All Saints Church of England Primary School, Bexhill

ALL SAINTS C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st - 4 th December 2003

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ALL SAINTS C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 All Saints CofE Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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ALL SAINTS 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. All Saints CofE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 215

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: All Saints Lane Sidley Bexhill-on Sea East Sussex Postcode: TN39 5HA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01424) 219083 Fax number: (01424) 730917

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Teresa Lewis

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 th - 19 th March 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

All Saints is situated in the Sidley area of Bexhill. Most pupils who attend the school live in the surrounding housing estate, which is largely made up of council rented accommodation. The school is involved in many community initiatives and has benefited from government funding linked to the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB). This funding is used to widen opportunities and to address some of the complex social needs in the area. Links with support services are very well established. A Children’s Fund support worker helps pupils and parents within the school. Pupils’ social circumstances are mostly well below average and the school has a higher than average proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

All Saints is an average size community primary school, with 215 pupils. Although the numbers of boys and girls are broadly similar, in some classes they are not equally balanced. Pupils’ attainment when they start school is well below average. The school has a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and only a few pupils are of higher ability. Seven pupils have statements of special needs. All but a few pupils are from white ethnic backgrounds. Two pupils are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language and three pupils have a Traveller heritage background. All Saints CofE Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23674 Wendy Simmons Lead inspector Science, art, design and technology and foundation stage. 19798 Jane O’Keefe Lay inspector 27654 Robina Scahill Team inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, music physical education and special educational needs. 20760 Sheila Roberts Team inspector English, history, geography, religious education and English as an additional language.

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e-Qualitas Limited

Langshaw Pastens Road Limpsfield chart Oxted Surrey RH8 ORE

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e-Qualitas Limited

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). All Saints CofE Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

All Saints is a good school, which provides an effective education for its pupils. Pupils achieve well. Teaching and learning are good and enable most pupils to make good progress. Leadership and management, especially by the Headteacher and senior staff, are good, which reflects a strong commitment to raising standards. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are • Good leadership and management, underpin pupils’ good achievement. • The school provides a warm and caring ethos. Every pupil is highly valued as an individual and the school is striving towards excellence in including pupils in many aspects of school life. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is very good. • Teaching and learning are good, with a strong emphasis on basic skills of literacy and numeracy. • The provision for personal and social education is very good and further enriched by the very good links to spiritual, moral and religious education (RE). • The school has developed highly effective and varied links with the local community. • Provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is unsatisfactory. • Physical development is restricted in the reception class, as there is no adjoining outside play area.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• There are limited opportunities for pupils to work independently on enquiry and research activities. • Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is not always of a consistently high standard.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Good improvement has been made since the last inspection in 1998 . It is not possible to compare standards directly, as the school did not go through to Year 6 in 1998. However, pupils continue to make good progress. The proportion of good and very good lessons has improved. Progress in improving ICT and the play area for reception children is unsatisfactory. However, overall, there has been good improvement in the accommodation. Very good support for SEN remains. Substantial improvement is evident in personal, social and cultural development and in links with the community.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards are currently lower than the national average. The table below shows the school’s results in the last three years. In some years over 40 per cent of pupils taking the tests have significant special needs and this is why results are often low. In 2002, the school did especially well in English, when only 20 per cent of pupils had SEN. Currently, standards in the reception class are well below average, because pupils really struggle with their communication skills. By Year 2, standards are below average in reading, writing and mathematics. By Year 6, standards are below average in English, science and ICT, but the school has been especially successfully in helping pupils to reach average standards in speaking, mathematics, art and history and above average standards in RE.

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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 English E A E E mathematics E D D C science E C E D Key: A-well above average; B–above average; C–average; D–below average; E–well below average; E* -in the lowest 5% of schools Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals All Saints CofE Primary School - 7 Achievement is good from reception through to Year 6. Pupils with SEN achieve very well. Achievement for pupils learning English as an additional language and higher-ability pupils is satisfactory. Currently, pupils are achieving especially well in developing their speaking skills and basic literacy and numeracy skills. Very good achievement is also evident in pupils’ development of art, RE and personal and social skills. They could be doing better in ICT. Opportunities for reception

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

children to explore the outside environment as a regular feature of their daily activities are too limited. This means that they miss the chance to achieve the highest standards in physical development and in their ability to play cooperatively.

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

are very good. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and behave well. Attendance is satisfactory, but too many parents take their children on holiday in school time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. The care shown by staff contributes very strongly to pupils’ personal development.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers are skilled at ensuring pupils behave well in lessons. Teachers create many opportunities to link personal and social education with other subjects. In all classes teachers have a good command of the subjects and plan many opportunities for pupils to widen their vocabulary and extend their literacy and numeracy skills, whatever their ability. Lessons are interesting and well thought out; teachers motivate pupils to work hard and show good concentration. Currently, the school does not have enough computers for pupils to learn skills quickly. Pupils with SEN are very well supported by teachers, skilled assistants and often excellent support from local support services. Teachers assess pupils’ work satisfactorily, but marking of work is not always of consistently high quality. Opportunities for pupils to research things independently are limited, especially for the higher ability pupils. Strong links with the community

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

and a varied curriculum help pupils to enjoy learning new things.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership is good and the management of the school is effective. The Headteacher is very committed and with the senior staff there is determination to further develop the school and help pupils to make good progress. Governance is good, with compliance to statutory responsibilities. Relationships and teamwork are very good. Subject leaders provide good management, with very good leadership for SEN, English and mathematics.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents like the school and feel that the Headteacher and staff really care about their children. Pupils are happy with the school, but they do not like the misbehaviour of a few pupils, even though teachers deal with this effectively.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are • Improve resources, standards and opportunities for pupils to learn skills in ICT. • Provide an outside learning area for children in the Foundation Stage, reception class. • Widen opportunities, especially for higher ability pupils, to work independently. • Build on the very good practice in some classes to develop the marking of pupils’ work. All Saints CofE Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is good overall; it is very good for pupils with SEN and satisfactory for those learning English as an additional language and those of higher ability. Pupils from a Traveller background achieve well. Standards, overall by Year 6, are below average. In English and science, they are below average, but in mathematics, they are average. This is largely because in almost all year groups, 40 per cent of pupils have SEN and of these, a very high proportion has substantial special needs.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• From pupils very low starting point they make good progress throughout the school even though standards are lower than average. • Pupils with SEN make very good progress and achieve very well. • Pupils achieve very well in their development of speaking, listening, art, and RE. • In ICT, pupils do not achieve well enough for their capabilities. • Opportunities for pupils to work independently are limited and this limits better achievement for the higher ability pupils.

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Commentary

1. When children start this school in the reception class, few have experienced formal pre- school learning opportunities, although some have attended local playgroups for a few sessions a week. These children start school showing much lower than average skills in almost all areas of their learning. There are few higher ability children and a very high proportion that have significant difficulties with speech and communication. Furthermore, their personal and social skills are limited, with most children being at the stage of playing alongside others rather than being able to play cooperatively. They have little wider knowledge about the world around them and find it hard to express what they do know about. The teacher assesses the children abilities when they start school and this information shows that their physical development is also well below average. This is because only a few children move with well developed agility skills and most do not have the

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Commentary

confidence to move spontaneously and energetically. Added to this, most children are only just beginning to hold pens and crayons so that they can put sufficient pressure on the tip to make marks on the paper. Creative skills are well below average, especially relating to the development of children’s imagination. In mathematics, standards are slightly better, although still below average overall.

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Commentary

2. Due to good teaching and learning in the reception class children achieve well for their abilities. They make good progress, which provides a firm foundation for further learning in Year 1. By the end of the reception year, records indicate that standards are well below average, because only a few pupils reach the early learning goals in all areas of their learning. Despite good teaching and learning in language and communication skills, standards in this aspect of their work remain well below average. The best achievement is in the development of reading skills, where rigorous attention to regular practise and discussions about books helps the children to understand the basic principles of how to read new words.

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Commentary

3. Good progress continues in Years 1 to 2, reflecting the good teaching and learning. Standards by Year 2 are below average overall, as the school has fewer pupils who are able to reach higher Level 3 result in their tests. However, overall, the school successfully gets a growing proportion to Level 2, which reflects the good progress that they make. Good achievement in these year groups is due to a strong focus on the development of basic skills in lessons and focused attention to improving pupils’ speaking skills. The table below shows that pupils are not far off reaching average results in reading, where there has been considerable attention to helping pupils to read on a daily basis with adults helping them. There is a trend for improvement in results. All Saints CofE Primary School - 9 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.8 (15.2) 15.9 (15.8) writing 13.7 (13.6) 14.8 (14.4) mathematics 15.0 (14.7) 16.4 (16.5) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. In Years 3 to 6, pupils continue to enjoy opportunities to achieve well, due to good teaching and learning. Pupils reach average standards in speaking by Year 6 due to the consistency of high quality teaching from reception to Year 6, thus achievement in this aspect of English is very good. This also applies to RE, as pupils build up their understanding progressively from year to year and talk about the subject showing better than expected standards of knowledge overall. In reading, writing and science standards remain below average, as few pupils reach higher Level 5 results in national tests. Average standards are currently reached in mathematics due to high quality teaching and learning and wider opportunities for pupils to do level 5 activities in Year 6. In other subjects, pupils’ good achievement is due to teachers’ emphasis on discussion and opportunities to learn by enjoying practical activities, making visits and working with visitors. Links with community also

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Commentary

impact on pupils’ achievement, especially in art and design and technology, as pupils have the chance to work with skilled professionals and this helps to raise their attainment to average, with some aspects of their design and painting work at an above average standard.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 24.5 (29.2) 27.0 (27.0) Mathematics 26.3 (26.3) 27.0 (27.0) Science 28.7 (26.3) 28.8 (27.6) There were 34 pupils in the year group. ,Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

5. Currently, standards overall remain below average throughout the school as a whole. It is not possible to compare standards with those reported in at the time of the last inspection, as the intake of pupils has changed considerably. Due to the good improvement in the accommodation, the school is now taking many more pupils with complex physical and emotional special needs. This is the first time that the school has been inspected with Year 6 pupils. Since becoming a full primary school results have shown an improving trend until the 2003 national tests, when they fell. This was because this group of pupils had over 40 per cent of pupils with significant special needs. In 2002, the school did especially well in English, when only 20 per cent had SEN. In this year group, rigorous use of booster classes and the Additional Literacy Support programme raised standards to well above average.

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Commentary

6. Pupils make effective use of their reading, writing and mathematical skills to support their learning in other subjects. However, in ICT, standards and skills are not high enough and pupils could be doing better. Achievement in ICT is unsatisfactory and a barrier to better achievement is evident as the school has too few computers, which are compatible and sufficiently up-to-date to support pupils in trying out and mastering new skills for themselves. The school recognises this and has recently appointed a new subject manager to raise standards. The school places significant emphasis on developing pupils’ personal and social education. This is an important factor in why pupils work hard and want to improve their achievement.

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Commentary

7. An above average number of pupils in the school has been identified as having special educational needs and the proportion of pupils with statements is also higher than normally found. These needs are largely learning related, although some are linked to behaviour and physical disabilities. Pupils with special educational needs attain standards that are well below the nationally expected standard. They make good progress towards their targets, and they achieve very well as All Saints CofE Primary School - 10 the result of good assessment of their needs and well focused support by teachers, teaching assistants and specialist teachers. Some attain standards in line with the national average by the time they leave school. Pupils who achieve well and are taken off the register for special educational needs continue to be monitored to ensure that their progress is maintained.

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Commentary

8. Traveller pupils are working at much lower than average standards, but achieve very well due to the impact of the SEN provision and the very good links with the Traveller Support Services. The school has shown an excellent commitment to these pupils by purchasing a good range of literacy resources, which show Traveller heritage stories. This motivates the pupils to work hard and make progress as they feel included in the life of the school.

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Commentary

9. Achievement for pupils learning English as an additional language is satisfactory. The best features include the emphasis on speaking skills of all pupils in the school as whole, which helps these pupils to make progress and to be included in all activities. The Headteacher and deputy headteacher are highly committed to ensuring that these pupils are included in the life of the school and have taken firm action to try to find a bilingual support teacher through their Local Education Authority links, but as yet, the pupils at the very earliest stages of learning English do not have this extra support.

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Commentary

10. The school has successfully identified those pupils who are more able, gifted and talented in all subjects. During the inspection, some suitable provision was identified for these pupils, with often good challenges in learning to raise their achievement. However, opportunities to widen independent work are sometimes limited and this is a factor in why the school gets fewer higher Level 5 results in English and science. Able pupils are helped to do especially well in art, where links with the community widen their opportunities.

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Commentary

11. The leadership shown by senior staff is a crucial factor in why the school is well placed to make further progress in improving standards and pupils’ achievement in the future. They analyse how different groups and individuals perform and are on track to reach the targets set for the 2004 national tests. The school is monitoring the difference in performance between boys and girls. Overall, boys do not do as well in English skills as girls and fewer than average girls reach average standards in science. It is important to note that in some Year 6 lessons, girls do not get as much attentions as boys; this is because boys are the ones who exhibit the most challenging behaviour. In other year groups boys and girls have equal attention.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have good attitudes to their work and behave well around the school. Staff work hard to raise pupils self esteem. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are helped to develop positive attitudes and behaviour. • Some challenging behaviour by pupils is managed very well by teachers. • Staff work very hard to raise the self esteem of pupils. • There is good provision for the spiritual and cultural development of pupils. • Moral and social development of pupils is very effective. • The school has a higher than average number of authorised absences.

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Commentary

12. Pupil’s attendance levels are similar to those in other schools and most arrive punctually in the mornings. The number of authorised absences is higher then average, due in part to pupils being removed from school in term time for family holidays. Pupils are enthusiastic about school and their work and are keen to learn. All Saints CofE Primary School - 11 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.9 School data 0.07 National data 5.4 National data 0.40 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year:2002 /2003

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 208 8 0 White – any other White background 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 0 4 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

13. The table above shows that last year there were a high number of exclusions. These were due almost wholly to one incident, which included pupils with extreme behavioural difficulties. The incident occurred out of school time on the surrounding estate, but then bubbled up again within school time. The Headteacher took very firm action to deal with this. There were no racial reasons for any of the aggressive behaviour and subsequent exclusions. These pupils have now left the school and there have not been any recent exclusions.

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Commentary

14. Teachers place a strong emphasis on helping pupils to know the rules and follow them. Furthermore, teachers are highly skilled at sensitively encouraging pupils to behave well; often this is achieved by praising pupils or by just having a joke with them. This can often turn potentially negative behaviour into positive attitudes in lessons where pupils concentrate very well, try their best and listen appropriately to each other and teachers. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good.

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Commentary

15. Pupils treat each other with kindness and respect and there is good racial harmony within the school. They are particularly sensitive to those amongst them who have special educational needs. The Headteacher’s and deputy headteacher’s vision for the school values each child as an individual and they celebrate difference. This encourages the pupils to have good attitudes. Pupils are friendly and courteous to visitors and speak confidently about their work. Lunchtimes are pleasant occasions and at playtimes they all play and mix together well. Pupils work harmoniously together in small groups and pairs during lessons and share resources sensibly.

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Commentary

16. Overall the personal development of pupils is very good. Their confidence and maturity clearly increases as they progress through the school and this is due to the very good provision for their moral and social development. Pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong and respond well when given opportunities to take responsibility for example those chosen to be members of the playground squad and school council. Pupils are encouraged effectively to be appreciative of both their own and other cultures. Through the religious education programme and planned opportunities in lessons, pupils’ spiritual development is fostered well. However, opportunities for special spiritual moments are sometimes missed during assemblies. All Saints CofE Primary School - 12

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good . The strongest features of the provision include the support for pupils with SEN and the overall attention given to basic skills of mathematics and literacy. The level of care for pupils’ welfare and the school’s links with parents and the community support pupils’ learning very well. Areas needing most improvement are the way in which teachers mark work to help pupils to consolidate and develop their learning and opportunities for independent investigation activities and in the learning of ICT skills.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school. Assessment is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good teaching and learning of basic literacy and numeracy skills. • There is very good support for pupils with SEN and some examples of excellent teaching of these pupils. • Teachers show very good behaviour management skills. • Teachers understand how pupils learn in different ways and use assistants very effectively. • Pupils do not learn ICT skills quickly enough. • There are inconsistencies in the use of marking. • There are too few opportunities for pupils to work independently. • The reception class does not have an outside learning area.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 37 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

2 (5%) 10 (27%) 17 (46%) 8 (22%) 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

17. The school has an established teaching staff that work very well together to ensure that pupils make progress in their learning from the reception class through to Year 6. Pupils benefit from good teaching and learning opportunities overall and there are examples of very good practice in all classes. For example, several lessons were of a very high standard in literacy and together with the good emphasis on basic skills, pupils become confident in their use of English in other subjects. Pupils, in Year 5, listened to a visitor telling them about bats. During this lesson, pupils had to note the key facts and vocabulary to help them to produce a leaflet, which also supported their studies about their literacy book ‘Room 13’. In almost all lessons seen, there was a consistently high emphasis on helping pupils to understand and use new words, so that their speaking skills are enriched. Equally, pupils are helped to link reading and writing skills as teachers often read aloud

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Commentary

and write things down for the pupils to see how good writing should look. This work especially supports the learning of pupils with SEN and those learning English as an additional language and also, pupils from a traveller background.

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Commentary

18. The school has been focusing on improving the teaching and learning of numeracy and mathematical skills. They have been successful in this, as teaching and learning are at least good, with several examples of very good lessons. There is a strong emphasis on helping pupils to manipulate numbers quickly, both mentally and in their recorded work. Teachers are skilled at helping pupils to understand new ideas by approaching the same skills in different and interesting ways. For example, in Year 2, pupils quickly learnt about multiplication using 10, because they sung about it and used mini writing boards to show how they had worked out their answers. Following this, they used card games and practical resources to consolidate their understanding. Staff make very good use of the National Numeracy Strategy to plan their work. In addition to this, teachers have strong subject knowledge due to the impact of recent training.

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Commentary

All Saints CofE Primary School - 13 19. In all subjects, teachers show that they understand that pupils learn in different ways. In this respect, they make very effective use of the local community to enhance pupils’ skills and wider knowledge. Learning by seeing and doing are very well established, although opportunities for independent research are limited.

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Commentary

20. There are a number of pupils who demonstrate challenging behaviour and a few who show general disaffection about schooling. All staff are skilled at managing difficult behaviour, so that the learning of other pupils is not usually spoiled. Some pupils are not self-starters and need much support. As a result of staff building very good relationships with pupils and using praise, pupils often become motivated to get on with their work and show improved concentration. Here, there are very strong links with pupils’ spiritual development in the promotion of their self esteem, which thus helps them to be more successful learners.

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Commentary

21. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The teachers prepare material that is well matched to their individual targets. These targets are well constructed, and provide good guidance to pupils, teachers and teaching assistants. Specialist teaching is very effective, and enables these pupils to take a full part in lessons. It provides a good balance of specific work to reinforce learning in whole class lessons. Teaching assistants are very well qualified and have attended a wide range of courses covering all aspects of their work. Very good resources are used effectively to support pupils’ learning. Well chosen computer programs are successful in motivating pupils who would otherwise find recording their work difficult; this plays a very positive part in their achievement.

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Commentary

22. Although teachers work hard to make useful assessments to help them plan the next learning steps for pupils, there are inconsistencies in how teachers mark pupils’ work. For example, in English, mathematics and science some teachers give very clear guidance about how pupils can improve their work, but other staff are not doing this enough. Furthermore, not enough time is allocated to pupils to act on comments where they are made. In some work seen there were examples of very good marking. For example, this marking not only checks that pupils understood new ideas, but also gives praise and also asks pupils to apply this knowledge in different and new situations. Very good assessment was noted in 1998, but this largely related to on-going assessment in lessons. Since 1998, the inspection guidance on assessment has become much more rigorous. The school has good assessment procedures overall and pupils are regularly

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Commentary

involved in helping to assess their own work. This information is used to set targets in English, but in other subjects there are few individual or group targets. Assessment is very good for pupils with SEN.

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Commentary

23. A further weakness in learning concerns ICT, where the school has insufficient resources to allow pupils to try things out quickly once the teacher has introduced new skills. Added to this, the teachers do not have large enough screens to ensure that all pupils can see what is being taught. The class timetables show that there is no coherent allocation of time for the teaching of the subject. However, teachers are suitably skilled and keen to get on and develop learning opportunities as funds become available. The best practice is evident in the reception class, where pupils work closely with adults and really learn new skills quickly. Here, very good assessment ensures that children move onto learning the next skills quickly.

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Commentary

24. The quality of teaching and learning is good in the reception class, showing all of the positive features as noted above. However, these young children do not have an outside classroom and play area. This is a requirement, which is essential for the effective learning of wider physical skills. Added to this, a lack of this facility limits spontaneous enquiry in nature and does not give the young children enough freedom to play cooperatively with other children as part of their daily social development and learning. Otherwise across the school as a whole personal and social learning is of a very high standard and is detailed later in this report.

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Commentary

25. At the time of the last inspection, teaching and learning were judged to be very good. While almost all of the very good features remain in this inspection, Changes in the inspection expectations for assessment and limited learning opportunities for ICT are the key features why teaching now is good rather than very good, as in 1998. However, it is important to note that the All Saints CofE Primary School - 14 school has been successful in increasing the proportion of high quality lessons observed during this inspection compared with 1998.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good overall. It is well planned and provides good opportunities for pupils’ learning, which are enriched by a variety of extra-curricular activities. Accommodation is good and staffing is very good. Resources are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Curriculum planning is innovative ensuring best use of teachers’ strengths to enrich pupils’ learning. • The curriculum is well planned to ensure that most pupils are fully included in learning. • Extra-curricular activities enrich the curriculum well. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is very good. • There are insufficient resources to support ICT. • There is no outdoor play area for Foundation Stage children. • There are insufficient opportunities for independent research, particularly for pupils of higher ability.

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Commentary

26. The curriculum is well planned, meets national curriculum requirements and is relevant to the pupils’ needs. A very good feature of curriculum planning is the way in which the school uses teachers’ strengths, such as in the weekly exchange of classes in Years 3, 5 and 6 allowing for specialist teaching of music, maths and French. Provision for personal, social and health education is very good, with particular emphasis on understanding relationships. Further details about this can be found at the end of the report. Pupils with special educational needs, Travellers’ children and those with early English language skills are well supported, enabling full inclusion in all lessons. Although there are insufficient opportunities for independent research and problem solving activities to fully extend the interests and abilities of higher ability pupils, the school is beginning to improve this area. For example, higher ability pupils participate in the Bodiam Project, which is primarily art

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Commentary

based, but with an ICT focus. 27. The curriculum is enhanced by a good variety of visits and visitors, such as the talk and slides about bats, which supported literacy, and the ‘Roman’ visitor, which supported history. The school is part of an ‘Arts Support Group’, which enables pupils to pursue dance and art activities. They participate in local events such as the Bexhill Winter Parade and music events. There is a good variety of clubs available which include sports, dance, craft and cookery. 28. The school has an appropriate number of qualified teachers and support staff, who are very well trained and effectively deployed. They work very well together to ensure the high quality of support, which enables pupils with special educational needs to make very good progress. The school’s accommodation is generally good, but lacks a designated outdoor play area for children in the reception class. With the exception of sufficient hardware to support ICT, resources are

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Commentary

satisfactory. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection in developing the range of opportunities provided within the curriculum.

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Commentary

An example of excellent curricular provision was seen during a French lesson in Year 6, when pupils’ learning and cultural experiences were enriched. The French lesson was excellent. The teacher had very good subject knowledge and a great enthusiasm, which communicated itself to the pupils. Pupils answered questions confidently in a very good accent, which reflected the teacher’s own excellent one. The lesson was very well planned to ensure both lively revision of previously learned French, and the introduction of new vocabulary and expressions. They learned the technique of looking for similarities between English and French words to give a clue to the meaning of new words. Every single pupil, regardless of ability, participated fully and with obvious enjoyment in all the activities, especially the action games, which helped the pupils to learn and understand many new words. All Saints CofE Primary School - 15

p.14

Care, guidance and support

The provision for all pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good. The provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring of pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils have very good opportunities to air their views on the school.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff know pupils well and have a very caring approach. • There are good procedures for child protection and health and safety. • Pupils know there is always someone they can talk to. • Pupils with special educational needs are well supported. • There are good arrangements for the induction of new pupils. • The school’s council works very well. • The target setting for individual pupils is inconsistent.

p.15

Commentary

29. Staff have a very caring approach to the pupils and get to know them well. This ensures their general well-being. The premises are well looked after and effective procedures are in place to ensure health and safety for all. Good procedures are in place for dealing with child protection issues. The Headteacher is the person designated to deal with any concerns and staff are aware of the necessary procedures and receive regular training in this area.

p.15

Commentary

30. There are good arrangements for ensuring that pupils get to know the school and are made welcome when they first arrive. As a result they settle quickly and happily into school life. Pupils with SEN are well supported. Families needing support benefit well from the provision of a link worker in the school.

p.15

Commentary

31. Throughout the school as a whole, the setting of targets for pupil’s individual progress is inconsistent and not all pupils are able to speak confidently about how well they are doing. However, pupils with SEN, know their targets and are very keen to make progress, this is good practice, which is not yet reflected for all pupils in the school.

p.15

Commentary

32. There are very good relationships between staff and pupils and as a result pupils feel safe and secure at the school. Pupils are confident that they will be listened to by the school. An example of this is the school council, which works very well in enabling pupils to air concerns and make suggestions for improving the school and its facilities.

p.15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

There is a good partnership between the school and parents. There are very good links with the local community and the effectiveness of extended school services is very good. The links with other schools and early years providers are good .

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The parents are confident in the leadership of the Headteacher and deputy headteacher. • Parents are happy with the education and care their children receive. • The school works closely with parents. • The school provides very good support programmes for parents. • The school’s prospectus does not reflect the strong ethos of the school. • There are very good links with the local community.

p.15

Commentary

33. Parents are supportive of the school and happy with the care and education it provides. Parents are generally kept well informed about their children’s progress although the setting of targets for improvement is inconsistent. The best practice is evident in the provision for pupils with SEN, where parents of these children are involved with their children’s targets laid out in the All Saints CofE Primary School - 16 individual education plans, including targets for behaviour. Overall, parents feel the needs of their children are well catered for. Parents also receive useful information on what their children will be learning each term and good general information through well - presented newsletters, information booklet and the governors’ annual report. The school’s prospectus, by contrast, is less attractively presented and its wording does not fully reflect the welcoming ethos of the school.

p.15

Commentary

34. Parents are supportive of both the school’s work and their children’s learning. The parent teacher association is very active and well organised with frequent fund raising and social events. These events are well supported by parents and the community and help to raise funds for extra resources for pupils. The involvement of parents in and around the school is developing well with many parents now coming into school each week to listen to readers. Very good links exist with the local community. The school takes successful part in many arts projects locally, for example when designing a new bandstand or taking part in a street procession nearby. These and many other opportunities very positively enhances pupils achievements in the Arts. Good use is made of the local area for educational visits. The school works well with other schools locally and is an active member of a local cluster group of primary schools. Through the Bodiam Project the school has

p.16

Commentary

forged good links with a rural school for joint history and art projects. These links provide effective support for the school’s work and assist in the smooth transfer of pupils to secondary school.

p.16

Commentary

35. The effectiveness of extended school services was specified by Ofsted for special focus in this inspection. This is very good. The school is outward looking and the Headteacher shows very good leadership in the development of links with the community. Funding for the extended school services, which helps parents and pupils to develop new skills, comes from external sources. The school provides the venue, the target groups and the co-ordination of agencies and services. The local Children’s Fund provide the funding for very good support of pupils in school, so that school and home can link for the benefit of pupils learning and wider achievement. The very good impact of the community activities on families is shown by parents’ trust in the school and pupils’ good achievement.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The Headteacher provides good , leadership has created a stable and effective teaching team. Management is good . Governance is good .

p.16

Main strengths

• The Headteacher, staff and governors have a shared commitment to raising the achievement of all pupils. • The whole staff work as a team and leaders provide good role models that motivate both staff and pupils. • The Governing body supports the Senior Management Team and has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. • There is a shared commitment from the Headteacher, staff, governors and all those connected to the school to include all pupils in the total life of the school.

p.16

Commentary

36. The Headteacher provides clear educational direction for the work of the school. He has high aspirations for the school and together with the senior managers has identified the strengths of the school and areas for development. The school has given priority to raising standards in English and mathematics and this has led to significant improvement in these subjects. The Headteacher has built effective teams, for example, those who support pupils with SEN. The skills and knowledge of this team are used well so that these pupils achieve well and are fully included in all lessons and in the life of the school. Parents appreciate the good leadership and positive caring for their children’s needs. All Saints CofE Primary School - 17 37. Management of the school is good. A detailed School Improvement Plan, to which all staff and governors are committed, identifies the key priorities for the school and details developments

p.16

Commentary

for the short and medium term. The school recognises the continued need for improving and developing the provision for information and communication technology (ICT). However, it does not have a focus on the provision of an outside play area for children in the reception class, which was also noted as a weakness at the time of the last inspection. The Headteacher and other key staff identify the needs of the pupils effectively. They analyse the progress pupils make annually and provide support for those who need it.

p.17

Commentary

38. All staff have responsibility for one or more areas of the curriculum and professional development is closely linked to the school’s priorities. Very good leadership and management are evident in English and mathematics. The leadership and management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs are also of a very high standard. Particular strengths include the training and support of staff so that they can teach pupils with very specific difficulties more effectively. The inclusion and management of the education of visually impaired pupils into the school is very good and staff are skilled in managing difficult behaviour.

p.17

Commentary

39. The governing body is committed to the well-being and education of the pupils at the school. Through its committee structure, it ensures that the school and the governing body meet all statutory requirements. Governors have a very good understanding of the current strengths and weaknesses and are supportive in developing the school, raising standards and improving the overall quality of provision. In the formal visits, governors have the opportunity to meet staff, observe lessons and discuss pupils’ progress with teachers. They fully understand that the curriculum and pupils’ achievements are at the core of their role.

p.17

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.17

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 513,145 Balance from previous year 32,425 Total expenditure 518,352 Balance carried forward to the next year 4792 Expenditure per pupil 2,377

p.17

Commentary

40. Finances are managed efficiently. The school’s financial planning include allocating funds, which enable them to work in partnership with the community and other schools in the area. This is particularly effective in including disaffected and the most able pupils in special project based activities. The school has taken the decision to use its relatively small budget to support the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, which is a good decision as this enables pupils to work in small groups with well trained teaching assistants. This is costly but highly successful, as it is resulting in very good achievement for these pupils. However, this leaves little money for the development of other subjects. Limited funds are a barrier to raising overall standards in ICT.

p.17

Commentary

41. Since 1998, the school has changed considerably. The leadership and management have remained firm and well directed in helping the school to develop. Good leadership and management have resulted in good overall progress since the last inspection. The school continues to provide “An oasis of learning”, which was noted in the last report. Added to this, the school has further widened its commitment to including all pupils by improving the accommodation and training of staff to facilitate this. All Saints CofE Primary School - 18 Example of outstanding practice

p.17

Commentary

An example of how leadership shows an excellent commitment to including all pupils in the life of the school was seen during a support training session for pupils with autism. These pupils worked in a small group and were very well supported by many adults, some of which were specialist support trainers. This was not only highly relevant to the pupils but also acted as training for the teaching assistants who will continue this work. A story called ‘Happy Playtimes’ was energetically read by the teacher. Following this, the pupils and staff talked about what happened to the characters and how to understand different facial emotions. Not only did this demonstrate a strong commitment to raising standards of literacy, but also reflected the school’s commitment to enabling pupils to achieve well in both their work and wider personal and social skills. The excellent teaching in this session helped pupils develop a much greater

p.18

Commentary

awareness of their own emotions and the importance of compromise in resolving social difficulties. All Saints CofE Primary School - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is good .

p.19

Commentary

42. When children enter the Reception class they benefit from a good induction programme, which helps them to settle and also fosters strong links with parents and carers. Parents speak highly of the support that they and their children receive from the reception staff. The quality of teaching, learning and leadership and management are good, due to the solid commitment to raising standards in basic skills of language, communication and mathematical development. There has been sound improvement since the last inspection, especially relating to developing assessment procedures. Progress in developing an outside play area is unsatisfactory.

p.19

Commentary

43. Standards are well below average overall when children start school. They make good progress. Achievement is good overall, but a much smaller than average proportion reach the standards of the Early Learning Goals by Year 1. This is because a very high proportion of children are still struggling with aspects of speaking and a high proportion has special educational needs. There are very good relationships, which makes children happy learners.

p.19

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good and this reflects good leadership and management. • Children’s behaviour is good. • The development of cooperative play is underdeveloped.

p.19

Commentary

44. Standards are currently much lower than average, but consistently good teaching and learning help the children to grow in confidence and feel more secure in the class. The school places a strong emphasis on social education, which shows good leadership and achievement of the school’s aims. For example, the children explore their emotions which links very well with their spiritual development. Many of the children play alongside other children rather than directly with others. During the inspection there were missed opportunities for adults to help children to move towards this important skill. Behaviour is good and this is due to the emphasis that adults place on setting routines and rules, which the children quickly learn and follow. Adults give much attention to helping the children learn about sharing and how to take turns. Some satisfactory sessions are planned to help children to think and make decisions for themselves and show their initiative.

p.19

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths

• Children achieve well, and make good progress, which reflects very good teaching. • Staff work very effectively to help children to learn basic skills in reading and writing.

p.19

Commentary

45. Standards are well below average, but achievement is good. The teaching in this area of learning is good and sometimes very good. Overall the children are very compliant, but are extremely passive. The teacher has to work very hard to get the children to speak in sentences. Teachers and assistants show very good practice in taking pupils’ single or two word responses and then making them into full sentences. A very strong emphasis is put on developing early reading All Saints CofE Primary School - 20 and writing skills and this is a significant strength of the provision in the reception class. Children can choose to make their own little books/letters and cards, but also benefit from formalised literacy activities. The teacher has high expectations and really encourages them to think and learn for themselves. Regular daily reading activities, games and phonic activities help pupils to make good

p.19

Commentary

gains in their knowledge and skills from their very low starting point. Children read every day with an adult and this is very good practice. Careful demonstration of writing by the teacher sometimes helps the children to see how writing should look, but this is not always used to its full potential. The teacher notes what the children can do and uses this information well to plan children’s further learning, which is good practice.

p.20

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.20

Main strengths

• Basic skills of number are introduced with rigour in interesting ways. • Mathematical ideas are usefully explored through children’s play activities.

p.20

Commentary

46. Standards are below average. Teaching, learning and children’s achievement are good. Basic skills are introduced and gradually built up from day to day. Activities are challenging, which helps the children to learn new knowledge quickly. For example, they count to 10 accurately, but get confused from 10 to 20, so the teacher works on this every day at the beginning of numeracy sessions. Here, the use of visual and practical counting apparatus helps the children to learn how numbers look and link these to counting. Good challenges are also evident in work on shapes and weight. For example, the teacher introduces a good range of mathematical vocabulary, such as heavier and lighter, which they explore together by weighing by feeling and then by balancing objects on scales. Pupils then have the opportunity to consolidate their learning in play situations. Most children are learning how to write numerals with some accuracy due to good support from

p.20

Commentary

adults. Games play an important part in learning.

p.20

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Provision in developing knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good; this helps children to achieve well. • Learning is rooted in carefully planned practical activities and investigations. • There is no growing/nature area in the children’s own outside play area.

p.20

Commentary

47. Standards are well below average, but children make good progress. The children have a limited knowledge of the world when starting school, but soon begin to widen their knowledge of nature, their environment and family life, because adults do many practical activities and talk about experiences, so that the children learn new knowledge and skills. When using computers, the children learn good mouse control skills and use relevant programs on the computer, showing perseverance and concentration. Children have access to a variety of construction materials and develop their designing and building skills appropriately. Opportunities to make models in the art area are limited. Currently, there is no growing area in the playground, but they watch the daily changes of insects and plants in the older children’s playground. There is a strong emphasis on helping the children to learn about different religious beliefs and cultural traditions. For example, all

p.20

Commentary

of the children have made Divas for Diwali and designed their own Diwali card using the computer. All Saints CofE Primary School - 21

p.20

Physical development

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.21

Main strength and weakness

• Fine hand skills are well developed. • Opportunities to develop agility skills and co-ordination are too limited.

p.21

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Standards are below average. The children master fine hand skills well but their achievement in large body movements are only satisfactory. This is because teaching is often focussed on helping pupils to learn how to hold and control small things, such as scissors, large pens, beads and cubes. Many children find this very hard and have poor pencil control, some finding it especially hard to apply pressure. The lack of an outside play area limits children’s opportunities to develop spontaneous running, jumping and clambering.

p.21

Creative Development

Provision in creative development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities to enjoy a range of activities are good. • There are not enough dressing up clothes to promote imaginative play. • Teaching and learning in this area are good; it leads to good overall achievement.

p.21

Commentary

49. Standards are lower than average overall, but progress from their very low starting point is good. There are good opportunities for the children to play and make decisions about activities. The classroom is well organised to help children to enjoy playing, but there are not enough dressing up clothes to foster their imagination. Good attention is given to enriching children’s appreciation and enjoyment of painting. The teacher places a strong emphasis on music and singing, which helps pupils to develop their imagination. In a good lesson observed, the children developed their imaginative skills by making paper bag puppets of monsters and then using them to make a simple imaginative story, which showed good links to their literacy ‘big book’ reading work. All Saints CofE Primary School - 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good opportunities in every lesson to develop speaking and listening skills. • The development of literacy skills are planned for and well used in other subjects. • The quality of teaching is good and pupils learn well. • The subject is very well led and managed. • There is inconsistency in marking and ongoing assessment. • There are weaknesses in pupils’ vocabulary, which impedes both reading and writing in younger classes. • There are insufficient opportunities for higher ability pupils in both independent research and the development of debate and reasoned argument.

p.22

Commentary

50. Standards in national tests for pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6 have fluctuated in the recent past. In 2003 they were in line with those expected nationally for pupils in Year 2 and below average for pupils in Year 6. Work seen during the inspection indicates that standards are below the national average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, but pupils achieve well in reading and writing and very well in speaking and listening. This is due to good teaching, the introduction of target setting and tracking of pupils’ progress, and very good support for pupils with special educational needs. 51. Pupils listen attentively both to their teachers and to each other, and begin to speak more confidently as they progress through the school. Good opportunities to develop these skills are provided through drama, such as in a Year 1 lesson where pupils acted out ‘Ten in a Bed’. In almost all lessons, teachers placed a strong emphasis on introducing new vocabulary and in helping the

p.22

Commentary

children to use this in their work. Furthermore, teachers are skilled at developing pupils’ short sentences into more complex ones by sensitive intervention. Nonetheless, there are missed opportunities to develop more complex skills of debating and using reasoned argument for more able pupils in particular. There are good opportunities to read aloud in drama lessons, as in Year 4’s play script reading lesson, where they read with good expression to bring their characters alive. Pupils read from a variety of texts, though some of the younger readers do not fully comprehend the stories they read, and some older readers do not have a sufficiently wide vocabulary to enable full understanding of the texts. Presentation of written work is neat, and pupils, throughout the school, have made a variety of well presented booklets covering many different aspects of writing. These include poems and stories, such as Year 2’s Cat Poems and the Bat Facts leaflets in Year 5. Older

p.22

Commentary

pupils use of ‘mind maps’ to focus their ideas when writing, whether stories or factual texts, is a very effective strategy which results in coherent, sequential writing. A good example of this is Year 6’s ‘mind map’ work on The Diary of Anne Frank, where they predicted the events following the arrival of the Gestapo at the hideout, prior to writing the account in prose. 52. Teaching and learning are good overall, with several examples of very good lessons. Teachers have high expectations of the pupils. They plan their lessons well, with an appropriate variety of strategies to ensure good achievement by most pupils, including those with special educational needs. They review previously learnt work by asking searching questions, which pupils answer thoughtfully, and set group and individual tasks, which extend the learning of pupils of all abilities. Year 2 pupils used dictionaries to find meanings of words with the phoneme ‘oi’ and made

p.22

Commentary

their own good sentences, such as, ‘I hurt my elbow joint’ Teachers mark work regularly and offer good advice for improvement. However, this is not consistent in all classes, and results in missed opportunities for some pupils to further develop their learning. Targets are set for each pupil, which means that pupils know what they are aiming for. 53. The teaching and learning by pupils with SEN, is of a very high standard, activities are planned to meet their specific needs and this helps them to achieve very well for their ability. It is notable, that a few pupils with SEN reach average results in national tests. All Saints CofE Primary School - 23 54. The subject is very well led and managed. Careful target setting, monitoring and tracking of progress is leading to an improvement in standards. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

55. Pupils’ literacy skills are well promoted in other subjects. For example, in history, in Year 3, pupils imagined themselves to be Roman soldiers and wrote letters home, and older pupils described their school life in Ancient Greece.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well because of the good teaching and learning and strong leadership. • Lessons are well planned to take account of pupils’ widely different abilities. • The subject is very well led and the recent focus has helped raise standards. • Investigation skills are not as well developed as other areas of mathematics. • There is an inconsistency in how teachers mark pupils’ work.

p.23

Commentary

56. Pupils in Years 2 attain standards that are lower than average due to fewer pupils gaining higher Level 3 results. However, from their low starting point, this shows good achievement. By Year 6, standards are average, showing further good progress and achievement. The school is working effectively to raise standards.

p.23

Commentary

57. The results of the national tests for seven year olds have dropped since the last inspection. In 2003, they were well below the national average and below average when compared with similar schools. However, this was better than the previous year as more pupils attained the required level. When pupils begin school they have little mathematical experience and when they start in Year 1 some still have difficulty in counting objects accurately beyond 10. In relation to their previous attainment, pupils’ achievement is good.

p.23

Commentary

58. Results of the national tests for eleven year olds have risen steadily over the last three years. In 2003 they were close to both the national average and in line with similar schools. Compared with the level at which they start in Year 3, they make good progress and achieve well. This is due to consistently good teaching and close monitoring of pupils progress as they move up the school. The lessons observed and the work completed last year would indicate that pupils are working at the expected levels. The suitable emphasis on learning basic skills and mental calculations helps pupils complete a good amount of work in lessons. However, the application of these skills is not consistently used to solve problems and some pupils find it difficult to explain their answers; this is where there are missed opportunities to develop more independent thinking and learning opportunities. Work is well matched to pupils’ abilities and more able pupils make good progress

p.23

Commentary

when investigating such aspects as shapes or co-ordinates. Pupils with special educational needs achieve especially well because of the good support they receive in classes and in small groups working with teaching assistants on carefully planned activities. Achievement for all pupils is good in relation to their capabilities, which shows that high standards for pupils’ capabilities have been maintained since the last inspection. Of note, pupils continue to use mathematical vocabulary very well.

p.23

Commentary

59. The quality of teaching and learning is good and several lessons seen were of a very good standard. Teachers plan with good reference to what pupils have learnt before and the well- prepared resources mean lessons start at a brisk pace. They use probing and open-ended questions to encourage pupils to recall previous learning. Pupils are keen to participate and the lively and varied activities contribute to the good progress they make in this part of the lesson. Teachers have high expectations and present increasingly challenging work through systematic All Saints CofE Primary School - 24 teaching and frequent reinforcement. Teachers give clear instructions, make good use of overhead projectors to demonstrate and clarify their explanations and emphasise mathematical language. More able pupils use this when talking about their work but low attaining pupils have difficulty in remembering the correct terms. Teachers have very good relationships with the pupils. Their

p.23

Commentary

support and praise for pupils’ achievement in lessons provide additional motivation for them, and pupils respond by working hard and with interest. Teaching assistants and other helpers in the classrooms are very effective in supporting pupils in their learning. Marking is not consistent. The best marking has constructive comments, mistakes are corrected and praise used appropriately. Although work is generally marked, some simply indicates what is and is not right and there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use marking to improve their work. Some pupils know their improvement targets, but others do not.

p.24

Commentary

60. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. The subject coordinator has a clear understanding of the strengths in the subject and areas for development. She has monitored mathematics teaching effectively through observing lessons, analysing the quality of pupils’ work and talking to the teachers about their concerns. The school has good systems for assessing pupils’ progress, and teachers make good use of the data to plan further work.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

61. Teachers make good use of mathematics across the curriculum and link work well with ICT, although there are not enough computers to allow pupils to use them often enough. Pupils are given the opportunity to develop their mathematical skills in other subjects for example, they use graphs and tables to record temperatures in geography and they investigate shapes in art and measure accurately in design and technology.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good and this enables pupils to achieve well by Year 6. • Speaking and listening skills are developed through science. • Support and provision for pupils with SEN are very good. • There is insufficient tracking of pupils’ performance from year to year. • There is insufficient use of ICT to support the work in science. • Opportunities, which allow pupils to find out things independently, are limited.

p.24

Commentary

62. Standards are below average because there are generally few pupils who are able to reach very high standards in both Year 2 and Year 6. The school is successful in helping pupils to reach the usual Level 2, by Year 2, and Level 4, by Year 6. This represents good achievement and progress from their low starting point and very good achievement for pupils with SEN, who often reach average standards. At the time of the last inspection pupils also made good progress and it was noted the school had fewer pupils working at a higher level.

p.24

Commentary

63. Standards in science by Year 2 are below the national average. Nonetheless, good and sometimes very good teaching helps them to reach average levels in their knowledge and skills and achieve well for their ability. For example, in Years 1 and 2, the emphasis on discussion helps pupils to understand new things and the emphasis on practical investigations makes learning meaningful, as evident in their investigations of living things using the school’s pond area. By Year 2, pupils take part in many simple experiments and enjoy a very broad range of experiences, which help them to use literacy and numeracy skills very effectively. Few pupils are able to reach very high standards, despite some very good teaching in Year 2. For example, when making electrical circuits, only four pupils managed to find a way of lighting two bulbs on one circuit, rather than just one. This work showed very good spirituality as pupils shouted in joy “Yes, I got it yes”, when they

p.24

Commentary

finally made the bulbs light up. All Saints CofE Primary School - 25 64. Standards in science by Year 6 are below the national average, but pupils’ achievement and progress are good. Skills are built up progressively from Year 2 to Year 6 and very good teaching in some lessons really lifts pupils’ attainment. For example, pupils in Year 4 added solids to water. In this lesson, the teacher constantly challenged the pupils thinking, so that they used accurate words, such as soluble, insoluble and solution in their explanations as to why flour, sugar and coffee react in different ways in warm water. There are missed opportunities to further challenge higher ability pupils at the top end of the school by encouraging independent research and investigations. There is very good support to ensure that pupils with SEN are included in all activities, as a result, they often reach average standards.

p.24

Commentary

65. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and sometimes very good. Good teaching ensures that pupils are mostly well challenged and work is carefully assessed to ensure that pupils understand what they are learning about. Very good links with literacy are evident and there are good links with numeracy. However, the use of ICT to support pupils’ learning is unsatisfactory, as opportunities to use equipment are too limited. Good learning enables pupils to learn new skills and knowledge by practical investigation and a strong emphasis on learning and understanding new scientific vocabulary. Very good teaching has the further dimension of being very energetic and inspiring, often exploring difficult ideas in a clear way. For example, in Year 5, pupils used torches, paper and solid objects to find out and measure the distance of a shadow when a light sources moves. Pupils with SEN were very well supported, as were more able pupils, who by

p.25

Commentary

the end of the lesson, had worked out that every 2 centimetres of movement affected the shadow by half a centimetre. From this, they produced a graph, while average and lower ability pupils were supported to ensure that they could explain and understand their findings.

p.25

Commentary

66. Teachers and pupils are involved in assessing pupils’ work. This is good practice, but in general, few targets are set for pupils’ further improvement. Equally, although the school is using a good range of tests to evaluate how well pupils are learning, they are only just starting to use this information to track pupils’ progress from term to term. Sometimes, teachers mark pupils’ work well, but overall, this is an area for improvement.

p.25

Commentary

67. The quality of leadership and management of science is satisfactory overall; there is a clear plan for further improvement, which includes the development of ICT. Monitoring of lessons by the subject leader is planned for the future, but as yet is limited. The school makes good use of visitors and visits to enrich the curriculum. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Planning is in place to improve teaching, learning and standards in ICT. • Resources are beginning to be well used to support other areas of the curriculum. • Effective use is made of ICT to support pupils with special educational needs. • There are not enough computers or other ICT equipment available to enable pupils to attain the standards expected.

p.25

Commentary

68. Standards in ICT are below those expected of pupils at the ages of seven and eleven and their achievement is unsatisfactory. The poor quality of ICT resources and accommodation make teaching and learning very difficult and restrict what pupils can achieve. School staff are fully aware of this situation and have detailed plans in place that are intended to resolve problems as soon as resources become available. All Saints CofE Primary School - 26 69. Six- and seven-year-olds explore the use of different computer controls, such as ‘eraser’ and ‘fill’ when drawing coloured pictures. They use ‘delete’, ‘caps lock’ and ‘back space’ keys when manipulating text. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have had the opportunity to send and receive e-mails and link up with other schools and to carry out control work. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 use computers for Internet research and to extend work in mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs use

p.25

Commentary

a variety of programs to motivate them and to reinforce what they are learning.

p.26

Commentary

70. In the one lesson seen the quality of teaching and learning observed was satisfactory. Because of the constraints placed on the teacher by the poor facilities, pupils did not learn enough as only one pupil used the computer. Behaviour management was very effective, explanations were clear and succinct and the pupils showed interest and were keen to have a turn.

p.26

Commentary

71. Considering the poor facilities, curriculum planning for teaching and learning are appropriate, which shows the school’s commitment to developing the subject. Staff are aware that standards are too low and that facilities must improve. Staff have received training in ICT. The school improvement plan shows that the school is working very hard to make positive changes. The Headteacher and newly appointed co-ordinator have a clear direction for the subject and are working very hard to make improvements. At the time of the last inspection, ICT was satisfactory, expectations for provision, training and teaching have increased considerably in the last five years, and although there has been improvement in all these areas since the last inspection, the school has not kept up with the increasing demands of the subject.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

72. Satisfactory use is made of pupils’ ICT skills in other subjects, particularly literacy and mathematics, despite limited resources. This is because teachers work effectively to make the most of the equipment that they have and also plan times for assistants to work with pupils using ICT in a wide range of subjects. For example, in science, pupils used a digital camera competently and enlarged pictures on the screen. In history, they use the Internet to research such things as school life in Ancient Greece. Younger pupils used the computer to help them reproduce pictures in the style of Paul Klee.

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HUMANITIES

No geography lessons were seen and inspectors observed one history and two religious education (RE) lessons. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils and looked at teachers’ planning documents. In geography and history, there is insufficient evidence to judge the overall quality of provision and the quality of teaching and learning.

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Religious education

Overall provision for Religious education is good .

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Main strengths

• Pupils achieve very well in religious education and reach standards above those expected in the Locally Agreed Syllabus. • Pupils have a good knowledge of Christianity and also of the beliefs and similarities of world religions. • Teaching is good and pupils respond well to religious education. • The subject is well led and managed. • Links with spiritual, cultural and social education are very good.

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Commentary

73. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good knowledge of aspects of Christianity and the associated signs and symbols. Through role-play, they understand that Baptism is the initiation ceremony for belonging to the Christian community, and that the marriage ceremony is an exchange of important promises. In Year 3 they know many of the stories and beliefs important in Judaism. They understand the role of the Torah and the important feasts in Judaism. By the end of Year 6 All Saints CofE Primary School - 27 pupils know about Hinduism, Sikhism and know that there are many similarities between the world religions. They have a very good knowledge of Christianity and the teachings and life of Jesus. Standards are higher than usually expected for pupils by Year 2 and Year 6. This reflects very good achievement.

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Commentary

74. No overall judgement is made on the quality of teaching and learning. However, in the few lessons seen, teachers had very good subject knowledge and planned their lessons very well to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. They reviewed previous work by effective questioning and set tasks that developed pupils’ understanding. In one lesson on prayer, they discussed the need for prayer and types of prayer. Pupils wrote their own prayers, some of thanks, some saying they were sorry for bad behaviour that upset others, and some praying for help for themselves and others. They showed a well developed, sincere attitude to prayer, and a very positive attitude to religious education lessons. The subject contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education, because pupils discuss and evaluate a wide range of feelings. Furthermore, they widen their knowledge of different world faiths and further enrich their Christian beliefs.

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Commentary

75. The subject is well led and managed. All aspects of the Locally Agreed Syllabus are planned well and taught throughout the school. There are no formal assessment procedures to ensure that the progress that pupils make is easy to track from year to year. There are good links with other subjects especially English, which enable pupils to widen their speaking, listening and reading and writing skills. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

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Commentary

76. In geography, no overall judgement is made about standards and teaching and learning, as it was not possible to gain sufficient evidence.

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Commentary

77. In history, the evidence of past work and from talking to pupils, achievement is good and pupils attain average standards. Literacy skills are well promoted in history, particularly by teachers’ use of open-ended questions and research, discussion opportunities and writing. The curriculum is greatly enriched by interesting visits and visitors, this helps pupils to learn and remember historical knowledge. The subject plays an important part in widening pupils’ cultural knowledge and experiences.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The main focus areas for the inspection were English, mathematics, science and ICT. Thus creative aspects did not receive as much inspection time and this is why teaching and learning and provision overall are not judged in each subject. Inspectors saw one art, three PE lessons and one music lesson and one design and technology (DT) lesson. Evidence from teachers’ planning indicated that appropriate topics are covered across both key stages. In addition, inspectors talked to pupils about their work and held discussions with teachers, sampled pupils’ work and evaluated photographic evidence.

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Commentary

78. In art, standards are average, which shows very good overall achievement from pupils’ low starting point when first starting school. In aspects of painting and drawing their work is above average. For example, the sketching in Year 2, linked to the Ninfield Nature Trail, shows how direct observation and good teaching of shading raises pupils’ attainment. Further up the school the silkscreen printing and pastel work shows imagination, creativity and good skills. The displays of work, and samples seen, suggest that pupils develop a wide range of skills and the curriculum is generally very good. However, there is little work in three dimensions. The Headteacher is very committed to enriching pupils’ learning through art and shows very good leadership, especially in running the six thousand pound project to develop The Arts Council’s School’s Project. The school has established very good links with the community, which enable pupils to work with different

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Commentary

artists. Links with local art galleries, such as the De La Warr Gallery help to lift standards. For example, pupils painted seascape block pictures, which were professionally mounted and displayed in the Gallery. Links with computer work are developing but limited resources hampers better use to widen pupils’ learning. Pupils have a good knowledge of different artists and the school has a good display of artwork from varied cultural traditions. Moreover, art activities have a very significant All Saints CofE Primary School - 28 impact on pupils’ attitudes, their self esteem and overall spiritual development. In the one lesson seen, pupils made good use of their sketchbooks to practise and refine techniques, which explored the effect of light on objects. In this lesson, techniques were carefully demonstrated and pupils of all abilities were able to achieve well. Links between art and other subjects in the curriculum are of a

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Commentary

very high standard. For example, in literacy, pupils designed and made postcards from Whitby and they explored abstract nouns, such as joy, pride and evil through art.

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Commentary

79. Limited information was gathered on design and technology. The quality of teaching and learning in the single lesson on making puppets using different sewing techniques was good, as pupils persevered with the task and had the opportunity to think of design ideas for themselves. The sample of work seen shows that pupils learn a range of skills as they move through the school and their achievement is good in the sample seen, reflecting an interesting and varied curriculum. Links with literacy are very good, as pupils write up their ideas using new words and have grasped the idea of how to make notes and set their work out neatly. Pupils have designed and made a Victorian bathing machine, which showed good links to using ICT, as pupils used the Internet, to aid their research, although this is largely underdeveloped. By Year 6, pupils become more skilled at thinking about their design specifications and their evaluations are more detailed. Links with science

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Commentary

are strong. For example, when designing shelters, pupils experimented with materials before choosing the strongest material for the construction. Here, vocabulary was really enriched, including such words as: innate, non-chafing and abrasion. Other work, on designing racing cars, shows superb links with the local community. Furthermore, last year, it enabled disaffected boys to become motivated to learn. The school has also taken part in designing a new bandstand for the town. Working along side architects, they really thought about design principles. As a consequence of this, they were able to design a very stylish bandstand, which can be moved to avoid the wind; this work was of a much higher than average standard. The subject is well led, with a strong emphasis on raising standards.

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Commentary

80. In the one lesson seen in music, the quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory as pupils learnt to clap a rhumba rhythm to a Christmas carol. Pupils sang enthusiastically and tunefully in assembly. A new scheme of work has been effectively introduced. Pupils enjoy music and participate readily. They have the opportunity to learn the violin or keyboard. The choir performs regularly in the church and at community events.

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Commentary

81. In physical education, the quality of teaching and learning in the lessons was of a high standard. In Year 3, PE was of a very good standard in the lesson seen. In Year 2, pupils demonstrated sound movement skills as they travelled over and along apparatus assembled at different heights. They devised different ways of moving forwards and backwards and showed sound control as they landed. The lesson showed that pupils were familiar with the safety features involved in getting apparatus out and putting it away. In Year 5, pupils showed good levels of control as they moved a ball around a set of obstacles using a hockey stick. In this lesson the teacher was enthusiastic and knowledgeable and confidently demonstrated appropriate skills and techniques. Opportunity in this subject is enhanced well through after school clubs for football, netball and dance.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Two lessons on personal, social and health education were seen during the inspection. Discussions were also held with staff and pupils and the planning documents were evaluated.

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Personal, social and health education

Provision in personal, social and health education is very good .

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Main strengths

• The school works effectively to help pupils to learn about a wide range of social and personal issues. • Discussion times help pupils understand issues which concern them. All Saints CofE Primary School - 29

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Commentary

82. Pupils’ personal and social education is central to the school’s ethos of caring for the individual. Provision for personal, social and health education is very good, with particular emphasis on understanding relationships. There is a clear policy with very good arrangements for sex education and attention to the misuse of drugs. The school has very clear policies in place to ensure that pupils learn about their bodies and how they will change from reception upwards. Pupils learn about diet and exercise as factors that help develop a healthy body. They are encouraged to talk about issues openly and confidently. They learn about what does and does not contribute to good health, such as smoking, and drug and solvent abuse.

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Commentary

83. Lessons are well planned to develop pupils’ awareness of their own feelings and self- esteem, and the needs and feelings of others. In one lesson seen, younger pupils explored their own specialness and uniqueness by looking at the origin of their own given names. They learn how their actions affect others, particularly during Circle Time. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection. The subject is used well to help pupils to learn about life in a multi racial society and to respect other people’s views and beliefs through links with RE. All Saints CofE Primary School - 30

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 4 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 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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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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