St James Church of England Controlled Primary School

CONTROLLED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st - 2 nd July 2003

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CONTROLLED PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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CONTROLLED PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bellevue Lane Emsworth Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Kevin Price

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 th November 1997 St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 4

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Team members

21265 Mrs Frances Gander Registered inspector 9052 Mrs Helen Barter Lay inspector 8845 Mrs Hazel Sumner Team inspector

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Team members

Power House Inspections “Grasshoppers” 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 4XA

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16

St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St James’s is a Voluntary Controlled Church of England School situated in Emsworth. It is of an average size and currently there are 237 pupils between the ages of 4 and 11 on roll. Families who choose the school have to meet the admission criteria, and each year there are more applicants than there are places. The socio-economic background of the pupils is wide, but despite a low number of free school meals the overall socio-economic circumstances are average. There are slightly more girls than boys in the school although in one year group boys predominate. Due to the school’s location some children are from naval service families and arrive at the school with a variety of previous educational experiences. The overall attainment on entry to the school is average with about a quarter of the children not having reached all the expected goals for children of a similar age. The percentage of pupils currently identified as having a special educational need, mainly for learning difficulties, is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

slightly below the national average at 16 per cent, and there are no pupils with a statement of special educational need. There are very few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, with four pupils using English as an additional language. The school does not have any refugees or pupils from travelling families on roll. The majority of staff have been appointed since the last inspection. The school has gained an Investors in People Award, a Healthy School’s Award, and the Schools’ Achievement Award for the second time.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a highly effective school. During the last four years the staff and governors have worked hard to improve the quality of the educational provision, and as a result standards have continually improved. A very positive ethos for learning has been established, along with high expectations for attainment and behaviour, and very good teaching. This has resulted in pupils having very good attitudes to school and excellent relationships with one another as well as with all adults who work with them. There is a clear and firm vision provided by the management and the governors of how the school will deliver high quality education and achieve high standards. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• There is a very clear educational direction provided by the headteacher and the governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an excellently managed school that has greatly improved. • The very good teaching enables pupils, by the time they move to secondary education, to achieve high levels of attainment. • The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good spiritual, moral, and social ethos of the school.

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What could be improved

There are no major areas for the school to improve and the few minor issues identified by the inspection team already form part of the school improvement plan. 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 1997, when, although it had many strong features, there were weaknesses in many importance areas of its provision. Since then very good improvements have been made and all the key issues from the last report have been achieved. Standards have risen considerably across the school, the quality of teaching has improved and there is now no unsatisfactory teaching. The unacceptable behaviour of some pupils has disappeared, and there is now a well-established special educational needs policy St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 7 which is put into effective practice. Absence has decreased. At the time of the last inspection the management of the school was shared between a part-time seconded headteacher from a neighbouring school and a senior teacher. Since then a new headteacher has been appointed, as well as a deputy headteacher and most of the teaching staff. All classes now

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

have teaching or learning support assistants. The building has been remodelled to provide additional classrooms for the increasing numbers coming into the school, including a very well-resourced central library, and an information and communication technology (ICT) room.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

When children enter reception their overall attainment is average, although there are some who are attaining above average and some who have special educational needs. Due to the breadth of experiences and the very good teaching in the reception classes, children make good progress and achieve well. By the time they move into Year 1 many are working within National Curriculum levels, but there are a few who have not achieved all the expected standards. The school’s performance in the national tests at the end of Years 2 and 6 has been consistently well above the national average for the last three years, and by the end of Year 6 almost all pupils reach the nationally expected level or above in English, mathematics and science. In 2002, the school’s performance when compared with all other schools was well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. When compared with similar schools, the results in English and mathematics were well above the national

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Key

average, and in science they were above average. The school achieves the targets it sets. The development of identifying and teaching very high attaining pupils as a separate group is helping to raise standards further. Pupils’ work reflects these very good standards. All pupils achieve very well, and pupils who have special educational needs attain nationally expected levels by the time they leave school, representing high achievement. The number of pupils who attain above the nationally expected level has increased year by year, and the standards that boys reach are better than those of boys nationally. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good . Pupils enjoy school, are very eager to learn and take part in activities. They value their school and are proud of their achievements.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good . Pupils behave well at all times, and are polite and considerate to others. The need for this is understood well by pupils, contributes to the orderliness of the school, and has eliminated the exclusion of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good, with excellent relationships . The ethos of the school, the relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff, ensure that pupils are confident and enthusiastic about learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Absence is below the national average.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is very good, and during the inspection over three quarters of lessons were very good or excellent. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is of a high level and results in pupils making very good progress and attaining high levels in end of key stage tests. The significant strength within teaching is the planning and use of different learning activities and tasks for pupils with differing attainment levels so that they are all working at an appropriate level and are being challenged. Teachers have very high expectations for achievement, behaviour, presentation of work and handwriting. The use of teaching assistants in each class makes a significant contribution to the quality of learning as all pupils, especially the younger pupils in mixed aged classes, or those who are experiencing some learning difficulty, are very well supported and achieve

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

well. The teamwork in classes is very good with teaching assistants taking an active role in planning, teaching, and assessing pupils. There is a high emphasis on independent learning in lessons, and some teachers are effectively encouraging pupils to think about how best they learn. As a result older pupils understand their strengths and are very motivated to achieve. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is broad and balanced, and meets the needs of all pupils. There is an appropriate emphasis on developing literacy, numeracy and information and technology skills. Statutory requirements are met in all subjects and for religious education. The school provides a good range of activities outside the classroom to which all pupils have equality of access.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good . Whenever pupils have difficulties and needs they are well identified. There are good individual education plans and pupils are very well supported in lessons because of the high numbers of adults who work in the school. The work is matched well to their abilities and they make the best possible progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Spiritual, moral, and social development is of high priority in the day-to-day life of the school. As a result pupils behave very well, develop into confident learners, and have a growing awareness of good citizenship. Cultural opportunities are good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The procedures and the action the school takes ensure the protection, safety and well-being of pupils are thorough.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent . The leadership provided by the headteacher is excellent. There has been a firm approach to managing the improvements needed in the school, as well as recruiting and developing the expertise of new staff. All staff have developed a very professional approach to their responsibilities, are hard working and are committed to further improving the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent. The governors are a highly professional and supportive body of people who monitor the standards and, through regular visits , understand the work of the school and how it is improving. Through regular training they understand the importance of good planning, monitoring and the efficient management of the budget.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The school takes action on the information it gathers from its monitoring and , as a result , the priorities for school development and improvement are excellent. These focus on raising standards, the quality of the teaching and learning and improvements to the learning environment.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Excellent. The school runs smoothly and efficiently due to the carefully planned use of staff and resources. The school is very prudent with its spending, and funds are carefully spent on high quality resources, and on those that will help pupils to achieve. The principles of best value are applied very well. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The pupils achieve high levels of attainment. • The quality of the teaching is good. • Staff expect pupils to work hard, behave well and achieve their best. • The school is very well led and managed. • They feel comfortable discussing issues with the school. • The school helps pupils to become mature and responsible. • Parents would like an increase in the range of activities after school. • Some parents were unhappy with the amount of homework given to pupils. • A small group of parents felt that the school was not managed to their liking and that the school did not work closely with them as parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the positive comments of parents. However, the team does not agree with the negative comment concerning extra curricular activities. There is a good range of activities provided by the school that enrich the curriculum. Sporting activities are provided after school, but other activities that the school has offered in the past have not been well attended. A homework policy is in place and adhered to. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 11

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

excellently managed school that has greatly improved.

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

1. The headteacher has provided excellent leadership since his appointment in 1998 following the last inspection. Through a thorough review of the school, he established a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and, with a strong belief that the school should provide the best quality education and high standards, has ensured that there has been excellent improvement. This task has not been easy as the school had many weaknesses at the time of the last inspection, and many of the necessary changes were met with opposition from parents and staff. The head has had to take a firm stance on many issues, such as class organisation, the behaviour policy, and staff in-service training, and because of this has successfully raised the standards achieved by the pupils over the last four years. The results of key stage tests for Year 6 pupils in the Year 2002 were well above the national average in English, mathematics and science when compared with other

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

schools. When compared with similar school the results were also well above the national average in English and mathematics and above average in science. This was the third year that the school had achieved this and the progress the school has made in raising standards has been recognised nationally through the School’s Achievement Award for the second time.

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

2. The headteacher and governors, many of whom were new to the school after the last inspection, have established a new and effective senior management team that contributes very well to the overall development of initiatives and the day-to-day running of the school. The very positive ethos that has been established in the school ensures that pupils want to attend, learn and achieve. This is an improvement since the last inspection when there was a significant amount of unsatisfactory behaviour from a group of pupils in Years 3 and 4. Now there is a very caring and happy atmosphere. It centres on the school’s message, which is: ‘Love of Learning, Love of Life’. When this was introduced it provided everyone with a clear focus for what the school was trying to do, and as a result pupils are confident that their efforts are valued and their views respected. This is much appreciated by the majority of

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

parents who choose to send their children to the school. High expectations for teaching and learning have been established and there is a strong a sense of unity in the school, with all staff leading their areas of responsibility at a high professional level.

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

3. There is an excellent commitment to improvement, which is valued both by the headteacher and governors. St James’s has become a self-evaluating school and the information from its evaluations in conjunction with the information from performance management, is being used very effectively to inform school development and improvement, both in the long and short term. For example, it has been used effectively to ensure that there are an increasing number of pupils reaching the higher levels in the national tests. There has been a clear focus on this by the governors through budget planning and the employment of an additional member of staff who works with groups of pupils across the school. However, the school has not lost sight of pupils who from time to time experience learning difficulties. These pupils are clearly identified through ongoing assessment, and through very good teaching and planning they overcome their difficulties. The results of this can be seen in the

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

levels of attainment they achieve in the end of key stage tests. For example, many pupils who attain below the nationally expected level in Year 2 make very good progress over the following four years and attain the nationally expected level by the end of Year 6. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 12 4. The governing body is very supportive of the work of the school and the members carry out their responsibilities excellently. The majority have been appointed since the last inspection and there is a very good balance of professional backgrounds, which the school draws upon for advice and as a critical friend. All governors have individual responsibilities, including an overview of the quality of teaching and learning. They all meet with subject co- ordinators as part of their monitoring and evaluation role, and report to the full governing body. The full governing body carries out school target setting each year and they are involved in all

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

decisions about the financial planning, analysis of results and in strategic planning. Along with tight financial control, they use the principles of best value very well, for example, when deciding how best to create a very effective teaching and learning environment. They regularly compare their results with others, challenge themselves to do better, consult with all who are involved in the school, and ensure that they choose the best value when choosing suppliers and contractors. The governors have allocated financial resources for the improvement of the building, the provision of a very well resourced library area, an ICT room, and took the decision, with considerable financial implications, to employ teaching assistants in each classroom. This has been particularly effective as it allows pupils to have access to small group or individual support throughout the day. This is having a very positive effect on

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governors, and this, along with the support provided by the staff has resulted in an

the standards that pupils achieve, and is seen by the management and governors as vitally important. The governors are very aware of the implications of losses or gains in the number of pupils on the total budget and how they would deal with different situations in order to balance the budget.

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

education, to achieve high levels of attainment.

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

5. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is of a very high standard. Overall it is very good and this has a considerable impact on the standards that pupils attain by the ages of 7 and 11. This is an improvement on the previous inspection when over one- fifth of lessons were judged unsatisfactory. Teachers throughout the school have a very good understanding and level of expertise in the core subjects of English, mathematics, and science. In addition, staff expertise in other areas, such as music, ICT, and art and design has an impact on the quality of teaching throughout the school. For example, in an excellent music lesson for Year 2 pupils, the teacher used well-sequenced questions that led to the development of an excellent score using symbols. The creative planning of using paper as instruments to create different noises associated with turbulent weather led to a composition

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

that fulfilled its intention. Within all classes, there is seamless teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants, with the latter taking an active role in planning, teaching, and assessing pupils. All staff have clear roles and responsibilities within lessons and, as a result, the lessons are well organised and there is an awareness of the progress that pupils are making.

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

6. On the week of the inspection, the teaching was very good or excellent in over 80 per cent of lessons and in a third of lessons it was excellent. It is of particular high quality in the Year 6 class, where there is a high emphasis on independent learning, and teachers are effectively encouraging pupils to think about how best they learn. This is resulting in pupils understanding their strengths, having high self-esteem, and being very motivated to achieve. For example, in a very good science lesson in Year 6 on identifying how the school could become more eco-friendly, pupils were encouraged, through discussion, drawing on their own personal knowledge, and action planning, to offer contributions that were all valued in answering the question “What can the school do “? There is a high emphasis on problem solving through action planning and through this pupils are being well prepared for secondary

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

education. Teaching is also excellent for the small group of higher attaining pupils who are presented with challenges that require a higher level of problem solving and thinking skills. For example, in the session at the end of a lesson on comparing and contrasting poems the St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 13 teacher used open questions very well, summarised the pupils’ points of view, and then challenged them to conclude whether it was right or not. Through this approach, pupils are given very good opportunities to enter into productive discussions, to become very clear about the decisions they have made, and it raises their self-esteem by giving status to pupils’ points of view.

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

7. The decision to split the reception aged children into two classes, and teach the more mature and higher attaining children with Year 1 pupils has been particularly beneficial for teaching and learning. In this way the school is able to ensure that the few children who come into the school attaining above the expected levels for their age are sufficiently challenged. It also ensures that children who are not attaining the expected standards during their first year in school are working at an appropriate level and pace, and building on previous learning. It enables teachers to plan and teach learning objectives that are well matched to pupils’ attainment levels, and in turn is ensuring that the higher attaining younger children are challenged and their learning extended. This has a considerable impact of the school’s standards.

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

8. Teachers have very high expectations for achievement and behaviour. Lesson objectives, activities, and support are planned in detail for groups of pupils according to their differing attainment levels, with up to four different ability groups being catered for. Teachers plan work accordingly and effectively use their teaching assistants to take small groups of pupils. In this way the teaching meets the needs of all pupils, including those who have special educational needs, and at all times ensures that all pupils are included in all experiences and opportunities. For example, in a Year 3 numeracy lesson there was a good emphasis on pupils working in small groups on problem solving challenges, with the support of teaching assistants for those who find working independently difficult. Lesson objectives are very clear and shared with pupils at the beginning and the end of sessions. The teaching of literacy and numeracy across the school is of a high level and results in pupils making very

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

good progress and attaining high levels in the end of year tests. A particular strength is the high quality of the presentation of pupils’ work, along with the standards they attain in handwriting by Years 5 and 6. The school has implemented a policy of introducing cursive writing at a very early age and, although in the beginning pupils are slow when writing, the impact of this policy can be seen in the quality of their work. The handwriting of older pupils is legible, neat and well formed. The marking of pupils’ work is also informative and as a result pupils know exactly how they should improve their work.

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

9. The school’s decision to challenge the higher attaining pupils in Years 2 and 6 by teaching them in separate groups has been particularly effective in raising the levels that these pupils achieve. The school has employed, on a part time basis, a very good teacher who has presented these pupils with work that involves complex problem solving skills or the combining of literacy skills and creativity. This not only has allowed the higher attaining pupils to work at a higher level, but also reduced the numbers of pupils in the main classes for these two subjects. It also allows small booster groups to be formed where pupils who require more support or a slower pace are taught together. This has a considerable impact on the standards attained both by those who reach the higher levels and those with special educational needs who reach nationally expected levels.

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

10. The school’s procedures for monitoring and evaluating teaching have had a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning, and ultimately on the standards pupils achieve. This is a very good improvement from the last inspection when managers did not observe any lessons being taught and staff did not have access to in-service training. The school now has systems in place whereby the headteacher or the deputy headteacher observes each teacher each term, and occasionally the observation is undertaken with the school’s Local Education Authority attached inspector. The focus is linked to an area of improvement for the St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 14 school, such as questioning skills, or ICT, and teachers are provided with good feedback after each observation, including a written feedback that provides areas for development. This pattern of observation has centred on English, mathematics and science, but in addition

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The very good teaching enables pupils by the time they move to secondary

all subject leaders have been observed teaching lessons in their specialist areas. This has provided the headteacher and the governors with an accurate overview on the quality of teaching and learning across the school.

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good

spiritual, moral and social ethos of the school.

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good

11. The pupils have very good attitudes to school and to learning. The majority are very eager to learn and take part in activities, and the great majority of parents report that their children enjoy school. In discussion with inspectors, pupils spoke enthusiastically about coming to school, mainly because they were proud of their achievements and to represent the school in the community. Due to the firm stance taken by the headteacher and the governors concerning taking holidays in term time, the attendance is very good. This is an improvement on the last inspection when absence was above the national average.

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good

12. Pupils behave very well at all times. They are polite and considerate towards others, which is a very big improvement on the last inspection. The parents particularly commend the school for the work and policy in this area. This very good behaviour contributes to the orderliness of the school, both in lessons and leisure time, and pupils are aware of how poor behaviour lets the school and themselves down. The ethos of the school is excellent and centres around their motto ‘Love of Learning, Love of Life’. All staff expect high standards of behaviour, which are gained through respect for each other. In order to achieve this, the staff listen to pupils, respond to their ideas and concerns, and use ‘Circle Time’ sessions, the school council, and personal, social and health educational lessons to discuss any concerns pupils might have. The improvement of the behaviour has been a direct result of the

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good

implementation of a clear policy that highlights appropriate behaviour, and that children bring consequences upon themselves. The school’s council members meet every two weeks, when they bring ideas and concerns from their classes to the meetings. The elected members are enthusiastic, have the responsibility of taking reports from the meetings back to the class, and arranging times for discussion with the teachers. Good effort and achievement are highlighted in a weekly ‘merit’ assembly. The use of sanctions is made clear to pupils, and some who have failed in other schools find success here.

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good

13. The relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff, are excellent and ensure that pupils become confident learners. They are encouraged to become independent learners, for example, by using ICT independently to find out information or to display their work. Older pupils are working at recognising the best ways they learn, and acquiring techniques to improve their thinking and problem solving skills. This is also supported by the school’s emphasis on pupils being aware of their own personal and school targets, so that they become increasingly aware of their own development. This has a very positive impact on their self-esteem and attitudes to school. Pupils’ personal development is very good and is due to the opportunities that staff provide for them to take responsibility, which result in them becoming confident members of the school. This responsibility starts in the reception year

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good

where children are expected to retrieve and put away resources, and, as pupils move through the school the responsibilities develop increasingly to the support of each other and the environment. For example, whole school responsibilities include supporting the adults on duty on the infant playground, playing a part in organisation and management of the library, taking part in the ‘buddy’ reading system between the infant and junior departments, helping younger pupils at lunchtime, and being a house captain. Year 6 pupils take on the responsibility of showing visitors around the school, and especially prospective new parents. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 15 14. The school provides, as part of its day-to-day provision, very good curricular opportunities designed to help pupils develop a greater awareness of spiritual, moral and social issues and a deeper understanding of the wider world. The ethos statement is very

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good

well displayed around school, as are posters and displays relating to other worldly issues. Topics, such as friendship, tolerance, respect, racism, and patience are explored through the assemblies, and the strong links the school has with the church. The school offers a wide range of extra curricular activities that support learning, social development and breadth of the curriculum. These include the use of outside groups, such as theatre groups and professional musicians, visits to the theatre or dramatic performances, and residential experiences are organised on a regular basis for Years 5 and 6. During the year the pupils have been involved with the development of an ‘Outdoor Classroom Area’, and have provided parents, who are constructing it, with their views and perceptions. This provides very good support for the personal and social development of pupils. In addition, the school provides excellent music tution with over a third of pupils playing a wide range of musical instruments,

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The pupils have very good attitudes to learning that arise from the very good

including the recorder, piano, brass, flute, keyboard and guitar. They achieve well, take a range of examinations with the Associated Board of Music, as well as having the opportunity to perform in public to their peers, families and friends. Sporting activities are provided after school for pupils, but there is a limited the range of activities as very low numbers of pupils attend due to commitments elsewhere. However, the school celebrates the pupils’ successes that they achieve outside the school and allows them to share them with others through assemblies. The ‘Roll of Honour’ in the newsletters sent to parents announces the successes of children in their out-of-school activities, such as sailing, music, rugby, swimming, and karate.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

15. There are no major areas for the school to improve and the few minor issues identified by the inspection team already form part of the school improvement plan. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 237

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 37

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Attendance

School data 3.8 School data 0.6 St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 17 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 18

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 17 17 34

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 15 16 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 17 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 91(82) 97(76) 100 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 84(84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 16 17 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 17 17 17

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (79) 100 (97) 100 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 17 16 33

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 17 17 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 15 16

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (97) 97 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 17 17 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 15 16

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

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

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 4 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 20

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2002/2003

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 613 702

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Total expenditure 587 089

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 203 Expenditure per pupil 2 523 FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 12 728

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 39 341

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.6

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School - 21

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 48 47 3 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 40 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 46 17 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 53 17 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 55 35 3 7 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 55 42 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 31 45 18 6 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 52 39 6 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 56 37 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 15 24 42 13 6

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Other issues raised by parents

A few parents felt that the school was not led and managed to their liking, that the management did not respond to their requests, and that the pupils with special educational needs were not being catered for.

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