Adderley CofE Primary School

ADDERLEY C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 3 rd March 2004

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ADDERLEY C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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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ADDERLEY C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Number on roll: 47 plus 7 part-time in the Nursery

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Adderley Market Drayton Shropshire Postcode: TF9 3TF

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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 P Shepley

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 th May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Adderley CE Primary is a very small rural school situated four miles to the north of Market Drayton. Its pupils are grouped into two mixed-age classes. In addition, there is a small Nursery unit which takes children for the morning session each day. All of its pupils are white, and almost all are of British heritage. The number of pupils joining the school between Year 1 and Year 6 is particularly high and, over the past four terms, the number on roll has increased by about 50 per cent. Most of these new pupils, and about half of all pupils, are from Market Drayton.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs is lower than in most schools. One pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Needs. All pupils listed as having special needs have moderate learning difficulties.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Children are admitted to the Nursery as three year olds, and are eligible for full-time education at the beginning of the term in which they become five. Overall, the home circumstances of most of its pupils, and their attainment on entry to the school, are about average. Adderley CE Primary School ii

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25372 Mike Thompson Lead inspector English; Art and design; Design and technology; French; Music; Personal, social and health education; Physical education. 32655 John Bostock Lay inspector 18346 Rod Bristow Team inspector Foundation Stage curriculum; Special educational needs; Mathematics; Science; Information and communication technology; Geography; History; Religious education.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

VT Education Ltd Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Adderley CE Primary School iii

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 7

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Adderley CE Primary School is an improved and effective school. Its success is built on the very good leadership provided by the headteacher, her good teaching, its good governance, sound curriculum, and very good partnership with parents. As a result, pupils achieve and behave well. There is a clear commitment to improvement and to raising standards. The school gives good value for money .

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• In Year 6, standards are above average in mathematics and history. • The headteacher provides very good leadership, and has improved the quality of education throughout the school. • Children are given a very good start to their education in the Nursery. • Teaching interests and challenges pupils in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils in Year 2, and higher-attaining pupils in Year 1, are not always challenged well enough, and pupils in Year 2 do not read fluently enough. • The assessment of pupils in science, and most of the foundation subjects, does not focus clearly enough on the quality of individuals’ work against national standards. • The school is very good at developing pupils’ personal skills. Overall, pupils are very keen to learn and are well behaved. • The amount of time allocated for teaching art and design, design and technology, geography and music, is inadequate. • The school provides a number of interesting and exciting activities to enrich the curriculum for

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

its pupils. • Staff and parents work very closely together.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good progress since its last inspection in May 1998. Progress has been particularly rapid since the appointment of the headteacher in September 2002. Standards have risen in mathematics and history in Year 6, and the school’s partnership with parents, which was previously good, is now even better. Both key issues for improvement from the previous inspection have been fully addressed.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Owing to the very small size of the school, only a relatively small number of pupils are tested each year. The grades reported, therefore, need to be treated with considerable caution since variations in the performance of individual pupils can disproportionately affect the overall grading. In 2003, for example, the results relate to the performance of just four pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English D A C A Mathematics C E* E* E Science D E E E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Adderley CE Primary School 2 Inspection findings show that, overall, pupils achieve well . Children achieve very well in the Nursery and satisfactorily in Reception. Standards are average in relation to the goals children are expected to reach by the end of Reception. Standards in the current Year 2 are average in writing, mathematics and science, and achievement is satisfactory. While standards of reading in Year 2 are average, achievement is unsatisfactory because pupils do not consistently apply the full range of reading strategies taught to improve their fluency. In Year 6, pupils achieve well. Standards are average in English and science, and above average in mathematics and history. Standards in

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

religious education in Years 2 and 6 are broadly in line with what is expected in the local Agreed Syllabus. No judgements could be made about standards in other subjects.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall, pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good . Their attitudes towards learning are very good. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Attendance is also good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Overall, teaching is good . In the Nursery and in the class containing Years 3 to 6, it is very good. Some unsatisfactory teaching was observed in Reception and Years 1 and 2. Where teaching is at its best, teachers have high expectations of their pupils’ work and behaviour; they plan lessons carefully and explain tasks clearly to pupils. They work very closely with skilled teaching assistants to ensure that pupils’ needs are properly met; as a result, the quality of learning is good. Since pupils have targets to work towards, they understand what it is they have to do to improve in English and mathematics. Systems for assessing pupils’ progress in English and mathematics are satisfactory, but more work is required to achieve the same quality of assessment in other subjects.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory. Pupils are given a very good range of additional activities to enrich their education. The school places a strong emphasis on the good quality of care for its pupils, and works very closely with parents and the local community to achieve this aim. Links with other schools are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, the leadership and management of the school are good . Through her high expectations, and very strong commitment to raise standards, the headteacher is a very good role model for the staff team. Governors show a strong commitment to the school, and provide good support to the headteacher. Their efficient monitoring gives them a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, and enables them to make well-informed decisions. Legal requirements are properly met in all areas, with the exception of sex and relationships education. However, plans are in place for this issue to be addressed before the end of the school year. Adderley CE Primary School 3

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils hold their school in very high regard. Their views are fully justified.

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The most important things the school should do to improve are:

• Provide consistently good levels of challenge for pupils in Year 2 and higher-attaining pupils in Year 1, and improve the quality of pupils’ reading in Year 2. • Ensure that assessment in science and the foundation subjects focuses more clearly on the development of pupils’ skills. • Ensure that the full breadth of the curriculum in art and design, design and technology, geography and music, is taught in enough depth.

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In addition:

• Governors need to ensure that their plans for the introduction of sex and relationships education are properly implemented. Adderley CE Primary School 4

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Achievement in the Nursery is very good. It is satisfactory in Reception and Years 1 and 2, and is good in Years 3 to 6. Boys and girls generally achieve equally well, and pupils with special educational needs achieve well in all age groups. Taken as a whole, standards in Reception are average in relation to the goals expected of children of this age. By the end of Year 2, standards are average in the core subjects, while in Year 6 they are average in English and science, but above average in mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Since the previous inspection, standards in Year 6 have risen in mathematics and are set to rise in English. • Achievement in reading is unsatisfactory in Year 2. Pupils generally read accurately, but their reading is sometimes hesitant and lacks expression. • Standards of speaking and listening are above average in Year 6. • Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress in developing personal and social skills and in acquiring early skills in English and mathematics. • In Year 6, standards are above average in history, and pupils achieve well.

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Commentary

1. No great reliance can be placed on the national test data as an indicator of the school’s effectiveness. The number of pupils taking the national tests at the end of Years 2 and 6 is very small, and conclusions drawn from the results achieved in a single year may be unreliable because the performance of a single pupil can have a disproportionate effect on the school’s overall performance. An alternative approach of looking at trends in the school’s performance over the past few years is similarly unreliable because the number of pupils joining the school during the course of their education has increased significantly in recent terms. For example, three of the four pupils in Year 6 who were tested at the end of the last school year had not been at the school for very long. For these reasons, the test data normally included in this section of the report has been omitted.

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Commentary

2. Most children start school with average skills overall, and firmly consolidate and broaden these as they move through the Nursery and Reception classes. This is because of the high quality of teaching, and the very good curriculum in the Nursery that gives them a very good start. A further significant factor is the excellent ratio of adults to children in the Nursery, which means that children receive much individual attention. Staff, for example, converse regularly with each child and, by doing so, help to broaden the child’s vocabulary. Counting skills are similarly developed through frequent opportunities given to the youngest children to work alongside adults. The children’s social development is enhanced by the very good individual care given to them. Progress towards the learning goals expected of children in the Foundation Stage is not as rapid in Reception as it is in the Nursery. This is because the Reception children form part of a very much larger class, which

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Commentary

includes pupils from Years 1 and 2, and cannot be given as much individual help. Furthermore, they do not have regular enough access to the very good facilities provided in the Nursery. Adderley CE Primary School 5 3. The achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is adversely affected when lessons are not planned well enough to meet the needs of the different age and attainment groups within the class. An additional factor affecting achievement is that pupils do not consistently apply the skills that are taught, or the points for improvement that are identified through the teacher’s assessments, in their subsequent work. For example, pupils from Year 2, who were heard reading, generally failed to apply the range of strategies which, discussions with them revealed, they had been taught.

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Commentary

4. There are a number of reasons why pupils in the class for Years 3 to 6 achieve well. The most significant of these is the high quality of teaching provided for them. Lessons are very well planned so that pupils of all ages and levels of attainment are suitably challenged. In addition, pupils’ mature response to their teachers’ very high expectations of behaviour, and the very good relationships that have been nurtured in this class, result in a very good climate for learning. Work in different subjects of the curriculum is interwoven very well. Pupils understand how the skills learned in science are applied to assignments in design and technology. Opportunities to develop pupils’ skills of historical enquiry through work in English are fully exploited and, as a result, pupils produce good quality work in history. Very strong emphasis is placed on developing pupils’ skills in literacy through other

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Commentary

subjects. Regular opportunities are given for pupils to listen to one another, to discuss issues and give reasoned answers. Pupils are also given the opportunity to undertake a wide range of written assignments. The impact of this provision has yet to be seen in terms of national test results, but inspection evidence confirms data provided by the school to show that standards in English are likely to rise in future years.

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Commentary

5. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make progress. Their individual education plans give clear targets for them to meet, and they receive good quality help in meeting these targets from their class teachers and skilled teaching assistants.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ behaviour is good, and their attitudes to learning are very good. Overall, their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Attendance is also good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and staff, are very good as a result of the schools` caring ethos, and the very good example set by the staff. • Pupils’ social development is very good. • Pupils are confident and show good levels of self- esteem.

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Commentary

6. Children in the Nursery are very well prepared for the Reception year because of the staff’s emphasis on the development of their social skills, and the promotion of their independence. Behaviour in the Foundation Stage is mostly good. It is very good in the Nursery and satisfactory in Reception.

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Commentary

7. Throughout the school, pupils display very positive attitudes to school life, and towards learning, in their lessons. They concentrate well on tasks and work enthusiastically. Most listen attentively, and are keen to answer questions and be involved in discussions. In this good learning environment, teachers are generally able to focus on teaching. This results in appropriately challenging work for pupils in Years 3 to 6, but this is not always the case in Years 1 and 2. Adderley CE Primary School 6 8. Staff create a caring, disciplined, safe, and happy environment, which values fairness, friendliness and respect for one another. Pupils respond to this by forming very good relationships with each other, and with adults in the school. They help each other with work, mix well in their play, and display care and concern when others are upset. In ‘circle time 1 ’ activities pupils are helped to

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Commentary

overcome barriers of shyness, and contribute well. They respect staff and are polite to visitors.

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Commentary

9. Pupils respond very well to the wide range of opportunities provided for them to develop their social skills. They enthusiastically take on responsible jobs, such as answering the ‘phone when the office is not staffed, and looking after the library. They are involved in fund-raising activities, and play a full part in the life of the local community and in activities with other small schools. Pupils mix well with one another, and with adults, during activities such as school trips or when researching topics.

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Commentary

10. Staff expect and encourage good behaviour in the school at all times, and are rewarded by the good response of most pupils, especially the senior ones. These pupils are always orderly, quiet and attentive in lessons and do not fidget. Play at morning break and at lunchtime is generally energetic, but friendly and controlled. Pupils display respect for one another in class discussions, in teamwork and at play, being considerate of the feelings, possessions and personality of individuals. They have a good understanding of right from wrong, feel that the behaviour of other pupils at the school is generally good, and that they are friendly to each other. Parents also agree that their children behave well. There have been no exclusions.

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Commentary

11. In lessons, pupils’ confidence in their relationship with adults and with each other is seen in their mature and sensible participation in discussions. They are happy to attempt new experiences such as tasting ‘Roman’ food such as olives and figs, or talking to visitors.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.0 School data 0.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

12. After several years in which rates were good, last year’s attendance was just below average. However, during the first half of this school year, attendance has improved significantly and is once again above average because of initiatives taken by the school to reduce the number of holidays taken in term time. Adderley CE Primary School 7

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good.

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Teaching and learning

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good . Taken as a whole, it is good in the Foundation Stage, satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, and very good in Years 3 to 6. Assessment is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage, but unsatisfactory overall in Years 1 to 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching in the Nursery is never less than good, and is generally very good. • Pupils of all ages and levels of attainment are provided with achievable challenges in Years 3 to 6. • The strategies used for whole class teaching are not always successful in Years 1 and 2. • Skilled teaching assistants provide good quality help for pupils in lessons. • Assessment in the foundation subjects, especially science, needs to be improved.

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Commentary

13. Inspection judgements about the quality of teaching overall confirm the views expressed by parents through questionnaires and in the pre-inspection meeting with the registered inspector. Teaching is better than previously reported for pupils in Years 3 to 6, but is not as good in Years 1 and 2.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 0 7 6 3 2 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

14. The best teaching is to be found in Class 2. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 learn very well because the teacher ensures that work is interesting and challenging. About two-thirds of the teaching seen in this class was judged to be very good. This quality of teaching is based on careful planning, very good relationships, and high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The consistently very good behaviour of pupils in this class, and their appetite for learning, ensures that the teacher is able to work with individuals or groups of pupils without interruption. She is able to ensure that work around a common theme is tailored to the needs of pupils of different ages and levels of attainment. This method of working means that the introductions to lessons are relevant to all, and everyone is able to contribute to the plenary session, where learning is reviewed at the end of the lesson. Homework is

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

used well as an integral part of lessons. For example, pupils made good contributions to a history lesson because of their research about Boudicca. This would not have been possible without the very good support for learning provided by parents, some of whom took their children to the library to find the necessary information.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

15. Teaching in Class 1, containing Reception and Years 1 and 2, is generally satisfactory. However, two unsatisfactory lessons were seen in this class. In each case, the lesson was taught to the entire class for the whole of the time. This strategy meant that the teacher was unable to work with different groups of pupils at levels appropriate to their needs, and the oldest and higher-attaining pupils were not challenged enough. For instance, an English lesson on Nursery rhymes was entirely appropriate for the Reception children in the class, but the theme was not developed at more demanding levels for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Similarly, a music lesson about long and short sounds was pitched at a level suitable for pupils in Year 1. Adderley CE Primary School 8 16. A good feature of teaching in both classes is the way in which teaching assistants are used. They work closely in partnership with the teachers, know all pupils very well, and are skilled in

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

providing extra help for pupils with special educational needs. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good, and activities are well matched to their needs. Teachers have a thorough understanding of pupils’ needs and respond well to the identified targets in pupils’ individual education plans.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

17. The quality of teaching provided for children in the Foundation Stage is good overall. It is very good in the Nursery and satisfactory for the reception-age children in Class 1. The two nursery nurses work very closely together to provide consistently high quality learning opportunities for the Nursery children. Activities are securely based on very good knowledge of each child and, as a result, children are keenly interested in their work.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 18 lessons

18. Teacher’s day-to-day informal assessment of their pupils’ progress through observations and questioning in lessons is good in Years 3 to 6 and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. The curriculum in English and mathematics is fairly new, and systems for assessment are at an early stage of development. The data from more formal assessments is only just beginning to be used to inform teachers’ planning, and to set targets for pupils to improve. One noteworthy feature of the work done by the school so far is the collation of a portfolio of pupils’ writing. These samples are all annotated to provide useful information about the National Curriculum Levels which they exemplify, and provide a useful reference point for teachers’ judgements. In science, and the other foundation subjects, assessment tends to focus on coverage of topics rather than on how well pupils acquire skills.

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The curriculum

The breadth of the curriculum is satisfactory. Overall, it is inclusive, meets statutory requirements, and provides effective personal, social and health education. Opportunities for enrichment are very good. With the exception of physical education, the accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum in the Nursery is very good. • There is not enough time for the teaching of art and design, design and technology, geography and music. • There are very good opportunities for the enrichment of the curriculum outside the normal school day. For example, through very good extra-curricular activities in sport and the arts. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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Commentary

19. The provision of a secure curriculum framework has been a key feature of the school’s development since the appointment of the headteacher. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is good overall, although children in Reception, who work alongside pupils in Years 1 and 2, do not always receive the same richness of provision experienced by those in the Nursery. The school is well aware of this, and tries to compensate to some degree by ensuring that that these children benefit from using the very good Nursery resources for two sessions each week. Statutory requirements are now met fully, with the exception of provision for sex and relationships education. Nationally recommended guidance provides the basis for much of the planning in Years 1 to 6, and is now being adapted to meet the needs of the school. The adoption of the national strategies for numeracy and literacy has provided a good structure for the progressive development of pupils’ skills

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Commentary

in English and mathematics. Adderley CE Primary School 9 20. The school makes good curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs. Their individual education plans have clear targets that parents and the pupils themselves fully understand. These pupils receive effective help in lessons from skilled teaching assistants, and are fully included in all activities.

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Commentary

21. All pupils in Years 1 to 6 have equal access to the full range of curricular experiences, and pupils in Years 5 and 6 are also provided with weekly French lessons. The curriculum is considerably enriched by activities, in addition to those experienced during the normal school day, that add much to its breadth and relevance. Well-planned residential experience provides invaluable opportunities for the development of pupils’ personal and social skills, and a large number of well- supported club activities enable pupils to develop sporting, artistic and other interests. Visits to places such as Wroxeter, to complement pupils’ study of Roman Britain, enrich the curriculum, and give greater relevance to pupils’ learning. Good use is made of the expertise of visitors to the school.

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Commentary

22. The school’s strong focus on implementing the national strategies for literacy and numeracy has resulted in less time being available for art and design, design and technology, geography, history and music. In Years 3 to 6, the school has been particularly successful in integrating work in history with literacy sessions. Even though the timetable indicates that time for the subject is limited, the required areas of study are covered satisfactorily. However, work in the other subjects cannot be done in enough depth within the time available.

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Commentary

23. With the exception of indoor facilities for pupils’ physical education, the accommodation is satisfactory for the number of pupils on roll. The premises are well maintained and cleaned to a good standard. Improvements since the last inspection have included a small computer area, and exciting resources for outdoor learning for the youngest children. Parents have contributed significantly to the range of good resources available. The school is adequately staffed.

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Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for ensuring pupils` care, welfare, and safety are good. The school provides pupils with good support, advice and guidance, and there are good systems in place for ensuring that pupils’ views are considered and acted upon.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school manages health and safety arrangements well, but there are significant safety hazards posed by the adjacent main road. • There are very good, trusting relationships between adults and pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

24. All necessary health and safety arrangements within the school are managed well. For example, thorough ‘risk assessments’ are carried out, and there are regular fire drills and testing of electrical appliances. A significant area of risk to pupils is presented by the derestricted main road outside the school gates. Since there are no facilities for indoor physical education on the school site, pupils use the village hall for their regular entitlement to elements of the PE curriculum. To do this, they have to walk a quarter of a mile along a narrow footpath, bordering the road. Even though the school does everything it can to minimise the danger to pupils by using adult help to closely supervise and marshal them, this arrangement poses an unacceptable safety hazard for pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

25. Pupils have a trusting and confident relationship with their class teachers and teaching assistants, and nearly all pupils feel that they have a person in whom they can confide, if needed. They are greeted by staff on arrival at school, and at the end of the day are released directly to parents and carers. During break and at lunch times pupils are well supervised. In lessons, teachers carefully consider the feelings of pupils as well as their physical health. For example, noteworthy features of a lesson about Roman food were the teacher’s awareness that some pupils might not like the taste of some of the foodstuffs, and the emphasis placed on hygiene and the Adderley CE Primary School 10 proper disposal of food. Child Protection measures are very good. Parents consider that good care is taken of their children and that they enjoy school. Bullying and other forms of harassment are not seen as issues by parents, or by pupils or staff.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26. A school council has recently been established to provide a regular forum for pupils to air their views. Its meetings are informed by the discussions of issues raised within class councils. Members of the school council are elected by their classmates, and represent the views of all year groups. Issues recently discussed by the council include the school’s behaviour policy, and hygiene arrangements in the toilet areas.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s very good partnership with parents has a significant impact on pupils’ learning. Parents continue to be supportive because they are fully satisfied with the care and education their children receive, and they feel valued and listened to. The school has very good links with the local community, and good links with other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s active participation in the life of the local community helps to develop pupils’ social awareness. • Parents play an active part in their children’s education. • The school provides good quality information to parents.

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Commentary

27. The school is an important focus for the village of Adderley. The local church, in particular, and the community in general, are closely integrated into the activities of the school. For example, the local vicar takes school assemblies every fortnight, and plans the involvement of the school in Christingle and Easter services, and the annual St Peter’s Pageant. In conjunction with the village hall committee, the school supports local charity and social events. The school’s participation in these activities, which is greatly appreciated by parents, helps to develop pupils’ sense of citizenship, and the responsibilities of being part of a community.

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Commentary

28. Parents are very supportive. The ‘Friends of Adderley’ association is very active and successful in fund-raising for the school, and working in conjunction with the village committee. Parents also help to run some of the many after-school activities, such as football, netball, gardening, and cycling proficiency. They support their children’s learning by ensuring that homework assignments are completed, and some visit the school regularly to help with activities such as cooking or hearing pupils read.

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Commentary

29. The school provides a comprehensive range of information to parents. Frequent newsletters, and notices in school, give clear information about the timing of clubs and out of school activities, as well as any changes made in day-to-day arrangements. Parents are warmly welcomed into school, and nearly all feel comfortable about being able to approach the school in the event of any concerns. Nearly all parents surveyed felt well informed about how their children were getting on.

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Commentary

30. The school works closely with other local schools, and its membership of a ‘cluster’ group of local primary schools helps to enrich the education of its pupils through shared expertise and resources, sports competitions and music festivals. A local secondary school supports the careful transition of pupils into the next phase of their education, and also provides teaching in modern foreign languages. Adderley CE Primary School 11 31. Parents of pupils with a statement of special educational needs are very well informed at meetings in which their child’s progress is formally reviewed. Details of day-to-day progress are shared informally on a more regular basis. There is good support for pupils with special educational needs from within the local ‘cluster’ of schools, and clear procedures are followed to enable the smooth transfer of these pupils to secondary education.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher gives very good leadership. The leadership provided by her assistant teacher is satisfactory, as is the management of the school. Governance is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher leads by example, enjoys the full confidence of parents, and has made a significant impact on the work of the school within a short period of time. • The governors have a thorough understanding of issues facing the school. • There is very effective teamwork and a shared sense of purpose among staff.

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Commentary

32. Parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting were appreciative of the commitment and energy of the headteacher. These views are fully justified.

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Commentary

33. The headteacher is totally committed to the school and the community in which it is set, and gives very clear educational direction for its work. She has a very clear overview of everything that goes on in the school, and is a very good role model for other staff. The headteacher knows the pupils and their families very well, and is always available to parents.

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Commentary

34. In the five terms since her appointment, the headteacher has shown vision and determination in addressing significant weaknesses of the school. She has ensured that a clear curriculum framework is in place for all subjects. In addition, she has worked hard to implement the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. She feels that these will provide a good basis on which to improve standards in English and mathematics.

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Commentary

35. A strong sense of teamwork is evident among staff, and all adults work well together for the benefit of the pupils. Communication within the school is very good. The headteacher’s teaching commitments leave her very little time for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning in other lessons. She has made good use of advisory support from the local education authority to ensure that her view of the work done by her colleagues is well informed. As a result, she has a very good understanding of the strengths to be shared and weaknesses that need to be addressed. Owing to constraints on the school budget caused by the cost of staff professional development, management tasks, such as the analysis of school performance data, can only be carried out satisfactorily because the headteacher is prepared to work very long hours to complete them.

p.16

Commentary

36. Governance of the school is good. Governors visit regularly, and successfully fulfil their role as ‘critical friend’ to the school through their monitoring of its work, including observations of lessons. Two-thirds of the governors have children at the school, and know it well through their day-to-day contact and their participation in social and fundraising events.

p.16

Commentary

37. All legal requirements are properly met except for the provision of sex and relationships education, which has been discussed, and is planned to be taught before the end of the current school year. Governors fulfil their statutory duties with regards to special educational needs, and the Code of Practice is fully in place. The governor with responsibility for special educational needs has a good working knowledge of the school’s provision, but is yet to receive training in her role. Adderley CE Primary School 12 38. Governors receive termly reports from the headteacher. They meet regularly in committees, and as a full governing body, to oversee the work of the school, and to evaluate progress made. Governors effectively use information gathered from their monitoring to inform their discussions, and apply principles of ‘best value’ well when making decisions.

p.16

Commentary

39. School administration is efficient. It ensures that teachers are able to focus on their professional duties and are not diverted from their work by administrative tasks. The secretary knows pupils and their families very well, deals competently with day-to-day queries, and contributes strongly to the smooth running of the school.

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 145,860.00 Balance from previous year 7,720.00 Total expenditure 140,030.00 Balance carried forward to the next 5,830.00 Expenditure per pupil 3,400.00

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

40. Financial administration is good. Governors are provided with regular statements of income and expenditure to help them to fulfil their responsibilities in monitoring the school’s finances. Although the school’s unit costs are higher than average, they are not untypical of very small schools.

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

41. Parents’ appreciation of the good improvements made since the appointment of the headteacher is evident in the 50 per cent increase in the school roll over the past four terms. The school is continuing to improve, offers its pupils a good quality of education overall, enables them to achieve well, and provides good value for money. Adderley CE Primary School 13

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. Overall, the provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good. The provision in the Nursery is very good.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Children receive their Foundation Stage education in a Nursery unit, which is open for the morning session each day, and in the Reception year group as full-time members of a mixed-age class which also includes all of the Year 1 and Year 2 pupils.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. Overall, achievement is good. Children in the Nursery achieve very well, and make very good progress in developing and consolidating their skills in all the areas of learning. The staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn, and the nursery curriculum and the quality of teaching are very good. The achievement of children in Reception is satisfactory, as is the quality of the teaching. The achievement of children in Reception is not as good as in the Nursery because the children do not have enough regular access to activities appropriate to their stage of development. Taken as a whole, children in the Foundation Stage are assessed well, and their progress is carefully monitored. By the time children move from Reception to Year 1, standards are broadly average overall.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Overall, satisfactory progress has been made in developing the provision for the Foundation Stage, although children in Reception are disadvantaged when being taught within a class containing Years 1 and 2 which does not always meet their needs. Recent investment in extending the facilities for outside play has transformed the opportunities for supporting physical development and other outdoor learning for the younger pupils.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Nursery enjoy a wider range of better quality experiences than children in the Reception year group in Class 1. • In the Nursery, a very strong emphasis is placed on developing children’s independence and their skills in making choices. • Nursery nurses and teaching assistants are used effectively to support learning in the Foundation Stage. • Children thrive in the Nursery, where relationships are very good.

p.18

Commentary

46. Children enter the school with average social skills. Overall, the school has good strategies to develop these qualities, and children achieve well. Relationships are exceptionally good in the Nursery class, and children thrive in its secure environment because their individual contributions are encouraged and valued particularly well. They enjoy each other’s company, and are calm and settled. All Foundation Stage children are well behaved, and the older ones sit, listen and sustain concentration well when working with adults. The quality of learning improves, and children develop independently, when they are encouraged to accept responsibility and make choices about the order in which they experience the planned activities. Pupils are trained to tidy up and wash their hands and enjoy a varied range of activities. By the end of the Reception year standards in this area of learning are average.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have good speaking and listening skills. • Language development is promoted well.

p.19

Commentary

47. Overall, children’s communication skills are about average when they enter the school. Children achieve well in this area of learning. Emphasis is placed on speaking and listening from an early age, and good progress is made in the Nursery. The Nursery nurses, and the teaching assistant, who works with the Reception age group, provide ample opportunities for the children to develop these skills. They are good at asking and answering questions, and helping the children to understand better. Role-play is also used well to create opportunities for children to develop their speaking and listening skills, whether in ‘Adderley Castle’, in the kitchen, or in other situations. Teaching in the Nursery recognises the need to give children experiences of real quality. This ensures that basic skills in literacy are taught purposefully and well from the start. Children are eager to practise the skills they have been taught. They recognise words from Nursery rhymes, and read a

p.19

Commentary

growing range of familiar words. Writing skills are at an early stage of development, with all pupils understanding that they can communicate through words. By the end of the Reception year most children attain the goals expected of them, and standards are broadly average overall.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s skills are developed progressively, and they make good progress.

p.19

Commentary

48. Children enter the Nursery with adequate early skills in mathematics. They achieve well, and standards are broadly average by the end of the Foundation Stage. Overall, teaching in this area of learning is good. Adults build on what the children know, and create many well-planned opportunities to promote children’s learning. For example, children in the Nursery were encouraged to count building bricks to measure the height and width of a toy castle, and later reinforced this skill when using the outdoor play area. Good use is also made of practical activities to develop the learning of children in the Reception group in a progressive way. They are given regular opportunities to learn about patterns in number, and their knowledge of circles, squares and triangles is used as a basis for their introduction to three-dimensional shapes such as cubes and spheres. Creative play introduces children to capacity and volume, preparing them for future learning. Planned and

p.19

Commentary

spontaneous opportunities enrich their language experiences, particularly in the Nursery. Adderley CE Primary School 15

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides many valuable opportunities for the development of children’s skills through the broad curriculum and the use of the local area.

p.20

Commentary

49. Overall, children are well taught and achieve well in this area of learning. Provision in the Nursery is very good. It is satisfactory in the Reception year group. Adults make good use of the resources available to provide a wide variety of experiences for the children. For instance, Nursery children were observed confidently using a graphics program on the computer, and Reception children were enthusiastic when controlling a programmable toy. They estimated, measured and predicted its movements with increasing accuracy. A visit to the local church resulted in children’s good understanding of associated vocabulary such as ‘font’ and ‘altar’. By the end of the Foundation Stage, standards are average in this area of learning.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities for outdoor play, and the practice of physical skills, have improved significantly since the last inspection. • Reception children do not have enough opportunities to use the very good outdoor resources available as an integral part of their learning.

p.20

Commentary

50. Staff have a good understanding of the need for physical activity, and experiences for Nursery children are well planned. Children in the Nursery achieve well because they are well taught. Fine manipulative skills develop well, and they handle brushes, pencils and crayons confidently. In the small outdoor area, they have regular opportunities to learn through play. They confidently use wheeled vehicles, and crawl and climb through, over, and under the good range of play equipment. The physical development of children in the Reception age group generally takes place within lessons with Years 1 and 2. This is unsatisfactory. These children do not have daily access to the outdoor learning area as an integral part of their daily routine. All children play and use space safely, and show a sound awareness of others when running and turning. Standards of physical development are average by the end of the Foundation Stage.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good opportunities for children to try different techniques in art. Adderley CE Primary School 16

p.20

Commentary

51. Achievement is good. Children make good use of a range of media, including paint, pastels, charcoal and crayons. Nursery children chose their favourite colours and mixed paint well to produce different tones. Children in the Reception group used adhesives sensibly to make crucifixes from card and dried pasta, following their visit to the local church. All join in enthusiastically when singing songs, and are beginning to respond sensitively to changes in mood and rhythm. By the end of the Foundation Stage, standards are average in this area of learning.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of speaking and listening in Year 6 are good. • Achievement in reading is unsatisfactory in Year 2. • Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are given a wide range of opportunities to develop their skills in writing. • The marking of pupils’ work has a greater impact on their performance in Years 3 to 6 than in Years 1 and 2.

p.21

Commentary

52. Overall, achievement is satisfactory, and standards in English are average in Years 2 and 6. This situation is similar to that reported at the time of the last inspection.

p.21

Commentary

53. Standards of speaking and listening are above average in Year 6, and pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well. Standards are average in Year 2, and achievement is satisfactory. These differences reflect the quality of teaching in the two classes. In Year 6, teaching is characterised by high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and response, and very good management of the pupils. As a result, a very good climate for learning is created in which pupils learn to listen attentively, and are given many opportunities to express their views. In Year 2, expectations of pupils’ response are not as high, and teaching is more directed. Pupils learn to listen well, but are not given enough opportunities to develop their speaking skills in a structured way.

p.21

Commentary

54. Standards of reading are average in Year 6 and Year 2. Achievement is satisfactory in Years 3 to 6, but unsatisfactory in Year 2. In both classes, pupils enjoy reading and are encouraged to read regularly at home. The development of pupils’ reading is planned well, and the use of a structured reading scheme enables individuals to progress through increasingly more demanding texts as they acquire a greater degree of competence. However, pupils in Year 2 are not consistently applying the range of skills taught in their literacy lessons when reading. When they encountered new or unfamiliar words, none of the pupils heard to read used the full range of strategies normally expected of pupils of this age. They did not use the illustrations, or the context of the story, as aids to reading. Strategies such as ‘magic e’ were not always used, and so a pupil encountering the word ‘stone’ would rely solely on the use of letter sounds to decode the letters, and would read the word as ‘ston’.

p.21

Commentary

Mistakes such as this sometimes went uncorrected, and pupils generally read without expression. Pupils in Year 6 read with the levels of fluency and accuracy expected, and higher-attainers speak confidently about the development of the story, and make good reference to the text to justify their views. Adderley CE Primary School 17 55. Standards in writing are average in both Year 6 and Year 2. Achievement in writing is good in Years 3 to 6 and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Older pupils achieve better because the marking of their work gives them clear guidance as to how they can improve, and because every opportunity is taken to ensure that they apply the skills learned in literacy lessons when producing written work in other subjects. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 produce writing in a wide range of different forms and for different purposes. However, by Year 6 this writing generally lacks the more complex sentence

p.21

Commentary

structure, and adventurous choice of vocabulary, required if pupils are to exceed nationally expected levels. Achievement is not as good in Years 1 and 2 because, although pupils’ work is carefully marked, there is little evidence of improvements resulting from the teacher’s comments, and the same mistakes are repeated in later work. Furthermore, skills taught are not consistently applied in other contexts. For example, pupils are taught how to write cursively in handwriting lessons, but do not use this skill in their day-to-day work.

p.22

Commentary

56. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. The good teaching seen in Years 3 to 6, confirmed the evidence gathered from a scrutiny of pupils’ work. This showed that the teacher is skilled in providing achievable challenges for pupils of all abilities. She accomplishes this through her good assessment of individuals’ needs, her good organisation and her detailed planning. The teacher’s very good relationships with her pupils, together with her high expectations of their work rate and behaviour, result in a very good climate for learning. The lesson seen in Class 1 was unsatisfactory because the teachers’ planning did not take enough account of the different age and ability groups, and the activity observed was more suited to the Reception-age children in the class than the pupils in Years 1 and 2. As a result, pupils in Year 2 learned very little during the course of the lesson. However, evidence from the scrutiny of children’s books shows that the teaching in this

p.22

Commentary

class is generally better than was observed during the inspection.

p.22

Commentary

57. The good subject leadership provided by the headteacher has brought about a number of good improvements within the five terms since her appointment. The most important of these has been the adoption of the national strategy for literacy, and the work done to ensure its proper implementation. The impact of this initiative has yet to be seen in terms of pupils’ performance in the national tests, but inspection evidence shows that standards in Years 3 to 6 are beginning to rise.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

58. A strong feature in Years 3 to 6 is the integration of work in language and literacy with other subjects. For example, work in history was well taught in a literacy lesson as the teacher and teaching assistant took on the roles of Boudicca and a Roman soldier arguing the merits of their different positions. Pupils’ skills in speaking and listening, note taking, and writing, were developed well as they learned how to sift facts from opinion.

p.22

French

59. French is currently taught once a week to all pupils in Years 5 and 6 as part of an initiative by a local secondary school to promote modern foreign languages in local primary schools. During the previous school year the initiative focused on similar weekly ‘taster’ sessions, but in German. The weekly session observed was taught well by a specialist teacher, and was greatly enjoyed by the pupils. They listened carefully, and tried very hard with their answers during a session which was largely conducted in French. The standards attained in this session were broadly in line with what is expected in schools which provide modern foreign languages for pupils in Year 6. Pupils showed a reasonable understanding of simple instructions, and replied satisfactorily to short questions such as ‘Qu’est-ce que c’est?’ as they learned new vocabulary. Opportunities for pupils to experience French from an earlier age are provided through privately run lunchtime clubs, which take place once a

p.22

French

week. Overall, the school’s provision in French makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. Adderley CE Primary School 18

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good overall. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are very well taught. • Effective use is made of teaching assistants.

p.23

Commentary

60. Provision in mathematics is better than it was. The good leadership, and high quality teaching provided by the headteacher, together with the improvements made in the curriculum, have resulted in higher standards in Year 6.

p.23

Commentary

61. In Year 2, standards are broadly average, and at a level similar to that reported at the time of the last inspection. Standards in Year 6 are above average. Overall, achievement is good.

p.23

Commentary

62. Teaching is good overall. It is satisfactory for pupils in Years 1 and 2, and very good for pupils in Years 3 to 6. Consistent strategies are used to plan for the wide range of age and ability within each class. For example, in Class 2, pupils in Years 3 and 4 are grouped together, as are those in Years 5 and 6, with higher attaining pupils challenged to work with older year groups. Teaching at its best uses a wide range of strategies to motivate pupils. High expectations promote good achievement over time, especially for pupils with special educational needs. The school’s analysis of its performance has resulted in a focus on the development of pupils’ skills in mental arithmetic. As a result, good emphasis is placed on ensuring that pupils explain how they solve their mathematical problems. Computer technology is used satisfactorily to support learning, especially in the understanding, gathering and interpretation of data.

p.23

Commentary

63. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 know how to count on from different starting points, and have sound understanding of ‘number patterns’ to 20. Lower attaining pupils show a sound understanding of numbers to ten, and accurately calculate ‘one more’ and ‘one less’. Teaching assistants contribute well to the learning of lower attainers by helping them to play a full part in lessons.

p.23

Commentary

64. Discussions with older pupils show that they share their teachers’ enthusiasm and enjoy mathematics. They have good mental skills, and choose from a growing range of strategies to arrive at solutions. Lesson planning in Years 3 to 6 is very good, and clear teaching intentions enable pupils to move forward in measured steps. Homework is used effectively to contribute to the quality of teaching and learning. Activities, planned according to age and attainment, are designed to reinforce or introduce class and group activities. Sound assessment procedures are being developed which will enable pupils’ progress to be tracked. The introduction of group and individual targets is likely to focus pupils more clearly on what they have to achieve, and add greater challenge to the quality of teaching and learning. Marking is good. At its best, pupils are clearly informed about the progress that they have made, and what they need to do next to improve further.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

65. Pupils’ mathematical skills are used satisfactorily to support learning in other areas of the curriculum. For example, charts and tables help pupils to record their investigations in science. Co- ordinates, scales and graphs are used in geography, and ‘timelines’ map out chronology in history. Adderley CE Primary School 19

p.23

SCIENCE

No overall judgement can be made about the quality of provision because no teaching was seen in Years 1 and 2.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good emphasis is now being placed on developing pupils’ skills of scientific enquiry. • Assessment needs to be improved.

p.24

Commentary

66. The standards of work seen in Years 2 and 6 are broadly average, and at levels similar to those reported at the time of the last inspection. Achievement is good in Years 3 to 6. Work recorded in pupils’ books shows that they have good levels of scientific knowledge about topics such as electrical circuits in series and parallel, with older pupils testing the effectiveness of switches. In Years 5 and 6, the use of control technology has been well integrated into an investigation into the sequencing of traffic lights. Younger pupils have applied this technology more simply in programming a ‘lighthouse’. As no teaching was observed in Years 1 and 2, judgements are based on evidence from samples of pupils’ previously completed work, together with teachers’ planning. This evidence shows that pupils have a secure understanding of the need for water and sunshine to promote the growth of plants. They have conducted simple investigations into concepts such as

p.24

Commentary

forces by looking at the effects of pushing and pulling. Recording of pupils’ work is largely pictorial, with labels added by higher attainers.

p.24

Commentary

67. The single lesson observed in Class 2, for pupils in Years 3 to 6, was very well taught, and resulted in high levels of achievement for all pupils, regardless of gender or prior attainment. Lower attaining pupils, and those with special educational needs, were given very good help, enabling them to be fully involved in all the group activities. Pupils were provided with a good range of activities to enable them to investigate vibration. The teacher’s subject knowledge was very good, the class was well managed, and pupils responded well to the teacher’s high expectations of their behaviour. Pupils were eager to contribute, and offered sensible suggestions and theories as they discussed their experiences. The curriculum has improved recently, and now places greater emphasis on investigation and experimentation. Homework contributes well to pupils’ understanding. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own methods of recording and to ask questions about their work.

p.24

Commentary

68. Leadership of the subject is satisfactory. Teachers now follow national guidelines that cover all elements of the science curriculum in a progressive and balanced way. Assessment strategies are at an early stage of development and focus more on curriculum coverage than on the development of skills, resulting in few targets for improvement.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good leadership provided by the headteacher has brought about a number of improvements in the school’s provision, but these are yet to impact on pupils’ attainment. • The way in which pupils’ skills are to be developed progressively needs to be mapped out. • There is no systematic assessment of pupils’ progress. Adderley CE Primary School 20

p.24

Commentary

69. No judgement can be made about standards or achievement overall because the only work observed was in control technology.

p.25

Commentary

70. Many pupils bring a good range of skills from home, and readily share them in the classrooms. All pupils demonstrate confidence in using the keyboard and mouse to manipulate images on screen. In Years 3 to 6 most pupils know how to use drop-down menus and use search engines to research their studies. The curriculum for ICT has only been put in place within the last two years. The way in which pupils’ skills are to be developed progressively has not yet been clearly mapped out in all aspects of the subject, and there are some gaps in pupils’ learning. There is some evidence of pupils using word-processors, but little evidence of making graphs, producing databases or regular use of the Internet. Assessment is unsatisfactory because teachers do not yet have clear ‘benchmarks’ for pupils’ attainment in each year group against which they can judge pupils’ progress.

p.25

Commentary

71. Evidence from a range of sources indicates that teaching is satisfactory overall, although the teaching seen during the course of the inspection was good. In these two sessions, teaching assistants were used well to support learning. All pupils, regardless of age or ability, achieved well. The very good relationships evident between adults and pupils throughout the school helped pupils to express their opinions with some confidence when evaluating the quality of the computer-assisted musical compositions which they had produced.

p.25

Commentary

72. Although the school has a good number of computers in relation to the number of pupils on roll, some of these need to be replaced. Many pupils are aware of how to ‘log on’ when using the small suite of computers but, because some of the machines have slow micro-processors, this sometimes has to be done for them to save time.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

73. Overall, satisfactory use is made of ICT to support learning in other subjects. For example, pupils in Years 3 to 6 used the Internet to research Roman life styles, and have applied skills in control technology to investigate the sequencing of traffic lights and lighthouses. Greater emphasis is placed on the cross-curricular application of ICT in Class 2 than in Class 1, and opportunities for pupils in Years 1 and 2 to use their skills in other subjects are more limited.

p.25

HUMANITIES

74. Owing to the way in which the timetable was arranged, no judgement can be made about the quality of provision in either geography or history.

p.25

HUMANITIES

75. In geography , the school’s use of nationally recommended guidance ensures that all required elements of the National Curriculum programmes of study are covered. However, the amount of time allocated for teaching falls well short of what is generally accepted as necessary to enable the subjects to be taught in sufficient depth. Planning indicates that pupils learn how to compare and contrast different locations, and the experience of a residential trip helps the oldest pupils in developing skills in some elements of the subject, such as the study of coastlines. Pupils are encouraged to express their likes and dislikes, and to share ideas as to how the environment might be improved. Younger pupils plan their routes to school, and use simple keys to explain their maps. Older pupils, tackling a similar exercise, use co-ordinates and map references. Currently there are no effective systems in place to systematically record pupils’ progress in the development of key

p.25

HUMANITIES

76. In history , evidence from a wide range of sources, including a very good lesson for Years 3 to 6, shows that standards are above average in Year 6, and that the curriculum provided makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ cultural awareness. No judgement can be made Adderley CE Primary School 21 about standards in Year 2. In Years 3 to 6, the impressive integration of history with other subjects, such as design and technology, art and design, ICT and English, ensures that the curriculum is covered in appropriate depth, even though the time allocated for discrete subject teaching is limited. Homework is used effectively for research. Pupils’ skills of historical enquiry are developed effectively using both texts and the Internet. The very good behaviour and attitudes towards work displayed by pupils in Years 3 to 6 contribute to the standards attained, and the good achievement in

p.25

HUMANITIES

this class. For example, pupils worked well together when designing Roman sandals for their planned ‘Roman Day’, and when tasting and researching Roman food. As yet, there are no procedures for assessing gains in pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are well taught. • Overall, the subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.26

Commentary

77. Standards in Years 2 and 6 are average and achievement is satisfactory. Pupils generally have a very good knowledge of Christianity, but only satisfactory awareness of other faiths such as Hinduism and Islam. They have a limited of knowledge of how different religions inter-relate.

p.26

Commentary

78. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. In Years 1 and 2, good teaching helped pupils to consolidate what had been learned from a previous visit to the local church, through the opportunities provided for them to talk about the experience. In a very good lesson in Years 3 to 6, pupils studied different interpretations of the creation story. They made good use of their skills in literacy to discuss similarities and differences, and then recorded their findings. Good cross-curricular links with art and design, ICT and music on the theme of ‘creation’ resulted in colourful illustrations and computer- generated, atmospheric compositions. Pupils enjoyed their lessons and showed well-developed social skills when working in groups and sharing their opinions. Planning is securely based upon the content of the locally agreed syllabus. However, there are no formal procedures for systematically

p.26

Commentary

assessing precisely what pupils know, understand and can do.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. No judgements can be made about standards or the quality of provision in any of these subjects because of the way in which the timetable was arranged, and the lack of other evidence. Teaching in both classes was observed in physical education lessons, but only one music and one design and technology lesson was seen.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. One of the noteworthy features of the school is the attractive presentation of pupils’ art and design work, some of which results from the very good range of activities provided to enrich the curriculum. For example, pupils in Class 2 designed and produced high quality, colourful, glazed clay tiles, based on the work of William Morris, during a visit to a tile museum. This project, involving both art and history, is also an example of the good way in which the school links different subjects. Similarly, large brightly coloured designs on a ‘Creation’ theme resulted from work in religious education. In design and technology , the production of good quality Victorian-style lanterns involved pupils applying scientific knowledge to a project planned around a history topic. Another very good lesson seen was also based on work in history. In this lesson, pupils in Years 3 Adderley CE Primary School 22

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

to 6 responded well to the challenge of making suitable footwear for a ‘Roman day’ later in the term. In music, pupils employed musical notation satisfactorily to produce simple compositions about the creation when using computer software. The single lesson seen in Class1 was unsatisfactory because there was not enough challenge for pupils of different levels of attainment within a mixed- age class.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. In physical education , satisfactory dance lessons were seen, both of which took place in the village hall. In these lessons, pupils in Years 2 and 6 showed levels of skill in movement, balance and control appropriate to their age and achieved satisfactorily. However, no overall judgement can be made about standards in this subject because no other areas of the physical education curriculum were observed. On-site accommodation for physical education is unsatisfactory because there is no school hall. Resources are also unsatisfactory because the village hall has no apparatus for gymnastics, and pupils only have regular access to small equipment such as balls and hoops. The school tries hard to overcome these shortcomings, and provides its pupils with their full entitlement to the curriculum, by transporting the pupils to nearby facilities for gymnastics, and also for swimming, for periods of five or six weeks at a time.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. At the time of the last inspection in 1998, the school had no schemes of work for art and design, design and technology, or music, and, at the time of the headteacher’s appointment in September 2002, this weakness had not been addressed. In order to quickly remedy this situation, the school adopted nationally recommended curriculum guidance in these subjects. However, it has yet to adapt this guidance to meet the specific circumstances of its pupils. A consequence of this situation is that there is no systematic programme of assessment in place in these subjects. Since the school has not had time to map out precisely what skills pupils are expected to acquire by the end of each year, teachers do not know exactly what they have to evaluate. A further weakness is the fact that the amount of time allocated for these three subjects falls well short of what is recommended. This occurs because the school has correctly focused on implementing the national

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

strategies for literacy and numeracy as the basis for its curriculum in English and mathematics, and time for other subjects has been lost. The good use of cross-curricular links has addressed this weakness to some extent, and efforts are made to ensure that key elements of the curriculum are taught, such as the process of designing, making and then evaluating in design and technology projects. However, none of these subjects are currently being taught in enough depth.

p.27

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

83. Pupils are successfully learning to play a role as members of their school community, and have a good understanding of the needs of some sections of the wider community through their fundraising activities. They are well informed about the need for rules, and have a good grasp of the consequences of anti-social behaviour. For instance, they are learning to make decisions through their class councils and the school council, and discuss their ideas on issues relevant to their own lives. Adderley CE Primary School 23

p.27

The overall effectiveness of the school 3

How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

p.28

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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The leadership and management of the school 3

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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