Other · Ofsted report

Shiremoor Primary School

Inspected — · published 2 Apr 2003 · URN 108579

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108579

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Full report text

ERRATUM

Please note that the correct Unique Reference Number for STEPHENSON MEMORIAL PRIMARY SCHOOL is 108597 .

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STEPHENSON MEMORIAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 th – 16 th January 2003 Inspection number: 251716

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STEPHENSON MEMORIAL 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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STEPHENSON MEMORIAL 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. Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Martin Road Howdon Wallsend Tyne and Wear

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs C Taylor

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1998 Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 2

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

17794 Mr D Hardman Registered inspector Religious education What sort of school is it? Information and communication technology The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. English as an additional language How well are pupils taught?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 19443 Mrs N Walker Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 32138 Mr T Plant Team inspector Science Music Education inclusion 22881 Mr G Halliday Team inspector English Physical education Special educational needs 23375 Mr J Hicks Team inspector Mathematics How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Design and technology Art and design Citizenship 12631 Mrs M McLean Geography History Foundation Stage Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 3 The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Eclipse Education (UK) Limited 14 Enterprise House Kingsway Team Valley Gateshead NE11 0SR

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Stephenson Memorial Primary School is a larger then average sized school situated in the suburb of Howdon, Wallsend in Tyne and Wear. The area around the school is one of high unemployment and social deprivation. There is a broad social mix in the school and, although the full range of ability is represented, the school’s initial assessments of children’s attainment when they start school show that many have very poor skills, especially in their language, communication and social development. There are 159 boys and 153 girls currently on roll and a further 52 children attend the nursery on a part time basis. There are very few pupils who need to be taught English as an additional language and very few from ethnic minority groups. There are 142 pupils eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average. Forty six pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, this is above the national average and two have statements of special educational need, which

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

is broadly in line with the national average. Most pupils with special educational needs have moderate learning difficulties and a small proportion have behavioural difficulties. In addition, the school has identified a significant proportion of pupils who have speech and communication difficulties in each year group. There is a high turnover of pupils joining or leaving the school other than at the normal entry dates. The school is part of an Education Action and Health Action Zone.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Stephenson Memorial Primary School is a new primary school that is effective in creating an atmosphere in which pupils feel secure and are keen to learn. It has gone through significant changes recently because of this move from a First School to a Primary School: a significant amount of building work, a number of staff changes and the organisation of the planning needed to manage the expansion of pupil numbers over the last two years. The head teacher and staff, well supported by the governors, are managing these changes well. For example, the school has a family atmosphere and relationships are excellent. Pupils develop very positive attitudes to learning and behave very well. Although the attainment of pupils is well below average in English and below average in mathematics and science, the school has a high percentage of pupils who join or leave the school at times other than the normal entry dates and this, coupled with the number who have special educational needs or

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

speech and communication difficulties, affects its results. However, all pupils make at least satisfactory and sometimes good progress and learn effectively. The costs of the school are about the same as most primary schools and the quality of education provided means that the school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The leadership and management of the school by the head teacher, deputy head teacher and key staff, and the quality of teamwork between staff and governors, are good. • The provision for children in the nursery and reception classes, is very good. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. As a result, relationships and pupils’ enthusiasm for school are excellent. • The provision for pupils’ social education is excellent, it is very good for their moral development. • The curriculum is enriched through good links with the community and a good range of visits and visitors. The school works hard to promote links with the parents.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science. • The opportunities for co-ordinators to observe the quality of teaching and learning in their Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 6 subjects. • The information provided in teachers’ annual reports to parents on pupils’ attainment and progress in all subjects of the National Curriculum. 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

Stephenson Memorial school has changed to a primary school since the last inspection. This means that as a new school there can be no evaluations of improvements since the last inspection.

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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 N/A N/A E E well above average above average A B mathematics N/A N/A E E average below average C D science N/A N/A E C well below average E

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Key

There are no results available for previous years because 2002 was the first time the school had pupils aged 11 taking the National Curriculum tests. Therefore, it is not possible to make any judgements on trends over time. The table shows that in the 2002 National Curriculum tests for 11 year olds the school’s results were well below average in English, mathematics and science. When compared to other schools that have a similar number of pupils on free school meals, pupils’ performance was well below average in English and mathematics but average in science. The attainment of the present 11 year olds is well below the level expected in English and below the level in mathematics and science. A major cause of these low standards is the high percentage who have special educational needs or speech and communication difficulties. For example, for pupils who were at the school and completed the National Curriculum tests as infants in 1998, there has been an improvement in their attainment in

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Key

2002 showing at least satisfactory and sometimes good progress during their time in school. There are signs of improvement in all subjects because of the emphasis the school has placed on improving pupils’ reading and writing skills but this has not yet had time to raise standards higher. The standards achieved by the present Year 2 pupils are well below average in English and mathematics and below average in science. The school’s assessments of this group of pupils from their entry into the school show that they have made satisfactory and sometimes good progress in most subjects.

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Key

The recent establishment of a computer suite has greatly improved the opportunities for pupils to use up to date resources and is having a positive impact on their attainment. Good teaching in the suite is improving pupils’ skills, which are now in line with those expected for their age in Year 2 and Year 6. Standards in religious education are in line with expected levels throughout the school. Children in the nursery and reception classes make a good start to their education, although many start school with poor skills, especially in language, literacy and communication and in their personal and social development. Very good provision is already having a positive impact on their attainment. The small number of higher attaining pupils throughout the school are often provided with work that extends their Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 7 learning and they are achieving at levels higher than expected for their age. The school has set

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Key

challenging targets and, because of the commitment of all staff, is likely to achieve them. Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to school and their work. Most enjoy coming to school and their enthusiasm for school life is excellent and improves their learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils know what is expected of them and their behaviour is very good. Pupils are polite and courteous towards one another and adults. There has been one temporary exclusion from the school in the last year. Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development and relationships are very good. Most respond very well to the school’s encouragement to take responsibility for their actions and relationships are excellent. Attendance Attendance is satisfactory for this school year, it is close to the national average. The school procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ very good attitudes result from the school’s positive, caring, family atmosphere. Most pupils are considerate of others when they move around the building, use the dining hall and play at break times. Pupils have excellent relationships with each other and with staff. They respond well to the trust and respect they are shown. For example, older pupils are “buddies” and “prefects” and they give assistance to any pupil requiring help. In discussions with the school council, pupils explained the importance of discussing all issues and then voting to make sure the eventual decision was fair and represented the majority view. This type of activity makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ awareness of the importance of others’ views and to their growing understanding of citizenship.

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

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

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

The quality of most teaching is at least satisfactory and sometimes good. There were very few instances of unsatisfactory teaching seen during the inspection. Some good teaching was seen throughout the school, particularly in the Foundation Stage and in information and communication technology. The teaching for children in the Foundation Stage is good and sometimes very good because teachers use the results of assessments well in their planning to ensure that children are given activities matched well to their varying abilities. This is a major factor in their improving attainment and learning. Children needing additional support are identified early and they make the same progress as other children, because they are supported well by adults.

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

Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum is satisfactory. Teachers’ planning in English and mathematics is clearly linked to the guidance of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and this leads to better teaching and improving standards. Although there are good group targets set to improve pupils’ attainment, the school is aware that these are too general and has plans to refine the system and set more specific individual or group targets for pupils. In the best lessons, tasks are organised to challenge different groups in classes and pupils make steady and sometimes good progress. However, this is not always the case and some teachers do not expect Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 9 enough of their pupils and learning slows in these lessons. Planning for all other subjects follows national guidelines or the requirements of the Agreed Syllabus for religious education. The school has

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

only been fully established for just over a year and teaching staff have made many adjustments to cope with the demands of a primary school curriculum. For example, there has been significant work undertaken in the analysis of the results in National Curriculum tests and weaknesses have been identified for development. However, because so many systems are new, the school is not yet using assessment data sufficiently well to guide teachers’ planning of lessons or series of lessons. The school is aware of the need to fully implement the marking policy and so provide information to pupils so they understand how well they are doing and what they must tackle next to further improve. Classroom assistants give effective support to individuals and groups of pupils when they are working with them. Staff value all pupils equally, whatever their needs, and work hard to make sure they get the best from their time at school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. There is a wide range of learning opportunities for all pupils. The school has adopted the most recent national guidelines and teachers are following these in their planning to ensure that all pupils have a varied and interesting curriculum. Particular strengths are the good range of visits and visitors, links with the community and other local schools, which enrich the curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers and support assistants know the pupils well, ensure that they participate in the same activities as their classmates and this makes a positive contribution to their attainment and learning. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Most pupils for whom English is an additional language have a good grasp of English and staff work with them to make sure they join

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Aspect Comment

in all the activities available. When they are withdrawn for specialist help pupils make good progress because of the high quality of the teaching. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is good. It is very good for their moral development and excellent for their social development. The provision ensures that a positive climate for learning is established which makes a significant contribution to the positive attitudes shown by most pupils. This provision makes a very good contribution to promoting the school aims. How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. There are satisfactory procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress but the results of these are not yet used effectively to guide teachers’ planning. In addition, the effective

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Aspect Comment

marking of pupils’ written work is an area for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum meets statutory requirements and goes beyond this to include several features that enrich it considerably. For example, there is considerable effort put in to visit places of interest and a range of visitors give pupils a wide experience and help them learn. The school puts a great deal of effort into the links with parents and the community which makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff The head teacher, deputy head teacher and key staff provide good leadership and management, which gives a clear educational direction for the school. The quality of teamwork by all staff is good and fosters a positive family atmosphere in which all pupils are valued and their efforts well supported. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body is committed to helping the school to continue to develop. Governors make an effective contribution to the running of the school and are committed to raising standards further. The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The school has faced considerable changes in recent times and has adapted well in many areas. It is now in a position to review and assess how effective the new procedures and systems are working. The head teacher and staff are rightly proud of the social

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Aspect Comment

development of all pupils and they are clearly identifying other areas for improvement. For example, the key focus this year is to improve pupils’ language, writing and presentation. The strategic use of resources Good. The school uses the resources available well. Support staff play an important role in the life of the school and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. The accommodation is very good and very well maintained. The library is satisfactory and used effectively to support pupils’ learning in all subjects. The school’s finances and administrative procedures are good.

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Aspect Comment

The good leadership and management provided by the head teacher and governors are major factors in the quality of teamwork and positive atmosphere in the school. The good strategic management of the school is evident in the way that literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology have been given priority for development during the change to Primary status. The school uses funds designated for particular purposes well. For example, the use of funds provided through the Education Action Zone initiative are used very well to support the running and organisation of the “Breakfast Club” which is having a very positive impact on its participants. Governors and the head teacher keep a close eye on spending to ensure that they follow the principles of “best value” well. For example, they examine the detailed analysis of assessment results, including comparisons with similar schools, to

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Aspect Comment

target spending to bring about improvements in standards. The apparent higher than average amount of money unspent in the budget last year came from the increasing size of the new school and the time delay in the grants being spent on new resources meant that not all expenditure was shown in the end of year figures. The present budget has a small contingency which is well within the recommended guidelines.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and are making good progress. • Teaching is good. • They feel comfortable approaching the school with questions or problems. • The school expects children to work hard. • The amount of information about their child’s progress. Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 11 • The way the school works with parents. • The school helps children to become more mature and responsible. • The school is well led and managed. Most parents consider that they have a good partnership with the school and express satisfaction with the majority of its life and work. Inspection findings confirm the positive views expressed by parents. Parents are kept well informed about school events through regular, informative newsletters. The inspection team agrees with the concerns of parents that the information provided about their children’s attainment and progress is unsatisfactory because teachers’ annual reports do not give

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

sufficient information on what each child has achieved in all subjects. Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 In this school the Foundation Stage is made up of one nursery and two reception classes. The provision is very good and a strength of the school. The school’s assessments of children’s attainment show that many enter the Foundation Stage with levels of attainment that are very poor when compared with those of most children of the same age. As a result of the good teaching, children achieve well and by the time they leave the reception class they have made good progress although attainment remains well below that expected for their age in all areas of learning. A significant number of children are identified with speech and language difficulties. This impacts on standards in the reception year. Standards in personal, social and emotional development are improving well. This is because of the emphasis placed on promoting this area of learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 The standards attained by 11 year olds in the National Curriculum tests in 2002 were well below average in English, mathematics and science. When compared to schools with a similar level of free school meals, pupils’ performance was well below average in English and mathematics and average in science. Although the attainment of pupils in the present Year 6 is well below average in English and below average in mathematics and science, the school has a high percentage of pupils who join or leave the school at times other than the normal entry dates and this, coupled with the number who have special educational needs or speech and communication difficulties, adversely affects its results. These factors also had a detrimental affect on pupils’ attainment in the 2002 National curriculum tests. There are signs of improvement in all subjects because of the emphasis the school has placed on improving pupils’ reading and writing skills but this has not yet had time to raise

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

standards further. The school sets challenging targets and, because of the commitment of all staff, is on line to achieve them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 The standards achieved by pupils in Year 2 in the National Curriculum tests in 2002 were below average in reading, average in writing and well above average in mathematics and science. These results were a significant improvement on 2001, mainly because the school is now more settled and teachers have placed emphasis on improving pupils’ reading and writing skills. The standards achieved by the present Year 2 pupils are well below average in English and mathematics and below average in science. The large proportion of pupils who have speech and communication difficulties is one of the main reasons for these low standards. However, the school’s assessments of this group of pupils from their entry into the school show that they have made at least satisfactory progress and sometimes good progress in these subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 By the age of seven and 11, pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology is in line with the level expected for their age. This represents good progress and is the result of good teaching in the computer suite, better resources and increased confidence amongst the staff. In religious education pupils’ attainment, by the age of seven and 11, is in line with the level expected in the Agreed Syllabus, although their language and literacy difficulties restrict higher attainment. In all other subjects, pupils’ attainment is in line with the level expected for their age. In geography there was insufficient evidence to make a judgement for Year 6 pupils, because only history was taught last term and geography is planned for this term. At the time of the inspection, these pupils had received only one lesson.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 During the inspection, no significant variation was noted in the attainment of boys and girls in any subject. Although there are good group targets set to improve pupils’ attainment, the school is aware that these are too general and has plans to refine the system and set more specific individual or group targets for pupils to ensure that all pupils are appropriately challenged in all lessons. There are Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 13 no results available for previous years because 2002 was the first time the school had pupils aged 11 taking the National Curriculum tests. Therefore, it is not possible to make any judgements on trends over time.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 Other subjects of the National Curriculum make a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, for example, through discussions in history and geography, recording their visits to places of interest and producing graphs in science. Provision for pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language is good throughout the school. These pupils are identified at an early stage and all staff are committed to supporting and encouraging them. The additional help given to pupils who are taught English as an additional language in individual or small groups is good and makes a significant impact on their learning. Each pupil with special educational needs has an appropriate plan that is kept under review. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language is satisfactory in lessons. The school is aware that the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

setting of more specific targets for all pupils is the next required stage of development to improve pupils’ progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7 Pupils have very good attitudes and standards of behaviour and so they benefit from everything that is on offer to them at Stephenson Memorial Primary School. Consequently, they grow into sensible and confident young people who respect others and cope very well with responsibility.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8 Pupils have very good attitudes towards school and their learning and parents confirm that their children enjoy coming to school. In lessons, pupils are very keen to join in discussions and get involved in activities. They want to learn and they are pleased to be given a challenge. For example, in a mathematics lesson when the class teacher explained what they were going to be working on, many pupils looked to one another and said a muffled but delighted “yes” and punched the air with pleasure on hearing their task. Pupils are equally pleased to be given homework and even prompt the class teacher to set some for them. However, pupils’ very good attitudes are not reflected in the presentation of their work. They do not take sufficient care and often produce untidy work. Some of the younger pupils struggle to concentrate for any length of time but they are not disruptive and they respond well to teachers’ skilful methods of maintaining their attention and ensuring all are involved.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9 Pupils’ very good attitudes are further reflected in the school’s attendance figure which, at just over 94 per cent, is similar to the national average. Very many pupils achieve attendance in the high 90 per cent bracket and even 100 per cent, it is only a minority of around 20 pupils whose poor attendance significantly reduces the school’s overall attendance figure. The school’s unauthorised attendance figure of 0.6 per cent is just slightly higher than the national average but this is not due to truancy on the part of pupils but due to a small number of pupils who are regularly absent for no apparent reason.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10 Behaviour is very good throughout the school. Pupils know the school rules and what is expected of them. They are polite and well mannered to each other and to adults and they move around the school in a sensible and orderly way. Consequently, there is a calm and pleasant atmosphere throughout the school where everyone can work, learn and feel comfortable. Incidents of inappropriate behaviour are very rare and there has been one temporary exclusion in the last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11 Pupils’ personal development is very good. From entering the school with few social skills and low self-esteem, they gain confidence and, because of the praise they receive, they try very hard to do their best. In particular, they learn to take on responsibility and to play a full part in the school community. For example, prefects are very pleased and proud to have a number of jobs around school and pupils who have been elected as School Council members are very sensible and serious about their roles. Excellent relationships exist amongst pupils and with their teachers. Pupils want to Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 14 work and play together and to receive recognition from their peers for their achievements. There is no hostility towards one another regardless of colour, creed, ability or social circumstances and they support one another extremely well. A very good example of this was seen when a Year 4 pupil was

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

asked to answer the telephone in the classroom, without being asked, the rest of the class immediately stopped what they were doing to ensure quiet was achieved. No one reacted in such a way as to embarrass the pupil when she put on her best telephone voice and she was most efficient in the way she dealt with the task. Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 15

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12 The quality of teaching for children in the Foundation Stage is good and sometimes very good. The teachers have a thorough understanding of young children’s needs and the curriculum they require to make good progress. There are well focused, teacher led activities as well as opportunities for children to learn from structured, purposeful play. All adults are good examples for children to follow because they treat everyone with care, courtesy and respect. They make sure that all children have access to all activities and children know that they are being treated equally and fairly. The classroom assistants contribute effectively to children’s learning and the achievements they make.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13 Throughout the school, the majority of teaching is satisfactory and sometimes good. Discussions with teachers and analysis of pupils’ work show that the quality of teaching is improving, especially in English, mathematics and science. Some of this improvement has resulted from the observations undertaken by the head teacher, deputy head teacher and literacy co-ordinator. They observe colleagues teaching and check to ensure that pupils are learning effectively. They provide feedback in order to improve the quality of teaching. There are plans to include other subject co- ordinators in these observations and so improve the quality of teaching in all subjects. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been successfully implemented and pupils’ standards are gradually improving in virtually all subjects by Year 6. Teachers regularly use a range of tests, including statutory and optional National Curriculum tests. The information available from these tests

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

is used satisfactorily to identify pupils’ weaknesses and to guide teachers’ planning, for example, by setting general targets to improve pupils’ attainment. However, because teachers’ marking does not show pupils what level they have achieved and precisely what they need to do to improve they do not take as much responsibility as they could for their own progress and improvement.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14 The teaching of basic skills in English and mathematics is satisfactory. Teachers’ planning is clearly linked to the requirements of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. However, because their planning of lessons is taken from national guidelines, there is often insufficient attention paid to the varying abilities in each class or set. As a result, all pupils are given similar tasks which those of lower attainment find too hard and those capable of higher achievement find too easy. There is a need for teachers to refine their planning of lessons or series of lessons to show more clearly the objectives for pupils of differing abilities and so ensure that all are challenged appropriately. Pupils have excellent relationships with teachers and adults in the classroom, which has helped to improve the quality of pupils’ learning. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour and effort are very good

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and pupils are expected to do their best. This was seen in a Year 6 English lesson, when pupils improved their knowledge and skills of how to construct a balanced argument. They listened attentively to others’ contributions to the discussions. The brisk pace of the lesson and the sensible attitude of pupils led to very good learning and pupils’ improving skills in the recognition of a balanced argument. Teachers use the Numeracy Strategy effectively, for example, in a Year 1 mathematics lesson, pupils joined in enthusiastically counting forwards and backwards to thirty. They improved their knowledge of how to record simple calculations using addition and subtraction to find answers.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15 Most teachers have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the subjects of the National Curriculum. There has been a great deal of training for all staff as the school has changed to a Primary School. The school recognised that teachers’ skills needed to be improved, especially for older pupils, in information and communication technology and training courses have been undertaken. As a result, teachers are using the computer suite well and pupils’ attainment is improving. Teachers know and manage their pupils very well and provide good support for different activities. The excellent relationships between staff and pupils create a secure climate in which to learn. However, teachers do not always use their daily observations of pupils’ work to set challenging tasks. For example, in practical science activities, pupils all conduct the same experiments and are not given sufficient opportunities to select the equipment needed or to devise their own experiments to test a

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

theory. The school has an established homework policy that most teachers use consistently and, as a Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 16 result, the amount of homework given is about right for pupils’ ages and has a positive effect on their learning. The school has a good policy for the recent initiative to ensure all pupils are treated equally. Teachers follow it well to ensure that all pupils follow the National Curriculum but because teachers’ planning of lessons does not always show how different ability groups will be challenged, not all pupils have the opportunity to extend their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16 The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory, it is often good when they are withdrawn for specialist help. It is a similar picture for pupils who are taught English as an additional language. Teachers make early identification of pupils with special educational needs or who have English as an additional language. They work closely with the available support assistants to plan work for these pupils that is matched to the work of other pupils in their class. All staff have a positive attitude towards these pupils and this enhances their learning. Class teachers, the special educational needs co-ordinator and support staff all work very effectively together ensuring pupils take full part in the curriculum and make satisfactory progress. The provision for special educational needs is well organised throughout the school. All adults working with pupils with special educational needs

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

or English as an additional language are enthusiastic in their approach and keen to recognise and praise success. This effectively encourages pupils and helps them develop confidence.

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PUPILS?

17 The curriculum is relevant and balanced and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school is beginning to introduce a comprehensive system for regularly and systematically reviewing all aspects of the curriculum including, for example, how classrooms and displays are organised to support learning in all subjects. Curriculum planning is based on the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies and on national guidance for the other subjects. This is providing a clear structure for the curriculum of each subject so that the necessary elements of each are covered in different classes. However, there is not always enough attention paid to teachers’ planning for lessons to meet the needs of pupils with different levels of ability and higher attaining pupils do not always make the rapid progress that they should.

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PUPILS?

18 The National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies have been implemented satisfactorily to maintain the levels of attainment pupils have when they enter the school. However, some lessons do not allow sufficient time for pupils to practice what they have learned. This means that pupils’ standards remain consistently below or well below the expected levels for their age in English and mathematics. With a few exceptions, the school does not make good links between different areas of the curriculum and this results in time and opportunities being wasted. Where this is done well, as in a Year 2 design and technology lesson where pupils design and make Joseph’s coat of many colours, there are good links with their work in religious education and the study of materials in science.

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PUPILS?

19 For all other subjects the school uses national guidance for teaching the National Curriculum. Planning for art is linked to national guidance but with adjustments to suit local circumstances. These national guidance materials are in an early stage of development and teachers are still adapting them to better meet the interests and needs of pupils at this recently formed primary school. A new computer suite is used well to increase the amount of time pupils spend learning and practicing their information and communication technology skills and this is beginning to have a positive effect on progress. The school is still making the transition to a full primary school and the curriculum for Years 5 and 6 is still being developed and resourced.

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PUPILS?

20 The provision for supporting pupils with special educational needs is good, especially in English, and they make similar progress to other pupils. It is equally as good for pupils who are learning English as an additional language. Teachers identify these pupils who need additional help, for Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 17 whatever reason, at an early age and use classroom assistants and other resources to support their learning well.

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PUPILS?

21 There is a very good range of additional activities that add essential richness to the basic curriculum experienced in classrooms. These activities support areas such as the arts, through a steel band, recorders, a choir, theatre visits and visits by storytellers, authors and musicians. Sports and physical activities such as football, basketball and country dancing are popular after school activities and pupils also develop their information and communication technology skills in an after-school club. Clubs of all different kinds are well attended and enjoyed by boys and girls of all ages although most of the activities are aimed at older pupils. Some extra-curricular activities involve external staff paid for by the school but many teachers show dedication and hard work in organising and running most of these activities. Pupils clearly enjoy these clubs and other experiences and benefit greatly from these

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PUPILS?

22 Citizenship, personal, social and health education are planned and taught systematically. This helps to raise pupils’ self-esteem and make them more aware of the needs of others. Sex education is mainly dealt with as matters arise but the school nurse teaches a regular programme of lessons that are carefully structured to meet the needs of the pupils. Pupils also learn about drugs education and other health related issues within the science curriculum supported by talks and the use of drama by external staff with special expertise in these areas. All teaching staff ha s completed drugs awareness training and so support this learning effectively. The school has good links with other places of education and particularly with a local secondary school. As a result, pupils from Year 6 benefit from a number of visits throughout their final year and so their anxieties about starting secondary education

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PUPILS?

23 The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Staff and visitors use assemblies well to set the school’s spiritual ethos. They develop weekly themes carefully to give pupils insight into fundamental beliefs. For instance, in one assembly the leader followed up telling a humorous story with time to reflect on its meaning and to: “Ask God to give us the spirit to do what is right”. The school has good links with the local parish church. The vicar makes valuable contributions to assemblies and pupils visit the church for services, for example, at Christmas. In religious education lessons, and especially in personal and social education lessons, teachers give pupils good opportunities to develop their inner selves. Thought provoking and high quality reference points in the entrance

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PUPILS?

reflect the spiritual ethos of the school: a plaque in memory of ex-teachers and pupils who died in the Great War, “Let us be worthy of their sacrifice”, and a tapestry with the caption, “Children are like snowflakes, each with their own pattern”.

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PUPILS?

24 The school’s provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. Staff work very hard to teach pupils the difference between right and wrong and place great emphasis on maintaining very high standards of behaviour. This makes a positive contribution to pupils’ attitudes and the progress they make in lessons. Staff show they care for pupils and take time to reason sensitively with those who step out of line. They teach pupils the benefits of values such as reason, honesty and fairness. They use assemblies well to promote such values, for instance, demonstrating that “little things add up” and challenging pupils to make positive contributions to school life in their everyday activities.

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PUPILS?

25 The school’s provision for pupils’ social development is excellent. This stands out as a school priority and, as a result, relationships are excellent. The school provides pupils with numerous opportunities to develop their sense of responsibility. All pupils are expected to undertake duties, such as keeping the classroom tidy. They are invited to make contributions to a “Suggestion Box” that is checked regularly by members of the School Council. As they get older, pupils are expected to take on more duties. In Year 4, pupils help tend the school garden. Pupils in Year 5 run a tuck shop twice a week. In Years 5 and 6, pupils act as “buddies” at playtimes, particularly to help younger pupils. As Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 18 prefects they make a good contribution to keeping the school running smoothly, for instance, in the dining hall at lunchtime. Pupils from Year 1 onwards send representatives to the School Council and

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PUPILS?

make minuted resolutions, which teachers take into account when making decisions. The school’s personal, social and health education programme makes a very good contribution to the development of pupils’ social skills. In these lessons, teachers give pupils many opportunities to discuss issues. The school lays great emphasis on developing pupils’ social behaviour and attitudes and rewards pupils with recognition in a weekly “celebration aware assembly”.

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PUPILS?

26 The school’s provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. Teachers plan numerous visits and visitors. For instance, pupils visit a theatre, a museum, a farm and sing at a local old peoples home at Christmas. They enjoy visits from an author, a storyteller, musicians and a theatre group. They learn about their own culture and others in lessons such as geography and religious education. Pupils explore their own area to learn about local features. Pupils study the legacy of George Stephenson in history lessons and in displays of framed pictures of the man and his achievements. Although pupils of all ages study the work of a range of artists from different countries there is very little beyond European culture which represents missed opportunities for pupils’ multi-cultural development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

27 There is a good level of care for pupils and so pupils are happy to come to school. Parents confirm that their children are happy and pupils describe the school as “brilliant”. The school’s child protection arrangements are good. Staff are familiar with the signs of possible abuse and they report concerns without hesitation. Staff take a keen interest in pupils and welcome them each day into their classrooms. Routines are well established, teachers are calm and patient and so a pleasant atmosphere is created where all feel secure and comfortable and get on with their learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

28 The school uses money from the Education Action Zone grant to provide a breakfast club; the 40 pupils who attend get a good start to the day whilst learning useful social skills. Lunchtimes are orderly and pupils are very well behaved. There is a number of staff in school with expertise in first aid, pupils are well looked after if they are ill or injured and there are good and safe procedures for the storage and administration of medicines. The school building and grounds are very new and there is a high standard of maintenance. The caretaker ensures high standards of cleanliness in all areas. However, although there are regular evacuation practices, the school has not yet implemented the requirement for regular health and safety inspections. Two minor potential hazards were reported to the head teacher. There are no procedures to ensure a formal written risk assessment is carried out before pupils are taken on visits to different venues. The school is aware of these weaknesses and

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

29 The school has very good procedures for improving and keeping a check on pupils’ attendance and punctuality. For example, the Education Welfare Officer is alerted twice each week to any concerns about attendance and visits to pupils’ homes are subsequently made to offer help and advice to the parents. Through using a computerised registration system, administration staff send letters home each fortnight, where necessary, informing parents of how many minutes of education their child has missed through being late. As a result, the vast majority of pupils with the support of parents have established regular and punctual attendance patterns. There are very good procedures for promoting good behaviour and eliminating bullying. All staff, including non-teaching staff, have high expectations of behaviour. There are clear classroom rules and teachers are consistent in what they expect. They use praise to encourage pupils and do not accept inappropriate behaviour.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Consequently, excellent relationships exist throughout the school. Incidents of bullying are extremely rare and all allegations are dealt with immediately and fairly involving all parties, including parents. There are very good procedures for supporting pupils’ personal development. Teachers work hard to encourage pupils and foster a belief in their own personal abilities. They praise them for their efforts Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 19 and they make them feel valued. As a result, pupils gain in confidence, self-esteem and social skills and so they are in a good position to take advantage of opportunities presented to them.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30 Support for pupils who have special educational needs is good. The school makes good use of those services which are made available, such as those supplied by an educational psychologist. The school has good procedures for assessing and identifying pupils’ needs at an early stage. Teachers use these assessments well to provide good support in English. However, the use of assessment is not consistently effective in other subjects and this is evident in lessons where occasionally work is too hard for pupils who have special educational needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31 The recently appointed assessment co-ordinator has carried out a thorough review of assessment procedures. Assessment and recording are seen as a tool to raise standards and the school has developed comprehensive procedures for assessing pupils’ academic attainment and progress in English, mathematics and science. Statutory and optional tests are used and the results are recorded and carefully analysed to identify attainment by different groups of pupils and areas of underachievement.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32 A key initiative is the introduction of a commercially produced assessment package in Years 1 to 6 in the current school year. This will assess pupils’ performance in English, mathematics and science in even greater detail and enable individual targets to be set. It will replace the present practice that sets targets for classes and ability groups. Effective marking of pupils’ written work is an area for improvement. Pupils’ work is checked and ticked regularly but teachers’ comments are supportive statements rather than advisory ones, which would tell pupils what they had done well or how their work could be improved. The implementation of a new marking policy is identified in this year’s school improvement plan and contains the following advice, “Ticking serves its purpose, comments and questions provide opportunities for individual feedback”.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33 The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language but not those who are gifted and talented. Pupils’ individual needs are met, in part, by grouping older pupils in Years 4 to 6 by ability for English, mathematics and science but there is limited evidence of differences in the work being given to pupils within these sets. In other areas of the curriculum information about pupils is not used well enough to inform teachers’ planning of lessons and provide learning opportunities at different levels of difficulty to suit the needs of all pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

34 The school has worked hard to build good relationships with parents. Consequently, a good partnership of education now exists and parents support the school well. For example, the vast majority ensure that their children attend regularly and on time, they support the school’s policy on school uniform and on behaviour and a few parents regularly help in school listening to pupils read. Parents are beginning to take a greater interest in the school, for example, a group of parents known as “The Friends of Stephenson Memorial Primary School” have started to meet regularly and discuss issues and make suggestions pertinent to the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

35 The school is keen to involve parents more effectively in a partnership of education and are in the process of finding more effective ways of keeping them informed. Although good information is provided on the daily life and events of the school and on what is being taught in lessons each term, there is no whole school approach to informing parents of their child’s progress on a regular basis. For example, home/school reading records are used almost entirely as a list of books that each pupil has read. They are not used to tell parents what words or other elements of reading their child needs to concentrate on and so parents cannot help their child or see how they are progressing. Similarly, homework books are used in some classes but not in others and so not all parents can see how their child is doing. Nevertheless, the school operates an “open door” policy and parents confirm that they Stephenson Memorial Primary School - 20

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

feel very welcome to approach staff and ask questions if they wish. Teachers also use the opportunity at the end of the day to speak with those parents who collect their children themselves and so there is an exchange of information in this way. There are two parents’ evenings each year when parents can discuss their child’s progress with class teachers but the end of year reports are unsatisfactory in Years 1 to 6. In all subjects other than English and occasionally mathematics, they report only on what has been covered in lessons and the pupil’s attitude but not what each individual pupil has learned, understood and can do. In addition, they have no individuality but are simply a list of statements taken from a word bank.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36 The parents of pupils who have special educational needs are informed at the earliest stage of identification and are kept fully informed of their progress. The school reviews pupils’ individual education plans regularly and encourages parents to take part in reviews.

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