Canewdon Endowed Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

NURSERY

Dates of inspection: 19 th -22 nd May 2003

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NURSERY

Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Canewdon CE Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Anchor Lane Canewdon Rochford Essex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body, Canewdon Endowed Primary School and Nursery

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr M Halford

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. Canewdon CE Primary School - 3

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Aspect responsibilities

23160 Carole Skinner Registered inspector English, design and technology, information and communication technology. The school’s results and pupils’ achievements. How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 9977 Fran Luke Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 19142 Audrey Quinnell Team inspector Science, art, history, music, the foundation stage curriculum. How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 14596 Tony Fiddian- Green Team inspector Mathematics, geography, physical education, religious education, special educational needs, educational inclusion, including race equality.

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Aspect responsibilities

Phoenix Educational Consultants “Thule” 60 Joy Lane Whitstable Kent CT5 4LT 01227 273449

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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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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway Canewdon CE Primary School - 4 London, WC2B 6SE Canewdon CE Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Canewdon Endowed Primary School and Nursery is smaller than average. There are 174 pupils on roll between the ages of three and 11, of whom 26 attend part-time in the Nursery. Overall, there are similar numbers of girls and boys, but there is a significant imbalance in Year 4. At the time of the inspection, 17 children were attending full-time in the Reception class. Two pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds but none speaks English as an additional language. This is lower than in most schools. Fourteen pupils (nine per cent) are on the school's register of special educational needs, two of whom have statements. Most of these pupils have moderate or specific learning difficulties. Nine per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is broadly average. The turnover of pupils is similar to that in most schools: in the previous year, eight pupils joined the school and seven

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

left it at times other than those of the usual admission or transfer. In the last two years, three teachers have left the school, including the headteacher, and four have been appointed, three of whom are on temporary contracts. Three of the six classes have had a change of teacher during the current academic year. Attainment on entry to the school is well below that expected for the children’s age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a sound education for its pupils and has a number of good features. Pupils achieve well as they progress through the school, especially in mathematics. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, overall, and often good. Sound leadership and management provide clear direction for the school during a period of transition and change. Overall, the school gives satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Good provision for children in the Nursery and Reception classes ensures that they make good progress during their early years in school. • Pupils make good progress and achieve well, especially in Years 3 to 6, where progress accelerates. • Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are good and the school’s friendly and welcoming ethos is reflected in the good relationships between pupils and with adults. • The school makes good provision for the pupils’ moral and social development and for their personal, social and health education. • Procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good, as is the provision for pupils with special educational needs. • The school works well in partnership with parents.

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What could be improved

• Standards in reading in Years 1 and 2 and in writing in Years 1 to 6. • Curricular provision and timetabling for information and communication technology, art, design and technology, geography, history and physical education. • The pupils’ attendance and punctuality. • The role of curriculum co-ordinators in monitoring and evaluating the school’s provision. • The accommodation for the computer suite and the library. 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 made a satisfactory improvement since it was last inspected in June 1998. Standards in mathematics have improved significantly but those in writing remain low, especially in Year 2. Canewdon CE Primary School - 7 Standards in English and science have risen in Year 6. Improved provision for information and communication technology has raised standards in most aspects of the subject but some remain below average. Curricular provision in English, mathematics and science is better organised and planned and schemes of work for all subjects have been introduced. However, the monitoring of the curriculum is not rigorous enough. Although the role of curriculum co-ordinators was developed appropriately following the last inspection, the recent very high turnover of staff and the high proportion of newly qualified and temporary teachers limit the effectiveness of curricular leadership and management.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There are still some inequalities in time allocations for different subjects. The school is now meeting the statutory requirements for the appraisal of staff. The attendance rate is lower than at the time of the last inspection and punctuality continues to be a problem. Financial planning has improved and is linked more closely to the school development plan. The school has a satisfactory capacity for further improvement.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

In English, standards in reading were higher than those in writing, which continues to be the school’s main focus for improvement. The school's performance in national tests has improved in line with the national trend over the past five years. The school met its target for the percentage of pupils to reach Level 4 in mathematics but fell short of its target in English by one pupil. Suitably challenging targets have been set for 2003. Inspection findings show that standards in the current Year 6 are above average in mathematics and average in English and science. In English, standards are still higher in reading than in writing but the school is implementing strategies to address this situation. Standards in mathematics have improved because of a whole school focus on raising achievement. Pupils attain average standards in all other subjects except information and communication technology and design

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Key

and technology, where they are below average, largely due to unsatisfactory curricular provision in some aspects. Achievement is good in Years 3 to 6. Standards in Year 2 are below average in English and physical education and average in all other subjects. Overall, achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, but pupils do not make enough progress in writing. Pupils achieve well in the Foundation Stage and reach average standards in personal, social and emotional development and knowledge and understanding of the world. Standards are below average in communication, language and literacy, mathematics, physical development and creative development. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Canewdon CE Primary School - 8 Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They are enthusiastic, attentive and keen to answer questions and take part in discussions.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils know the difference between right and wrong, and they know and understand their class rules. Most are polite to staff, visitors and each other and generally behave well in lessons, at playtime and when moving around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils willingly take additional responsibilities and older pupils enjoy looking after younger ones. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are good and help to create a pleasant atmosphere in the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Poor. The attendance rate is well below the national average. Much of this is due to parents taking pupils on holiday during term time. A large number of pupils arrive late for lessons in the morning. These factors adversely affect some pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Good Satisfactory Satisfactory Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. Despite the recent high turnover of staff, the teachers and teaching assistants work well together as a team and provide mutual support and encouragement. Both teachers in the Foundation Stage have a good understanding of how young children learn and provide them with a rich variety of experiences which promote good progress. Good teaching in mathematics helps pupils to progress at a good rate and develops their numeracy skills and understanding well. Teaching is also good in English in Years 3 to 6, where literacy skills are developed well across the curriculum. In Years 1 and 2 insufficient time is given to the development of writing skills and pupils’ attainment and progress are not checked

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

regularly enough in order to set challenging targets for them each term. Specialist teaching in music enables pupils to make good progress. The management of pupils’ behaviour is variable. Although mostly successful in ensuring that all concentrate well and apply themselves to their work, occasionally it is inconsistent and less effective. In some physical education lessons, the pace is too slow to promote good progress and work is not sufficiently demanding. The teaching meets the needs of most pupils appropriately, including those with special educational needs. However, some average and higher attaining pupils do not make enough progress in Years 1 and 2, especially in English.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory, overall and good in the Foundation Stage. There are effective strategies for teaching numeracy skills. Insufficient time is allocated to writing in Years 1 and 2. The rolling programme of ‘specialisation’ in Years 3 to 6 creates some inequalities between year groups and interrupts the continuity of learning in some subjects. Curricular provision for information and communication technology and Canewdon CE Primary School - 9 design and technology does not fully meet statutory requirements in Years 3 to 6. There is good provision for personal, social and health education and a very good range of extracurricular activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils’ individual education plans contain clear and realistic targets for them to achieve. The co-ordinator and teaching assistants provide good support in lessons and when pupils are withdrawn for additional help. Detailed record keeping ensures pupils’ needs are met and their progress is carefully monitored.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Pupils are provided with sound opportunities to reflect on important questions and to empathise with the feelings of others. Moral issues are discussed well and adults help pupils to develop an appropriate sense of what is right and wrong. Pupils’ social development is promoted well through opportunities to take responsibility and to develop awareness of others’ needs. The school helps pupils to appreciate the ethnic and cultural diversity of British life through art, music, dance, literature and religious education.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. There are effective procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare and promoting good behaviour. The procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are not rigorous enough. Assessment procedures and the tracking of pupils’ progress are developing appropriately but are not fully effective in informing teachers’ planning. The school works well in partnership with parents and this has a positive effect on pupils’ learning. Parents make a good contribution to the life and work of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. Sound management structures and procedures are in place to support the acting headteacher during this transition period. The recent high turnover of staff has reduced the effectiveness of curricular management and the efficient delegation of responsibilities. Consequently, the role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring and evaluating provision is unsatisfactory in several subjects.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors make a sound contribution to shaping the future direction of the school. They are not fully meeting their statutory responsibilities for the curriculum. Governors have a sound understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses but their role in monitoring standards and the quality of education is not fully effective.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Analysis of the pupils’ performance in national and internal tests informs target setting for each year group in Years 3 to 6, but is not rigorous enough in Years 1 and 2. Although the school development plan identifies key priorities for improvement, the criteria for judging the school’s success are not sufficiently measurable in terms of pupils' attainment. This makes it difficult for governors to evaluate the school’s effectiveness. Canewdon CE Primary School - 10 The strategic use of resources Good. There are clear links between the budget and the school development plan. Financial planning and administration are very good. Careful budgeting is enabling the school to plan major improvements to the buildings. The school makes sure that gaining best value for money informs spending decisions. There are sufficient teaching and support staff to meet the needs of the curriculum and to provide

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Aspect Comment

adequate support for all pupils. The accommodation for the library and computer room is too small to allow either to be used to their full effect. The school has a good range of resources to support teaching and learning.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• They feel comfortable approaching the school with questions or problems. • Their children like school. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible. • The school works closely with them. • The school has high expectations of their children. • Their children make good progress. • The arrangements for setting homework. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The findings of the inspection largely support the positive views of the parents. However, teachers’ expectations of some average and more able pupils are not high enough in Years 1 and 2. Pupils generally make good progress as they move through the school, but progress in writing is unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2. In addition, the school provides a very good range of extracurricular activities which are very well supported by the pupils. Some inconsistencies in the setting and marking of homework have arisen because of the numerous staff changes and insufficient monitoring of the school’s policy. Canewdon CE Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage is well below average, especially in communication, language and literacy and personal, social and emotional development. The initial assessments conducted with these children at the beginning of the Reception year show a variation from year to year with attainment either well below or below that expected for children of this age. This has declined since the previous inspection. The quality of teaching and learning is good. As a result, the children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes, but are unlikely to achieve average levels of attainment by the end of the Foundation Stage in most aspects of their development. However, most are on course to achieve average levels of attainment in their personal and social development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world. This represents particularly good progress and reflects the strong emphasis on developing these aspects of children’s

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

learning. In the school’s previous inspection, the attainment of most children under five was judged to be in line with expectations for children of this age. However, their attainment on entry to the school was also judged to be average at that time.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the national tests for Year 2 pupils in 2002, standards were below the national average in reading and writing. They were also below the average for similar schools. Although almost all of the pupils reached the national expectation (Level 2), which was a significant improvement on the previous year, standards remained below average because too few pupils reached higher levels of attainment. Standards have fluctuated from year to year in reading, while those in writing rose in 2002 from a level well below the national average over the previous three years. In mathematics, standards were above the national average and well above the average for similar schools in 2002. This represents a significant improvement on the results of the previous three years and reflects the whole school drive to raise standards. The proportion of pupils who reached average and higher levels in mathematics was greater than in reading and writing and accounts for the difference. Over a five year period,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

standards have kept pace with the national trend in reading and have exceeded it in writing and mathematics. The school has introduced strategies to raise standards in writing as its key focus for improvement. Teachers’ assessments in science in 2002 showed standards to be well below average as too few pupils reached average and higher levels of attainment.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The findings of this inspection show that, in Year 2, standards in reading are below average and similar to those achieved last year, while those in writing are lower and are well below average. In speaking and listening, standards are below average. Standards in mathematics are average, which is lower than the previous year’s test results. This is because fewer pupils are achieving higher levels. Standards in science show an improvement on the previous year, and are now broadly average, but there are still few pupils who reach higher than average standards. Since the previous inspection, standards have fallen in reading and writing. However, attainment on entry to the school is also lower than it was then. An analysis of the results achieved by Year 2 pupils in their first term in the Reception class compared to their present levels of attainment shows that most pupils have made satisfactory progress in reading, and in speaking and listening. However, progress in writing is

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

unsatisfactory. This is because pupils are not given enough time to write at length in order to develop their ideas and apply the skills and knowledge acquired in literacy lessons. Also there is insufficiently rigorous monitoring of pupils’ progress throughout Years 1 and 2. Standards are similar to those seen in the previous inspection in mathematics and science. Canewdon CE Primary School - 12 4. In Year 2, standards in all other subjects are similar to those seen in most schools, except in physical education, where they are below average in games skills, the only aspect seen during this inspection. Standards are generally similar to those seen in the last inspection, but lower in physical education. Pupils in the present Year 2 are taught in two classes, some with Year 1 pupils and some with Year 3. Both of these classes have had a change of teacher part way through the year and there have been some variations in the quality of teaching and learning for these pupils as a result of these

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

arrangements. Overall, their achievement is satisfactory but some average and higher attaining pupils are underachieving.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In the national tests for Year 6 pupils in 2002, standards were in line with the national average in English, mathematics and science. This represents a significant improvement compared with the school’s results in the previous two years. The 2002 results compared favourably with those of similar schools in mathematics, were similar to other schools in English, but below average in science. Standards rose considerably in 2002 because a much greater proportion of pupils reached the national expectation (Level 4). The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was below average in mathematics and science, but average in English. A comparison with the pupils’ performance in the national tests in 1998, when they were in Year 2, shows that achievement was very good in English and mathematics and good in science. However, a note of caution must be sounded when interpreting the school’s results as only 14 pupils took the tests in 2002. Over the past five years, standards have

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

fluctuated from year to year but have generally been below or well below the national average. The upward trend in the school’s results is broadly in line with the national trend and shows a steady improvement overall.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The findings of this inspection show that standards in Year 6 are average overall in English; they are average in reading and speaking and listening, but remain below average in writing, as in the previous year. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when standards in English were “just below average”. Raising standards in writing continues to be a priority for the school, and there is evidence to show that the strategies being implemented are beginning to have a good impact. Standards have also improved in mathematics and are now above average. This is because the school has focused on improving standards in mathematics throughout the school, especially for more able pupils, who now achieve very well. Standards in science are average, which is an improvement since the previous inspection. The school has set suitably challenging targets for pupils to achieve in the national tests in 2003.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. In Year 6, standards are similar to those seen in most schools in all other subjects except design and technology and information and communication technology. Standards are similar to those seen in the last inspection in all subjects. Although the school has implemented comprehensive action plans to raise standards in design and technology and information and communication technology, these have not yet been fully effective in Years 3 to 6. This is partly due to constraints of the accommodation and resources, staff changes and timetabling arrangements. Overall pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In this inspection, no significant differences in attainment between boys and girls were evident. This is because teachers are alert to the need to ensure that all pupils are well motivated and interested in what they are learning and take this into account when planning lessons. Higher attaining pupils are not always given sufficiently demanding work in Years 1 and 2. Lower attaining pupils receive appropriate work that addresses the weaker aspects of their learning and seeks to build on and reinforce their knowledge and understanding. Pupils who have special educational needs make good progress towards the targets on their individual education plans. They are well integrated into classes and receive good support from teachers and teaching assistants. Pupils have clear targets to help them improve, and these are reviewed regularly. Pupils who have statements of special educational need also make good progress towards their targets.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils' attitudes have improved since the last inspection and are now good. Their behaviour and relationships are also good. Pupils have a positive attitude to their work and this supports teaching and learning. Pupils are keen and enthusiastic and get involved in many school and out of school activities. In lessons they are attentive and show interest in their work. They concentrate and apply themselves to their tasks. They settle quickly to their work and apply themselves well when working in groups, as well as in pairs and on their own.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils’ moral development is good. Some teachers provide good role models for their pupils; they show respect to their pupils and expect the same in return. Where the management of pupils is good, they respond positively and behave well. Because of their involvement in the drawing up of the school rules, pupils have ownership of them and clearly understand the difference between right and wrong. Pupils are generally polite to staff, visitors and to each other, but in some cases, where pupils are very confident, they are sometimes too familiar with adults, which can be seen to be impertinent. Behaviour throughout the school is good; in lessons, on the playground at mid morning play as well as lunch times, pupils all behave well. In the dining hall, pupils eat their lunch in a friendly social atmosphere.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupil’s spiritual development is sound. Pupils do have an understanding of the beliefs of others and assemblies help to promote this by having a number of visiting speakers. Much is made by the school of the impact of pupils' actions on others, both in lessons and throughout the school, in the drawing up of the school and class rules, which are reviewed termly. No oppressive behaviour, sexism or racism was seen during the inspection. Pupils take care of resources well and look after the school environment; no examples of graffiti or vandalism were seen during the inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ social development is good. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions by the setting of their own school and class rules. They are involved in drawing up school policies through their roles on the school and class councils, and have been actively involved in organising the procedures for wet play. On the playground, pupils are responsible for the ‘friendship stop'. There are a number of opportunities for pupils to take on additional responsibility and they respond well to these opportunities. Relationships throughout the school are good, between pupils and between pupils and staff. Parents confirm that the school has a caring ethos and respectful atmosphere where children take care of each other.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Children in the Foundation Stage settle into school well and enjoy coming to school. They have positive attitudes to their work and play. Behaviour is mostly very good. They are learning to interact well with their teachers, the nursery nurse and the teaching assistant. They are given good opportunities to develop their independent learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. At the time of the last inspection, attendance was below the national average. Since then, it has fallen and is now well below the national average. There is a very high instance of parents taking pupils out of school for holidays, including some that exceed ten school days. In addition, a number of pupils arrive late for school each day, which disrupts the start of lessons. The school has identified a number of pupils whose poor attendance is having an adverse effect on the progress they are making.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Canewdon CE Primary School - 14 15. The previous inspection found that the quality of teaching and learning was good, overall. Good teaching was seen in over two thirds of the lessons observed and there was only one unsatisfactory lesson. The school has recently had a significantly high turnover of teachers, which has resulted in three of the six classes having more than one teacher during the course of the current academic year. At the time of this inspection, three of the class teachers were new to the profession and relatively inexperienced. Another teacher was providing temporary cover for a colleague on maternity leave. The findings of this inspection are that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, overall. The strengths of teaching lie in the Foundation Stage and in Years 3 to 6, but good teaching was seen in some lessons in all year groups. Just over half of the lessons seen were good. The proportion of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

good and very good teaching is lower than at the time of the last inspection. Of the 48 lessons observed during the inspection, two were very good, 24 were good and 19 were satisfactory. There were three unsatisfactory lessons, all in physical education. The highest proportion of good teaching was seen in Year 5/6, where all but one of the lessons seen were good and two were very good. Pupils have made consistently good progress in this class throughout the year because of the teacher’s high expectations of them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. A strength of the teaching throughout the school is the way teachers work in partnership with teaching assistants to create a positive environment for learning in the classroom and to meet individual pupils’ needs. Teachers also make effective use of the available time and resources to promote learning. Specialist teaching in music enables pupils to make good progress and compensates for some teachers’ lack of expertise in the subject. At the time of the previous inspection, at least two teachers had particular expertise in physical education, which is no longer the case. There are still some weaknesses in information and communication technology and design and technology but these are due mainly to issues with resources, the accommodation and the way time is allocated in ‘specialisation’ sessions rather than teachers’ lack of knowledge and expertise, as at the time of the previous inspection. The use of day-to-day assessment was identified by the previous inspection as an area for

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

development. This is now satisfactory overall, and very good in the Foundation Stage. However, it is still not rigorous enough in writing, where pupils’ attainment and progress are not checked regularly enough in order to set challenging targets for pupils each term. The strongest features of the pupils’ learning are their interest, concentration and independence which are consistently good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is good, as at the time of the previous inspection. During this inspection, 11 lessons were seen, of which eight were good and three were satisfactory. Both teachers have a good understanding of how young children learn, which enables them to provide the children with a rich learning environment where they can make good progress. Teaching of this quality means that children learn at a rate appropriate to their abilities. The teachers, nursery nurse and teaching assistant know the children very well as individuals and are skilled at developing warm relationships. The teachers’ planning is good and carefully matched to the recommended Early Learning Goals; it links appropriately to the subjects of the National Curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Planning for outdoor play is good in the Nursery. Outdoor play for children in the Reception year is more limited, as they are in a mixed age class with pupils in Year 1. Although the Reception class teacher attempts to overcome this by planning for the children to spend some time each day engaged in outside activities, opportunities for independent learning are limited. The well-organised routines enable the children to become used to the pattern of the day and they respond quickly to the high expectations for behaviour, attentiveness and following instructions. All adults in the Nursery and Reception classes listen with interest to what the children have to say and, when working with them, demonstrate good skills in helping the children to develop their language for communication. The very good teamwork between the teachers, nursery nurse and the teaching assistant is a strength of the teaching in the Foundation Stage.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Canewdon CE Primary School - 15 19. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. The findings of the last inspection showed that it was good. Of the 13 lessons observed, five were good, six were satisfactory and two were unsatisfactory. Teaching is good in mathematics, music and design and technology. It is satisfactory, overall, in all other subjects except physical education, where the lessons observed were unsatisfactory. Where teaching is good, as in a mathematics lesson for pupils in Years 1 and 2, the lesson was sufficiently demanding to provide good levels of challenge for all pupils. Skilful questioning developed pupils’ understanding well as they had to explain the methods they used to make a calculation. The lesson progressed at a brisk pace and the teacher and teaching assistant worked well together to support all of the pupils in their learning. Teaching was unsatisfactory in physical

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

education because the planned activities were not sufficiently challenging for the pupils and they remained inactive for too much of the lesson. In some cases, this led to inappropriate behaviour, which was not adequately checked.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. In English, the quality of teaching seen was satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. However, too little time is allocated to the teaching of writing, which means that most pupils are not given enough time to write extended pieces of text or to develop their ideas. There are also too few opportunities for pupils to develop literacy skills across the curriculum. Year 2 pupils who are taught alongside those in Year 3 benefit from having good opportunities for extended writing and for developing writing skills in other subjects. Expectations of their achievements are also higher in the Year 2/3 class. Teaching is good in design and technology in Years 1 and 2 because work is well planned and taught in a way which develops pupils’ knowledge and skills progressively. Teachers make learning relevant and meaningful to pupils by creating effective links with other subjects. Good teaching in music reflects the skills of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Of the 24 lessons observed, two were very good, 11 were good and ten were satisfactory. There was one unsatisfactory lesson. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good in English, mathematics, information and communication technology and music. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well, both in English and mathematics lessons and across the curriculum. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are implemented effectively and have been tailored to meet the school’s needs. Good teaching in music by a visiting specialist teacher and one of the class teachers, who takes each class in turn, enables pupils to progress well. Teaching is satisfactory, overall, in all other subjects. The effectiveness of the teaching is limited by the curricular and timetabling arrangements in some subjects, and sometimes by the accommodation. Where teaching was unsatisfactory in one physical

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

education lesson, the planned activities were not sufficiently demanding to develop pupils’ skills at an appropriate pace. The management of inappropriate behaviour was also unsatisfactory in this lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. A very good literacy lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6 illustrated the best features of teaching. The teacher’s infectious enthusiasm for the subject inspired and motivated pupils from the outset as they discussed the best way to write a ‘blurb’ for an anthology of Ted Hughes’ poetry. The teacher’s expectations of the pupils were very high as she guided and prompted them to suggest imaginative and adventurous phrases to describe the poems and the author. Well focused teaching of main and subordinate clauses was incorporated very effectively into the lesson and clearly related to other aspects of pupils’ work. The well-prepared and experienced teaching assistants supported less able pupils very well by discussing ideas with them and challenging pupils to improve their work.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. Where teaching is less effective, but still satisfactory, the management of pupils’ behaviour is sometimes not firm enough to ensure that all concentrate well, apply themselves to the task and make good progress. In some lessons, the pace is too slow to promote good progress and work is not sufficiently demanding. Occasionally, difficulties arise because of the recent changes of teacher, as Canewdon CE Primary School - 16 when teachers discover that pupils have not been taught the skills and knowledge indicated in the planning for the subject. In one lesson, the teacher had to backtrack to compensate for the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. A significant minority of parents is dissatisfied with the setting of homework, mostly due to inconsistencies between classes and year groups. There is no monitoring of homework to ensure consistency between pupils in the same year group who are taught in different classes.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Changes of teacher throughout the year have also resulted in differences of approach to the setting of homework. Where it is done well, as in Year 6, it makes an effective contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils who have special educational needs is good and enables them to make good progress towards their targets. Teachers plan and provide suitable work for these pupils, include them in all activities and make sure that they are involved in questions and discussions. The co-ordinator for special educational needs and the teaching assistants provide good support for pupils in lessons and when they are withdrawn for specific help. There is very good support for pupils with complex physical, emotional and learning needs from well trained teaching assistants, which enables them to be included as fully as possible in all activities. Teachers also plan work well to meet the needs of pupils who are not on the special needs Code of Practice but are, nevertheless, giving cause for concern.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. Overall, the quality and range of the curriculum are satisfactory. Weekly teaching time exceeds recommendations, and the amount allocated to English is high compared with other schools. This reflects the school’s emphasis on improving standards of attainment in English. Information and communication technology does not meet requirements in all areas of the subject in Years 3 to 6. Curricular planning in design and technology is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6 as it does not fully meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school has identified the use of information and communication technology as an area for continuing development. Statutory requirements are fully met in all other subjects.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. The quality and range of learning opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage are good. The curriculum provided takes full account of the nationally recommended areas of learning. A strong emphasis is placed on good first-hand experiences, together with an appropriate range of child-initiated activities. Appropriate focused teaching, linked to literacy and numeracy, is carefully planned for and introduced effectively to the children in both classes.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented satisfactorily and has had a positive impact on improving the standards achieved in English. However, standards in reading in Years 1 and 2 and writing in Years 1 to 6 are still below the national average. The school has identified these as its key priorities for improvement. The National Numeracy Strategy has been implemented well and is enabling pupils to achieve above average standards of attainment.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The planning of the curriculum is satisfactory, and provides sound coverage of most National Curriculum programmes of study. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Planning follows the guidance of nationally recommended schemes of work and those designated by the Local Education Authority, which the school has adapted to suit the needs of the pupils. The school’s approach to teaching subjects separately is effective and enhanced with useful cross-curricular links where possible. The school continues to make good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. It is currently pursuing ‘Healthy Schools’ status and has already received the Intermediate Award. The pupils’ views are sought and considered when policies are reviewed or put into place. Canewdon CE Primary School - 17 29. The number and variety of extracurricular activities that enrich the curriculum for pupils from

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Years 1 to 6 are very good. Pupils participate in clubs before school, during the lunch hour and after school. In the autumn term, pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6 took part in a residential visit to Norfolk, where they undertook a wide range of outdoor adventure activities. This visit enables pupils to learn to live with others away from the security of home. Singing and art clubs, together with visiting theatre companies, musicians and artists, enhance pupils’ appreciation of different cultures and past times. The school takes part in the ‘Out of School Hours Learning Project’ . This project provides funds to help schools offer a wide range of clubs, such as the golf club. A parent, who is a qualified coach, helps to organise rugby, golf and other sporting activities, which extend pupils’ sporting skills well. The school has identified the need to focus on identifying gifted and talented pupils and already provides many

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

extracurricular activities to develop pupils’ sporting and musical skills.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The caring ethos of the school is reflected well in the way it ensures that pupils are included very well in all activities. However, there are some inequalities of access and opportunity for pupils in art and design, and design technology, due to the ‘specialisation’ lessons, which lead to an imbalance of time for some year groups. Although sufficient time is allocated to the teaching of history and geography, they are taught in blocks of a term and a half each, which tends to interrupt the continuity of learning and the progression in teaching skills.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. Pupils who have special educational needs are included well in all aspects of the school's curriculum, including after school activities. Individual education plans focus on the particular areas identified as needing support, and include social and behavioural targets as well as those related to learning difficulties. Many pupils are taken out of classes for individual ten-minute booster sessions, and although this arrangement does cause some disturbance in the lesson, it does not compromise pupils’ access to the wider curriculum.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The school continues to maintain good relationships with the main receiving secondary schools with particularly good links for pupils with special educational needs. There are effective links for information and communication technology, mathematics, design and technology and science with two of the local secondary schools. There are also good links with the local pre-school groups.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The school continues to maintain effective links with the local community. Pupils actively support the local horticultural society. They visit elderly members of the community and sing to them at Christmas, and a group is also invited to visit the school to see the children in their Christmas performance. There are also links with the village church where pupils’ work is sometimes on display. Visiting ministers lead assemblies from time to time which contributes well to pupils’ spiritual and moral development.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Pupils’ good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning are founded on the school’s good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This judgement is similar to that made by the previous inspection. Satisfactory provision for pupils’ spiritual development is promoted through religious education, where pupils learn about major world faiths. In assemblies, pupils are attentive and fully involved. In a whole school assembly about Jesus’ ascension into heaven, pupils reflected on the idea that, although friends may leave, they will be remembered, just as Christians believe Jesus is in heaven, but He can be our friend here on earth. There are sound opportunities for pupils to marvel at the many wonders of nature, as when children in the Nursery saw two ducks emerge from the bushes and wander across the play area.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The good provision for pupils’ moral development is founded on the high expectations that staff have of their conduct. Adults in the school provide good role models for the children, and are consistent in the way that they show respect for both pupils and other adults. This ensures that pupils Canewdon CE Primary School - 18 also show respect for others. The teaching assistants provide good support for pupils by acting informally as counsellors. The school has a very positive approach to the management of behaviour and this, and the good rewards system, help the pupils to develop an appropriate idea of what is right and wrong. Pupils are involved with making playground and classroom rules. They understand and obey them well. Moral issues are taught well and pupils are well behaved in and around the school.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. The provision for pupils’ social development is good and parents agree that the school helps their children to become mature and responsible. The school is a caring community in which everyone is respected and supported very well. The school council involves pupils in the decision making process within the school. There is a good range of visits and visitors, including a residential visit for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6. These help pupils to develop social skills outside the classroom environment. Pupils in Year 5 are trained as ‘play leaders’: they identify other pupils who require support in the playground and play games with them. The good on-going social interaction between children in the Nursery and Reception classes helps them to feel secure when the Nursery children transfer to the Reception class. Pupils are made aware of the needs of others and the school supports national and international charities.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. Provision for the pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. The school makes positive efforts to ensure that pupils appreciate the multicultural nature of society in Britain and throughout the world. In religious education, pupils develop respect for diverse faiths and cultures. They learn about different periods in British history and the legacy of these for today’s society. Pupils learn about religious festivals, and have a sound understanding of art from different countries. Visiting drama groups, theatre companies, musicians and artists enhance pupils’ understanding of different cultures.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school provides well for the care of its pupils. The school environment is well maintained and kept safe. All staff know the pupils well and care for them well. They are aware of their personal and medical needs. The school’s arrangements for the health and safety of its pupils are good. Members of staff and the governing body regularly check the grounds, buildings and equipment and ensure that any hazards are dealt with quickly and effectively. There are good arrangements for the administration of first aid, with appropriately trained staff and a medical room where pupils go if they are unwell. Child protection procedures are good and follow the guidelines set down by the Local Authority. The acting headteacher is the member of staff responsible for child protection matters and all staff have received appropriate training. There is good liaison with and support from the external

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. There are effective measures in place to monitor and promote good behaviour. Pupils have been involved in drawing up the school and class rules and so they are well aware of the rules and what will happen if they are broken. Praise and encouragement are used well by all staff to emphasise positive behaviour. This is appreciated by parents who feel this has an impact on helping their children to achieve well. At lunch times, the mid day staff reward good behaviour by nominating children to sit at the ‘star table'. Adults monitor any poor behaviour closely and involve parents if appropriate. The school is good at monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour. Parents are happy that bullying is 'stamped on' and say that there is a caring ethos throughout the school, which begins in the Nursery. Pupils are happy to talk to staff if there is a problem and parents confirm that staff deal with any problems quickly and effectively.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school has not been successful in improving attendance, which was below the national average at the time of the last inspection and has now fallen still further. Although parents are reminded of the need to get their children to school, and there are rewards for full attendance, these Canewdon CE Primary School - 19 have not had an impact on the levels of attendance. Many parents take their children out of school for family holidays; many also take longer than ten days, which results in some unauthorised absence. Statutory requirements for the registration, coding and recording of attendance are all met, but the monitoring of attendance is unsatisfactory as it relies on the Education Welfare Officer to identify and pursue any concerns. A significant number of pupils arrive late to school on a regular basis and this causes disruption to the school day.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. All staff are good at monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development. They know the children and their individual needs well, which enables them to be aware of their needs and cater well for them. The school cares very well for pupils who have special educational needs. Individual education plans provide appropriate targets and these are reviewed regularly. Annual reviews for those who have statements of special need identify targets that provide a good focus for the coming year. Outside agencies are used appropriately, and their reports are included in reviews. In addition to the fourteen pupils on the register (Code of Practice for special education needs) the school also identifies a larger number of pupils who are called ‘internal referrals’. These are pupils who have minor difficulties, which may include social or behavioural concerns, or need extra help with reading or spelling.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Children in the Foundation Stage are cared for very well and are very happy to come to school. They form good relationships with their teachers, nursery nurse, teaching assistants and other adults in the school. Soon after children enter the Nursery they are informally assessed, and, in the Reception class, they are assessed using a procedure designed specifically for this age range. Good on-going observations and assessments of the children continue throughout their time in the Foundation Stage. The evidence from these on-going assessments provides a precise insight into the stage of development of each child, which enables the teachers to plan activities to meet their needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress in Years 1 to 6 are satisfactory. This is an improvement since the last inspection when this aspect was in the process of development. National tests and assessments are used at the end of Years 2 and 6 in mathematics, English and science, and in the intervening years optional tests are used. These are modelled on the national tests, and the results are analysed and areas for development are identified. Teachers then revise their planning so that these topics can be addressed. Targets are set and reviewed through the school's tracking system. This shows pupils' progress as they proceed through the school. Various tests for reading and general ability are also given from time to time, and these results are also included in the tracking process. These procedures are relatively new and are not yet fully effective in Years 1 and 2. For example, writing assessments take place only at the beginning and end of each year. This does

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

not enable teachers to track pupils’ progress carefully enough to ensure that they make sufficient progress by the end of Year 2. Assessment procedures in subjects other than mathematics and English are at various stages of development, and include sheets for recording pupils' attainment at the end of a unit of work. Overall, the good practice seen, for example, in mathematics has not yet been extended to all subjects.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school continues to have a close partnership with parents and parents have positive views of the school. The school works well with parents. There is an open door policy and parents are made to feel welcome in the school. They confirm that teachers are approachable and listen to their concerns.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school is good. Parents are supportive of the school and a significant number come into school on a regular basis to help out in the Canewdon CE Primary School - 20 classrooms. The vast majority contribute well to their children's learning at home by helping with homework and ensuring that it is completed and given in on time. Many parents are happy with the amount of homework given, but at the pre-inspection parents’ meeting, a small number expressed concern over the regularity and consistency of homework given across the school. The inspection found that the use of homework is satisfactory, and is used well for pupils in Year 6, but is given less consistently in some other classes. There is a supportive 'Friends of Canewdon' group which regularly raises significant funds for the school. Organised events are always well supported by parents and the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

money raised is used well by the school. The 'Friends' are currently raising money for a 'Trim Trail' for the school grounds.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The information provided for parents by the school is satisfactory. Regular newsletters are sent out giving information about what is happening in school and dates for future events. Information about the curriculum is not sent out to parents but is available for them to see on the wall of each classroom. Parents are kept informed about their children's progress through written annual reports as well as formal parent consultation meetings. The written reports are satisfactory. They say what pupils know, understand and can do, but, although some do give areas for further development, this is not consistent across the school. Neither do the reports tell parents where their children are in relation to national expectations. However there are opportunities for parents to talk to teachers about pupils’ progress at the regular formal consultation evenings, as well as good informal opportunities, particularly

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents of pupils who have special educational needs are well informed and involved in their children's education. Individual education plans provide activities for parents to help with at home, and they are involved in the review of targets and plans for future areas of development. Parents of children who have statements of special educational need are very active in making good suggestions for support and further help.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Induction procedures for children starting school are good. The teacher in the Nursery class is the home-school-community coordinator and builds up good relationships with the children’s parents, often from when they are babies. Parents and children visit the Nursery before the children start school and the ‘open door’ policy enables parents to know what their children are learning and to quickly voice any concerns, should some arise. In the second half of the term before they move into the Reception class, every Wednesday afternoon the children go into the Reception class, which enables them to feel secure and to get to know their new class. The teacher meets each set of parents individually to discuss their child and to explain what their child will experience.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The previous report made a similar judgement. At the time of this inspection, the acting headteacher had been in post for only three weeks. The previous headteacher left at the end of the Spring Term 2003. There has also been a very high turnover of staff in the past nine months. Evidence shows that sound management structures and procedures are in place to support the acting headteacher during this transition period. The acting headteacher is providing good support for new and newly qualified teachers to ensure that the pupils continue to receive a sound quality of education during a period of change. She has worked hard to maintain a strong team spirit in the school and a shared commitment to ongoing improvement. The school has a satisfactory capacity to succeed.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The previous inspection found that the roles of curriculum co-ordinators were underdeveloped. Evidence shows that these roles were being developed well prior to the many staff changes that have recently taken place. For example, the acting headteacher, in her role as co-ordinator for information Canewdon CE Primary School - 21 and communication technology, has worked closely with an external adviser to improve her own effectiveness in the role and to produce a comprehensive five year improvement plan for the subject, which is already having a good impact on raising standards. However, as a result of the many staff changes, the roles and responsibilities of teachers are being re-organised. This has resulted in all of the curricular responsibilities being shared between the acting headteacher and three other teachers, one of whom is covering for the teacher on leave. This places a heavy burden on a few teachers and

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

means that several subjects currently have no effective leadership to drive development forward.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Consequently, the effectiveness of subject co-ordinators in monitoring and improving curricular provision varies significantly. The best practice can be seen in mathematics which has benefited from having two co-ordinators in post for some time. They have led whole school initiatives to improve teaching, which have resulted in good improvement in standards and in the quality of learning. Although there is a clear policy for monitoring pupils’ work, observing teaching and evaluating pupils’ attainment and progress, staff changes have inevitably interrupted the planned programme for the rest of the year. The acting headteacher is aware of the need to refocus attention on the main issues facing the school, such as raising standards in writing and ensuring that pupils in the same year group but in different classes are given similar experiences and opportunities.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The management of the provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. The teacher responsible for the Foundation Stage is the Nursery teacher, who has a very clear overview of the required provision for the children. The quality of relationships within the Foundation Stage is very good and together all the adults form a very effective team. The leadership and organisation of special needs provision are good, and there is a good, well trained team of teaching assistants. The co- ordinator knows the pupils on the special needs register well and successfully deploys teaching assistants to provide efficient help for these pupils in classes. Legal requirements for annual reviews are being met, and the reports from outside agencies are recorded and used well.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The governors fulfil most of their statutory duties and make a sound contribution to shaping the future direction of the school. The school is still not fully meeting the requirements of the National Curriculum in design and technology and information and communication technology, although the latter has seen many improvements since the last inspection. The leadership of design and technology has not been sufficiently rigorous in the past to ensure that all pupils received enough time to cover the curriculum. The previous headteacher’s termly reports to the governors kept them well informed about all aspects of the management of the school. As a result, governors have a sound understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Their role in strategic long-term planning is effective in terms of improving the premises and the learning environment, but their role in monitoring and helping

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

to raise standards is still developing. Some governors visit the school regularly and take a close interest in a particular subject. For example, the governor who oversees literacy visited the school to observe lessons and meet with teachers, and wrote a report which shows a good understanding of the role and a clear focus on the key aspects of the visit.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school development plan consists of a detailed plan for the current school year and a three- year overview of proposed developments. It sets out the key priorities for the school to address. However, the improvement of attendance, for example, does not feature as a priority until 2003/04, although it has remained low for several years. Although the school has a clear focus on raising standards in writing, the criteria for judging the success of each initiative are not sufficiently measurable in terms of pupils' attainment. This makes it difficult for governors to assess the effectiveness of the actions undertaken. Staff and governors have been appropriately involved in determining priorities, and associated action plans have been drawn up by co-ordinators for their subjects. The development plan for information and communication technology provides an example Canewdon CE Primary School - 22

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

of very good practice, as it clearly sets out what needs to be done to raise standards and includes specific, measurable criteria by which to judge its success.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The monitoring and evaluation of standards, and of the school’s provision, are satisfactory. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when no formal monitoring procedures were in place. Analysis of the pupils’ performance in national and internal tests informs target setting for each year group in Years 3 to 6, but is not rigorous enough in Years 1 and 2. Observations of teaching have been carried out regularly in previous terms, and these have led to the provision of support to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Sound arrangements for appraisal and performance management are in place, although these, too, have been interrupted by staff changes. This is an improvement since the last inspection when appraisal did not meet statutory requirements. Performance objectives are set for the headteacher and class teachers, which are directly linked to priorities in the school development

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

plan. However, these do not always contain specific, measurable targets relating to pupils’ progress. They are, however, clearly focused on improving teachers’ roles as subject co-ordinators. Performance management procedures for support staff have also been introduced and make an effective contribution to their professional development. The school has been successful in gaining accreditation by ‘Investors in People’.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The previous inspection found that the links between the school development plan and the budget were insufficiently clear. There has been a good improvement in this aspect of the management of the school. The headteacher, finance officer and governors’ finance committee prioritise expenditure according to the school development plan and ensure that funds are used to improve the quality of education for the pupils. For example, the school has invested in a suite of computers, an interactive whiteboard and a technology teaching assistant in order to raise standards in information and communication technology, and funds have been put aside to extend and improve this provision, as identified in the detailed development plan for the subject. Financial management and administration are very good. The experienced and very efficient finance officer monitors expenditure closely and keeps the acting headteacher and governors well informed throughout the year. The

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

finance committee reviews expenditure to ensure that the school is achieving best value for money. Governors also compare the school’s performance with that of other schools. Overall, the principles of best value are applied well when spending decisions are made. For example, staff, governors and parents are consulted when priorities are being established, and the school takes care to seek competitive quotes for items of expenditure.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. At the end of the 2001/2002 financial year, the school carried forward a very large surplus amounting to approximately 20 per cent of its income. This money consists mainly of funds earmarked for a much needed extension to the school buildings to extend the computer suite and create a new library, as well as improving administrative accommodation. Very careful financial management and planning have enabled the school to reach a point at which plans have now been drawn up with a view to embarking on the project within the next 18 months. The remaining budget surplus falls within the range normally seen in primary schools. A recent financial audit showed that the school’s procedures and systems are of a very good standard. The school benefits from financial support from the Canewdon Education Foundation (the ‘Trust’). At present this provides travel for pupils to go to a local swimming pool and also on other visits. In the past, funding has been provided for the salaries of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

support staff, which has contributed significantly to the school’s ability to put funds aside for a building project.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Overall, there are sufficient teaching and support staff to meet the needs of the curriculum and to provide adequate support for pupils at all levels of attainment. The school has experienced a very high turnover of staff in the past 12 months. At the time of this inspection, four of the six class teachers had joined the school since the beginning of the academic year. Of these, two are newly Canewdon CE Primary School - 23 qualified, one is unqualified and one is covering a class for a teacher on maternity leave. Three of these teachers are on temporary contracts. Three of the six classes have had more than one teacher during the course of the year since September 2002. An analysis of pupils’ work completed throughout the year shows that this has not had an adverse effect on most pupils’ progress. However, the behaviour of a few pupils has been affected aversely by recent changes of teacher. Appropriate

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

procedures are in place to support staff who are new to the school. Teaching assistants work effectively as a team with teachers, both in the classroom and when withdrawing pupils for specific help, such as the Additional Literacy or Further Literacy projects.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The arrangements for the professional development of all staff are satisfactory. Training for staff is linked closely to the priorities identified in the school development plan. For example, all teachers are undergoing training in the teaching of writing, and training in aspects of information and communication technology is ongoing. The high turnover of staff has inevitably led to new training needs, which the school has to address in the near future. However, all staff feel well supported and work effectively as a team, sharing expertise and ideas where necessary.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Overall, the school's accommodation is satisfactory, but it has some significant drawbacks. Classrooms are adequate in size. They are enhanced by colourful displays which celebrate pupils' achievements. Pupils benefit from spacious and attractive grounds, including a recently constructed garden. The hall is small and this places some constraints on teaching physical skills effectively, as was seen in some lessons during this inspection. The former library has now been adapted to contain a suite of computers. This works well for half-classes or small groups but is much too small to allow for whole class teaching of computer skills. This creates further constraints on teachers and timetables. It also means that the library cannot be used for much of the time as shelves have to be wheeled around to create space. As a result, the library is no longer a central, easily accessible resource and it does not provide a comfortable or attractive space in which pupils can carry out

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

research or enjoy browsing through books. The premises are clean and very well maintained by the caretaker, and this contributes to the school's welcoming ethos.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The Nursery and Reception classes are well organised. Attractive displays enhance the learning environment very well. Although the Nursery is situated in a demountable building, it is spacious and there is an attractive, secure outside play area. The Reception class has two small, enclosed outside areas, which enable the teacher to provide a sound range of outdoor activities. The lack of a covered outside area for children in both classes limits the opportunities for children to move spontaneously between indoor and outdoor environments , as stated in the recommended curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The school has a good range and number of learning resources. There are some shortages of software in information and communication technology but these are identified in the development plan. The number of computers is adequate for the number of pupils. Learning resources for children in the Foundation Stage are sufficient to support the children’s learning in all the relevant areas. Canewdon CE Primary School - 24

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

63. In order to continue to improve the quality of education offered to the pupils, the

p.24

(1) Raise standards in reading in Years 1 and 2 and writing in Years 1 to 6 by:*

• providing more challenge for average and higher attaining pupils in reading and comprehension to promote greater progress; • providing all pupils with regular opportunities to write at length and develop their ideas; • extending the opportunities for pupils to develop their literacy skills through other subjects; • raising teachers’ expectations of the amount and quality of pupils’ work; • setting targets for individual pupils to achieve and checking their progress more frequently from term to term;

p.24

(1) Raise standards in reading in Years 1 and 2 and writing in Years 1 to 6 by:*

(Paragraphs 2, 3, 6, 16, 20, 27, 43, 55, 78, 81, 83-86, 88, 89, 144)

p.24

design and technology, art, geography, history and physical education by

• ensuring that all aspects of the National Curriculum in information and communication technology and design and technology are being taught and that the school has adequate resources to do this; • increasing the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum; • ensuring that pupils in each year group have equality of access and opportunity in the timetabling and planning of design and technology and art lessons; • reviewing the current arrangements for the allocation of blocks of time to geography and history to ensure continuity in learning; • reviewing curricular planning in physical education to ensure that lessons provide pupils with suitably demanding activities;

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design and technology, art, geography, history and physical education by

(Paragraphs 7, 16, 19, 21, 25, 27, 30, 104, 108, 112, 114, 115, 120, 122, 125, 128, 136, 138, 148)

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(3) Improve the rate of attendance and the punctuality of the pupils by

• making parents and pupils aware of the importance of good attendance and punctuality; • monitoring patterns of absence more rigorously and taking prompt action to address the issues identified;

p.24

the curriculum by

• reviewing the delegation of responsibilities for subjects within the constraints of the current and future staffing situation; • providing training for newly appointed subject co-ordinators in monitoring standards, curricular provision and the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects;

p.24

the curriculum by

(Paragraphs 50, 51, 111, 115, 124, 136, 148) Canewdon CE Primary School - 25

p.24

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

1, Ensuring that all staff are familiar with the school homework policy and that they implement it consistently, especially giving regard to pupils of the same year group who are taught in different classes.

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OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

*denotes items identified as priorities in the school development plan Canewdon CE Primary School - 26

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 48 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 37

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number 0 2 24 19 3 0 0 Percentage 0 4 50 40 6 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 two percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 13 148 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 15 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 14

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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.26

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 8 Canewdon CE Primary School - 27 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.26

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 7.0 School data 0.5 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.

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 10 14 24

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 92 (81) 88 (71) 100 (81) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.27

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 92 (76) 100 (71) 79 (57) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Canewdon CE Primary School - 28 Where there are ten or fewer boys or girls in the year group, only total numbers are included in the table.

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 10 4 14

p.28

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 79 (71) 79 (47) 93 (76) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.28

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 86 (53) 79 (59) 86 (71) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Where there are ten or fewer boys or girls in the year group, only total numbers are included in the table Canewdon CE Primary School - 29

p.28

exclusions

White – British 131 1 0 White – Irish 0 0 0 White – any other White background 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 0 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 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 0 0 0 Black or Black British – African 0 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. Canewdon CE Primary School - 30

p.29

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.2 Financial year 2001/02

p.30

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher Average class size 30 £ Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 463399 Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 411954

p.30

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 174 Expenditure per pupil 2301

p.30

nursery

Balance brought forward from previous year Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 132459

p.30

nursery

Number of pupils per qualified teacher Total number of education support staff Total aggregate hours worked per week Number of pupils per FTE adult 6.5 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 3 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Canewdon CE Primary School - 31

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.31

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 46 44 6 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 31 57 7 2 2

p.31

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 17 58 12 10 4

p.31

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 44 7 6 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 78 19 2 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 31 6 4 4

p.31

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 50 41 4 6 0

p.31

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 59 31 6 2 2

p.31

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 47 2 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 42 38 9 9 2

p.31

Other issues raised by parents

The recent high turnover of teachers and the timing of this inspection. Canewdon CE Primary School - 32

p.31

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. The school has maintained the good provision for children in the Foundation Stage since the previous inspection. The well-organised day-to-day routines established by the teachers enable children to feel secure and safe and to grow in confidence. The good teaching is having a positive impact on the children’s learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Children are admitted to the nursery at the start of the term in which they become three and a half years old. They attend on a part-time basis, either for a morning or an afternoon session. Children are admitted into the Reception class at the start of the term in which they reach their fifth birthday. Children in both classes are taught within a warm, caring, supportive environment. Most of the children have attended the school Nursery before starting in the Reception class. Overall, when children enter the school, their attainment is well below average for their age. By the end of the Reception year, most children are unlikely to meet most of the Early Learning Goals, but make good progress in all areas of learning.

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

66. Standards are average in this area of learning. Most children are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they leave the Reception class, due to the very strong emphasis on this aspect of their learning from the moment they first enter the Nursery. The children are constantly encouraged to feel confident about what they can achieve through praise, smiles and gestures. Their behaviour in and around the school is mostly very good with only a few disagreements. They work and play beside each other well, learning to share the equipment and to co-operate well with other children. They show a good understanding of classroom procedures and the teachers’ high expectations of them and most respond well to them. In the Nursery, children are given many opportunities to choose activities for themselves, which helps to develop independence. They respond sensibly to this and most sustain concentration well for their age. Opportunities to do this are slightly more restricted in the

p.32

Personal, social and emotional development

Reception/Year 1 class, as children are in a more formal learning situation. Most settle well to the more structured activities, such as literacy and numeracy, and show ability to concentrate for an appropriate length of time. The children attend to their personal hygiene appropriately and most are able to undress and dress themselves independently before and after movement lessons.

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Personal, social and emotional development

67. Personal, social and emotional development is promoted very well in all areas of learning and the planning is thorough. A particularly strong feature of the teaching is the warm, caring relationships that adults develop with the children, which helps them to feel secure and to grow in confidence. The adults provide very good role models for the children, always treating them with courtesy and respect to which they respond positively. There are very good opportunities in the Nursery to develop the children’s independent learning. They enjoy the many moments of fun and time for reflection, which helps to strengthen the bond between them.

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

68. Most children make good progress in this area of learning, including those who have special educational needs. However, attainment is below average by the end of the Foundation Stage. All Canewdon CE Primary School - 33 adults place very good emphasis on communicating with the children in the Foundation Stage. They talk to them individually, in groups and as a class to help them extend their vocabulary and start to use their language and communication skills for a range of purposes. The adults show the children that they value their efforts at communicating. A few children are eager to talk about the things that interest them, such as celebrating their birthday. They enjoy listening to stories. The teachers have introduced ‘Big Book’ sessions in preparation for the literacy hour in Year 1. The children enjoy stories, such as The Rainbow Fish and use the illustrations well to extend their understanding of the

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

story. Most children understand the concept that pictures carry meaning. Some children know that spoken words and print can have the same meaning and that text is read from left to right. In the good literacy sessions, the children are learning correct initial phonic sounds, but most cannot use this skill to attempt to read simple words. Linking the phonic work with correct letter formation is good, as this helps to reinforce the children’s understanding of both concepts. Many of the children have difficulty with pencil control, but the provision of good role-play areas, such as the ‘travel agents’ and the ‘village railway’, provides the children with good reasons to practise their writing skills. A few of the older children make a good attempt at writing their own name. The acceptance of developmental writing is good as this enables the children to be confident and to feel they are ‘writers’. Children are

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

encouraged to take books home to practise their early reading skills. They have good listening skills and listen carefully to instructions.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

69. The quality of teaching is good. Children are provided with a good range of purposeful activities to develop their use of language for reading, writing, speaking and listening, whatever their stage of development. The children are provided with good role-play areas, which are used very well, often with an adult involved to extend the children’s vocabulary. The children are provided with paper and pencils for a range of activities, such as taking the role of the ticket master writing a message. The nursery nurse and teaching assistant are used effectively with individual children or small groups, when direct teaching is involved. They are well briefed and assist the teachers in maintaining ongoing assessments of individual children’s progress. The programme of work is well structured and linked to the National Literacy Strategy for young children. Classroom displays are rich in language clues

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

intended to reinforce learning and a good emphasis on language development is evident throughout the whole programme of work.

p.33

Mathematical development

70. This area is taught well, but by the end of the Reception year, most children are unlikely to meet the Early Learning Goals for mathematics. Teachers are helping the children to develop their mathematical understanding well by providing a structured programme of practical experiences, which enables them to make good progress. The children are learning to recognise and name common shapes such as square, triangle and circle. These concepts are reinforced well in as many ways as possible, such as when the children play a triangle in music making and sit on the circle rug in the Nursery. Most can count to ten by rote and these skills are practised regularly when singing nursery rhymes and number jingles, and by sorting and playing ordering games. Teachers and assistants provide good support by playing board games with the children, which enable them to experience counting, addition and subtraction in a practical way. A very small number of more able children in the Reception class

p.33

Mathematical development

can write and use numbers up to twenty for early addition and subtraction. Children make sets of assorted transport shapes by colour and shape. The children experience working with sand and water, filling and emptying different sized containers. In the Reception class, they handle real coins when they buy items in the shop. The teaching assistant provides good support for the children by helping them to recognise the number on the coins.

p.33

Mathematical development

71. Teachers use every opportunity to extend and reinforce the children’s understanding of basic skills through practical experiences. They ensure that all adults in the Foundation Stage classes use Canewdon CE Primary School - 34 correct mathematical vocabulary and provide many activities that build upon the children’s understanding at that time. Questions are used skilfully to encourage children to organise their thoughts. In the Nursery, the children self-register by putting their name cards on the number train when they first come into school each day. In one lesson, the teacher helped the children to gain in their understanding of numbers by asking questions such as “How many children were there when you helped with the drinks? How can we make sure?” A child answered, “Count the names on the train” and miscounted the first time, but managed at the second attempt with some extra help from the

p.33

Mathematical development

teacher. In the Reception class, the teacher plans the mathematical work very well, as she makes each area of mathematics suitable for every child’s needs. Tasks are appropriate and in line with the recommendations in the National Numeracy Strategy for young children.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

72. On entry to the school, the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is below average for their age. During the Foundation Stage, the teachers effectively build on the children’s knowledge, helping them to learn more about the world around them. Teaching and learning are good, and most children are likely to meet the expected standard by the end of the Reception year. Many activities are planned and organised well in order that the children can gain in their understanding through practical experiences. In the Nursery, good practical activities involving the interaction of an adult enabled the children to learn at first hand about the wind blowing the toy windmills and to marvel at the ducks when they emerged from the bushes in the outdoor area. When the children planted bulbs and seeds, an adult helped to extend their learning about what plants need in order to grow. In the Reception class, the good use of photographs of when the children were babies helps them to

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

understand how they have changed and learn about the passing of time. The school grounds are used well to help the children in both classes to learn about their immediate environment. Visits to the village shop, the church, the park and the pond enable the children to understand their local environment very well.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. A wide range of construction toys and materials is provided for the children to explore and use their skills to make models. Children in the Reception class produce simple designs for equipment they would like in the ‘Trim Trail’ and make models of these by combining a variety of materials. The teaching and learning of computer skills are good. The use of correct vocabulary and practical demonstrations extend the children’s learning well. The children confidently use headphones to listen to stories and use the computer mouse carefully when moving items on the screen, such as linking the sounds animals or musical instruments make with the appropriate picture. Children in the Reception class use wires, bulbs and batteries to make a simple circuit. Linking things that are special to them with a discussion about special books helps the children to understand and have respect for the Bible and special books in other faiths.

p.34

Physical development

74. Overall, pupils attain below average standards in physical control. Children in the Nursery make good progress in developing physical control, mobility and awareness of space outdoors. However, in the Reception class, the children have limited access to the large wheeled toys, as this apparatus has to be borrowed from the Nursery, which limits their physical development. The hall is too small to allow the children to move freely. The area is cramped and children in the Reception class are restricted in their development of the use of space and awareness of others.

p.34

Physical development

75. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers provide children with many opportunities to develop hand control through the use of a range of mark-making tools, and cutting and gluing activities. However, many have weak pencil control and most have difficulty forming letters correctly. Teachers Canewdon CE Primary School - 35 provide children with a range of construction kits, which help them to develop greater dexterity in handling and manipulating small objects. Most are able to dress and undress themselves, although some need help with buttons and zips. Teachers give clear instructions during physical education lessons and encourage children to demonstrate good examples of their work.

p.34

Creative development

76. Children make good progress in developing their creative skills, but most are unlikely to meet the nationally recommended levels of attainment by the end of the Reception year. The quality of teaching and learning is good and activities are well resourced and organised. They enjoy a good range of practical activities, which enable them to experiment and to explore creatively and imaginatively. In the Nursery, the children have many opportunities to use paints and brushes, felt pens and pencils, but most of the children’s own paintings are immature for their age. They have used paints and their Wellington boots to create prints of the patterns on the soles of the boots. Role-play activities are carefully planned and enable the children to play out imaginary situations well. Children enjoy using the ‘small world’ toys, which extend their creative development well as they create imaginary situations.

p.35

Creative development

77. Children enjoy music lessons, sing tunefully and enjoy using percussion instruments to accompany their singing. In one lesson, children in the Nursery took turns to play a percussion instrument behind a screen and those who had the same instrument in front of the screen played theirs. They can identify drum, triangle and maracas. Children moved their hands from side to side as they imitated fish swimming and gently swayed as they listened to the music ‘The aquarium’ . Teachers value and praise the children’s creative efforts. They provide the children with a wide range of stimulating experiences, which helps to develop their creativity. Children feel secure to try out new experiences, as they are not restricted to imitating adults’ work, but are encouraged to develop their own creative skills.

p.35

ENGLISH

78. Standards in English are below average in Year 2 and average in Year 6. These are lower than in the previous inspection in Year 2 but higher in Year 6. Overall, pupils achieve well in English, given their low standards on entry to the school. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2 and achievement is good in Years 3 to 6. Pupils make better progress in Years 3 to 6 because the teaching of writing is more effective, particularly for the more able pupils. Pupils who have special educational needs make good progress due to good support in lessons and when withdrawn for additional help in small groups. No significant differences in the attainment of boys and girls were observed during the inspection.

p.35

ENGLISH

79. In Year 2, pupils achieve below average standards in speaking and listening. Most pupils listen attentively to the teacher and when others are speaking, but a minority have not yet developed good listening skills and often need to be reminded by the teacher not to talk when someone else is speaking. Pupils are acquiring confidence in speaking in front of the whole class because teachers provide plenty of opportunities for them to take part in discussions, to answer questions and to offer their ideas. Many pupils start school with poor communication skills and teachers work hard to improve these. Although some pupils speak clearly and audibly, many use a limited vocabulary and some are quite immature in their speech.

p.35

ENGLISH

80. Pupils in Year 6 attain standards in line with national expectations in speaking and listening. This represents good progress. Pupils listen attentively to their teachers and each other. More able Canewdon CE Primary School - 36 pupils are confident speakers and use a wide range of vocabulary. They listen attentively to others and make suitable responses. Pupils take part in discussions with enthusiasm, and are keen to offer ideas and opinions. This was illustrated very well in a literacy lesson where pupils were discussing the poems of Ted Hughes. In this lesson, pupils explained their views with confidence and made suggestions for the wording of a ‘blurb’ using catchy, lively language. Many pupils were able to use more formal language structures appropriately.

p.35

ENGLISH

81. Standards in reading are below average in Year 2. Although the majority of pupils attain the national expectation in reading (Level 2), few attain higher than average standards. A significant minority of those who do reach Level 2 are only just beginning to demonstrate sound understanding of what they read. The implementation of the Early Reading Research programme for pupils in the Reception and some in Year 1 is helping to strengthen pupils’ knowledge of sounds and how to use this to work out unfamiliar words. This programme is to be extended to include all pupils in Year 1 in the next school year. Pupils show interest in books and read simple texts carefully and accurately. Most pupils read regularly at home and more able pupils read confidently and with good expression. They identify the characters in a story and describe a favourite part. More able pupils are not always given sufficiently demanding work to extend their reading and comprehension skills.

p.36

ENGLISH

82. Pupils make good progress in developing their reading skills as they continue through the school and, in Year 6, standards are average. Pupils’ enjoyment of, and interest in, books develop well throughout the school. Pupils in Year 6 read a good range of literary genres and most show a good understanding of what they have read. They tackle challenging texts, such as extracts from Shakespeare and the poetry of Ted Hughes, with growing confidence. More able pupils are able to ‘read between the lines’ to find hidden meanings. Pupils choose their own reading material from a good range of books. They read suitably demanding texts with expression and fluency, and tackle complex words competently. Pupils express preferences for authors such as J R R Tolkien, J K Rowling and Jacqueline Wilson. Pupils know how to use the referencing system in the school library but have insufficient opportunity to use it because of the limitations of the accommodation.

p.36

ENGLISH

83. In Year 2, attainment in writing is well below average. An analysis of pupils’ work completed throughout the year shows that progress is unsatisfactory. Pupils write in sentences, using simple punctuation correctly, and are able to communicate meaning to the reader. However, they are not able to sustain longer pieces of writing in a way that develops a theme or a story. However, some more able pupils who are taught in the Year 2/3 class are being given much more challenging work and they progress at a much faster pace. They use a wider range of vocabulary and grammatical structures to convey meaning, and produce more complex and interesting work. The accuracy of spelling and punctuation varies considerably but is generally appropriate for the age of the pupils. Handwriting also varies in quality but pupils make sound progress in developing a legible, joined style.

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ENGLISH

84. Pupils make satisfactory progress in writing in Years 3 to 6, and although standards remain below average in Year 6, there is evidence that writing skills are improving as a result of a whole school focus on improving teaching. However, few pupils reach Level 5 in writing. In Year 6, pupils write in a wide variety of styles, including stories, poetry, instructional writing and persuasive writing. In the best writing, pupils use an interesting range of vocabulary imaginatively to create deliberate effects. For example, when pupils created poems after studying a range of poetic forms and reading the work of significant poets, they produced images such as “Wings flailing helplessly against the heat of the sun” and “A brutal deed, dealt swiftly and mercilessly”. Pupils express ideas and opinions confidently when they write arguments for and against zoos: “But, on the other hand, they turn wild

p.36

ENGLISH

animals into objects of entertainment and they lose their dignity”. More able pupils use paragraphs appropriately and consistently in their writing. An analysis of pupils’ writing indicates that there are Canewdon CE Primary School - 37 variable levels of accuracy, particularly in the consistent use of punctuation and spelling, in both average and less able pupils’ writing. Opportunities for drafting and refining their work are enabling pupils to develop their ideas well. Average and lower attaining pupils do not sufficiently draw upon the wider range of vocabulary they encounter in their reading.

p.36

ENGLISH

85. There is a good emphasis on teaching joined handwriting from an early stage, and pupils’ handwriting books shows that this develops well throughout the school. When pupils practise handwriting skills they achieve good standards, and their writing, is neat and well formed. However, an analysis of pupils’ books shows that they do not sustain these good standards in general daily work across the curriculum. The development of literacy skills across the curriculum is good in Years 3 to 6. In subjects such as geography, history and science pupils develop research skills using reference books and the Internet, and there are useful opportunities to develop the depth and range of pupils’ writing, as when pupils in Years 4 and 5 write what they have discovered about Ancient Egypt. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to improve their literacy skills in other subjects in Years 1 and 2.

p.37

ENGLISH

86. The quality of teaching and learning in English is satisfactory, overall, in Years 1 and 2. The main drawbacks relate to the amount of time that pupils are given to develop independent writing. Pupils in the Year 1/2 class have a short session during the literacy hour, which is not long enough for them to create and develop extended pieces of text and to increase their understanding of structure and style. The few Year 2 pupils who are taught alongside those in Year 3, on the other hand, have more time and opportunity to develop these skills. Analysis of pupils’ work shows that they are taught how to sequence the events in a story and are given a range of writing tasks, such as responding to a story, writing about “Ourselves” as part of personal social and health education and writing a letter from Goldilocks to the three bears. Another limiting factor is the use of books that are half-lined and

p.37

ENGLISH

half plain in the Year 1/2 class, where pupils only write as much as the lines beneath the picture allow. In the other class, where pupils use fully lined books, they write at greater length.

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ENGLISH

87. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 is good. The good relationships between pupils and adults in the classroom create a positive atmosphere for learning and give pupils confidence to participate in discussions and ask questions. Teachers have good expertise in the subject and implement the literacy hour effectively. They motivate and interest pupils through lively introductions, which get lessons off to a good start. For example, in a very good lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6, the teacher’s enthusiasm for poetry and very skilful questioning engaged pupils very well in a discussion about how to write a ‘blurb’ for a poetry anthology. Good planning ensures that most lessons have a brisk, purposeful pace and teachers explain clearly what pupils are expected to learn. Teachers provide pupils with a variety of stimulating, high quality literature. This helps to widen pupils’

p.37

ENGLISH

range of vocabulary and awareness of different genres and styles of writing, which, in turn, influences their own writing.

p.37

ENGLISH

88. Although teachers model the writing process well, which helps pupils to acquire new techniques and become more adventurous in their use of language, sometimes they do not set a good example in using neat, joined handwriting. On occasions, teachers do not ensure that all pupils are fully involved in the class discussion at the beginning of a lesson, which sometimes results in less able pupils becoming passive observers rather than active participants. In one lesson, the teacher did not spend enough time comparing the texts that pupils had read so that they had a clear enough idea of how to complete the subsequent written task.

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ENGLISH

89. The English co-ordinator provides sound leadership in the subject. There is a clear focus on the need to raise standards, but, as yet, this has not been crystallised into a tightly focused whole school approach to the teaching of literacy skills. There is a good emphasis on developing speaking and Canewdon CE Primary School - 38 listening skills, particularly in Years 1 and 2 where weekly sessions focus on this aspect of learning. A scheme of work and appropriate assessment procedures support this aspect well. Curricular provision and assessment procedures in reading and writing lack coherence in Years 1 and 2. There is insufficient ongoing assessment of pupils’ levels of attainment from term to term and no targets are set for individual pupils to reach to ensure good progress. Assessment procedures and target setting in Years 3 to 6 are developing well and assessment information is used effectively to inform teachers’

p.37

ENGLISH

90. There is a good range of resources to support teaching and learning. Pupils benefit from a wide range of literature, including ample ‘big books’, novels and reading scheme books. However, although the previous inspection report commented favourably on the improved library facilities, these have since declined as the library has mostly been taken over as a computer suite. It is now very cramped and access to non-fiction books is severely restricted during the normal school day. Its usefulness as a central resource for developing research skills is therefore limited. Teachers make appropriate use of information and communication technology to support teaching and learning in English. Overall, improvement in the subject has been satisfactory since the last inspection, but it remains the school’s main focus for development.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

91. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain average standards in numeracy and the other areas of the mathematics programme. Almost all pupils attain Level 2, the national expectation. This represents good progress, especially when compared with the low attainment on entry to the school. However, fewer pupils are on course to achieve Level 3 this year than in 2002. The previous inspection judged that standards were average, and they have been satisfactorily maintained since then. Pupils generally make good progress as they move through Years 1 and 2, including those who have special educational needs.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

92. Pupils in Year 2 understand odd and even numbers, tell the time in hours, halves and quarters, and estimate weights when working in grams and kilograms. They have made a survey of pupils' bedtimes and recoded the data on a graph. They solve word problems well and work out reflective symmetry.

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MATHEMATICS

93. In Year 6, pupils attain above average standards in mathematics. This represents good improvement since the last inspection report, and is also better than the results achieved in the 2002 national curriculum tests. There has been a successful focus on improving teaching and raising standards in the subject. Pupils make good progress, including those who have special educational needs. Overall, achievement in mathematics is good. Year 6 pupils calculate percentages, use fractions and convert them to percentages. They understand and use mode, mean and median, and classify quadrilateral figures well. They convert miles to kilometres and calculate perimeters and area accurately.

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MATHEMATICS

94. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good in all classes. Lessons begin with a brisk starter session, where pupils answer questions or work out problems in their head. A very good example of this was seen in Year R/1 where the teacher successfully provided suitable levels of work for the different ages and stages of development of the pupils. All of the pupils were engaged in the lesson at their own level. Year 1 pupils worked out word problems orally using addition and subtraction. They demonstrated clearly that they understood terms such as 'take away', 'minus' and 'subtraction'. Canewdon CE Primary School - 39 95. Teaching assistants provide good support in mathematics when the whole class is together on the carpet, as well as when pupils are working in groups. Teachers plan their work in line with the National Numeracy Strategy and lessons are well structured. When pupils are engaged in group

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MATHEMATICS

activities, they concentrate well and are well behaved. For example, Year 2 pupils worked well in groups, sorting out number square problems. They recognise patterns in numbers and know that one line down on the square represents adding a ten, while moving along horizontally means adding or taking away ones. Teachers use mathematical resources and equipment well to enhance pupils' learning. For example, Year 3 pupils handled and described three-dimensional shapes, such as a cuboid, a cylinder, and a square-based pyramid. Pupils describe the properties of shapes, such as the number of sides or faces, and they know that the word 'cuboid' describes dice. They are encouraged to use appropriate vocabulary, as when they learned that the plural of 'vertex' is 'vertices'.

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MATHEMATICS

96. Teachers organise their lessons well and there is usually a smooth transition from the whole class introduction to the group work. In Year 4/5, the teacher allocates 'numeracy seats' for everyone. The pupils know where to sit and move there independently, when asked to do so. Pupils know what is expected of them because the teacher shares the lesson's objectives clearly with the whole class. In a Year 4/5 lesson, pupils made good progress in applying their knowledge of decimals to money because the teacher gave clear explanations, using a grid to show hundreds, tens and units before the decimal point, and tenths and hundredths after it. This helped to reinforce and extend pupils’ understanding of place value so that they could then apply this knowledge to the use of pounds and pence. Pupils learn to use equipment carefully and accurately. For example, Year 5/6 pupils used a protractor to measure

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MATHEMATICS

angles accurately. They understood which scale to use and where to place the instrument for a correct reading. They also know that the angles in a triangle add up to 180 degrees. The pace and challenge of the lesson were good and pupils were well motivated and interested as a result. Many of the pupils apply good mathematical skills and logic to their work and this was seen clearly when the whole class came together towards the end of the lesson. The teacher set a good challenge, extending their application of what they had learnt very well. It was to find the missing angles in a diagram of a triangle within a rectangle. Using their knowledge and working logically, pupils were able to find out, with addition and subtraction of the known angles, those that were missing. It was a very good end to a successful lesson, stretching pupils' abilities well.

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MATHEMATICS

97. Teachers are confident with the National Numeracy Strategy and they apply it effectively. Examples of the use of numeracy skills in other subjects include graphs in geography and science, counting in physical education and the use of time lines in history. The use of information and communication technology in mathematics is developing but is not yet fully effective. The leadership of the subject is good and there have been many initiatives that have improved standards in mathematics, such as the ‘Springboard’ programme. The co-ordinators clearly understand what is required to move the subject forward and there has been good improvement overall since the last inspection, especially in the standards reached by the time pupils leave the school. Assessment procedures are good and assessment information is used well to inform planning. The subject is well resourced.

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SCIENCE

98. Overall, standards in science are broadly average in Year 2 and Year 6. This is similar to the standards reported for pupils in Year 2 in the school’s previous inspection, but a good improvement on the standards for pupils in Year 6, which were then below average. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve satisfactory standards, when compared with their previous attainment. There are no significant differences in the attainment of boys and girls. Canewdon CE Primary School - 40 99. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school with some good features. In the school’s previous inspection, half the teaching was judged to be sound and the other half to be good. Most teachers have sound knowledge of the subject. Throughout the school, a strong emphasis is given to the teaching of experimental and investigative science which enables pupils to

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SCIENCE

acquire scientific knowledge and understanding through first-hand experience. Teachers’ planning shows a good balance between investigations, factual learning and recording.

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SCIENCE

100. Pupils in Year 2 have a satisfactory understanding of the requirements for plants to grow. They learn about the requirements for a fair test in their experiments to grow cress in a range of different conditions. They can label the main parts of a flower, and know that seeds grow into plants. They can group living things by simple attributes, such as those with legs and those without legs. They have a sound understanding of the need for a healthy life style, including foods and exercise, and the safety aspects of medicines, in order for humans to stay healthy. They draw and label different materials and group them into ‘materials which have been alive’ , such as leather, wood, and sponges, and ‘materials which have never been alive’, such as clay and plastic. They have a satisfactory understanding of different sources of light, such as electric light, a torch and that the sun is an important source of light

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SCIENCE

101. Pupils enjoy science and are inspired by the enthusiasm of their teachers. This was illustrated well in a good Year 1/2 lesson on constructing simple electrical circuits. The teacher captured and maintained the pupils’ interest from the start by making good use of resources to make learning both relevant and enjoyable. After explaining what pupils were to learn, the teacher asked pupils for their ideas about a battery, electricity and how electricity is stored. Through effective questioning, the teacher helped pupils to consolidate their understanding of a circuit. She then further reinforced learning by asking pupils to construct a circuit by experimenting with a suitable range of wires, crocodile clips, batteries and light bulbs. When the first bulb lit, there were gasps of delight and all were inspired to make their circuits work. Following on from this, the teacher developed the pupils'

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SCIENCE

skills of prediction by asking questions such as “How is the electricity travelling to the bulb?” As she showed them a card with foil on part of it, she asked, “How can we include this to make a switch?” Pupils enthusiastically made good attempts to interrupt the flow of electricity and, with a little help from the teacher through effective questioning, eventually one succeeded.

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SCIENCE

102. Most pupils in Year 6 talk knowledgeably about the requirements for a fair test and are able to suggest ideas that can be investigated scientifically, as for example, when investigating how to separate mixtures by sieving solids from liquids. Pupils describe the functions of important human organs with reasonable skill and have a satisfactory understanding of how the movement of humans depends on both the skeleton and muscles. Pupils have a sound understanding of electricity, draw circuit diagrams using conventional symbols and understand that the brightness of a bulb can be changed. They understand that shadows are created when light cannot pass through an object.

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SCIENCE

103. The strength of the teaching and its impact on learning were illustrated in a good lesson in the Year 5/6 class. The teacher set up five investigations for pupils to work on and select information from in order to recognise that scientific ideas are based on evidence. Pupils were given the opportunity to experiment for themselves and, consequently, their findings were based on first-hand information. The high expectations of the teacher were clearly evident in the challenging tasks. The standard of questioning was high and the teacher’s clear explanations and very good use of time spent in discussion, motivated pupils and ensured that they learned to think as scientists. The teacher maintained a brisk pace and ensured that scientific vocabulary was understood well. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, learnt much from this lesson. They were supported well by the teacher and the teaching assistant through encouragement to talk about and share their ideas.

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SCIENCE

Canewdon CE Primary School - 41 104. Teachers emphasise the importance of using the correct scientific vocabulary when pupils are asked to give an explanation of their work. This not only improves the pupils’ knowledge and understanding, but also enables teachers to recognise any misconceptions the pupils may have and help to clear them up. An analysis of pupils' work supports this and indicates that most pupils present their work in a variety of ways, such as drawings, writing, charts and tables. There was little evidence however, of the use of information and communication technology to enhance the pupils’ learning.

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SCIENCE

105. Lesson planning is good and the activities provided indicate that pupils’ learning is organised well. There is good evidence of progression in the development of investigative skills, as pupils move through the school. In all lessons, pupils are supported well and are secure in their understanding of what they are going to learn. The management of pupils is good and, as a result, pupils settle well to their work and make good progress.

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SCIENCE

106. Science is well supported by a useful policy and scheme of work that provide good coverage of all aspects of the subject and clear guidance for teachers. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Overall, assessment procedures are satisfactory, but the co-ordinator recognises the need to improve assessment procedures for pupils in Years 1 and 2. The co-ordinator took on the role in September 2002 and has made a good start. She has started to monitor the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in some classes. Appropriate links with numeracy and literacy were evident during the inspection. Learning resources for science are satisfactory with some good new purchases. Progress since the last inspection is good overall.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. During the inspection, only two art and design lessons were observed due to timetabling arrangements. Judgements are based on the lessons seen, art displays, teachers’ planning, and informal discussions with pupils. The judgement of this inspection is that most pupils achieve average standards in art and design, including pupils who have special educational needs. This is similar to the standards reported in the school's previous inspection. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

108. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory with some good features. However, the allocation of time to the subject is uneven between classes, especially in Years 3 to 6. This limits the development of their art and design skills to some extent, and they do not move on quickly enough from basic art techniques to promote good progress. However, pupils benefit from the expertise of an art specialist during ‘specialisation’ sessions. Sketchbooks are used appropriately to record observations, but there is limited evidence to show that pupils use these sufficiently well to develop and refine their ideas.

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ART AND DESIGN

109. In Years 1 and 2, pupils use the school environment for some of their drawings. Year 2 pupils use card to cut out and paint letters of their name, which they rearrange to make interesting shapes for sculptures. Some of the Year 3 pupils’ pencil drawings of a trainer shoe show good attention to line and detail. However, most of their spring and winter scene pictures are immature for their age. Year 4 pupils satisfactorily use their art skills when they make colour-pencil drawings for their history work on the Ancient Egyptians. Year 5 pupils make interesting and intricate designs for a Faberge egg . Year 6 pupils use colours effectively for their observational drawings and paintings of spring flowers. In a satisfactory Year 6 lesson, pupils enjoyed using a variety of materials, such as mod-roc, feathers, sequins, and other materials to create masks. Pupils had previously looked at a wide range of

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ART AND DESIGN

photographs and pictures of masks from different cultures and past times, before designing and creating their own. Canewdon CE Primary School - 42 110. Pupils are able to take part in the efficiently organised after school art clubs, which provide small groups of pupils with good opportunities to extend their art skills. Younger pupils have used recycled materials to create effective ‘totem poles’ and satisfactorily used the technique of batik on fabric and paper to make pattern pictures . Older pupils have used mod-roc well as a basis for their interesting masks.

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ART AND DESIGN

111. At present, the school does not have a co-ordinator for art, as the previous co-ordinator has recently left the school. The school plans to appoint a subject leader for the start of the new academic year. At present, the acting headteacher has an overview of the subject. National guidelines for art and design are used appropriately as a basis for the scheme of work. Informal assessments are made of pupils’ work. Teachers create relevant links with other subjects such as history, when artwork is based on the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. Resources are satisfactory, and teachers make appropriate use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning. Throughout the school, colourful displays are used effectively to enliven classrooms and enhance communal areas.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. In Year 2, pupils attain average standards, as at the time of the last inspection. These pupils make good progress because teachers plan work well to enable pupils to acquire appropriate skills and knowledge. The previous inspection found that standards in Year 6 were below average and pupils made unsatisfactory progress, largely because they were not fully covering the National Curriculum programmes of study. An analysis of the work completed by pupils in the current Year 6 shows a similar picture. The main problem is that the subject is taught to all pupils in Years 3 to 6 by one teacher during weekly ‘specialisation’ sessions. During the past year, the time allocated to each year group has varied significantly. In addition, the timetabling of lessons limits in depth study and interrupts the continuity of learning. Overall, pupils’ achievement remains unsatisfactory, although it is good in

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Years 1 and 2. Pupils with special educational needs attain similar standards to their peers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. The quality of teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good. Teachers provide interesting opportunities for pupils to work with a variety of tools and materials and to investigate different ways of joining materials together. In Year 2, pupils designed and made a coat for Joseph after hearing and discussing the Bible story. Firstly, they drew a design and coloured it. Then, they made alternative designs on the computer and chose the one that best suited the purpose. Pupils then transferred their designs on to fabric, which they painted, cut out and sewed to make a coat. Samples of the completed work show that pupils took care to achieve a good finish and used tools with accuracy. Pupils also studied a variety of vehicles and their uses before designing and making their own. Using working models, they discovered that wheels turn on an axle attached to a vehicle chassis. They went on to design and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

make a vehicle with a specific purpose, incorporating moving axles and fixed wheels. All of this work was well planned and taught in a way which developed pupils’ knowledge and skills progressively. Teachers ensure that pupils have sufficient time to pay attention to detail and to complete a task without rushing. They also make learning relevant and meaningful to pupils, as when they visited the park before designing and making play equipment that they would like to have in the school grounds.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 is unsatisfactory, overall. This judgement is based on an analysis of work completed by pupils over the past year, which shows weaknesses in planning, low expectations and ineffective use of time. Pupils are not given enough opportunities to generate ideas by collecting information or to make progressive plans, which are modified as their designs progress. Although pupils draw and label sketches, these are at a relatively basic level, as are Canewdon CE Primary School - 43 many of the finished products. The pupils’ evaluation of their designs lacks depth and is not used productively to improve their work. As a result of timetabling arrangements, pupils do not always have sufficient time to complete a unit of work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. Overall, curricular planning is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6 as it does not fully meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. Leadership and management in the subject are also unsatisfactory, as they have not ensured that the issues raised by the previous inspection have been adequately addressed. Monitoring of curricular provision and pupils’ work has not been rigorous enough to ensure that these issues were identified. As a result of recent staff changes, there was no co-ordinator for the subject at the time of this inspection. Assessment procedures are satisfactory, but the information gained is not used appropriately to inform teachers’ planning in Years 3 to 6. Good links are made with work in other subjects in Years 1 and 2. For example, the work completed in the current year included useful links with religious education, geography, literacy, art and information and communication technology. In Years 3 to 6, class teachers do not plan the work themselves. This

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

means that valuable opportunities are missed to link it with other subjects, especially information and communication technology.

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GEOGRAPHY

116. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 attain average standards and make satisfactory progress. This includes pupils who have special educational needs. These findings are similar to those of the previous inspection. Achievement is sound.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. Although it was only possible to observe two lessons during the inspection, indications are that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school. Teachers arrange for walks round the village in order to study the locality, and geographical skills are satisfactorily addressed through teachers' planning. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are beginning to understand that there are different sorts of transport. They have coloured simple maps showing land and sea, and carried out a survey of how they get to school. They found that the most used form of transport for getting pupils to school is the car.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. In a Year 2/3 lesson, pupils were beginning to understand human and physical features of the area. They suggested houses and the school buildings for human features, and ponds and fields for physical features. They used a large scale map of Canewdon and, together with the teacher, studied photographs of houses and other buildings. Several pupils successfully pointed out where they thought the buildings could be found. These included the village hall, a local, well known cottage, and the church. Some pupils found their own roads and identified where they thought their house might be. Later they coloured in the route from home to school, and wrote out the instructions. The teacher had planned well for those pupils who do not live in the village, who plotted the route from the church to the school. Pupils understand the basic principle about maps being a view from above. They could follow the teacher's instructions, turning left or right as directed, and then identifying where the route had led

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GEOGRAPHY

them. This was good use of resources and pupils acquired new map skills well as a result.

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GEOGRAPHY

119. Pupils in Year 6 have combined geography with their work in history and surveyed the environment over the last 40 years. They have noted the rise in population and several other changes in the life of the locality. They understand the importance of re-cycling used materials and have designed posters about the re-use of paper and plastics, and the reduction needed in the use of packaging materials. They have written about pollution from cars, and surveyed what is thrown away in the school such as crisp packets, cartons and kitchen waste. They know some details about pollution and the environment. For example, they found that a car produces four times its own weight Canewdon CE Primary School - 44 in pollution over its life. Some pupils have conducted experiments about noise and surveyed the playground where they heard noise from phones, fans, doors and people talking. There is some thoughtful work from pupils about animals being kept in zoos in which they carefully weighed up the

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GEOGRAPHY

120. The subject is satisfactorily led by the acting headteacher, among her many other responsibilities. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils to learn geographical skills, but the arrangement of teaching geography for half of the year and history for the other half interrupts the continuity of learning for the pupils. Information and communication is not used sufficiently to enhance learning.

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HISTORY

121. During the inspection, it was not possible to observe the teaching of history, due to timetabling arrangements. Judgements are based on an analysis of pupils’ work, discussions with pupils and an examination of the teachers’ planning. Indications are that average standards are achieved in Years 2 and 6, as at the time of the previous inspection. Achievement is satisfactory and most pupils, including those with special educational needs, make sound progress.

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HISTORY

122. The evidence indicates that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school. However, the arrangement for teaching history is not as effective as it might be. This is due to the length of time between teaching different aspects of the subject.

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HISTORY

123. Pupils in Year 1 are learning how they have changed from birth until the present day to help them to understand the concept of how people’s lives change over a period of time. Pupils in Year 2 compare their own holidays with seaside holidays in the past. Year 3 pupils have a sound understanding of the lives of the Celts, and of the invasion of Britain by the Romans. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 have a satisfactory understanding of life in Ancient Egypt. They realise the importance of the River Nile to the lives of the Ancient Egyptians. An analysis of work produced by Year 6 pupils indicates that they have a sound insight into life in Victorian times. They understand the differences between the lives of rich and poor children, and of town and country living. Satisfactory use is made of information and communication technology in pupils’ research projects.

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HISTORY

124. The co-ordinator is very new to the role and is caretaking the subject until a permanent co- ordinator is appointed for the start of the new academic year. The policy is in draft form and is shortly to be presented to the governors. The school has a coherent scheme of work based on units of work from the national guidelines, which is an improvement since the previous inspection. Resources are satisfactory, but there is a lack of artefacts, which is similar to the findings of the last inspection. Assessment procedures are satisfactory and teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is generally supportive and encouraging. A number of local people visit the school to talk to the pupils about their memories. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, for example, through their understanding of the legacy of ancient civilisations to modern society and

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HISTORY

discussions about the morality of actions carried out in the past.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. Pupils in Year 2 achieve standards that are average for their age, as at the time of the last inspection. These pupils make sound progress and their achievement is satisfactory. Pupils in Year 6 make sound progress in most aspects of information and communication technology, but there are gaps in their knowledge, skills and understanding because the school is not yet fully equipped to teach all aspects of the National Curriculum in this subject. As a result, standards, overall, are below average Canewdon CE Primary School - 45 and pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory. For example, pupils have not yet exchanged information or ideas with others by using e-mail. Pupils’ understanding of how to use technology to control events and to sense physical data is also below average. Although the overall judgement is similar to that made by the previous inspection, there has been a significant improvement in some aspects of the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

subject. For example, pupils now have sound skills in communicating and handling information. Pupils with special educational needs attain standards and make progress which are similar to their peers.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Pupils are introduced appropriately to word processing techniques as they enter and correct text, using the keyboard and mouse competently to type, delete, create line breaks and space their writing appropriately. Teachers make effective links with other subjects, such as mathematics. For example, pupils made sound use of a data handling program when they carried out a traffic survey and created graphs to display their findings on the computer. Teachers ensure that pupils experience all aspects of the subject, including control technology. For example, pupils program a toy robot to move forwards and backwards and turn a corner. They use a painting program to create pictures and designs, and click on to different icons to draw lines and fill shapes with colour. Teachers make sound use of the computer suite by teaching half of the class at a time while the rest of the pupils carry out other tasks in the classroom.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

They also provide opportunities for pupils to practise the skills they have learned throughout the week in the classroom.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127. The quality of teaching and learning in the lesson observed in Year 4 was good. This took place during a ‘specialisation’ afternoon and illustrated the strengths of teaching in the subject. The lesson was well planned and had a clear purpose. The work was demanding and involved pupils in entering information on to a database and then deciding whether a bar chart or a line graph would be most suitable to display the data. This lesson in the computer suite worked well because there were only 17 pupils in the year group, so all were able to work comfortably in pairs and have access to a computer. In addition, the pupils were supported very well by the teacher and technology teaching assistant.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. Evidence of pupils’ work throughout the year also points to good teaching in Years 3 to 6. Pupils in Year 6 create spreadsheets to calculate costs and develop sound word processing skills by typing poems and illustrating them. They explore databases, using complex searches to locate information. Teachers make effective use of the computer suite, within its limitations, and also maximise the use of computers in the classrooms for cross-curricular work, through a system of ‘computer buddies’. This ensures that skills taught in the computer suite are reinforced throughout the week in other areas of the curriculum. For example, Pupils in Years 4 and 5 found information from CD-ROMs and the Internet to support their work in geography and history. However, information and communication technology is not yet fully integrated across all curriculum areas.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129. The previous inspection found that standards were too low because there was insufficient direct teaching of computer skills and teachers did not monitor or record pupils’ attainment and progress. These weaknesses have been addressed, partly through the installation of a computer suite and also through a comprehensive programme of staff training. The school has also taken advantage of the caretaker’s high levels of knowledge and expertise in the subject by employing him as a part- time technology teaching assistant. This has provided invaluable support for teachers, especially during the recent high turnover of staff. The weaknesses that remain relate to the inadequate size of the computer suite, which also doubles up as the school library and a teaching room for pupils with special educational needs, and the lack of resources to teach some aspects of the subject, such as control technology and the use of external sensors. This was also a weakness at the time of the last

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

inspection. The school has already had plans drawn up for an extension to address this problem and is working hard to raise the funds to see the project through to completion. Canewdon CE Primary School - 46 130. The co-ordinator was absent at the time of this inspection, but evidence indicates good leadership in the subject. The school has recently benefited from advice from an external adviser, which has led to the production of a comprehensive subject development plan for the next five years. The monitoring of pupils’ work is sound but there are insufficient opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching and learning across the school. Planning is also sound. It follows the units of work suggested in the national guidelines for the subject. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection and are now sound. Pupils’ achievements are beginning to be assessed and recorded against a checklist of key skills for each year group. The curriculum is enhanced by opportunities for

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

pupils to join an early morning club, run by the technology teaching assistant, and to take part in a school journey to a centre that specialises in developing computer skills. Resources are currently unsatisfactory to meet the needs of the curriculum in Years 3 to 6.

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MUSIC

131. Standards are average, overall, in Year 2 and Year 6. They are good in singing. This is similar to the judgements of the previous inspection. Pupils, including those who have special educational needs, make good progress.

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MUSIC

132. There is a wide range of attainment, but by the time that they are seven, pupils tunefully sing songs from memory, and maintain a steady rhythm whilst clapping. They listen appreciatively to music, such as Elgar’s Chanson de Nuit. Pupils work co-operatively in pairs to compose a simple score using patterns to represent the length of notes. They are respectful of others’ efforts when they use percussion instruments to play their scores. Pupils in Year 2 take part in the South East Essex Infant music festival at a local venue each year, which enhances their singing.

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MUSIC

133. When pupils in the Year 4/5 class were divided into three groups, they maintained three different rhythms whilst playing percussion instruments. Pupils in Year 6 sing songs well, including those in two parts. A large group of pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6 take part in the Junior Music Festival at the Cliffs Pavilion in the summer term. During a rehearsal, they tunefully performed a range of songs with a grand finale of Fame. The wide repertoire of songs shows that pupils achieve high standards in their singing. Pupils take part in the end of term church services and in the Christmas productions, which enhances their understanding of a wide range of music.

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MUSIC

134. In the lessons seen, the quality of teaching and learning was good overall, with some very good features. Very good teaching was seen in a Year 5 lesson. The teacher’s good subject knowledge and enthusiasm helped to inspire pupils to compose their own short piece of music for a ‘new’ television programme What’s New? . Pupils worked well together in small groups to complete their scores in a relatively short space of time. Most used symbols and pictures but more able pupils used musical notation, when writing their scores. Each group performed their work to the rest of the class using percussion instruments. Pupils evaluated each other’s efforts sensibly. Besides making positive comments, the teacher also helped pupils to learn how to improve their compositions.

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MUSIC

135. The quality of learning is often increased because pupils' good behaviour in lessons and their interest enable them to make the best use of the opportunities on offer. They show enthusiasm and are eager to be chosen to take on responsibility. Younger pupils particularly enjoy singing and joining in with class activities. Older pupils show that they can use their initiative when working in groups. They applaud the skills of others and recognise the efforts made by those who are not so musical. When teachers allow pupils to evaluate what they see and hear, this helps them to develop their speaking skills and enrich their musical vocabulary. This is particularly helpful to pupils who have special educational needs. Canewdon CE Primary School - 47 136. At present, there is no co-ordinator for music, as the previous co-ordinator has recently left the school. The acting headteacher is maintaining an overview of the subject in the interim. The school

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MUSIC

employs a music specialist for one morning a week. She provides good advice to teachers and, over the year, every class benefits from her teaching and expertise. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 also have music lessons as part of the rolling programme of ‘specialisation’. There is a satisfactory policy and national guidelines are used appropriately as a basis for the scheme of work. Teachers keep informal assessments of pupils’ progress. Music plays an important part in the school’s celebration of various cultures and festivals and makes an effective contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The use of information and communication technology in the subject is underdeveloped.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. In Year 2, attainment in games skills is below average. Both of the lessons observed focused on throwing and catching, and pupils found these skills difficult to master. On this limited evidence, it is not possible to make reliable judgements about standards in other aspects of the subject. In Year 6, standards are in line with national expectations, as at the time of the previous inspection. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress in physical education and their achievement is sound, including pupils with special educational needs.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. The quality of teaching in Years 1 and 2 was unsatisfactory in the lessons seen. This was mainly because pupils were insufficiently occupied and challenged. As a result, some became noisy and lost concentration. In these lessons, too much time had to be given by the teachers to controlling pupils. As a result, the pace of the lessons was too slow and, in general, pupils were not engaged in activities that would stretch them and increase their skills. Also, the hall is too small for classes of about 30 pupils to be occupied in fast moving activities. Consequently, some pupils sit down while others work, and teachers plan activities that do not stretch pupils sufficiently. Year 2 pupils were engaged in passing and receiving a ball or a beanbag. They progressed, by the end of the lesson, to some teamwork where they had to try to score a goal throwing the beanbag into a very small goal net.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Generally they did not attain average standards for their ages, mostly due to their inattention and chatter.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. In Years 3 to 6, teaching and learning are satisfactory, with a range from unsatisfactory to good. Year 2/3 pupils demonstrated average skills in throwing and catching, both overarm and underarm, but too much time was lost because the teacher had to keep stopping to gain quiet and attention. Consequently pupils did not make sufficient progress. In a Year 4/5 lesson aimed at developing cricket skills, the teacher led a good energetic warm up using a follow-my-leader technique. Then she demonstrated bowling well, with a good explanation involving footwork as well as arm movements. Teaching and learning were well supported by the teaching assistant who joined in all activities, helping pupils where necessary. However, pupils found this skill difficult when it was their turn to practise, and at first there was some wildly inaccurate bowling. The addition of some large plastic wickets for 'kwik cricket' helped a good deal. It focused pupils’ aim and length of bowling so

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

that they could concentrate more on their arm movements. By the end of the lesson their overarm bowling had improved noticeably.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Year 5/6 pupils discussed the merits and reasons for a warm-up, and understood about heart rate and oxygen carried to the muscles. The teacher emphasised safety and the need to stop immediately when told, in case of accident. She had planned an imaginative 'adventurous activities' session. This was to challenge pupils’ thinking as well as their physical skills. They were divided into five groups, each with a challenge, such as passing each other over an imaginary electric fence. Some had to move the whole team forward standing only on two mats and not touching the floor, while Canewdon CE Primary School - 48 others were blindfolded and had to talk their partners over an obstacle course. Pupils delighted in these challenges and worked out their strategies well. Everyone was completely absorbed in the activities and they worked well. The teacher managed the very limited space well. Nevertheless,

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

there were several times when one group strayed into another's area, simply through lack of space to move adequately. By the time they leave the school, most pupils are able to swim 25 metres, and many can swim much further.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. Planning shows that teachers generally prepare lessons that address pupils' skills and competency in gymnastics, games, athletics and dance. Photographs of sports day and a video of some dance instruction show that pupils' skills are at least average across the school. In an after school dance session, 16 pupils were seen enjoying the Cumberland Square Eight, and a 'circles' dance. This is a good addition to the range of dance instruction normally received in lessons. Another evening activity was preparing about 20 older pupils to take part in the area sports competitions. They were seen throwing beanbags, some achieving long distances for their age and size. The teaching assistant taking this session is a qualified and experienced instructor.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. The subject is satisfactorily led and organised. The co-ordinator has a sound overview of provision throughout the school, and assessment procedures are satisfactory. Resources are adequate for the lessons planned but the hall is small and this has an adverse effect on some lessons and activities. Outside, the playground and field provide ample space for sports and games activities.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. In Years 2 and 6, pupils' knowledge and understanding of religious education are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. However, some work in Year 6 is above average. These findings broadly match those of the previous inspection. Pupils make satisfactory progress, including those who have special educational needs. The subject is enhanced by some of the school's assemblies, and visiting speakers come from local church congregations to lead collective worship.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, but there is often insufficient written work in pupils' books. For example, in some books only four or five pieces of work have been completed in two terms.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. In a Year 4/5 lesson, which illustrated the satisfactory teaching, pupils learned about Hindu symbols, such as the lotus flower and the aum symbol, sacred to the religion as the sound of creation itself. They enjoyed searching some pictures that the teacher gave out, to see if they could find examples of these symbols. They are beginning to understand the idea of symbolism and how important it is in religions. In a good Year 6 lesson, the teacher made effective use of religious objects related to the Jewish faith, such as a prayer shawl and a skull cap, which helped pupils to understand their significance. Pupils understood that the symbolism of the shawl, the tallith, is that of 'wrapping the wearer in God' and in happiness and peace. Some good discussion followed about the Jewish idea of covering the head out of respect, and in particular the skull cap, worn by men and boys. One pupil

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

drew attention to the fact that in a church, men and boys remove their hats as a sign of respect. They discussed the two practices, and the teacher was careful to remind them that the chief aspect of either practice was respect. They worked out the mathematics of the tassels and their relation to the Torah, the Law. Pupils are well informed, and they know that there are five books of the Law, and 613 commandments in Judaism. They use the correct terminology for the artefacts. This lesson not only increased pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Judaism but also enhanced their spiritual development as they reflected on the importance of religious symbols. Canewdon CE Primary School - 49 146. Analysis of pupils' work shows that pupils in Year 2 understand special days, and relate their work to birthdays in their own families before they look at special days in religion. They know about the Hindu festival of Divali and some of the objects associated with it. Pupils have studied Jesus the

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

teacher, written their own prayers and know the story of Joseph, his brothers and the multi-coloured coat. Year 6 pupils know some Bible stories such as those about King David. They have thought about some of his qualities such as bravery, loyalty, and fearlessness. Pupils also wrote about his most famous writing, Psalm 23. They followed his story from shepherd boy to King and wrote as though they were reporting for a newspaper about it. This made an effective link with their work in literacy.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147. One good initiative when writing about the Jewish exile in Babylon was an article entitled, "What would you take?" Pupils suggested things like their mobile phone and money and one suggested a hairbrush, a teddy and a game boy. Teachers encourage pupils to think how it might have felt to be in exile. Pupils have also studied the dispersion of the Jewish people throughout the world. They understand what might be found in a synagogue and they have written thoughtfully and well about modern Israel and the Star of David on the flag. Much of this work is above average for the pupils' ages. They have some good insights into the Jewish faith, and understand many of the origins of their practices, from what Christians call the Old Testament.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148. There is currently no leader for the subject but it is taken care of by the acting headteacher. Resources are good and help pupils to learn by seeing and handling religious objects. Assessment procedures are currently being developed. Information and communication technology is insufficiently used, for example, to search the Internet for information.

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