the school in recognition of the need to track the progress of pupils as they move through the school. Detailed checking of progress has been a key feature in ensuring that pupils attain high standards by the age of seven. The insufficient use of assessment information collected on pupils age eight to eleven is one of the reasons for standards by Year 6 being below average. Limited use of assessment information gained in tests about all pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups, has led to teachers making few links between information about pupils’ progress and lesson planning. As a result, activities do not always closely match pupils’ next learning steps because teachers have not known how to use the information gained. This picture is improving as the recent staffing turnover settles and teachers have the opportunity to learn from

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

new assessment ideas. Pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language generally fare rather better because of specialist support and teachers’ general awareness of their needs. Most teachers set pupils individual targets but teachers in Years 3 - 6 are limited by the school’s imprecise view of how much progress a pupil is expected to make in a set time. Plans to develop teachers’ knowledge are in place and some teacher training has begun, particularly in mathematics. The school has also developed a good portfolio of pupils’ writing based on National Curriculum levels.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school recognises that further steps need to be taken to build on established procedures so that all pupils achieve as well as possible. Some steps have been taken to harness the insights of key teachers to research useful assessment systems that highlight where further support and intervention can be used to boost pupils’ achievement. Procedures for assessing pupils with special educational needs are good. Assessment of non-core subjects is negligible except for some examples of teachers encouraging pupils to self-assess their work in design and technology and in physical education. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 20

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The partnership with parents is satisfactory overall and has some very strong features. Parents’ views of the school are positive and they believe it to be a good school in which their children develop and mature well. Despite this, a number of concerns were raised by parents in response to the questionnaires but were not fully substantiated from discussion with parents during the inspection. Parents reported concern with the perceived lack of close co-operation by the school, provision for higher attaining pupils, the turnover of staff in Years 3 - 6 the number of after-school clubs, the level of information provided, and the difficulty experienced in visiting the school to speak with staff and the range of homework given. These concerns indicate a reduction in parent satisfaction since the last report.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Investigation of these issues, however, identified no clear areas where the school does not seek to include parents in its work. There are currently eight parents who regularly support pupils’ reading in the infant and junior classes, the support in junior classes being stronger than that normally found in other schools. There is a very good range of after-school clubs that are led willingly by staff and this does not support parents’ perception of provision. Arrangements for parents to talk with staff are satisfactory and appointments can be made through the office, by telephone or through the homework diaries. Many parents identified that the diaries are effective as a means of two-way communication with the school.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents’ perception of the quality of information provided through their children’s end-of- year report are fully substantiated. Reports are unsatisfactory as they do not identify what pupils’ are able to achieve or the progress pupils make in learning. Reporting is inconsistent across the school and many contain irrelevant information. The senior managers are fully aware of the unsatisfactory nature of the reports and are reviewing samples of good practice in order to improve their own reporting to parents. The prospectus and governors’ annual reports do not contain the statutory information they should. This also substantiates parents’ concerns. The school is now aware of the omissions to be addressed to improve its reporting to parents. Regular newsletters have been provided regularly over recent years, although an occasional issue has been missed. These, together with the provision of other regular letters, help to keep parents informed to a

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

satisfactory level. Parents value, however, the two consultation evenings each year in which to review their children’s learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The contribution of parents to their children’s learning at home is satisfactory. The homework provided by the school is satisfactory and parents readily support their children, particularly in ensuring their reading, writing and mathematical development.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The impact of parents’ involvement with the school is good owing to the substantial and committed support given principally through the PTA, enabling good quality resources to be provided, particularly for reception and infant children. This support has a very positive impact upon children’s personal and social development within the playground and play areas and supports the learning of the Foundation Stage children well. Parents have also been involved in maintaining some of the paintwork in the school and keeping the school garden in good condition. Substantial funding is generated by parents in supporting the social activities and in raising monies for a range of charities.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The headteacher gives good leadership to the school. She has effectively managed the impact of the heavy turnover of teachers in Years 3 - 6 since being appointed to the school in 1999, and has given a firm steer to the school’s educational development. The high turnover of teaching staff and the difficulties in making suitable replacements have necessitated until more recently the headteacher undertaking some teaching in Years 3 - 6 in addition to her other responsibilities. Despite this, she has been instrumental in moving the school forward and has developed a good understanding of the school’s strengths and of the areas where improvements need to be St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 21 secured. Recent improvements to the quality of teaching and learning have resulted in rapidly improving standards In Years 1 and 2. While standards are improving in Years 3 - 6, the turnover

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

of teaching personnel has lessened the pace in securing improvements. The headteacher is aware of the need to ensure that the quality of teaching in Years 3 - 6 matches that at Years 1 and 2, and in particular at Year 3 in order for pupils to build successfully on the good progress they make in Years 1 and 2.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher is ably supported by most staff who demonstrate a strong commitment to the school and work hard to ensure that most of the school’s aims are met. Staff are brought into and are heavily involved in the decision making process by the headteacher and this ensures their commitment to seeking improvements to the quality of pupils’ learning. The deputy headteacher was absent during the inspection and so it was not possible to observe his practice. However, all available evidence indicates that he is not fully effective in fulfilling his responsibilities. This has weakened the impact of planned improvements, particularly those to the quality of provision in some subjects. Most co-ordinators carry out the duties asked of them effectively and they provide good support to their colleagues in the form of helping to plan pupils’ learning or in offering advice about the ways to teach aspects of a subject. However, while their role in monitoring teaching and

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

learning has been expanded since the last inspection, such monitoring is unsatisfactory and does not always feed through into securing more lasting improvements. For example, the science co- ordinator has led much staff development since the previous inspection on raising teachers’ confidence in ensuring that investigation work is a regular feature of pupils’ learning, but while some staff have worked hard to apply this advice into their day-to-day teaching, others have proved less willing to do so. As a result, higher attaining pupils in Years 3 - 6 do not make the progress of which they are capable.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school improvement plan has identified target subject areas of literacy, numeracy, science and information and communication technology as priorities for attention. The planned initiatives are appropriate and the plan is carefully reviewed at different points of the academic year in order to review progress made. The school is making increased use of National Curriculum test results so that priorities for development can be set. For example, the school identified writing and mathematics as aspects for development. The resulting staff development and raising the profile of writing and mathematics across the school have resulted in rising standards in these aspects. The school has yet to develop rigorous procedures for identifying improvements based on its own evaluation of pupils’ day-to-day work. For example, while some evaluation of pupils’ work in history and geography in Years 3 - 6 has taken place, it has failed to identify that the quality of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

pupils’ planned learning is narrow and that opportunities to develop pupils’ literacy skills through these two subjects are being missed.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Since the last inspection, the Governing Body continues to provide good support to the headteacher in moving the school forward. It is provided with regular and up-to-date information about developments at the school. Regular meetings of both the full Governing Body and various committees enable them to fully discuss issues. Many governors give freely of their time and visit the school to gain first hand information about the quality of life at the school. Since the last inspection, the Governing Body has improved its role as a ‘critical friend’ to the school and a regular feature of committee meetings are discussions about the standards that pupils attain and what further initiatives are needed to ensure that the good progress made in recent National Curriculum tests continues to be maintained. While governors are generally effective, there are omissions in their annual report to parents and in the school prospectus.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school has good procedures for ensuring that the school’s finances are used effectively to support pupils’ learning and school development. The headteacher and Governing Body maintain a careful overview of spending and appropriate systems have been developed to ensure that major spending decisions are carefully thought through in terms of their cost-effectiveness. The small deficit of the school budget has been corrected for the current financial year. The administration staff carry out their duties in terms of the day-to-day management of the budget and this helps to ensure that the headteacher has up-to-date financial information upon which to make decisions to support educational developments. At present, the school has yet to develop ways by which the views of parents and the wider community are actively sought before making spending decisions. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 22

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school responds well to the various initiatives that are planned within the Educational Action Zone of which it is a member. Support staff have, for example, attended courses that have been organised and at the time of the inspection the school was taking full advantage of the opportunity provided for pupils to use twenty laptop computers to support their learning. The school uses the additional grants given to support other aspects of pupils’ learning well. Those for special educational needs or those pupils identified as needing additional support to boost their confidence in using English are used effectively for their intended purpose. The school also receives additional funding as a result of applying for monies through various local trusts. In recent years, this has enabled the school to enhance the range and quality of information and communication technology equipment to support pupils’ learning.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Part of this provision includes a special educational needs co-ordinator for three days a week who works carefully with the teachers and support staff in managing developments in respect of special educational needs. The co-ordinator meets support staff weekly to review pupils’ progress, as well as organising regular meetings with parents. This work has a positive impact on pupils’ learning and on the progress they make. The school is aware of the new requirements that have come into force from 2002 and has modified its work and administrative procedures accordingly.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school has a clear policy for equality of opportunity, which effectively ensures that all associated with the school are valued and encouraged to take a full and active part in the school’s work. With the exception of ensuring that provision for higher-attaining pupils in some classes is effective, the school’s policy on inclusion and ensuring that all pupils have their needs is well met. The school’s ethos of care and emphasis on pupils and adults displaying sensitivity and respect towards others for others are very well met.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The school provides good opportunities for the personal and professional development of all staff and has ensured that the arrangements and targets for staff in relation to performance management have been implemented effectively and combined with the school’s immediate priorities. Teaching and non-teaching staff regularly attend courses to improve their knowledge and confidence in teaching particular subjects. However, while such work has proved effective in improving the quality of teaching and learning in information and communication technology, similar work in respect of raising teachers’ understanding of teaching science effectively has been less successful in Years 3 - 6. All teachers and non-teaching staff have clear job descriptions, and this ensures that most staff are clear about their roles and the duties expected of them.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school has a satisfactory number of teachers and a good number of support staff to provide for pupils’ learning. Office staff provide the first point of contact for parents and visitors, offering friendly and effective support when needed. There has been a relatively high turnover of teachers in the past two years and the difficulties in retaining teachers have continued since the previous inspection. Six teachers have left in the last two years, most of whom were young teachers moving on in their careers. This has adversely affected standards by the end of Year 6. Investment in initial teacher training activities within the school is improving the quality of teaching and enabling the school to reflect on its performance with more rigour. This has brought fresh momentum to the school’s development. Support staff also benefit from the strong attention paid by the school to developing their role to support the pupils in their learning. Two teachers have

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

already trained in the school and the school currently supports two teaching assistants as trainee teachers. This initiative is successfully led and managed by the headteacher.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Teachers have sufficient knowledge to teach most subjects although it could be strengthened in science, music, history and geography. Arrangements for professional development in the school are well linked to the school’s priorities although subject leadership remains underdeveloped. Successful professional development has led to higher standards in core subjects by the end of Year 2 and in mathematics by Year 6. Appraisal of teaching staff occurs annually and meets statutory requirements. There are good arrangements for the induction of new staff and these include a programme of activities for newly qualified teachers. This also meets national requirements. Teaching assistants have very good training opportunities in the school. Some support pupils with special educational needs but all pupils benefit from this investment. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 23 62. The school buildings are well cared for overall and the cleaning staff maintain good standards.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Accommodation is good and the recent development of outside play space for reception children and seating arrangements for infant pupils provides much improved play areas. The library is attractive and spacious but the gallery used as the computer suite, although centrally located, is narrow. The school has additional space that has been creatively adapted to provide pupils opportunities to explore aspects of design and technology and food technology. It is also used to support the ‘Discovery Club’, an after-school club for pupils to develop their interest in design and technology.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The school’s resources for learning are good, especially in the core subjects. The quality and number of books are good. Computer resources have improved substantially since the previous inspection and now meet the needs of the curriculum, although older computers used in infant classes are limited in their capacity to support learning. Additional hardware from the Education Action Zone is used to give pupils greater access to good quality computers. Resources for music, history and geography are minimal. The school makes good use of resources from the locality to inspire pupils. Resources to support pupils for whom English is an additional language are lively and inviting. They reflect the school’s central message that it embraces everyone. A fine example of this resides in the entrance to the school where all the pupils in the school have contributed to the silk mural of St Mary’s Star of the Sea.

p.23

Governing Body should:

(1) raise standards in science in Years 3 - 6 by ensuring that :

p.23

Governing Body should:

• teachers have high expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving • assessment information is used more effectively to identify the next steps in pupils’ learning • teachers have suitable knowledge and understanding of how investigation work can be used to support pupils’ learning • higher attaining pupils have worked planned for them that challenges and stretches them • greater use is made of information and communication technology to support teaching;

p.23

Governing Body should:

(paragraphs ¹ 7, 12, 22, 25, 44, 98, 101, 102)

p.23

(2) raise standards in history, geography and music in Years 3 - 6 by ensuring that:

• teachers have an appropriate understanding of what pupils are capable of achieving • the planning of pupils’ learning meets their individual needs • the school identifies and implements ways by how pupils’ historical and geographical skills can be promoted through literacy • greater use is made of assessment information in planning pupils’ learning • the subjects have sufficient time to enable pupils to explore themes and topics in sufficient depth;

p.23

(2) raise standards in history, geography and music in Years 3 - 6 by ensuring that:

(paragraphs ¹ 9, 13, 22, 25, 29, 44, 45, 53, 113, 116, 117, 118, 120, 127 - 130)

p.23

that

• the deputy headteacher is more effective in undertaking his role • the role of co-ordinators is further developed so that they play a more influential part in improving teaching and learning in their subjects of responsibility;

p.23

that

(paragraphs ¹ 51, 52, 90, 97, 103, 117, 121) St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 24

p.23

improvement plan:

• ensure that the written information provided by governors meets statutory requirements • ensure that pupils’ annual reports contain the information for parents that they should • ensure that parents are provided with full and regular information about events taking place at the school;

p.24

improvement plan:

(paragraphs ¹ 48, 54) St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.25

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. [When the total number is substantially less than 100, add] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than two percentage points.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 220

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 20

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 42

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 8

p.25

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 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

School data 4.1 School data 0.8 St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 26 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. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 27

p.26

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 18 16 34

p.27

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 16 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 14 15

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

Percentage of pupils School 85 (94) 94 (86) 97 (89) 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 16 18 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 14 13

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 85 (92) 94 (89) 85 (100) 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 17 11 28

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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 11 11 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 9 6 10

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 71 (73) 61 (70) 96 (89) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.27

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 11 13 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 7 9

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 68 (n/a) 71 (n/a) 82 (n/a) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.27

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 28

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 28 - -

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background - - -

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani - - -

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi - - -

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 3 - --

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean - - -

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background - - -

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.8 Financial year 2001/02

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25 £

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 452 586

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Expenditure per pupil 2003

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 143 Balance brought forward from previous year -1500

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent Balance carried forward to next year -9 937

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5.0

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6.0

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.6 St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 29 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 30

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 55 34 9 2 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 52 41 6 0 1

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 46 11 2 2

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 39 18 5 1

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 23 9 5 1

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 38 4 0 1

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 33 38 18 9 2

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 40 45 9 4 2

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 46 4 0 1

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 34 20 5 8

p.30

Other issues raised by parents

No other issues were raised by parents. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 31

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Children start at the school in the academic year that they become five. Many of the children have had nursery education. Assessment data gathered during the children’s first half term at the school indicates that attainment is average. At the time of the inspection, only a small number of children had begun their full-time education owing to the school’s policy of admitting the children a small group at a time. The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good overall and much improved since the last inspection. Teaching has improved as has the quality and range of learning experiences that are planned for the children. These factors effectively contribute to the good progress made by children in their first year in full-time education.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. A key feature in the improved provision is the way in which the school has been effective in improving the quality of children’s day-to-day learning experiences. This has included successfully integration of the national guidance given to schools to help plan children’s learning and in making effective use of assessments of children’s progress in planning the next steps in children’s learning. In addition, the school has greatly improved the provision for children to have regular access to outside play.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. Children make good progress towards the Early Learning Goals in many aspects of their learning. From an average level of attainment when they first start school, by the time they transfer to Year 1 children attain above the expected levels in their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy as well as in their physical and creative development. Children make satisfactory progress in their mathematical and knowledge and understanding of the world and by the time they begin in Year 1 attainment in these aspects of their learning is in line with expectations.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. The quality of teaching is good in many aspects of the children’s learning, enabling them to make good progress generally. A strong emphasis is placed by staff on ensuring that the children are settled effectively into the school. This is undertaken in a warm and purposeful manner. Relationships are very good and all pupils are treated with high levels of care and respect. As a result, the children quickly learn and adapt to the expectations that the school has of them. Good attention is paid to the development of the children’s early speaking and listening skills as well as developing their early confidence in reading and writing. This is often successfully undertaken through the use of structured imaginative play that is also effective in developing the children’s personal and social skills. The teacher makes effective ongoing assessments of the children’s progress and copious records are kept of what pupils have successfully mastered and where else

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

they need to further support in order to achieve fully. From these records, the teacher makes good use of the information in planning the children’s subsequent learning. The information gained by the teacher helps to build up a detailed picture of what the children know, can do and understand and gives the adults who support the children a good understanding of what features of learning should be subsequently planned to move the children on at a greater pace. The school has improved the numbers of support staff who work very well alongside teachers in supporting children’s learning. Their input and support of the children, including those with special educational needs, makes a valuable contribution to the overall attainment and progress that many children make.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. Other strong features of provision at the Foundation Stage include the effective links with parents and the local community that have a strong impact on the quality of children’s learning. Since the last inspection, the school has increased the opportunities for children to visit the school to become familiar with the school prior to attending full time. In addition, the teacher visits the children in their nursery and holds sessions in the afternoons for parents to take any questions they may have of the school about what it is to provide for their children in their first year. The school has also just introduced home visits so that the teacher can gain further information about children as well as developing a purposeful rapport with the child’s parents. As a result of such St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 32 work, children settle very quickly into the school and there are strong and purposeful links with

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

parents that have a strong impact on children’s learning.

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

69. By the time children move into Year 1, most achieve standards above the expectations outlined in the Early Learning Goals. Children often make good progress, which is helped by the teaching provided. Teaching is often very good and children respond well to the good opportunities provided for them to start to make independent choices in their learning. When changing for physical education work, most are able to do this for themselves and fold their clothes neatly ready for when their physical education work is finished. During the inspection, children were seen helping one another put on an art apron in preparation for practical work. As soon as children begin school, good attention is paid by all the staff to promoting children’s understanding of the need to play fairly with one another and share equipment fairly and freely with their class friends. Teaching places good emphasis on developing the children’s ability to explore and use a range of

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

equipment for themselves and return it when they have finished using it in order for someone else to use it.

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Personal, social and emotional development

70. Children make good gains in their ability to co-operate with one another and to share and play successfully and creatively with one another. By the end of the Foundation Stage, these skills are very well established in the majority of children. All staff praise children warmly and openly when the children succeed in their efforts and this helps to boost the children’s personal worth and self- confidence. As a result, they are highly motivated in what they do and are sensitive to the needs of others who may be asked, for example, for their views about they think of a story read to them. Teaching is very successful in developing the children’s confidence in approaching their learning. By the end of the Foundation Stage the school has successfully developed the children’s understanding of the importance of working co-operatively and fully as a member of a wider group.

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

71. By the time children leave the Foundation Stage, most of the children attain above the expectations outlined in the Early Learning Goals. The good teaching provided places heavy emphasis on the development of the children’s early literacy and speaking and listening skills. Children make good progress in this area of their learning as a result. Both the teacher and the learning support assistant carefully plan activities designed to promote the children’s speaking skills. Children are encouraged to ask questions and are confident in expressing their ideas. Good use is made of imaginative structured play to further stimulate discussion between children and children successfully develop their ability to learn to listen effectively to their classmates as a result.

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

72. Attractively arranged books in the classroom encourage the children to browse, pick up and explore. Children respond well with high levels of enthusiasm to the stories that are read to them and this helps to extend their understanding of the meanings and sounds in new words. The teacher encourages the children to hear and sound out initial sounds in words and children make good progress in their understanding that books carry meaning and that often stories have main characters as well as a plot that has an ending. Children are introduced to early phonics which are taught well and the purposeful links that have been established with parents ensure that the parents are able to support their children at home in their overall reading development.

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

73. Children are given frequent opportunities to develop their early writing skills. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children are able to write quite detailed sentences, such as ‘the bird takes the snail and hurts the snail on the rocks and then eats it,’ in a script that is neat and legible and demonstrates the children’s ability to write the letters of the alphabet in an appropriate size. Higher-attaining pupils understand and use full stops. The classroom is organised in such a way that allows pupils to have easy access to a ‘writing area’ supplied with various papers, markers and pencils. Children use this regularly to write ‘notes’ or ‘letters’ and this is effective in developing the children’s confidence in holding and using a wide range of writing tools. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children are confident writers and few children need the additional support of an adult to guide them in their early writing efforts.

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Communication, language and literacy

St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 33 St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 34

p.33

Mathematical development

74. Children make good progress in their understanding of early mathematics and by the time children enter Year 1 many attain the Early Learning Goals in the mathematical area of their learning. Teaching is effective and the teacher provides good opportunities through the children’s day-to-day mathematical learning in order to extend children’s understanding of number, shape and space. The two classroom-based computers, for example, while somewhat dated, provide the children with sufficient opportunity to use programs to differentiate between shapes or extend their understanding of pattern. In using sand and water, children get good opportunities to extend their understanding of concepts such as ‘full’, ‘empty’ or ‘half-full.’

p.34

Mathematical development

75. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children are able to count up to at least 20 and higher attaining pupils can count up to 100. Many children can write numbers up to 20 and make good progress in understanding the concepts of addition and simple subtraction. Through the use of practical and relevant equipment such as small cubes, children make satisfactory progress in their understanding of different shapes and are able to explain how a square is different from a cube. Children are aware of the concept of money and can identify simple coins up 20p. Most children understand the terms such as ‘bigger’ or ‘less than.’ However, few children other than the ablest children are able to write and work out simple addition or subtraction problems.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children attain the Early Learning Goals in this area of their learning. Teaching is good and is effective in ensuring that children develop their understanding of the world in which they live. A strength of teaching in this area of learning is the careful planning in terms of inviting visitors who work in the community to talk to the children about the work they undertake. These include visits by the police, a dentist, a priest and, during the past year, a midwife with an expectant mother. Such visits make a valuable contribution to the children’s understanding of the work that these members of the community undertake in helping others. This learning is suitably reinforced through regular visits to places of interest in the local community such as the local fire station. Good opportunities are provided for children to learn about different materials and by exploring different materials first hand, children learn about how certain materials

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

such as an umbrella or rain coat are waterproof but others such as paper are not. By the end of the Reception year, children have learned that other living creatures such as farm animals need food in order to grow and that even small insects need to drink water in order to survive. Good use is made of the school grounds, such as the garden area that lies adjacent to the children’s classroom to support the children’s learning of living creatures. Children have a developing sense of time and by having opportunities well planned for them to visit local senior citizens, they learn that people grow older and that birthdays are regarded by many as special occasions and as such should be celebrated.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. Teaching is effective in enabling children to have full and regular access to the two classroom based computers to support their everyday learning. Although these machines are somewhat dated, they are effectively used to support the children’s understanding of how computers can be used to support their learning. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children are able to use a mouse to locate the different elements in a simple painting program to create simple pictures and graphics.

p.34

Physical development

78. Children make good progress and by the time they transfer to Year 1 attain above the expectations outlined in the Early Learning Goals. Teaching is good and places due emphasis on the development of the children’s fine motor skills. Teaching is further strengthened by frequent opportunities for the children to participate in outside play using the school’s area that has been developed since the previous inspection. When taking part in outside play, using larger play equipment, the children show due awareness of space and others.

p.34

Physical development

79. Children are able to undress and change fairly quickly for physical education work without too much assistance from an adult. In lessons, children are given good opportunities to develop their St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 35 finer physical skills through regular use of scissors, fasteners, glue, paint brushes and play doh. They greatly enjoy using this equipment and learn that paint, for example, can be mixed with glue to provide a richer texture. Children work well using this equipment and use it with increasingly control and particularly enjoy the tactility of clay or play doh as they mould it into simple models or figures.

p.34

Creative development

80. By the end of the reception year, the majority of children attain above the expectations of the Early Learning Goals. Progress is good as is the quality of teaching that places a strong emphasis on the development of the children’s creative skills. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children know that colours can be mixed to make others and they are able to paint with a fair degree of accuracy and enthusiasm. Many are effectively taught well to handle different equipment such as paint brushes or sponges to apply paint and that this equipment has to be washed out in order for it to be used again.

p.35

Creative development

81. Children have regular opportunities to take part in imaginative structured play that effectively develops both their imagination as well as, for example, their ability to work co-operatively with a classmate. The classroom is well organised to facilitate this and classroom resources are sufficient to enable the children to play creatively with one another. The children have good opportunities to play musical instruments and they enjoy singing simple tunes and rhymes that often link the ending of one teaching session before moving on to another.

p.35

ENGLISH

82. Inspection findings indicate that pupils reach standards in English that are well above average by age seven, reflecting the findings of the 2001 National Curriculum tests in reading and writing. Most pupils by the end of Year 2 reach above expected levels in speaking, listening, reading and writing. A good number attain the higher level in reading. This is a significant improvement on standards noted at the time of the previous inspection. Inspection of pupils’ work in Year 6 indicates that standards are broadly average. The school successfully promotes the early development of literacy skills and this gives pupils a strong start in their school life as confident readers and writers. The slow overall improvement in standards at age eleven has been affected by variability in the quality of teaching in junior classes and the turnover of staffing in recent years.

p.35

ENGLISH

83. Pupils’ progress up to the end of Year 2 is rapid. When they start junior classes, progress slows to a satisfactory pace in Year 3, then picks up some momentum in the rest of the junior classes. Pupils for whom English is an additional language achieve at a similar rate as other pupils when they gain a command of English. The great majority of pupils show interest and delight in sharing books particularly fiction. Discussions are thoughtful and perceptive, showing a good use of language when describing or explaining. Most pupils are very attentive and speak fluently and confidently. Teachers value pupils’ views. When they spend time developing pupils’ ideas, pupils offer some depth of thought and reasoned thinking, particularly when talking about a character or what an author intended.

p.35

ENGLISH

84. By the end of Year 2, in speaking an listening, pupils use a good range of vocabulary and use interesting phases. They give detailed descriptions and recount a story very well. By Year 6, pupils have gained good conversational skills and take good account of each other’s point of view. They listen very well in class and many pupils offer well thought out opinions. This is because teachers promote a broad vocabulary. Pupils with English as an additional language have good support from teaching assistants, including early specialist support and this ensures that they take an increasingly active part in lessons, especially when they reach a confident command of English.

p.35

ENGLISH

85. The very good standards of reading by the end of Year 2 reflect very good teaching. Most pupils begin school with average language skills and rapid progress is evident in their understanding of how a story starts, unfolds and ends. Most pupils recognise how punctuation is used in sentences and can talk about the effect. When they read aloud, six and seven year olds are St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 36 taught to use their voices expressively. Pupils can change their voice as they read a character’s lines with great delight. Pupils age six understand a speech bubble and higher attaining pupils know that speech marks also represent a character’s speech. The very few low attaining pupils read three and four-letter words early in the academic year and can tackle new words using these skills. The school’s use of nationally recommended guidance has accelerated the progress of this

p.35

ENGLISH

group of pupils. Most pupils regularly take books home to read with parents and other family members and quite a number of pupils bring new or favourite books from home to read in school. This practice continues into the junior classes and helps to develop the love of story that many pupils have.

p.36

ENGLISH

86. Standards of reading by the end of Year 6 are generally average. There are ample arrangements for quiet, shared and individual reading times as well as good opportunities for pupils to read aloud. Discussions with pupils indicate that they have read a broad range of stories and have a strong understanding of how stories are organised. They show good skills in reading for understanding and especially enjoy humour, adventure and contemporary fiction. Test results of 2002 (to be confirmed) indicate that that number of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading has improved in relation to previous years. However, there remain a small proportion of pupils who have not achieved average standards in reading. There are two main reasons for this. The school has not used the information collected about pupils’ progress well enough to plan activities to target the needs of these pupils. Also, the school’s work on non-fiction texts has been limited.

p.36

ENGLISH

This has contributed to some loss of progress for boys in the subject in national tests when compared to their attainment in Year 2. Limited curriculum time for the subjects such as history and geography has also reduced the opportunities for pupils to learn about information texts. The school has plans to improve non-fiction resources. During the inspection, the achievements of boys and girls were similar. Although most pupils by the age of eleven can locate information, evidence from discussion with pupils indicates that their personal skills of enquiry are not high enough, given their overall reading skills.

p.36

ENGLISH

87. Standards in writing are well above average by the end of Year 2. In the infant years, pupils make a rapid start to form letters correctly. They begin in Year 1 with good hand-eye co-ordination and within a very short time, they are able to use ink pens to accurately form the letters, d, b, p and q. These skills rapidly transfer into their personal writing so that by age seven, many average and above average attaining pupils write in a joined style that gives them confidence to express their ideas. Most pupils write at length, use speech marks and add interesting words and phrases. Pupils spell familiar words correctly and lower attaining pupils use recognisable phonetic sounds.

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ENGLISH

88. Standards of writing by the end of Year 6 are average. Pupils achieve better when composing stories than when writing for information. The school’s emphasis on story writing and poetry inspires pupils. They respond well to the variety and richness of language. Many pupils have a good grasp of language and use effects such as metaphor in their own writings. Evidence seen during the inspection indicates that pupils in Years 5 and 6 are achieving well in writing. In one example, pupils aged nine examined the shades of meaning in synonyms, describing ‘a hollow laugh’ as ‘a laugh with no joy.’ Standards of presentation are satisfactory. Pupils use computers well to present their writing, making posters and writing letters and stories. Standards of spelling are good overall. Where mistakes are made, this generally relates to spelling rules rather than to familiar words

p.36

ENGLISH

89. Pupils in infant and junior classes generally enjoy their lessons in the subject though some distractions occur in some junior classes when the pace of teaching slows and pupils are eager to move on. When teaching is lively, pupils’ interest is sparked. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to discuss the literature they have had read to them or to participate in group discussions about how a story may develop. Such opportunities enable many pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language who are developing their confidence in using spoken English to become more mature in speaking aloud to a wider audience. Infant and junior pupils generally show good concentration and make good efforts. Despite some teaching that can lack pace, pupils show maturity and resilience in their approach to their work. Teaching assistants provide strong support when actively working with

p.36

ENGLISH

pupils. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. There are some examples of good teaching in junior classes but the very good teaching is in infant classes, where teachers’ knowledge is St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 37 thorough and there is good understanding of how young children learn best. Across the school, teachers manage pupils well. Teachers consistently give clear instructions for tasks and pupils know what is expected of them. Teacher training in the school is raising both knowledge and skills. In all classes, some use is made of information and communication technology to support pupils in the development of their literacy skills. Pupils are encouraged to draft and re-draft their poetry work - for example, using a word-processor - and this broadens their understanding of how writing can be amended and redrafted in order to obtain a better result. There are some missed

p.36

ENGLISH

opportunities by teachers when planning lessons, however, for pupils to use information and communication technology more effectively to support their literacy development.

p.37

ENGLISH

90. Leadership in the subject is satisfactory. Temporary leadership of the subject by the headteacher, supported by other key staff, has helped to raise standards by Year 2. A new co-ordinator is in place and there are appropriate plans to develop resources and the use of assessment information in order to boost pupils’ learning. There has been some effective monitoring of teaching undertaken by the headteacher and this has helped to raise standards since the last inspection.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

91. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 attain standards, on evidence from inspection, above those expected for their ages in numeracy and all areas of mathematics (number, space shape and measure, data handling and the use of mathematics in applied situations). Unconfirmed results for the National Curriculum tests in 2002 indicate a similar picture in Year 2 and a good improvement by pupils in Year 6. The school exceeded its target in 2002 because of more selective use of classroom assistants and the introduction of booster classes to raise the standards of particular groups of pupils.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

92. Higher attaining pupils achieve well by Year 6. Support for lower attaining pupils is generous and so, consequently, they also achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language also achieve well. The ratio of boys to girls varies from year to year, with some classes containing only one-third boys. No marked differences in the performance of boys and girls were observed during the inspection, although National Curriculum data indicates that the boys achieve higher than the girls at the end of Year 2; the picture is more in line with the national picture by the end of Year 6.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

93. By the end of Year 2, pupils have knowledge of place value to 100. Pupils count to and beyond 100 in 2s, 5s and 10s. They use various ways of doubling numbers and can see repeated patterns in calculations. They find numbers that are close to a given by adding one to a number. They know some of the properties of squares, rectangles and hexagons and can identify cubes, squares and pyramids. Pupils measure accurately in millimetres and centimetres. By the end of Year 6 pupils work out calculations in their heads and suggest alternative strategies for arriving at numerical answers. They use percentages to two decimal places and know their equivalence in vulgar fractions. Pupils become confident in estimating and predicting likely outcomes of number and area. They can use ratios to compare numbers and shapes. They calculate square roots of the number. Pupils can translate shapes using co-ordinates in four quadrants and draw three lines

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MATHEMATICS

of symmetry in given shapes. Pupils can collect and analyse data using pie charts. Higher attaining pupils are confident in calculating the angles of a triangle and use formulae to find an area of given regular shapes. Pupils, overall, have limited experience of using mathematics to solve real life problems and in the main teaching places too little emphasis on developing this aspect of pupils’ mathematical development.

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MATHEMATICS

94. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good overall. However, more effective monitoring and planning of teaching would support consistency in some classes in the junior years. In Years 1 and 2, teaching is often very good. It is good overall in Years 3 to 6. In Years 1 and 2, teachers know their pupils well and target learning to meet the needs of all pupils. As a result, pupils are challenged and interested in their work. Relationships between teachers and their pupils are good and this helps to give the pupils confidence in their learning. In Year 4, pupils are encouraged to talk about their mistakes so that they can see correct solutions more clearly. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 38 This helps the pupils to become more independent in their learning. In Year 3, the more able pupils are insufficiently challenged and the teacher’s expectations are too low. As a result, the

p.37

MATHEMATICS

more able pupils make slower progress in that year. The extra teaching given to pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language helps those pupils to learn more effectively. Support for the learning of lower attaining pupils is generous but could be more closely focused to meet needs. On some occasions, this level of support does not help pupils to work on their own. Classrooms are quiet, effective places of learning because of the good management and high expectations of pupils' behaviour by the teachers. The approach to providing challenges for the more able pupils should be more consistent so that pupils tackle more complex examples and problems rather than taking on extra work.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

95. Teachers are familiar with the National Numeracy Strategy, which they apply effectively. The three-part lesson structure is satisfactorily established, although improvements could be made to the pace of mental activities and in using of time at the end of sessions to help pupils be more involved in their learning. The development of the mathematical vocabulary is good in Years 1 and 2, where pupils are encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills while acquiring the language. In other years, while mathematical vocabulary is highlighted to be taught in lesson plans, it is not sufficiently emphasised in lessons and this restricts pupils’ learning.

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MATHEMATICS

96. Information technology is used effectively in lessons where programs provide pupils with extra practice related to work being done in class. Pupils thus develop their computer skills from Year 1 while engaged in solving number problems. However, how teachers plan for pupils to use information and communication technology to support their learning in mathematics in other subjects is unsatisfactory. While opportunities do arise, as in one Year 6 geography lesson where pupils used appropriate software to support their learning of three-figure coordinates, such opportunities are the exception rather than the norm. Improved planning across the curriculum would better reinforce pupils’ learning.

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MATHEMATICS

97. The management of mathematics is satisfactory. Improvement since the last inspection has been good with improvements both in standards and in the quality of teaching and learning. Standards of attainment have risen as a result of the good teaching. A system for assessing and tracking pupils has just been introduced but has not had sufficient impact on teachers’ planning. Assessment information gathered is not being used effectively and consistently to raise the attainment of all pupils. These data do not sufficiently inform day-to-day planning of pupils’ learning. The monitoring of teaching and learning needs to be made more effective, so that there is a consistent quality of teaching across the school. Monitoring of teachers’ planning would help them to better match learning to pupil's needs.

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SCIENCE

98. Evaluation of the 2001 Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments indicates that pupils reached standards that were below the national average. When compared with similar schools, standards were well below average. Science results based on teachers’ assessments in 2001 for Year 2 indicated that results were below the national average. The most recent results for Key Stage 2, based on the 2002 tests, indicate some improvement over those of previous years with a higher number of pupils reaching the higher Level 5. The Year 2 teacher assessment results for 2002 indicate a similar picture in attainment to that reached in 2001.

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SCIENCE

99. Inspection findings indicate that standards are in line and those seen nationally by the end of Year 2. By the end of Year 6, standards are below national expectations and in keeping with those reached by pupils in the 2001 tests. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make satisfactory progress. As they move through Years 3 - 6, however, pupils make unsatisfactory progress in many aspects of their learning. Pupils make too little progress in the development of their skills of scientific enquiry and in their approach to undertaking investigation work because some teachers pay too little emphasis to it. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs, who receive good support in class from learning support assistants at both key stages, is satisfactory, enabling them to consolidate their learning of new scientific ideas and vocabulary. Pupils at the early stages of learning English make satisfactory progress and equal that of their classmates. In

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SCIENCE

St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 39 Years 3 - 6, higher attaining pupils, while highly curious about science, do not always make the progress of which they are capable. This is often as a result of their being given the same level of work as other pupils in the class. This limits their overall progress. There is no difference in attainment between boys and girls. In Years 1 and 2, standards have been maintained since the previous inspection, although in Years 3 - 6 standards have declined. The school has yet to develop ways to effectively ensure that science makes an effective contribution to the development of pupils’ literacy skills.

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SCIENCE

100. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good understanding of materials. They know, for example, that water can be changed into ice and while they understand that ice, when melted, can be changed back into its original state, they know that other objects, such as eggs, when broken are irreversible. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of living things and that different creatures can live and thrive in a range of different habitats. Pupils understand that electricity is a form of energy and are able to draw and explain how a circuit is constructed. Teaching places suitable emphasis on developing pupils’ scientific vocabulary and as a result they have a secure understanding of terms such as ‘fair testing’ and of the need to keep conditions the same when undertaking investigation work.

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SCIENCE

101. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a weak understanding of and ability to undertake investigations that are open-ended in nature by following their own lines of enquiry. Teaching places too little emphasis on developing pupils’ skills in this area of the science curriculum. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of what is meant by a ‘fair test’ but the school has yet to ensure that pupils are given frequent opportunities to write detailed accounts of their investigation work or to give pupils the skills to identify the key factors to be considered when undertaking such work. Too many of the pupils have a limited ability to select a range of equipment to support their learning or use it effectively in pursuing their lines of enquiry. In addition, pupils are given limited opportunities to use information and communication technology equipment to support their learning or to produce clear labelled diagrams that help to explain the course of their work. By the end of Year

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SCIENCE

6, pupils are able to use appropriate scientific vocabulary when naming the major parts and functions of the human body or the parts found in flowers and plants. Pupils have an unsatisfactory understanding, however, of food chains and their ability to explain and describe concepts such as filtration and distillation when talking about materials is equally weak. Pupils do not explore in sufficient detail scientific phenomena such as forces and their understanding of electricity, magnets and friction is under-developed for their age.

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SCIENCE

102. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory; however, in Years 3 – 6 it is unsatisfactory, resulting in pupils making too few gains in their learning. In Years 1 and 2, teachers plan effectively, highlighting carefully what new scientific ideas and vocabulary pupils are to learn during the course of lessons. Teachers sensitively arrange various objects in support of a theme for pupils to pick up and explore how it may work. This proves successful in developing pupils’ curiosity about a subject as well as consolidating their learning. In some classes in Years 3 - 6, teachers do not plan sufficiently well or give pupils sufficient time to explore themes in sufficient depth and this hinders progress. Where this is better, such as in Years 4 and 5, pupils make greater strides in their learning. Further shortcomings in teaching include teachers planning work that does not sufficiently take into account the range of ability within the class. As a result,

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SCIENCE

higher attaining pupils, for example, undertake work that is pitched at the same level as that for less able pupils and they do not reach standards of which they are capable. Other shortcomings include weak subject knowledge, weak understanding by some teachers of how to plan suitably challenging investigation work for pupils to undertake, and insufficient use of assessment information in planning the next steps in pupils’ learning. In Years 3 - 6, teachers make insufficient use of information and communication technology to support the pupils in the course of the day-to-day learning. Older pupils have limited opportunities to use spreadsheets to record the findings of their work or present their information in an interesting and informative way. At present, there are too few identified links between science and numeracy and too little consideration of how the subject can support pupils’ numeracy skills.

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SCIENCE

103. The co-ordinator has given a good lead in the subject since the previous inspection but has not been totally effective in ensuring that developments have been effectively implemented. The co- ordinator is enthusiastic about the subject and is aware of the need to improve provision in Years St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 40 3 - 6 in order to improve the progress pupils make. While staff development has taken place in order to raise attainment, the lack of effective monitoring of teaching and learning in the subject has resulted in inconsistency of practice in Years 3 - 6 in the school. In the main too little use is made by teachers of assessment information is in planning pupils’ learning or in using Key Stage 1 assessment data, for example, in setting targets for improvement in Years 3 - 6. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development. Pupils develop a

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SCIENCE

healthy curiosity about the part that science plays in their everyday lives. The quality of displays is such that they give pupils good opportunities to pick up and explore both natural and man- made objects that help to deepen pupils’ scientific curiosity further. The quality and range of resources to support teachers in their work are satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

104. Standards reached by pupils in art at the end of Year 2 are above national expectations and this marks an improvement since the previous inspection. Standards of work seen by pupils at the end of Year 6 are in line with those seen in most schools. Pupils achieve well between the ages of six and seven. In junior classes, there is evidence of satisfactory provision for the subject despite there having been no subject co-ordinator for a considerable length of time. This level of provision shows the efforts made by teachers to develop pupils’ skills and knowledge in the subject. Planning is based loosely on recommended national guidance and teachers use other resources to build on pupils’ skills.

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ART AND DESIGN

105. Pupils age six and seven are encouraged to develop their visual skills and to use their imagination alongside the techniques of an artist they are examining. Pupils use their sketchbooks well for observational drawings, collected pictures and samples of textiles and colour. Pupils combine design with their collected pictures and show a breadth of activities. Pupils particularly enjoy seeing an image grow from a fragment as it is revealed or drawn. Good teaching draws attention to detail, angles and hints of interesting textures and line. This encourages pupils to see from different perspectives. Pupils learning English as an additional language achieve well. This is partly due to good classroom management, placing pupils so that they can make full use of the visual elements in lessons.

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ART AND DESIGN

106. Pupils in Years 3 - 6 make at least satisfactory progress overall with some very good teaching of pupils in Year 6. These pupils demonstrate a mature approach to their work as they act out ballet to consider ways to capture movements in their drawings. These drawings are of an expected standard but pupils achieve more in understanding ways to see pictures with the eye of an artist. Evidence from discussions with these pupils shows the range of artists that pupils know, including Beardsley, Picasso and Matisse, remembered from lessons in infant classes. Pupils show great interest in the subject and can explain the styles of different work, which is mainly, but not exclusively, in the European tradition. Pupils with special educational needs achieve at a similar rate to other pupils and this is partly due to the sensitive level of independence pitched by support assistants.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. The quality of teaching is good overall and teachers have good teaching strategies to enable pupils to behave as artists and enjoy the experiences. The calm, inquiring nature of lessons leads pupils to begin to ask questions because they begin to see the world around in sharper detail. The subject reflects the values that the school represents well, contributing in no small measure to pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils have prime opportunities to draw and preserve their work in their sketchbooks from a wide range of visits, to the beach, or to the museum, and to see the diversity of architectural richness around the school. Teachers make satisfactory use of information and communication technology to support the pupils in their learning and this contributes effectively to pupils’ understanding of how computers can be used to create pieces of art. Visits from artists to work with pupils considerably enhance the environment and pupils’ work

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ART AND DESIGN

is attractively displayed in and around the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. Standards reached by pupils by the end of Year 2 are above national expectations and pupils achieve well in infant classes. The limited evidence seen of the work of pupils in Year 6 indicates St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 41 that standards are broadly in line with such expectations. The range of work seen from junior pupils indicates that achievement is largely satisfactory, with some examples of good achievement.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. The school has built on the sound provision at the time of the previous inspection and the strengths of the subject leader have played a valuable role in the improvement in standards by age seven. For example, opportunities to design and make products are planned into other subjects very well and this provides further opportunities for pupils to consolidate newly acquired skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well. Seven year olds really enjoy the practical nature of design technology. Although no lessons were seen during the inspection, the volume of pupils’ work, descriptions given by pupils in discussions and in written work shows how they modify their two and three-dimensional designs to overcome the problems they encounter. They understand the properties of different materials and learn to use them in designs. Pupils in Year 1 have made moving pictures using a lever and in doing so, understood how to design simple mechanisms to achieve a spin, a push and a pull in a pop-up card. Pupils in Year 2 have made high-quality stick puppets in the style of traditional Eastern story puppetry. The strong links with story enriches pupils’ literacy knowledge, breathes imagination into the subject and kindles pupils’ curiosity about other cultures by seamless planning by infant teachers. Pupils with special educational

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

needs are well supported and delightedly describe their exciting experiences. Staff sensitively encouraged exploratory design involvement and pupils’ enjoyment of the creative process.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Pupils in Years 3 - 6 have generally made satisfactory progress overall but the constraints of curriculum time in pupils’ final year rather than the quality of experiences have maintained rather than lifted pupils’ skills by the end of Year 6. Photographic evidence indicates that pupils’ design skills are strong and that they use an imaginative range of materials and techniques to make their products. These include slippers for different people. Subject leadership is good. The co-ordinator has led the subject for some time now and has effectively bridged the gaps formed by changes in teachers for in junior classes. The school uses the nationally recommended series of activities to structure lessons and, as a result, pupils are gaining experience in all the phases of the design process. One of the strengths of the subject is the self-assessment that pupils undertake as they move through the designing and making process, evaluating their designs against the purpose

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

intended. In one good example, pupils age nine made chairs including one for a ‘royal’ person and another for a ‘jester.’ In his commentary one child wrote, ‘We didn’t put the hat and cheeks on the back because it would have been too heavy.’

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. Evidence from the rich variety of work seen indicates that teaching is mainly good. Teachers clearly set appropriate challenges and often find activities that tempt pupils into the design process. The extra-curricular ‘Discovery Club’ has inspired pupils to sustain a lengthy and challenging design project in metal to produce moving vehicles with help of a local engineer. Pupils understand and look forward to their lessons and use their skills gained in other subjects, especially in art and design. Resources are very good and are well stored in a classroom mainly devoted to the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. The standards attained by pupils by the end of Year 6 are below those expected of pupils of a similar age. This is not as high as in Year 2, where standards are in line with national expectations. Standards in Year 6 are not as high as they were at the last inspection. Standards are unsatisfactory in Year 6 because the overall planning and monitoring of the subject throughout Years 3 - 6 does not support teachers in planning sufficiently for the progressive development of geographical skills. In consequence, aspects of the National Curriculum are not covered in sufficient depth. Planning was deemed to be unsatisfactory at the last inspection and remains so.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. Overall, pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve satisfactorily in Years 1-2, but unsatisfactorily in Years 3 to 6. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 42 115. By the end of Year 2, pupils are aware of places beyond their immediate locality and are beginning to explain their preferences of places suitable to take holidays. They collect data from the class about their holiday practices and begin to arrange this data first as a pictogram and then as a bar chart. They use atlases and a globe to identify places where pupils take their holidays. In Year 4, pupils can identify some reasons for settlement, but these are not linked to actual places. They are beginning to use the key on an Ordnance Survey map to identify features of settlements. By Year 6, pupils can use six-figure grid references on such maps. They

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GEOGRAPHY

understand the water cycle and can locate some major world mountain ranges. They carry out research on a country, for example, Chile, using the Internet.

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GEOGRAPHY

116. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 - 6 is unsatisfactory overall. Only three lessons were observed during the inspection and in these, the teaching was at least satisfactory. In Year 2 it was good. However, on evidence from the scrutiny of pupils’ work the teaching and learning over time in Years 3 - 6 is unsatisfactory. This is because of too little time being given to the development of skills across Years 3 to 6. Teachers' planning does not adapt the published schemes of work to meet the needs of all pupils. Consequently, higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged. Pupils in Years 3 - 6 do not build up a sufficient geographical vocabulary and this reflects on their knowledge of how people affect the environment. In the lessons observed pupils were very well behaved and interested in their work. They co-operated well with each other and with the teacher.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. The management of geography is unsatisfactory. The deputy headteacher has responsibility for managing the subject. The monitoring of the teaching and the coverage of the subject are unsatisfactory and do not contribute to raising standards of pupils’ attainment. The national Programme of Study for Years 3 to 6 is not being implemented systematically enough and there are no procedures for recording pupils' strengths and weaknesses in the subject. Therefore, teachers, some of whom are new to the school, have little information about pupils’ achievements in previous years. The use of information and communication technology is under used. In Years 1 and 2 teachers know their pupils well and match learning well to the needs of the pupils, through a well-developed scheme.

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HISTORY

118. Standards attained by pupils in history by the end of Year 6 are below those expected of pupils of similar age. The standards attained by pupils by the end of Year 2 are in line with those expected of pupils of a similar age. Standards have fallen since the last inspection. This is because of the lack of sufficient guidance given to teachers as to quality of the provision and standards to be expected of pupils in Years 3-6.

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HISTORY

119. By the end of Year 2, pupils can recognise differences in the lives of people in Victorian times with those living today. They sequence the events in the Gunpowder Plot and give some reasons why people acted as they did. They gain some experience of using evidence when they read extracts from Pepys’ Diary when studying the Great Fire of London. They understand some of the changes made by Florence Nightingale to the nursing profession. By the end of Year 6, pupils can recognise events in the Indus valley civilisation on a timeline, they can recognise the location of the major archaeological finds from a map and understand that trade and technology played a part in creating the wealth of the cities. They also recognise some features of Victorian schools, and in the lives of rich and poor children. These studies lack sufficient depth with regard to the context in which events happen, use of dates, and the changes that take place over a short

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HISTORY

period. Pupils dramatically retell the story of Orisis in their study of Ancient Egypt and use maps to understand what ‘The Gift of the Nile’ means. A project, completed on the Native Americans, based on material from the Internet and a local museum, is largely descriptive: the key skills of chronology, use of evidence and change and causes of change are underdeveloped.

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HISTORY

120. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 – 6 overall is unsatisfactory. Only three lessons, in Years 3 to 6, were observed during the inspection and in these teaching and learning was satisfactory. However, from the scrutiny of pupils’ work, while teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is at least satisfactory, in Years 3 – 6 it is not. Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 43 because the time allocation to the subject in Years 3 to 6 is insufficient and so the requirements outlined in the National Curriculum are not covered in sufficient depth. Key skills of knowledge and understanding, chronology, use of evidence and research are not systematically developed across those years. Teachers have insufficient knowledge of pupils' strengths and weaknesses in the subject and so tasks are not matched to the abilities of all pupils. Higher attaining pupils are not

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HISTORY

well enough catered for in teachers' planning. In the lessons observed good relationship existed between teachers and their pupils and pupils were well motivated and keen.

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HISTORY

121. The management of history is unsatisfactory. The subject is overseen by the deputy headteacher. The monitoring of teaching and planning is insufficient to ensure effective delivery of the subject. Too little support and guidance is given to teachers in Years 3-6 as to the standards expected of all pupils. The opportunities for using and developing pupils' literacy skills in this subject are insufficient. The use of information and communications technology is underdeveloped. St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 44

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils reach standards that are in line with expectations. This represents an improvement over the findings of the previous inspection, when standards were below those expected for seven and 11-year-olds. The school has improved provision in a number of ways since the last inspection and this work has had a positive impact on the standards that pupils attain. This has included increasing the number of computers and amount of other related information and communication technology equipment to support teachers and in raising their knowledge and confidence in devising ways by how computers can be creatively used to support their everyday teaching. The co-ordinator for the subject has provided a clear steer in improving provision since the last inspection. Pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through each of the classes. Computers are used effectively to support those pupils who have special

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

educational needs and they make comparable progress to their classmates. Pupils at the early stages of learning English and those who are refugees also have regular access to equipment and they too make satisfactory progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. By the end of Year 2, pupils are able to load programs and use the mouse securely to save and retrieve their work. They understand that programs have icons and when pressed these enable the program they are working on to perform different tasks. Pupils know that other information and communication technology equipment such as printers and scanners can be attached to a computer in order to make a hard copy of their work. Pupils use an art package to produce simple graphics and know that these can be arranged on the screen to give their work added impact. Pupils’ understand what a word-processor is and can use the basic elements of such a program to type a simple story or piece of poetry. Pupils know what is meant by a ‘font’ and are able to experiment with fonts in order to change the size, appearance and colour of the text they are producing. Teachers effectively ensure that where possible pupils develop their information and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

communication technology skills through other subjects. In science, for example, pupils have undertaken an investigation on materials to explore which mixture is most suitable for ‘blowing bubbles.’ Pupils were able to produce a table of their results and enter these into a bar chart using a simplified worksheet. Weaker features of pupils’ attainment include their ability to use compact disc software to support their learning and in their understanding in other subjects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. By the end of Year 6, pupils are able to use the finer features of a word-processor to generate posters and flyers in order to advertise an imaginary product or event that is to take place. They understand what are meant by ‘text boxes’ and ‘auto-numbering’ and are able to use these features to give their work an added visual impact. Pupils understand how the Internet can be used to send e-mail or locate information from around the world by exploring different web pages. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of how information and communication technology impacts on their daily lives. They can explain, for example, how supermarkets use information and communication technology in order to scan prices and re-order stock by keeping a tally on what goods are more popular than others. Pupils have a weaker understanding of how to use spreadsheets in order to support their learning in science or mathematics and their understanding

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

of the computer language of ‘Logo’ is unsatisfactory. Higher attaining pupils, for example, would benefit from using this software more frequently to develop their mathematical language. In addition, pupils do not have regular access to control and sensor equipment as part of their studies and their learning in this area of the information and communication technology curriculum is under-developed.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. The quality of teaching and learning at both key stages is satisfactory. Improvements in teachers’ knowledge and understanding since the last inspection have had a positive impact on teachers’ awareness of how to use information and communication technology to support their teaching. At both key stages, teachers make good use of peripheral devices such as digital cameras and electronic microscopes and this helps to develop pupils’ understanding of how information and communication technology is not just limited to computers only. Where whole-class teaching of how to use computers takes place, it is effective. In one Year 6 lesson seen during the inspection, the teacher made good use of daily newspapers to demonstrate to pupils how fonts and graphics are arranged on a page in order to create a strong visual impact on the reader. The clear demonstration by the teacher of how to use alter the shape and appearance of written text

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

effectively enabled the pupils to create their own headlines and add simple graphics to their own St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 45 simple newspaper story. At present, some teachers miss opportunities, particularly in Years 3 - 6, to give pupils regular access in daily lessons to use computers in support of their learning. In addition, the school has yet to develop an effective strategy for ensuring that information and communication technology regularly supports pupils’ literacy, numeracy and development in other subjects. A further weakness in teaching is the use that teachers make of assessment information in planning pupils’ learning. While there are simple procedures in place for teachers to use to measure the pupils’ progress, the information from these does not feed through into the planning of work that matches pupils’ abilities.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. Since the previous inspection, the co-ordinator has provided the school with clear leadership and is highly enthusiastic about the subject and keen for the school to move further forward in improving the quality of provision made in the subject. Resources are satisfactory, although some of the machines in Years 1 and 2 are looking dated. A small bank of computers has been sited next to the school library. In order to improve provision further, the school is currently in the process of evaluating the impact that laptop provision has on pupils’ progress, through use of the laptops currently loaned to the school by links with the local Education Action Zone.

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MUSIC

127. Standards by the end of Year 2 are in line with expectations and by the end of Year 6 are below expectations nationally. Overall, pupils’ progress in years 3 – 6 is unsatisfactory even though music remains a priority for the school as it was at the time of the previous inspection.

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MUSIC

128. Improvements have been made in the standard of pupils’ singing. The school has developed a very good choir that sings harmoniously and pleasantly. Pupils are chosen for their skills and any pupil who is interested in joining the choir is welcomed. This successful aspect of the subject has been brought about by the work of the headteacher, who has worked diligently to raise the quality of singing in the school over the last two years, during which the school has had no specialist music teacher other than visiting musicians and different music ensembles. The co-ordinator for the subject is new in post and it is too soon to judge the impact of her work. Some developments have taken place in the subject to ensure that pupils start to make progress. These include the adoption of the nationally recommended series of activities, a school policy for the subject and the lively and interesting lessons taught by teachers that have recently been appointed.

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MUSIC

129. In music lessons, infant pupils make use of percussion instruments and six year olds begin to understand terms such as pitch by identifying high and low sounds. They explore instruments together and enjoy clapping simple rhythms. In a good lesson seen in Year 4, pupils made good progress, creating musical rounds using repeated rhythm patterns and learning terms such as ostinato and tempo. Pupils delightedly clapped and sang layers of rhythms because the teaching was lively, knowledgeable and focused on building up pupils’ skills and understanding. Pupils were introduced to simple notation. However, overall, teachers’ knowledge of the subject is weak. There is some way to go to ensure that pupils reach levels of attainment seen nationally. The school has few resources to match the teaching needs of junior pupils.

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MUSIC

130. The school celebrates its musically talented pupils, who often play in assemblies. Some of these pupils have lessons from a peripatetic music service and several play more than one instrument at home. Pupils in Year 6 animatedly described the Caribbean drum playing and instrumental performances of other pupils. They particularly enjoy the school’s drama productions where pupils are given further opportunities to sing. Pupils in Year 6 talk frankly about the limited range of music they have experienced in the school but with great pleasure about the visiting musicians, ensembles and fine quality of singing in the school. This makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils reach standards that are in line with national expectations. This is much the same as at the time of the last inspection. There is no significant St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School - 46 difference between what the boys and girls can do in physical education. Pupils with special educational needs are given good support in lessons, often by the learning support assistants who works in the class. This enables them to make satisfactory progress in their confidence and approach to physical education. Pupils who are at the early stages of learning English and those who are refugees make satisfactory progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 enjoy their physical education work and work enthusiastically in lessons. Teaching is effective in highlighting for pupils the need for warm up activities. When taking part in physical education work on the playground, pupils utilise the space well and show good body control when moving around the playground space. Pupils are developing well their control over passing a small object such as a bean bag and they are able to work independently and with a partner when taking part in small group games.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ skills, precision and control continue to improve and they work well with a partner and in small groups. Pupils work hard in their warm up activities and these often take the form of small games that pupils enjoy. They have a good understanding of the importance that exercise plays on the body and pupils know that exercise causes the heart to beat faster allowing oxygen to move to different parts of the body. Year 4 pupils demonstrate good control over medium sized balls and are able to pass the ball to a partner using different ways and means. By the end of Year 6, pupils are able to participate in small games that include badminton and use the racquet effectively when hitting the shuttlecock. Pupils learn to swim before they leave the school and many can swim a minimum of 25 metres. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 also have the opportunities to engage in a wide range of games activities, including competitive games as

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

part of the school’s extra-curricular provision. This includes opportunities for pupils to participate in orienteering activities organised during the residential trips that many pupils take part in.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. The quality of teaching and learning at both key stages is satisfactory overall and examples of good teaching were seen during the inspection. Teachers dress appropriately for lessons and this helps to develop pupils’ understanding of the need to dress correctly when undertaking physical education work. Good teaching was seen in one Year 6 badminton lesson taking place at the local leisure centre. The lesson proceeded at a good pace and pupils were enthused and challenged by the work they were asked to complete. Teachers’ expectations were high and pupils responded well, producing work of a high quality. Although some teachers allow pupils to demonstrate their efforts to others in the class, too few opportunities are provided for pupils to critically evaluate this work with a view to improving their own performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. The school offers a good range of extra-curricular activities and participation levels by pupils in these are high. Such activities have a strong impact on pupils’ social development as they learn the importance of working co-operatively as a member of a team. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and understanding and provides satisfactory leadership and management. Resources are satisfactory and the school makes good use of the local leisure centre that lies close to the school in order to give pupils greater access to sporting facilities. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ social development through the good opportunities pupils are provided with to work and solve problems in small groups and by taking part in competitive sports.

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