Holy Trinity Church of England (Aided) School

Holy Trinity C of E (VA) Junior School

Dates of inspection: 14 th – 17 th October 2002

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Holy Trinity C of E (VA) Junior 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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Holy Trinity C of E (VA) Junior 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. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School category: Church of England (Voluntary Aided)

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wethered Road Marlow Buckinghamshire

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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 P Fawcett

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: May 1998 Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 4

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responsibilities

23048 Mrs D Wilkinson Registered inspector Geography History Physical education Special educational needs What sort of school is it? The schools results and achievements. How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? 9339 Mr J Zachary 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? 23319 Mr V Leary Team inspector Science Art and design Music 30951 Mr P Littlejohn Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology How well is the school led and managed?

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responsibilities

12603 Ms T Chakraborti Team inspector English Design and technology Educational inclusion, including race equality English as an additional language How good are the curricular opportunities offered to pupils? Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester DT2 9PU

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Holy Trinity Church of England Junior School has 265 pupils (148 boys and 117 girls) in ten classes from Years 3 to 6. Since it was last inspected the age range has changed from eight to twelve to seven to eleven. It is now larger and around the same size as the average primary school. Due to its popularity, the school is currently expanding to a three-class intake. The proportion of pupils (19 per cent) with special educational needs is around the national average. Two of these pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs and this number is below average. The proportion of pupils (three per cent) known to be eligible for free school meals is well below average. A small number of pupils come from ethnic minority groups, most of them fluent in English. The school is in the middle of an estate of social housing although pupils come from a very wide area and a variety of backgrounds. Employment levels

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

are high and the majority of pupils come from a socially advantaged background. The prior attainment of pupils entering the school does vary, but overall it is around average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Holy Trinity is a very good school with very many strengths and few weaknesses. The commitment of staff and governors, the very good curriculum and high levels of good and very good teaching help pupils to develop very positive attitudes to school. As a result they achieve well, the majority reaching above average standards by the time they leave. Leadership and management at all levels are very good and the school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The leadership and management of both senior staff and governors are very good. The acting headteacher is providing excellent leadership and she is extremely well supported by the whole staff team. • The staff and governors have created a very successful school community with a positive ethos and effective learning environment, which promotes very good relationships, behaviour and attitudes to work. • The high levels of good and very good teaching ensure that pupils make good progress in gaining new skills and knowledge. • The rich and interesting curriculum motivates pupils. It is well planned to meet the needs of those in different ability groups and supports pupils with special educational needs especially well. • The school’s many strengths help pupils to make good progress in both their academic and personal development. As a result, they achieve well and, by the time they leave, the majority reach

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What the school does well

above average standards. • The school has a very effective partnership with parents and they are giving valuable support in its work.

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What could be improved

• The use of assessment information in mathematics to further promote the progress of individual 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 has improved well since its last inspection in May 1998. The areas of weaknesses identified then have been fully addressed, many of them well. There are good opportunities for independent learning in mathematics and science, especially in the latter where pupils’ standards in their investigative and enquiry work are well above average. The school improvement plan is very good and now clearly identifies measurable targets. Financial planning and monitoring, including those aspects undertaken by the governing body, are very good. There are good procedures for monitoring attendance Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 8 and the governors’ annual report and the prospectus contain the required information. The school has also improved its provision. There are now higher levels of good and very good teaching and a very good curriculum. Pupils’ attitudes to school and their behaviour and personal development, which were then

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

good, are now very good. Standards remain above average and have improved in physical education where they are now above expectations. The quality of leadership and commitment and hard work of the whole school community mean that the school is well placed to improve further.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The prior attainment of pupils on entry to the school is around average overall, although it is above average in English. Across the school the vast majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs, those for whom English is an additional language and higher attaining pupils, achieve well. Pupils make good progress as they move through the school and, by the end of Year 6, overall standards are above the national average, as they were at the time of the last inspection. For current Year 6 pupils, standards in English are well above average in all aspects of the subject, including literacy, as in the national tests in 2001. In that year standards in mathematics and science were above average. At the time of the inspection, data was not available to make a detailed comparison between the school’s 2002 results and those seen nationally. However, available data does show that standards

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Key

remain well above average in English and are also likely to be so in science. This is also so for pupils currently in Year 6. The improvement in science is largely because the subject is effectively taught through an investigative approach. This year’s results were not so high in mathematics although they were slightly above average. For current Year 6 pupils, standards are above average, being strongest in number work including numeracy. Standards are improving at about the same rate as in the majority of schools and match the results of schools in a similar context. Over the past three years, the school has exceeded the targets it set for the test results in English and mathematics. It also exceeded the English targets this year, but was slightly below the target for mathematics. However, in 2003, it is well placed to achieve the targets in both English and mathematics. Standards in most other subject are above

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Key

national expectations and well above expectations in music because of the particularly good teaching. Weaknesses in information and communication technology resources, due to circumstances outside the school’s control, have limited pupils’ achievement, so standards are not as high as in other subjects, although they are in line with national expectations.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good and this is significant in helping them to make good progress and achieve well. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 9 Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Underpinned by the school’s positive ethos and care for individuals, this is very good. Pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Effective relationships help to promote very good personal development. Staff provide very good role models. Many opportunities, such as involvement in the school council, help pupils to develop confidence and a sense of responsibility.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Broadly in line with the national average. Pupils enjoy coming to school, and arrive promptly in the morning, ready for work. Levels of attendance are affected by a number of parents taking holidays in term times

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching 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: Years 3 – 6

Teaching is good throughout the school, with around a third being very good and occasionally excellent. A major reason for the good teaching is the monitoring undertaken by staff with management responsibilities, which ensures that there is a consistent approach in all classes. Strengths in teaching and learning are underpinned by the school’s caring ethos and the very good relationships between staff and pupils, which help teachers to respond to pupils’ needs. Teaching is effective because lessons are well planned, with teachers setting challenging work that helps pupils to achieve well. Teachers are also good at explaining or demonstrating new skills and knowledge. For example, new skills are especially well taught in geography and physical education as well as literacy and numeracy lessons. Pupils are organised and managed well, often with the good support of classroom assistants. Marking and on-going assessment are good and often involve pupils in evaluating

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

their own achievement. Very good homework arrangements make a positive contribution to the work undertaken in lessons. Most lessons are well paced although, on a small number of occasions, pupils have to sit for too long listening to the teacher. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are included well in lessons, with their needs being effectively addressed. When special educational needs pupils work individually or in small groups, teaching is very good. All these strong features of teaching help pupils to learn well in most lessons and to make good progress as they move through the school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. It is rich and stimulating, encouraging pupils’ learning and preparing them well for secondary school. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities and there are effective links with the local community and partner schools.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good, including for those who have a specific statement of need. Pupils are included well in all activities and make the same good progress as others. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 10 Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The majority of support is provided from within the school. Pupils are included well in all that the school has to offer and receive the same rich and interesting curriculum as other pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall, especially pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. Cultural development is good. The school prepares pupils for life in a culturally diverse society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school is a caring, safe environment. The procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils are good, and very good for encouraging good behaviour and for assessing attainment and progress. Assessment information about individual pupils is not always used as effectively as it could be to raise standards further, especially in mathematics.

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Aspect Comment

The school has a very strong and effective partnership with parents and they are providing very good support to children’s learning, through homework and in many ways in school.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The acting headteacher is providing excellent leadership in directing the school, working very well in collaboration with her colleagues. The overall contribution of staff with management responsibilities is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very effectively. Especially good systems for gaining information about the work of the school help governors to recognise and address its strengths and weaknesses particularly well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Effective monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum, teaching and learning and pupils’ work help to promote improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school uses its funding and other resources particularly well to support initiatives and areas of development and this is helping to improve provision. The principles of best value are applied especially well.

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Aspect Comment

The school is well staffed, and both teachers and classroom assistants are making a positive contribution to the provision and standards. The accommodation is satisfactory at present and improvements are planned. Learning resources are good overall and are effectively used to support progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy going to school. • Children are well taught and are expected to work hard and do their best and they make good progress. • Very good support is given to all pupils whatever their abilities or needs. • The school helps children to become mature • A small number of parents felt they would like more information about the progress their children were making. • An equally small number would like the school to work more closely with them. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 11 and responsible. • The behaviour is good. • The school is well led and managed.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team fully supports parents’ positive views. The information parents receive about the progress their children are making is very good compared to other primary schools. The school’s very good partnership with parents is a result of its working closely with them. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Since the school was last inspected, the age range has changed from an eight to twelve middle school to a seven to eleven primary school. Pupils who left Year 6 last year had only spent three years in the school, compared to the normal four years spent in a junior school. This has had an impact on standards, especially in mathematics where pupils are set by prior attainment across two-year groups at the top of the school. When pupils stayed until they were aged 12, the higher attaining Year 6 pupils were working with Year 7 pupils. Currently, the higher attaining Year 6 pupils are working in a group mainly with other pupils in their year. However, overall standards remain, as they were then, above average. In past years, boys outperformed girls in the tests, but the gap has narrowed and there is now no observable difference.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the 2001 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6, results in English were well above the national average and above average in mathematics and science. They matched those of schools in a similar context. From the last inspection until last year, the results rose at a rate close to the national trend. The school’s own tracking systems show that, in the 2002 tests, more pupils reached average standards in English and science than would have been expected from their results in the assessments undertaken at the end of Year 2, although this is not the case in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

33. The school’s results in the tests in 2002 show an improvement on the 2001 results in English, with a greater proportion reaching both the expected Level 4 and the higher Level 5. The school has exceeded its targets in English every year since 1999 and is well placed to continue to do so. Pupils currently in Year 6 continue to achieve well and the standards for this year group in speaking and listening, reading and writing are well above average. Pupils listen carefully and are articulate and confident in discussing their work or expressing their opinions. They read fluently and expressively and have a good understanding of what they are reading. Pupils confidently discuss what they read, explaining their preferences, and are gaining a critical appreciation of different genres and authors. They are good at collecting information from different sources, including the Internet. Many pupils write effectively for different audiences and for a wide range of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

purposes, such as imaginative stories, poetry, newspaper reports and letters. They generally spell and use punctuation correctly and their handwriting and standard of presentation are good. The quality of vocabulary and style of language they use help to make their work interesting and informative. Pupils use their literacy skills especially well in a range of subjects and this significantly supports their achievement across the curriculum.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

44. In mathematics, the 2002 results were slightly down on last year, with one less pupil not making the expected progress to achieve Level 4. This meant that the school failed to reach its target, although from 1999-2001 it had exceeded it. In addition, fewer pupils reached the higher Level 5 than in 2001. The school is fully aware that there is a need to raise standards further in mathematics and has put in place a number of strategies to promote improvement. However, until recently, these strategies have only resulted in a slow improvement. This is partly due to the need to restructure the grouping of pupils by attainment across Years 5 and 6 instead of Years 6 and 7 at the top of the school. Recent developments, such as a more rigorous assessment of the progress of individual pupils are only now beginning to take effect. However, across the school, pupils are now achieving well, especially in their number work, and standards overall are above

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

average. Pupils are very secure in using different number operations, accurately estimate their answer, understand different types of fraction and work with negative numbers. Numeracy skills are good and are used well in other subjects. Pupils have a good knowledge of different shapes and their properties, measure length and angles accurately and know some formulae to help calculate measurements such as area. Most pupils accurately draw graphs and charts and recognise patterns and relationships in numbers. They enjoy using their knowledge in problem- solving activities using numbers, and test different ideas, recording their results and analysing these effectively. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 13 55. Standards in science continue to rise, with the 2002 results being an improvement on last year, with a higher proportion of pupils reaching both Level 4 and Level 5. Standards remain well above

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

average for pupils currently in Year 6. The majority of lessons are taught through investigation and experimental work and this is having a very positive effect on standards and achievement. Many pupils are confident investigators, organising and recording their work well and making informed predictions of their results. The strengths in this aspect also help pupils to make good progress in developing their scientific knowledge and understanding across the range of topics in the National Curriculum. By the end of Year 6, for example, most pupils have a good knowledge of the conditions needed for growth in plants and animals, how different organs of the human body work and how light and sound are produced and can be changed by human intervention.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

66. The new computer suite has only recently been installed, as the school was one of the last to receive the government grant and training for this aspect of its work. In addition, due to circumstances outside its control, it has experienced considerable difficulty in maintaining the new computers and, at the time of the inspection, only about 50 per cent were working. This has had an adverse effect on pupils’ learning in information and communication technology (ICT) although they are making satisfactory progress to attain standards in line with national expectations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

77. Pupils achieve well in all other subjects and better than this in music. They reach standards that are above the national expectation, and well above this in music. Part of the reason for the high standards is the very good focus made on the teaching of the skills associated with different subject areas. For example, in music, Year 6 pupils have well above average skills in listening, appraising and performing music and good skills in composing. Their knowledge of musical structures such as formal notation and scales is good, as is the standard of singing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

88. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good overall and they make very good progress in those sessions when they work directly with teachers or classroom assistants. This is because work is well matched to their needs and the school’s caring and supportive ethos increases their confidence and encourages them to work hard. As a result, many reach average standards by the time they leave. Especially good support is given to those pupils with a statement of need as they receive regular support in many activities. For example, the exceptional support given to a pupil with specific physical needs in a gymnastics lesson allowed them to achieve particularly well. Pupils for whom English is an additional language also achieve well as a result of the good support. There is no noticeable difference in the achievement of boys and girls.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

99. Teachers plan a variety of activities for pupils of different attainment in most lessons. This ensures that the higher-attaining pupils also achieve well, with some reaching standards well above the national average in a range of subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

1010. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection, and is a key factor in maintaining the good quality of pupils’ learning and achievement. In the majority of lessons pupils want to learn and do their best, regardless of their particular needs or individual background. They listen attentively and enjoy their learning. When lessons are lively and stimulating, pupils respond with real enthusiasm and joy in their work across all areas of the curriculum. Good examples included a Year 4 physical education lesson on floor work in the gymnasium, and a Year 5 music lesson on formal rhythmic notation, where pupils’ participation in and enjoyment of the set tasks were particularly noteworthy. In the few lessons where attitudes and behaviour are only satisfactory, this is usually because teachers take too long over introductions or the tasks they set do not maintain a sufficiently high level of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

interest. It is clear that pupils respond very well to the school’s provision and there is much evidence that this leads to greater maturity in pupils as they move through the school, becoming familiar with its expectations and strong community ethos.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

1111. The behaviour of pupils is very good. Staff work well together to consistently reinforce good behaviour, ensuring that pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong. A few Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 14 pupils can be challenging and find extended periods of concentration difficult, particularly in Year 3, but they respond very well to the school’s caring and inclusive approach. The vast majority of pupils display good respect for the needs and feelings of others regardless of gender, race or background. Very good behaviour is particularly evident around the school and is sometimes exemplary when pupils come together for assemblies. The school has very rarely needed to exclude pupils for any reason in recent years, and none in the last two years. Whilst there have been isolated incidents of bullying, pupils report that the school’s handling of these is prompt and effective.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

1212. Relationships are a particular strength. Throughout the school, relationships between pupils are very good and help to promote very good personal development. Staff provide good role models, and display a good balance of sensitivity and considered humour in lessons. An assembly on the theme of being special was a particularly good example, where pupils responded with delight to the acting headteacher’s humorous and dramatic rendition of the story and showed great pride and excitement when the results of the house shield competition were given out. Pupils are encouraged to undertake responsibilities both in class and around the school, and respond very well. The recent introduction of a school council, an improvement since the last inspection, provides a very good opportunity for pupils to take an active and much-appreciated part in how their school develops. Council members from each class and older pupils who have important duties

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

around the school, such as house captains, take their responsibilities very seriously and with great pride.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

1313. Attendance levels are broadly average. After the last inspection the school introduced various initiatives to improve attendance. Whilst these met with some success, attendance remains broadly in line with the national average. One key reason, as seen during the inspection week, is the tendency among some parents to take holidays during term time. Nearly all parents confirmed, in the pre-inspection questionnaire, that their child likes school, and pupils arrive promptly at school in the morning, ready for work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

1414. The quality of teaching is good overall. It was at least good in 47 out of the 56 lessons observed, very good in 15 and excellent in two. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. Good teaching was seen throughout the school and across the full range of subjects. Overall, the teaching of art and music is very good. The teaching of ICT is satisfactory, partly because staff training in new developments is very recent. However, the major reason is the limitation in resources, which has a negative impact on the quality of learning in many ICT lessons. The quality of teaching has been maintained since the last inspection, even though there has been some change in staffing.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

1515. The foundation for the quality of teaching can be seen in the caring ethos of the school and the sense of community that this generates. This has resulted in very good relationships between teachers and pupils. Pupils know that their teachers want to help them to do well and they respond positively. In addition, teachers have very high expectations of what pupils can do and, in the majority of lessons, they plan interesting activities that help pupils to concentrate and work hard, and to make good progress. For example, in an outstanding music lesson seen in Year 5, the superb climate for learning, very challenging activities on formal notation and the teacher’s enthusiasm resulted in exceptional learning taking place. Particularly good homework arrangements make a very positive contribution to the work undertaken in lessons. All these strong features of teaching help pupils to learn well in most lessons and to make good progress as

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

1616. Due to the particularly good monitoring of teaching by the senior management team and curriculum co-ordinators, there is a consistency of approach throughout the school. The school has a number of highly-qualified and experienced staff in many subjects, for example, four staff are well qualified in physical education and three staff are experienced musicians. In addition, the subject co-ordinators provide very good support to colleagues. As a result, teachers’ subject knowledge across the whole curriculum is good. This has a very positive impact on learning and helps pupils to acquire skills, knowledge and understanding easily. For example, in all the Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 15 physical education lessons observed during the inspection teaching was at least good and pupils made good gains in acquiring and improving their skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

1717. Overall, lessons are well planned. Teachers are very good at providing a range of activities, well matched to the different attainment of pupils. For example, in history lessons in Years 3 and 4, the lower-attaining pupils are not required to do as much writing when recording their work and are often given extra resources to help them make as much progress as other pupils in the class. Conversely, very good attention is paid to extending the learning of higher-attaining pupils. For example, in a very good Year 5 geography lesson seen, the higher attainers were challenged to identify the exact position of aerial photographs on the map they were analysing. Pupils are set in groups according to their prior attainment in mathematics and, in these lessons also, teachers plan work that is well matched to the levels at which individual pupils are working. For example, in a very good Year 3 numeracy lesson, pupils with special educational needs and the lower-attaining

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils used a tree diagram to sort three-dimensional shapes into four branches. Other pupils sorted the shapes into eight branches, whilst the higher attainers were challenged to think how they would sort a greater number of shapes. Most teachers identify carefully thought-out objectives for the lessons although these are not always shared with pupils and on a few occasions are not clear enough to help pupils focus on what they need to do.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

1818. Across the curriculum, there is a particularly good focus on teaching the skills associated with each subject. Consequently, pupils are making good progress in developing these. For example, in geography, pupils’ map reading skills are well above national expectations and in science the quality of the recording of experimental work is of a very good standard, easily allowing pupils to draw conclusions. Literacy skills are used especially well in a wide range of subjects, for example in history where pupils write informative and interesting accounts such as the life of a Roman soldier on Hadrian’s wall. Numeracy skills are used effectively in subjects such as design and technology, where accurate measurements contribute to the quality of pupils’ work. Pupils are also encouraged to use their ICT skills effectively to support their learning in other subjects. Good examples of this could be seen in the use of word processing in English, and searching on the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Internet to help find information for history or geography topics.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

1919. The methods teachers use to introduce or reinforce work are also good. Teachers explain things very clearly and demonstrate new skills particularly well. For example, in a very good Year 5 handwriting lesson seen, the teacher modelled how to write letters such as “f” and “p” exceptionally well, so pupils made very good progress in this lesson. Class discussions are well managed, with teachers ensuring that all pupils are able to contribute. This also helps pupils to develop very good speaking and listening skills. Generally, lessons proceed at a brisk pace, encouraging pupils to cover a good amount of learning. This was done particularly well in a Year 6 dance lesson where pupils worked very hard throughout. On occasions, pupils are kept sitting still for too long listening to the teacher. When the talk is very interesting, as was seen in a Year 4 history lesson, pupils remain concentrated and enthusiastic. However, on other occasions, pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

in the younger classes lose interest and become restless, although very rarely is their behaviour unsatisfactory. On very nearly all occasions, teachers organise and manage pupils particularly well and this ensures that learning can proceed without interruptions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

2020. Classroom assistants give very good support to pupils’ learning and are well deployed by teachers. Resources are very carefully planned for each lesson in order to interest pupils and help them learn more easily. A very good example of this was seen in a Year 6 history lesson where the variety of artefacts chosen to help pupils gain information about different decades in the twentieth century stimulated their interest and helped them to gain good knowledge. Teachers take good opportunities to assess and evaluate the progress pupils are making. A particularly good feature of this is the evaluation pupils are asked to make of their own work. This was seen in an especially good art lesson in Year 5 where pupils were doing block printing. It helped pupils gain a particularly good understanding of what they were learning and contributed to very good improvement, and standards well above expectations.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

2121. The teaching of pupils for whom English is an additional language is good. They are included well in all activities and make the same good progress in their learning as other pupils. Likewise, Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 16 the teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good overall and they take part in all that the school has to offer. However, teaching is better than this on the occasions when pupils work with specialist teachers or classroom assistants and also when they work in a small group with their class teacher. At these times they make very good progress in their learning. Particularly good support is given to pupils who have a statement of need. For example, in a Year 5 physical education lesson, exceptionally good provision was made by the class teacher and learning support assistant to include a pupil with physical needs. Pupils with special educational needs

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

make good progress in their learning as they move through the school and, as a result, they achieve well, with many reaching average standards by the time they leave.

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STUDENTS?

2222. Due to the hard work and commitment of staff, the curriculum has improved well since the school was last inspected and it is now very good. It offers pupils rich and stimulating experiences and increasing opportunities for independent learning as they near secondary school age. It is broad and balanced, relevant to the needs of all pupils and fully meets statutory requirements. Appropriate policies and schemes of work are in place for all subjects and each receives an appropriate amount of teaching time. The curriculum is enhanced well by a wide range of extra- curricular activities, visits and effective links with the local community and partner schools. There are a few occasions when pupils who are taking part in music lessons taught by visiting specialists miss part of the learning activities taking place in their class. However, there was no evidence that this was significantly affecting their progress.

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STUDENTS?

2323. All subjects of the National Curriculum are taught, including religious education (RE), where statutory requirements are met well. Sex education and drugs awareness are taught as a part of the personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme. The aim of the PSHE programme is to give pupils the knowledge and skills they need to lead confident, independent lives and to become informed and responsible citizens. This aim provides the background for all curricular planning. Wherever possible, teachers make links with other subjects and therefore pupils experience the curriculum as a whole, which makes a strong impact upon the quality of their learning.

p.16

STUDENTS?

2424. The national literacy and numeracy strategies have been effectively introduced, especially that for literacy, and have led to improvements in pupils’ attainment throughout the school. Pupils benefit from the emphasis placed upon the acquisition of basic skills that are the key to all learning. Some learning activities in ICT have been limited by the fact that not all computers are currently usable. In spite of this, provision for the development of skills in this subject is satisfactory. Well-chosen computer programs are frequently used in the classroom to confirm and enhance learning. The whole curriculum is kept under constant review and moves forward, not only in response to national initiatives, but also in response to the needs of the pupils.

p.16

STUDENTS?

2525. The school has worked hard to provide an inclusive curriculum in which the needs of all pupils, including those for whom English is an additional language and the higher attainers, are met effectively. The provision for pupils with special educational needs, including those pupils with a specific statement of need, is very good. Teachers and the classroom assistants give pupils very good support both in group sessions and in the classroom. The quality of individual education plans is good and both the special educational needs co-ordinator and all staff use these especially effectively to plan individual learning programmes of a very good quality. The personal targets for literacy and numeracy are realistic and achievable. Pupils’ progress towards them is carefully measured and recorded.

p.16

STUDENTS?

2626. The school evaluates its own performance by clear analyses of test results and careful scrutiny of the planning. Where appropriate, adjustments in the content and structure of teaching are made and, in very nearly all subjects, this has resulted in a strengthening of the curriculum.

p.16

STUDENTS?

2727. A very wide range of extra-curricular activities, which include a choir, orchestra and musical instrument tuition such as recorders, enriches the curriculum. Pupils also have the benefit of Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 17 several sports clubs, such as football, netball and rugby. The curriculum is also enhanced by visits to places of interest; for example, the residential visit to Dartmoor, which supports pupils’ learning in many areas of the curriculum. The school has increased the opportunities available to pupils by gaining good support from volunteers, including parents and outside organisations. All activities, at lunchtime and after school, are well attended by the pupils and this enhances the community spirit.

p.16

STUDENTS?

2828. The school has very good contacts with the local community. It has close links with the charity ‘Age Concern’ and the school choir sings for them at Christmas and also for the local community. Pupils raise money for charities such as the ‘Children’s Society’. The school has strong links with the local infant school, other primary schools and the secondary schools in the area and joins with them in several social events, such as ‘Praise in the Park’ and the ‘Marlow Community Carnival’.

p.17

STUDENTS?

2929. There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. These judgements reflect those made at the time of the previous inspection. The school provides a welcoming and very caring environment in which all pupils are encouraged to work together in harmony and learn to respect and be sensitive to the needs of others. This is based on its mission statement, which underpins the very good level of support. The rector is a regular visitor to the school and this strong and active association with the local church enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development.

p.17

STUDENTS?

3030. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. In class, pupils are given daily opportunities for reflection and prayer; for example, concluding the day by reflecting on ‘their day’ and thinking about their personal contribution to the quality of life in the school. High quality assemblies further enhance pupils’ spiritual awareness. These are carefully prepared acts of collective worship allowing pupils to reflect and pray. Music is used very effectively to provide a spiritual uplift for the beginning and end of assemblies. This is characterised by the quality of the pupils’ singing. They are given the opportunity to reflect on their relationships in the community, in the family and with their friends. This develops their understanding of the importance of valuing themselves and other people. The statutory requirements for the daily collective act of worship are met exceptionally well. Pupils use the parish church on occasions for services giving them the

p.17

STUDENTS?

opportunity to explore religious traditions, like the Christian Christmas and Easter festivals, and the way they impact on the wider community. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is also raised in a range of lessons. In English, their poems and other creative writings vividly captured their special feelings; for example, one pupil describing a woodland walk wrote, “Here I sit in thought as the wind roars above me. The wind that puffs its icy breath or blows a gentle breeze singing a song of freedom”. The school uses opportunities very well to enable pupils to gain understanding, through reflection, on their own distinctiveness. For example, one Year 4 pupil, coping with the challenge of demanding school work on being promoted to a higher level mathematics group, wrote, “I am finding top maths hard. I am pleased with my setting out, but I need to try harder with my times tables”.

p.17

STUDENTS?

3131. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. It is promoted through the school’s mission statement in which the school strives to secure an orderly learning environment. It is very successful. There is a strong moral framework where, in a positive atmosphere, high expectations of behaviour, self–discipline and good relationships are fostered. Pupils are provided with clear boundaries for good behaviour. They have a very good understanding of right and wrong. School rules are displayed prominently in classrooms and many are negotiated with the pupils. Staff are very good role models, showing respect and concern for the individual needs of all pupils. A strong feature of pupils’ moral development is the way they are taught about wider moral issues through the subjects of the curriculum. For example, in a Year 5 PSHE lesson pupils discussed their opinions on rules at home, developing these in their writing. This resulted in pupils displaying

p.17

STUDENTS?

sensitivity to the needs of others in their family.

p.17

STUDENTS?

3232. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. There are many opportunities for the majority to develop an awareness of how to relate to people in different circumstances. Very good relationships are a strong feature of the school. The school recognises that its pupils are members not only of the school but also a wider community. Pupils’ achievements within and outside the Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 18 school are celebrated in special assemblies with certificates for good work and good behaviour. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to take on responsibilities that contribute to the smooth running of the school. The school council, consisting of pupils from all year groups, has discussions with the headteacher on issues such as improving the outside areas of the school, playtime equipment and supporting pupils who are experiencing difficulties in making friends. In all

p.17

STUDENTS?

classes, pupils are encouraged to take some responsibility for keeping their classrooms tidy and orderly. Older pupils prepare the hall for assemblies. Pupils are also involved in community activities. They visit the local Age Concern centre at Christmas, singing and playing carols. Charity work, such as fundraising for Children in Need and World Book Day, is a strong feature of school life. The school also involves its pupils in local community sports competitions. This high level of provision is very effective in developing the pupils’ social skills and enhancing their personal self- esteem.

p.18

STUDENTS?

3333. Provision for pupils' cultural development is good. Pupils are provided with a curriculum that promotes, through its very strong links with its community, a good understanding of their local culture. In lessons, opportunities are found to promote understanding of the wider cultural diversity of their community. In literacy, history, art and music the pupils are helped to develop an awareness of the multi-cultural nature of their society. In their writing they demonstrate a developing knowledge and an understanding of the rights and importance of different cultures. A few displays throughout the school feature aspects of cultural diversity such as the display of Aboriginal art works and rainforests. The school participates in local music festivals, celebrations and carnivals. Aware of its links with other countries, the school has collected money to support a church in Zimbabwe. Visitors include professional sportsmen and musicians from the pupils’ own

p.18

STUDENTS?

and different cultures. For example, they recently had a visit from a choir from Galashwe, South Africa. The school, through its varied provision, teaches its pupils to value their own culture and appreciate other cultures and is seeking to increase pupils’ further appreciation of the diversity and interdependence of cultures, including those within Britain today.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

3434. The steps taken to ensure the pupils’ welfare, health and safety are good and have been successfully maintained since the previous inspection. The procedures for monitoring attendance have been improved and are now also good. Teachers and other staff know the pupils well, recognise their needs and give them good support and guidance. This has a positive impact on standards and pupils’ achievement. Policies and practices relating to health and safety are well considered and implemented, and the broader aspect of the school’s overall personal, social and health education provision has been recognised through the ‘Healthy Schools’ award. For example, governors are involved in health and safety inspections of the buildings and grounds and a written report is made to the full governing body to keep them informed. Electrical inspections, inspections of gymnastics apparatus and fire drills are held regularly and risk assessments are

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

routinely completed to include trips off the premises, such as the regular swimming outings to a local leisure centre.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

3535. The school has an appropriate child protection policy, based on the local education authority model, and the acting headteacher is the responsible liaison officer. Staff attend regular meetings with outside agencies and are kept aware of ongoing and potential concerns through internal staff meetings. One of the teaching assistants is also a trained counsellor.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

3636. Good procedures are in place to record and promote attendance. Registers are taken in line with statutory requirements and regularly monitored. If a pupil is absent without a note being sent, the office contacts parents with an early telephone call and follow-up letters if necessary. The educational welfare officer is appropriately involved as required. As a result of the key attendance issue in the last inspection report, the governors introduced several initiatives, such as encouraging attendance by giving awards for full attendance at the end of each year. This has helped to achieve average attendance levels.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

3737. The school’s procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and eliminating oppressive behaviour are very good. The system of giving house points for good behaviour is Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 19 applied and monitored across all years, and leads to great excitement and pride when the results are regularly announced in assemblies. As a result of the school’s provision, behaviour overall is very good and both parents and pupils report that bullying or racist incidents rarely occur. When they do, a considerable amount of time is spent interviewing the pupils concerned and following up through specific topics in circle time, where pupils are encouraged to consider the impact of their actions on others. The evidence from parents prior to the inspection, and pupils interviewed during the inspection, was that they were happy with standards of behaviour and the way that any incident was quickly dealt with.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

3838. The school’s procedures for monitoring and supporting the pupils’ personal development are good and have a positive impact on raising their self-esteem. Staff know their pupils very well individually and the pupils’ end-of-year annual reports have a specific section reserved for comments on personal development. Formal records of personal development are maintained for those pupils who have personal education plans.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

3939. The procedures for assessing pupils’ academic attainment and progress are very good. The core subjects of English, mathematics and science are regularly assessed and the outcomes effectively used to help monitor pupils’ progress. Marking of pupils’ work is good and clearly identifies the stage at which pupils are working and sets out what pupils need to do in order to improve. Pupils are set targets in English and mathematics and these are regularly referred to, helping pupils to recognise what still needs to be done to achieve them. These strategies are helping pupils to make good progress.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

4040. Assessment in other subjects is generally very much better than is seen in most schools. A good system for assessing what pupils already know and can do at the beginning of a topic helps teachers to plan more effectively. At the end of each topic, pupils are then assessed as to the skills and knowledge that they have acquired and this information is used well to help inform future planning. Two other procedures also help to make assessment a strong feature of the school’s work. First, in many lessons, pupils are asked to evaluate their own or other pupils’ work and this helps them to make good progress in their learning. Especially good examples of this were seen in art, music and physical education lessons. Secondly, the school keeps a record book for each pupil showing a progression of work during their time in school. In this, a piece of work in all the core subjects and others such as geography and history is fully assessed and the National

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Curriculum level recorded. This gives teachers valuable information about individual pupils’ rate of progress as well as their attainment. The assessment of pupils with special educational needs is also very good and makes a very positive contribution to their teaching and learning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

4141. Much good work has been undertaken in evaluating test and assessment results, to help identify how the school could adjust its provision to promote greater progress. Each year there is a particularly good analysis of the results in the Year 6 national tests and this helps teachers to gain a very good understanding of where any curriculum or teaching weaknesses might be found. The evaluation of the end of year tests in other year groups, although good, has not been so rigorous. Although this clearly identifies the stage at which individual pupils are working, not enough thought has been given to identifying what it is that those pupils who are working at a good Level 3 or 4 need to do to move on to a higher level. This is one reason why standards in mathematics, though above average, are not as high as in English or science.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

4242. Parents from all communities are very supportive of the school. The very good links between the school and parents are a great strength that has a direct impact on the pupils’ learning, and has been developed further since the last inspection. Many parents were seen helping in school during the inspection, and the benefits were clear in the way that pupils in swimming lessons, for instance, were able to make better progress as a result of the high number of parents supporting the tuition. Another good example is the large amount of money regularly raised by the very active parent teacher association - nearly £11,000 was given towards the enhanced ICT facilities this year alone. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 20 4343. In the parents’ meeting and the questionnaires returned prior to the inspection, parents showed that they are happy with most aspects of the school’s provision for their children. A small number

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

expressed dissatisfaction with the information they receive about how their children are getting on, and how closely the school works with them. However, inspectors found that links and the information provided are very good. The range of opportunities for parents to discuss progress through formal and informal meetings and twice-yearly reports is more than most schools provide. The end of year reports are particularly helpful, with level indicators for the key National Curriculum subjects of English, mathematics and science, and they include information on each pupil’s personal as well as academic progress. There is very good liaison with parents of children who have a special educational need, and they are regularly informed about their children’s progress. This information is further supported by regular newsletters, meetings on specific curriculum topics such as national assessment information evenings for Year 6 parents, and helpful statutory

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

information such as the prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents. Governors try hard to ensure that they are fully available for parents through attendance at meetings and by testing parental opinion through questionnaires. For example, parents were fully consulted before the home/school agreement was drawn up. Very good support is given to the work children undertake at home, with parents showing a positive interest in this aspect of their children’s learning.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

4444. At the time of the inspection, the former headteacher had left to take up another post. Currently the deputy is acting as headteacher for the school. Her leadership and management, and those of the key staff, are very good. The acting headteacher is providing excellent direction for the work of the school and has a very clear vision for its future. In the short time she has been in post she has not only consolidated the work of the previous headteacher, but also sought to find further areas for improvement. She works closely with the senior management team so that it co-ordinates school development very well, and ensures that the school builds on its successes and continues to tackle its areas for development. In this way, the high standards reported in the last inspection have been maintained or improved.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

4545. The school has a very good ethos. The chair of the school governors saw this as its greatest strength. Everyone is valued and this makes it a particularly inclusive school where all are working hard to meet the needs of individual pupils. In addition, the ethos helps to promote harmony between all who work and learn there, including pupils from different backgrounds. This is demonstrated in many ways, such as the school council wherein pupils' views are taken into account. The school makes every visitor welcome and encourages the contribution of the community to pupils’ learning. Both teaching and non-teaching staff have taken great care to create an environment in which pupils want to learn. The school's development plan focuses very well on what is needed to ensure continuous improvement and contains appropriate priorities that have been accurately costed. The school is vigorous in pursuing the aims of its development plans

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

because of a strong, shared commitment to succeed. This shared commitment to improvement shown by the headteacher, staff and governors has helped to create an ethos in which pupils are happy and secure so that they themselves are committed to working hard.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

4646. The acting headteacher works very well in collaboration with her colleagues. Everyone is clear about their role in managing the school and all have clearly defined job descriptions which are reviewed on an annual basis. Subject co-ordinators provide very good leadership overall. Good opportunities have been provided to allow them to monitor teaching and learning in their subject, more regularly in English, mathematics and science, and they have helped to maintain or improve standards. The leadership and management of special educational needs is very good. In particular, there are outstanding procedures for identifying and monitoring the progress and attainment of these pupils. This has meant that all who work with these pupils have particularly good information to help plan for their future progress as well as ensuring that there is a consistent approach to their needs. This is one reason why the curriculum provided for these pupils is of an

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

especially high quality and why they make the same good progress as other pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

4747. The governing body carries out its responsibilities very effectively. Teachers welcome the involvement of the governors, who in return have full confidence in the acting headteacher and her Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 21 staff. Governors have instituted very effective systems for keeping up to date on the work of the school. In addition to careful analysis of the headteacher’s report, they have appointed a visiting governor, on a half-termly basis, who reports back to the governing body on the findings of their visit. This visit has an agreed focus and helps to keep governors very well informed on the curriculum and other issues. In addition, subject co-ordinators are regularly invited to give presentations, particularly to the curriculum committee, when new initiatives such as the National Numeracy Strategy or new policy documents are introduced. As a result, governors have a very good understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the school and their role in

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

planning for improvement is very effective.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

4848. The school monitors and evaluates its performance well and takes effective action to develop it further. The acting and former headteacher, together with the senior management team and subject co-ordinators, have observed the quality of teaching, through direct observation in the classroom as well as scrutinising planning and pupils’ work. Allied to this there is a very good system of appraisal and performance management that leads to a well thought out programme of in-service training which not only meets the needs of the school but also of the individual. The school is supportive of new teachers, with a member of the senior management team fully trained as a mentor. An aspect for development in this otherwise effective area of the school’s work is the need for a more rigorous analysis of individual pupils' specific achievements, especially in mathematics.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

4949. The school's finances are well managed and educational developments are prioritised and supported particularly well through careful planning. The current school improvement plan clearly identifies the expenditure for different areas, including in which phase the funds will be required. The administrative staff are friendly and efficient and day-to-day administration is good. Financial control is good and the grants received for specific purposes are administered very well, closely monitored by the acting headteacher and properly used for the purpose intended.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

5050. Management of the school's finances is very effectively carried out by the finance sub- committee of the governing body. The committee meets regularly and meetings are properly minuted. Governors are provided with relevant cost figures to ensure they are fully informed on all matters of school finance. The school finance officer provides good support and advice for the acting headteacher. Very good attention is given to obtaining the best value for money as a result of spending decisions. In addition, the school also makes sure that it keeps a close check on the effectiveness of its provision and outcome, especially in comparison with other schools, and is continually seeking to improve these. Parents, and often pupils, are fully consulted about major changes such as providing safer routes to school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

5151. The use of new technology by the school is good overall. Provision has increased greatly since the last inspection. In the office, the use of e-mail has speeded communication between the school and outside contacts.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

5252. The overall adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources is good, and has a positive impact on learning and pupils’ good achievement across the curriculum. The school has a good balance of experienced teachers and those relatively new to the profession, with some specialisms that are well used in music and physical education, for instance. There are a good number of well-qualified classroom assistants and support staff. The staff complement has been stable in recent years and there have been no problems where recruitment has been necessary.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

5353. Accommodation is satisfactory overall and is appropriately maintained. Classrooms are spacious, there are separate specialist teaching areas for music and food technology, and the school has managed to maintain a separate hall and gymnasium. The school is mainly on one level and, apart from the computer suite, there is good access for pupils with physical needs. There is, however, a shortage of storage space for resources and there are some restrictions relating to the external classrooms. The environmental areas are overgrown, partly because development has been affected by the imminent building work. The well-advanced plans for replacement permanent classrooms and ongoing refurbishment of the girls’ toilets and reception Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 22 area, along with plans to involve parents in redeveloping the environmental area, should resolve these issues.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

5454. Resources are good in most areas of the curriculum, including a good ratio of books to pupils, both in the library and the classrooms, in the key subject of English. In ICT, resources are satisfactory. The recently installed suite of computers is of good quality. However, due to circumstances outside the school’s control, it is not yet fully functional as a result of various problems related to the networking and maintenance. As a result, pupils are not yet making such good progress in ICT as they might be.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

5555. This is a very good school that gives very good value for money. It has made significant improvement since the previous successful inspection. The driving forces behind this improvement have been the commitment of the staff, both teaching and non-teaching, to improvement; the effectiveness of the governing body in fulfilling its responsibilities; and the leadership displayed by the previous headteacher and latterly by the acting headteacher, whose leadership is excellent. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

5656. The school has many strengths and very few weaknesses. Although its performance in mathematics is above the national average, it is not as high as in English and science. In order to raise the levels of performance in mathematics to the same high standards, the headteacher, staff and governors should:-

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that the assessment information in mathematics is extended to further promote the progress of individual pupils. (See paragraphs 1, 4, 41, 48 and 77) (The school is fully aware of the need to raise standards and this is covered in the current improvement plan)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Minor areas for consideration within the action plan include:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Taking care to ensure that pupils who attend peripatetic music lessons during school sessions do not regularly miss the same activities. (See paragraph 22) Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 24

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 19

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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 about two percentage points.

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery Y3– Y6

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 265

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 9

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery Y3 – Y6

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 51

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 4

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 4.9 National comparative data 0.5

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 25 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) Year Boys Girls Total

p.24

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 28 35 63

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 25 24 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 30 26 32

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 87 (92) 79 (81) 92 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 25 25 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 27 27 28

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 83 (81) 83 (87) 87 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

White – any other White background 7 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black or Black British – Caribbean 2 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Chinese 1 0 0 Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 26 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 27 Teachers and classes Financial information

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.7 Financial year 2001/2

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.6

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 539,815

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 551,122

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 134 Expenditure per pupil 2,026

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 21,052

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 9,745

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3.3

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4.5

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.2

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 28

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 40 54 2 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 34 64 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 23 66 7 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 44 11 2 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 55 34 6 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 55 40 2 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 33 50 9 1 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 44 48 2 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 49 2 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 39 52 4 0 5 Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 29

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ENGLISH

5757. Pupils achieve high standards in English. Standards by the end of Year 6 have remained well above the national average in the National Curriculum tests and are at the same level as at the last inspection. The proportion of pupils achieving higher levels is also above the national average. The results this year show a significant improvement in the proportion of pupils attaining higher levels in writing. Compared with schools similar to Holy Trinity, the results are average.

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ENGLISH

5858. The current inspection also finds that the standards by the end of the current Year 6 are well above average in all aspects of English, similar to the national test results. No significant differences were observed between the attainment of boys and girls. All pupils, including the pupils with special educational needs and those coming from homes where English is spoken as an additional language, make good progress.

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ENGLISH

5959. Standards in speaking and listening are well above average. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers’ instructions and respond with clear explanations. They are encouraged to reflect upon their own and other people’s feelings and responses from an early age. Most pupils are articulate and confident, using a wide range of vocabulary as they discuss their work, and express their opinions about books they read or stories they write. For example, in a Year 4 lesson pupils explained confidently the importance of ‘exciting describing words’ in setting the scene of a story. They showed clear understanding of how to make a story interesting by devising an ‘attention grabbing’ title and ‘creating suspense’. In a Year 3 lesson, pupils were able to compare two poems effectively, identifying the different ways in which the poets expressed their feelings about ‘woods’. Pupils have many opportunities to explore ideas across a range of subjects and most make

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relevant contributions to lessons and discussions.

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ENGLISH

6060. Standards in reading are well above the national average. Pupils read a variety of texts, including fiction and non-fiction, and read with very good expression, fluency and accuracy. They talk about the books they read and develop a critical appreciation of a range of books and different authors. For example, a Year 6 pupil spoke confidently about her choice of writers, explaining that she preferred stories by Jacqueline Wilson as she could relate better to the ‘real’ characters’ in those stories. All pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to read in the literacy hour and in other subjects. Most demonstrate very good understanding of characters and events. They confidently discuss their preferences in reading, explaining their reasons for choosing particular books and what they like about stories by their favourite authors. Pupils evaluate their favourite parts of the stories and characters, referring to the texts.

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ENGLISH

6161. Older pupils are developing good skills in collecting information from a variety of sources, such as the Internet and non-fiction books, and in organising the information effectively to debate an issue; for example, ‘Is television good or bad for children?’ The school library and each classroom has a good supply of information and fiction books and pupils use them effectively for research work. The guided reading lessons are well established and have a positive impact on the standards of reading.

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ENGLISH

6262. Standards in writing are well above the national average. Many pupils write imaginatively for different audiences and for a wide range of purposes. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, while developing a journalistic style of writing, pupils successfully used alliteration and new vocabularies imaginatively to make their reports on ‘The Wizard of Oz’ sufficiently interesting to sustain attention. Across the school, pupils develop very good skills in reading, appreciating and writing poems. Pupils in Year 6 wrote shape poems capturing their thoughts associated with autumn, considering the things they hear, see and touch. For example, some pupils wrote ‘’autumn leaves fall as quiet as feathers’ and “I can see a pumpkin’s eyes eerily glitter while the sky is getting dark”. Throughout the school, pupils successfully write newspaper articles, poetry, imaginative stories, factual accounts, instructional texts and letters. They plan their work to make it flow and

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ENGLISH

to hold the interest of the reader. They are given many opportunities to write at length, using a Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 30 wide range of appropriate vocabulary, and can edit and re-draft their work. Pupils generally write with correct grammar, and they spell most words accurately. Punctuation is also good, with pupils using paragraphs, question marks, exclamation marks, commas and quotation marks correctly in their own work. They write with fluent, joined handwriting and the standards of presentation are good.

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ENGLISH

6363. Literacy skills are developed very effectively across the curriculum. There is a wide range of opportunities provided for pupils to speak, read and write across the curriculum. Visits to different places also broaden pupils’ learning experiences. For example, following their walk in the woodland during the residential visit to Dartmoor, some Year 6 pupils included the lines, ‘Here I sit in silence under the towering trees’ and ‘As I walk along the dusty forest floor, dead leaves swiftly move to the ground’ in their poetry. Pupils use their computer skills well to support their learning in literacy.

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ENGLISH

6464. The teaching of English is good with several significant strengths. In particular the teachers have a very good understanding of how to teach the subject and motivate pupils well. This was evident in many lessons where the teachers’ explanation was very clear and interesting, drawing effectively on pupils’ previous learning, involving them very well and valuing their contribution effectively. As a result, pupils paid undivided attention to the teacher’s instructions, concentrated well on tasks and produced good imaginative stories or newspaper articles. Teachers’ understanding of the National Literacy Strategy is good and has a positive impact in maintaining standards at a high level in all aspects of English. They ensure that the lessons start and move forward at a brisk pace. This helps keep pupils interested and making good progress. Learning objectives are clear and shared with pupils so that they understand what is expected of them. Teachers plan effectively to ensure

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ENGLISH

that pupils are able to work independently and also co-operatively on guided group tasks.

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ENGLISH

6565. Teachers are very good at involving the pupils and building on their previous learning. Most teachers know their pupils’ strengths and weaknesses well and use the assessment results effectively to help plan future lessons. Assessments are also used successfully to set individual targets which help pupils to recognise what they have to do to improve further. Teachers question and challenge their pupils’ thinking, throughout lessons, extending their knowledge and understanding of English language and literature. Teachers expect their pupils to work hard and are skilful at keeping them on task during lessons. Marking is consistent and thorough and encourages pupils in their efforts as well as giving them useful advice about what to do to make their work even better next time. Homework is used effectively and consistently to enhance pupils’ learning and research skills. Classroom assistants make a very good contribution in supporting pupils’ learning.

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ENGLISH

They are well briefed, know what they are expected to cover in a lesson, and support individual pupils and groups very effectively.

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ENGLISH

6666. The National Literacy Strategy has been introduced effectively, and literacy is used well to support work in other subjects. Pupils with special educational needs have detailed individual education plans, which are followed carefully, resulting in good teaching that is well focused.

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ENGLISH

6767. Management of English is very good. The literacy co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge and has identified areas of improvement in her action plan, within the school improvement plan. She successfully monitors planning, resources and the assessment of pupils’ work. She also monitors the quality of teaching regularly and this helps her to support her colleagues very effectively and to enhance their expertise. Good assessment procedures have been implemented and are used effectively for future planning.

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MATHEMATICS

6868. The school’s performance in the Year 6 tests has been consistently above the national average until last year. This year the results were slightly lower than previously and the school failed to reach its targets.

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MATHEMATICS

6969. The school is working hard to remedy this situation and standards of attainment in mathematics in the current Year 6 are above average. They are best in number work, where they are well above Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 31 the national average. They are in line with the national average in other aspects of the subject. Achievement is good, as pupils enter the school with broadly average mathematical skill levels that are developed through setting according to prior attainment. Taking into account standards on entry and progress over time, the school has made a satisfactory improvement in mathematics since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

7070. The standards of work observed in lessons and by examination of pupils’ books showed pupils are achieving well. Pupils in Year 3 are achieving standards similar to national expectations. The majority of pupils in Year 4 and Year 6 are working at levels above those normally seen for their age. Year 5 pupils, in the top two sets, are working at levels well above national expectation. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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MATHEMATICS

7171. By the time they leave the school, the majority of pupils are confident in using a range of number operations, for example long multiplication and division, and in working with negative numbers. They have a good understanding of fractions, decimals and percentages and how these are related. They can also estimate their answers effectively and know how to round up or down to the nearest whole number. Most pupils recognise patterns and relationships in numbers and this helps in both their computation and investigative work. Pupils’ numeracy skills are good and they use these effectively in a range of subjects such as geography and science. In their work with shape, space and measures most pupils measure accurately and know how to use a formula, for example when calculating perimeter or area. Standards in this aspect are in line with national expectations.

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MATHEMATICS

7272. Pupils have a good understanding of different ways in which data is represented and appreciate the importance of recording accurately. Most pupils can construct line or block graphs of a good standard from given data, and do so as part of their investigative work both in mathematics and science. From the time they enter the school, pupils are aware that teachers have high expectations of how they will record their work and the standard of presentation is consistently good. When given the opportunity to do so, pupils enjoy applying their mathematical knowledge in problem-solving activities, testing different ideas and recording their results clearly. However, more opportunities could be identified for applying mathematics to other subjects and to practical contexts, in order to raise the standards in this aspect further.

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MATHEMATICS

7373. The quality of teaching and learning observed ranged from satisfactory to very good and was good overall. Teachers have good subject knowledge and a good understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy. This has a positive effect on pupils' learning and helps them to make good progress. In the good and very good lessons, teachers began at a brisk pace, continually challenged pupils throughout the lesson and kept them focused on the lesson objective. Teachers clearly explained the purpose of tasks, making it very clear what was expected of the pupils, and used effective questioning to probe and extend pupils’ understanding. Pupils were encouraged to explain their methods and thinking. This helped deepen the pupils’ understanding of their own learning. Where the quality of learning is good or very good, this is a result of good class organisation and pupil management together with teachers having high expectations of their pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

The quality of teachers’ planning is good, showing that work is planned to meet the needs of pupils of differing attainment levels.

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MATHEMATICS

7474. Learning support assistants are effectively deployed and have a clearly-defined role, checking pupils’ work and reinforcing the lesson objective. This helps to ensure that all pupils, whatever their level of attainment, are included well in learning. This has a positive effect on pupils' learning and consequently they make good progress. Marking is of a good quality. Teachers consistently write comments that help pupils' learning by describing what has been successful and giving guidance on what could be improved. Homework is effectively used to reinforce recent teaching by asking pupils to practise or revise skills and understanding, or as an extension activity.

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MATHEMATICS

7575. In a very good Year 3 lesson, the teacher made learning about two- and three-dimensional shapes fun, by requiring pupils to guess the shape from its properties. Pupils were keen to learn and made very good progress. Pupils in a Year 4 lesson showed very good understanding of equivalent fractions. This resulted from very good teaching which encouraged pupils to record the Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 32 investigations they carried out in groups and describe the strategies they used to arrive at their answers. Pupils in a Year 5 class showed a good awareness of the pattern of numbers created when squaring numbers and were able to calculate the number of squares that could be formed in a square of given dimension. This was a challenging activity for all pupils, but due to good planning and clear instructions together with good support for pupils with special educational needs, all pupils made good progress. Year 5 and Year 6 pupils in a higher-attaining set worked with

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MATHEMATICS

coordinates, plotting them in all four quadrants and reflecting the shapes they made from positive to negative coordinates.

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MATHEMATICS

7676. Pupils’ attitudes in mathematics lessons are at least good and, in the best lessons, are very good. The use of positive behaviour rewards and well-established procedures for answering questions all help the quality of learning. Pupils’ relationships with their teachers and with each other are very good. They are keen to answer questions and enjoy explaining the various strategies they have used. The organisation of pupils into attainment groups is meeting the differing needs of pupils and providing them with a suitable challenge. All pupils are fully involved in lessons by the use of techniques such as number fans or white boards on which every pupil writes an answer, giving the teacher an assessment of each pupil’s understanding.

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MATHEMATICS

7777. Assessment in mathematics is good. During the course of the lessons, teachers observe pupils and question them to assess their understanding, knowledge and skills. This information is used to intervene and support pupils and inform future planning. Praise and acknowledgement of pupils’ effort, positive attitudes and understanding are used to motivate and inspire them. Statutory and non-statutory tests are used consistently to establish the attainment and progress of pupils. However, further analysis of test results is required to identify individual pupil strengths and areas for development and to use this information to guide the planning of work and the setting of individual targets. This has been identified as an initiative in the current School Improvement Plan. The school has recently purchased a computer program that will assist staff in the tracking of individual pupils’ progress, to help identify target groups for additional support in each year group.

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MATHEMATICS

7878. The curriculum, based on the National Numeracy Strategy. is good. Weekly and daily planning promotes learning that builds on what has gone before. The quality of planning for most pupils, including both the lower and higher-attaining groups, is good overall. The use of ICT is good and is effectively related to the learning objective of the lesson. This was demonstrated well in a Year 5 / 6 set where pupils practised their number skills against the clock. All pupils were able to participate fully in this activity including a pupil who, despite his physical difficulties, was given the opportunity to show that he was capable of independent learning.

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MATHEMATICS

7979. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The newly appointed co-ordinator has worked closely with her predecessor and has a good understanding of the strengths and areas of development for the subject. Effective tracking of pupil progress, together with the monitoring of teaching, has led to good monitoring of pupils’ performance in mathematics. However, assessment information is not always analysed rigorously enough to be of the most benefit. The school is well equipped with learning resources in mathematics, which are effectively used to support learning. The co-ordinator has identified the need for further monitoring of teaching and learning and the development of assessment to guide planning in mathematics as part of the shared commitment that all staff have for improvement.

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SCIENCE

8080. The standards of work in the current Year 6 age group are well above the national average. There is a clear trend of rising standards. Pupils achieve well. In the 2001 National Curriculum tests, results in science were above the national average and the average for schools in similar circumstances.

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SCIENCE

8181. Standards overall have risen since the last inspection. This is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, teachers are placing a higher emphasis on scientific investigation. Pupils are encouraged to look for evidence when carrying out investigations. There are open-ended projects that allow for ingenuity and independent ideas to be developed. Pupils enjoy the practical approach to learning Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 33 and most concentrate hard and work well with others in their group. As a result, they learn from each other as well as their teachers. Secondly, they are being taught relevant scientific terms. This helps their understanding of scientific concepts and principles. Thirdly, better use is made of assessment information for planning. Work overall is effectively matched to the needs of all pupils and provides challenge, an improvement since the previous inspection.

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SCIENCE

8282. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a good grounding in a range of scientific knowledge and understanding required by the National Curriculum. They carry out a variety of activities that are effective in helping them to develop their understanding of scientific enquiry, as much of their work is in the form of investigation. For example, in a Year 6 investigation activity seen during the inspection, pupils’ knowledge of light, reflection and shadow was already of a standard above that expected by the time pupils move on to secondary school. Many pupils have become confident investigators, organising and recording their work well, needing little input from their teachers and making informed predictions of their results. Pupils in Year 5, when preparing to find out which part of a seed grows best, demonstrated competence and confidence in their organising of their experiments. They raised questions, discussed how to make the testing fair, and predicted likely

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SCIENCE

outcomes. They discussed and analysed their observations in groups, finally recording their findings in a methodical and clear style. Work on health and hygiene is good and all pupils achieve well in this area of study. They show a good understanding of different parts of the human body, including the major organs. Pupils also know that a balanced diet is required to remain healthy. Many pupils relate their learning to everyday life. For example, they know that mirrors are used in buildings to reflect light rays so as to spread the light more widely.

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SCIENCE

8383. Pupils make good use of their literacy and mathematical skills when writing up reports of experiments and developing their independent enquiry skills, an improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils deploy their numeracy skills effectively, making appropriate measurements, for example, of length, weight and volume, and display them in graphical form with occasional use of computer programs. However, the use of ICT is limited by the lack of resources for scientific investigations.

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SCIENCE

8484. The quality of teaching is good overall, and occasionally very good. The effect of this is that pupils learn well. Teachers have a good knowledge of the science curriculum. They use appropriate scientific vocabulary and explain tasks well. The teaching of investigative skills is being given a higher priority. This is impacting on pupils’ learning as they are looking for evidence when investigating and most are tightly focused on the tasks they are given. Teachers’ planning for lessons is generally detailed and effectively covers the range of knowledge and understanding required. The most effective teaching is characterised by work being closely matched to individual pupils’ needs, with assessment information being used well. This was especially noticeable in some of the Year 5 and 6 lessons seen. These incorporated a high degree of challenge, with clear targets in terms of both learning and time limits. This resulted in pupils asking well-judged

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SCIENCE

questions, constructing a fair test and deciding what their results meant. For example, one pupil's evaluation of her experiment on the growth of seeds demonstrated an understanding of the investigatory process. She confidently explained her findings: “I think the whole bean will grow best by itself because it has a root, shoot and a food store.” Where teaching was less effective, the learning objectives were not sufficiently clear, resulting in some pupils not understanding the purpose of the activity. In addition, the teacher’s evaluation of what pupils were doing did not always help them to overcome their difficulties.

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SCIENCE

8585. Often, teachers make very effective use of teaching resources, as in a Year 5 class where the teacher organised a wide range of suitable investigatory activities and research materials to good effect to help pupils gain a good understanding of germination. Classroom assistants are well briefed and provide good support for pupils.

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SCIENCE

8686. Pupils are interested in their work. In the better lessons they work hard and there is a buzz of excitement and interest in the practical sessions. Pupils spoken to, said that, “science is enjoyable as we like investigating and enjoy the practical work”. This results in good behaviour and a positive approach to learning. In all lessons seen, a striking feature was the way the pupils Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 34 collaborated and supported each other’s learning. Science provided good opportunities for developing pupils’ social skills.

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SCIENCE

8787. Since the last inspection, the school has introduced national guidelines for teaching science, supplemented with a range of other teaching materials. In their planning, both long and medium term, there is an appropriate emphasis on investigative work and the effective assessment procedures help to ensure that future planning builds well on what pupils have already learnt. Overall resources are good and this aids investigative work. The previous co-ordinator carried out a comprehensive audit and provided good guidance for the teachers, which has helped in raising teachers’ confidence and impacted significantly on standards and achievement. The acting headteacher is currently overseeing the subject to allow the new co-ordinator, a recent appointment, to complete her induction period at the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

8888. Standards in art are above national expectations by the end of Year 6 and have been maintained since the previous inspection, mainly as a result of the teachers’ very good subject knowledge and the effective teaching methods used. Most pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve well in relation to their prior attainment as they move through the school. The art and design curriculum is a significant vehicle for meeting the school’s wider aim of giving the pupils a strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural dimension to their lives. For example, pupils are encouraged to respond to the aesthetic quality of art and to appreciate the effect achieved through the styles and techniques seen in the work of famous artists.

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ART AND DESIGN

8989. By the end of Year 6, pupils show a good level of maturity and skill in their approach to art and design. They continue to develop their observational skills and techniques to a high standard. Older pupils have undertaken drawings, for example of fruit displays and trees, from first hand observations. These cover a range of processes and techniques involving the use of pencils, pastels, embroidery and clay. Many are of a high standard with good application of the techniques of shading, tone and accuracy of observation. Work seen shows effective links with other subjects. In Year 4, pupils have produced good quality artwork on Roman tiles. In Year 5, using collage techniques, pupils have created vivid autumn scenes, which provided a stimulus for their creative writing. Pupils’ skills in three-dimensional work are well developed. In Year 4, pupils working with clay produced detailed reliefs of trees on tiles. The quality and variety of their textured work was

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ART AND DESIGN

impressive, showing very good technical skills and an eye for detail. Some use is made of ICT to research the work of artists and experiment with appropriate painting programs, and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils recognise the stylistic features of many well- known painters. In Year 4 for example, the work of Henri Rousseau is on view. Pupils have effectively replicated his style in their paintings of tropical forests. Their paintings show attention to detail and a real understanding of how layered patterns create pictures.

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ART AND DESIGN

9090. Throughout the school there are examples of the artwork of different cultures. For example, pupils in Year 6, whilst studying pollution, explored it through designing models of a contemporary urban setting and contrasting it with the rainforests of South America. Also, through drawing and printing, pupils have explored Australian Aboriginal art. Their work shows skills in arranging and presenting objects to create visual impact and meaning. The school celebrates pupils’ art achievements by displaying them prominently in corridors and foyers.

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ART AND DESIGN

9191. The quality of teaching is very good. Strengths include teachers’ very good knowledge of the subject, focused questioning and precise use of technical language. Planning is thorough and teachers are well prepared so that lessons run smoothly with all the resources accessible. Support staff are knowledgeable and well briefed, resulting in their giving very good support which enhances pupils’ learning. Teachers demonstrate new techniques well and pupils are encouraged to experiment with these. For example, in a Year 4 lesson where pupils were using clay, the teacher asked questions about the properties of the materials they were using, eliciting specific vocabulary from many pupils. This resulted in pupils experimenting and increasing their understanding of the properties of materials, and producing detailed and high quality models of Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 35 trees on clay tiles. Effective learning is also linked to the teacher’s high expectations of quality

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ART AND DESIGN

work and behaviour. This results in pupils taking the initiative, being able to work individually and in groups and also behaving very well. Very good use is made of discussion to help pupils evaluate their own designs and models. A notable feature of the lessons seen is the links made with other subjects. For example, in a Year 5 lesson on printmaking pupils used their mathematical knowledge of degrees, sequence and rotation to good effect in producing good quality designs for wrapping paper.

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ART AND DESIGN

9292. The co-ordinator is new to the school, but is experienced in leading this subject. She has inherited responsibility for a subject that has been very well led and managed in the past. She is familiarising herself with current practices through monitoring and discussion with colleagues. There are strong community links. Pupils’ art and design skills feature regularly in local festivals and church celebrations. Very good use is made of a local textile artist who undertakes workshops at the school, liaising closely with the art co-ordinator. This results in pupils exploring textile media, including fabric painting and weaving, to a high level. There is a good policy and the school has incorporated the nationally recommended guidelines within their scheme of work. Pupils’ sketchbooks are used as an effective assessment tool for improving skills. The good resources are used well by staff and are instrumental in raising standards. The co-ordinator’s

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ART AND DESIGN

comprehensive audit indicates a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses in this subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

9393. Standards are above the national expectation in Year 6 and have been maintained at a similar level since the last inspection. Throughout the school, pupils make good progress and achieve well.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

9494. Across the school, pupils learn to plan and design before making models. In doing so they base their ideas on information they collect from different sources, consider the properties of the materials to be used and select appropriate materials and tools. In Year 5, pupils made a three- dimensional model of a Tudor house following the study of Tudor period in history. They adapted their ideas during planning and recognised that the use of wood would make the frames of the houses strong and that triangular joints were needed for making a three-dimensional model. Pupils use paper and colour well, and there were very good displays in some classrooms, linked to the topics in other subjects or the visits to the places like Sulgrave Manor. Year 6 pupils successfully made pizzas as a part of their healthy eating project, weighing, measuring and following the recipe, sharing the activities and working well in groups. They tasted a variety of breads and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

considered their appearances, textures and taste when designing a salad for a child. Pupils successfully designed clay tiles and frames for their own designed needlework or paintings. They discussed design specifications effectively, considering carefully who they were designing for, and the cost and the safety aspect of their products. They then adapted their designs accordingly to suit the intended use of the products. As a result, some innovative and imaginative designs were produced. Some pupils made good models of musical instruments. Year 4 pupils designed and made their own packed lunch, applying their knowledge of healthy food.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

9595. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers plan carefully to ensure that pupils experience a wide range of design and model-making activities. They build upon pupils’ interest and systematically introduce terminology for description. Teachers‘ subject knowledge and class control are good. Good questioning allows pupils to think about their work and to work out ways to refine and improve their designs. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are supported well, often by classroom assistants, and they also make good progress. All pupils enjoy the practical activities.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

9696. The subject is managed effectively. Suitable schemes of work, based on national guidance, are in place. Effective assessment procedures are used well to chart pupils’ progress over the years. Resources are good and help to promote learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 36 9797. Standards for Year 6 pupils are well above the national expectation. This maintains the standards seen at the time of the last inspection. This is because the excellent leadership of the subject, under the acting headteacher, has ensured that pupils build on and extend their skills particularly well as they move through the school. Pupils then apply these skills well in investigating a range of geographical themes and topics. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve well.

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GEOGRAPHY

9898. Very nearly all pupils exceed the standards expected for their age by the time they leave the school. For example, the vast majority use six-figure grid references to locate places on maps. Most pupils have a good understanding of different types of map symbols, for example using colour or contour lines to identify height. Pupils effectively use the skills they have gained in map- reading and interpreting graphs or charts and aerial photographs to extend their knowledge over a range of topics. Standards in this aspect are well above national expectations. This helps pupils to acquire good information about different geographical themes such as environmental issues, and a range of places, both in Britain and abroad. For example, Year 6 pupils have gained a good understanding of life in some of the cities and villages in India and can effectively compare this with life in Britain.

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GEOGRAPHY

9999. Teaching is good overall and some very good teaching was observed. As a result of the very good support from the co-ordinator, teachers have good subject knowledge and teach geographical skills well. Resources are used particularly well and, through using these, pupils are encouraged to apply their skills to find out more about different places, for example in studying and comparing maps and aerial photographs. Pupils respond well to lessons and this means they make good progress in their learning. They show a great interest in finding out about their own and other countries. For example, during the inspection, Year 5 pupils enjoyed locating features on a large- scale map of Swanage from the clues their classmates gave them.

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GEOGRAPHY

100100. The curriculum is very good and effectively promotes learning. The school’s decision to enhance national guidance by incorporating its own provision for skills development into the scheme of work is especially effective. In addition, the fact that geography is also taught weekly, as a discrete subject, has also been successful in helping pupils to build on and extend their skills well. The curriculum is enriched particularly well by an effective programme of visits to the local area and beyond. An especially good example of this is the residential field trip that pupils make to Dartmoor. During this pupils are helped to use and extend their skills and knowledge such as in a very good river study. Many activities give very good support to other curriculum areas. For example, in a Year 3 topic, pupils’ personal and social education is enhanced through increasing their understanding of man’s responsibility for the environment. Older pupils apply their

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GEOGRAPHY

mathematical skills effectively in interpreting graphs and charts, for example when they study the climate of different places. On their visit, Year 6 pupils wrote very interesting and imaginative poetry about the features of Dartmoor. Good use is made of the Internet to find information.

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GEOGRAPHY

101101. A very good system for assessing pupils’ progress at the end of each topic, and also more formally each year, means that new work is well matched to the stage at which pupils are working. Resources are very good and they are especially well organised to allow teachers to access them easily and to help pupils learn.

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HISTORY

102102. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Then standards were above expectations in pupils’ knowledge of different eras, but not so high in pupils’ use of historical enquiry skills. By the end of Year 6, standards are now above national expectations in all aspects of the subject and the majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language, achieve well.

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HISTORY

103103. The school is aware that younger pupils find it difficult to develop a chronological understanding, particularly in appreciating how long ago the historical era they are studying was. Consequently, this aspect has been very carefully planned to help pupils gradually develop understanding. Good use is made of time lines and comparing and contrasting changes over time Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 37 in pupils’ own lives. As a result, by the time they leave, most pupils have acquired a good understanding of chronology and use it in the study of different topics. For example, Year 6 pupils were very perceptive about how society changed and evolved as it moved through the 1930s to 1980s. Other historical enquiry skills are covered well; for example, all year groups use different resources, both primary and secondary, to gain information. The school has a good number of artefacts and pictures to support this aspect. In addition, where possible, pupils are introduced to

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HISTORY

primary sources, either through visits to places such as Sulgrave manor or through visitors to the school, for example to talk about life in London in The Blitz, and being an evacuee. As a result of the good teaching of historical enquiry skills, pupils are able to find out and learn a great deal of information about the different eras they study, for example Ancient Greece and The Tudors. This helps them to gain an understanding of their cultural past.

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HISTORY

104104. History is well taught. Teachers make learning interesting. For example, in a Year 4 class, the teacher helped two pupils to dress up as gladiators and this helped them to understand which were the most effective weapons. In a Year 6 class, the very carefully-chosen artefacts enthused pupils so that they worked extremely well researching different decades of the twentieth century. Teachers are particularly good at explaining things and this means pupils listen well and gain knowledge easily, for example about the importance of Roman roads in maintaining the empire. Resources, including books, pictures and videos, are consistently used well and pupils retain a great deal of the information they are given. As a result of this interesting and informative teaching, pupils learn well and work hard. For example, Year 3 pupils have recorded a great deal of work in the short time they have been in the school.

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HISTORY

105105. Due to the hard work and commitment of the effective subject co-ordinator, the curriculum and the resources used to teach it are both good. Good use is made of computers; both CD ROMs and the Internet are used to research different topics, and pupils apply their literacy skills well in much of their recording work. There is a very good system in place for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress and this is used effectively to build on and extend learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

106106. Pupils achieve appropriately and, by the end of Year 6, attain standards that are in line with national expectations.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

107107. The teaching of ICT to whole-class groups did not start until the summer of 2002 because the school has only recently had a computer suite installed. All pupils use the suite regularly and this has resulted in them becoming familiar with computers and their uses. The suite has also enabled teachers to demonstrate computing skills and the uses to which computers can be put to whole- class groups. However, there are still problems with the computer equipment which affect the number of computers that are working, together with the facility for teachers to demonstrate the lesson for pupils on a master screen. This is having a detrimental effect on the pace of some lessons and also pupil access to computers. Despite the best efforts of the subject co-ordinator and other teachers, during the inspection, teachers often had to cope with computers not functioning. The lack of effective technical support is having a significant impact on the use of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

resources and consequently on pupils’ learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

108108. Taking into account the major changes in ICT since the last inspection, improvement in the subject has been satisfactory. The teaching of both numeracy and literacy and other subjects is being effectively supported by the use of ICT. For example, pupils in Year 3 used word processing to punctuate a pre-prepared document. An evident lack of previous keyboard skills before they joined the school limited the pace of the lesson, but pupils showed a satisfactory understanding of a word processing program. In a Year 5 ICT/history lesson, pupils used an Internet search facility to aid them in their research on the Tudors.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

109109. The teaching of ICT is satisfactory overall and was good in two out of the four lessons seen. It is important to note that, in the good lessons, the computer equipment did not fail, while in the satisfactory lessons, only about half the computers were working. In addition, the fact that, in the Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 38 good lessons, pupils made good progress means that the poor equipment is having an adverse impact on achievement and therefore standards.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

110110. Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure and so learning activities are appropriately challenging and suitably organised and paced. Teachers have high expectations of pupils that are conveyed through clear learning objectives. In a good Year 3 lesson observed, the teacher used her good subject knowledge effectively to model the activity so that pupils learnt the skills of changing font, size and colour. Pupils can also save and print their work. In a Year 4 class, pupils showed that they could use the edit menu to find and replace words. The higher-attaining pupils were also skilled in using 'backspace' or 'delete’, making good decisions as to which was the quickest method in different circumstances. In a good Year 5 lesson, pupils showed great enthusiasm and enjoyment in using a drawing program. Pupils were encouraged to find solutions to the problems they encountered and those with good ICT skills were encouraged to demonstrate the possibilities

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

of the program to others. As a result pupils produced work of a good standard, of which they were proud. One pupil's expression summed up the sense of wonder that he got from using the program when he said, "Wow, this is wicked". It was not possible to see any Year 6 lessons due to timetabling arrangements, but discussion with Year 6 pupils showed that they understood how information and ideas could be shared with others in a variety of ways, including e-mail. They have also used ICT to present information in a variety of forms.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

111111. Pupils use a digital camera with confidence, for example taking photographs on a recent visit to a Tudor manor house, and recording the inspectors’ visit for inclusion in a school magazine article on the inspection. Pupils are highly motivated and show a willingness and enthusiasm to succeed. They make satisfactory progress during lessons, building on previously-learned skills. Not all pupils have the opportunity to develop these skills at home, which makes the school’s provision all the more important. Pupils work well individually or in pairs, supporting each other’s learning. No difference in the attainment of boys or girls was seen. Pupils with special educational needs or with English as an additional language make good progress due to the effective support they receive.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

112112. Planning of work, which is based on nationally recognised guidelines, is satisfactory. Teachers’ confidence has been increased by a programme of training and support from the co- ordinator. Informal assessment is helping teachers to plan the next stage of learning. The use of assessment to help guide future planning and to track pupil progress is an area for development identified by the co-ordinator, who plans to provide an ICT skills checklist for each pupil.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

113113. The co-ordination of the subject is good. The new co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic and has correctly identified the strengths of the subject and the areas for development. He recognises that staff knowledge, skills and confidence, although satisfactory at present, is an area on which to focus. The overall quality and quantity of computers have improved greatly since the last inspection. During the time the co-ordinator has been in post, he has used his expertise to give advice and guidance to other staff. He has a very clear idea of what now needs to be done. All staff share his enthusiasm for the subject and commitment to its improvement.

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MUSIC

114114. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain standards which are well above the levels expected nationally. This shows that the high standards have been maintained since the previous inspection. Very good achievement is evident across the age range and amongst different groups of pupils, including those for whom English is an additional language. Pupils with special educational needs receive good individual support and do very well. There is no significant difference between the musical skills of girls and boys.

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MUSIC

115115. By the end of Year 6, pupils demonstrate very good knowledge and understanding of specific vocabulary such as drone, dynamics and tempo and use them successfully when singing two-part rounds and playing in the school band and orchestra. The majority of pupils’ skills in, listening, appraising and performing music are well above expectations, and above expectations in Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 39 composing. The majority know, for instance, what a scale is and are developing skills in recognising the distance between two notes. Pupils can perform their own rhythmic patterns using a range of percussion instruments and record their compositions using formal rhythmic notation. Their skills in appraising the compositions of their peers are good. In singing, pupils achieve very highly. Most sing in tune, hold their part when singing two-part rounds and show sensitivity to the mood of the music responding with appropriate expression.

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MUSIC

116116. A significant minority of pupils benefit from specialist teaching. Their achievement is very good. They can sight-read formal notation skilfully, and confidently play their chosen instrument with a degree of competence. The orchestra, band and choir, which mainly include pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6, perform very well, demonstrating the ability to work successfully as members of a group. These skills, which are developed in their instrumental lessons and after-school sessions, have a positive impact on their performances in class lessons. For example, pupils from Year 5 who play instruments influenced the standards achieved in their music lesson, where they demonstrated skills in recording their composition using formal notation. They complemented and enhanced the overall standard of performing and recording musical compositions. Most pupils are widening their knowledge and experience of music. A significant number are able to identify and classify many

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MUSIC

instruments being played in an orchestral arrangement and are familiar with the works of several composers. Pupils listen to a variety of music, which includes music of other cultures and times.

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MUSIC

117117. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall with some excellent teaching. Where the teaching is outstanding, expectations are high and the teacher’s enthusiasm, explanations and knowledge of the subject have a significant effect on pupils’ attainment, achievement and attitude to the subject. For example, in an excellent lesson in Year 5, the teacher challenged all the pupils to develop their skills in reading and recording formal notation. Through a series of simple clapping activities, which were recorded graphically, the teacher very rapidly enabled the pupils to translate their earlier recordings into correct formal notation. All the pupils responded to the challenge and remained especially well focused throughout the lesson. Other strengths included the excellent management of the pupils’ behaviour and warm relationships. Many lessons provide good links with previous work and other subjects. For example, in a Year 6 class, pupils’

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MUSIC

language skills and historic awareness were developed further as they listened to and wrote about their responses to Eric Coates’s The Dam Busters March. This experience also enhanced their appreciation of music. One pupil summed up the experience as follows, “I think Eric Coates used the right instruments because it actually sounded like planes and kind of says what they do. The name is good too because you can march to it”. There is a good pace to lessons and there are many practical opportunities for pupils to be actively involved. Some teachers skilfully evaluate what pupils are able to do and ensure that they improve on their earlier performances. Homework is used occasionally to consolidate learning. Music lessons are fun and this contributes strongly to the pupils’ very positive attitudes, behaviour and very good relationships.

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MUSIC

118118. The subject is extremely well led by an experienced and knowledgeable co-ordinator. She has a clear understanding of what needs to be developed, but has not, as yet, had the opportunity to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. The curriculum is planned well. The school uses it’s own scheme of work supplemented with nationally recommended guidelines, which contains clear objectives for each year group and includes an emphasis on developing pupils’ skills as they move through the school. It also gives effective support to the non-specialist music teachers. These are improvements since the previous inspection. Good and often very good evaluation of pupils’ achievements in lessons helps teachers to plan well for the next stage of learning. However, more formal assessment procedures and the use of ICT to support learning. are not fully developed. Resources are satisfactory and are used effectively to promote learning. In

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MUSIC

particular, pupils who learn an instrument regularly use these within whole class lessons. Liaison between the instrumental service and the school is strong, resulting in improving standards in the pupils’ performing skills.

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MUSIC

119119. This subject has a valued place in the school’s curriculum and makes a very good contribution to the pupils’ wider learning experiences. Music considerably enhances pupils’ spiritual development as it plays an integral part in the collective act of worship. Pupils’ cultural development is enriched by the opportunity to listen to or sing and play music from different styles Holy Trinity CE (VA) Junior School - 40 and cultures. The wide range of opportunities the school provides for pupils to sing or play together, including public performances, gives very good support to their social development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120120. Due to the hard work of the very effective subject co-ordinator and the commitment of staff, very good improvement has been made since the last inspection. By the end of Year 6, standards are above expectations in all aspects of the subject seen during the inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language, achieve well. The school’s inclusive ethos is giving exceptionally good support in physical education lessons to those pupils who have a physical need and these pupils achieve particularly well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121121. Especially good arrangements have been put in place for the teaching of dance. Consequently, both boys and girls thoroughly enjoy lessons and participate well, reaching high standards. During the inspection the Year 3 classes performed dances portraying both the ancient and modern Olympic games. These were very effective and reached a good standard for their age. Pupils build on and extend their skills well as they move through the school, making very good progress. By Year 6, pupils’ control and movement in dance is of a standard well above that expected for their age. Pupils move easily and fluently, with a very good understanding of how to respond to the music and to portray the mood of the dance. They vary height, direction and speed to good effect and use arm, leg and facial gestures to show feeling.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

122122. All pupils, both boys and girls, learn different games such as football and netball, receiving good tuition from experienced and well-qualified teachers. Consequently they develop their skills well and reach standards above those expected for their age. For example, last year the girls’ football team won the district cup. Gymnastic skills are also well taught, helping pupils to gain confidence both in floor work and in performing on larger apparatus. Pupils are gaining a good control and fluency of movement, which helps them to perform routines at standards above expectations. In a very good lesson observed during the inspection, Year 4 pupils showed good co-ordination and control, balancing well, both on the floor and on apparatus in a sequence of movements. Year 4 pupils attend swimming lessons at a local pool. Very nearly all pupils learn to swim the expected distance during this year and a high proportion are developing greater

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

123123. Teaching is never less than good and some very good teaching was observed. The school is fortunate in having a number of highly-qualified staff and, as a result, skills are particularly well taught. Despite pupils sometimes getting excited about what they are doing, teachers manage and control pupils well. Most lessons proceed at a good pace and this helps pupils to be involved throughout. Teachers model different skills and movements especially well, explaining these carefully so that pupils can understand easily. All these good features have ensured that pupils have a very positive attitude to the subject and concentrate and work hard. In addition, all teachers encourage pupils to evaluate their own and their classmates’ work, so pupils’ knowledge of what they are learning is very good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

124. A very good curriculum has been put in place, carefully planned to cover all aspects and to build effectively on pupils’ prior skills. The curriculum is enriched by extra-curricular clubs, such as for football, netball and gymnastics. Great care is taken to ensure that all pupils can attend, some just for enjoyment and others to train for the school teams. Year 6 pupils are also able to take part in outdoor and adventurous activities as part of their residential visit. The co-ordinator is leading and managing the subject very well, monitoring standards effectively through observation of different classes. For example, she is currently investigating the different ways of teaching dance with a view to improving provision still further. A very good system for assessing pupils’ progress includes helping pupils to evaluate and report on their own work. This helps to ensure that very good use is made of assessment information to promote improvement.

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