Cubert School

CUBERT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: October 7 th – 8 th 2002

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CUBERT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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CUBERT 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. Cubert Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chynowen Lane Cubert Newquay Cornwall

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Postcode: TR8 5HE Telephone number: 01637 830469

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr S Norfolk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: April 28 th - 30 th 1998 Cubert Primary - 4

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Team members

22870 Hilary Bonser Registered inspector 12735 Mary Bebo Lay inspector 28014 Peter Buckley Team inspector

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Team members

Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Team members

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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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Cubert Primary - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Cubert Primary School is a community school that draws most of its pupils from the villages of Crantock, Holywell Bay and Cubert, in which it is situated, and from the surrounding area. The school is smaller than average, with 118 boys and girls from 4 to 11 years of age, although the number of pupils has increased from 86 at the time of the last inspection. This is largely because a growing number of pupils join the school from Newquay, where schools are oversubscribed. This contributes to the very high level of pupils moving into and out of the school at all ages. Pupils’ attainments on entry to the school vary from year to year with the small intake, but are broadly average. There are currently 14 per cent of the pupils on the register for special educational needs, mainly as a result of learning difficulties, although a few have behavioural or physical difficulties. This is below the national average. However, the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

proportion varies over each year with the movement of pupils. At present, three have Statements of Special Educational Need, which is above average. Pupils come from a wide variety of backgrounds and the proportion of those known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly average. Currently no pupils speak English as their second language and none come from ethnic minorities. There has been a high turnover of teachers since the last inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Cubert Primary School is a good school with many strengths. Standards have risen steadily from below average at the time of the last inspection to average overall because the quality of teaching is now good. Pupils achieve well by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6. They behave very well and are keen to learn. The headteacher, governors and staff work together very well as a team to improve standards for all pupils and are fully committed to continuing this. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards have improved in English, mathematics and science since the last inspection and pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given work that is matched well to their individual needs. • The headteacher, governors and staff work together very effectively as a team to overcome weaknesses, to minimise the effect of the high turnover of pupils and to improve standards in all aspects of school life. • The school provides a very rich variety of additional learning opportunities that promote pupils’ personal development well, successfully encouraging them to behave very well, to get on very well together and to work hard.

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What could be improved

• Continue to raise standards and the quality of teaching in information and communication technology to fully extend pupils’ skills and understanding. • The unsatisfactory rate of attendance slows the pace of learning for some pupils. 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 April 1998 and since then there has been a good improvement. Standards and achievement in English, mathematics and science and the quality of teaching have all been improved considerably in spite of the difficulties faced by the school, due to the high turnover of pupils and teachers. Good quality planning and teamwork, together with a rigorous and ongoing programme of monitoring and support and a well-focused programme of training have helped to bring this about. The national literacy and numeracy strategies have also been implemented well and consistently. Cubert Primary - 7 Standards in information and communication technology have improved from below average to average, although as yet very few pupils reach above average standards. Facilities and learning opportunities for reception children have been considerably improved so that they now get a good start to their school life.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In addition, there have been further improvements in aspects of leadership and management, in the provision for pupils with special educational needs, in the enrichment of the curriculum and in the personal development and behaviour of pupils, which are now very good. There is a strong, shared commitment in the school to continue to raise standards and the quality of teaching and learning. The school is well placed to make further improvements.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The small size of the year groups means that fluctuations can occur from year to year, as variations in the relative proportions of higher and lower attaining pupils are exaggerated. Nevertheless, standards in English, mathematics and science have risen more quickly than the national trend since the last inspection. This was recognised by a School Achievement Award in 2001. There was a further increase in the proportion of pupils reaching the expected Level 4 in the unconfirmed results of 2002, although not as many reached the higher Level 5. This was largely due to a particularly high turnover of pupils in that year group, several of whom joined the school during Year 6. In 2001, results at the end of Year 2 were well below average in reading, in the lowest five per cent nationally in writing and below average in mathematics. Teachers’ assessments in science show that the proportion of pupils reaching Level 2

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Key

was in the highest five per cent nationally, but none reached the higher Level 3. However, half of the pupils in this year group were on the register of special educational needs and a third of them joined the school during that year. The unconfirmed results of 2002 show good improvement, especially in the number of pupils reaching Level 3 in reading and Level 2 in writing.

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Key

Standards on entry to the school are broadly average overall, although they are below average in some year groups. Children achieve well now in relation to their individual starting points, with most reaching the expected standards and some exceeding them by the end of their reception year, especially in their personal, social and emotional development. Lesson observations and past work show that at the end of Year 2 standards are above average in reading and average in writing, mathematics and science. Pupils are achieving well in relation to their attainment on entry to the school, which was below average in this year group. Standards at the end of Year 6 are average overall in English, mathematics and science. They are not quite as high as in the national test results in 2001 as there are not as many higher attaining pupils in this year group. Nevertheless, the pupils are achieving well in relation to their

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Key

attainment at the end of Year 2, which was average in reading but below average in writing and well below average in mathematics. The school is likely to meet the realistically challenging targets set for this year. In information and communication technology, standards are now broadly average, but as yet there is little evidence of any pupils reaching above average standards. The school has identified this as an area for continuing improvement. Cubert Primary - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school; they are eager to learn and work hard.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good throughout the school, both in lessons and at play. No exclusions.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good; pupils use their initiative and act responsibly. They get on very well together and with all the adults in school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Unsatisfactory; below the national average, mainly due to the large number of family holidays taken during term time. The ways in which pupils co-operate together, help one another and show respect and consideration for others, whatever their age or level of need, is a particular strength of the school.

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

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

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

The overall quality of teaching is good and has improved since the last inspection. As a result, pupils learn well in many lessons. The consistency in the quality of teaching across the school is remarkable, given the turnover of teachers, and means that pupils build well on previous learning. This has contributed significantly to the improvements in standards and in the achievements of pupils of all levels of attainment. Literacy and numeracy are taught well across the school, with examples seen of some very good and excellent teaching. As a result, pupils were engrossed in their learning and made rapid progress during the lessons.

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

The school now meets the needs of girls and boys well, including higher attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. In well-taught lessons across the school, teachers use their detailed assessments of pupils very well to plan work thoroughly. They take good account of pupils’ differing ages and levels of attainment. They use skilful questioning to involve all pupils and use a good variety of methods and resources to give pupils well-matched, challenging and interesting activities. As a result, pupils concentrate well, work hard and achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good; enriched very well by a wide range of visits and visitors and very good links with other schools and the local community.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good; pupils have clear achievable targets and are supported very well by teachers and skilled classroom assistants. They are included well in all activities. Cubert Primary - 9 Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall; very good moral and social provision; good cultural and spiritual provision. The school prepares pupils satisfactorily for life in a diverse society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Well; a strong emphasis on promoting pupils‘ self esteem contributes very well to their personal development. Teachers use assessment information very well to track and support pupils’ progress and to match work to their needs. This, together with the very good relationships that are quickly established, helps all pupils, including those new to the school, to do well. The school also monitors attendance rigorously.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good, strong leadership and rigorous management by the headteacher, supported very well by all staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good; the governors take an active and well-informed part in the management of the school

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good; strengths and weaknesses are analysed in detail and very effective action is taken to bring about further improvements.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Available money is used well to support priorities on the school improvement plan.

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Aspect Comment

Particular strengths of the school are the very good relationships and teamwork between the headteacher, staff and governors and the shared commitment and enthusiasm to continue to move the school forward. The good number of skilled classroom assistants contributes very effectively to pupils’ learning. The school applies the principles of best value well when making decisions.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy coming to school. • Their children are well taught. They are expected to work hard, do their best and they make good progress. • The school is well led and managed; it is approachable and responsive to their views and concerns. • The children are well behaved and the school helps them to become mature and responsible. • There is an interesting range of activities outside lessons. • The information they receive about their child’s progress. • The amount of homework given • How closely the school works with parents. Cubert Primary - 10 Inspection findings support the positive views expressed by parents. With regard to their concerns, the team found that the school provides good opportunities and a very good level of information for parents to find out about their child’s progress and makes every effort to work closely with them. The amount of homework given is in keeping with the school policy and it is used well to support children’s learning in

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

work that is matched well to their individual needs.

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

1. The good improvements in standards since the last inspection were recognised in a School Achievement Award in 2001. The most recent unconfirmed national test results in 2002 show continuing improvements in the number of pupils reaching the expected levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. For example, since 2000, the percentage of Year 6 pupils reaching Level 4 or above has risen from 67 per cent to 75 per cent in English, from 46 per cent to 80 per cent in mathematics and from 77 per cent to 90 per cent in science. This is in spite of a particularly high movement of pupils in and out of the Year 6 group of pupils last year. Pupils of all levels of attainment now achieve well in English, mathematics and science, in relation to their individual starting points. This is clear, not only in lessons and from pupils’ work, but also when comparing the baseline assessments of individual pupils with their results in the national tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and in the

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

optional national tests in Years 3 to 5. The careful tracking of individual pupils’ progress that the school carries out in this way also shows how well the many pupils do who join the school at a later stage. Several factors have contributed to this positive picture of rising standards and achievement.

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

2. The quality of teaching and learning has improved from satisfactory to good across the school since the last inspection. This helps pupils of all levels of attainment to do well. Teachers have made very good use of very well planned training and support, both within the school and from the local education authority, to increase their expertise. The outcomes of rigorous monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning, very good planning and co-ordination have been used very effectively to bring about a very consistent approach to the teaching in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. This, together with very good teamwork, mutual support and co-operation has helped to sustain the pace of improvement in spite of the changes in teaching staff. Assessment information is carefully analysed to identify and target specific areas of weakness within each subject. This gives a crisp focus to teaching. Teachers have realistically high expectations of what

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

each pupil can achieve, based on the thorough assessments of their work. These often include pertinent observations of pupils’ responses that classroom assistants have noted. Teachers use the good knowledge they gain in this way in well-focused planning, often adjusting activities on a day- to-day basis to meet pupils‘ individual needs. This helps all pupils, including those who transfer from other schools, to consolidate and extend their learning effectively. Good examples were seen of this in all classes.

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

3. Pupils in need of additional support are identified at an early stage. Lower attaining pupils are helped by the very good use that the school makes of initiatives such as the early literacy strategy, additional literacy strategy and booster classes. The effectiveness of this support is reflected in the increasing number of pupils reaching the expected levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. The special educational needs co- ordinator, teachers and classroom assistants work closely together to help these pupils to do well, through very effective support in class. The very good relationships that teachers and the classroom assistants establish with them, their very good individual knowledge of them and their encouraging, inclusive approach all help these pupils to make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans.

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

4. In English, pupils of all levels of attainment achieve well in reading by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. One reason for this is that basic phonic skills are taught well and monitored carefully. In addition to work undertaken in the literacy hour, pupils in all classes have a daily opportunity for reading, when they receive focused individual or group support from teachers and other adults, including parents. This also contributes well to developing their skills. Pupils are given good opportunities to practise and extend their reading skills when researching information from a variety of sources, including CD Roms and the Internet, for work in other subjects such as history and science. Not as many pupils Cubert Primary - 12 yet reach the higher levels in writing as they do in reading. Consequently, the school has a particular focus on helping pupils to extend these skills this year.

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

5. These points were illustrated in an excellent literacy lesson for pupils in Years 2 and 3. The teacher used a very good variety of strategies to reinforce pupils’ phonic knowledge and to help them to apply it in spelling. Her calm, purposeful approach and very good management of the pupils kept up a brisk pace. Pupils used small whiteboards to record their answers and this enabled the teacher to assess their responses immediately and correct errors individually, which led to very good learning. She had high expectations of pupils and they rose to the challenge as she checked their understanding of terminology she used, as in, ‘Remember - this is a homophone – which word do we need?’ They responded at once to comments such as, ‘Mind your presentation, N--- it’s too rushed’. The teacher then helped pupils to distinguish very effectively between adjectives and verbs and to increase their use of interesting vocabulary, in the way that she modelled writing a poem

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

based on, ’Gone, gone, gone’. Well-chosen pictures immediately engaged the attention of the pupils and stimulated their ideas. As she built on the pupils’ ideas, she questioned them skilfully to reinforce teaching points, at the same time taking care to model good handwriting and encouraging pupils to practise using their phonic knowledge to improve their spelling. The good quality of the poems that the pupils subsequently wrote, showed how well they had applied what they had learned.

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

6. In mathematics, as in English, teachers adapt the national strategies well, planning and organising group work very well and giving good attention to both the age and differing levels of attainment of pupils in their class. Again, they use their very good knowledge of each pupil’s stage of learning to match tasks and their level of questioning to individual needs. This is a strong feature in helping all pupils to achieve well. A good example of this was seen in a lesson for reception children as the teacher challenged higher attaining children to use mathematical vocabulary correctly as they compared the heights of towers they were building. In a well taught lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, the teacher’s effective use of resources and clear explanations helped to extend pupils’ understanding of percentages quickly from simple to more complex examples. As in English, the co-ordinator analyses pupils’ work and test results carefully and uses lesson observations to

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

identify aspects for improvement, such as problem- solving and the purposeful use of the review session at the end of each lesson.

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

7. Significant improvements in the planning and teaching of science have helped to raise standards and pupils’ achievements. The curriculum is now planned in a way that helps pupils to build systematically on their previous learning as they move through the school. Teachers’ confidence and expertise have been increased through training, the provision of appropriate resources and equipment and the very good support of the co-ordinator. There is an increasingly successful emphasis on teaching knowledge and understanding through investigations and experimental work. Very good examples of this were seen during the inspection. This motivates and interests all pupils well, as in a very well taught lesson for pupils in Years 4 and 5. Pupils designed and carried out tests to see whether tall people jump further than shorter people. At the end of the lesson, they used the knowledge gained in previous lessons well to make sensible suggestions to try to explain

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

their findings. For example, ‘Taller people might not have the flexibility of shorter people’, and ‘ Some shorter people might have stronger bones or muscles that help them to move better’. The varied recording methods used also mean that the development of pupils’ scientific skills is not wholly dependent on the level of their literacy and numeracy skills. This was reflected in the enthusiasm and confidence of Year 2 pupils of all levels of attainment who could name and explain the function of different types of human teeth and position them correctly on a diagram of the mouth.

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

8. The lessons seen also showed how well teachers deploy classroom assistants to work in a very focused way with individual pupils with special educational needs or particular groups of pupils within lessons. They plan, discuss and monitor the results of pupils’ work together. This full involvement of the classroom assistants enables them to use their considerable skills to very good effect in supporting pupils’ learning. In all three subjects, teachers make the objectives of the lesson clear so that pupils know exactly what they should be learning. Teachers successfully extend pupils’ vocabulary through their consistent emphasis on them understanding and using technical Cubert Primary - 13 terms and challenging vocabulary correctly. Teachers manage their pupils in a very consistent and positive way. This is based on the very good relationships clearly evident between all staff and pupils throughout the school. They have a thorough knowledge of individual pupils, which they use

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pupils now achieve well overall because they are taught well throughout the school and given

very well to support them and to promote their self-esteem and personal development. They listen to and value pupils’ ideas, helping them to develop their confidence in expressing them. Many very good examples of this were seen in lessons across the school. It means that all pupils are keen to share their ideas, with each other and with adults, irrespective of their level of attainment. Such factors all contribute to the good achievements of pupils in these subjects.

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weaknesses, to minimise the effect of the high turnover of pupils and to improve standards in

9. The headteacher provides very good leadership and a strong sense of direction for the work of the school. This is focused on continuing to raise standards and pupils’ achievements by further improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, while providing a rich curriculum and high level of care and support for pupils. She has shared this very effectively with governors and staff, with the result that all work very hard and very well together with a common sense of purpose. One way she has achieved this is to use a training day at the beginning of each school year, that governors, teachers and support staff all attend, to review the previous year’s school improvement plan and to set the priorities for the coming year together.

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weaknesses, to minimise the effect of the high turnover of pupils and to improve standards in

10. The impact of this strong teamwork and the headteacher’s very good leadership can be seen in the improvement in standards that has been brought about in spite of the considerable difficulties caused by the very high level of pupils’ movement in and out of the school. The school works very hard and successfully to overcome these and to minimise their impact on pupils’ learning. New pupils are assessed carefully on arrival to help teachers to place them quickly in appropriate groups and to match work to their particular needs. The school places particular importance on establishing good links with new parents, while staff and pupils alike take care to help new pupils to feel welcome and to become familiar with routines and expectations.

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weaknesses, to minimise the effect of the high turnover of pupils and to improve standards in

11. The significant improvement and consistency in the quality of teaching and learning, which is now good across the school, is also remarkable given the high turnover of teachers since the last inspection and the short time that the present team of teachers has been together. Judicious appointments and a rigorous programme of the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning in which the headteacher, governors and the core co-ordinators are all fully involved, as well as local education authority advisors, have helped to bring this about. The headteacher ensures that teachers are given time to plan together, for both their termly and weekly planning. This contributes very well to the continuity of pupils’ learning, especially in those year groups that are split between two classes. It is also an important factor in the consistent approach across the school to many aspects of teaching and learning. This is clearly seen, for example, in the way that all teachers

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weaknesses, to minimise the effect of the high turnover of pupils and to improve standards in

organise their classrooms, manage their pupils and promote their personal development. This makes a significant contribution to the good achievements of pupils.

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weaknesses, to minimise the effect of the high turnover of pupils and to improve standards in

12. Very good relationships underpin the high quality teamwork and co-operation that is evident in the school. Governors and parents play an active part in the life of the school. The school keeps parents very well informed, as well as encouraging and valuing their involvement in all aspects of school life. This contributes well to pupils' motivation, interest and learning. The governors are very supportive and welcome members of the school community, who fulfil their role as critical friends well. Several of them either work in school or spend time in it on a regular basis and this helps the governing body to have a good overview of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. It helps them to evaluate the effectiveness of their spending decisions, such as the funding of a high level of classroom assistants. This is an example of the way that resources are used well to support school improvement. The budget carry forward was higher than usual at the end of the last financial year,

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weaknesses, to minimise the effect of the high turnover of pupils and to improve standards in

mainly as a result of retrospective funding. 13. Standards in the school are now rigorously monitored and evaluated. This is another good improvement since the previous inspection that contributes considerably to the rising standards and Cubert Primary - 14 achievements of the pupils. Teachers, sometimes with governors, analyse samples of pupils’ work regularly. The literacy and numeracy co-ordinators also carefully analyse the results of national tests to identify areas for improvement. All of this information is then used to decide priorities for development across the school. The co-ordinators set specific targets for each year group and then for each ability group within that. This helps to make teaching and learning both focused and effective. This year, for example, writing skills in English and problem-solving in mathematics are receiving particular attention. In addition to this, the results of baseline and annual tests are used

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weaknesses, to minimise the effect of the high turnover of pupils and to improve standards in

very effectively to track the progress of each pupil from whatever point they join the school. The information is used very well both to set challenging targets and to adjust the level of support or challenge in lessons, to help each pupil achieve their best. With so many pupils moving in and out of the school, this individual tracking is particularly important and well used in monitoring pupils’ progress, as year group comparisons of attainment, for example, at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, can be unreliable in this situation. The close attention to individual needs and the way that all pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life are strong features of the school and supported by appropriate policies for equal opportunities and racial equality. They are significant factors in the good academic and personal progress made by boys and girls of all levels of attainment.

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pupils’ personal development well, successfully encouraging them to behave very well, to get

14. Pupils of all ages are very well behaved and have good attitudes to their learning. Throughout the school, pupils work very well together and concentrate on the task in hand. Numerous examples were seen of pupils giving spontaneous help to each other in lessons and in other situations and in sharing resources very well indeed. In the playground, for example, boys and girls took turns to borrow the good range of equipment amicably and sensibly, playing together happily and purposefully. Good examples were seen of older pupils looking after younger ones responsibly. A Year 6 pupil waited very patiently, without being asked, for a younger child to finish his lunch before leaving the table, although it reduced the length of his own play time. Pupils get on together equally well with all of the adults who work in the school. They are helpful and friendly towards visitors, willingly engaging in conversation. The school achieves this through its very positive and caring

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pupils’ personal development well, successfully encouraging them to behave very well, to get

atmosphere and its emphasis on promoting pupils’ personal development.

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pupils’ personal development well, successfully encouraging them to behave very well, to get

15. The relationships between all of the adults in the school provide pupils with very good role models. All teachers manage pupils in a very consistent and positive way. There are clear rules for what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour, which pupils know and respond to well. These are underpinned by a strong commitment to building pupils’ self-esteem and confidence through appropriate praise and encouragement. It is clear in lessons that teachers value each pupil and their ideas and contributions. This is reflected in the respect that pupils show for each other and the way they take care to ensure that everyone is included both in work and play activities. They are genuinely appreciative of each other’s efforts and achievements. All of this contributes very well to the way that new pupils quickly settle down.

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pupils’ personal development well, successfully encouraging them to behave very well, to get

16. There is a strong and successful emphasis in the school on supporting pupils' personal development. There are good opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and show initiative. These include a residential visit every other year for older pupils and opportunities for older pupils to work with pre-school and reception children. Year 6 pupils serve lunch to senior citizens from the local community who are invited into school every Wednesday. Pupils respond very well to these opportunities because they know that their help is appreciated. Such opportunities add to their ability to relate very well to each other and adults and help them to become mature and responsible. Their growth in confidence is clearly evident as they move through the school. The very caring, sensitive approach of all staff to any pupils who are experiencing difficulties is an important factor in this. All of this contributes very well to pupils’ personal development and is reflected, for example, in

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pupils’ personal development well, successfully encouraging them to behave very well, to get

the ease with which parents say their children transfer from this small school to large secondary schools. Cubert Primary - 15 17. Pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. They are very well motivated and show great interest in school activities both in and out of the classroom. One reason for their enthusiasm is that teachers are very good at ensuring that the work given to pupils is interesting, set in a relevant context and well matched to their individual needs. Another is the very good use the school makes of the local environment and the very good links it has with the local community, pre-school and secondary schools to provide a very wide range of visits, visitors and activities that enrich the curriculum and extend pupils’ learning opportunities. Examples include staff and students from the local secondary school coming to teach physical education lessons in the summer term and

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pupils’ personal development well, successfully encouraging them to behave very well, to get

arranging sports tournaments and competitions with other local schools. There are school plays and regular concerts performed by pupils to the local community and pupils take part in a wide range of local events, such as Flora Day. The school also provides a very good range of additional activities for pupils. These include after school and lunchtime clubs, such as those for a number of different sports, choir, recorders, French, gardening and the ‘White Harness’ club, which helps pupils to understand the needs of people who are partially sighted or blind.

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pupils’ personal development well, successfully encouraging them to behave very well, to get

18. The school has made good use of available funding and opportunities to support particular groups of pupils. Able mathematicians attend workshops at a local secondary school and a number of Years 5 and 6 pupils attend Youth University workshops for science and mathematics. Lower attaining boys were invited to attend an Arts project as part of the ongoing efforts of the school to raise self- esteem by helping pupils to achieve success in different areas. Such stimulating and interesting activities motivate pupils very well and encourage them to work hard. All of these strengths contribute to the very positive ethos of the school, the improving standards and the good achievements of pupils of all levels of attainment.

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Continue to raise standards and the quality of teaching in information and communication

technology to fully extend pupils’ skills and understanding.

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Continue to raise standards and the quality of teaching in information and communication

19. Since the last inspection, standards in information and communication technology have improved from below average to broadly average and teaching is now satisfactory in the subject. This is because teachers’ own skills have been improved through well-planned training, and resources have been increased, through the addition of a small computer suite, the upgrading of classroom computers and an improved range of programs. This means that pupils are now taught all the required strands in the programmes of study. However, as yet, there is little evidence of above average attainment or of pupils fully extending their basic skills.

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Continue to raise standards and the quality of teaching in information and communication

20. There are a number of reasons for this. There is some variation in the level of teachers’ expertise, especially in the light of recent staff changes. The school is appropriately reviewing training needs at present. As yet, classroom assistants have only received basic training to enable them to support pupils’ learning in this subject. Although teachers plan some opportunities for pupils to use their information and communication technology skills to support their learning, especially in numeracy and literacy, such opportunities are not yet developed systematically across the curriculum. The small number of computers in the suite means that teachers cannot use them to full effect to teach their whole class at the same time. Teachers plan carefully to try to overcome this, as seen in a well-taught lesson for Years 5 and 6 pupils. In this, pupils were learning how to write a program to control the internal and external lights of a lighthouse and its foghorn. After the introduction and

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Continue to raise standards and the quality of teaching in information and communication

competent demonstration and explanation by the teacher, only half of the class was able to try to apply this immediately on the computers in the suite, and even this entailed three pupils working together, which limited their ‘hands on’ experience. The other pupils had to return to the classroom. Although they worked purposefully on devising written instructions for their programs, in preparation for a subsequent session in the suite, they lost the immediacy of the teacher’s demonstration and the arrangement meant that it would take twice as long for the whole class to complete the task. This inevitably slows the pace of pupils’ learning in all classes. The school has already identified this as an area for development in their current school improvement plan.

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Continue to raise standards and the quality of teaching in information and communication

The unsatisfactory rate of attendance slows the pace of learning for some pupils. Cubert Primary - 16 21. The rate of attendance is unsatisfactory because it is below the national average for primary schools, as it was at the time of the last inspection. While the level of unauthorised absence has improved to below average, the level of authorised absence remains above average, in spite of some improvement from last year. The main reason for this is that a large number of parents take their children out of school during term time for annual holidays. The school has all the appropriate procedures in place to promote attendance and works closely with the education welfare officer. It keeps a careful record of days taken to check whether they exceed those authorised. It also reminds parents frequently through newsletters of the adverse effect on the continuity and pace of their child’s learning that such absences can have, in spite of teachers’ efforts to minimise this.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In the context of the school’s many strengths, the governors, headteacher and staff should address the following matters in their action plan in order to raise standards and the quality of education still further:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a. Continue to raise standards and the quality of teaching in information and communication technology to fully extend pupils’ skills and understanding. by*:-

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ improving resources and the siting of computers to enable whole-class teaching; § providing more planned opportunities for pupils to use and extend their skills in supporting their learning in other subjects; § continuing to improve the expertise of teachers and including classroom assistants in the training opportunities. (see paragraphs 19,20)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b. Improve the unsatisfactory rate of attendance that slows the pace of learning for some pupils. by*:-

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ continuing to stress to parents the disadvantages of taking their children out of school during term time. ( see paragraph 21 )

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* areas already identified for development in the school improvement plan. Cubert Primary - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 118

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 30

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 17

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Attendance

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. Cubert Primary - 19

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

Note: the numbers of boys and girls are omitted as there are fewer than eleven of each in the year group Year Boys Girls Total

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 8 7 15

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls N/A N/A N/A

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 (77) 53 (77) 80 (69) 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 N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls N/A N/A N/A

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 (77) 87 (69) 100 (77) 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)

Note: the numbers of boys and girls are omitted as there are fewer than eleven of each in the year group Year Boys Girls Total

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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 4 8 12

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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 N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls N/A N/A N/A

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

Percentage of pupils School 67 (69) 75 (46) 100 (77) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys N/A N/A N/A Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls N/A N/A N/A

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

Percentage of pupils School 75 (67) 75 (42) 92 (67) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Cubert Primary - 20

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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

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Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Exclusions in the last school year

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

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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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6 Financial year 2001/02

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y^ Total income 282094

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 11 Total expenditure 275973

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 147 Expenditure per pupil 2339

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 26431

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 32552

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A Cubert Primary - 21 Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 7

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.21

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Cubert Primary - 22

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 51 37 9 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 39 3 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 37 48 14 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 35 19 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 69 23 5 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 35 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 45 39 8 4 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 56 32 1 5 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 43 4 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 53 39 3 0 5

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