Bandon Hill Primary School

Bandon Hill Primary School

Dates of inspection: 13 – 15 October 2003

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Bandon Hill Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Bandon Hill 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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Bandon Hill 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. Bandon Hill Primary School- 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 471

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Sandy Lane South Wallington Postcode: SM6 9QU Telephone number: 0208 647 5377 Fax number: 020 8647 0034

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr R Adams

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 June 1988

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Bandon Hill is a much larger than average primary school with 471 pupils including 56 part-time pupils taught in the nursery. It is situated in Wallington in Surrey, with mainly owner occupied houses, but some families are from the local housing authority estate. Around eight per cent of pupils have English as an additional language but they are not newcomers to learning English. Approximately twenty five per cent of pupils are on the school register of special educational needs. This is broadly average. Of these nine pupils have a statement of special educational need. Twelve per cent of pupils are known to be entitled to free school meals; this is below the national average. Attainment on entry to the school varies but overall is below what is expected particularly in communication and language levels. The school has a stable and experienced staff. Bandon Hill Primary School- 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22476 Mrs S Vale Lead inspector Art and design Design and technology Music Special educational needs English as an additional language. 9400 Mrs P Adenwalla Lay inspector 28046 Mrs C Goodchild Team inspector Foundation stage Science Geography History Religious education. 18381 Mr G Ewing Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology, 32283 Mr D Goodchild Team inspector English Physical education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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.ofsted.gov.uk). Bandon Hill 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 11

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

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Overall evaluation

This is a very good school, which provides a high standard of education. Standards achieved in English mathematics and science are above national averages. The leadership and management by the headteacher are excellent, and her senior management team and the governing body support her very well. The quality of teaching is very good overall with teaching in music, Year 6 and the nursery of a consistently high standard. The school provides very good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Excellent leadership and management by the headteacher provides a clear vision and high aspirations for the school. • Pupils achieve very well. They make very good progress as they move through the school so that by the age of eleven pupils achieve high standards in English, mathematics and science. • The provision of a specialist teacher in music and consistently high teaching in this subject results in very high standards achieved by pupils. Music is a strength of the school. • High quality assessment across the school helps to raise standards and this results in above national expectations in art and design, design and technology, geography, history and information and communication technology. • Very good provision in the nursery when children first start school. • Very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Pupils’ attitudes and interest are very good. • The very positive ethos of the school contributes to the stimulating learning environment.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Whilst marking is prompt and on the whole positive there are few examples of marking that gives guidance to pupils on how they can improve and extend their learning still further.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has maintained its high standards since the last inspection. The key issues concerning the provision of information and communication technology have been addressed well. There is an appropriate and well-resourced ICT suite to which all children have access. This has had a positive effect on the raising of standards in this area of the curriculum.

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Standards achieved

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English A A A A Mathematics B B B A Science B A A A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Standards achieved

Achievement is very good. The experienced staff and consistently good teaching have a positive effect on the standards which pupils reach. Children start school in nursery with standards below those normally found particularly in communication and literacy skills. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and by the age of five the majority of children meet the goals children are expected to reach by the end of Reception in mathematics, personal and social development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development. By the end of Year 2 standards in reading and writing are in line with national averages; in mathematics they are above what is expected for children of this age. Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is good. This is because children enter school with below average attainment and yet make good progress during their time in the Foundation Stage and in Year 1 and Year 2. By the end of Year 6, standards in English and

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Standards achieved

Bandon Hill Primary School- 7 science are well above national averages and above average in mathematics. There are very few differences between the achievement of boys and girls in mathematics and science but girls do achieve a little better in English than boys. There are no significant differences in achievement between different ethnic groups.

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Standards achieved

Pupil’s personal development including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils from nursery to Year 6 have good attitudes to school and their behaviour is also good. Pupils’ attitudes and personal qualities are very good. The school deals well with a small number of more challenging pupils. Pupils’ attendance is good but punctuality is only satisfactory.

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The quality of education provided by the school

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching and learning is very good and is characterised by the high expectations of staff, and the challenging and interesting work, which is set. There is consistently high quality teaching in the nursery, Year 6 and the teaching of music, where excellent subject knowledge and enthusiasm empowers the children to really learn, as a consequence learning is very good .

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The quality of education provided by the school

There is a broad and balanced curriculum, which is very good. There is a wide and varied breadth of subjects taught. There is good enrichment of the curriculum through many extra-curricular activities. The care, welfare and support of pupils are very good. Pupils are cared for well and there is very good provision of support for pupils with special educational needs, and for the small number of pupils with English as an additional language. There are very strong links with parents who value the school highly and there are very good links with the community

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Leadership and management

There is excellent leadership and management by the headteacher and she is supported well by her senior management team and the knowledgeable and supportive governing body. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher. She has a clear vision and high aspirations for the school. Governors are very effective in carrying out their statutory duties and in providing support. The senior management team is strong and very supportive of the school.

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Parents’ and pupils’ views of the school

Both parents and pupils are very happy and proud of their school. Parents feel well informed and are particularly pleased with the high standards, which their children achieve. Pupils really like their school and feel strongly that their teachers really help them.

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Improvements needed

The most important thing to improve is relatively minor because this is a very good school. It is; • to develop marking so that it gives guidance to pupils on how they can improve and extend their learning still further. Bandon Hill Primary School- 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement overall is very good. In the Foundation Stage achievement is good in all areas of learning. In Years 1 and 2 achievement is good. In Years 3 to 6 it is very good . Over the last 2 years standards in English, mathematics and science remain well above average. There are few differences in attainment between girls and boys. Standards over time have been high.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is very good . • Well above average standards are achieved in English and science, and above average in mathematics. • Very high standards are achieved in music. • Above average standards are also achieved across the whole school in information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, geography and history. • The stable and experienced staff have a positive effect on attainment. • Children enter the school with standards below those normally found, and yet when they leave school by the age of eleven, they leave with well above average standards. This is very good achievement .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Key Stage 1 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.6 (16.4) 15.8 (15.7)

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Main strengths and weaknesses

There were [number] pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Key Stage 2 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standards in: School results National results English 28.9 (29.0) 27.0 (27.0) mathematics 28.9 (27.8) 26.7 (26.6) science 29.9 (29.7) 28.3 (28.3) There were [number] pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well . By the age of five the majority of children are at the level expected for children their age in the early learning goals of mathematics, physical development, creative development, knowledge and understanding of the world. They achieve above expected levels in personal social and emotional development. Few children achieve the early learning goals in communication language and literacy, mainly because they start with lower than average levels of language development. By the end of Year 2 standards are above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Achievement from age five to seven is good. By the end of Year 6 standards in English, mathematics and science are also above national averages. Bandon Hill Primary School- 9 2. Achievement from seven to 11 is very good. This is due to a number of factors:

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Commentary

• consistently good teaching with many teachers having high expectations of what children can achieve; • experienced and stable staff; • the very good subject knowledge of many teachers which is taught well so that children make very good progress in their learning; • children are very interested in their work and there is a prevailing ethos throughout the school where learning is valued and considered important; • teachers analyse results very carefully and implement positive strategies such as small- group work or specific individual help so that all children achieve to the best of their abilities.

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Commentary

All of the above points make a very positive contribution to the standards, which children reach.

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Commentary

3. In 2002, standards in Year 2 in reading and mathematics were above national averages. In writing, they were as expected for children of their age. When they were compared to similar schools standards in reading were below national averages, as expected in writing and remained above in mathematics.

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Commentary

4. The results of the 2002 national assessments for pupils Year 6 show that standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science were high and well above national averages. This is despite the fact that there is some mobility amongst pupils in Years 3 to 6. Analysis of test results for the last three years show that pupils consistently attain standards above and well above national averages.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are good. These high standards particularly in literacy have a positive effect on pupils’ attainment in other subjects in the curriculum, this is reflected in the fact that standards in history and geography are above national expectations. Standards in information and communication technology are also above national expectations. This is a good improvement since the last inspection where the provision for ICT and standards achieved were a key issue. Standards in music are very high in both key stages and a strength of the school. This is mainly due to the specialist and enthusiastic teaching in this area of the curriculum, which enables pupils to really develop their musical talents and abilities. Standards in art and design and design and technology are above national expectations. Judgments in design and technology are based upon samples of work seen as no design and technology was being taught at the time of the inspection.

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Commentary

Religious education is in line with the locally agreed syllabus.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support, and as a result they achieve as well as they are able to in relation to their prior attainment. The small number of pupils who have English as an additional language are supported well and also make good progress in line with their abilities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good. Behaviour in classrooms and around the school is good. The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and this has a positive impact on the personal development of the pupils. Attendance is good, but punctuality is only satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils really enjoy coming to school and are very enthusiastic about learning. • Pupils are very confident, responsible and have high self-esteem. • Relationships between all members of the school community are very good. • Children in the Reception class settle very well in school and are very happy. Bandon Hill Primary School- 10 • A number of pupils arrive each morning during the ten minutes between the bell ringing and the front gate being locked.

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Commentary

7. Attendance is close to the national average, and the majority of pupils are usually punctual to school. However, despite the school’s very good procedures to promote attendance and punctuality there are a significant number of parents who take their children on holiday during term time. Also, a number of pupils arrive each morning during the ten minutes between the bell ringing and the front gate being locked. This means that they are missing an important part of the school day.

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Commentary

8. Throughout the school, pupils’ interest in school life and the range of activities provided is excellent. They listen enthusiastically in lessons and complete their tasks. They work very well alone, and when working in small groups they co-operate very happily and effectively. A very good example of this was research work carried out by Year 4 pupils on the sense of touch in a science lesson. Pupils willingly shared their findings with the rest of the class, developing confidence and a sense of purpose in sharing knowledge with friends. The stimulating learning ethos permeates the school and contributes to pupils making good progress and achieving well.

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Commentary

9. Behaviour throughout the school is good overall. There are a small number of pupils who do not always behave as well as their peers. The vast majority of pupils are very friendly and polite. They show care and concern for others and respect adults. Exclusions are very rare in the last year only one child was temporarily excluded. The school’s ‘Partners’ scheme whereby children in Year 6 look after younger children in Year 3 at lunchtime is very effective in fostering very good pupil relationships. Pupils are very well acquainted with the school’s system of rewards and sanctions. Pupils and parents were very positive in their praise of the school’s prompt actions in respect of any unacceptable behaviour. The newly formed school council made up from pupils from Year 3 to Year 6 is proving very popular with the pupils as a place to discuss pupil suggestions and concerns. It is planned to extend the membership to the younger pupils later in the academic year.

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Commentary

10. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall and leads to many pupils willingly taking on responsibilities. Assemblies are used effectively to promote a deeper understanding of how other people might feel and pupils are encouraged to discuss their own feelings in a variety of situations. Pupils learn about other cultures in a variety of ways, through music and design and technology lessons. Artefacts from around the world are displayed throughout the school, reflecting different people’s customs and cultures. In religious education, lessons pupils learn about different faiths. There is a very great sense of community within the school.

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Commentary

11. Children in the Reception class make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. The very good induction procedures that the school has in place ensure that children settle happily and know the school routines well. Behaviour is good and children learn to play and work together.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

School data 5.1 School data 0.1 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Bandon Hill Primary School- 11 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 360 0 0 White – Irish 1 0 0 White – any other White background 23 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 16 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 5 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 12 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 17 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 7 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 6 3 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 7 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 11 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 13 0 0 Black or Black British – African 2 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 3 0 0 Chinese 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 4 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 8 0 0

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality of education. The quality of teaching is very good and the curriculum is also very good. The school provides good opportunities to enrich and enliven children’s learning. Its provision for children’s care, welfare, health and safety is very good and the partnership with parents is very good.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall and assessment is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

In the nursery and Reception classes: • Very good relationships ensure children settle quickly into school life. • Adults work well together as a team and support children in their learning. • A well-organised, spacious area and a good range of activities stimulate learning. • Assessment procedures are well established and inform future learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

In Years 1 to 6: • Teachers have very good subject knowledge and give clear explanations. • Challenging teaching gets the best out of most pupils. • Very high expectations of behaviour ensure that no time is lost in lessons. Bandon Hill Primary School- 12 • High quality assessment helps to raise standards. • Very good match of work to pupils of all abilities including those with special educational needs. • Literacy and numeracy lessons are well planned and ensure basic skills are taught well. • Marking is consistent and supportive but does not always tell pupils what they need to do to improve.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 55 lessons

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Main strengths and weaknesses

0 (0%) 22 (40%) 22 (40%) 11 (20%) 0 (0%) 0(0%) 0(0%)

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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

12. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and this represents an improvement since the last inspection. This is because leadership and management recognise the benefit of regular evaluation of teaching followed by clear guidance as to how teachers can improve practice. Parents agree that this is a strength of the school’s provision. In response to a questionnaire, almost all parents indicated that teaching was good or very good. The vast majority of pupils also comment in their questionnaire that they have a great respect for their teachers who treat them fairly.

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Commentary

13. The very good quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage means that children make good progress in their learning. Lessons and activities are well managed by the teachers with very good support from the assistants. A wide range of activities is carefully structured and teaches children important skills. Activities also challenge and provide opportunities for children to make choices and develop independence.

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Commentary

14. Elsewhere teachers have high expectations of behaviour. Well-prepared lessons and effective class management skills enable learning to take place in a calm, purposeful atmosphere. Therefore, pupils respond well because they know exactly what is expected of them. This enables them to make the best use of lesson time. Learning in this setting is rapid.

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Commentary

15. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and an excellent understanding of how children learn. For example, Year 1 pupils made very good progress in both their language and music skills during a very good music lesson. This was because teaching was stimulating, challenging and exciting with an insistence that the pupils use the correct vocabulary. Pupils were enthusiastic and one said ‘ I want to be a music teacher when I grow up.’ The cross-curricular approach to learning means that pupils apply skills, knowledge and understanding from one subject into other curriculum areas and this enables them to achieve well. In a very good Year 4 English lesson, pupils were encouraged to discuss their ideas in pairs. This had an immediate impact on pupils understanding of powerful verbs and they suggested ‘raging waves crash’ and ‘squawking parrots.’

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Commentary

16. Where teachers give clear explanations and demonstrate strategies for learning pupils achieve well. This gives pupils the confidence to work independently. A very good Year 6 English lesson had varied activities, was sharp, focused and was delivered with enthusiasm. Pupils were engaged, remained interested and made very good progress in their understanding of autobiographical writing.

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Commentary

17. Teachers are very good at teaching the basic skills in literacy and numeracy. This is because lessons are well structured towards the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. There is a good emphasis on the development of reading, spelling, writing and calculating skills. Well-led discussions and work in pairs and groups ensure that all pupils make very good progress in Bandon Hill Primary School- 13 developing their speaking and listening skills. Pupils therefore make very good progress when compared with the low standards on entry.

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Commentary

18. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are very good. They support teachers’ planning and ensure the needs of all pupils are met including those with special needs. Pupils’ progress is tracked through the school and teachers set individual targets for improvement. These are communicated well to the pupils and contribute to the raising of standards. Lower attaining pupils are supported well by teaching assistants and make good progress. In the Foundation Stage, assessments made on a daily basis enable adults to see how well children are progressing and thus give appropriate support.

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Commentary

19. Marking is always supportive and praises pupils’ work. In the very best examples, pupils are given clear guidance on how to improve their work. However, this is not consistent throughout the school and marking does not give enough guidance to pupils on how they can improve and extend their learning still further.

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The curriculum

The breadth of the curriculum is very good and overall the provision is good. The opportunities for enrichment are good. The accommodation and resources are also good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good, comprehensive planning with clear concise guidance and learning objectives for all pupils. • Very good equality of access and opportunity for all pupils including those with special needs. It is fully inclusive. • Very good planning in lessons for the teaching of pupils with special needs. • Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well considered and incorporated into the fabric of the school. • The curriculum is accessible to everyone. • Classrooms and the school grounds are imaginative and stimulating places that support pupils’ learning well. • There are strong and effective links across the curriculum.

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Commentary

20. The school has established very good practices to ensure that the curriculum experienced by pupils is stimulating and challenging. It provides well for pupils of all abilities. The planning for pupils with special educational needs is very good and there is close liaison as pupils move through the school to ensure progress is maximised from year to year. Teachers and teaching assistants work hard to ensure that everyone is well briefed about lessons and how all pupils’ needs may be effectively met.

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Commentary

21. The setting of individual targets, in consultation with pupils and parents, in English, mathematics and PSHE, is innovative practice and has a positive impact on standards and on the ethos of the school. The curriculum is fully inclusive, as it caters well for pupils of different backgrounds, for pupils with statements of special educational need and for those pupils with English as an additional language. In addition, the creative planning and teaching that pervades the school provides for a range of different learning styles. For example, in a Year 6 Mathematics lesson, a teaching assistant supported pupils in solving problems on ratio by using computer software that was highly visual and stimulating. The pupils made very good progress and achieved well and, in discussion with each pupil, it was agreed that they learned a difficult concept more easily through the visual learning opportunity provided by the computer activity. In a Year 1 class, pupils are learning

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Commentary

sign language so that a pupil who has difficulty speaking is supported not only by the teaching assistant but by her peers as well. Bandon Hill Primary School- 14 22. Pupils are prepared very well for the transfer to the high schools and there are a number of curriculum links involving mathematics and science. Parents and pupils value the school’s endeavours to make the transfer process smooth and problem free. The process ensures that pupils have a good understanding of the expectations ahead and all look forward to their next stage of education.

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Commentary

23. There are strong links with parents through information evenings, workshops, and curriculum newsletters. The mathematics co-ordinator has recently designed an impressive revision guide for Year 3 and 4 pupils and parents and plans to extend this to other year groups in due course.

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Commentary

24. The school provides a good range of activities out of the normal school day and staff show a high level of commitment by offering a broad choice of activities including different sports, art and music. These activities are appreciated by pupils and are well attended.

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Commentary

25. The school’s accommodation is good. Recent extensions to the accommodation, bringing all pupils and staff under one roof, have improved the facilities considerably. The classrooms are used creatively and displays are colourful, linked to the curriculum and stimulating for the whole school community. Some class sizes, in terms of pupil numbers, are large and, at times, space is at a premium. However, the very good planning of the staff and the good behaviour of the pupils minimises any negative impact. The provision of a dedicated new ICT suite has had a marked impact on standards.

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Commentary

26. The school has invested wisely in new learning resources and these have added extra quality to provision. There is a good number of teaching and support staff with the correct qualifications and a range of expertise to meet the needs of the curriculum. The Foundation Stage staff are experienced and very knowledgeable about children of this age. Nursery nurses and classroom assistants complement the work of class teachers very well. They offer much support to all the children,

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Care, guidance and support

The school’s provision for children’s care and welfare and compliance with statutory health and safety requirements is very good overall. The school values pupils’ views and opinions and acts on them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Procedures to make sure pupils are safe are very good overall. • Induction procedures are good and pupils receive very good support during their time in school. • The school actively seeks and values the views of pupils.

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Commentary

27. The school takes very good care of its pupils. The procedures for Child Protection are well known to staff and they are well informed about issues. There is good liaison with outside agencies that support the school when issues arise. The school is kept clean and in good repair, and the pupils take very great care of their environment. The school has been innovative on maximising the use of the limited tarmac playground space for the number of pupils.

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Commentary

28. The school has very good monitoring systems. The staff, pupils and parents meet in the autumn term to set individual maths, English and PHSE targets for all the pupils so that they know what they are aiming for to reach the next level in their learning. The progress that pupils make towards their targets is regularly reviewed with parents and pupils. Staff know the pupils very well. Pupils feel valued and know that there is an adult that they can go to if they are worried about Bandon Hill Primary School- 15 something. Pupils’ questionnaires and discussions indicate that they very much like their teachers and enjoy coming to school. Personal achievements are celebrated regularly in assemblies, and pupils appreciate this.

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Commentary

29. The school has very good induction arrangements for children joining Reception. Home visits and the fact that the vast majority have attended the nursery on the same site make a positive contribution to this process. Children are settled into full time school gradually and are very confident with school routines. The school has very good links with the local secondary schools, so that when the time comes for the pupils to transfer to secondary education, they are well prepared. Some pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 visit two of the secondary schools for master classes in mathematics and science. The school has introduced the secondary scheme of issuing every pupil from Year 3 to Year 6 with a personal school diary to record each day matters requiring attention. Pupils feel this is a very helpful tool for their move into Year 7, it gives them confidence and they are able to settle quickly into their new schools.

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Commentary

30. The school’s involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is very good. There is a school council, elected from each class that discusses issues, such as the need for a tuck shop and playground equipment. They feed back their decisions to the head-teacher and the school at assembly.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Overall, the school’s partnership with parents and other schools is very good. Links with the local community are very good. This results in parents being fully involved in their children’s learning and pupils being fully prepared for the next stage of their education. There are good links with other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have very positive views of the school and, as a result, feel included in their children’s learning. • Links with the local community are very good, and the pupils benefit from various visits. • The school has very effective links with local playgroups and secondary schools and this makes transfer from one to another very easy for the pupils.

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Commentary

31. The school has very good links with parents. This makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ learning, for example, such as the way parents support the sending of work for their children to do at home. There is a very active Parents/Staff Association that raises money for the school and organises social events. Parents are very confident that the school is doing a good job, and believe that the school keeps them well informed about how well their children are doing. Parents’ evenings are very well attended and the school deals with complaints effectively. The information that the school provides for parents is plentiful and comprehensive. Year group newsletters detail topics that are being covered. Parents are kept well informed on how their children are progressing towards their targets in English and mathematics and PHSE. The views of a sample of parents are sought annually and suggestions used to inform the school improvement plan.

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Commentary

32. The school has very good links with the community. They use the area extensively as a resource to support pupils’ learning. For example, Year 1 walked to the local church for a talk by the vicar as part of their history lesson. The local park is also used as a resource to compensate for the school not having a large field. Pupils invite residents from the local home for the elderly for tea and help bake the cakes. They also support fund-raising events and hold Harvest festivals and Christmas fairs. The school also participates in many sporting events across the borough.

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Commentary

33. Children are helped to settle quickly and confidently into school life by the well-established links with local playgroups and the nursery. There are also very good links with local secondary Bandon Hill Primary School- 16 schools, and pupils have opportunities to visit and become accustomed to life in a much bigger school. Former pupils frequently return to the school. It also offers work placement opportunities for these pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are excellent. Governance is very good. The head- teacher is well supported by the two deputy head-teachers and the senior management team. Subject co-ordinators are keen and enthusiastic and very knowledgeable in their subject areas. All of this supports the very high standards, which pupils achieve, and has a very positive effect on the ethos and learning environment in the school. The principles of best value are central to the school’s management.

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Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income £1137237.81 Balance from previous year £89956.90 Total expenditure £1154666.27 Balance carried forward to the next £72528.46 Expenditure per pupil £2318.61

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a very clear vision and high aspirations for the school. • Leaders inspire and motivate both staff and pupils. • The school undertakes rigorous self-evaluation and uses the findings effectively. • The governing body has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and is a challenging force in helping to move the school forward. • There is strong strategic planning which reflects and promotes the school’s ambitions and goals.

p.16

Commentary

34. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership. Her energy, enthusiasm and very high aspirations for the achievement of all children in her care are a mainstay behind the high standards, which children achieve. She is very well supported by other key staff. The head-teacher has a very clear vision of where the school is, and where it needs to go next. The excellent self-evaluation which the school undertakes, underlines the very positive way in which any areas which are identified as needing improvement, however slight, are acted upon immediately. This ensures that all children are given every conceivable opportunity to achieve to the best of their ability.

p.16

Commentary

35. Planning, teaching and learning are regularly monitored and constructive feedback given to all staff to continuously strive to improve the teaching and learning, which children receive. This results in very good teaching and learning across the school, and culminates in the very good progress and high standards, which the children reach.

p.16

Commentary

36. The governing body shares the headteacher’s clear vision for the development of the school. Governors are well informed and come into school regularly. They challenge and yet at the same time are very supportive. They are actively involved in the development of the detailed and well-focused school improvement plan and are regularly updated about all developments within the school.

p.16

Commentary

37. Professional development of all staff is very good. Teachers and support staff receive regular updates and training. Latest updates are disseminated amongst all staff, and each stage in Bandon Hill Primary School- 17 the school knows what happens before it and what comes after it. This is a very positive part of the leadership of the school; it ensures that all staff are aware of what they need to achieve for the next stage of each child’s progress and individual development.

p.16

Commentary

38. The budget is administered well and the governing body oversees actions. The school spends a great deal of money in carrying out the strategic planning which they have identified as needing to continue to attain high standards. For example, there are very good support staff who have a positive effect on raising standards amongst children. The school is in a very fortunate and unusual position to have two non-class based deputies, who are able to support the head teacher very well by taking on some of the managerial roles in the school and teaching smaller groups of children who are identified as in need of greater support. Again, this has a very positive effect on the standards achieved by children. Bandon Hill Primary School- 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is one of the strengths of the school. Very good teaching and effective use of assessment and records of learning help the children to achieve well and make good progress. All staff are fully involved in teaching and bring enthusiasm, patience and understanding to the children’s learning. They work effectively as a team, planning carefully to provide children with a wide range of experiences matched to the needs of all children including those with special educational needs. The accommodation and resources are very good. There was no reference to children in the Foundation Stage in the previous inspection and therefore comparisons cannot be made.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children achieve very well because the very good teaching ensures they are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions at an early age. • They behave very well and quickly settle into daily routines. • The children reach standards expected for their age by the end of the year, even though standards are below average when they start.

p.18

Commentary

39. Children make good progress from a below average starting point and by the end of the time in the Reception classes, most children are likely to achieve the early learning goals. This good progress is the result of clear expectations and well-established daily routines. Nursery children are soon able to make informed choices about which activity they would like to do and are aware of the importance of sharing resources and returning things to the correct place. All adults in both the nursery and Reception classes have high expectations of how children should work and play together and this results in the very good behaviour throughout the Foundation Stage. Relationships are very positive and help to play a significant part in the children’s learning. Children enter school full of enthusiasm and are keen to become involved in all the activities. All adults encourage the development of social skills in a variety of ways. For example, children were encouraged to take

p.18

Commentary

turns when using the computer and when using instruments in a music session, this developed their confidence.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Despite the low attainment of many on entry to school, children make good progress and work hard to make some improvements in their basic speaking, reading and writing. • Teachers and support staff take every opportunity to develop the children’s language skills through initiating conversation and joining in with play. Bandon Hill Primary School- 19

p.18

Commentary

40. Few of the children are likely to attain the early learning goals by the end of the Reception year because of the poor language skills many of them have when they start school. However, they make good progress because language development is a key part of every day and staff reinforce vocabulary at every opportunity. Provision such as the role-play area for the Baby Clinic encourages children to talk to each other. In Reception, children are encouraged to explain clearly what they want to do, and adults are very good at listening carefully and asking just the right questions to help the children communicate effectively.

p.19

Commentary

41. In both the nursery and Reception, the very good teaching is characterised by a good understanding of the needs of young children and high, but realistic, expectations of what they can achieve. This ensures that children begin to learn to read and write in a systematic way, building up phonic knowledge and making good attempts at writing down their thoughts. Good use of assessment by all adults ensures that children make good progress and are set targets for improvement.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff give children a wide range of practical experiences to develop their understanding of number and size. • Most children are on course to achieve the standards expected for their age.

p.19

Commentary

42. Overall, children’s attainment in mathematics is good. They achieve well through very good teaching. Adults take every opportunity to develop the children’s mathematical skills and particularly the development of mathematical language.

p.19

Commentary

43. In the nursery children looked for the biggest, middle size and smallest bears to match to beds, chairs and bowls. Very good questioning by the teacher made the children think carefully before choosing their bear. In Reception, children can say which child is taller or shorter when two children stand back to back. They then develop their skills further by comparing the lengths of straws. Very good teacher explanations further developed the children’s understanding by explaining that because a bottle full of water was taller did not automatically mean that it held more water than another shorter, wider bottle. Children then explored this concept practically with a teaching assistant. The children made ‘worms’ and counted 10 or 20 and identified which were longer and which were shorter.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

44. Most children are on course to reach the goals expected for their age by the end of the Reception year.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

45. Staff plan an interesting range of activities which help children learn about the world about them. Bandon Hill Primary School- 20 46. Most children are likely to be working at the expected levels in this area of learning by the end of the Reception year and achieve well. The attractive displays and photographs show evidence of the exciting activities that children are offered. They build structures using large and small construction sets. The nursery home corner and ‘Baby Clinic’ provide a good source of language and ideas whilst the children are constantly exploring sand, water and play dough. Children take part in discussions to raise awareness of their own traditions and those of other cultures. Photographic evidence shows children lighting candles for Hanukkah and celebrating Christmas and Easter. All children have good access to ICT with computers and listening centres available in the classroom. In

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

the nursery children can operate the mouse to click on icons when using a number program.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good outdoor accommodation that can be used flexibly and imaginatively. • Most children are on course to achieve the standards expected for their age.

p.20

Commentary

47. Children have access to very good indoor and outdoor facilities that encourage them to learn quickly and make good progress. Reception children show good control and co-operation when using wheeled toys built for two children and are aware of themselves and others in the outdoor area. Children show good manipulative skills when handling dough, scissors and small toys. Adults give the children good opportunities to explore a wide range of tools and encourage the children to use resources imaginatively.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most children are likely to achieve the standards expected for their age by the end of the Reception year. • Music is an important feature of the curriculum.

p.20

Commentary

48. Children have access to a range of activities such as modelling dough and paint. They use collage materials to decorate fish of different sizes which links with their mathematical learning. Children are taught basic skills and techniques in their creative work and this is reflected in their work. In two very good music lessons children in the nursery and Reception used a wide variety of musical instruments with delight and increasing confidence. In Reception they recognise instruments by name and are beginning to identify them by sound. Children’s creative skills are developed further through activities in the role-play areas. Children use these resources well. In the ‘Baby Clinic’ staff encourage children’s spoken language as they compare and weigh dolls. Bandon Hill Primary School- 21

p.20

ENGLISH

The overall provision in English is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching with high expectations. • Very good use of the literacy strategy. • Very good speaking and listening and range and quality of pupils’ writing. • Very good leadership and management. • Very effective assessment. • There is a slight dip in writing in the 2003 test results. • Marking is positive and supportive but does not always identify what the pupil needs to do to improve.

p.21

Commentary

49. Evidence shows that at this stage in the school year standards in the subject are above average in reading and writing in Year 2 and Year 6. This represents very good progress from below average standards on entry. Standards are similar to those seen at the last inspection. Information from the 2003 tests indicates a dip in the standards in writing. The school has already taken action to address this issue. The quality and range of writing seen on inspection indicates this is already having a positive impact on standards.

p.21

Commentary

50. Teaching in the subject is very good throughout the school. This accounts for the high standards achieved and the very good progress in learning. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and make effective use of the National Literacy Strategy. They plan systematically so that skills can be practised and developed from Year’s 1 to 6. A strong emphasis on teaching sounds in Years 1 and 2 ensures pupils are able to read key words and develop the skills to read unfamiliar words. For example, in a stimulating and challenging Year 1 lesson pupils searched for ‘secret words’ in a letter from Teddy. They made very good progress and identified ‘am’ in pyramid. Pupils read fluently and with very good expression by the end of Year 6. They understand how to use non-fiction books to gather information and use the Internet to research topics further.

p.21

Commentary

51. Teachers have high expectations of behaviour. Therefore by the end of Year 2 pupils have well-developed listening skills. This ensures that they learn new work quickly and well. By Year 6 pupils’ speaking and listening skills have continued to develop. Nearly all are confident about speaking in groups and paired discussions. This is because teachers are very good at managing discussions and encouraging pupils to reflect on and explain their answers. For example in a very good Year 6 lesson on similar words, pupils’ answers were thoughtful and well considered. They described ‘massive’ as having depth and ‘vast’ as open space.

p.21

Commentary

52. Pupils produce poems and writing of a high quality. This is because well-led discussions ensure pupils develop an extensive and varied vocabulary and have a good understanding of rhyme and rhythm. For example in a very good Year 4 lesson, pupils were able to recognise different rhyming patterns and give very good examples of powerful verbs. Higher attaining Year 6 pupils show a good understanding of writing for different purposes. They know that a diary is ‘very personal’ and expresses feelings and points of view. They know how to plan a story in order to ‘get inside a character.’ In a lively Year 6 lesson lower attaining pupils ‘justified’ their preferences for two different poems. They used their knowledge of rhyme and rhythm to write short witty poems based such as: ‘Who’s that? Cousin Luke. He’s scored a goal. Lucky fluke.’ Bandon Hill Primary School- 22 53. Based on below average attainment on entry pupils’ achievement in English by the end of

p.21

Commentary

Year 2 is good and by the end of Year 6 it is very good. This is because pupils of all abilities are challenged well. Teachers plan carefully to ensure that all pupils understand the task and are given support when needed. Effective use is made of teaching assistants. Therefore, pupils with special educational needs make very good progress.

p.22

Commentary

54. The school’s methods to assess pupils’ progress are very good. Rigorous analysis of test results and regular checks of pupils’ learning give teachers a clear idea of individual pupils’ strengths and enable them to rectify weaknesses. Marking is very good in recognising pupils’ achievements and in the best examples identifies what the pupils need to do to improve. This is not consistent across all years.

p.22

Commentary

55. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. Standards of teaching and learning are monitored and evaluated well. Therefore, the school is in a position to take early action for example in the development of writing and continuing to extend the reading scheme.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

56. Pupils have the opportunity to develop their writing skills in other areas of the curriculum. They write at length in subjects such as science, history and geography. In science they write reports of experiments and in geography write sensitive responses to environmental issues. History provides opportunities for Year 6 pupils to write in role and develop an understanding of a period of history. In a piece of emotive writing on the imagined death of friend in an air raid during World War 2 a pupil wrote:

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

‘I cried heavily this afternoon still feeling very scared and solitary. Why? Why, did the most special friend I have ever had die?……I burst into a dreadful rage and frustration shot through my veins like speeding armour. Distress and loneliness has overtook me but there is nothing I can do to bring him back…nothing.’

p.22

English as an Additional language

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school ensures that there is equality of opportunity for all § Teachers work hard so that children with EAL are well supported in their literacy and particularly writing development. • Effective targets are being set for the achievement of minority ethic pupils

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

57. The achievement of pupils with English as an additional language is good. School evaluation shows no evidence of underachievement in relation to ethnic background. Learning support teachers specifically support those small numbers of pupils identified as learning English as an additional language. However, there are very few pupils in the school who are newcomers to the learning of English. Many are second and third generation children who are quite fluent in English. The good emphasis which the school puts on the learning of English and the current focus on the improvement of writing in the school is also a major support for EAL pupils and allows them to achieve as well as their peers, and to reach good standards in English. Bandon Hill Primary School- 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership and management of the subject are good. • The quality of teaching is good and, in some classes, the teaching is very good. • There are very good assessment and monitoring procedures which contribute to the good progress of all pupils. • The planning of the mathematics curriculum is comprehensive and thorough. • More opportunities should be given to pupils, especially in Years 5 and 6, to develop their investigative skills. • Marking is thorough but does not always give guidance to pupils on how to improve their learning further.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

58. By Year 2 and Year 6, pupils attain above average standards and achieve well given their average standards on entry. This demonstrates good progress throughout the school and clearly shows that the school consistently adds value to the education of its pupils over time.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

59. Standards have improved since the last inspection through enhanced planning, sharper tracking of pupil progress and more effective self-evaluation which has helped identify good practice and improved teaching. Assessment is even more rigorous and has a positive impact on pupil outcomes.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

60. By Year 2, nearly all pupils are confident in the handling of number and use their skills effectively to solve simple number problems. Pupils use a range of strategies to add and subtract accurately. They have a very good grasp of the concept of shape and can describe the properties of two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes competently.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

61. By Year 6, nearly all pupils have very good mental recall of number facts and use pencil and paper methods to solve problems involving multiplication and division. They demonstrate good understanding of decimals, fractions and percentages and can solve simple problems involving ratio and proportion. Pupils are confident in handling data and recording their results in graphs and charts. They use computers competently to enter their data into spreadsheets in order to present their results effectively.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

62. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school and there are examples of very good practice in Years 2, 4 and 6. Lesson planning is very thorough and effectively meets the needs of all pupils. Teaching assistants are well informed and they support pupils sensitively, providing feedback to the teacher on the progress made in the lesson. In the main, lessons are well paced and time is used very effectively. Resources are well prepared in all lessons and learning is enhanced by the close monitoring of pupils on task.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

63. In a very good Year 2 lesson, for example, pupils made very good progress in exploring the properties of two-dimensional shapes (2D). Their learning was enhanced by the well-structured teaching and the colourful resources made available. The teacher introduced the vocabulary associated with the shapes and regularly checked and reinforced pupils’ learning through constant dialogue and questioning. She used praise effectively and encouraged pupils to use the vocabulary accurately. Pupils assisted each other in spelling words such as pentagon, square and hexagon and showed good levels of independence. The teaching assistant supported the work of the teacher very effectively and kept records of how the children under her guidance were progressing.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

64. In one very good lesson in Year 6, pupils achieved well above average standards when solving problems with ratio. The pupils worked well independently and tackled the tasks, that were well matched to their ability, with enthusiasm. They showed perseverance when the challenge was high and used a range of strategies including multiplication and division to calculate the ratio of a Bandon Hill Primary School- 24 given problem. The quality of the teaching enabled this to happen as the lesson was very well planned, the teacher gave well-structured examples and clear explanations in order to enhance the pupils’ learning. She used calm and assertive classroom management strategies to keep pupils focused and on task. A teaching assistant was very well deployed in working with a group of pupils from the class in the nearby ICT suite, where they tackled problems involving ratio, using software well matched to the learning objectives.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

65. The planning of lessons is thorough and comprehensively meets the needs of all pupils. The planning is supported by very good assessment procedures. There is rigorous study of the national test results, as well as the optional tests used within the school. This identifies areas of the curriculum that need to be revisited as well as identifying individuals or groups of children who need extra support. The co-ordinator provides in-class support to some of these pupils in order to raise their confidence and self-esteem. Good planning and thorough assessment have contributed significantly to the high standards. More opportunity, however, should be given to pupils, especially in Years 5 and 6, to develop their investigational skills through the experience of solving more open- ended problems. This will help develop their skills of making predictions, pattern seeking, generalising and report writing in mathematics.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

66. Marking is prompt and positive though there were few examples of marking that gave guidance to pupils on how they can improve and extend their learning further. In a good example of such marking in Year 2, the teacher gave positive feedback and indicated where a pupil had misunderstood part of the work. The teacher gave a further explanation in writing and set the pupil another problem example of the same type, which the pupil subsequently solved successfully.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

67. Leadership and management are good and have contributed significantly to the raising of standards in mathematics. The subject co-ordinator uses every opportunity to monitor teaching and learning through classroom observation, work scans and the review of planning. She has a clear understanding of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and has initiated appropriate action to raise standards further.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

68. The school is very successful in improving pupils’ understanding of mathematics across other subjects. In science, design technology and information and communication technology (ICT), for example, pupils are given opportunity to extend their mathematical skills through measurement, handling data, and through the use of spreadsheets and databases. In addition, pupils use direction and angles to program robots to follow specific paths or, on screen, to draw a range of two- dimensional shapes.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards throughout the school are above average. • Teaching is very good. • Very good assessment procedures. • Marking is carried out consistently but does not always inform pupils of the next steps.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

69. Pupils achieve well to reach above average standards in their work by the end of Year 2 and 6. This is similar to the previous inspection. Information from the 2003 tests indicates maintenance of these high levels. Pupils with special educational needs make the same progress as their classmates because they are well supported. Bandon Hill Primary School- 25 70. Teaching in lessons observed was good. Analysis of pupils’ work indicates that teaching overall is very good and that all teachers are diligent in teaching the factual content of science. Teachers promote pupils’ use of scientific vocabulary very effectively, enabling them to express their ideas clearly in discussion and writing. Most teachers plan and deliver good or very good lessons. They are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and well prepared. Pupils are well motivated because of the way teachers present learning with a good range of practical activities. This allows pupils to learn

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

and develop scientific skills through first hand experiences. Because of this pupils are highly motivated and keen to learn.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

71. Pupils in Year 2, when learning about sound, link their knowledge to practical tasks and make model instruments that represent different sounds. In Year 3, pupils are able to predict which materials magnets are attracted to and know that magnetic force will pass through some materials. They carry out a fair test and most pupils are able to draw conclusions from their results. In a good Year 6 lesson pupils understand how animals adapt to their habitats. They work co-operatively, discussing the information and forming conclusions. Pupils feed back their findings orally prior to recording in a given format. Analysis of work shows that they are able to record findings using tables, annotated diagrams and can construct branching keys.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

72. In their planning, teachers demonstrate a very good understanding of the needs of all pupils. This is because of the very effective assessment and monitoring procedures that are in place. Regular assessment of pupils’ progress in lessons enables teachers to accurately match work to pupils’ needs. Teachers mark the pupils’ work conscientiously. It is usually dated and accompanied by a positive comment. However, teachers do not often identify how pupils might further improve their work.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

73. The co-ordinator leads and manages the subject very effectively. Standards of teaching and learning are monitored and evaluated well. Leadership and management of the subject are very good because of the rigorous analysis of statutory and optional tests. This identifies areas of the curriculum that need more work and is an important feature in the raising of standards.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is very good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are significant improvements since the last inspection. • Very good leadership and management. • Very good planning and monitoring procedures. • The quality of teaching throughout the school in this subject. • Computer software is well matched to learning objectives. • Teachers are confident and demonstrate good subject knowledge.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

74. Standards by Year 2 and Year 6 are above average and all pupils achieve well. This represents a significant improvement on the previous inspection and the school is justifiably proud of the progress made.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

75. The effective teaching of ICT in Years 1 and 2 provides a good foundation for the development of skills, knowledge and understanding throughout the school. In Years 1 and 2, pupils develop good basic skills in word processing and are able to program small robots to follow a given track on the floor. They have a growing awareness of how to use the keyboard effectively and can talk, in simple terms, about the uses of ICT in the outside world. By Year 6, pupils use computers well and many are able to draft and edit text, create multimedia presentations and use spreadsheets to analyse and present data graphically. They use the Internet to research other aspects of learning, for example, history and can undertake searches on the Internet for a given theme. Bandon Hill Primary School- 26 76. The significant improvements since the last inspection are as a result of the very good leadership and management of the subject. In addition, the provision of a dedicated ICT suite with

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

interactive whiteboard and timetabled ICT lessons from Years R to 6 have contributed considerably to the raising of standards.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

77. Teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence have been enhanced through the very good use of training and this is evident in the way they plan and deliver lessons. Planning is detailed and is well tuned to pupils’ needs and, as a consequence, pupils’ learning is sequential and progressive. In a Year 2 lesson, for example, pupils entered previously gathered data on their birthdays into a simple spreadsheet program and created their own bar charts of their results. The teacher developed the pupils’ understanding further by asking high order questions about the graphs. She then encouraged, through judicious praise, the pupils themselves to ask demanding questions about the data. The pupils showed good early interpretation skills and achieved well as a result. In a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils were developing a multimedia presentation on an interest of their choice. The teacher set out clear learning objectives for the lesson and challenged pupils through demanding

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

questioning. Through the use of the interactive whiteboard a pupil modelled how to adapt the presentation to include moving clipart. This directly impacted on the quality of other presentations as pupils adapted their ideas accordingly.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

78. The co-ordinator has a clear vision for ICT in the future and has in place a range of strategies to monitor the progress of pupils’ learning. The purchase of software to enhance the wider curriculum has been very successful in raising standards and highlighting the importance of ICT to other subjects. A strength of the teaching is the way in which the software is well tuned to the learning objectives of the lesson and the needs of the pupils.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

79. In a scrutiny of pupils’ work very good examples of the application of ICT to other subjects was evident in art: looking at the work of Pollock; in science through a display on nutrition; in history through a study of the Ancient Egyptians and in mathematics through the construction of pie charts. The initiative of providing a lunchtime ‘drop in clinic’ for ICT, to enable pupils to continue their studies or to use the computers for other learning opportunities, is to be commended.

p.26

HUMANITIES

80. In humanities, work was sampled in history and geography . Only two lessons seen in each and thus it is not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in these subjects. All the evidence indicates that standards are above average by Year 2 and Year 6 and pupils achieve well. Pupils make good progress over time because of the good teaching. This is similar to the previous inspection where standards in geography and history were also high.

p.26

HUMANITIES

81. The quality of teaching in lessons seen was good. Both history and geography are used well to promote literacy. The written work in pupils’ books is generally neat and well ordered, but marking does not always inform pupils of the next step. Good cross-curricular links in history and geography are promoted well in Year 2 where pupils write postcards from the seaside as it was one hundred years ago. Pupils make comparisons between modern and old-fashioned objects at the seaside. This helps to develop the skill of historical enquiry. They also use geographical vocabulary and have some basic knowledge about where seaside towns are on maps of the British Isles. By Year 6 pupils study coastal landforms, producing well-labelled diagrams to show how beaches are built. A good Year 6 lesson on World War 2 produced emotive writing about the death of a friend during an air raid. Because of good teaching pupils are interested and enthusiastic, one commenting, ‘History is great,

p.26

HUMANITIES

it’s really interesting – Britain in the 1940’s – I’m learning lots.’

p.26

HUMANITIES

82. The leadership and management of both subjects is good. Co-ordinators are given release time to monitor teaching and pupils’ work during the year. The curriculum is linked to national guidance and support materials. This means that pupils study a well-balanced range of topics. The Bandon Hill Primary School- 27 long-term plan is modified to meet the needs of the school. This, coupled with good assessment procedures, helps to raise the standards in both subjects.

p.26

Religious Education

The provision for religious education is satisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject meets the statutory requirements as laid down by the locally agreed syllabus. • Pupils achieve satisfactorily and reach the standards anticipated for their age. • Spelling of technical words such as Buddha are not always corrected.

p.27

Commentary

83. Provision and standards in this subject have remained broadly similar since the previous inspection. Only two lessons were observed in Key Stage 2 and none in Key Stage 1 because of the way the curriculum was planned during the time of the inspection. The pupils’ work was analysed and some Year 6 pupils talked enthusiastically about Buddhism. There is a clear structure to the overall curriculum. This ensures that pupils study a broad and balanced range of topics during their time in school. In a good Year 6 lesson pupils were engrossed in writing about special things which would calm their minds if they took them into a shrine. The playing of calming music helped pupils to concentrate and work in silence. Therefore they made good progress in the lesson. Pupils later commented that ‘I didn’t use to like RE but now, learning about Buddhism,’ it’s great.’ Most pupils achieve satisfactorily.

p.27

Commentary

84. The management of the subject is good. Co-ordinator release time is carefully planned and regular assessment of pupils is carried out using a grid to record information.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. Due to the timetable arrangements only two lessons in art and design were observed, one in the infants and one in the juniors. No lessons in design and technology were seen. Pupils’ work on walls, around the school and in sketchbooks was observed.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. The quality of teaching observed in the one lesson seen in art in Year 6 was very good and in Year 2 it was good. The very good subject knowledge, very good pace and specific direct teaching of developing artistic skills really enhanced pupils’ learning. The examination of pupil’s work shows the quality of teaching to be at least good, throughout the school, with pupils producing paintings, drawings and three-dimensional models to a standard above national expectations. Pupils work to an above average standard in a variety of media, including, paint, pencil, pastels, charcoal and crayons. They study and re-create painting in the style of a wide variety of modern and classical artists, and are developing a good knowledge of the different styles of different artists. Pupils throughout the school show a real enjoyment of art and their interest in the subject is reflected in the way in which they concentrate and strive to achieve high standards.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. At this early time in the school year there is little design and technology work to look at, but from evidence available from last year, standards are above those found nationally. Evidence from displays of pupils’ work show that at both key stages they are given many and varied opportunities to design things. During the summer term the school held a design and technology day in which all children throughout the school from nursery to Year 6 were involved in designing and making different things: for example, designing and making hats in nursery through to different styles of glasses to Year 6 where they were set the task of designing the packaging to protect an egg. A good standard of work is achieved in pupils’ work on textiles and designing. Pupils also work in clay and there are some good model statues made by pupils in Year 3. Bandon Hill Primary School- 28

p.27

Music

The provision in music is very good and a strength of the school.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A specialist music teacher provides consistently high standards of teaching in music for all pupils from nursery to Year 6. • The very good subject knowledge and very high expectations of the specialist teacher enable pupils to achieve very high standards in music • Pupils have many opportunities and are encouraged to participate and to achieve regardless of their individual abilities in a wide range of musical activities, such as musical productions, choirs, and recorder groups.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

88. The specialist music teacher has very strong subject knowledge which she shares with her pupils with great passion. Her energy and enthusiasm along with her very high aspirations for her pupils inspire and motivate children to achieve their best at all times in this subject. Teaching sets high but realistic challenges which result in pupils achieving well above national expectations for their age. There is a very good scheme of work, written by the music specialist, and it is enhanced by excellent assessment procedures. This allows the teacher to easily see how quickly children progress in their learning and exactly what level they are at.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

89. There is a thriving school choir open to all children from Year 4 upwards, along with recorder clubs where children learn to play to a very high standard. Children also have the opportunity to perform in concerts and other productions, which are popular and very well received by parents and friends of the school. All children are offered the chance to sing, compose, appreciate and perform in their music lessons whilst also learning about other aspects of music. There are very good opportunities created by the music teacher, in close liaison with class teachers, where music is related to other areas of the curriculum. For example, children learning about Henry V111 are able to listen and learn about music from his period of history, including how to perform dances held at his court. Likewise Year 6 pupils who are learning about Britain since the 1930s are studying the development of popular music from this era. This gives children a wonderful opportunity

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Main strengths and weaknesses

to learn about music from other eras and cultures and greatly enhances their musical knowledge and understanding.

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Physical Education

The provision for physical education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are enthusiastic and display a good attitude. • A good range of extra-curricular activities help to develop teamwork. • The school makes the best use of limited outdoor space. • Pupil’s evaluation of his or her own work is not well developed.

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Commentary

90. Standards by the end of Years 2 and 6 are average. This is the same as standards seen at the last inspection. Pupils’ progress is satisfactory.

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Commentary

91. Teaching was satisfactory in the two lessons seen. Lessons were well planned and effectively managed. This meant that pupils were quickly on task and no time was wasted. Teachers ensured that pupils warmed up in both lessons. Good questioning in the Year 5 lesson developed the pupils’ understanding of ‘warming up’ before playing games. In a Year 2 gymnastics lesson good explanations helped pupils to balance on ‘small bases’ and ‘large bases.’ Bandon Hill Primary School- 29 92. Pupils work hard and display a good attitude during lessons. They respond positively and work well together when organising equipment. In a Year 2 gymnastics lesson they showed good body control balancing on different parts of their body. Year 5 pupils had good spatial awareness and knew the value of ‘Teamwork.’ Year 2 and Year 5 pupils had the opportunity to evaluate and reflect on their work. However, these evaluations were not used to refine and improve performance.

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Commentary

93. Leadership and management in the subject are satisfactory. Documentation is in place, which supports teachers in their planning. The school makes good use of limited outside space during lesson time and by providing a range of extra curricular activities these include; tag rugby, kwik cricket, netball and football. A netball practice was well attended during the inspection.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

94. Provision for pupils’ personal and social education is good. Individual targets are set termly in PSHE for pupils to aim for. There are regular sessions of circle time and pupils’ views are regularly listened to through the school council and various reviews Bandon Hill Primary School- 30

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 1 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the head-teacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 1 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Bandon Hill Primary School- 31

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