Ellingham Church of England Aided Primary School

ELLINGHAM CE FIRST SCHOOL

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

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ELLINGHAM CE FIRST SCHOOL

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

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ELLINGHAM CE FIRST SCHOOL

E-mail address: admin@ellingham.northumberland.sch.uk

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ELLINGHAM CE FIRST SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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ELLINGHAM CE FIRST SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev A Hughes

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ELLINGHAM CE FIRST SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 June 1998 Ellingham CE First School - 4

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responsibilities

12908 Mr D J Halford Registered inspector The Foundation Stage Curriculum Educational Inclusion English Art and Design Modern Foreign Language History Geography Music What sort of school is it? How high are standards? The school’s results and achievements. How well are pupils’ taught? How well is the school led and managed?

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responsibilities

9572 Mrs K Anderson Lay inspector How high are standards? 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? 23751 Mr J Fairclough Team inspector Special Educational Needs Mathematics Science Information and Communication technology Design and Technology Physical Education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Ellingham CE First School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Focus Education (UK) Ltd 113 – 115 High Street Uppermill Saddleworth OLDHAM OL3 6BD

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responsibilities

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

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The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Ellingham CE First School - 6 REPORT CONTENTS

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 24

Ellingham CE First School - 7 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Ellingham Church of England First School is a very small school which caters for pupils aged 4 to 9. It serves the village of Ellingham and its surrounding area. It is part of the Northumberland LEA. There are currently 41 pupils on roll, including one pupil who attends part-time. There are 25 boys and 16 girls. Some pupils travel a considerable distance to attend the school and all are brought to school by bus or car. Pupils come from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds. On entry to the school pupils’ levels of attainment vary widely, but the majority show average levels of skills for their age. Only a small number of pupils are eligible for free school meals and the percentage of pupils on the special educational needs register is below the national average. However, the percentage of pupils having statements of special educational needs is above the national average. No pupils have English as an additional language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a school with many good features. Its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. Almost all its pupils attain the expected levels in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy by the time they are seven years of age and some exceed them. Good leadership and management, particularly by the headteacher, ensure that the school has clear direction. The school creates a positive atmosphere for learning in which pupils achieve appropriately for their age. Teaching is consistently good throughout the school. Although costs are high, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils’ standards of attainment are above average in information and communication technology (ICT) and in music • The leadership and management of the headteacher are good. She has the confidence of colleagues, governors and parents and is well supported by them. • The school takes very good care of its pupils enabling them to feel secure and show good attitudes to their work. Their personal development is very good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is very good enabling them to make good progress in their learning. • Parents and the community hold the school in high regard

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Raise standards in the skills of literacy and numeracy by providing a more consistent challenge for higher attaining pupils • Improve the quality of pupils’ writing by offering more opportunities for them to write at length and by consistently directing pupils’ attention to what they need to do next to improve their work. 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 was last inspected in June 1998 and since then has made good overall improvement. The current headteacher was appointed in the interim period and she has developed a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. All the key issues for action identified in the last report have been addressed. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 has significantly improved, and manageable assessment procedures have been introduced throughout the school. Subject co-ordinators have developed a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their subjects. More remains to be done, however, in aspects of curriculum monitoring to ensure consistency and to raise attainment, particularly in writing. Ellingham CE First School - 8

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STANDARDS

This is a school where the number of pupils taking the national tests for seven year olds is very small. This means that national test results need to be considered with some caution. There can be a great deal of fluctuation from year to year because each pupil carries a very high percentage of the school’s overall results. Most pupils enter the school with levels of attainment which are expected for their age. Over time, however, results in the national tests for seven- year-olds show above average levels of attainment, particularly in reading. They fluctuate rather more in writing, being in the top five per cent nationally in 2000. In mathematics they rose from well below average to well above average between 1998 and 2000, before declining to a position broadly in line with the national average in 2002. Inspection evidence indicates that overall, pupils achieve appropriately for their age in their basic skills, and achieve consistently well in reading. A more consistent challenge should be

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STANDARDS

offered for higher attaining pupils who do not always achieve as well as they might or make as much progress as they ought, particularly in writing. However, the pupils’ overall achievement has been recognised by two consecutive Achievement Awards from the DfES.

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STANDARDS

Pupils remain at the school until they are aged nine before transferring to middle schools. Inspection evidence indicates that they are on course to attain the levels expected nationally by the age of 11 in all subjects, except in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and music where their levels of attainment are above average. Throughout the school very good provision for pupils with special educational needs enables them to make good progress in their learning and achieve well.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils consistently show good attitudes to their lessons. They display good levels of independence from an early age.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils behave well at all times in lessons, when moving around the school and in the playground.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. This is a strength of the school. Pupils are very well known as individuals and respond very well to adults and other pupils.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is good. Pupils are punctual and lessons start on time.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 4

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is good throughout the school. In some lessons teaching was very good. No teaching was unsatisfactory. This is an improvement on the position reported when the school was last inspected. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is well established, but pupils need more opportunities to write at length. The high proportion of good teaching does not, however, always have the maximum effect on pupils’ learning.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teachers’ planning is detailed and effective, overall. They are confident in the delivery of the basic skills. However, insufficient attention is given to planning consistently challenging tasks for higher attaining pupils, and this leads to their standards of work not being high enough. Given the wide age and ability range, particularly in the class for eight and nine year-olds, teachers manage pupils well. Teachers mark work regularly Ellingham CE First School - 9 and conscientiously, but they do not consistently indicate what pupils need to do next to improve their work, thus aiding pupils’ learning and leading to higher standards.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is supported by an adequate range of extra-curricular activities which add positively to the pupils’ experience, particularly in music.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils’ individual needs are identified very well and the provision of very good support enables them to make good progress in their learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good, overall. Good provision is made for the spiritual and cultural development of the pupils. Provision for their social and moral development is very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good overall. The school has very good procedures to monitor the welfare of its pupils. There are good procedures for monitoring their academic progress and the school is making appropriate use of this information to check on pupils’ academic achievement.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has a very good partnership with parents and the local community. Parents hold the school in high regard and have confidence in it.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides the school with clear educational direction. She has the confidence of colleagues, governors and parents. She is well supported by all.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body is knowledgeable and supports the school well. They have a good level of understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school is working well to improve the quality of education offered to its pupils. The school has good priorities for development and a very clear willingness to improve

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. Financial planning is secure and funding is allocated to agreed priorities. Resources are managed prudently and used effectively.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing levels are generally good, although the headteacher undertakes a very substantial teaching commitment. Teaching assistants are deployed very well. They offer very good support in classes. The school buildings are clean and well maintained, although limited in the space available for PE lessons in the hall.. They provide a good working environment. The governing body are aware of the principles of best value and apply them well in a situation where there is little flexibility. Learning resources are good overall. Ellingham CE First School - 10

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What some parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Pupils like school and are expected to work hard • Behaviour is good • Teaching is good. • The information the school provides about pupils’ progress • The range of extra-curricular activities

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agree with the positive points made, except that the higher attaining pupils could be given more consistently challenging tasks to raise their levels of attainment. The information given to parents meets statutory requirements. The inspectors feel that, given the size of the school, the overall demands on the staff and the fact that a high proportion of pupils travel to school by car or bus, the range of extra-curricular activities is appropriate. Ellingham CE First School - 11 PART B: COMMENTARY

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. To use national test results alone to assess standards is not helpful in this school, where year groups are very small, because each pupil represents a very high percentage of the school’s total scores.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The majority of children start school in the Reception class with satisfactory skills in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development. As a result of satisfactory progress, the majority of children have attained at least the early learning goals recommended for children of this age, with some children attaining above what is expected, by the end of their Reception year. Progress for children with special educational needs in the Reception class is good. Their needs are identified through the assessments that take place, and action is taken to meet their needs. Overall, this provision is very good. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs in Years 1 to 4 continues to be good.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests in 2002 was well above the national average in reading and writing and matched the national average in mathematics. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ performance was well above average in reading, matched the average in writing and was below average in mathematics. On the basis of teacher assessment, pupils’ performance in science was well above the national average and below the average for similar schools. In reading and writing there was a difference in performance in that although 50 per cent of pupils attained Level 3 in reading, only 10 per cent pupils attained this level in writing. Pupils currently in Year 2 are working largely at the expected level for their age and their achievement is satisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Inspection evidence indicates that almost all pupils in Years 3 and 4 are also working at the expected level for their age. Their achievement is also satisfactory. Whilst this initially appears to indicate a decline from their high performance recorded when they took their end of Year 2 tests, the movement of some pupils away from the school, together with need for a more consistent challenge for higher attaining pupils, explains this apparent discrepancy.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Speaking and listening skills are good and pupils’ achievement is mainly good. The majority listen attentively during lessons and speak clearly with increasing confidence. They have many opportunities to do so. Standards in reading are good throughout the school and the achievement of the majority of pupils is good. The majority of pupils read accurately and confidently from a variety of texts appropriate for their age. Most pupils use an appropriate range of strategies to determine unfamiliar words and read with increasing fluency and accuracy as they move through the school. Older pupils and higher attaining pupils have sufficient opportunities to develop higher order reading skills such as inference, deduction and prediction. By the time they are in Year 4, pupils speak appropriately about favourite stories and authors and can select essential points from a range of texts. Ellingham CE First School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Whilst the achievement of the majority of pupils is satisfactory overall in their writing, the achievement of higher attaining pupils is unsatisfactory . By Year 2, although pupils are beginning to use different writing styles and stories show an appropriate structure, there are limited opportunities for pupils to write at length and the pupils’ range of descriptive language is limited. The use of correct punctuation is developing but the quality of handwriting is variable. As pupils move through the school they write in a range of forms, adapting their style to suit different purposes. By Year 4 presentation and handwriting are satisfactory. However, again, there is limited evidence of pupils writing at length, although there are opportunities for them to write imaginatively and independently.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is satisfactory overall. By Year 2, the majority of pupils are able to read, write and order numbers to 100. They write numbers correctly, have knowledge of time and know the shapes and properties of simple two and three dimensional shapes. Pupils who have difficulty with their learning are supported particularly well and make good progress. By Year 4, pupils are able to carry out simple calculation problems and they have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of fractions and decimals. Their knowledge of place value is generally secure. Shape, space and measurement skills are satisfactory. Again there is limited evidence of consistently challenging tasks for higher attainers within the class.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils’ achievement in science is satisfactory overall, but showing good elements in some areas by the time pupils are aged 7. By the end of Year 2, pupils explore different materials and record their findings accurately whilst showing good levels of independence. Higher attaining pupils are beginning to attempt scientific explanations and can clearly identify the basic elements which make a test fair. Here, attainment is above average for their age and pupils achieve well. For example, pupils understand that, when testing the speed at which ice melts, they can only test one variable at a time. By the end of Year 4 they know about the effect certain food and drink has on tooth enamel. They use appropriate vocabulary correctly and record their findings accurately. Once more, good provision was made for pupils who find learning difficult. This took the form of good use of a laptop computer to record pupils’

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

findings on a specially prepared answer frame. No particular provision was made to challenge the more able pupils.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In Information and Communications Technology pupils’ standards of attainment are above national expectations at the ends of Years 2 and 4. By the end of Year 2, pupils can use the keyboard effectively and save their work on disks and on the hard drive. They can use a wide variety of programs and can enter instructions into a robot. By the end of Year 4, pupils use a wide range of skills. They share and exchange information in a variety of forms. They use clip and desktop publishing . Year 1 and 2 pupils have created an ICT dictionary where they could check for terms they did not understand and are able to use e-mail successfully. Pupils throughout the school achieve well in this work.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. In music, pupils’ achievement is good and their standards of attainment are above average. They sing well, with good diction and good pitch. They have many opportunities to compose and perform, using a wide range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments. Good links are made between music and other curriculum subjects, for example in history, geography and science. The school also has a Ceilidh Band in which pupils have the opportunity to play a wide range of instruments and which is engaged in public performance.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement on attainment or achievement in history and physical education and geography for pupils in Years 3 and 4. Also there was limited time Ellingham CE First School - 13 to gather sufficient evidence of pupils using their developing literacy and numeracy skills across the subjects of the National Curriculum. The achievement of pupils who are gifted and talented is unsatisfactory as too little specific provision is planned to support their needs. Overall the school could do more to offer a consistent challenge for its higher attaining pupils in their learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Throughout the school, however, pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Their needs are identified at an early stage and appropriate action is taken. Provision for them is very good. Teaching assistants work very well alongside class teachers and enable the pupils to make good gains in their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils have good attitudes to their school and their work. This is an improvement on findings of the last inspection. The majority of pupils say that they like coming to school. They arrive in a positive frame of mind, and are willing to take full advantage of the opportunities offered. The vast majority are punctual and are well turned out in the school uniform. They enjoy both work in school and out of school visits; a large number are involved in the after-school football club and Ceilidh Band. Pupils talk enthusiastically about what they are doing. An example of this was seen when two from Year 4 took pride in showing an inspector round their classroom and describing some of the displays.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils with special educational needs show good attitudes to their work. Relationships are very good and pupils respond very well to the extra support given by teachers and teaching assistants.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Generally, behaviour is better than at the time of the last inspection and so the school functions as a very orderly community. Movement between lessons and at break times is very well organised. Pupils queue up quietly at the end of lessons and when entering the hall for Assembly. They are friendly and polite to visitors. Behaviour in classes is at least satisfactory, often good and sometimes very good. Several examples of impressive behaviour were observed. Pupils listen quietly, answer teachers' questions with enthusiasm and confidence and are keen to contribute. A notable example was in a Reception class lesson where pupils were studying the text, ‘We’re all going on a Bear Hunt’. They showed real interest and sustained concentration as the teacher read the story, and then enthusiastically took part in the ‘Bear Hunt’. All pupils were fully involved in the lesson. All were extremely

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

keen to be involved and to undertake the activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. At mealtimes pupils’ social skills are good. They sit well at the tables and wait to be served by monitors. Pupils are friendly to others and welcome the opportunity to talk to visitors. In the yard behaviour, although boisterous, is good. They play a variety of games, such as catch, sensibly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils appreciate the system of certificates, stickers and smiley faces and take pride in the Brain Box awards they receive for good work, behaviour and attitudes. They say ‘you feel really excited’ when collecting an award, and particularly enjoy the display of photographs on the wall. Pupils all understand the golden rules well and have a clear sense of right and wrong. There have been no exclusions in the last year. Ellingham CE First School - 14 18. Pupils learn to work both in groups and on their own. An example was observed in a Year 2 and 3 physical education lesson where they were working on catching and throwing skills. Pupils took turns to throw the ball to their partner and supported each other during team games. Through group activities and paired work, pupils learn to share, consider ideas and support others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. In lessons classes have studied other cultures and religious festivals. They have visited a synagogue and can talk about the differences between the Christian and Jewish faiths. As a result they are learning to appreciate the diversity of cultures and the values and beliefs of others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Development of initiative and personal responsibility is very good. In class pupils willingly undertake such jobs as taking the register to the office and acting as monitors. As they progress up the school, responsibilities increase and by Year 4 a number are chosen to be school captains and vice captains. Monitors have a major impact on the running of the school as they provide, for example, very good help at lunchtimes, setting up assemblies and in the classroom. Pupils take responsibility for their own learning well. They help with the distribution and collection of equipment in lessons. They take reading records home and know when their homework should be returned. As a result pupils are learning to become responsible, independent learners.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Because relationships with each other and between pupils and staff are very good the school functions as a happy and supportive community. No incidents of harassment were observed. Pupils with special needs are very well integrated. The care that children give to each other is an impressive element in this school. Many examples of older pupils looking after younger, and of able pupils helping less able were observed.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Attendance is above the national average and pupils rarely arrive late. Accordingly the school day starts promptly and all have full access to the teaching times offered.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school for most pupils. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed throughout the inspection and this is an improvement on the position reported when the school was last inspected. Although teaching is consistently good, in many lessons there is insufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils and this contributes to those pupils not making as much progress as they might.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of teaching and learning in the Reception class is good. The teacher and the teaching assistant work effectively together as a team to create a caring and secure environment and they form good relationships with the children. There are times in the week when the Reception children are taught as a discrete group and, because the numbers of pupils involved are so small, their individual needs are very well known. Children feel secure in developing their learning through a range of appropriately planned activities and through the constructive praise they receive from the adults with whom they work. The teaching assistant is used effectively to support individuals and groups of children, particularly a pupil with significant learning difficulties. She is well briefed by the teacher; has a good knowledge of the children, and makes a good contribution to their learning. Planning is detailed and linked clearly

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

to the early learning goals in the six areas of learning recommended for children of this age. Ellingham CE First School - 15 Appropriate emphasis is placed on communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teaching is at its best in Years 1 and 2. Detailed planning and management of time and pupils results in pupils behaving, working hard and achieving well throughout lessons. The learning intention of the lesson is effectively shared with the pupils so that they are clear about what is expected of them. At the end of the lesson the learning intention is reviewed so pupils are able to assess for themselves how well they are learning. This good practice is not used consistently throughout the school. Pupils are not always informed in each class of what the teacher expects from them and the criteria for success during independent activities are not made clear to the pupils. Resources, including ICT, are used well in Years1 and 2 to enhance learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Teaching and learning in Years 3 and 4 are also good, overall. This consistency is commendable since this is the class containing the largest number of pupils and it is taught for almost the whole of the week by the headteacher. Planning is good. It is thorough and detailed and lessons regularly begin with the pupils having a clear idea of what it is they are required to learn. Good quality teaching assistants support the pupils well and those pupils with special educational needs are included effectively in the lessons. Effective teacher questioning and the pupils having every opportunity to compose their thoughts before answering are both strong features of this class and contribute to appropriate understanding on the part of the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. No teaching was unsatisfactory, but there are some areas where improvements could be made. In a number of lessons, although the teachers plan well to meet the needs of pupils who find learning difficult and include them effectively in lessons, more consideration needs to be given to the challenge available to higher attaining pupils, whose need are not met with such precision, and who, therefore do not always achieve as well as they might. This was seen to good effect in a science lesson in Years 1 and 2, where pupils were challenged well to undertake a ‘fair test’. Pupils rose well to the challenge and learning was good. However, in Years 3 and 4, work on direction was presented to the class as a whole and did not provide sufficient challenge for the older or more able pupils in the class, whose learning did not improve effectively enough.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The quality of written marking is thorough and regular. However, it does not consistently help pupils to improve the quality of their work. Comments often indicate the good elements of work but do not consistently indicate what pupils need to do next to make progress. Termly targets for improvement are set, but marking does not consistently refer to those targets.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs are drawn up by class teachers and incorporated into teachers’ planning. All members of staff work hard to ensure that these pupils are very well supported and make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Homework is set appropriately to supplement work undertaken in lessons. Most parents are satisfied with the amount of homework, and the inspection judges that the provision is satisfactory.

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PUPILS?

Ellingham CE First School - 16 31. The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum to all its pupils. It covers all the aspects of the National Curriculum programmes of study and meets the requirements for the teaching of religious education following the Newcastle Diocesan Syllabus. In planning the National Curriculum, it makes appropriate use of subject guidelines from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The school fulfils its aim to provide a warm and friendly environment in which all the pupils have the opportunity to succeed. There have been significant improvements since the last inspection. The issues of progress at Key Stage 1 have been addressed and this has led to significant improvement in standards in literacy and numeracy.

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PUPILS?

32. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are generally well taught, although higher attaining pupils make insufficient progress in their learning. The school has a clear framework for planning the delivery of literacy and numeracy based on the national strategies. The needs of pupils with special needs are met well. The support given to these pupils, especially the quality of supporting adults, enables these pupils to make good progress in basic skills. The school has two mixed-age classes of Years 1 and 2 and Years 3 and 4. Teachers set clear targets for improvement. The subject co-ordinator for mathematics has the support of the county advisory teacher in monitoring the mathematics curriculum. The school makes appropriate links between the subjects and makes good use of information technology.

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PUPILS?

33. The curriculum is enhanced by a range if interesting visits and visiting specialists. The rural support teacher takes music and the school has a very good Ceilidh band. A parent joins the pupils in playing the Shuttle pipes. A wide range of musical interest is catered for, including keyboards, recorder and percussion. One pupil plays an accordion. A particular feature is the inclusion of a special needs pupil who plays guitar in this group. The support teacher had taken the trouble to provide the pupil with a better quality instrument to improve and value his contribution. This band plays locally. The school also has a football club, which meets weekly and is open to boys and girls. Strong links exist with the local church and with a playgroup which is invited into school weekly to take part in the school assembly.

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PUPILS?

34. The school has very good links with the middle schools that it feeds. There are opportunities for the Year 4 pupils to visit the middle school prior to leaving. Pupils also joined with high school pupils in a musical concert.

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PUPILS?

35. Personal, social and health education is a strong feature of the school. The school takes part in the Northumberland Healthy schools initiative and has received various certificates to show the progress it has made. The programme encourages healthy eating, safety, physical activity and community and school partnership. The school has a good quality file showing its ‘Healthy School Action Plan’. This incorporates aspects of drug awareness and the school is currently reviewing its policy for sex education and relationships.

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PUPILS?

36. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and is a strength of the school. The school promotes spiritual development well in assemblies through a range of music that accompanies the entry of pupils. This music ranges from “Words” by the Boyzonne to a Taize Chant. The assemblies follow a well-planned theme for the week and the staff join in and take turns to lead worship. Strong links exist with the village church and a member of the clergy takes assembly each Thursday. A project to design and create two new stained glass windows has recently been completed and this has involved pupils, parents and local community in their creation. Every opportunity is taken to value the pupils and promote their self-esteem.

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PUPILS?

37. Moral development is promoted very well. Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong. This sense is stressed in assemblies but also appears in all the lessons when the need to share Ellingham CE First School - 17 and exercise fairness is stressed. Pupils are given a wide range of responsibilities. Two pupils set up the hall for assembly putting out chairs and setting up the CD players. This is operated on a rota system so pupils from Years 3 and 4 can have this opportunity. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own rules for playground and art monitors. Many classes have the rules prominently displayed in the room.

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PUPILS?

38. Pupils’ social development is catered for very well in a wide variety of ways. Through assemblies and work in the classes, pupils are taught to see themselves as part of a family and a community. This is a strong feature of the school. As a result pupils show consideration for each other, and the school is a place where social awareness is well developed. Pupils learn to care for each other through the variety of responsibilities they have in classes and around school. A particular feature is the monthly tea with the headteacher for the best-behaved table at lunchtime. Pupils have tea and cakes with the headteacher in her office to celebrate their good behaviour. School has good social links with its community, particularly the church.

p.17

PUPILS?

39. Following on from this, pupils have a keen sense of cultural awareness. Good provision is made through music, geography and ICT and the pupils show a sense of understanding of their own culture. A parent plays Shuttle pipes in their Ceilidh band and they learn local folk dances, which were performed at a school concert. A local artist worked with pupils to produce a stained glass window for the school hall. In addition, they develop a sense of other cultures from different parts of the world. The school has strong links with an Indian school and maintains e-mail links. The pupils held a tabletop sale to raise money for equipment for this school. Following these links an Indian family visited the school. Pupils are encouraged to develop interest in world issues and pupils took part in a ‘shoebox appeal’ for children in Romania. On one occasion the whole school visited a synagogue.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. This school cares for its pupils very well. It effectively achieves its aim to ‘provide a positive and caring environment for all members of the school community’. The warm, friendly, family atmosphere based on Christian values is greatly appreciated by parents. This aspect has improved since the last inspection and is now a strength of the school. The very good care and guidance that pupils receive help them to learn and make progress.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Staff and governors make every effort to provide for the welfare and safety of pupils. Appropriate child protection procedures are in place. A newly appointed governor has recently taken responsibility for health and safety and all staff are safety conscious. All relevant health and safety checks, such as fire drills and building checks, are carried out. One teacher takes responsibility for first aid although all staff have had some training. Procedures for recording and reporting accidents are in place. As a result pupils receive very good attention if an accident does occur. All adults are aware of specific medical needs of some pupils, for example those with allergies and those requiring physical support. Pupils are well supervised at all times. Through the Healthy Schools programme children learn about healthy and safe life styles. They are encouraged to eat fruit, have access to water at all times and

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

are trained in first aid. Cloakrooms and corridors are tidy. The standard of care taking is good. As a result pupils work in a clean environment.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. There is good monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and personal development. This is an improvement on the position reported when the school was last inspected. However, better use could be made of assessment data to guide teachers’ planning, because high attaining Ellingham CE First School - 18 pupils are not always challenged sufficiently in the tasks they are required to complete. Individual records of achievement are compiled from work chosen by the pupil and class teacher. Teachers know their pupils well and information is shared, and the monitoring of personal development is fully recorded. There is satisfactory educational and personal support and guidance for pupils. Throughout the school day, achievements are recognised in lessons and around the school, through praise and encouragement.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The close monitoring of pupils’ personal development and behaviour is extremely effective in promoting high standards. Because staff know their pupils well, and are extremely sensitive to their differing needs, informal monitoring of pupils’ personal progress is continuously taking place. Staff are approachable and parents feel they can voice concerns and pass on relevant information. Consequently pupils’ needs are supported very well. The school keeps track of individual successes and shortcomings through a system of certificates, stickers, smiley faces and Brain Box awards. Achievement assemblies are used to celebrate successes. Through the home/school agreement and prospectus, parents and pupils are aware of the rules and the standards of behaviour expected. All adults are alert to any signs of bullying or harassment. Any potential conflicts are identified quickly and handled effectively. The development of

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

personal skills is very well provided for. Pupils are expected to take on many jobs within school, for example acting as monitors at lunch, assembly or in the classroom. These have a major impact on the running of the school. Opportunities for independent learning are well established. In classes pupils learn to select their own resources and tidy away. As a result these pupils are encouraged to become self-sufficient and good independent learners. All pupils are included in every activity and so none is disadvantaged by gender, race or ability, although some higher attaining pupils do not always make as much progress as they might.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well. Their needs are identified early and the appropriate extra help is very well planned to ensure that they make good progress in their learning. Their work is regularly monitored and assessed and individual education plans are regularly updated to take account of pupils’ rates of progress. External help is sought where necessary and the statements of pupils with special educational needs are reviewed in accordance with statutory requirements. Parents are appropriately involved and generally appreciative of the care that is directed towards their children.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Pupils are very well supported in their transfer into and out of the school. The majority have attended playgroup here. They then join the Reception class for several half-days during the summer term. As a result they are familiar with the building, staff and other pupils before they commence full-time education. The majority of pupils settle quickly and happily. Pupils’ transfer to middle schools is complicated by the number of schools involved. The head teacher is working hard to establish effective and consistent liaison with them all. Pupils do make at least one visit to their next school. Two of the middle schools go to considerable lengths to include these pupils in events for example inviting them to their pantomime and relevant curricular events.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. Monitoring of attendance is thorough. The vast majority of parents comply with requirements to inform the school if their child is absent. Those who do not are quickly followed up. As a result there are no unauthorised absences. Statutory requirements to mark registers at the beginning of each morning and afternoon session are met.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Ellingham CE First School - 19 47. The partnership between parents and school has improved since the last inspection and is now very good. This aspect is a strength of the school. Through the questionnaire, pre-inspection meeting and discussions, the majority of parents express very positive views. The only concerns, that were expressed by only a small minority, were over the information parents receive about their own child’s progress and the range of extra-curricular activities available for pupils. The inspection team do not agree with these. However, the fact that some pupils are transported to school on busses may mean that their parents do not have as much contact as parents who come into school every day. The football and music groups available after school are well supported.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents play a very active part in school. Their input has a very positive impact on its work and on their children’s education. A number of parents give many hours of their time to the school on a voluntary basis. They feel that ‘It is a pleasure to get involved’. There are numerous examples but some include helping in lessons and the office, running the football club and making a beautiful stained glass window using children’s own designs. The Parent Teacher Association is extremely active and has raised impressive sums of money. They organise a number of events throughout the year and make considerable efforts to involve the wider community. Recently a Ball at Alnwick Castle raised £6,000. This money has enabled the school to make major improvements to the playground as well as paying, for example, for pupils to attend a pantomime and providing Bibles for all leavers. Through charity events,

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

parents support their children in raising money for good causes such as providing a toilet block for a school in India, Blue Peter Appeal and Christmas Shoe-Box Appeal.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The open-door policy and friendly, family atmosphere are valued by parents and result in very good home-school communication. All parents say that they feel comfortable to approach staff if they have a concern. The school makes every effort to seek parents’ views.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Parents of pupils who have special educational needs are fully involved in meetings to review the school’s provision and the progress their children are making. The staff have established very good relationships with parents, who are very supportive and appreciative of the work undertaken for their children.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. Written information is frequent, readable and extremely helpful. The prospectus, newsletters and letters home keep parents up-to-date with what is going on in school. In addition a well- presented curriculum content leaflet helps parents to understand what the children will be studying in the forthcoming term. However, it does not, at present, give parents guidance about how they can help at home. Three consultation meetings give parents a more formal opportunity to discuss their own child’s progress. Attendance at these events is extremely good. Those who do not attend are followed up. The governors employ unusual tactics in order to encourage parents to make the Annual Parents Meeting more interesting. Last year paramedics and pupils gave a display of first aid skills. As a result, a large number of parents attend and the evening is greatly enjoyed by all. The pupils’ reports, which comply with

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

statutory requirements, are helpful in telling parents what their children can do and include targets for improvement. Parents of pupils with special needs are kept well informed.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. Parents are well involved in their children’s work at home through their commitment to the home--school agreement and homework. All pupils take work home and parents are encouraged to help them, sign the diaries and enter any comments. As a result these provide a good channel for the transfer of information. Most parents feel that pupils are given an adequate quantity of homework. Ellingham CE First School - 20

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The leadership and management of the school are good. The current headteacher has been appointed to the school since the last inspection and has gained the confidence of her colleagues, governors, parents and pupils. She is providing the school with clear educational direction. The governors have developed a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and they fulfil their statutory duties well. Good overall improvement has been made since the last inspection and the school has a very good capacity to improve still further.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school development plan is a useful tool for school improvement. Priorities are generally accurately identified and appropriately costed. Whilst the school has focused strongly on improving pupils’ spelling, greater emphasis needs to be given to the limited opportunities available for pupils to write at length, and to improve the challenge available to higher attaining pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Procedures for monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance are good. Teachers’ planning is monitored effectively and the school now gathers detailed statistical evidence about the progress of individual pupils. The role of the subject co-ordinator has improved on that reported when the school was last inspected, but there is room for further development. There are difficulties as a small number of teaching staff co-ordinate the whole range of National Curriculum subjects and the headteacher has a very full class-teaching commitment. This was the position when the school was last inspected and it remains unchanged. This leads to only limited opportunities to monitor teaching and learning in classrooms. Also there are some inconsistencies in aspects of teachers’ marking. It is regular and thorough, but it does not consistently inform pupils of what they need to do next to improve their work, or link

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

directly to the targets for improvement which are listed in the front of pupils’ books in some subjects.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school’s finances are controlled well and allocated to those areas which have been identified for improvement. The school has relatively small amounts of money at its disposal and these are managed prudently. The governors have a good understanding of the principles of best value and apply them well.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The accommodation is good and has been improved from the position reported when the school was last inspected. The building is maintained to a good order of cleanliness. Extensions to the building have been completed; a new library area and new toilet facilities for pupils have been developed. Currently, work is being undertaken on extending the hard-play area in the playground. An outdoor play area for Reception pupils is included in this project. There is an adequate number of teachers and a very good level of teaching assistants. The quality and adequacy of learning resources is good in most subjects.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

58. In order to raise standards further in this good school, the headteacher, staff and governors should take steps to :- Ellingham CE First School - 21 (a) raise standards in the skills of literacy and numeracy by providing a more consistent challenge to higher attaining pupils;

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(b) improve the quality of pupils’ writing by: i. offering more opportunities for pupils to write at length ii. consistently directing pupils’ attention to what they need to do next to improve their work. Ellingham CE First School - 22 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 13

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y4

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/a 40.5

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/a 3

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y4

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/a 2

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register Na/ 6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4% National comparative data 0.5% Ellingham CE First School - 23 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ellingham CE First School - 24 The Table listing pupils’ attainment in the National Tests for pupils aged 7 in 2002 is not included as the number of pupils in each year regularly falls below 11.

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.6 Financial year: 46 pupils on roll 2002-2003.

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15.6

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y4 Total income 178 225

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 164 776

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 56 Expenditure per pupil 3 582

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 2 456

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/a Balance carried forward to next year 15 905

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/a

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/a

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/a

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 Ellingham CE First School - 25 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Ellingham CE First School - 26

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 70 30 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 81 19 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 67 33 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 70 15 15 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 78 22 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 78 19 4 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 63 30 7 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 70 30 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 67 33 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 52 33 7 7 0 Ellingham CE First School - 27 PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. There are currently six children in the Reception year who attend full-time and one child who attends part-time. They sometimes work alongside pupils in Years 1 and 2, but for a substantial part of the week they are taught as a discrete group. The group also includes a pupil in Year 1 who has significant learning difficulty and who works regularly alongside Reception children. Children whose fourth birthday occurs during the summer term enter the Reception year full-time in the following September. Children whose birthdays occur in the autumn and spring terms take part-time places at the start of the term immediately after their fourth birthday. This means that some children had only recently started school at the time of the inspection.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Many of the children have had some pre-school experience and appropriate systems are in place to ensure that children settle quickly into their new routines. This is greatly assisted by the facts, firstly that numbers in the Reception year are very small and children receive a high proportion of individual attention, and secondly, that many children attend a pre-school group which has strong links with the school. These pre-school children attend the school regularly on Wednesday mornings, take part in the school assembly (which is regularly led by the Reception teacher on these occasions) and share with the Reception children in watching a television programme following the assembly.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. Assessments undertaken shortly after the children start school indicate that the attainment of the children varies widely on entry, but for the majority attainment is broadly in line with that expected for their age . The children make satisfactory progress and some make good progress as they pass through the Reception year. This includes those who find learning difficult, who are supported very well. They make good progress in their learning. Almost all pupils attain the early learning goals by the time they start Year 1. This is similar to the position reported when the school was last inspected.

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

62. The school places a high emphasis on this area of learning. When children start school they display a wide range of personal skills. They do, however, settle into school routines well. They are able to share equipment and many are willing to take turns when working in pairs and small groups. They play amicably with each other; are generally good at sharing resources, and cooperate well with adults. Almost all show good attitudes to their lessons and follow instructions carefully. Some show good levels of independence, for example when a child who had not been in school very long took charge of the tape recorder and was adept at starting and stopping it appropriately. Overall, good progress is made and almost all will attain these early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1.

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

63. Most children, though not all, start the Reception year with appropriate levels of reading and communication skills for their age and they make satisfactory progress. Some make good progress. The majority listen very carefully and follow instructions well. Some are confident Ellingham CE First School - 28 speakers and can express themselves well, but some are quiet, need significant encouragement to speak and answer in short phrases and sometimes single words. The teacher gives them every encouragement and ensures that all the pupils are engaged in oral interactions appropriately. She gives them good opportunities to think and does not push them to answer swiftly. All the children listen to stories well. They joined in the reading of ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ with great enthusiasm, joining together effectively in the repeated phrases. The whole group then embarked on a successful ‘Bear Hunt’ around the school,

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

each taking turns to lead the party, which eventually located the bear in a cave which they had constructed earlier. This was a well planned and successful lesson which brought the text to life vividly. The majority have a clear idea of how to hold a book and an awareness that the print goes from left to right. All recognise their own name and most can recognise short phrases, often by using the first letter of the first word. All can use appropriate instruments for drawing and writing. Appropriate progress is made. Almost all children will attain the early learning goals by the time they begin Year 1 and some will exceed this.

p.28

Mathematical development

64. As with the other areas of learning, children start in Reception with a wide range of experiences and abilities in dealing with number. In one lesson, when the pupils were recognising the order of the days in the week, good links were make with literacy. For example, one pupil recognised that Monday began with the ‘M’ sound, and another recognised that all the days finished with ‘…day’. Good counting skills were reinforced in another lesson where, as the children counted to 30, some were encouraged to count on in order to 60 and two pupils continued to 100. In the main part of the lesson, there was a strong focus to emphasise fives and tens. The children also show a good understanding of colour and shape and develop good positional language of ‘over’, ‘under’ and ‘round’ when winding wool in a creative development session. In these lessons expectations were high and the children responded well. During their time in Reception a significant number will achieve the early

p.28

Mathematical development

leaning goals by the time they start Year 1 and others will exceed them.

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

65. Children’s general knowledge varies widely when they begin the Reception year, but many make good progress. The majority will attain the early learning goals by the time they start Year 1 and some will exceed them. Good teaching stimulates the children’s interest and helps them to develop good observational skills. This was seen to good effect in the work undertaken on the life-cycle of a butterfly. Some caterpillars were housed in a glass tank in the classroom and children watched developments with interest. They knew the stages of development through which the creatures would pass before emerging as butterflies. Most children had painted a picture illustrating the stages of development and could talk with good levels of understanding about the ‘chrysalis’ stage. They were waiting with great anticipation for the butterflies to emerge! Good use was also made of computer technology. Most

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

children were adept at manipulating the mouse and clicking appropriately on the icons. Overall, the children concentrate well, showing interest and enjoyment in their learning.

p.28

Physical development

66. Children make satisfactory progress overall and almost all will achieve the early learning goals in this area of learning by the time they begin Year 1. Good opportunities are provided for children to develop their manipulative skills using pencils, scissors and small construction Ellingham CE First School - 29 apparatus. They use the equipment safely and carefully; are cooperative with one another and can share and take turns appropriately. The school possesses a very small hall with limited fixed apparatus; opportunities for outside play are also very limited for children in Reception as there is no dedicated play area for their use. However, the school is currently extending the hard-play area for the whole school and this project includes an outdoor play area for Reception children. The project is currently under construction with financial assistance from parents. Consequently the current deficiency will be remedied soon.

p.28

Creative development

67. The majority of children make satisfactory progress towards the early learning goals in this area of learning. Almost all will achieve them by the time they enter Year 1 and some will exceed them. The children have many opportunities to develop their creative skills through drawing, painting, music and play. Files of past work show paintings of flowers, where the children have mixed colours effectively, and collage work of good quality which has been undertaken and submitted to the Bamburgh Garden Show. They sing well and are confident to join in the singing with the whole school during assemblies. Songs are carefully chosen in a register appropriate for the children’s voices and, as in the assembly where the whole school sang ‘O Lord Hear My Prayer’ to a Taize chant, simple and repetitive words enabled the children to join in successfully. Many children clearly enjoy painting and are quickly on-task

p.29

Creative development

when their turn comes. Many wind wool accurately around a cardboard template using double-sided sticky tape to ensure an even distribution of the wool. This assists their manipulative skills as well as their creative development. Many show good levels of enjoyment in this area of learning and make satisfactory progress.

p.29

Teaching, learning and the curriculum

68. The quality of teaching is consistently good in each area of learning and has maintained the position outlined when the school was last inspected in 1998. The teacher and the other adults involved with children in the early years work effectively together and relationships are very good. This is particularly so for children who have started school recently. Also, those who have special educational needs and find it difficult to learn are supported very well and make good progress in their learning. The children soon become established in their routines and secure in their learning environment.

p.29

Teaching, learning and the curriculum

69. Planning is detailed and thorough in all the areas of learning in accordance with the early learning goals. Regular assessments are made and the individual needs and development of children are carefully noted. Pieces of past work are kept and detailed records maintained of how well children are achieving over time. Children have individual profiles from the local education authority, which are regularly updated to highlight what children can do.

p.29

Teaching, learning and the curriculum

70. Links with parents are very good and effective procedures ensure that children settle quickly into school. The teacher communicates regularly with parents both formally and informally and parents expressed their confidence and satisfaction at the parents meeting and in their responses to the parents’ questionnaire.

p.29

ENGLISH

Ellingham CE First School - 30 71. To consider the results of National Curriculum tests alone would be misleading because of the small numbers of pupils in each year mean that each pupil carries a high percentage of the school’s overall results. Thus statistical evidence must be treated with caution.

p.30

ENGLISH

72. The results of the National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 2 over the last three years show that standards of attainment have exceeded those expected in reading and writing, with a significant percentage of pupils gaining the higher level in reading and a smaller percentage in writing. However, inspection evidence indicates that pupils currently in Year 2 are working at levels, which match those expected for their age, and there is limited evidence of higher attainment particularly in writing. A similar picture emerges for pupils in Years 3 and 4, who attain the standards expected for their age and achieve better in reading than they do in writing. A factor contributing to this lies in the fact that the tasks planned for higher attaining pupils do not consistently offer sufficient challenge for them and they do not always achieve as well as they might, particularly with writing.

p.30

ENGLISH

73. Speaking and listening skills are good throughout the school. Pupils listen carefully to stories and make accurate attempts at retelling the main events of the story and describing the characters within them. Pupils speak clearly and with increasing confidence to adults and to each other articulating their ideas appropriately when given the opportunity. The majority of pupils listen attentively during lessons, this enables them to sustain concentration and to gain an appropriate understanding of the work they are to do. Pupils with special educational needs are involved in all speaking and listening activities, are supported very well and make good progress.

p.30

ENGLISH

74. Standards in reading are good throughout the school and the achievement of the majority of pupils is good. This includes pupils with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils. The staff teach successfully the basic skills of reading and the majority of pupils are able to read accurately and confidently from a variety of texts appropriate for their age. Most pupils are able to use an appropriate range of strategies to determine unfamiliar words including the use of phonics. They read with increasing levels of fluency and expression as they move through the school. They talk about favourite stories, authors and poets and can select essential points from a range of texts to develop other literacy skills.

p.30

ENGLISH

75. The library has recently been refurbished and contains a good selection of books for use throughout the school and a stock of non-fiction books to support learning in different areas of the curriculum. These are generally used well. Parents effectively support their children’s reading through the use of home/school diaries. They are invited into school regularly and this again has a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

p.30

ENGLISH

76. Whilst the majority of pupils make satisfactory progress in their writing, the progress of the higher attaining pupils is unsatisfactory. This is because there are few opportunities for pupils to write at length and written tasks do not offer a consistent challenge to these pupils. Pupils with special educational needs, however, are provided for very well and they make good progress in their learning. Pupils’ spelling skills are showing some improvement, substantially because they have been the focus of attention in recent months. Pupils are developing their use of capital letters and full stops, and the quality of handwriting is satisfactory. Most pupils use word processing skills well in a wide range of subjects. Overall the school has improved on the satisfactory position reported when it was last inspected, most notably in pupils’ speaking, listening and reading skills and in the quality of teaching and learning for pupils aged

p.30

ENGLISH

6 and 7. Ellingham CE First School - 31 77. Pupils’ attitudes to their work are good and they concentrate appropriately on the tasks set for them. There are good opportunities for pupils to show initiative and to work collaboratively or in groups. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is actively promoted through this subject through the use of stories from different cultures and discussions about methods of communications, which were considered during acts of worship in the inspection week.

p.30

ENGLISH

78. The quality of teaching is good overall. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when teaching was unsatisfactory for pupils aged 6 and 7 and satisfactory for pupils aged 8 and 9. Pupils are generally clear about what they are to learn because of the good explanations given to them. The very good relationships within the classes result in pupils behaving well, concentrating on their tasks and showing enthusiasm. The session at the end of the lesson is often used effectively to review what pupils have learned. Improvement should be made, however, in the challenge offered to higher attaining pupils and a more consistent approach is needed to teachers’ marking to ensure that pupils know what it is they need to do next to take their learning forward. Pupils’ exercise books contain termly targets for improvement, but these are rarely referred to when work is marked.

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ENGLISH

79. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. These pupils are very well supported by experienced teaching assistants who work very well alongside class teachers. They often work unobtrusively but very effectively. The small numbers of pupils in each teaching group ensure that pupils’ individual needs are well known, identified at an early stage and very good provision made. This enables these pupils to make good progress in their learning.

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ENGLISH

80. Leadership and management of the subject are good. A teacher with good expertise and interest in the subject holds the role of the subject co-ordinator. She has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject, but limited opportunities to evaluate teaching and learning. There are good procedures to track the progress of individual pupils as they move through the school, but better use could be made of this information to identify how higher attaining pupils may be consistently challenged. There are adequate resources available and a satisfactory range of books for all age groups. Information and communication technology is used appropriately throughout the school to develop pupils’ literacy skills. Overall there has been good improvement since the previous inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

81. Standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 4 are in line with national expectations for pupils of those ages. The number of pupils gaining the higher level in national tests is also in line with national averages. Pupils achieve appropriately for their age. In the 2002 tests girls’ performance was slightly ahead of the boys in mathematics. However, results of the national tests have to be treated with caution as the number in the year group is very small, only 10 pupils in 2002.

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MATHEMATICS

82. Pupils aged 6 and 7 are able to undertake an appropriate range of mathematical tasks for their age. They are confident in counting and can add and subtract numbers readily. The majority do this up to 20 but the more able mentally count on and back with numbers up to 100. They add single digit and single and two digit numbers confidently. They have knowledge of multiplication facts of 2s, 5s and 10s. The more able could even count in 11’s. Pupils know the names of common coins and could name the coins required to make up amounts, such as £4.54 by different methods. Pupils name a range of coins used to make 20p. All pupils Ellingham CE First School - 32 could work out the change required when making purchases. Pupils estimate in centimetres and name a range of common objects about 10cm long. They have more difficulty in estimating in metres. They know the name of the regular two-dimensional shapes and some

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MATHEMATICS

simple properties of shapes with straight or curved edges. Only the more able identify the range of three-dimensional shapes. Pupils of all abilities tell the time in hours and half hours but only the more able are confident with quarter to and quarter past. Pupils have difficulty with digital time except for simple hours. All pupils sort and classify a set of two-dimensional shapes by different criteria; shape, size, colour and thickness.

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MATHEMATICS

83. Pupils aged 8 and 9 continue to develop the use of mental calculations using a range of strategies. They are beginning to use the facts from multiplication tables to solve problems, although the differences between the most and least able pupils are quite marked. Pupils understand fractions and decimals and can name fractions of two-dimensional shapes. Confidence in the understanding of decimals is uneven. Only the most able understand decimal notation as this had been studied some time ago. These pupils apply the principles of place value well and could extend this to an understanding of money, length and weight. The range of work covered in their books is good. Pupils do written calculations to solve word problems and they select appropriate strategies. Pupils know the eight points of the compass and use these well to give directions. Pupils use a range of methods to record their work including tables, graphs and charts. Work in the books is well laid out and due care and

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MATHEMATICS

attention given to layout and presentation by all but a few less able pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

84. Teaching in mathematics is good. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection when teaching and progress of younger pupils were reported as unsatisfactory. Teachers plan their work for all ability levels. Teachers use resources and support staff well to enable pupils with special needs to make good progress. However more could be expected of the more able pupils and some of the work lacks challenge. Teachers share the lesson objectives with the pupils at the start of the lesson so that pupils are clear about what it is they are expected to do and understand by the end of the lesson. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and pupils are able to work individually, in pairs or groups with equal success. Behaviour in mathematics lessons is good. Pupils therefore spend all the time available in learning. Teachers use the whole-class session at the end of the lesson to assess what pupils

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MATHEMATICS

have learned and use this information in future planning. Teachers know their pupils well.

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MATHEMATICS

85. There are sufficient resources for the teaching of mathematics. Classes make use of number lines and 100 squares, which are displayed in all classrooms. The school has adopted a commercial scheme since the last inspection and the teachers use this well to raise standards in mathematics. Mathematics provides opportunities for pupils to work individually or in groups and this makes a contribution to the pupils’ personal and social development. Pupils share and cooperate well with each other and use materials and equipment safely and sensibly. In one Year 3 and 4 lesson pupils took turns using a compass to show the directions of features outside the classroom. Information and communication technology is used well to support learning in mathematics in all ages. In another Year 3 and 4 lesson pupils went in rota to the computer to practise numerical calculations. Pupils knew the program well and could

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MATHEMATICS

navigate effectively using the icons correctly. A strong feature of the school is the cross- curricular links. Graphs and charts are used in science to present information. In a Year 1 and 2 lesson, a teacher used the weight of an ice balloon to indicate how much had melted. Directions are used in geography, which supports the work on right angles.

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MATHEMATICS

86. Teachers assess the pupils’ work well. The plenary at the end of the lesson is used well to assess pupils’ understanding. Teachers mark the written work regularly with comments that Ellingham CE First School - 33 praise and reinforce. Pupils have individual targets set and progress against these targets is monitored. Pupils’ targets are stamped when they have been achieved . By this mechanism, pupils are able to develop a good understanding of their own progress. However, on some occasions marking fails to tell the pupils what they need to do to improve. Teachers use the information satisfactorily to inform future planning.

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MATHEMATICS

87. The subject is well led by the subject co-ordinator, who has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject. Following issues raised by the previous inspection, the school adopted a new commercial scheme of work. This is the second year of its use and is being put to good use. Money was made available to purchase new resources to support the scheme. The school monitors the progress of the scheme and to sets appropriate targets for development. One current priority is to extend the use of ICT in mathematics teaching by purchasing a greater range of software. The subject co-ordinator monitors the subject termly and acts upon the findings. The county numeracy consultant supported one such monitoring. The coordinator also meets termly with other mathematics co-ordinators organised by the county in order to develop a wider view of progress. There is a link governor for numeracy

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MATHEMATICS

who monitors developments. Presentations to the governing body have included links between mathematics and information and communication technology and to assess the impact the developments are having on the school’s provision and the pupils’ standards.

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SCIENCE

88. Standards by the end of Year 2 are above that expected for pupils of their age and pupils achieve well. By the end of Year 4 standards are in line with those expected for pupils of their age and they achieve appropriately. Teacher assessments in 2002 at the end of Year 2 show results in line with national expectations for pupils of average ability and a high proportion of pupils above national expectations. However only 10 pupils were assessed and statistical data with numbers as low as this must be treated with caution.

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SCIENCE

89. Pupils at the end of Year 2 have covered a wide range of science topics and show good levels of understanding. They are able to use their senses well to observe similarities and differences in a range of materials. They use correct scientific language to compare the properties of different materials. They discuss how the properties of common materials suit particular purposes, for example, glass for windows and plastic for boxes and cases. They know the difference between living and non-living things and that living things grow and reproduce. They know that plants need water, food and light to grow. They describe the life cycle of a butterfly from egg to adult. Pupils describe which domestic objects use electricity and are aware of simple safety measures relating to electricity. Pupils describe how to make a circuit using a battery, wire and bulbs. They also describe objects, which give out light and

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SCIENCE

90. This good subject coverage is maintained as pupils continue through the next key stage. Pupils by the end of Year 4 describe in detail elements of life and living processes. They understand how animals adapt to different environment, for example, the polar bear in the Artic, and describe how the adaptations benefit the animal. They understand the properties of materials, for example, insulators, and describe why fleece jackets are warm. They understand how electrical circuits are made and what happens if more than one bulb is introduced into the circuit. They understand the simple elements of magnetism and that magnets attract and repel. They name objects which a magnet will pick up, and those it would not. Ellingham CE First School - 34 91. The quality of teaching in science is good in both the Year 1/2 class and the Year 3/4 class. Teachers plan the work well and lessons begin with a sharing of the lesson objectives with the

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SCIENCE

pupils. Teachers make good use of time and give sufficient time for the pupils to work independently or in groups. The teachers devote an appropriate amount of time to scientific experimentation and investigation.

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SCIENCE

92. In the Year 1/2 class, pupils conducted an investigation into melting ice using water from a frozen balloon and ice cubes. This was a challenging task, leading to above average attainment for their age. They had to predict where to put the ice so that it would melt the quickest. One of the youngest pupils showed a clear understanding of the concept of a fair test when he said, “ That’s not fair, the balloon is bigger!” Prior to this the teacher had placed frozen balloons in several locations and recorded the weight of the ice balloons on subsequent days. The pupils were asked to infer why some ‘balloons’ had melted faster than others. Good links were made with mathematics as the pupils used the weight of the ice as a measure of melting. In this activity, pupils’ learning was good and they achieved well, showing good understanding

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SCIENCE

93. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 conducted an experiment to see the effect of various substances on tooth enamel as part of their work on healthy teeth. They used the shell of eggs to substitute for teeth and could say what they needed to do to make it a fair test. They were also aware of the need for a control. They could handle the materials sensibly with no inappropriate behaviour. Pupils showed very good levels of perseverance and concentration and their learning was secure.

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SCIENCE

94. The work in the science books is good. A wide range of topics is covered and sufficient emphasis is given to layout and presentation. Pupils are taught how to set out the work and a range of recording methods is used, including tables, graphs and charts. Good links are made with mathematics, literacy and ICT. The school uses digital photography well to support learning in science.

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SCIENCE

95. There is a good balance between all the different strands of science and the quality and range of leaning opportunities are good. In one particular lesson good links were made between science and music when a visiting music teacher indicated the link between long pipes and short pipes in making low and high notes. Attitudes to science are good; pupils enjoy science and behave well in lessons. Provision for a pupil with special educational needs is very good. In one science lesson, a laptop was provided to assist in writing and an adult and another pupil supported the pupil in completing the written work. This arrangement enabled the pupil to make very good progress.

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SCIENCE

96. The teachers make good use of the time in lessons to assess pupils’ understanding. The books are marked regularly, and comments support and encourage pupils and celebrate the achievement of pupils of all abilities. However, opportunities to improve scientific understanding are lost when pupils are not told what they need to do next to improve the quality of their work. A closer liaison between the two key stages is required so that the above average attainment in Years 1 and 2 is maintained.

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SCIENCE

97. The school has no one person with responsibility for science; this responsibility is shared effectively between the three teaching staff. The science policy was written in 1997 and is due for review.

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ART AND DESIGN

Ellingham CE First School - 35 98. During the inspection only one lesson was observed which contained a significant element of art and design. This was with pupils in Years 3 and 4. However, a scrutiny of past work from pupils in Years 1 and 2 and a review of artwork on display indicate that pupils’ standards of attainment are broadly in line with those expected for their age throughout the school, and satisfactory progress is made. This is similar to that reported when the school was last inspected.

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ART AND DESIGN

99. The portfolio of work from pupils in Years 1 and 2 contains photographs of interesting sculptures made by the pupils using boxes, pebbles, wood and pinecones. They were undertaken following a visit made to Doxford Hall, where the pupils had seen sculptures in the grounds. Photographs of the pupils’ work had been generated through digital photographs and both the photographs and the pupils’ work were of good quality. They illustrated good levels of imaginative work and the creative use of a wide range of materials. An artist in residence had assisted them in their work.

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ART AND DESIGN

100. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 were observed undertaking some pencil shading in a lesson following up a religious education lesson from the previous week. Pupils were asked to draw some characters from a Bible story and shade them using a variety of grades of pencil. Good use was made of good quality pictures and photographs to stimulate the pupils’ imagination. In the lesson the pupils tried hard to use techniques of shading and hatching. The range of pencils available to the pupils was very wide and some pupils would have benefited from more precise instruction on the designation of the pencils and the indication of what to expect from a pencil marked ‘H’, for example, and how it differed from one marked ‘6B’. In this lesson the quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

101. A strength of the school’s work in art and design lies in the fact that pupils use their art skills for practical purposes. A good wall display depicts the work pupils throughout the school have undertaken in designing two stained-glass windows for the school hall. The wall display shows a good range of designs from which the finished articles were produced. Photographic evidence shows groups of pupils engaged with the parent who constructed the windows, which are now in place and add positively to the atmosphere created in the hall for acts of worship. Equally, during the designing of new toilet blocks for pupils, each pupil in school at the time produced a hand-print which has been glazed onto tiles for the walls. This is a simple but purposeful way to ensure that pupils ’own’ these areas of the school and take care to ensure their cleanliness and tidiness. In both these tasks, pupils throughout the school had been

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ART AND DESIGN

able to take an active part in the design process, had evaluated their work and seen their designs made into items which are now permanent features of the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

102. Because so little teaching was observed, no overall judgement is made on the quality of teaching and learning, but pupils, including those with special educational needs, show good attitudes to their work in this subject. The school has a policy for art. It is dated 1997, before the last inspection, and was due for review in 2000. As yet it has not been reviewed and does not have a high priority in the school development planning. Resources are adequate.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. Although no lessons were seen during the inspection, evidence from pupils’ work, teachers planning and displays of work indicate that attainment for pupils by the end of Years 2 and Year 4 are in line what is expected for pupils of these ages. This represents good improvement since the last inspection. Ellingham CE First School - 36 104. Pupils aged 6 and 7 had made good, detailed models of playground equipment following a topic on playgrounds and play parks. They had visited parks and taken photographs with a digital camera of the range of equipment available. From this they had designed, evaluated, modified and made their own working models of a range of equipment such as see-saws, slides, climbing frames and roundabouts. These models were of good quality. They had considered carefully the materials used and the tools required.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105. Pupils aged 8 and 9 had made a variety of “pop-up” books having researched a range of mechanisms. They began by designing a proposed model and making a sample page from simple materials. Having evaluated these, they made the final products in the intended materials. These were story books written by the pupils on the computer and then made into a real book. The finished products were of high quality. Pupils used a range of mechanisms and properties including the sponginess of foam, the spring of folded paper and inflatable products in their books. They showed a high degree of care and technical skill. This also demonstrated very good curricular links between, literacy, design technology and ICT.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. No judgements can be made about teaching as no lessons were observed during the inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. The quality and range of learning opportunities are good by the end of Year 2 and Year 4. There is a satisfactory supply of tools and equipment for design and technology and sufficient time is devoted to it. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and the school is successful in ensuring all pupils can take part in lessons.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. There is no named co-ordinator for design and technology, this responsibility being shared by the Headteacher and staff. A policy for design and technology shows the aims for the subject and how it is organised. This contains appropriate references to the supply of tools and resources and health and safety issues. There is also a sound scheme of work showing a detailed breakdown of design and technology skills and their progression from Year 1 to Year 4.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

109. Only one lesson was observed in geography during the course of the inspection. The judgements of pupils’ attainment are therefore based substantially on the scrutiny of pupils’ past work, wall displays and discussions with pupils. By the age of 7, pupils’ standards of attainment are broadly in line with national expectations. Overall, pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress and achieve appropriately for their age. This is comparable to the judgement made when the school was last inspected. No overall judgement is made of pupils’ attainment and progress by the age of 9, because of insufficient evidence.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

110. No lessons were observed in history during the course of the inspection. As a result it is not possible to reach a secure judgement on the pupils’ standards of attainment or the quality of teaching and learning.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

111. In geography, pupils in Years 1 and 2 link the world they know well in their own locality to other countries, as in past work where they have compared their own houses to houses in Africa. Accurate drawings with simple captions illustrate this work well. An e-mail to a local Ellingham CE First School - 37 optician prompted the pupils to collect old spectacle frames and send old glasses to Africa as part of the Vision Aid project. Overall, the school contributed a large number of used spectacles to the project, which added positively to aspects of their geographical knowledge and their awareness of other cultures. They have worked on their local environment, having designed some of the plans for the extension to the hard-play area in their school playground and documented ‘nice places and nasty places’ in the school’s immediate surroundings.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

112. Pupils I Years 3 and 4 have compared and contrasted aspects of the nearby towns of Belford, Wooler, South Charlton and Seahouses and have made good use of Ordnance Survey maps in this work. Good links with ICT are made in a wall display of good quality which identifies features of the locality to digital photographs which have been produced. They show a good level of understanding of the work they have undertaken and speak about it with confidence

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

113. Whilst too few lessons in geography were observed to make an overall judgement about teaching and learning, in the lesson observed, involving pupils aged 6 and 7, the quality of teaching and learning were good. Pupils were encouraged to think about plans and almost all the pupils had a clear understanding that a plan was like a ‘bird’s eye view’ looking down on a location. The teacher used good quality photographs to show everyday objects from the side and from the top. The pupils then worked with small pieces of cardboard, cut to scale, to make up a plan of their classroom. This was a very challenging activity which had been very well prepared. Pupils were clear about what was expected of them and they worked well with very good levels of interest.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

114. In history, in Years 1 and 2, pupils have studied aspects of farming through the ages, considered aspects of Victorian clothes and undertaken some study of the life of Florence Nightingale. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have compared the lifestyles of children living in Victorian times with their own experiences in the present time. They have compared aspects of the life of the Celts and the Romans in terms of dress, language, religion and housing. Throughout their work, the pupils have been encouraged to build upon their own knowledge of the rich historical heritage of their immediate surroundings and to link this well to other subjects. For example, the design and construction of a Roman fort has good links with design and technology for the older pupils. Also, well presented and carefully composed pencil drawings reflect good attention to art skills. The younger pupils are developing an appropriate

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

sense of chronology in their work in history and have a sound understanding of the ways in which life was different in past ages.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

115. The school has policies for geography and history which pre-date the last inspection and have not been reviewed. As with art, they do not figure as a high priority in the school’s current development planning. Assessment is undertaken informally and resources for both subjects are adequate.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

116. Standards of attainment are above national expectations at the ends of Years 2 and 4. This represents very good improvement since the last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

117. In Years 1 and 2, pupils use the keyboards and mouse confidently. They use different fonts and cases to write for different purposes such as writing their name to identify a piece of work. They draw simple graphs to show eye colours. They save and retrieve their work to floppy disk or hard drive. Pupils use a simple art program well to create pictures involving shapes and colour, providing early links with art and mathematics. They use a programmable Ellingham CE First School - 38 robot and by giving appropriate instructions make it move forward and backwards and turn right and left. Pupils made good use of digital photography and all pupils take and print a photograph of themselves for the cover of their record booklet.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

118. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 use a wide range of skills. They share and exchange information in a variety of forms. They continue to develop their work in word processing and presenting information, using a variety of font, style, alignment and colour. They use clip art skilfully and copy, paste, move and rotate shapes. They use desktop publishing to produce stories for a design and technology topic making pop-up books. They use these skills to produce sets of class rules, menus, invitations and holiday questionnaires. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have created an ICT dictionary where they could check for terms they did not understand. They use e-mail effectively and make regular email contact with two schools in India. They use a scanner to scan an aerial photograph of the local area. They then add sounds and text and insert this as a web-page on the school’s website. They take photographs with a digital

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

camera and use these as hyperlinks to their location on the map. Pupils navigate the web confidently and use commercial sites, for example Multimap, to support their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

119. The school provides a wide range of opportunities for pupils of all ages to use ICT. A particular strength is the link between ICT and other aspects of the curriculum, for example, between geography and ICT in local studies; between design and technology and ICT in making the pop-up books, and the links with personal and social development through the menus and invitations. In this school ICT is well used to support learning across the whole curriculum. A topic on developing web pages was linked to the geography of the local area. The digital camera is used in mathematics, history and science. Pupils with special educational needs were never denied opportunities alongside their peers. One pupil had a dedicated laptop which she used in a science lesson to assist her in completing the writing frame the class was using. This made a significant contribution to her progress in science. In another lesson pupils

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

in Years 3 and 4 used a counting program as part of a mathematics lesson.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120. Teaching in Years 3 and 4 is good. Flexible management enabled a teacher exchange to take place so that the subject co-ordinator could take the Year 4 pupils. Her good subject knowledge and high expectations ensured pupils of all abilities made good progress. Pupils’ behaviour in ICT lessons is very good. They listen carefully to their teacher and follow instructions closely. Their attitude to learning is also very good. They are keen to learn, and respond well to the high levels of challenge expected of them. Assessment in ICT is good. The pupils use a county booklet, which enables teachers to monitor progress individually. Pupils enjoy completing their booklets.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. The subject is well led and managed by an able and enthusiastic co-ordinator, who has been in post just over three years. Training is given to support staff, enabling them to support pupils in lessons. The co-ordinator has the opportunity to teach the oldest pupils and this helps progress to be maintained. The co-ordinator maintains a portfolio of work showing the range and quality of work covered. A good range of resources includes computers, laptops, programmable toys, digital cameras and microscopes, scanners and control boxes. These are well used and the pupils treat all equipment with respect. The co-ordinator monitors the subject and has well-founded plans for further development.

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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Ellingham CE First School - 39 122. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have a short weekly input in French from a teacher who works at the school part-time and is employed by the Local Education Authority Rural Support Unit. The lesson observed was short in duration, but conducted at good pace. It opened with the teacher making use of a pupil’s own French textbook and consolidating the pupils’ knowledge of simple nouns – le lapin and l’oiseau – using illustrations in the book. A speedy mental arithmetic exercise followed, then a song with actions. The opening five minutes of the lesson had included French, mathematics, music and some movement. The lesson continued with counting up to 20 and then included a drawing exercise in which parts of the face were labelled.

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MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

123. This was a well -structured, brief lesson which maintained the pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. It was a lesson of good quality, with some very good features. It does not give enough evidence to make an overall judgement of the pupils’ attainment or the overall quality of teaching. However, the pupils responded well to a lesson they clearly enjoyed. They gained confidence with simple basic vocabulary and numbers. They sang the songs accurately and were well supported. The input clearly stimulates the pupils and prepares them well for future work in the Middle Schools to which they will transfer.

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MUSIC

124. Throughout the school, pupils’ attainment in music is above that which is normally expected for their age. Pupils of all abilities achieve well and this maintains the high standard reported when the school was last inspected.

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MUSIC

125. A part-time teacher engaged at the school through the LEA Rural Support Unit delivers the music curriculum. She has considerable expertise, engages the pupils well and ensures that lessons are enjoyable and stimulating. Lessons are well prepared; link many subjects effectively; are very well resourced, and consistently of good quality.

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MUSIC

126. In a lesson which linked effectively with science and involved pupils from Year 1, the focus was ‘electricity’. Some of the pupils knew that some instruments need electricity to work, and they listened intently to a recording of some ‘Star Wars’ music. The music promoted their listening skills well and some began to move in time with the rhythm. A game was played where the pupils were switched ‘on and off’ by the teacher and they moved around the hall keeping good time to the beat of the music. Some performed a ‘Robot Dance’ individually. The challenge to the group was at a high level and provided for all across a wide range of ability.

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MUSIC

127. Pupils in Year 2, worked with a very wide range of percussion instruments. They were adept at starting and finishing together once the teacher had arranged an appropriate ’stopping signal’. The were able to work collectively and maintain a steady pulse to their playing and kept in time very well. Over the course of the lesson the pupils acquired ten green bottles which the teacher had placed around the room. Once they were allocated the pupils sang the song, firstly in English, and then in Spanish. The lesson was completed with a Renaissance Dance accompanied by taped music. The pupils listened carefully and were able to identify some instruments which were blown, and others which had strings. Ellingham CE First School - 40 128. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 knelt in a circle and maintained the rhythm of a North American Indian dance by tapping on the floor, their own knees and their neighbours’ knees. They

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MUSIC

maintained the rhythm steadily, worked alongside their neighbours effortlessly and concentrated very well. They listened to Caribbean Steel Drums and recognised the sound. They recognised that the sound came from percussion instruments. They then used test tubes with varying amounts of water and produced high and low notes by blowing across the tops of the tubes. They could understand that the larger the space the lower the note.

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MUSIC

129. In each of these lessons the teaching and learning were good. The musical activities had been used to promote aspects of science, geography, history, PE and Spanish, and the pupils, of all abilities, had been constantly challenged to perform individually and in partnership with others. All the pupils present, including two pupils carrying statements of special educational need, had been fully included in all activities

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MUSIC

130. The music curriculum is also enhanced by a good extra-curricular activity. The school has a Ceilidh band, in which pupils play keyboards, recorders a guitar and an accordion. Parents and other adults play other instruments, including the Shuttle pipes, alongside the pupils. The band regularly plays in public concerts and promotes the pupils’ skills and their knowledge of the rich local heritage very well.

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MUSIC

131. Overall, the music provision is good and includes everyone. Pupils’ standards are above average, resources are plentiful and of high quality. The delivery of the music curriculum enhances other subjects and promotes enjoyment for all.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. During the inspection only one lesson was observed and this provides insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement on pupils’ attainment and achievement or the overall quality of teaching and learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. The lesson observed involved pupils in Years 2 and 3 and promoted the pupils’ basic skills in rolling a ball, throwing and retrieving it. The lesson was in preparation for the Sports Activity Day at another school in which pupils from Years 2, 3 and 4 take part. The lesson was well structured and the quality of teaching and learning was good, overall. It was adversely affected by the weather and was interrupted as pupils moved between the playground and hall. There was a good warm-up session, the skills required were clearly demonstrated and the pupils worked very hard, and with enjoyment and achieved well. There was very good support for a statemented pupil who was fully included in the lesson.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. The hall provides an unsatisfactory level of accommodation for physical education lessons. It is very small and is able to accommodate only a small amount of fixed apparatus to meet National Curriculum requirements. This was noted on the occasion of the last inspection, although there is very little the school can do to improve this provision. A project currently being undertaken to extend the hard playground area will go some way to improving the current situation. Pupils do have access to swimming instruction and the small apparatus available for the pupils’ use is satisfactory. The policy for the delivery of the physical education curriculum was produced before the last inspection and is in need of review.

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