Swanbourne Church of England VA School

SWANBOURNE CE VA FIRST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 nd – 5 th June 2003

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SWANBOURNE CE VA FIRST 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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SWANBOURNE CE VA FIRST 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. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Winslow Road Swanbourne Milton Keynes Postcode: MK17 0SW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr David Blunt

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 th May 1998 Swanbourne CE VA First School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

13712 Mr Stephen Dennett Registered inspector Mathematics Science Art and design Design and technology Information and communication technology Physical education Educational Inclusion What sort of school is it? The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What the school should do to improve further? 19361 Mr Keith Ross Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 20003 Mrs Susan Metcalfe Team inspector Foundation Stage Special Educational Needs English as an additional language English Geography History Music Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How good are the curricular and other opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Swanbourne CE VA First 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school provides full time education for 11 pupils aged four to nine. However, there are currently no pupils in Year 4. It also provides part-time education for six children aged four in a morning nursery class. In addition, two children of reception age attend the nursery in the morning and join with the remaining child of reception age in the main school in the afternoon. The rest of the pupils are taught in one class, which is divided into groups for some subjects, with Year 3 pupils being taught separately from pupils in Reception and Year 1 and 2. The school is very small and the roll has fallen significantly over the past two years, due to uncertainty about the school’s viability. However, numbers in the nursery have increased recently and the school’s future now appears to be more secure. Pupils come from a variety of backgrounds, including white British, white Irish, black African, dual heritage and other black origins. All

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils speak English as their mother tongue. No pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well below the national average. Twenty-two per cent of pupils have been identified by the school as having special educational needs, which include emotional and behavioural difficulties and problems with language development; this is above the national average. No pupils have statements of special educational needs, which is below average. Pupils attend the school from a wide catchment area and their social and economic circumstances are very variable, but broadly as expected. Pupils’ levels of attainment are also very variable, but broadly average. This is confirmed by the school’s own assessment when children enter the nursery. The school currently has an acting head teacher, as the previous substantive head teacher resigned at the end of the Autumn Term 2002. The governing body are seeking to appoint a new

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

substantive head teacher from January 2004.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school which has made a very good improvement since its last inspection. Standards at the end of Year 3 are generally above those expected. Teaching is good overall and pupils are making good progress in their learning. The governing body and acting head teacher provide very good leadership and management for the school and are well supported by subject co-ordinators. Despite the extremely high unit cost, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The governing body and acting head teacher provide very good leadership and management for the school. • Standards are above the expected level overall at the end of Year 3 and pupils’ levels of achievement are generally good. • Pupils enjoy school and have positive attitudes towards their work. • The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall and the school takes good care of its pupils. • Parents have very positive views of the school. • The school has very good links with the community and good links with partner institutions.

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What could be improved

• Some pupils’ relationships with their peers are generally unsatisfactory and some pupils have insufficient understanding of the impact of their actions on others. • Science, geography and physical education lack sufficient resources to implement the full curriculum effectively. 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 very significantly since its last inspection in 1998. At that time, the school was required to improve the quality of education generally at Key Stage 2 and specifically to raise standards in mathematics and science. This has been addressed very well and standards in these two subjects are now above the national expectations at the end of Year 3. The school was also required to improve systems for Swanbourne CE VA First School - 7 assessment and the use of assessment information to set targets for improvement and to adjust teachers’ planning where necessary. This has been addressed well in English, mathematics and science and is developing satisfactorily in other subjects. The school has increased teaching time in Key Stage 2 to at least the national average. The last report identified weaknesses in teachers’ subject knowledge in mathematics, science and art. In all these areas, the current staff have good subject knowledge which they

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

use well to extend pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. Finally, the governing body was required to meet statutory requirements for teacher appraisal, the contents of the school prospectus and the annual governors’ report to parents. These have all been met. In addition to the specific issues raised in the last report, the school has also been successful in improving standards in English, art and design, design and technology and history. There have been improvements, too, in provision for pupils with special educational needs. The overall leadership and management of the school by the governing body and the head teacher have also improved from good to very good.

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STANDARDS

The table of results from national tests for the last few years has been omitted as the number of pupils taking the test was below the legal limit for reporting. In general, results showed standards to be above average and improving over the last three years. Observed standards were good overall. At the Foundation Stage, children achieve well in relation to their attainment on entry and reach the early learning goals in all subjects. They are likely to exceed the early learning goals in their knowledge and understanding of the world, their creative development and their physical development. At Key Stage 1, standards are in line with national averages at the end of Year 2 in English, mathematics and science. They are also in line with the expected standards for pupils age seven in design and technology (DT), geography, information and communication technology (ICT), music and physical education (PE).

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STANDARDS

Standards are above the expected level in art and design and history. Standards are above average in English, mathematics, science at the end of Year 3. They are above the level expected at the end of Year 3 in art and design, DT, and history. In geography, ICT, music and PE, standards are in line with those expected from pupils aged eight. Religious education (RE) was not inspected. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their learning and gifted pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. Due to the very small cohorts in the school, the outcomes are very much influenced by individual pupils and standards vary significantly from year to year as a result.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are enthusiastic about school. They are interested and involved in the activities provided, and this has a positive impact on the progress they make.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is satisfactory overall, both in the classroom and at play times. From time to time, pupils become over excited and on these occasions behaviour can deteriorate and become unacceptable.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships between some pupils and their peers are unsatisfactory and this sometimes has a negative impact on the progress pupils make in lessons. Pupils often make negative comments about each other and seem unduly competitive in lessons. They frequently show little respect for the feelings of others and have a poorly developed understanding of the impact of their actions on others. Pupils’ levels of personal responsibility are generally satisfactory and occasionally they are willing to take the initiative in their learning. Relationships between pupils and their teachers are satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Levels of attendance are well above the national average. Pupils are generally punctual and lessons begin on time. This has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 8

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Years 1 – 2 Year 3

Quality of teaching Good Satisfactory 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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Years 1 – 2 Year 3

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. At the Foundation Stage teaching is good and children are making good progress in their learning. At Key Stage 1 the impact of teaching is satisfactory overall and during the inspection some good and very good teaching was seen. Teachers have satisfactory subject knowledge and the teaching of basic skills is sound. Overall, the teaching of literacy and numeracy is satisfactory. Teachers manage pupils appropriately, although on occasion they tolerate too much noise and pupils speaking ‘out of turn’. When this happens, pupils’ concentration levels deteriorate and learning is barely satisfactory. The teaching at Key Stage 2 is good overall. In the lessons seen, teaching was often very good and, occasionally excellent. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use well to extend pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. Expectations are high, both in terms of academic

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Years 1 – 2 Year 3

achievement and pupils’ behaviour. However, there are occasions when pupils’ poorly developed interpersonal skills result in unnecessary disruption. Teachers generally handle these situations well. Overall, pupils are making good progress in their acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding as they move through the school. All pupils make similar good progress irrespective of their gender, prior attainment or racial background. Despite good teaching overall, pupils are only indifferent independent learners and teachers are concentrating on improving this aspect of their learning. Some pupils have very short attention spans and some unsatisfactory relationships mean that learning is occasionally hindered. Teachers are very aware of these problems and are taking effective steps to improve relationships and pupils’ independent learning skills.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Learning opportunities are satisfactory overall and all statutory requirements are met. There are strengths in the provision of art and design and history, but weaknesses in geography and music. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good and there is a wide range of visits provided for pupils. The local community makes a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. The school works well in partnership with parents.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good. Individual education plans are well focussed and indicate what pupils need to do in order to improve their performance. Teachers know their pupils very well and the tasks provided are well matched to their individual needs. Parents are kept well informed about their children’s progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is good overall. Provision for their spiritual development is satisfactory, although occasionally opportunities are missed in lessons for pupils to reflect on their own values and to appreciate the values of others. In the other areas of their personal development, provision is good, although some pupils do not take full advantage of the opportunities offered.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for its pupils well. There are good procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic performance and personal development are good overall. The school makes good provision for pupils’ personal and educational support and guidance. Assessment systems are satisfactory overall, and well developed in English and mathematics. In other subjects, some assessment systems are in the very early stages of development, but good use is made of information to Swanbourne CE VA First School - 9 provide pupils with tasks which are appropriate to their needs. All pupils have well-focussed individual targets for improvement, which are shared effectively with parents and pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff The school is very well led and managed by the acting head teacher. She has a clear vision for the school and has taken effective action to secure a very good level of improvement since she joined the school in January 2003. She is well supported by subject co-ordinators even although they are part time teachers. The previous management of the school appears to have been satisfactory overall, although some key issues remaining from the last inspection had not been fully addressed.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is very effective in carrying out its statutory responsibilities. It has a clear idea of the challenges and opportunities facing the school and has taken effective action in dealing with the most pressing. It has worked well with the acting head teacher in appraising the school’s performance and in developing the most recent improvement plan. As a result of a well-focussed action plan, the school’s aims and objectives are very well reflected in its work.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school’s monitoring and evaluation of its performance is very good and has been efficiently carried out by the acting head teacher and the chair of the governing body.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good use is made of all resources, including grants and available funds. The school has very effective accountancy procedures and financial planning is detailed and accurate. The school currently has a deficit budget, due to the unexpected fall in roll in 2002. However, the governing body has a good financial plan for dealing with this, which has been approved by the local education authority. The school makes good use of ICT to support both pupils’ learning and routine administration. The school is very well staffed. The accommodation is adequate and resources are satisfactory overall. However, there are insufficient resources for science, geography and PE. Resources for mathematics are good.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Parents think that their children make good progress. • Most parents think teaching at the school is very good. • The majority of parents think that teachers are approachable and that issues are dealt with effectively. • All parents think the school encourages their children to work hard and achieve their best. • A few parents would like more information on their children’s progress. • Some parents would like more after school clubs.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents have very positive views of the school. The inspection team agrees that most pupils are making good progress in their learning and that there are good links with parents. It also thinks that teaching is good and that teachers encourage pupils to do their best. Inspectors judge school reports and other information on pupils’ progress to be good, although recent changes in staffing means that this has not Swanbourne CE VA First School - 10 always been consistent in the past. The school’s provision for after school clubs is satisfactory and consistent with the small size and nature of the school. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children enter the school with levels of attainment which are very variable, but broadly as expected. They make good progress in their learning overall, and by the time they enter Year 1, they generally achieve standards which exceed the early learning goals for the Foundation Stage 1 . They reach the early learning goals for language, literacy and communication, for their mathematical development and for their personal, emotional and social development. Higher attaining children are well above expectations in these three areas. All children exceed the early learning goals in their knowledge and understanding of the word, their creative development and their physical development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The results from national tests for the last few years have been omitted from this report as the number of pupils taking the test was below the legal limit for reporting. In general, results show standards to be above average and improving over the last three years. Observed standards are above expectations overall when pupils leave the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection, where standards were found to be in line with expectations at Key Stage 1 2 , but below expectations at Key Stage 2 3 .

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. At Key Stage 1 standards are in line with national averages at the end of Year 2 in English, mathematics and science. In these subjects, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Standards are in line with those expected for pupils by the end of Year 2 in design and technology (DT), geography, information and communication technology (ICT), music and physical education (PE). Pupils’ achievement in these subjects is also satisfactory. Standards are above the expected level in art and design and history. In these subjects, pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils make satisfactory use of their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in other subjects. Standards of speaking are generally good, but listening skills are underdeveloped. Pupils’ reading, writing and numeracy skills are satisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Standards are above average in English, mathematics, science at the end of Year 3 and pupils’ achievements are good. Standards are above the level expected at the end of Year 3 in art and design, DT, and history. In these subjects, pupils’ achievement is good. In geography, ICT, music and PE, standards are in line with those expected from pupils aged eight. Achievement is satisfactory in these subjects. Religious education (RE) was not inspected. Pupils make good use of their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in other subjects. Standards of speaking are good and listening skills are satisfactory. Overall, pupils’ reading and writing skills are good. Pupils’ grasp of basic arithmetic is good.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their learning and gifted pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. Due to the very small cohorts in the school, the outcomes are very much influenced by individual pupils and standards vary significantly year by year as a result.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. At the time of the last inspection, pupils were judged to have good and positive attitudes to school. Their behaviour in and around the school was good and relationships were positive. While the school has been able to maintain pupils’ enthusiasm for school and their interest and involvement in activities, standards in other areas have declined to the extent that behaviour is now only

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

1 Foundation Stage – Provision for children under the age of five. 2 Years 1 and 2 for pupils aged five to seven. 3 In this school, normally Years 3 and 4, but currently only Year 3. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 12 satisfactory. While pupils’ relationships with adults are satisfactory, relationships between many but all of the pupils are unsatisfactory. They are unduly competitive, frequently make negative comments about others’ work and find it difficult to co-operate with one another when working in pairs or groups.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. Parents agree that their children are enthusiastic about coming to school and they develop positive attitudes to their learning. This makes a strong contribution to the good progress they make and the standards they reach. Pupils show significant interest in all activities. They willingly undertake a range of jobs that help with the smooth running of the school. For example, older pupils tidy the bicycles and other toys into the shed after playtime before joining younger pupils eat their fruit and listen to a story in the classroom.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Most behaviour by pupils is satisfactory. No pupil could recall an incident of bullying or oppressive behaviour, though some are aware that comments about gender or different backgrounds have been made. All are aware of what they are to do should any incidents occur. Pupils do not always understand the impact of their actions on others, they lack concern for how their classmates feel when others shout out, talk loudly over what they are saying or snatch erasers and pencils. Behaviour in the playground is satisfactory, although occasionally play is over boisterous. Pupils tend to play on their own or in pairs and there is little co-operative or team play. In lessons, behaviour is nearly always at least satisfactory and, in Year 3, it is often good. However, this is mainly due to teachers’ effective behaviour management strategies. On the very few occasions when behaviour management is insecure, behaviour rapidly becomes unsatisfactory.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Relationships are unsatisfactory overall. Pupils have satisfactory relationships with members of staff. Younger pupils help tidy away at the end of lessons while older move equipment and play with younger at breaks. All staff know all the pupils well and understand their needs. This results in pupils developing satisfactory confidence and self-assurance. However, relationships between many pupils are unsatisfactory. In practical subjects such as art, music and science, for instance, they are reluctant to take responsibility for their actions and are negative about each other’s work, talking over each other and the teacher, making irrelevant comments that have a negative impact on learning. Pupils have poor independent learning skills and would tend to let teachers do tasks for them, if this were tolerated, which is not. Pupils seem generally reluctant to take the initiative for their learning. However, during the inspection, pupils were observed volunteering information

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

in assemblies and lessons, which staff reported to be a significant step forward for these pupils. Although pupils are generally tolerant towards each other and value each other’s achievements when shared in assemblies, for example, they do not show much understanding of the impact of their words and actions on others when in class.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Attendance is very good. It is well above the average of most schools and there is no unauthorised absence. All pupils attend regularly and their overall eagerness to be at school has a very positive impact on their learning and personal development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

11. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection, when teaching was found to be satisfactory overall, but with significant weaknesses at Key Stage 2. At that time, teachers had insufficient subject knowledge in mathematics, science and art and expectations were low. These issues have been addressed well and teachers’ subject knowledge is now good and expectations high.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12. At the Foundation Stage teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use well to extend children’s basic skills and their knowledge and understanding. Planning is good and takes account of the ‘stepping stones’ to the early learning goals. Where appropriate, due account is taken of the Key Stage 1 curriculum, especially for higher attaining children who have already passed these Swanbourne CE VA First School - 13 goals. Teachers have high expectations of achievement and behaviour and the teaching methods used are effective, taking into account the age range of the children. Good use is made of time and resources. Systems for assessment are good and the information gained is used effectively to ensure that children have work which is appropriate to their needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. At Key Stage 1, the impact of teaching is satisfactory overall and during the inspection some good and very good teaching was seen. Teachers have satisfactory subject knowledge and the teaching of basic skills is sound. Planning takes account of the wide age and ability range of pupils, but still needs further refinement to be fully effective. For example, the national strategies for literacy and numeracy have only been recently introduced and are still being ‘fine tuned’. Overall, the teaching of literacy and numeracy is satisfactory. However, as these strategies have only recently been introduced, they have not yet been sufficiently adapted to the needs of the school. Teachers manage pupils appropriately, although on occasion they tolerate too much noise and pupils speaking ‘out of turn’. When this happens, pupils’ concentration levels deteriorate and learning is barely satisfactory. Assessment systems are satisfactory overall, and well developed in English

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

and mathematics. In other subjects, some assessment systems are in the very early stages of development. Good use is made of assessment information in English and mathematics to provide pupils with tasks which are appropriate to their needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The teaching at Key Stage 2 is good overall. In the lessons seen teaching was often very good and, occasionally, excellent. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use well to extend pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. Planning is detailed and effective, being well matched to pupils’ prior attainment. Teachers set well-focussed individual targets for improvement, which are shared effectively with parents and pupils. Expectations are high, both in terms of academic achievement and pupils’ behaviour. However, there are occasions when pupils’ poorly developed interpersonal skills result in unnecessary disruption. Teachers generally handle these situations well. Teachers use a wide variety of teaching methods and generally engage pupils’ interest effectively. Good use is made of time and resources. All teachers make effective use of ICT to support learning and to develop pupils’ skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Good teaching is characterised by good subject knowledge which teachers use well to extend pupils’ understanding. Effective questioning is also used well to probe pupils’ grasp of important concepts. In good lessons, planning is detailed and identifies well what pupils need to do in order to improve. The work expected of pupils is well matched to their needs and is challenging. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, insecure management of pupils means that behaviour rapidly deteriorates and learning is minimal.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Each pupil has a well focussed individual education plan (IEP) which identifies what he or she needs to do to improve their performance. Where necessary, the IEP includes targets for personal and social development and these are incorporated effectively into teachers’ plans for lessons. Teachers are very aware of the need to improve pupils’ social skills and take great pains to provide pupils with opportunities to relate to each other positively. Teachers know pupils very well and this has a positive impact on their progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Overall, pupils are making at least good progress in their acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding as they move through the school. All pupils make similar good progress irrespective of their gender, prior attainment or racial background. Despite good teaching overall, pupils are only indifferent independent learners and teachers are concentrating on improving this aspect of their learning. Some pupils have very short attention spans and some unsatisfactory relationships mean that occasionally learning is hindered. Teachers are very aware of these problems and are taking effective steps to improve relationships and pupils’ independent learning skills. They have introduced class discussions (‘circle time’) to develop pupils’ listening skills and to enable them to have an understanding of the impact of their actions on others. This is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ personal development and relationships. Teachers also take the time to bring

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Swanbourne CE VA First School - 14 pupils’ attention to poor attitudes. This, too, is beginning to improve the situation generally, although as yet a few pupils have not responded positively to this encouragement. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 15

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PUPILS?

18. The school’s curriculum meets all legal requirements. The range of learning opportunities are good for children in reception. There have been good improvements made since the last inspection where the issues were: the amount of teaching time for older pupils, especially the time allocated for mathematics and science and the depth in planning and content for subjects such as science, design and technology, art and physical education. The recent adoption of a nationally produced scheme of work for each subject area, along with the national literacy and numeracy strategies means that older pupils have a more balanced curriculum in terms of time for each subject. The contents and relevance of each area now meets the requirements of the National Curriculum in full.

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PUPILS?

19. The Foundation Stage curriculum prepares the children in nursery and reception well for work in the infants. Learning is securely based on the nationally recommended six areas of learning for young children. The staff provide a range of interesting and relevant activities to enable these children to make good progress. Planning to support children’s personal, social and emotional development is particularly well developed and is carefully linked with the development of communication skills to support the other four areas of learning. Planning for the reception children is integrated into the planning for the infants as a whole. The full time reception child has a modified curriculum during the morning linked to the national literacy and numeracy strategies while the three reception children join the infants for activities drawn from knowledge and understanding of the world and physical and creative development using the themes and topics of

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PUPILS?

20. Planning across the school is good and ensures that lessons systematically develop knowledge and skills in all subjects. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used throughout classes to support other subjects, including literacy and numeracy. ICT is also used to support pupils developing researching skills in history and geography. The skills at the core of these subjects are developed systematically. All subjects have policies and schemes of work. Medium-term planning is very effective, including detailed work for pupils of different abilities. The planning contains assessment statements that define the teachers’ expectations. The effectiveness of the school’s strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are satisfactory and many opportunities are provided for pupils to speak, listen, read, write, count and measure in a range of situations for instance in history, geography, science, music and art and design technology.

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PUPILS?

21. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good. Educational visits contribute well to curricular enrichment. For example, a visit to Aylesbury Museum and a maths workshop at Stoke Mandeville combined school. Visitors to school have included an artist in residence who worked with pupils to produce ceramics which were later exhibited with other specialist work in the village hall. Such events contribute well to pupils’ understanding and awareness of life and work outside school. The school uses local resources well to enhance pupils’ learning. For example, on Evacuee Day when local residents acted as host families for the afternoon giving pupils first hand experience and empathy with the times.

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PUPILS?

22. The school makes sure that all pupils are included in all activities and have equality of access and opportunity regardless of gender, ethnicity, background or prior attainment. The small size of the school means that pupils are given almost individual attention and that tasks are well matched to individual pupils’ needs. The only weakness is the lack of provision for the disabled as there is no specially adapted toilet and wheelchair access is difficult. However, the governing body is aware of the weakness and has plans to address the problems during the summer holiday.

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PUPILS?

23. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well. The special educational needs register was put into place in the spring and currently supports three pupils, one being monitored and two on school action education programmes. The programme to review progress is in place. Because Swanbourne CE VA First School - 16 of the careful planning of lessons and the tracking of children’s progress from the moment they enter the school, those with a special educational or behavioural need are identified early and targeted support put in place. When necessary the school involves a range of support agencies to give help and resources and an individual education plan is drawn up to pin point need. These are used by teachers in planning the work of their class to make sure that all activities are appropriate for all pupils. Likewise, the school tries to identify early those who have a particular talent or

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PUPILS?

ability and devise ways to support and challenge their learning.

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PUPILS?

24. The school has very good links with the community and good links with partner institutions to support pupils’ learning. There are strong links with the church and senior citizens regularly visit the school to join in activities. There are very strong links with the village community who see the school as a focus. People from the village with particular skills are invited into school to enhance pupils’ learning. The school also works closely with the local combined school to ensure continuity of education for its pupils.

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PUPILS?

25. The arrangements for pupils’ personal, social and health education are good. Pupils are beginning to develop an understanding of what being a member of a community means through discussion and role play. Sex education and the development of an awareness of the danger of the misuse of drugs and medicines are tackled appropriately in science, religious education, food technology and whole class discussions, preparing pupils for their future lives as adults. Each Friday the school holds an achievement assembly where pupils’ successes in and out of school are celebrated. This enables teachers to discuss standards and draw to pupil’s attention acceptable standards of behaviour and relationships.

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PUPILS?

26. Provision for the pupils’ personal development is good overall. Good provision is made for their moral, social and cultural development and satisfactory provision for their spiritual development. Although good opportunities for the developing pupils’ spiritual awareness are made in assemblies, other opportunities are missed in lessons to develop pupils’ understanding of their own views and the views of others. Central to the work in the school is the way it aims to lead pupils towards a clear set of values based on its Christian commitment. The development of good relationships, based on caring for all individuals equally, is at the heart of this provision. The pupils are taught to value themselves and each other and to understand and follow the rules that govern the school community. Although this work is relatively new within the school, the teachers feel that the provision is already improving relationships between the pupils though there is still much work to

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PUPILS?

be done. Pupils were involved with the drawing up of the rules for their classes, having to consider the opinions of others, seeing and evaluating different points of view. The school helps them to understand and aim towards high standards of behaviour and positive attitudes and relationships. All pupils understand right and wrong and are beginning to do their best to behave well and care for each other. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. It includes not only visitors to the school to support subjects such as history, but also the range of stories, poetry, art and music from around the world that they are introduced to in lessons. The school prepares the pupils well for life in a more multicultural society than that represented by their immediate area through the encouragement of those from different ethnic backgrounds to become fully involved with the work of the school.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

27. The school provides good support and guidance to its pupils in a caring environment in which the head teacher and staff know the pupils’ well. This provides a good foundation for developing pupils’ positive attitudes to school. Parents feel that the school is a safe and caring environment. The strengths situation found at the time of the last inspection have been maintained. Risk assessments, a statutory responsibility of the governing body, are undertaken and some significant risks have been formally recorded. However, the school now needs to extend risk assessment to show a full and accurate awareness of any potential risks to pupils’ safety. Regular reviews are Swanbourne CE VA First School - 17 made of the condition of the premises and any issues arising are dealt with promptly and effectively. There are effective procedures to report health and safety concerns and to record any remedial action taken.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

28. Procedures for child protection are good and meet statutory requirements. Suitable systems are in place to deal with any situations that may occur. First aid procedures are implemented well and all staff have been trained in first aid. Appropriate procedures are in place for recording accidents and notifying parents of any injury that may require further monitoring. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good. Records of attendance are properly maintained and comply with statutory requirements.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

29. The procedures for promoting and monitoring behaviour are good. Recently introduced strategies, including reinforcing positive behaviour, working in small groups and using role play are being used to target a minority of pupils who have behaviour and relationship problems. However, these strategies are at an early stage and have not yet been given sufficient time to have a full impact. Teachers and other staff are sensitive to pupils’ needs and this, together with a target set termly for each pupil’s social development, ensures effective monitoring of their personal and social development.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress, although new, are good. Since January a policy has been put in place and a range of assessment opportunities planned to enable teachers to monitor pupils’ achievement. Children’s skills are assessed upon entry to the school and the nursery nurse uses the data collected to plan a range of activities that support learning across the six areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The nursery nurse has established good tracking systems and uses the information well to meet children’s individual and specific needs. All information is recorded on pupils’ individual tracking sheets. These sheets go through the school with the pupils as teachers add the results of statutory tests and tasks as well as the optional tests for year three pupils. All assessments are analysed thoroughly as pupils progress through the school and teachers use the assessment information well to guide curriculum planning.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

The school also adds to the statutory assessments tracking of pupils’ progress through the high frequency vocabulary of the national literacy project and annual reading and spelling tests. This is good practice. For other areas of the curriculum, the teachers make good use of end of topic tasks from the schemes of work. These systems continue to be improved and are being developed into pupil profiles to enable a full picture to be gained. These good procedures enable the school to identify pupils with special gifts or talents for support, as well as pupils with special educational needs. From these, the school is able to draw up individual education plans with targets to help pupils learn. Consequently, all pupils are helped to make good progress relative to their prior attainment.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

31. Parents’ views of the school are very positive, as at the time of the previous inspection. Parents hold the school in very high regard. They are especially pleased with the happiness of their children at school and feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions and any problems. They believe the teaching is good and that the school is well led and managed. They appreciate the help their children are given to become mature and responsible. Inspection evidence supports the positive views of parents. Parents cite many recent improvements at the school. These include a more open door policy and that school policy better reflects children’s needs. They see the school as a family with a Christian ethos which they value. Parents are keen to see this historic small village school prosper.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

32. Parents are provided with good quality information about the school through regular newsletters and general correspondence. The school brochure and governors’ annual report are full and informative documents, encouraging home-school partnership. Both these important documents Swanbourne CE VA First School - 18 meet statutory requirements. A particular merit of home/school communications is that parents are informed of the targets set for their children and the topics they are going to cover. This is particularly helpful to parents since it enables them to support their children’s learning in a practical way. Parents report that children’s home/school diaries are helpful and make for good two-way communication. Annual reports to parents on their children’s progress are good. There are good communications with parents of pupils with special educational needs. They are fully involved in the review procedure and say they are kept well informed about their children’s

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

progress. 33. The contribution of parents to their children’s learning at school and at home is good. There are a few parents, volunteers and governors who loyally assist in a variety of roles and contribute positively to pupils’ learning. Additionally, the school values the support provided by the Friends of Swanbourne School (FOSS). This is a small but committed group that organises a range of fund raising events. Monies raised are then used for additional equipment for the school and in the nursery. The partnership between staff and parents is strong especially in the nursery. Parents are pleased with the quality of provision for their children, the open door approach for problems and the friendliness of the staff. The arrangements for settling children into school are flexible and very supportive.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

34. The leadership and management of the school by the acting head teacher are very good. This represents an improvement since the last inspection, when these aspects were found to be good overall. There is a very clear educational direction and the school’s aims and objectives are reflected very well in its work. Subject co-ordinators fulfil their management responsibilities very well and contribute effectively to the general management of the school. They have monitored standards effectively and have a very good grasp of what is needed to move the school forward. The school has recently faced a significant crisis of confidence by parents in the viability of the school. This was related to a possible merger with a neighbouring school and was suggested by the diocese and local education authority, but in fact this did not take place. During the period of uncertainty, several parents withdrew their children and pupil numbers fell significantly. These

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

factors had a negative impact on the school’s budget, staff confidence and class organisation. Despite this challenging scenario, the governing body, acting head teacher and staff have managed to re-establish parents’ confidence and numbers are beginning to rise. The acting head teacher has established good systems to support the school during the short period before the governing body are able to appoint a permanent head teacher.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

35. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good. Staff are fully aware of the knowledge, skills and understanding that the nursery and reception children will need to take full advantage of the work in the infants. They have training in the Foundation Stage curriculum and plan effectively as a team to provide activities to take children through to achieving the early learning goals.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

36. The management of special educational needs is good. Effective systems have been put into place and there is careful monitoring of pupils’ progress against their individual education plans (IEPs). The acting head teacher acts as the special educational needs co-ordinator and she is well supported by the governing body. Pupils are identified early by good assessment systems in the nursery and the information is passed on to teachers in the main school. Pupils’ IEPs are reviewed regularly and notes made to ensure that targets are continually well matched to pupils’ needs.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

37. The governing body is very effective in fulfilling its responsibilities. All statutory duties are met well. There are several effective committees, which oversee the work of the school and all governors are kept well informed about the school’s work. The chair of governors is very well informed about the strengths and weaknesses of the school and has ensured that effective action has been taken when necessary. He has kept governors very well informed about the school’s Swanbourne CE VA First School - 19 progress towards its targets and, as a consequence, all governors have a good idea of the school’s performance. They are also well aware of the level of improvement since the last inspection. The governing body has handled the uncertainty over the school’s future well and has kept in close liaison with the acting head teacher, local education authority and diocesan advisor. Governors have recognised the need to increase enrolment at the school in order to maintain its viability and

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

have set well-focussed targets to improve the quality of education and raise standards in consultation with the acting head teacher. The governing body is fully involved and active in shaping the direction of the school and is in the process of refining its improvement plan in the light of recommendations made by the acting head teacher. 38. The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance is very good overall. Very effective action has been taken to meet objectives and deal with the key issues raised by the last report. Some progress had been made in addressing key issues by the previous administration, but a number of areas had not been tackled, including the improvement of assessment systems. The most progress has been made recently, including the introduction of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. There has also been good monitoring, evaluation and development of teaching by the acting head teacher. This has resulted in effective teaching. There are good

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

systems for performance management which is linked well to the school’s improvement plan and teachers’ individual career development. Over the past two terms, the targets for improvement identified by the acting head teacher have largely been met. Standards in art and design have been raised and improvements have been made in pupils’ behaviour, both of which were targets set in the head teacher’s action plan. The school has demonstrated that it has a good capacity for success and staff have a shared commitment to improvement. The governing body is fully involved in maintaining the school’s viability and is well supported by the diocese and the local education authority.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

39. The financial management of the school is very good and closely linked to the school’s improvement plan. The school currently has a deficit budget, due to the unexpected fall in roll in 2002. There is now a good action plan in place to deal with this, which has been approved by the local education authority. Governors are now also looking at ways to increase the school’s roll, especially by expanding the nursery. All funds, including specific grants, are carefully matched to the priorities that have been established in the plan, and they are very well used. There are clearly defined routines, which enable the acting head teacher and governors to monitor the deployment and use of resources. The school secretary plays a crucial role, in providing clear and helpful information. Best value principles are applied well when measuring improvements in the quality of teaching and standards achieved, and when purchasing services and resources. Day-to-day

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

financial management and administration are also very good. Routine administrative procedures operate efficiently and unobtrusively. Good use is made of information technology systems to maintain financial control and accountability. Effective administration supports the smooth running of the school. Despite the very high cost per pupil, the school gives satisfactory value for money, because standards are above average at the end of Year 3 and pupils’ achievement is good.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40. The school is well staffed by suitably qualified teachers. The nursery is supervised by an effective nursery nurse and the main school by a full-time teacher and two part-time teachers. The acting head teacher teaches for four days a week. There are no learning support assistants. Due to the uncertainty over the school’s future, there has been a high turnover of staff. At present both the acting head teacher and a part time teacher, are on temporary contracts. The accommodation is adequate and facilities place no significant limitations on the teaching of the curriculum. Teachers ensure the environment is organised well and pupils are clear about how they are expected to treat their surroundings. Recent improvements include a good and safe outdoor play area for nursery children. The accommodation does not have provision for disabled pupils and staff, but the school has plans to address this concern later this summer. Externally, the school grounds are pleasant

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and include established trees, picnic benches, a grassed area and hard standing marked out for games. This enhances the environment and gives pupils’ freedom of space when they are outside at break times. Apart from the limited range of resources for physical education (PE), science and geography, such as small games equipment and globes and atlases, other subjects have a sufficient Swanbourne CE VA First School - 20 range of resources to deliver the National Curriculum. However, where resources are inadequate, this does have a negative impact on curricular provision, especially in science, geography and PE. Staff are aware of the inadequacies and make the necessary provision from their own resources so as not to jeopardise pupils education. In areas such as English where a good range of group readers and big books have been recently bought, and mathematics and the Foundation Stage there is a good range of resources that are easily accessible and of good quality. The school does

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

not own a lot of history resources but the community is happy to lend artefacts to build up towards an in-class museum, such as those from World War II. The school has a good range of ICT equipment. These are used well to support different areas of the curriculum as well as to teach ICT skills. The library is used well and is integrated into the daily work of the pupils.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

41. In order to improve the quality of education and standards pupils achieve, the governing body, acting head teacher and staff should: a. As already identified in the school’s action plan, further improve relationships between pupils by providing more opportunities for pupils to: i. Reflect on their own values and the values of others in all subjects; ii. Consider the impact of their actions on others; iii. Act responsibly and independently. [Paragraphs: 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 17, 26, 29, 54, 65, 70, 79]

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b. As already identified in the school’s improvement plan, increase resources for learning in those subjects identified in the report, especially in science, geography and physical education. [Paragraphs: 40, 71, 78, 80, 84]

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

42. In addition to the above items for improvement, the governing body should give further attention to recruiting more pupils to the school to ensure its continued viability. [Paragraph: 39] Swanbourne CE VA First School - 21

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 15 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 25

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 1 1 7 5 1 0 0 Percentage 7 7 46 33 7 0 0 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.

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y3 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 6 11 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 0 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y3 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 3

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 0 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 12

p.21

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.0 School data 0.0 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 22

p.21

exclusions

White – British 4 0 0 White – Irish 2 0 0 White – any other White background 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 0 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 1 0 0 Black or Black British – African 1 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0 Chinese 0 0 0 Any other ethnic group 0 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 0 0 0 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. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 23

p.22

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.51 Financial year 2001/2002

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 7

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Education support staff: YR – Y3 Total income 94,181

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Total number of education support staff 0 Total expenditure 82,403

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Total aggregate hours worked per week 0 Expenditure per pupil 4,337

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year -24,436

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Balance carried forward to next year -12,658

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Total number of education support staff 1

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Total aggregate hours worked per week 17

p.23

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y3

Number of pupils per FTE adult 6 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2.02

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1.25

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.25

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.23

Please note that the tables of national test results have been omitted as the number of pupils taking

the test was below the legal limit for reporting. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 24

p.23

Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 15 Number of questionnaires returned 11

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 91 9 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 73 27 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 64 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 82 9 9 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 91 9 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 100 0 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 82 18 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 82 18 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 82 18 0 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 55 27 0 0 18 Swanbourne CE VA First School - 25

p.24

Introduction

43. The school has been able to maintain the good quality provision for younger pupils identified at the time of the last inspection in both the nursery and the infant class. The quality of teaching in the nursery is good, due to the nursery nurse’s thorough knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum. She provides a stimulating range of activities matched to the needs of all the children. Day-to-day assessment is good with the nursery nurse tracking all the children through the range of activities provided and these assessments are used well to plan future work. The quality of teaching in reception is good with a curriculum provided that matches the experiences of the Foundation Stage with the more formal structures of the National Curriculum programmes of study for Key Stage 1. Because the number of children in reception is so small, each has the equivalent of an individual education programme to challenge and extend their learning as far as is

p.25

Introduction

possible. The full time reception pupil therefore is working in English and mathematics with the older infants in the mornings. She joins the other reception children during the afternoon for knowledge and understanding, physical and creative experiences using the themes of the infant’s curriculum. Although the assessment and tracking format for reception children is relatively new, already the teachers are using the information collected to refine the curriculum for these children and standards are rising with children making better progress than initially envisaged.

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

44. Children enjoy coming to school and form good relationships with the nursery nurse and teaching staff and satisfactory relationships with each other. Children have good, positive attitudes and confidently work independently as well as with the nursery nurse, the reception teachers and each other. In the nursery routines are well established so all the children know what is expected of them. As a result, they feel happy and secure. Their behaviour is good overall and they are happy to help when asked to do so. In the infants the reception children know the timetable and the routines and settle quickly and quietly to work. All nursery children listen carefully to each other and the nursery nurse and are learning to take turns in speaking and show, by putting up their hands, that they have something to say or an answer to a question. This was particularly noticeable during snack time when the nursery nurse read the big book ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

Although bursting to answer the questions the children gave time for others to answer before putting up their hands and waiting to be invited to contribute. Children are learning to concentrate, persevere and stay with the task when working independently. When making a seaside collage, for instance, a reception child independently assembled the range of fabrics she needed and explained how they were to be assembled and what they represented. She persisted for an extended period of time in her work, using her imagination well. All adults strongly focus on children’s personal and social development in order to develop learning in other areas, especially in their physical and creative work. In the nursery children are expected to use ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ when asking for tools or toys or help. Although the reception teachers have the same high expectations, not all children respond as positively.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

45. Children enter the school with communication skills, which are at the expected level . They make satisfactory progress overall and achieve standards, which are generally in line with the early learning goals by the time they leave reception. More able children make very good progress and achieve standards, which are well above the expected level by the time they enter Year 1. Nursery children enjoy listening to stories and sit and listen well for some length of time. They readily answer questions, speaking in simple but grammatically correct phrases and with growing confidence. They have regular opportunities to share their news and talk about their experiences. Children develop their early reading skills well. They know a range of well-known stories and understand that the print in books has meaning. They take books to share and bring in books from Swanbourne CE VA First School - 26 home to read with others in their class. All recognise their names, putting their name cards against

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

the range of activities they wish to do during the morning. They are learning other letter names and shapes and enjoy using their fingers to write in different substances such as glue-paint, sand and custard. Children use a range of pencils, crayons and markers to write instructions, letters and stories. They put their names on the back of their creative work. By the time they leave the nursery all write their name without the need for a name card, forming and spacing their letters accurately. Children’s skills continue to develop well in the infants class. Because of the small number of children the infant teachers plan a curriculum that fully develops their language skills. They join the infants for Literacy strategy work. Reception children read a range of texts and instructions well. They know, use and spell a large number of frequently used words and make sense of unknown words using the initial sounds, the letter sounds and picture clues. Children

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

know what is meant by words such as ‘writer’ and ‘illustrator’ and the difference between the two. Writing skills continue to be well developed. Reception children know that sentences begin with a capital letter and end with a stop and they use such skills in their own writing. Grammar, such as exclamation marks, question marks and speech bubbles, also occurs in the writings of the more able children.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

46. Teaching is good, particularly in the development of spoken language on both formal and informal occasions in the nursery and reception classes. Children are given time to say what they think in adult-directed activities. The basic skills of reading and writing are taught well in short, well- focused sessions with the nursery nurse and in lessons linked to the infant literacy periods by the infant teachers. Children learn quickly. Children imitate adults’ good practice when reading together, using different volumes and inflections as the adults would to bring the characters in the stories to life, placing fingers under the words, asking each other questions about the story and making comments on what could be seen in the picture. Letter sounds are well taught and reinforced in matching and other letter games. Good opportunities are always available for writing, especially during role-play in the garden centre and beach café in the nursery area.

p.26

Mathematical development

47. Children have a range of abilities and skills when they enter the school, but standards are generally as expected in number and mathematical language. Most nursery children can count objects up to over 10 or more correctly with some going well over 35. Most recognise the numbers to at least 10 and are able to order them accurately. Through well-planned practical activities, including play in the outside area, children develop an understanding of number, pattern, shape and measurement including volume and capacity using sand and water and construction blocks with the matching mathematical vocabulary such as square, circle and triangle, more and less. Children in reception in the infants class are learning to solve problems, writing number stories using standard notation including the ‘+, - and =’ signs for adding, subtracting and equalling. They are able to order and write all the numbers to 50 and use place value by setting into 10’s as well as rapid counting to at

p.26

Mathematical development

48. In the nursery most mathematics work is well planned and practical. The nursery nurse guides and extends knowledge with children reinforcing learning via play activities. Good use is made of a range of computer programmes to reinforce learning in all areas of mathematics in both the nursery and reception and children use these independently. All adults use assessment effectively to measure children’s progress towards the early learning goals and to adjust planning where necessary to better meet children’s needs. Good use is made of questioning to ensure that children develop a good mathematical vocabulary and to check their knowledge and understanding of key mathematical concepts. The small numbers of children in both the nursery and infant classes enable all adults to effectively support the children’s learning by taking small groups or working with individual children.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

49. Children enter the school with a wide range of experiences but generally at expected levels. They make good progress in their breadth of learning. In both the nursery and reception classes the Swanbourne CE VA First School - 27 children’s natural curiosity is supported by good and effective teaching that gives them all many opportunities to explore the natural and man-made environment. For example, in the nursery children have planted a range of seeds, beans and bulbs and regularly measure their growth, ensuring that they are carefully watered and receiving light and heat. In the beach café, they ‘cook’ healthy meals, while in the role play area they take orders for garden plants, use rakes, spades and other gardening equipment, putting on Wellington boots and protective gloves for their ‘work’. They are aware of change over time, collecting photographs of themselves as babies and mounting these into a ‘guess who’ game on a display board. Children know that they are the

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

young of their parents, that their grandparents are older and that different creatures such as chickens, ducks, horses and cows also have young that look like their parents. Older children in reception have knowledge of the local area and are able to contrast it with the seaside. They are able to identify items from long ago such as buckets and kettles and compare these with items today, saying what they are made from and how they were used. They have learned about key festivals and celebrations such as Guy Fawkes and bonfire night and had great fun when the school held a ‘Victorian’ day and they all pretended to be pupils with the ‘inspector’ visiting with his cane! All children use computers regularly to reinforce work on all areas of learning, using the mouse and keyboard with good levels of confidence and competence.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

50. The teaching is good overall. Activities that are adult directed are used well to teach new vocabulary. Teachers extend and develop further children’s existing knowledge. Learning is good in all activities, especially those led by adults. Children persevere, concentrate and most of all enjoy the tasks they take part in. All adults carefully build in good assessment opportunities to ensure that children explore and apply what they have learned. Teachers make good use of questioning to establish whether children have understood an idea or concept and these reinforce learning appropriately.

p.27

Physical and creative development

51. Progress across the Foundation Stage is good overall in both these areas. Children control a range of tools, markers and other equipment with skill, confidence, and they show an awareness of the space around them. In the classrooms they show good control and co-ordination. They develop their fine motor skills playing a range of games. They use pencils, brushes, scissors and markers well to record their stories and pictures as well as make larger collage, paintings and prints. Children listen well to instructions and learn the routines, paying good attention to safety. They cut round pictures and colour in, keeping within the shapes. When making hand and foot prints they carefully choose the colour and ensure the paint only goes on the palm of the hand or the sole of the feet, working out many prints they would get out of one painting and how to space them so that they could be cut out when dry. All children sing frequently in assembly. Reception children

p.27

Physical and creative development

listen to music, play a range of percussion instruments well and compose different rhythms to match a range of movements. Reception children take such as hoops, ropes and balls outside for physical education work with the infants practicing their bouncing and catching skills, developing their skipping skills and creatively putting together sequences of movements involving a range of simple equipment. At break times, all children have the opportunity to ride bicycles and use other mobile equipment and the school has borrowed road safety equipment such as traffic lights to help the development of physical skills alongside learning how to behave safely on the roads. Reception children also have timetabled use of the hall with the infants for more formal physical education sessions.

p.27

Physical and creative development

52. The nursery nurse and teachers make good use of on going assessments of children’s physical abilities to identify those who need extra support in developing control with hand-held tools and equipment. Good teaching ensures that finer physical skills are developed well and that children hold tools such as scissors, pencils and paintbrushes correctly and safely. A good range of activities is provided to enable children to explore and create. Well prepared role-play areas are linked well to the class topic to enable children to build on their own experiences through imaginative play. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 28

p.27

ENGLISH

53. Standards are in line with the national average at the end of Year 2 and pupils are making satisfactory progress in their learning overall. Progress in Year 3 is generally good, as teaching is particularly effective in this class. Pupils enter the infants class with standards overall in line with national expectations for pupils of this age. Since the last inspection standards in English have been maintained and those for older pupils have improved. This is because there is a consistency of teaching and learning brought about by the implementation of the national literacy strategy which has resulted in pupils having access to a full and structured curriculum to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding.

p.28

ENGLISH

54. Standards in speaking and listening are as expected by the end of Year 2. Pupils listen with good attention to their teachers but less so to each other. They show in their response that they have understood what has been said to them and are confident when giving their own explanations, showing a good grasp of Standard English. Most pupils reply to questions using complete sentences and are beginning to adapt the question to contribute to the answer. Pupils’ recognise the need for more formal language in certain situations. Unfortunately many pupils find it difficult to wait for others to finish speaking before making their comments and this unwillingness to listen to the views of others leads to weaker personal relationships. Pupils in Year 3 have speaking and listening skills that are better developed overall. They have a more extensive vocabulary and speak with greater fluency than would be expected for their ages and abilities in a range of

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ENGLISH

55. Reading standards in the school are above the national average. Pupils make good progress including those with special needs through the careful and structured development of their reading skills. Teachers are good reading role models and pupils see how teachers use punctuation and other textual clues to bring out the different characters in stories and the humour or solemnity within verse. Guided reading groups are well managed and pupils read with good expression. Pupils take home a reading book to enable families to support learning and this has a positive impact on the standards they achieve. Clear written guidance on the hearing of reading is provided for parents in the home/school diary and parents are encouraged to not only record pupils’ likes but also any problems encountered.

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ENGLISH

56. The standards of writing are better than expected in comparison with the national expected levels. The school has focused on writing as this area was subject to the greatest change as the school implemented the national literacy strategy. This has been achieved through very good, clear and challenging teaching, with high expectations that pupils would try hard and put effort into their work. In Year 1, pupils write simple sentences independently. By Year 3 they write for a wide range of purposes and audiences including using text boxes, writing letters, poems and both factual and story writing. Pupils learn how to sequence instructions, invent their own rhymes using the format of poets such as Edward Lear and produce book and theatre reviews and story openings and closings. Pupils with special educational needs are developing their writing well because they have effective support. The main classroom has a good display of ideas on how to improve the

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ENGLISH

quality of writing for example, a list of good story starters and finishers and a range of exciting words linked to the topics of history and science. The weakest area within writing is the development of pupils’ handwriting skills. Most pupils form their individual letters correctly and produce neat, careful work in pencil. However, the grip for a large number of pupils is poor in that they have a curled grip which means that they are unable to see the point of their pencils and the letters previously written. As they move from pencil to pen this will result in a lack of fluency and smudged, untidy work and the possibility of malformation of letters that could cause hand tension. Because of the focus on the national literacy strategy, spelling throughout the infants is good as pupils regularly take high frequency words home to learn. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 29 57. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers ensure lessons are carefully planned to meet the

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ENGLISH

needs of all the pupils in their classes and tasks are challenging to help pupils consolidate previous learning and develop new skills and understanding. Teachers use the format of the national literacy strategy appropriately, planning a range of activities to help pupils develop their concentration skills and work at a good pace. There are effective assessment and monitoring procedures in place. These lead to the identification of specific and challenging targets for each pupil in the three areas of the English curriculum. These targets are subject to frequent monitoring and are updated termly as they are achieved. This good planning and teaching is a major contributing factor to the pupils’ good behaviour, which contributes to the good learning in English. ICT is used to support learning in English with pupils using their word processing skills to produce their stories and poems in a range of interesting forms.

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ENGLISH

58. The leadership and management of the subject is good overall. The head teacher has ensured that literacy is now embedded in the school and is taught each day. She has delivered training in the school for the staff and has brought in the local authority link advisor to support by undertaking lesson observations with her. As she is co-ordinator for both English and assessment she has analysed each pupil’s assessments in reading, writing and spelling and monitored planning to ensure that all needs are met and the curriculum planned is appropriate to their needs. Resources are good throughout the school. The co-ordinator has audited the library and reading scheme, buying in a good range of books for guided and group reading for outside the literacy period.

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MATHEMATICS

59. Standards are above those expected at the end of Year 3, and pupils’ progress is good. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection, when standards were below the national average. Generally, pupils enter Year 1 having achieved the early learning goals for their mathematical development. They make satisfactory progress at Key Stage 1 and attain standards which are in line with the national average by the end of Year 2, which is a similar position to that found at the last inspection. Generally speaking standards have improved considerably over the last three years.

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MATHEMATICS

60. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ standards in using and applying mathematics are in line with expectations. They select appropriate strategies to solve problems in their every day classroom activities. When recording their work, they use simple symbols and diagrams. All pupils understand, for example, that the ‘+’ means ‘add’, that the ‘–’ means ‘take away’ or ‘minus’, and that ‘=’ means ‘equals’. When discussing their work with each other or the teacher, pupils use the correct mathematical language and are beginning to explain why their answer is correct, or not, as the case may be. In Year 3, pupils use a range of good strategies to solve problems. They use estimation accurately to get a ‘ball-park’ figure before arriving at the final result, for example. Pupils’ work is well organised and they check their work to see if it is accurate. Higher attaining pupils are able to give detailed explanations of their work, using correct mathematical language. Pupils’ written work

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MATHEMATICS

displays good use of symbols, charts, graphs and diagrams to illustrate and explain their working. Standards in this aspect of the subject are above the expected level by the end of the year.

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MATHEMATICS

61. Standards of numeracy are in line with expectations at Key Stage 1. Pupils count sets of different objects reliably, using different kinds of apparatus as necessary. Most pupils have good mental recall of the number facts up to ten and some older pupils can extend this to 20. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of place value of each digit in a number and use this information to order numbers up to 50. Older, average attaining pupils choose the appropriate operation for solving addition and subtraction problems. Pupils make satisfactory use of their number skills when working out problems involving money and standard metric measures. In Year 3, standards are above those expected nationally. Pupils show a good understanding of place value up to 1,000 and can make suitable approximations when ‘rounding’. Most pupils have a good recall of addition and subtraction facts up to 20 and use these skills well when solving problems involving larger

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MATHEMATICS

Swanbourne CE VA First School - 30 numbers. They add and subtract numbers with three digits accurately, using appropriate written methods.

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MATHEMATICS

62. At Key Stage 1, pupils have a satisfactory grasp of shape, space and measures. They can use the correct mathematical names for common two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. For example, when describing a triangle, they correctly stated that it had three sides and three ‘corners’. They also know that a ‘cuboid’ is an elongated cube. Pupils have done some good work with symmetry and are beginning to grasp that a ‘square corner’ is a right angle. All pupils can tell the time to the hour and some older pupils to the quarter hour. They use simple metric measurements accurately, including metres and kilogrammes. In Year 3, standards are above the expected level by the end of the year. Pupils are good at classifying various two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. For example, in their work pupils have correctly described the properties of square, triangles, hexagons and octagons. They also correctly identified right angles

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MATHEMATICS

in a range of shapes. Pupils have used both metric and imperial measurements for length. For example, they have recorded distances in miles and kilometres. They correctly identified that 1Km equals 1,000m and that 2Km 500m was the same as 2500m. In Year 3, standards in data handling are above expectations. Pupils correctly extract and interpret information using simple tables and ‘tally charts’. They use this information to construct simple bar graphs. Good use is made of ICT to support this work and pupils have constructed both bar charts and pie charts using data they have collected. For example, there was a good link with DT, where pupils had collected information about their classmates’ favourite food and put this information into attractive graphs.

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MATHEMATICS

63. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Where teaching is good, teachers have secure subject knowledge, which they use well to extend pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. Planning is generally thorough and takes account of the latest guidance from the national numeracy strategy, suitably adapted for the small school environment. However, the introduction of the numeracy strategy is fairly recent and there are a number of aspects which need further refinement. At Key Stage 1, there is a wide range of ability and pupils do not interact well in whole class activities. As a result, in these sessions some learning is lost, for example, when pupils race to complete their counting of numbers, which defeats the object of counting all together. Teachers generally have high expectations of behaviour and achievement, especially in Year 3, where higher attaining pupils are challenged very effectively. However, in some situations, pupils’

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MATHEMATICS

unsatisfactory relationships result in inappropriate competitiveness. Pupils squabble amongst themselves and this loses valuable learning time, despite teachers’ best efforts. Because of good classroom management, behaviour is satisfactory overall and pupils are generally enthusiastic about their work. In fact, on occasion, their enthusiasm results in excessive noise and loss of concentration. Teachers make good use of time and resources and the majority of lessons move at a good pace, despite the interruptions. There are good systems for assessment and pupils have very well focussed targets for improvement, which include personal development where appropriate. Lessons are reviewed effectively by staff and planning is adjusted appropriately as necessary. Homework is used effectively to support pupils’ learning. The quality of teaching is stronger in Year 3 than it is at Key Stage 1, but progress is being made in raising standards as a

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MATHEMATICS

result of the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. Pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning in Years 1 and 2 and good progress in Year 3. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress overall, due to well-focussed individual education plans and the high quality support given by teachers.

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MATHEMATICS

64. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management for the subject and there has been a good level of improvement since the last inspection. There has also been good monitoring of standards through the thorough analysis of national tests and other assessment information. The recent implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy has also been effective in raising standards at Key Stage 2 and is beginning to have a positive impact at Key Stage 1. The co- ordinator is aware of the need to further refine planning so that the needs of all pupils are met well and has a suitable action plan in place. She is well aware of the challenges of a cross-phase, mixed-age class, especially with the currently small number of pupils in the school. She is Swanbourne CE VA First School - 31 beginning to take effective steps to ensure that all pupils have work, which is suitable for their ages and abilities. Resources for learning are good and they are used effectively to promote high

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MATHEMATICS

standards. Very effective use is made of ICT to support learning and pupils have well-developed basic computer skills.

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SCIENCE

65. Standards are above the expected level at the end of Year 3 and pupils make good progress. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when standards were below expectations. At Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress and standards are in line with the national average at the end of Year 2, which is much the same as at the time of last inspection. Statutory teacher assessments indicate that standards have improved over the last three years.

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SCIENCE

66. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ enquiry skills are satisfactory. They respond appropriately to suggestions about how to find things out. For example, in a lesson on the properties of materials, the teacher asked the pupils what they thought modelling clay would feel like. They responded by making their own suggestions about how they could find out, using words like ‘poking’, ‘squeezing’ and ‘rolling’ to indicate what they would do to test the clay’s malleable properties. When researching, pupils use simple books and web sites effectively to find information. They make suitable observation and record these in their books using words, short sentences and appropriate illustrations. Sometimes they record whether what happened was what they expected. In Year 3, pupils put forward their own ideas about how they can find out the answers to their questions. They recognise that it is important to collect information accurately and use books and web sites to help

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SCIENCE

them in collecting data. Pupils carry out and record their investigations well, recognising the concepts of ‘constants’ and ‘variables’ in a ‘fair test’. They make good use of their mathematical skills to make simple measurements and record these in tables and graphs. Pupils make good use of their ICT skills when making both bar graphs and pie charts to illustrate their findings.

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SCIENCE

67. Pupils’ understanding of life processes and living things is satisfactory at Key Stage 1. They are able to describe accurately the basic conditions for life and know, for example, that animals need food, water and air in order to survive. Most have a good understanding of how a plant grows and reproduces, for example, and have made good use of their ICT skills to make diagrams of the parts of plants. Pupils recognise that different animals are found in different places, for example, frogs in ponds and woodlice under stones. In Year 3, pupils make good use of their knowledge of life processes to describe the difference between living things and non-living things. They have a good idea of healthy eating and have written about healthy diets in some detail. There are good links between this topic and their work in design and technology, where they designed and made their favourite sandwich. Pupils understand well that all organisms grow old and eventually die.

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SCIENCE

68. At Key Stage 1, pupils have a satisfactory understanding of materials and their properties. They correctly identify a range of common materials, such as wood, stone, cloth and modelling clay, and describe their properties. For example, when manipulating modelling clay, pupils used a good range of words to describe how it felt and how it responded to their actions. This activity made a good contribution to pupils’ language development. They described how the clay was changed by bending and stretching. In Year 3, pupils have a good understanding of materials. They sort materials using a wide range of criteria, such as durability, strength, lightness and transparency, for example. In one lesson, pupils examined a table full of objects and made a list of their suitability for different tasks. They described simply why some materials were particularly suitable for specific purposes, such as metal for a kettle because it is a good conductor of heat. They also

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SCIENCE

identified some of the disadvantages of certain materials, such as glass breaking and metal handles getting too hot. Pupils are developing a good awareness of environmental issues and know that some materials are biodegradable and others not, causing possible environmental hazards. Swanbourne CE VA First School - 32 69. Pupils at Key Stage 1 have a satisfactory understanding of physical processes. They know about an appropriate range of physical phenomena and use suitable language to describe movements, such as ‘pushing’ and ‘pulling’. They demonstrate these using appropriate movements as they mime different actions, such as mowing the lawn or pulling on a rope. In Year 3, pupils have a good understanding of physical processes. They use this well when describing cause and effect. For example, when constructing simple electrical circuits, pupils are able to explain that if there is a break in the circuit, a bulb placed in it will not light. Pupils are beginning to make simple

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SCIENCE

generalisations about physical phenomena, such as light being reflected from objects so that we can see them.

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SCIENCE

70. Teaching and learning are good overall. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use well to extend pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding as they move through the school. Planning is effective and identifies well what pupils need to learn. Tasks are generally well matched to the needs of individual pupils and the activities provided are interesting. As a result, pupils are interested in the subject and show enthusiasm, especially for practical activities. Teachers have high expectations and this has a positive impact on standards, especially in Year 3. However, despite good behaviour management strategies, pupils do not always behave appropriately and the negative relationships in some lessons impede progress. Pupils are very critical of each other and make unacceptable comments about each others’ work, which distracts them and causes disputes to arise. Teachers work hard to overcome this and progress is being

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SCIENCE

made in remedying the situation. Good use is generally made of resources, although these are limited. Marking is satisfactory and is used appropriately to set targets for improvement. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and there is no difference in the progress made by boys and girls.

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SCIENCE

71. The leadership and management of the subject are good. Significant progress has been addressing the key issues raised by the last report, when standards were below average at Key Stage 2. The co-ordinator has focussed on raising standards in investigative science and this has been successful. Pupils are now achieving good standards in this aspect of the subject in Year 3 and standards are also rising in Key Stage 1. Planning is based on national guidelines and provides satisfactory coverage of the curriculum. Teachers use the guidelines effectively for their medium- term planning. Assessment is satisfactory and meets statutory requirements. However, it is in need of further refinement to ensure that teachers have more precise information about pupils’ progress. Resources are limited and at present teachers are having to supplement them from their own. Good use is made of ICT to support learning and pupils particularly enjoy this aspect of the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT]

72. Standards are in line with expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 3. Pupils are making satisfactory progress in their learning overall. There have been some improvements in provision and standards since the last inspection as the school has extended the range of activities provided for pupils who have responded positively. The use of ICT to support learning in other subjects is good and in this area there has been a considerable improvement since the last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT]

73. At Key Stage 1 pupils use ICT to organise information and present it in attractive forms. For example, they have produced name tags which they have illustrated with ‘clip’ art and fancy fonts. They have also produced effective information sheets on dinosaurs. Pupils enter, save and retrieve their work efficiently and know how to print off copies. In Year 3, pupils share and exchange their ideas with others in the school, but have yet to use email. They make good use of the Internet to access web sites and use this information effectively in other subjects, such as science, history and art. Pupils have well-developed graphics skills and have used these skillfully to produce Easter Cards in the style of Monet, for example. Pupils use a good range of programs effectively to support the development of basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Pupils are very Swanbourne CE VA First School - 33 willing to describe their use of ICT in the school and at home, using detailed technical language at

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT]

74. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers have appropriate subject knowledge and expertise, which they use satisfactorily to support pupils in their work. Some direct teaching of the subject takes place, but the majority of learning occurs when pupils are working on their own or in pairs. Pupils are making satisfactory progress in their acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding, especially in the areas of word processing and graphics. However, insufficient emphasis is placed on simulations and the curriculum is slightly unbalanced as a result. Assessment is largely informal, although teachers know their pupils very well and they set appropriate individual targets for improvement. Pupils enjoy using computers and are enthusiastic about accessing web site for research, for example. They also enjoy using graphics programs to produce pictures. Behaviour is generally satisfactory and pupils treat equipment with care. Pupils

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT]

with special educational needs make similar progress as their peers.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT]

75. The co-ordinator provides good leadership for the subject and has implemented a number of improvements recently. The co-ordinator’s action plan is well focused and contains a number of well-conceived objectives. As yet these have not had a full impact on standards, but provision is now good overall. Planning is good and based on national guidelines. A new assessment system has been designed, but is not yet in place. All staff have now had training and their confidence is improving, especially in the use of the Internet to support pupils’ learning. Staff make good use of ICT in their own preparation for lessons and for research purposes. Resources are good overall, although there are insufficient programs which enable pupils to explore real and imaginary situations.

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

76. At the end of Year 3, standards in art and design and design and technology (DT) are above expectations and in music and physical education (PE) they are in line. Very good improvement has been made in art and design since the last inspection. Good improvement has been made in design and technology and satisfactory improvement in physical education. Improvement in music is unsatisfactory.

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

77. At Key Stage 1 pupils explore and investigate a good range of visual ideas. They use a range of materials and processes well to communicate their ideas. For example, they use different coloured materials effectively to produce attractive collages of seascapes. They show a good understanding of tone, colour and form. Pupils plan what they need to do to complete a project effectively and use their knowledge of materials and processes well to make different artefacts. They use pictures and words to well describe their designs. For example, pupils designed and made a sandwich as part of their DT topic on healthy eating. They drew a picture of what the sandwich would look like and wrote down the recipe. Pupils recognise what they have done well and suggest appropriate ways in which they could do better in the future. Pupils are physically active, but their development of skills is only just satisfactory. They copy, remember and repeat actions

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

with appropriate control and co-ordination. Pupils work well on their own, but find working in pairs and teams difficult and this aspect of their work is unsatisfactory. All pupils swim well and most leave the school able to swim at least 25 metres. In music, pupils sing in tune in assemblies and during singing practice, keeping in time to the piano or taped music. They play a range of percussion instruments and use these to accompany their singing. However, the shading and use of a range of dynamics that change group singing into a performance are lacking. While pupils are critical of each other’s work, they do not listen well to themselves in order to improve their performance.

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

78. In Year 3, pupils explore visual ideas and collect information they need to complete their work using books, pictures and the Internet. They investigate the visual and tactile properties of Swanbourne CE VA First School - 34 materials well and communicate these ideas well using writing and pictures. Pupils are able to observe their work critically, commenting appropriately on what could be improved. However, they are less generous about others’ work and indulge in too much negative criticism to help their classmates improve their performance. When making designs, pupils recognise that their work must meet a range of different needs. They use good technical language to describe their work. For example, in one lesson pupils were designing packaging for sweets. They realised that the cover had to be attractive and colourful. It also had to protect the contents, especially if the sweet inside was soft. Pupils clarify their ideas well, using labelled sketches and diagrams. They make

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

good use of ICT to create a wrapper design, for example, showing levels of skill above expectations. Pupils evaluate their work accurately and know what they have to do to improve. Pupils’ physical skills are appropriate for their age, but their ability to work as a team is impaired by some poor relationships. Pupils understand how to exercise safely and describe how their bodies feel during physical activities. They know why these activities are good for their health. In music pupils know the sounds of a range of percussion instruments and use these to compose patterns of sound using long and short notes. They listen to a range of different music and identify the mood and movements to go with what they hear. They are starting to develop recording skills, working out how to record what they compose onto a graphic score. They listen to a variety of music from around the world and from different times in history, in assemblies and in lessons.

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

Pupils with talent have the opportunity to share their skills with others in assemblies and concerts.

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

79. The teaching of art and design and DT is good and learning in these subjects is likewise good. In the one PE lesson seen, teaching was good overall and pupils made good progress in their learning. The teaching of music is unsatisfactory and there are a number of weaknesses. The poor relationships between many pupils means that teachers spend more time dealing with poor behaviour than teaching the curriculum. Teachers do not have an appropriate range of skills to deal with challenging behaviour and at times pupils were sent from the room. Their return caused more disturbances to the lesson flow and slowed the pace of the lesson further. This meant that those who wanted to learn could not do so and progress was slower than it could be. Learning is unsatisfactory in music. Where teaching is good, teachers have extensive subject knowledge, which they use well to extend pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. Planning is effective

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

and ensures full coverage of the curriculum. It also identifies well what pupils need to know to improve their performance. Pupils are very interested in their learning in the expressive arts and take part in lessons with enthusiasm. This has a positive impact on the progress they make. However, pupils’ poorly developed interpersonal relationships means that on some occasions squabbling and inappropriate conversations leads to teacher intervention and a consequent slowing of progress. Behaviour is satisfactory overall because teachers use effective behaviour management strategies to minimise effect of the anti-social attitudes of some pupils. Assessment is largely informal, although a good system in DT is just beginning to provide teachers with effective information. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress as their peers.

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EXPRESSIVE ARTS (Art and Design, Design and Technology, Music and Physical Education)

80. These subjects are generally well led and managed. The art and design co-ordinator has recently produced a good policy and is developing an effective scheme of work based on national guidelines. Other subjects are managed by the head teacher and there are clear objectives for further improvement. For example, gymnastics has been recently introduced, as until last term, the school was not meeting statutory requirements for PE. The management of music is unsatisfactory, as it is currently not sufficiently supported in the school’s curriculum. Resources are adequate for art and design and DT and good use is made of them. However, there are not enough balls and other small apparatus in PE and resources are unsatisfactory overall for the subject. This has a negative impact on standards. The range of instruments available for music and other resources, such as CD music and music books, is good.

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HUMANITIES (Geography and History)

Swanbourne CE VA First School - 35 81. During the inspection it was not possible to see any history or geography lessons. However, from discussions, the work in topic books and from displays it is clear that both subjects receive an appropriate amount of curriculum time. Standards in history are above expectations at the end of Year 2 and Year 3, which is an improvement since the last inspection. Standards in geography are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2 and in Year 3. This is a similar picture to that found in the last inspection. Pupils make equally good progress in both subjects.

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HUMANITIES (Geography and History)

82. Since the previous inspection both subjects have moved from a themed approach to discrete history and geography teaching. This has resulted in the progressive and systematic development of skills, especially the skills of research and chronology in history and map reading and comparative skills in geography. Year 3 pupils now have lessons separately from the infants. This enables the teacher to support their need to develop skills specific to their age group. The co- ordinator for both subjects has liaised well with the co-ordinator of the feeder combined schools to ensure that when pupils transfer to their junior schools they not only have the same skills as their peers but have also covered the same periods of history and studied the same geography curriculum. The work in both curriculum areas is drawn well from a nationally produced scheme of work and assessment opportunities are built into each module of work.

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HUMANITIES (Geography and History)

83. Teachers make learning fun and bring the periods studied to life for the pupils. For example, a staged Victorian day with everyone dressing in clothes appropriate to the period and a ‘school inspector’ complete with cane visited the school! When studying World War II, the local community lent a range of artefacts and resources and the children were ‘evacuated’, writing letters and postcards to those left behind. The teaching of history is good. Teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the curriculum for each age group and plan a range of activities to develop researching skills. Pupils respond positively and work in books is neat, readable and all written tasks are complete. 84. The skills of map reading and the development of scale and keys are well developed in geography, especially for older pupils. Younger pupils have made field trips to key features in the local community and pupils are moving on from drawing pictures to plans to map making. Now they are

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HUMANITIES (Geography and History)

comparing life in their village with life on the Isle of Struay and through their investigations deciding which place they prefer to live in. Older pupils are developing their mapping skills further through identification of rainforests, desert areas and polar regions on a world map and investigating the effects of climate on human settlements. The teaching of geography for younger pupils is satisfactory as the teacher is still learning the curriculum with the pupils. Teachers make an appropriate amount of time, resources and personal expertise available to support the learning of everyone, being particularly good at asking questions and encouraging pupils to find out for themselves and share with others. Resources for history are satisfactory, but in geography there are insufficient maps and globes to support pupils learning satisfactorily.

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