Other · Ofsted report

St James Church of England Primary School

Inspected — · published 10 Sept 2003 · URN 102136

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Praisevery wellvery effectiveeffectivelyexcellentstrongeffectivemake good progressimproved

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Full report text

ST JAMES C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 and 12 June 2003

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ST JAMES C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St James C of E Primary School 2 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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ST JAMES C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Woodside Avenue Muswell Hill

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Julian Slater

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 June 1998 St James C of E Primary School 4

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Team members

12603 Tusha Chakraborti Registered inspector 8990 David Tytler Lay inspector 2731 Penny Holden Team inspector

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Team members

360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17 9LN

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St James C of E Primary School 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St James Church of England Primary is an average sized school with 221 pupils aged four to 11 years. Twenty-seven of these pupils attend the nursery part-time. There are 100 boys and 107 girls in Reception to Year 6 and 12 boys and 15 girls (part-time) in the nursery, aged between four and 11 years. The majority of pupils are from British white backgrounds and most come from professional, and socially and economically privileged families. Approximately 30 per cent of pupils are from a range of other minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below the national average, although that of pupils who have a specific statement of special educational need is average. Only five pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is well below average. A high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language; most of them are fluent in English. Only two pupils are at an early stage of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

learning English. The school is situated in a pleasant affluent residential area in North London. The majority of pupils live locally although some come from the adjacent boroughs. The prior attainment of pupils entering the school does vary, but overall it is above average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school. Staff and governors have worked hard to provide an effective climate for learning. This, together with the very good curriculum and high levels of good and very good teaching, has helped pupils to develop very positive attitudes to school. Pupils work hard, make good progress and achieve well, the majority attaining high standards, both academically and personally. Leadership and management are good. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6; over half the pupils attain the levels higher than those expected nationally. • Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils gaining the higher level of attainment, Level 5. • The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take full advantage of the very good curriculum opportunities offered. • The systems for tracking pupils’ progress in the core subjects are very good. These help the school to ensure that pupils do not suffer because of high staff turn over. • The school’s systems for the induction of new staff, through the support from experienced part time teachers and the deployment of staff, are very good.

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What could be improved

• No significant areas of weaknesses. However, the school needs to develop appropriate strategies for the recruitment and retention of staff. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan .

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has improved well since its last inspection in June 1998. It has addressed all the identified areas for improvement successfully. It has maintained high standards of attainment at the end of Year 6. Standards are not as high at the end of Year 2, mainly due to the high staff turnover and the wide range of abilities in that year group. Early indications from the 2003 national test tests suggest that standards are rising at the end of Year 2. The governing body has a good strategic overview of the school’s performance and is well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The statutory requirements are met well and safety procedures are very good. Parents are involved effectively in their children’s learning and make a valuable contribution to their children’s learning at school and at home. Parents who have children with special educational needs play an active role in reviewing and supporting their children’s individual education plans.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

St James C of E Primary School 7 There are clear job descriptions for all staff and the subject co-ordinators’ roles are developing appropriately, although high staff turnover means that progress in this area is not as good as it could be. The quality of teaching is very good. The good quality of leadership, together with the commitment and hard work of the whole school community, means that the school is well placed to improve further.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English A A A A well above average above average A B Mathematics A* A A* A* average below average C D Science A* A A A well below average E A* - results are in the top five per cent nationally.

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Key

The school performs really well when compared to all schools nationally and with similar school. This level of performance has been sustained over time and standards have risen since the previous inspection.

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Key

The standards of work seen are very good. In all areas of the curriculum, pupils apply effort and complete well-presented work. Across the school, the vast majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs, those who speak English as an additional language and the higher attaining pupils, achieve very well. Pupils make good progress as they move through the school and, by the end of Year 6, the overall standards are well above the national average. For the current Year 6 pupils, standards in English are well above average in all aspects of the subject, including literacy. Pupils love reading and quickly pick up the subtleties of a story and its characters. The school has a focus on extended writing and pupils are producing interesting and lively work. Standards remain high in mathematics, being strongest in number work, including numeracy, and in problem solving activities. Standards in science are also well above average in

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Key

all aspects, largely because the subject is taught effectively through an investigative approach. The school exceeded the challenging targets it set for English and mathematics over the past two years and is well placed to do so again in 2003.

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Key

Pupils’ work in art is very good across the school. Very effective links between subjects strengthen pupils’ understanding and raise standards. Literacy skills are developed well. For example, in personal and social education pupils drew on these skills whilst recalling personal memories. In a literacy lesson, they made multimedia presentations on Christianity using information and communications technology. Numeracy skills are used well in science. An examination of pupils’ work shows that work in information and communication technology is very good and has improved significantly since the last inspection. Presentation of work in all years is good and this improves as pupils move through the school.

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Key

The attainment of children on entry to the school is generally above average. Children in the nursery and Reception year quickly gain skills to work independently because of good or very good teaching. This good preparation means that the majority of them exceed the early learning goals 1

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Key

1 Early learning goals are the levels of attainment expected at the end of the Reception year. St James C of E Primary School 8 at the end of the Reception year and begin Year 1 ready to tackle the National Curriculum with confidence.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are enthusiastic and have a strong understanding of the importance of learning. They are curious about what and why things happen and this makes them want to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall. In some classes, individual pupils can be challenging and teachers have to spend time managing behaviour rather than teaching. Behaviour is very good in assemblies and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The school council allows pupils to act responsibly and to have a real role in the running and planning of the school. The ‘buddy system’ allows pupils to take care of others.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Some pupils are late for the start of the school day.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils take responsibility for behaving well. They are self confident and polite, happy to explain their ideas or to talk about issues they believe are important. Their personal development is particularly strong and they enjoy taking the opportunities given to them to help in the running of the school.

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Foundation Stage Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Foundation Stage Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching is very good across the school. It is also very good in the Foundation Stage. Literacy and numeracy strategies are used very well across the curriculum to help pupils make very good progress in these subjects. A major reason for this is the monitoring undertaken by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher, which ensures there is a consistent approach in all classes. There are no significant weaknesses in teaching and all lessons are good or better.

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Foundation Stage Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Strengths in teaching are underpinned by the very good relationships between staff and pupils, which help teachers to respond to pupils’ needs. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and set them challenging work so that they make very good progress. Teachers’ subject knowledge and expertise are very good. They use a range of teaching strategies, suitable activities and resources to meet the learning needs of all pupils. This helps to interest and motivate them. Teachers are very skilful in building on pupils’ prior learning. Individual targets are set regularly in mathematics and English. In every lesson pupils are told what they are to learn, encouraging them to make their own evaluations about their progress. Teachers very effectively assess the stage at which pupils are working and adapt their planning as and when required to ensure that pupils are always sufficiently challenged. New learning is explained and demonstrated well so most pupils

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Foundation Stage Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

easily acquire new skills and knowledge. Lessons are well paced and teachers organise and manage pupils very well. Teaching assistants support pupils’ learning very efficiently. Good homework arrangements make a positive contribution to the work undertaken in lessons. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are St James C of E Primary School 9 included well in lessons, with their needs being very effectively addressed. All these strong features of teaching help pupils to learn very well as they move through the school. Pupils have very good attitudes to their work and are always ready to answer and share their views. They believe that learning is important and that they have to apply effort to succeed.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is interesting and promotes very good personal development for all pupils. Effective cross- curricular links help pupils to have a deeper understanding of all subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils with statements of special educational needs are supported well. Most pupils make good progress and some make better progress than might be expected. Some parents would like more support than the school can give.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good provision is made for the small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language, especially those at an early stage of learning English.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very effectively. Their personal development is particularly strong. Pupils readily reflect on ideas and clearly express their views about moral issues. They can be trusted and have strong social attitudes from the early days in nursery and understand their rights and responsibilities. The provision for developing an understanding of the multi-cultural aspects of British society is very good across curriculum, preparing them well for life.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good and a significant improvement since the last inspection. The school has established a very good tracking system for charting pupils’ progress across the school and catering for individual needs.

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Aspect Comment

The school has an effective partnership with most parents. Parents are providing very good support to children’s learning, both through homework and in many ways in school. Regular visits to places of interest, linked to the work in school, enhance pupils’ learning well. St James C of E Primary School 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher has set up robust systems to manage the large staff turnover so that any negative impact on standards is minimised. The clear focus on maintaining and raising standards has been effective. The Focus on personal development is part of her vision for school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body has regular meetings which many attend. The governors have high expectations of school performance and have begun to look at ways to retain staff but these are not yet successful.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The development plan is appropriate, but it is not written in a way to help the school know whether things have been achieved. There is a planned programme for classroom observation by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school is resourced well. Teachers and pupils use these resources very well. Staff are deployed very effectively to support each other.

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Aspect Comment

High staff turnover means that the senior management team have to take on too many subject co- ordinating responsibilities. Other co-ordinators are relatively new and their roles are not yet fully developed. Staff, both teachers and teaching assistants, are making a positive contribution to the provision and standards. The accommodation has improved with the recently completed extensions. Learning resources are good and are used effectively to support pupils’ learning.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy going to school. • Children are well taught and are expected to work hard and do their best and they make good progress. • There is very good support for pupils with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils are challenged well. • Most parents feel that the school works closely with them. • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • The behaviour is good. • The school is well led and managed. • The range of extra-curricular activities. • Some parents feel homework is insufficient and others feel it is too much. • Staff retention.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team fully agrees with the parents’ positive views. The provision for extra-curricular activities is sound; after-school clubs are mainly sporting clubs. However, with a small number of staff, the school finds it difficult to offer more activities. There are plenty of high quality visits and interesting visitors in the school to broaden the pupils’ experiences. Although recruitment and retention are problems, deployment of staff, especially for Year 6, is very good. This ensures that pupils are taught by specialist teachers in different subjects, for example, in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. As a result, pupils are achieving very well, despite the difficulties with staff retention. St James C of E Primary School 11

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Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of year 6; over

half the pupils attain the levels higher than that expected nationally.

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Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of year 6; over

1. St James Primary has an advantaged intake in that its pupils, in the main, come from relatively well off homes and join the school with above average attainment. The consistently very good teaching enables children to continue to make very good progress throughout their time at the school. As a result, the majority of them exceed the early learning goals at the end of the Reception year and begin Year 1 well prepared to tackle the National Curriculum with confidence. Right from the earliest days in the nursery, pupils are expected to learn, to develop their understanding through play and to work hard. In the Reception class, pupils have begun to develop very good knowledge of phonics. They are happy to read to an adult or a visitor, describing the pictures confidently. They speak clearly and confidently. For example, during the inspection, some children displayed excellent personal and social skills in introducing the visiting

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Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of year 6; over

adults to their friends and the classroom activities. At the end of these, they wanted to know how well they had done.

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Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of year 6; over

2. Results from the national tests, taken at the end of Year 6, have been consistently high in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science over the past three years. This shows an increase in standards since the previous inspection. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics was very high and placing the school in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Results in English and science were well above the national average. Over half the pupils scored the level higher than that expected for their age, (Level 5): 53 per cent attained Level 5 in English, 57 per cent in mathematics and 67 per cent in science. When compared with results of schools with a similar intake, the school does very well. The national test results at the end of Year 2 are well above average in writing and above average in reading and mathematics. They are not so good in comparison to similar schools, being average in reading and mathematics and above average in

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Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of year 6; over

3. The standard of work seen in the inspection was high throughout the school. Pupils of all abilities, including the many higher attaining pupils, those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, all achieve very well in terms of their prior attainment, at the end of Year 2. They make good progress as they move through the school and by the end of Year 6, the overall standards are well above the national average. Boys and girls both do very well. For the current Year 6 pupils, standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science.

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Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of year 6; over

4. The pupils’ English work is of a high standard and covers a wide range of styles in writing, including creative poetry, story writing, scripted plays, reports, persuasive writing, instructions and commentaries. By the end of Year 6, pupils develop a writing style that is thoughtful, lively and interesting and many use a wide range of vocabulary imaginatively and with precision. They plan, draft and redraft their writing to improve their work. Effective cross-curricular links with other subjects, such as art, enhance pupils’ imaginative use of words from an early stage. Pupils throughout the school play a full part in literacy lessons and when asked to write, produce considerable amounts of work in the time available. The very effective implementation of the National Literacy Strategy over the years has had a very positive impact on pupils’ academic success.

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Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of year 6; over

5. Pupils also produce a great deal of well-presented and accurate work covering all the aspects of the mathematics curriculum. This means that not only do pupils do well in the national tests, they also get a very broad range of mathematical experiences. Successful introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy means that pupils’ skills in mental arithmetic are developing very well. In science, pupils have a good idea of scientific methods and can explain fair testing. Pupils across the school successfully use their information and communication technology skills to St James C of E Primary School 12 present their work and to carry out research, thus developing very good independent learning skills.

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Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of year 6; over

6. In other subjects pupils are always expected to produce good work, which they do. Across the school, pupils are achieving very well in music and art.

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

gaining the higher level of attainment, Level 5.

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

7. The quality of teaching is very good overall. Of the 20 lessons observed, none was less than good and nearly half the lessons were very good or excellent. The consistency in teaching is one of the main reasons why pupils do so well. Teachers not only inspire and interest pupils, they also expect high standards of work and behaviour from pupils. They introduce their pupils to a wide curriculum; they support and guide them effectively with their learning and teach them good work habits and strategies to help them. Pupils respond positively to these demands and are keen to do well. One of the most effective strategies teachers use to interest pupils is the way they quickly involve them in the lesson, by using a range of methods, such as the use of individual whiteboards or sensitive questioning.

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

8. Lessons are very well planned and work is well matched to pupils’ abilities so that there is good challenging work for all. This is the case whether pupils are taught in a mixed ability class or sets that are organised according to their ability. In a mathematics lesson in the Year 6 high ability set, skilful planning ensured that all pupils gained a secure understanding of the concept of probability and could apply their knowledge well. They designed and recorded their own investigative methods to find out the probability of winning.

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

9. Teachers use the literacy and numeracy strategies very effectively and this enhances pupils’ learning in these areas very well. Whole-class discussion sessions, at the end of the lessons, are used efficiently to consolidate pupils’ learning in reading and writing. This means that pupils apply their knowledge of phonics to enhance their reading skills, acquire good knowledge of punctuation and extend vocabulary effectively. This was evident in many lessons where lessons that began with evaluating learning in previous lessons. Teachers maintain a brisk pace so that pupils remain interested and learn well. These features contribute positively to pupils’ attitudes to learning and their achievement.

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

10. Teachers throughout the school have consistently high expectations, both of pupils’ work and of their attitudes to learning and behaviour. Because pupils know exactly what is expected of them, no time is wasted, pupils work well and get a lot done. In almost all classes, pupils are keen to rise to the challenges set by their teachers and so they learn at a good pace. In an excellent literacy lesson in Year 2, pupils acquired very good understanding of rhyming patterns and the use of suffixes to form new words. Teachers use praise very effectively to make pupils feel confident about their ability to learn and to reinforce good behaviour. Relationships between pupils and their teachers are very good and based on mutual respect. This means that pupils feel their efforts are valued which, in turn, encourages and motivates them to produce and present work to the best of their ability.

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

11. Teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of subjects and this helps them to set challenging and interesting work. Questioning is used very well to recap prior learning, test understanding and to enable pupils to share what they have learnt. They very effectively track pupils’ progress in class and over time and plan efficiently to ensure that pupils gain knowledge and understanding sytematically. This makes a good contribution to pupils’ standards of attainment. Very effective use is made of assessment information, including marking and test results, to keep track of how well pupils are doing and to ensure that all are achieving their full potential. A very good example of this was seen in a Year 1 mathematics lesson. Here, the new teacher very successfully adjusted her learning objectives and activities to set more challenging work, after her latest assessment of pupils’ work. Marking is used well to enhance pupils’ learning

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

by suggesting how they can improve. St James C of E Primary School 13 12. Excellent use is made of teachers’ individual subject expertise, resulting in particularly high standards of teaching in Year 6. This meant that the education standards of pupils in Year 6 did not suffer because of high staff turnover. Pupils benefitted a great deal from being taught by subject specialists in English, mathematics, science and ICT. This has a very positive impact on their attainment.

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

13. A notable strength of teaching in the school is the very effective way in which links are made between learning across several subjects. Very effective use is made of ICT as an aid to learning in other subjects, as well as, as a subject on its own right. ICT skills are taught well and pupils use their skills effectively to support their learning across the curriculum. In a literacy lesson in Year 6, the teacher drew on work done in religious education and pupils used computers very effectively to analyse the texts.

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Very good teaching enables all pupils to achieve well, with a high proportion of pupils

14. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good and promotes a good rate of progress for these pupils. Teachers and teaching assistants work together very effectively to support pupils who need extra support. They ensure that these pupils have appropriate work that is challenging but achievable. As a result, pupils make good progress in their learning, and in their confidence and attitudes to work. They are keen to work hard and this helps them learn and achieve very well. The very small number of pupils who are at an early stage of learning English are supported very effectively by teachers and the teaching assistants, who are very efficient and make a valuable contribution to teaching and learning.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

full advantage of the very good curriculum opportunities offered.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

15. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and has improved since the last inspection. This confirms parents’ views, where 90 per cent indicated in their responses to questionnaires that the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

16. The ethos of the school including its religious nature, the importance placed on spirituality and the links with the church are directed towards pupils developing in self-confidence and self- esteem and in understanding their responsibilities. Pupils are given many opportunities to develop their social skills and a strong sense of responsibility. When asked, pupils of all ages spoke eloquently about bullying and why it is wrong and how it should be dealt with. High levels of commitment by the whole-school community, and the successful implementation of an effective inclusion policy, ensure that the school manages the emotional, physical, medical, social and educational needs of pupils very well and maximises the personal development and academic achievement of all its pupils. As a result, pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to work and the relationships throughout the school are very good.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

17. The school is very successful in promoting pupils’ self-esteem. This is partly because of the respect teachers have for their pupils but is also because everyone is valued as an individual. This respect for the individual is evident in much of the work of the school: through its celebration and promotion of Christian values as well as different faiths and beliefs of world religions.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

18. Assemblies play an important part in creating the school’s positive ethos and the way pupils are encouraged to see themselves and others. Assemblies offer quiet moments of reflection: pupils sing hymns that they enjoy and listen to songs and music by famous composers and singers.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

19. In lessons pupils are often asked to reflect on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural implications of events or ideas they are considering. Moral and ethical issues are tackled through personal, social and health education, as well as through subjects such as English, history and religious education. Pupils are encouraged, in class discussions, to consider what is right or wrong and develop a strong sense of justice and fairness. A number of pupils in Year 6 act as ‘Buddies’ St James C of E Primary School 14 and many are involved in practical activities to look after the school environment. Pupils from each class come together with teachers to form a school council, which considers issues, such as school rules. The very good provision for pupils’ moral behaviour contributes very well to pupils’ very good attitudes to learning and good behaviour. This, in turn, promotes pupils’ high level of

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

attainment across a broad range of subjects.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

20. The residential and day trips as well as the opportunities to work collaboratively, in lessons and in sporting and performing arts activities outside lessons, promote pupils’ social development very effectively. Pupils turn out to be confident and mature. They get on very well with each other and respond to adults with polite self-assurance.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

21. The rich curriculum, with its strong emphasis on art and music, provides many opportunities for pupils to learn about their own and other cultures. Productions, plays and musical events also play a very important part in enriching pupils’ learning experiences. These are of high quality and not only enhance the quality of the curriculum but also give pupils good opportunities to be involved and excel in activities outside of the classroom. Many pupils are involved in music making activities, either as singers or instrumentalists.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and this enables pupils to take

22. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and treat them with great respect. This was evident in all lessons. Teachers and classroom assistants all work effectively to create a positive climate for learning where everyone is valued. This was evident right from the Reception class where the supportive relationships create a good, calm working environment in which children develop confidence and independence. The school prepares pupils very well for the next stage of education and for life in multicultural British society.

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The systems for tracking pupils’ progress in the core subjects are very good. These help

the school to ensure that pupils do not suffer because of high staff turnover.

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The systems for tracking pupils’ progress in the core subjects are very good. These help

23. The improvements since the last inspection in the development of a whole-school assessment system and the use of assessment information for continuing improvement of standards of attainment are very good. A considerable amount of information is collected on how well each pupil is doing both in subjects, particularly in English, mathematics, science and ICT, and in their personal development. The information is used very effectively in planning teaching and learning, setting individual targets for pupils and in ensuring that pupils make consistently good progress. For example, the school’s analysis of pupils’ test results last year showed that they did relatively less well in writing. As a response to this finding, the school adjusted its focus to raising attainment in this area. This has already shown improvement in standards attained in writing at the end of Years 2 and 6.

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The systems for tracking pupils’ progress in the core subjects are very good. These help

24. Termly tests and special lessons to assess and review achievement in writing, numeracy, science and ICT skills mean that pupils’ skills and knowledge are well known. A sound range of procedures for assessing other foundation subjects 2 and religious education is in place. Very soon after the children start school, they are assessed as required. This information is used to identify children who may need additional help and to start tracking the achievement of individual pupils as they move through the school. In the period between national tests, non-statutory tests in English, mathematics and science provide information to use as predictions of what pupils should attain and set challenging targets for the end of Year 6. The use of assessment to guide planning is very effective and well organised. For example, the results of tests and assessments provided helpful information that was used to boost the attainment of pupils in Year 6. This helps the school to plan

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The systems for tracking pupils’ progress in the core subjects are very good. These help

future work and improve how subjects are taught. There are some good examples of marking that provide pupils with useful information about what they need to learn next to improve their work.

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The systems for tracking pupils’ progress in the core subjects are very good. These help

2 Art and design, geography, history, design and technology, music and physical education. St James C of E Primary School 15

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The school’s systems for the induction of new staff through the support of experienced

part-time teachers and the deployment of staff, are very good.

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The school’s systems for the induction of new staff through the support of experienced

25. The school has been very effective in using its staff to ensure that high staff turnover does not have an adverse impact on pupils’ attainment. To achieve this, it has established an effective system for supporting the newly appointed, including the newly qualified, teachers. The headteacher provides a strong leadership and has a very good understanding of what the school does well and how to improve further. She has appointed some experienced teachers, who work part-time. Through very effective deployment, the headteacher has ensured that these teachers are used in a systematic way to provide specialist teaching and effective support and monitoring of the teachers who are newly qualified or new to the school. In addition, the school has appointed a sufficient number of teaching assistants who are well trained and work very efficiently with teachers to ensure that all pupils are taught very well. In this way, the new staff in school learn very quickly

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The school’s systems for the induction of new staff through the support of experienced

to assess and teach pupils effectively. This arrangement makes a very good contribution to the school’s induction and staff development processes and enable all staff to work very effectively as a team. This has been successful because of the way the headteacher has created a climate in which all staff are valued. Most teachers are involved in co-ordinating subjects and are fully involved in decision-making. The very good deployment of staff and training arrangements mean that they understand their part in monitoring teaching and learning and identifying what is working and what needs to be improved. One of the strengths of the school is the way in which staff and governors work as a team. The chair of governors is a frequent visitor to the school and the headteacher appreciates the support and guidance he offers. Other governors too make visits to the school to gain first-hand experience of the quality of the school’s provision. This supports staff

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strategies for the recruitment and retention of staff in order to maintain the high standards

26. High staff turnover in the past years is a concern for the school and the parents. Some classes have been taught by a succession of supply teachers within a short span of time. The results at the end of Year 2 show some impact of this on pupils’ attainment over the past years, although they have improved in 2002 due to very careful deployment of staff and planning. However, the inspectors consider this situation as an area for improvement which needs to be looked into very carefully by the governing body of the school in order to ensure that the school is able to maintain the high quality of education it provides now. The governors have started to conduct exit interviews with teachers who are leaving. However, they need to give much careful consideration to methods for the recruitment and retention of staff.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. There are no significant areas for improvement. However, the governing body should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensure that that newly qualified and appointed teachers stay in school by exploring ways to attract and retain staff. St James C of E Primary School 16

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