Woodchurch CofE Primary School

ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 12 th March 2003

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ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ENGLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Lane Woodchurch Wirral

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 th July 1998 Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 21069 Mr P Edwards Registered inspector 19365 Mr G Stockley Lay inspector 28899 Mr G Sims Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Lynrose Marketing Ltd Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom Newmarket Suffolk CB8 0TU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 20

Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Woodchurch Church of England School is a voluntary aided primary school situated in Woodchurch on the outskirts of Birkenhead. There are currently 214 pupils on roll, 112 boys and 102 girls. This includes 26 children who are in the Reception class. It is a popular school, frequently over-subscribed with a significant minority of pupils admitted from beyond the local area. Pupil mobility is low. Most pupils are of white ethnic origin and no pupils are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (21.5 per cent) is above the national average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs (12 per cent) is below the national average. One pupil has a statement of special educational need. Assessment information shows that the attainment of children soon after they start school covers the full ability range but it is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

below average overall. The school has gained Achievement Awards in each of the last two years and has recently been awarded ‘Artsmark Gold’ status.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school with many strengths. By the time the pupils leave school at the age of eleven, they are attaining standards that are well above average in English, mathematics and science and they achieve high standards in art and design and information and communication technology. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. The pupils have very good attitudes towards work and their behaviour is excellent. The headteacher provides very effective leadership and management and is extremely well supported by his staff and Governing Body. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science when the pupils leave school at the end of Year 6. By the end of Year 2, the pupils attain above average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and information and communication technology. • Teaching and learning are very good throughout the school. • The pupils have very good attitudes towards work and their behaviour is excellent. • The pupils are provided with a very good curriculum that is enriched through a wide variety of out of school activities. • The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well supported by senior staff and governors.

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What could be improved

• The school has no significant weaknesses. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in July 1998 and, since that time, has made very good progress. The quality of teaching, which was satisfactory overall at the time of the previous inspection, has improved significantly due to an improvement in the teachers’ planning and procedures for assessing the pupils’ progress. This improved teaching has made an impact on the standards achieved by the pupils in English, mathematics and science and they are now much better by the end of Year 6. Standards in information and communication technology have also improved. Co-ordinators now make a significant contribution to monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects and this has helped to raise the quality of teaching and learning. The physical environment has improved significantly with the addition of extra classroom and office accommodation and the leadership has been successful in securing additional grants to enable further improvements to be made. Under

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

the leadership of the current headteacher, who has maintained the drive made by his predecessor, and with the support of governors and commitment of staff, this is a school that is well placed to make further improvements.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

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

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schools

The table shows that in the 2002 National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, the pupils’ attainment was well above the national average in English and science and average in mathematics. When compared with similar schools, the pupils’ attainment was well above average in all three subjects. Over the last four years standards have been improving and the trend in the rate of improvement for all three subjects is better than that seen nationally. The improvement in attainment has been recognised by the school gaining achievement awards from the government in 2001 and 2002. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls.

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schools

The results at the end of Year 2 in the National Curriculum tests show that the pupils’ attainment is below the national average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. When compared with similar schools, attainment is above average in reading, well above average in writing and average in mathematics. The better performance in writing is attributed to the significant emphasis placed on the development of writing skills since it was identified as an issue in the previous report.

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schools

The inspection findings indicate that standards in English, mathematics and science are well above national expectations by the end of Year 6. The difference between the test results and the inspection findings in mathematics is due in part to the different cohorts but more Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 8 significantly to the absence and under-performance of a small number of pupils when the tests in mathematics were taken. As pupils move through the school, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress in their learning and the overwhelming majority achieve very well. Literacy and numeracy targets for 2003 are challenging, but the school is well on course to achieve them. By the time they leave the school, their attainment in art and design and information and communication technology is above average due to the quality of teaching in these areas of the curriculum.

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schools

The children’s attainment when they join the Reception class is variable but is below the expected level overall. The children make very good progress due to the quality of teaching and the curriculum provision and by the time they enter Year 1, most are now exceeding the Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, personal and social development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils enjoy work and contribute effectively in lessons. They are very well motivated and are keen to do well and participate fully in the wide range of activities that are provided outside of lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Excellent. The pupils behave impeccably. They are polite and courteous and respectful to teachers and classmates. Pupils work very well together and willingly share ideas and resources.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The pupils get on very well with one another and with the staff. The pupils show very good levels of independence in their work and are keen to take on responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. The attendance rate is above the national average, there is no unauthorised absence and lessons start promptly.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Very good Very good Very 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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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching and learning is very good throughout the school. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are very well taught and the pupils are provided with good opportunities to practise the skills they have learned in other subjects. Information and communication technology is taught systematically throughout the school and the teachers’ confidence and knowledge enable the pupils to achieve very well and attain standards that are above average by the end of Year 6. The teaching of creative arts is very good, the pupils learn well and this has resulted in the award of an ‘Artsmark Gold’ for the school. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 9 The teachers have high expectations of what the pupils are capable of achieving and pupils respond with enthusiasm to the challenges. The teachers know the pupils very well and match the work closely to the pupils’ ability. The teachers quickly identify where the pupils

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

need further clarification or where a subject needs further work. As a result, all groups of pupils make very good progress. A particular strength of the teaching is the quality of relationships that exist between the staff and pupils. This enables pupils to learn in an environment where they are encouraged to have a go, to question and to challenge without fear of failure. The teachers are enthusiastic and this helps to create a very happy learning environment where the pupils share in the enjoyment.

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Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The teachers use questioning very effectively and this helps to focus the pupils’ attention on the key learning objectives of the lessons and for the pupils themselves to determine whether they have understood the key concepts. The teachers ensure that all groups of pupils participate in lessons and tailor their questioning accordingly to ensure that this happens. Discussions at the end of lessons are used very effectively to determine what the pupils have learned and perceptive questioning by the teachers enables them to assess effectively the level of the pupils’ understanding.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. Children in the Foundation Stage are provided with a wide range of stimulating activities. The National Curriculum is fully implemented in the infant and juniors and is enhanced by a very wide range of out of school activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. The needs of these pupils are identified early and they are provided with appropriate support in lessons and when withdrawn from class for additional activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well developed. Musical, creative and physical experiences add much to this aspect of the pupils’ development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school has good procedures in place for child protection and for ensuring the pupils’ safety. There are very good procedures in place for assessing the pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science and they are good in other subjects. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides clear, effective leadership and manages the school very well. He is provided with very good support by the staff, parents and governors.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The Governing Body meets all its statutory duties. It is well-informed, supportive and knowledgeable and is very effective in monitoring what is taking place in school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The headteacher and governors have a very good awareness of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and the good school development plan has been used effectively to ensure progress has been made in achieving its goals. The school is constantly evaluating its performance and through a wide range of strategies, identifies how it might improve.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. Very effective use is made of all available funds. The school has been very effective in securing additional grants for improving the accommodation and learning resources. It makes very effective use of the expertise of staff and visitors to enhance the learning opportunities for pupils. The school constantly seeks to identify ways in which its resources can be used most effectively.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The children make good progress. • Behaviour is good. • The teaching is good. • The school looks after the children well and expects them to work hard. • The school is well led and managed. • How closely the school works with parents. • The information provided about how their children are progressing. • The number and range of out of school activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The vast majority of parents are very satisfied with the work of the school and the inspection team agrees with the parent’s positive views of the school. The amount of information provided about how the pupils are progressing is similar to that seen in other primary schools and there are good opportunities for parents to discuss their children’s progress. The school has already identified that it could provide the parents with more information about the work their children are covering. The number and range of out of school activities is very good and covers sporting, musical and other activities. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 11

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

information and communication technology.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

1. The 2002 national test results at the end of Year 6 show that the pupils’ attainment is well above the national average in English and science and average in mathematics. When compared with similar schools, the pupils’ attainment is well above average in all three subjects. Over the last four years standards have been improving and the trend in the rate of improvement for all three subjects is better than that seen nationally. The improvement in attainment has been recognised by the school gaining achievement awards from the government in 2001 and 2002. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

2. The results at the end of Year 2 in the National Curriculum tests show that the pupils’ attainment is below the national average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. Inspection findings confirm this picture. When compared with similar schools, attainment is above average in reading, well above average in writing and average in mathematics. The better performance in writing is attributed to the significant emphasis placed on the development of writing skills since it was identified as an issue in the previous report.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

3. The inspection findings indicate that standards in English, mathematics and science are well above national expectations by the end of Year 6. The difference between the test results and the inspection findings in mathematics is due in part to the different cohorts, but more significantly to the absence of a small number of pupils when the tests in mathematics were taken. As pupils move through the school they make very good progress in their learning and the overwhelming majority achieve very well.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

4. The children get a very good start to school in the Reception class. The very good quality of teaching, together with the varied and interesting curriculum, ensure that their needs are fully met. When children start school there is a wide range of ability but it is below average overall. All groups of pupils make very good progress and by the time they enter Year 1 many exceed the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

5. Reading is well taught throughout the school. By the end of Year 6 pupils read fluently and with confidence and accuracy. The most able pupils convey meaning through good expression, varying the tone and speed of their reading. Most pupils discuss the books they have read and highlight the favourite parts and characters, for instance, from the Harry Potter books by JK Rowling. There are good assessment procedures in place that identify how well the pupils’ reading skills develop and the structured reading scheme is utilised effectively. The less able pupils are provided with good support to enable them to develop their reading skills. The implementation of a Reading Recovery programme ensures that the needs of these pupils are met at an early stage. As a result, the overwhelming majority of pupils become good readers during their time in school. The attractive school library has a satisfactory range of books and the school is

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

in the process of building up its stock of reference material.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

6. The pupils speak clearly and confidently. They articulate their ideas well using a good range of interesting vocabulary. The pupils respond to the teachers’ questioning well, Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 12 using extended answers to give their views. The opportunity to take part in drama activities enables the pupils to develop their confidence. For example, in a very good Year 6 lesson, after listening to an extract from The Enchanter’s Daughter, the pupils worked well together to devise and act out a dramatic scene and did so with a lack of self-consciousness.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

7. The standard of pupils’ writing is above average by the end of Year 2 and well above average by the end of Year 6. The school has made a considerable effort to raise the quality of pupils’ writing since the previous inspection and the concerted effort in all year groups has ensured they make considerable progress. By the end of Year 2, the pupils punctuate their work accurately and the more able pupils are making good attempts at using speech marks. They are developing a good vocabulary which they use well in their writing to make it more interesting. The pupils are provided with good opportunities to develop writing in other subjects. For example, they write a set of instructions on how to make a cake, produce a flow chart showing the optimum condition for plant growth and complete a booklet with information about Africa. By the end of Year 6, the pupils’ handwriting is neat with a good fluent style, they write sentences showing a good

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

knowledge of correct grammatical construction and they use accurately a wide range of punctuation. Pupils write for a very wide range of purposes and their ability to adapt styles for different audiences is very good. The teachers plan very effectively to ensure that pupils are able to practise their writing skills in may of the subject areas. For example, as part of their study of the Second World War, the older pupils wrote a good review of Goodnight Mr Tom, identifying the differences between the book and television version. The pupils understand the format that should be used to compose a formal letter as when they write to a council complaining of a proposed road-building project. They show a good knowledge of how to write a biography and autobiography. They enjoy writing poetry and use styles such as haiku, riddles, limericks and kennings.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

8. By the end of Year 6, the pupils achieve standards in mathematics that are well above average. Absences on the day of the tests and some under-performance by more able pupils affected the 2002 National Curriculum test results which are not a true reflection of how the pupils achieve. In the Foundation Stage and in Year 1 to Year 2 the pupils are provided with a very good introduction to mathematics and its relevance to every day life. The basic skills of numeracy are taught well ensuring that pupils have the confidence to tackle problems with ease. Opportunities are provided for pupils to learn through a good range of practical activities as well as more formal methods. The teaching of mathematics is consistently good and is used effectively to determine the different ways in which pupils arrive at their answers. The pupils have a good ability to solve problems using their number knowledge. The teaching ensures that all elements

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

of the curriculum are covered in depth and this helps pupils to gain a good understanding of shape, space, measures, estimating, and handling and interpreting data as well as fostering their high level of number skills. The older pupils manipulate large numbers with ease. They are taught strategies to help them with multiplication and division calculations that enable them to calculate at speed and with a good level of accuracy.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

9. The teachers are skilled at identifying which pupils are not secure with particular concepts and make sure that appropriate help and guidance is provided to develop confidence. The pupils have a very good awareness of when to use mental calculation, pencil and paper method or when to use a calculator. By the time the pupils leave school they have a very good knowledge of number, they measure accurately, fully understand probability and interpret data effectively. The pupils record data very well using a range of different graphs. They name a wide range of two dimensional and three dimensional shapes using specific criteria and properties. Good examples were Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 13 observed of the pupils using their mathematical skills in other subjects, such as science, which added much to the quality of their learning. Good examples were also observed of computers being used to enhance the pupils’ learning in mathematics and

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

younger pupils were observed using programmable vehicles to develop their understanding of turning through a number of degrees.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

10. Standards in science are well above average by the end of Year 6. There is very good coverage of all aspects of the subject. Each aspect is covered in depth and this enables the pupils to develop a very good understanding of science. A good emphasis is placed on practical and investigative activities and the pupils achieve well in this area. By the end of Year 6, the pupils have a good understanding of forces, and use appropriate vocabulary in the correct context. They confidently explain the difference between solids, liquids and gases and have a good appreciation of what constitutes a fair test. Very good use is made of information and communication technology to develop the pupils’ scientific knowledge, for example using sensors to measure sound and producing graphs from the data, and using microscopes linked to computers. There are good, established links with the secondary school and Year 6 pupils carry out

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

investigative activities under the guidance of their staff and this has a positive impact on their progress.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

11. Throughout the school there is good evidence of regular work being undertaken in art and design and this enables the pupils to attain good standards by the end of Year 6. A significant strength of the curriculum is the way in which each art topic is covered as a whole school project. Although the work of some famous artists is covered, the co- ordinators also choose lesser known artists and pupils from all year groups produce work at the same time using a variety of media. There are good examples of work using clay and other three-dimensional work such as sculptures using wire frames. The pupils’ progress in art is developed through the use of Artists in Residence . When these artists work with the pupils the opportunity is taken to identify those with particular talents and they are provided with additional guidance to help them progress further.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

12. All of the aspects of the information and communication technology curriculum are well covered and there is regular teaching of skills in all year groups and good opportunities for the pupils to use computers in the suite and also in classrooms. The very good leadership and enthusiasm of the staff ensure that the pupils achieve standards that are well above average by the end of Year 6. Word processing and publishing programs are used regularly and effectively to support work in literacy, history and geography and the Internet is used well to develop the pupils’ research skills, for instance in their topic on Mexico. Standards in science and numeracy are improved because the pupils use programs to increase their understanding of data handling, spreadsheets, using sensors and the construction of graphs and charts. The pupils demonstrate a high degree of skill as they produce animated films, altering the number

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

of frames per second and adding sound and music to the computer based project. The school makes very effective use of electronic mail and links with schools in Italy, Mexico, Sweden, Columbia and several in England, make a considerable impact on the pupils’ cultural awareness. Teaching and learning are very good throughout the school.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

13. The quality of teaching and learning is very good throughout the school and this has a very positive impact on the standards the pupils achieve. Sixteen lessons were observed during the inspection. Teaching was excellent in 12.5 per cent of the lessons seen, very good in 25 per cent and good in 62.5 per cent. This picture, together with the analysis of the pupils’ work, supports the judgement of very good teaching. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 14 14. The children are given a very good start to their schooling in the Reception class where the teaching is consistently very good. The learning activities are very well planned and taught, so the children’s skills are developed effectively according to their stage of maturity. Learning is enjoyable and the staff have created an exciting learning environment that makes the children want to take part and to be involved. Play activities

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

are very clearly linked to the various areas of learning and have a very clear and specific purpose. Members of staff encourage the children to make choices, take turns and to share things with their friends and this helps to develop their confidence. This has a significant impact on their learning. Most of the children are on course to exceed the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. Early writing skills are developed well and many children can write their name as well as a number of letters and words. The teacher introduces the early skills of literacy and numeracy very effectively, ensuring the children make rapid progress in these areas. There are good opportunities for role-play and the children draw on their own feelings when taking part, demonstrating good development of their social skills. The children develop a good knowledge and understanding of the world around them due to the good range of

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

activities on offer. The use of computers is effective with stories such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar and a program used to develop the children’s knowledge of the life cycle of a butterfly. The staff work together very effectively and provide the children with a lively and stimulating curriculum. A particular strength of the staff is their understanding of how young children learn. They know when to allow the children to find things out for themselves and when to intervene and give support so that the children’s learning moves on at a good pace. The standard of planning is of a very high quality as is the quality of the assessment of how the children are progressing. Plans are well advanced for the provision of a soft play area as part of a major refurbishment of the school’s playground facilities.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

15. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are very well taught throughout the school, enabling pupils of all abilities to make very good progress and to achieve very well. The mental arithmetic sessions at the beginning of lessons are brisk and provide the pupils with good skills to solve mathematical problems. In the most successful lessons, these mental ‘warm-up’ sessions are fun but provide the pupils with challenging activities that test their mental agility. A good example of this was seen in Year 6 where the pupils were challenged to ‘beat the teacher’ in completing a matrix involving the area of shapes. Where appropriate the pupils are ‘set’ or grouped according to their prior ability and the teachers match the work very closely to their needs. The skills of reading and writing are well taught through literacy lessons ensuring the pupils learn the basic skills quickly and effectively. The school makes effective use of staff to provide additional

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

support for both literacy and numeracy and this helps to raise standards. A particular strength of the teaching is the way in which literacy and numeracy skills are taught as an integral part of other curriculum areas. As a result, the pupils see the practical nature of the skills and regularly use them in ‘real life’ situations. For example, as part of their geography work they demonstrate good skills in writing in note form and reporting when they describe culture, climate and history in Mexico.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

16. The teachers are very enthusiastic and this results in lessons being interesting and exciting. For example in a Year 1 history lesson, the teacher provided the pupils with a wide range of activities, including an ‘archaeological dig’ to help develop their understanding of the past and to learn how evidence is collected. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very strong and this helps the pupils to develop confidence. This was evident in discussions with pupils who stated, ‘Teachers explain things really well,’ ‘Teachers are fair, they really help you,’ ‘Teachers are good friends,’ and ‘They’ve helped me to excel in some subjects.’ These relationships are developed Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 15 through the very high expectations of behaviour and work that the teachers expect from the pupils.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

17. Lessons are very well planned and the teachers have a very clear understanding of what the pupils will be expected to do at the end of the lesson. These learning objectives are shared with the pupils, so they know what is expected of them. The pupils are encouraged to ask for guidance and help if they do not understand and they are made aware of their strengths and weaknesses. This helps them to focus closely on what they need to do to improve.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

18. The school makes very good use of visitors to improve the quality of the pupils’ learning. Artists have worked with the pupils on a range of topics, including producing very effective and attractive works which form permanent displays. A conductor from the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has worked with pupils guiding them to compose an arrangement to a book and then performing the finished piece. Teachers make effective use of learning support assistants and they make a good contribution to the progress made by pupils with special educational needs.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

The pupils have very good attitudes towards work and their behaviour is excellent.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

19. The pupils’ attitudes towards school and towards work are very good. The pupils are encouraged to avail themselves of all that the school has to offer and they do so enthusiastically. They are keen to learn and recognise the importance of working hard to improve their skills.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

20. Pupils in the Reception class rapidly adapt to the classroom routines. The teacher and learning support assistant have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and the quality and range of work the children are expected to undertake. The children respond very well. During whole class activities they listen carefully to the teacher and respond enthusiastically to her questioning. They are appreciative of the efforts of others and are respectful of their views and comments. They are equally respectful with learning support staff and this all helps to create a very pleasant learning environment. When required to work on their own they do so without fuss and concentrate for long periods. Because of the respect shown by the staff the children quickly develop confidence and are eager to engage visitors in conversation and to show their work. They are very sensible when moving between self-chosen activities, waiting patiently for their turn and

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

occupying themselves with another activity until they can move on. For example, only a certain number of pupils play on the wheeled vehicles at any one time and others wait until they see there is free space before venturing outside. The ground rules concerning the high expectations of behaviour are effectively laid down in this class and no instances of misbehaviour were observed.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

21. In both the infant and junior classes the pupils continue to have very good attitudes towards learning. In lessons, the pupils are very enthusiastic, and are very keen to answer and ask questions and to take part in discussions. Pupils of all abilities are keen to share ideas, but they also listen well to the views and ideas of others. When working individually, the pupils show very high levels of concentration, and produce good amounts of written work. Most pupils take pride in the presentation of their work, and try hard to respond to their teachers’ suggestions for improvement. The pupils work very well together in pairs and in small groups, and willingly consider the ideas of one another. For example, in an information and communication technology lesson, the pupils worked very well in small groups, considering how best to create an animation and pupils willingly took on the different roles of director, camera operator and animator.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 16 They ‘argued’ with one another as to the best approach but it was done light-heartedly and there was an obvious respect for one another’s views. Pupils of all abilities are confident in their work, and this is because the teachers value their contributions and encourage them to participate.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

22. The school provides good opportunities for the pupils to carry out investigative activities in science and to carry out research projects as part of their English, history and geography. The pupils enjoy these activities and this is evident in the detailed research carried out as part of their work on Mexico. The pupils are encouraged to carry out further research at home and frequently use books and the Internet to discover more about topics that have aroused their interest.

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

23. The standard of pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Pupils of all ages are self-assured, and extremely polite, helpful and friendly. Older pupils, in particular, have very good levels of self-discipline, which are evident, for example, when they are briefly left unattended, and continue to work conscientiously and quietly. The pupils demonstrate high levels of respect for others, and for property, and have a very good understanding of the need to consider the feelings of others. The older pupils always set a good example to younger pupils. At playtimes, pupils of all ages play well with one another, and younger children mix very well with the older pupils who look after them well. No instances of bullying were observed during the inspection and both pupils and parents indicated that on the rare occasions it occurred it was dealt with very effectively. The pupils show high levels of respect for midday supervisors and lunchtimes are pleasant occasions, helped by

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average standards in writing. The pupils attain high standards in art and design and

the range of games and activities on offer.

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The pupils are provided with a very good curriculum that is enriched through a wide

24. The school fully meets the statutory requirements in terms of the subjects it provides for the pupils. It provides a wide range of stimulating and interesting activities that do much to enrich the learning experiences for the pupils and these contribute significantly to their overall attainment and progress and to their personal development.

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The pupils are provided with a very good curriculum that is enriched through a wide

25. The provision that is made for children in the Reception class is very good. The quality of the teacher’s planning and organisation ensures that the needs of these young children are met very effectively. The children are provided with many opportunities to learn through role-play, using computers to practise skills and to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. They develop their musical skills, regularly joining in with nursery rhymes and songs that are an integral part of the curriculum. As a joint creative arts co-ordinator the teacher has a keen interest in developing the children’s artistic talents and this is reflected in the quality of creative work they produce. Reception class children are involved in whole school activities such as assemblies and this helps to ensure they feel part of the school community, and provides them with good opportunities to mix with older pupils.

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The pupils are provided with a very good curriculum that is enriched through a wide

26. As the pupils move into the infants and throughout the juniors there are many more opportunities for the pupils to participate in the wide range of activities. The school was recently awarded ‘Artsmark Gold’ status for the considerable work undertaken to develop the creative arts at the school. Whole school projects on the work of abstract artists such as Picasso, Kandinsky and Bridget Riley provide the pupils with the opportunity to see their work displayed very effectively throughout the school. The use of professional artists who work with the pupils enables the less able pupils as well as Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 17 the more talented to achieve well. The artwork adds to the pupils’ multi-cultural awareness, with good examples of Indian, Chinese, African and Mexican work seen.

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The pupils are provided with a very good curriculum that is enriched through a wide

27. The school makes very effective use of the skills and talents of its staff. The lunchtime story club gives the pupils the opportunity to listen to a skilled story-teller, engendering a love of books. The inspection team were entertained by the pupils in the Handbell Club who, under the tutorship of the school secretary, gave a lively rendition of the Can-Can. A good number of pupils take advantage of music tuition to learn brass and woodwind instruments. The musical and dramatic talents of the pupils are demonstrated to parents through the school’s regular performances. Sporting activities are a good feature of the school and both the Liverpool and Tranmere Academies have provided coaching – with obvious success as, during the inspection week, the school team won through to a national final to be held at the Millennium Stadium.

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The pupils are provided with a very good curriculum that is enriched through a wide

28. A good number of older pupils take advantage of the information and communication technology club and this helps to develop their computer skills. The pupils go on residential trips and take part in a wide range of educational visits to science fairs, museums and galleries. Together with the visits from poets, theatre groups, musicians and artists this helps to provide them with a very rich and varied curriculum.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

supported by senior staff and governors.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

29. The headteacher has maintained the very good leadership of his predecessor and the school has made significant progress since the previous inspection. The leadership has been very successful in moving the school forward. The standards in National Curriculum tests have improved significantly as a result of improved teaching, very good planning and very effective use of the assessment procedures. These improvements have not been made at the expense of ‘squeezing’ other subjects. Indeed, there is a determination amongst the staff to ensure that all of the pupils are provided with a good balance of academic, musical and sporting activities. Its success in these aims is due to the strong leadership and excellent support of all staff.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

30. There are excellent procedures in place for assessing the children when they enter the Reception class and the needs of the children are identified early. Those children with special educational needs are provided with a good level of appropriate support and most are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals in most areas of learning. The more able pupils are provided with challenging activities, ensuring that they achieve well. The school has established very good links with an Early Years Centre of Excellence and has benefited from adopting some strategies. The processes for assessing the pupils’ progress in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science are well established and the teachers use the information to plan future work very effectively. The co-ordinators identify areas of weakness and adapt schemes of work to ensure standards improve. Co-ordinators are very active and continually look to

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

see how they might improve their subjects. There are good links with the feeder high school and the very good relationships enable the school to benefit from subject expertise of its staff.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

31. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is well-co-ordinated and the recommendations of the new Code of Practice have been fully implemented. Pupils in the infant and junior classes are provided with very good support and there are regular meetings with parents ensuring they are kept fully informed about their child’s progress. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 18 The school makes effective use of outside agencies such as the educational psychology service, speech therapy and behaviour support.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

32. The Governing Body is well-informed and has a very good awareness of what is happening in school. They approve all policies, including race equality, and ensure that they are implemented. A good number of governors are regular visitors to the school and they help in class in a variety of ways. Issues such as target-setting are discussed and they have a detailed knowledge of the standards attained by the pupils in national tests. Governors are fully conversant with all aspects of financial planning and the strategic management. They have been very involved in securing improvements to the building including a new office and a headteacher’s room, and improved reception area and two new classrooms. They are working closely with the headteacher to develop the accommodation further to provide a creative arts facility and for significant improvements to the outside play areas. The school improvement plan and the longer

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

term development plan are good working documents that give a very clear idea of what the school is doing to improve. Targets are prioritised, appropriately costed and there is clear indication as to how the school is monitoring progress.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

33. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored regularly by the senior management and by subject co-ordinators and includes the monitoring of lessons and the analysis of pupils’ work. The staff benefit from clear feedback about their teaching and this is used as a focus for professional development. As a result of the effective monitoring the quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection when it was broadly satisfactory with a small amount of unsatisfactory teaching. An indication of this improvement is the award of advanced skills status – one of the first within the authority – to a member of staff. The quality of teaching ensures that the pupils’ prior attainment is effectively built upon, ensuring most pupils achieve as well as they can.

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The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and is very well

34. The headteacher has high expectations of what can be achieved at the school. He recognises the strengths of his staff, and his deputy, an exemplar teacher, together with the senior management team, provide strong support. However, the significant strength of the school is the excellent team approach with all staff providing excellent support for one another and working very co-operatively. This creates a very positive ethos, where morale is very high and where the pupils enjoy learning. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 19

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The school has no significant weaknesses.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The headteacher, staff and governors should implement the issues outlined in the school development plan. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 20

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 214

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 46

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 26

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

School data 4.6 School data 0.0 Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 21 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 495265

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 515,414

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 143 Expenditure per pupil 2,321

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 29,121

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 8,972

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 23

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 15 14 29

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 12 14 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 13 12

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (81) 93 (81) 83 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 13 12 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 13 11

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (81) 86 (91) 76 (81) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 13 19 32

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 11 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 15 18

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

Percentage of pupils School 84 (82) 81 (91) 94 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 11 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 16 19

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (85) 84 (94) 97 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 24 Woodchurch Church of England Primary School - 25

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Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

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Questionnaire return rate

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

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Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 57 40 2 1 0

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Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 46 50 0 0 4

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Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 51 8 2 0

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Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 29 21 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 36 4 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 32 0 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 42 36 17 0 5

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Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 49 51 0 0 0

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Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 45 0 0 2

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Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 48 32 13 3 4

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