Battyeford CofE (VC) Primary School

BATTYEFORD CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 8 th October 2003

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BATTYEFORD CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Battyeford CE 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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BATTYEFORD CE 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. Battyeford CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 402

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Nab Lane Mirfield West Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01924 326 530 Fax number: 01924 326 531

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Miss Jane Armitage

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Battyeford Church of England Primary School is much larger than the average primary school. It has just over 400 pupils on roll and is voluntary controlled. Socio-economic circumstances are average. The school has a new nursery which opened in September 2003 and which admits children part time. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is generally average. From Year 3 upwards, the school admits up to sixteen pupils with complex specific learning difficulties in a special educational needs unit, fully integrated with the rest of the school. As a result, the school has well above average numbers of pupils with statements of special educational need. Overall, the proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below average at around 15 per cent. The school has no pupils for whom English is an additional language, but the children come from a range of different heritage backgrounds. The school became an ‘Investor in People’ in 2000 and earlier this year gained the

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Basic Skills Quality Mark. Battyeford CE Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

4483 Jean-Pierre Kirkland Lead inspector Information and communication technology; music; religious education 19339 Susan Evasdaughter Lay inspector 22685 Natalie Moss Team inspector English; geography 32834 Ged Pinder Team inspector Science; design and technology; special educational needs 11528 Michael Wainwright Team inspector Mathematics; history; physical education 30691 Kathleen Yates Team inspector Foundation Stage; art and design

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Battyeford CE 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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This is a very good school characterised by very good achievement and standards that are

well above average. Teaching and learning are good with many very good features. A very good broad curriculum, plus very good leadership from the headteacher and deputy, promote and sustain high standards. The school provides very good value for money.

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This is a very good school characterised by very good achievement and standards that are

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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This is a very good school characterised by very good achievement and standards that are

• very good achievement by pupils of all levels of attainment; • well above average standards by Year 6 in English, science and information and communication technology; above average standards in all other subjects; • very good leadership and management promoting high standards; • a very broad curriculum supported by good learning and teaching; • a very good atmosphere for learning throughout the school; • governors not acting as a strong enough critical friend to the school

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This is a very good school characterised by very good achievement and standards that are

The school has made good progress since it was last inspected. All the key issues identified then have been addressed in full and overall provision has improved. Standards are now higher and pupils achieve better than they did five years ago. The school is well placed to continue to improve.

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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 B B B A mathematics C B B A science D C C 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 overall is very good. Very good progress is made in English, especially in language, information and communication technology and science. Higher-attaining pupils do very well and achieve high standards. Lower-attaining pupils, and especially those with special educational needs, make good progress from the nursery through to the end of Year 2 and very good progress in Years 3 to 6, especially in English and science. Standards are well above average overall by the end of Year 2, with well above average performance in the national tests in 2002 in reading, writing and mathematics. By Year 6, inspectors found standards to be well above average overall. Standards are well above average in English, science and information and communication technology. Standards are above average in mathematics. The national test results for 2002 showed well above average standards in English and mathematics and above average standards in science.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The unconfirmed national tests for 2003 show similarly high standards in English, some decline in mathematics but an improvement in science. Standards are above average in all other subjects. Children in the nursery and reception classes make good progress and most are likely to achieve the expected goals by the end of reception. Achievement is good throughout the nursery and reception. When compared to achievement four years ago in Year 2, the same pupils by Year 6 have Battyeford CE Primary School - 7 made very good progress. This figure includes just those pupils who were common in both sets of tests.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities are very well developed. Pupils show increasing confidence as they mature. They like school and are very keen to work and to learn. Pupils develop very good moral values and very good social skills. Attendance is above average. The school found it necessary to exclude four pupils last year on a temporary basis for unacceptable behaviour.

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The quality of educational provision is very good. Teaching and learning are good with

some very good features. Teachers prepare their lessons very thoroughly, concentrating effectively in their planning on raising the rate of learning. Lessons are interesting and made fun. Pupils learn well because they are interested and quickly engaged in lessons. Pupils are effectively challenged, and those with special learning needs are very well supported.

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The quality of educational provision is very good. Teaching and learning are good with

There is a very good broad curriculum promoting high standards. Many lessons make good links between subjects, such as information and communication technology supporting literacy, mathematics or science. Literacy and numeracy skills are learnt effectively across the curriculum to the benefit of all pupils, but especially lower-attaining pupils. Higher-attaining pupils are challenged to think in the broadest sense, and this improves their overall achievement significantly. Pupils learn effectively in a safe and secure environment. Great prominence is given to pupils’ care and welfare. Good constructive relationships exist with parents, who are involved effectively in their children’s learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership by the headteacher and deputy is very good. This promotes high achievement, high standards and a very good atmosphere for learning. Staff manage their subjects very well and are constantly seeking ways of raising standards. Governors support the school well and have a satisfactory role in fulfilling their duties. They do not, however, hold the school sufficiently to account, and they do not have sufficiently well developed strategies in place for evaluating the overall performance of the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents were generally very pleased with the school, particularly the high standards and good teaching. But they also said they would welcome opportunities to discuss progress in Years 3 to 6 with their children’s class teacher rather than the teacher who takes their group for English or mathematics. Pupils had very positive views of the school. They like seeing their work on display and the extensive playing fields and grounds. They are very enthusiastic about their lessons.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important thing the school should do to improve is:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• ensure that governors are more fully involved in evaluating the performance of the school. Battyeford CE Primary School - 8

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including that of pupils with special educational needs and gifted and talented pupils, is

very good. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good achievement by all pupils. • There are well above average standards in English, science and information and communication technology (ICT) by Year 6. • Pupils reach above average standards in all other subjects. • There is very good achievement by pupils with special educational needs, especially in Years 3 to 6, and higher-attaining pupils. • A good start is made by children to their education in the nursery and reception.

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Commentary

1. Achievement is very good overall. Children enter the school with levels of attainment that are broadly average. Good progress is made throughout the nursery and reception classes, with children acquiring a very sound understanding of the basic skills in literacy, numeracy, scientific investigation and ICT. As they continue to mature, these foundation skills are successively and progressively developed through good teaching and a very broadly based curriculum. By Year 6, achievement is very good in English, especially in reading and writing; achievement is also very good in science, especially in investigative work. There is very good achievement in ICT, in part because it is used very well across the curriculum, supporting learning and achievement in other subjects very effectively. In all other subjects achievement is good. But it is made better across the subjects by the range and breadth of knowledge and

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Commentary

understanding that occurs through a curriculum that allows and encourages pupils to think not just of single subjects but also of connections between them. This learning is supported very well by a wide range of other skills being developed, such as personal and social skills, participation in special accelerated learning days with a thematic approach, and a number of sporting and social clubs, trips and visits. National test results in Years 2 and 6 show very good achievement for 2002. When all pupils who were not present for both sets of tests (because they entered the school late or left early) are removed, the accurate picture is a very healthy one, showing that all groups of pupils, from the high to the low attainers, are making very good gains and achieving very well. Inspectors confirmed these trends during the inspection.

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Commentary

2. Standards are well above average by Year 6 in English, science and ICT. Pupils build very effectively on what has been laid in their foundation classes. They develop well the skills of critical analysis by examining characters in literacy; they undertake scientific investigations, which allow them to make hypotheses and to test them out; they use ICT in a wide range of settings with great confidence, independently logging on, accessing files and saving their work. They understand how effective ICT is in communication, from writing newspapers through to Battyeford CE Primary School - 9 sending and receiving emails. Standards have risen in line with the national trend over the past three years, and are higher now than they were at the time of the previous inspection.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.3 (15.5) 15.8 (15.7)

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Commentary

There were 48 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 28.4 (28.4) 27.0 (27.0) mathematics 28.0 (28.1) 26.7 (26.6) science 29.0 (28.3) 28.3 (28.3) There were 59 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. Standards are above average in Year 2 and Year 6 in all other subjects. This, too, is a better position than at the previous inspection. In mathematics, standards have risen in Year 2 but declined very slightly in Year 6. Over a longer period of time, however, mathematics results have shown a steady rise. The targets set by the school have been reached each year; they are realistic and used effectively to keep standards rising.

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Commentary

4. Pupils with special educational needs, as well as higher-attaining pupils, make very good progress over time. Pupils with special educational needs are well known to staff who cater for them very well overall. Although the degree of additional support is less in Years 1 and 2 than elsewhere, progress in these years is at least good. Teachers plan a modified curriculum or support them through giving extra help and guidance during lessons. In Years 3 to 6, additional support and help is available in many lessons, and the rate of progress is better as a result. Many exciting and high challenges are available for higher-attaining and gifted and talented pupils. In investigations in mathematics or science, or when using ICT, for example, their tasks are far more complex and extend their thinking effectively.

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Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are good; their attitudes and behaviour are very good as

is pupils’ personal development, including its spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are eager to learn because teachers make learning fun. • Pupils’ behaviour around school is exemplary and very good in classrooms because all teachers make the rules and their high expectations clear. • Pupils eagerly take on responsibility due to the way that their contributions to the school are valued. Battyeford CE Primary School - 10 • Pupils of different ethnic heritages are included very well in the social and academic life of the school. • Insufficient opportunities are provided to promote multicultural understanding.

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Commentary

5. Pupils enjoy learning . Pupils express their hunger for learning in a range of topics. They do this through their opinions when they state that they would like yet more opportunity to learn a range of topics within subjects, including mathematics and design and technology. It is not uncommon to hear gasps of delight when a topic such as history or design and technology is introduced and disappointment when the lesson has to come to an end.

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Commentary

6. Pupils and children of all backgrounds cooperate very well together in their play and learning. The school’s close attention to ensuring that pupils are partners in achieving a high standard of behaviour and relationships is very effective. Pupils feel valued and value their teachers and other friends. Pupils are clear about the very high standards that are expected of them in their learning, in their general behaviour and in terms of learning respect for others. Children in the nursery and reception classes benefit from good personal and social development opportunities. They learn to play well together and to take turns. They learn the skills of independence effectively, and the majority is likely to achieve the expected developmental levels by the end of reception.

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Commentary

7. Pupils develop a very good sense of moral responsibility. Assemblies, lessons, time set aside for discussion and the role models provided by teachers are all very effective in ensuring that pupils clearly understand that there is a right and a wrong choice to make in any situation. Teachers use music, art and quiet moments well to help pupils to think more deeply about their ideas and actions.

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Commentary

8. There are very good opportunities to promote social skills. The ‘Befrienders’ club, the School Council and a number of other opportunities, such as a reading club, encourage pupils to help others. These activities raise pupils’ self-esteem and their sense of being a partner in the school community. Pupils from the SEN unit are fully integrated into the life of the school and learn effectively alongside other pupils.

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Commentary

9. Multicultural understanding is not as evident as other areas. Through activities like the Caribbean Day, the school provides opportunities for pupils to appreciate cultural diversity but these opportunities do not pervade the curriculum. Too little use of literature from other cultures is used in English, for example, and as a result pupils do not discover the wider range of literature available to them.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.0 School data 0.2 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. Battyeford CE Primary School - 11

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 352 2 White – any other White background 1 1 Mixed – any other mixed background 0 1 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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attention being paid to pupils’ care and welfare and a constructive relationship with parents,

who support their children’s learning effectively as a result.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are thoroughly prepared and well planned. • Pupils achieve very well because they are effectively challenged. • Work is made interesting and fun and pupils respond very well. • Pupils who have special educational needs are very well supported and learn effectively. • Occasionally, the pace in some lessons slackens and the rate of learning decreases.

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Commentary

10. Teaching is good across the school. This is an improvement since the previous inspection and is partly responsible for the higher standards now being achieved.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 73 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 (0 %) 19 (26 %) 37 (51%) 17 (23%) 0 (0%) 0 (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. Battyeford CE Primary School - 12 11. Teachers plan very well. Individual plans for lessons or groups of lessons are intricate and detailed. Teachers prepare their lessons very effectively to give a range of opportunities for debate and discussion, or experiments and practical sessions. Many lessons include good references to other subjects so that pupils make very good connections across the whole curriculum. In music, for example, teachers highlight technical terms so that learning in literacy is enhanced. In history, teachers use the research facilities of the Internet to a good degree, so that the skills of ICT are consolidated. In science, there are equally very good links to ICT and

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Commentary

12. Challenges are generally high. In most lessons, teachers have high expectations of what pupils might achieve, a positive note recognised by parents. In the nursery and reception classes, teachers and assistants ask purposeful questions which make the children think, especially in literacy and numeracy sessions. Key vocabulary is emphasised and children are encouraged to say words correctly and emphatically. This early focus on key skills is having a positive impact later in the school. In Year 2, teachers challenge pupils to think about what the qualities of good poetry are; in mathematics, pupils are challenged to describe the properties of shapes using the whiteboard. This continues throughout the rest of the school, with learning building up progressively on the very secure foundations already laid.

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Commentary

13. Work is interesting and learning is fun. Teachers provide a wide range of interesting activities that motivate their pupils and get them enthusiastic from the start. In science in Year 1, pupils were captivated when asked to decide which houses made of straw, wood or bricks were the strongest. Well focused on the task, learning was rapid and reinforced effectively when a pupil suggested hitting them to find the solution! Good and effective links were also made with the ‘Three Little Pigs’ story. Pupils in Year 5 became excited when they knew they were about to have a mental arithmetic test as they love challenges and being made to think. In an accelerated learning day, when the normal timetable was suspended, pupils were given a range of very stimulating activities based on the theme of the Caribbean. This involved learning about poetry, music, fruits, designs and textures. These kind of learning experiences

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Commentary

accelerate pupils’ achievement significantly.

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Commentary

14. Pupils with special educational needs are very well taught and achieve very well overall. The rate of learning for these pupils is always better when they are in receipt of support, from either the teacher or the learning support assistants. The rate of progress is better in Years 3 to 6 where there is more support, and the LINK (Literacy in North Kirklees) unit pupils are fully integrated with appropriate help and guidance. Planning is very good and learning effective. Teachers use individual education plans to set small but significant targets. These help pupils, for example, to spell correctly, use capital letters at the start of sentences, or recognise the properties of shapes in mathematics. Where there is no support, teachers do their best to offer whatever help they can. In larger classes, this is less effective, although still at least satisfactory.

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Commentary

15. Learning is less effective when the pace slackens. Occasionally, and in very few instances, teachers talk for too long at the expense of pupils being engaged in learning through experiment or discussion. On other rare occasions, pupils are given too much time to complete a task, and learning is less effective. However, such occasions are infrequent, and learning overall is at least satisfactory. Such instances occurred in lessons in religious education, physical education and science. Battyeford CE Primary School - 13

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The school provides a very good curriculum with many interesting opportunities, which

enhance all aspects of pupils' learning.

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Main strengths

• The quality of planning and teaching of basic subjects promotes high standards. • Additional and innovative opportunities greatly enhance learning. • Many effective links are made between different subjects. • Good use is made of spacious accommodation. • Very good provision is made for pupils with learning difficulties.

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Commentary

16. Issues raised by the previous inspection have been fully addressed. The curriculum is planned thoroughly, based on motivating pupils to learn. They are enthusiastic about many aspects of the curriculum and eager to learn. Teachers provide many investigative opportunities, in science, mathematics and history, for example. Pupils acquire skills of research and develop good attitudes to independent learning. Effective links are made between subjects so that pupils see the purpose of their learning. The mathematical skill of using co-ordinates is linked to 'treasure islands' for younger pupils. Older ones apply it to map reading in geography and orienteering. Very good use is made of pupils' skills in ICT when applied to a range of other subjects. Long-term planning is effectively divided into six units of work which are equal in length, and which ensure that topics are comprehensively delivered.

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Commentary

There is a good curriculum for children in the nursery and reception classes with some very good features, and statutory requirements are met in full. The current lack of outdoor facilities, due to the ongoing building work, is temporarily restricting physical development.

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Commentary

17. There are a number of innovations to the curriculum. 'Super Learning Day' creates great excitement for all. Teachers carefully plan a wide range of activities which pupils experience throughout the day. Consequently, whilst learning much about, for example, the Caribbean, they experience most of the subjects of the curriculum during the day. This is 'real fun' learning. In addition, pupils begin to empathise with problems of people in the Third World by thinking about fair trade. This contributes further towards the good provision for their personal development. The curriculum is modified well to promote better learning opportunities for pupils with special educational needs, and those higher-attaining and gifted and talented pupils who need more challenge. As a result, there is very good access to the curriculum by all, and resultant achievement is very good. In mathematics, higher-attaining pupils are given tasks that

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Commentary

make them think more, not merely tasks that repeat what they already know. This raises the level of learning significantly.

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Commentary

18. Very spacious accommodation is used fully. The rooms additional to class bases provide space for practical activities and for teaching in smaller specialist groups when required. Pupils with learning difficulties benefit particularly from lessons based on accelerated learning. For example, the 'Brain Gym', such as hand and eye co-ordination, is used very effectively to stimulate pupils' thinking.

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Commentary

19. A good range of additional and beneficial opportunities is provided. These include a variety of visits such as to the Bradford Industrial Museum and the Royal Ballet in London. Battyeford CE Primary School - 14 Visitors are frequently welcomed into school, sharing their knowledge of the local area with the pupils, for example. In addition, after-school clubs provide opportunities in a range of sports, music and drama, chess, French and other activities such as cookery. A high proportion of pupils attends, mainly in Years 3 to 6. The pupils value these opportunities, particularly residential visits in Years 5 and 6, and the homework club.

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Care, support and guidance for pupils

The care, support and guidance for pupils are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is effective in the careful attention paid to ensuring pupils’ protection from vehicles. • Pupils feel safe and know that bullying is dealt with effectively. • Due to the ‘Befrienders’ scheme and the kindly approachable staff, pupils know that they have known adults to turn to if they need support. • Pupils have useful opportunities to inform the school of their views through the School Council. • Very good attention is paid to the pupils with special educational needs. • The staff have not received recent top-up training on child protection. • Current health and safety issues caused by the building works are compounded by the absence of the caretaker.

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Commentary

20. The overall level of care is very good. For example, the school informs parents of the need to keep their vehicles off school grounds and provides an effective physical barrier to prevent vehicles accessing the grounds during the school day. Registers are taken promptly and the office informed of absentees. Parents are made very welcome in the nursery, reception and Year 1 and 2 classes at the start of each day.

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Commentary

21. Parents and pupils feel confident that they have someone to turn to and that bullying will be dealt with effectively . There is a very open attitude to bullying in school so that all pupils are made aware of the issue. The ‘Befrienders’ scheme, whereby pupils can approach other children for support, is clearly presented to both pupils and parents and has a high profile in the school. Pupils say they like this scheme as it gives them greater security. This, in turn, leads to a more positive learning environment. The school also hopes to introduce the ‘Circle of Friends’ scheme into school to support the small number of pupils who need to improve their behaviour.

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Commentary

22. There are useful opportunities for pupils to be involved in the running of their school . The way in which each class makes their views known to their representative on the School Council helps them to feel valued members of the school community. The council has made some sensible suggestions regarding how the school should be run. They are currently planning to provide a newsletter to parents so that parents are more able to assist them with their leaning. It was their suggestion that Year 5 and 6 pupils should assist Year 3 and 4 pupils to make their own contributions to the newsletter.

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Commentary

23. Pupils with special educational needs are very well cared for. The LINK (Literacy In North Kirklees) unit is effective in establishing a safe and secure support system for pupils identified as needing that level of care. Elsewhere, teachers know their pupils very well and, along with learning support assistants, ensure that every step is taken to provide them with appropriate support and help. Battyeford CE Primary School - 15 24. The school takes appropriate steps to ensure that children are protected from ill treatment. However, the current staff have not been trained recently in how to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse, although plans are in place to address this.

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Commentary

25. The school is coping without a regular caretaker. The school has appropriate procedures in place, for example assessments of risk, but some of the procedures normally carried out by the caretaker, the monthly check on the whole site, for example, cannot be completed due to his current absence. The staff are vigilant to areas of danger and pupils are fortunately well behaved and very well versed in where they are not allowed to play.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents and the wider community are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils' learning is improved by parents helping younger pupils to settle in each morning. • Pupils’ learning benefits through the consultations the school has with parents on issues such as behaviour and homework. • Information evenings for parents assist in their understanding of how pupils are taught. • The design and technology and ICT lessons that one of the high school provides in school help pupils feel more at ease about transferring to Year 7. • Annual reports for parents on pupils’ progress do not provide enough information for parents to support their children’s learning. • Some legally required information is missing from publications provided for parents. • Some parents do not feel that they are sufficiently informed about the work pupils do in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

26. Parents get involved when they bring in their children in the morning. Pupils and parents benefit well and both parties appreciate the way in which parents are encouraged to assist their children with learning, for example finding mathematical shapes in objects around the classroom, when they first arrive in school.

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Commentary

27. Parents have also been consulted over homework and behaviour. Despite the useful information evenings provided on such topics as understanding how schools now teach mathematics, and the consultations with parents by questionnaire, some parents of children in the junior classes expressed confusion with regard to homework. They were unclear about when it was due to be sent out and handed back. They were also unhappy about arrangements for parents’ evenings, as they do not always see the child’s class teacher due to the way that teaching is done through groups for mathematics and English.

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Commentary

28. There is a good link made between one of the high schools and Year 6 pupils . This is especially in ICT and design and technology. The pupils report that, as a result of these links, they feel more secure when transferring into Year 7.

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Commentary

29. Teachers’ annual reports on pupils’ progress do not give targets for improvement for subjects other than English, mathematics and science. Often these targets are not expressed in a way that indicates to pupils or parents how the pupil needs to improve in order to progress to the next national curriculum level. Due to the way they are expressed, it is not Battyeford CE Primary School - 16 always easy for parents to see how they might help their children to achieve the targets set, for example ‘develop skills of inference and deduction’.

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Commentary

30. Some information for parents is missing from the governors’ annual report to parents and from the prospectus. The school is aware of these points and has already made changes to ensure parents receive the fullest information.

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good and this accounts for the high level of achievement and the good level of

improvement since the last inspection. The governing body is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has accomplished her long-term vision for the school through many changes. Her purposeful leadership has enabled the school to improve well and to reach its present high standards. • The senior management team and subject leaders create a motivated atmosphere throughout the school, which is reflected in the encouragement they offer to both pupils and staff, the very good curriculum and the very effective teaching. • Long-term planning in six units of work is very good and ensures consistent development. • The school has developed very good systems for ensuring good teaching and for using school data to maximum advantage for pupils’ benefit. • Finances are well used, ensuring that the school makes the most of its available money. • The governing body is insufficiently secure in having a detailed knowledge of the school to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.

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Commentary

31. The headteacher has worked hard over a long period of time to help the school to evolve and to develop to its present high standards. She provides great clarity of direction for the school and has clearly inspired all other staff to share her aspirations. The headteacher has great drive and determination, the confidence in her staff to delegate responsibilities very well and she is innovative in seeking ways to meet the aims of ensuring that all pupils receive a high quality of education. Not only has she seen the school through its change from a first and middle school to a primary school, but the headteacher has also now fulfilled the ambition for the school to have its own nursery. She communicates well with staff, parents and pupils and knows them and their needs very well. The headteacher is very well supported and complemented by the deputy headteacher.

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Commentary

32. The senior management team has a wide range of skills and these are used to very good effect. The whole team works very well together through its motivation and shared desire to improve the quality of education in a consistent manner. The result of this very good teamwork is a shared sense of ownership of the management of the school which can be seen readily in the way in which all staff feel valued and an integral part of the school’s development. Equally, pupils feel the benefit of the team’s provision. This is through the best possible teaching and learning for all abilities and the strong and relevant curriculum. The atmosphere of the school is one of happy, motivated learning; this is directly attributable to the headteacher and her team. Subject leadership is also very good, always ready to offer help Battyeford CE Primary School - 17 and guidance, thus ensuring that teachers are fully confident in teaching their subjects. In this

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Commentary

way, the quality of teaching is improved and very strong teachers are placed strategically so that they help and influence others. Thus, learning is also very good and pupils benefit from all that the school offers.

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Commentary

33. The school improvement plan is a very effective document. It is based on a clear vision for improvement and priorities for development that take into account the previous report and standards achieved in tests. The current plan addresses all priorities in great detail, and the school hopes that this will assist the new headteacher next January. Thus it is systematic and relevant, and clearly demonstrates a desire for the school to continue to improve with consistency. The plan addresses standards throughout all subjects, as well as important aspects of pupils’ welfare and self-esteem. Opportunities for many out-of-school activities are built into it, as well as provision for the moral, social and cultural development of pupils.

p.17

Commentary

34. The determination of the school to continue to raise achievement is evident in the very good systems the headteacher has put in place. Together with the senior management team and subject leaders, the headteacher checks regularly on the quality of teaching and learning with rigour to evaluate objectively the success of the school’s daily work and new initiatives. In addition, careful analysis is made of the results of tests at all levels in order to track individual pupils’ progress and introduce appropriate measures to ensure that all pupils reach their full potential. In this way, all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are gifted or talented, are enabled to succeed as well as possible.

p.17

Commentary

35. The headteacher has had considerable success in obtaining funds for the school, such as the funding of the impressive new ICT provision and the new school nursery. The school spends its money very wisely, in accordance with the school improvement plan, and shows good awareness of the principles of best value by comparing its patterns of expenditure with other schools. The school makes very good use of new technology. Improvement aims are clearly stated and costed and specific grants, such as those for pupils with special educational needs are used wisely and for pupils’ benefit. The headteacher’s leadership in the strategic planning process is clearly to be seen in its strengths. Specific grants awarded to the school are used appropriately.

p.17

Commentary

36. The governing body fulfils its role to a satisfactory extent. Governors are very supportive of the school and very committed to its development. They trust the headteacher’s judgement and suggestions and are very willing to help to achieve them. They carry out their statutory duties well, particularly in their insistence on good provision for the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs and with regard to monitoring and implementing the school’s racial equality policy. However, few have the opportunity to visit the school regularly and to understand the impact of initiatives and outcomes. Because of this, they are not secure in their ability to evaluate the school’s progress and to understand its strengths and weaknesses. This makes it difficult for them to act as a critical friend to the school. Battyeford CE Primary School - 18

p.17

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.18

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 910,210 Balance from previous year 40,050 Total expenditure 958,873 Balance carried forward to the next --3,613 Expenditure per pupil 2,385

p.18

Financial information

The school’s budget is appropriately managed and finances are in a relatively healthy condition. Overall, the school provides very good value for money. Battyeford CE Primary School - 19

p.18

Provision for pupils who attend the special needs LINK unit is very good. Their needs are

regularly and carefully assessed, and they make very good progress.

p.19

Main strengths

• Teaching in the unit is very good. • Individual education plans are well written, with well-focused targets. • Learning support assistants are effective in helping pupils make progress.

p.19

Main strengths

The LINK unit classes operate during the mornings for children with special educational needs in Years 3 to 6. These pupils, many of whom have specific difficulties with reading, have their literacy and numeracy lessons in a group staffed to meet their needs, returning to their own classes in the afternoons. The LINK unit teachers also work with individuals and small groups withdrawn from classes in the afternoons, focusing strongly on individual needs.

p.19

Commentary

37. Pupils working in the unit make very good progress overall, although there are inevitable individual variations. Progress of individuals is closely tracked by regular tests and assessments. At the annual reviews, decisions are made about continuing support; those pupils who are ready will return to other groups for teaching, others with a special need may be admitted to the LINK unit set. Pupils with complex difficulties, including dyslexia, who were working well below average, when receiving extra support during the afternoons, make progress varying from steady (at the same rate as average pupils) to excellent, with two pupils exceeding the average for their age in reading by Year 6. 38. Teaching in the unit is very good. The work planned by the teachers is imaginative and very well matched to the needs of the pupils, with high but realistic expectations. Resources for teaching and learning are very well prepared, bright and attractive. For example, in one Year 3

p.19

Commentary

and 4 class pupils have coloured pictures of animals. They stick halves of different animals together, combining a syllable from each to name the new animal. Lessons proceed at a good pace, and time is used well. Pupils’ behaviour is good, and is effectively managed in a quiet and sensitive way. Pupils are further motivated by the use of a reward system, which they understand. Learning support assistants working with the classes know the pupils’ needs and targets very well. They help pupils to get the most from each lesson. Homework is also used effectively to aid learning.

p.19

Commentary

39. Teachers have considerable expertise in accelerated learning techniques, which form a part of the lessons. These activities involve movement to music, exercises, hand-eye coordination and many other features. For example in one lesson, everyone begins by having a small drink of water, and practises a complex series of movements with words to a Caribbean rhythm. It is explained to pupils how these activities stimulate the brain and help them to learn well. As a result, pupils settle well, are compliant and try hard. The unit classrooms are pleasant, and pupils feel secure and confident there.

p.19

Commentary

40. The school fully complies with the statutory requirements for special educational needs. Individual education plans are regularly reviewed and each year there is a full annual Battyeford CE Primary School - 20 review for pupils with statements of special educational need. The targets are made known to class teachers, learning support assistants, parents and the pupils themselves. There are ideas for the learning support assistants to further the targets included on the plans. As a result, pupils make good progress towards their targets, which are attainable, clear and easy to understand by the pupils.

p.19

Commentary

41. The very good leadership and management of special educational needs provision are shared between two teachers. Both have recently attended training for managing special needs, besides providing training for learning support staff. They have considerable technical knowledge in teaching techniques and a good understanding of the ways in which different pupils learn. Their organisation is flexible and able to respond to timetable changes and different groupings of pupils. They perform an annual monitoring exercise, showing the strengths and areas for improvement in the provision for special educational needs and indicate training needed and action points. Battyeford CE Primary School - 21

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for nursery and reception children is good in all areas of learning.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

A significant development since the last inspection is the addition of a nursery, the building of which is nearing completion. At the time of the inspection, nursery children were being taught in a hall, awaiting the completion of the nursery accommodation. Classrooms for reception children were only partly refurbished and access to outdoor play for all of these children was limited.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Twenty-two children attend part-time in the nursery and 49 children in two reception classes. Children’s attainment on entry is average in all classes, although there are some children whose attainment is at a higher level and a small number who are below. At the end of their time in reception it is likely that most children will attain the expected levels in all areas of learning. Over a third of children are likely to be working beyond those levels.

p.21

Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good in all areas , as they were at the time of the previous inspection. All pupils, including those who have special educational needs and physical difficulties, achieve well. Planning is good so that children gain a wide range of learning experiences through structured play and direct teaching. Learning assistants play an effective role in all classes and help to raise the quality of learning appropriately.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults provide good role models. • Teachers insist on high standards of behaviour. • Some management systems are not yet fully developed.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

42. This stage of children’s’ education is well managed. Teachers and assistants enjoy warm relationships and provide good role models for children. They all insist on high standard of behaviour and parents and children have the greatest respect for this. The very positive attitudes children display serve to enhance their rate of learning. The school is well resourced and despite the current temporary arrangements, staff are working very hard to provide children with a stimulating environment in which to learn.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

43. Teachers have still to become fully acquainted with the new assessment procedures, which will track children’s progress more closely. The coordinator has not yet had an opportunity to monitor teaching and thus enhance learning this early in the term. However, monitoring is a regular feature throughout the rest of the year.

p.21

Main strengths

• Good opportunities are given for developing independence. • Children have very positive attitudes. Battyeford CE Primary School - 22 44. There is a strong emphasis in both nursery and reception on children being able to develop independent skills. Resources are suitably arranged so that children access them with ease. Routines are well established and children are aware of teachers’ high expectations. All children have very positive attitudes and enjoy coming to school. Nursery children are learning to play together in harmony, while reception children enjoy taking responsibility for snack distribution, sensibly taking turns and showing due consideration for others.

p.21

Main strength

• Teachers speak clearly and use language well to extend children’s vocabulary.

p.22

Main strength

45. Children in nursery listen well to favourite stories. They question why things happen and the teacher ensures that all children take part in saying and acting out nursery rhymes. Reception children speak clearly, and good opportunities are provided for them to develop listening skills as they use headphones to gain information and take part in conversations with their peers. They enjoy browsing through the good range of early-reading books and are beginning to recognise and write initial sounds. Children soon begin to form simple letters, and those in reception have a good grasp of early letter formation. Teachers ensure that these skills are practised regularly.

p.22

Main strength

• There is good direct teaching of skills and knowledge.

p.22

Main strength

46. Children in nursery are confident to join in counting rhymes, and adults check their understanding as they attempt to order dinosaurs from the smallest to the largest in their role- play. In all classes, children are encouraged to use mathematical vocabulary in everyday conversation. Most reception children recognise 2-dimensional shapes correctly and the more able are beginning to talk about ‘more’ and ‘less’ in their counting. Teaching is good and focuses well on helping children learn how to sort and how to count on. Children of all abilities make good progress and are effectively challenged by the range of activities, such as sorting items into groups and repeating sequences of numbers.

p.22

Main strength

47. Children in both classes are provided with good opportunities to handle and explore fruit. Nursery children discover how an orange is ‘juicy’ and tackle the removal of the skin with growing confidence. Teachers question children well and children learn how fruit ripens. They contribute enthusiastically to the preparation of a fruit salad. Good links are made to Jamaica as children in reception classes listen to lively reggae music, handle a coconut, shake it and discover that the juice inside it is actually milk. Teachers and assistants extend their understanding further by cutting up coconuts and pineapples and inviting children to compare them. Battyeford CE Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children respond well to wide variety of activities. • There is insufficient planning for greater challenge in activities.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

48. Many opportunities are provided for all children to engage in activities requiring hand-eye coordination. Nursery children glue pots together to make musical shakers and are confident to handle knives as they spread butter. Reception children listen carefully, and confidently follow instructions as they ‘stretch up tall like stick beans’, as they move in response to music. On occasions activities lack challenge, as in sand and water play when children are set identical tasks to those already experienced.

p.23

Main strength

• All children are provided with good opportunities to develop creatively.

p.23

Main strength

49. Nursery children are encouraged to make choices when painting. They use confident brush strokes, select from thick and thin brushes and distinguish between light and dark colours in response to adults’ careful questioning. Children in reception explore different textures and give careful consideration to the arrangement of materials as they produce individual collages. Good use is made of praise to encourage all children to achieve high standards. Standards are improving as a result.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The standards reached by pupils are well above average and their achievement is very good. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good. • The National Literacy Strategy is used very well in lessons to ensure coverage of all desirable objectives. • Leadership and management of the subject are very good. • Assessment is very well done, so that pupils understand how they can improve and the school can take measures to ensure that they do so. • Improvement since the last inspection has been very good. • Pupils’ skills in speaking and listening are weaker than in reading and writing.

p.23

Commentary

50. Standards reached by pupils are well above average throughout the school when measured against national standards and those of similar schools . This was confirmed by pupils’ work seen by inspectors. More importantly, pupils’ achievement is very good when measured against their level of attainment when they entered the school and all pupils are Battyeford CE Primary School - 24 helped to achieve at the level of which they are capable. This is particularly noticeable for pupils with special educational needs and for higher-attaining pupils, who all achieve very well. Pupils’ oral skills in speaking and listening are less good than their reading and writing, though still above average. They usually listen well and are very ready to contribute in class, but often they have too little sense of the purpose of their speech or what is appropriate for their audience. This is being addressed in many lessons in other subjects when pupils have

p.23

Commentary

frequent opportunities to explain things in front of the class, for instance how they reached their answers in mathematics. Reading skills, however, are well above average; pupils read fluently, with a good level of comprehension of what they read and many of the older pupils show a good knowledge of increasingly complex reading skills, which helps them become independent in their work when researching topics. Writing, too, is well above average. Vocabulary and sentence structure are often mature. Pupils are encouraged to write at length and there are many longer pieces of writing of a high quality, such as work seen in Year 4 using the stimulus of Leon Garfield’s ‘Fair’s Fair’, which clearly seized pupils’ imaginations.

p.24

Commentary

51. The quality of teaching and learning is very good, though a little stronger in Years 3 to 6 than in Years 1 and 2. All aspects of teaching are at least good, with particular strengths in teachers’ knowledge of the subject, their effective planning, their enthusiasm, their high expectations and their use of time and resources. All these contribute very well to pupils’ knowledge and understanding of English; they work with effort and interest and learn to think and write independently. This leads to very effective learning and to very good achievement. Some extremely good practice was seen, such as in a Year 5 lesson in which pupils were very excited and enthusiastic about writing their own poems after the teacher had very skilfully introduced them to the concept and examples of it. Occasionally, the pace slackens a little, and learning is not so effective.

p.24

Commentary

52. Teachers also use assessment very well. They carefully record individual pupils’ progress, use the results of tests at all levels and put their findings to very good use in targeting work for all levels of ability, both through the ability groups for the subject and the use of thoughtfully graded work to suit different pupils.

p.24

Commentary

53. The school has implemented the National Literacy Strategy very well, so that all English lessons offer pupils the opportunity to progress in their reading, in technical aspects of their work such as spelling and grammar, and in writing. Pupils are told the objectives of the lesson at the start of a lesson and the ends of lessons are used to check that pupils have reached those objectives.

p.24

Commentary

54. The subject is very well led and managed by an experienced subject leader. She has supported a very effective team of teachers, all of whom are confident in the planning and delivery of the subject. She has very high expectations of teachers, provides them with a very good role model and ensures that planning, both long and short term, is relevant and tailored to meet the needs of all. Pupils’ work is regularly checked and teaching observed to ensure both continuity of work through the school and pupils’ progress. The subject leader has brought a high degree of expertise and encouragement to the design of the curriculum and manages the subject very effectively, aiding and supporting teachers, but giving them the autonomy needed for the demands of different classes.

p.24

Commentary

55. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good. At that time, standards were in line with the national average; they are now well above it. Achievement was satisfactory; it is now very good. Innovations such as the National Literacy Strategy have been very well used to raise standards and achievement. Accommodation is very good, resources are very good and the school makes very good use of ICT in the subject. All these factors contribute well to Battyeford CE Primary School - 25 learning, through teachers using the available space for group work, using resources to promote better standards of reading, for example, or by using ICT to supplement projects.

p.24

Literacy across the curriculum

56. Throughout the school, the standard of literacy is very good . Because all teachers are confident in their understanding and use of the National Literacy Strategy, they are aware of the need to underpin it through the teaching of all other subjects. Consequently, there is much good practice in the writing up of scientific experiments, in the specific vocabulary taught for given topics, such as the characteristics of the local area in geography, and in the importance placed on the presentation of mathematical problems in words. There are many lists of words on display in classrooms and many good examples of cross-curricular literacy between, for example, history and geography and in setting words to rhythmic patterns in music. The school also arranges extra-curricular activities to promote literacy, such as a homework club, book fairs, visiting drama groups and a professional storyteller.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

There is good provision for the subject.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Consistently good teaching results in high standards and good achievement. • Very good leadership and management are successfully addressing identified areas of weakness. • Great emphasis is placed on pupils investigating, being challenged and enjoying the subject. • When marking work, not all teachers provide sufficient guidance for pupils to see how to make better progress.

p.25

Commentary

57. Over time, standards have been rising. Results in the national tests have been above average in recent years. Staff have analysed the national test results carefully. Standards have been rising year on year, although there was a slight fall last year, due mainly to the larger number of pupils with learning difficulties in the group. The school has immediately striven to redress the balance by targeting the weaker areas. Inspectors found that this had so far been successfully accomplished.

p.25

Commentary

58. Teaching and learning are good. The pupils clearly enjoy their lessons. This stems from the quality of teaching, some of which is very good. Whilst teachers understand the National Numeracy Strategy there is no rigidity about its application. They are confident in their own subject knowledge and plan very thoroughly so that lesson time is used for effective learning. Lively activities such as the 'loop game', when pupils find connections, set the tone initially. Pupils listen to each other, helping partners at times. This very good cooperative attitude is seen frequently when pupils are given problems to investigate. They share ideas and knowledge for their mutual benefit. Investigations feature strongly in the curriculum. Year 5 pupils had to interpret a written problem in order to decide how best to record the data. The teacher intervened at suitable moments to guide them so that very good learning took place.

p.25

Commentary

Key vocabulary such as 'product', 'factors' and 'multiples' was highlighted to ensure that pupils could read and understand the words. Pupils with special educational needs are taught effectively, those with learning difficulties of a mathematical nature are given good support, and progress towards targets is good. Battyeford CE Primary School - 26 59. Very good use is made of suitable resources. This was the case, for example when a lower- attaining Year 6 class used frogs and lily pads to predict and calculate sequences of movements. The visual presentation of something interesting to the pupils made learning more effective. Very good use was made of the interactive whiteboard to give a very clear demonstration of the process. As a consequence, the pupils, some with learning difficulties, were motivated very well, concentrating very hard and successfully.

p.25

Commentary

60. The subject co-ordinator is monitoring the subject very well and has identified action to further raise standards. For example, after a thorough analysis of the national test results, mental calculation and investigation were two areas identified as relatively weak. The coordinator then targeted these with staff successfully, and inspectors found improved practice in these areas. Additional resources have been provided and teachers trained in the use of the interactive whiteboards. Good use of them is seen, greatly aiding pupils' understanding. The coordinator and deputy headteacher have made available opportunities for parents to attend workshops so that they can provide better support for their children. These strategies have been successful in raising and in sustaining standards generally over the past three years. Mental calculation has been identified as an area for improvement. The coordinator has identified this area as relatively weaker, following a full analysis of the national

p.26

Commentary

test results, and through staff discussion. Teachers have, as a result, started to plan and implement more frequent and more interesting methods to sharpen pupils' mental calculations. Pupils are aware of these new targets. The Year 5 teacher reminds them of this and announces a mental 'test' to which the pupils respond with a chorus of delight. ‘You're not supposed to enjoy a maths test!’ ‘But we do; it's fun!’ (many voices).

p.26

Commentary

61. An area for improvement is in the marking of pupils' work. Books are marked conscientiously and encouraging remarks are written. However, not all teachers' comments cause pupils to think about alternative strategies or give guidance for further progress.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

62. The use of numeracy skills across the curriculum is good and effective in raising standards. Pupils use mathematical skills effectively in various ways. For example, Year 6 pupils compose songs, which requires concentrated counting of rhythms. Year 5 pupils use knowledge of shape when designing various structures. Year 3 pupils measure accurately the distance their cars travel in a science experiment. Such use of numeracy across the curriculum is instrumental in consolidating learning and helping to raise standards.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan work well, ensuring that all aspects of the science curriculum receive attention. • Pupils do plenty of investigative work, planning and carrying out experiments. • The subject is very effectively led and managed by the coordinator. • The way in which work is marked is inconsistent between classes.

p.26

Commentary

Battyeford CE Primary School - 27 63. Standards in teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 and in national tests at the end of Year 6 were well above average in 2002 . There has been continuing improvement in 2003. At the end of Year 2, almost all pupils were assessed as having reached the expected level, and around one third had exceeded it. At the end of Year 6, almost all pupils reached the expected level in national tests and over one third exceeded it. This is because teachers worked hard to focus on science teaching and make improvements over the previous year.

p.27

Commentary

64. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress in Years 1 and 2. Younger pupils watch carefully to see what happens as a ball is rolled down a ramp to strike models of the three little pigs’ houses. They talk about the results and suggest good scientific reasons why the stick house is the weakest. They learn very effectively by experimentation in this manner. In Year 2, they investigate pieces of ice, frozen in different containers. Higher-attaining pupils already know that changing ice to water can be reversed. They work out mentally and explain why the ice is the shape it is, and start to predict which of the samples will melt first.

p.27

Commentary

65. The very good progress continues steadily through Years 3 to 6. Pupils in Year 4 work with electricity, making circuits. They understand which materials will conduct electricity, and record their work in diagrams, pictures and writing. By Year 6, they are confidently planning and carrying out their own experiments. They understand what makes a test fair, and are able to come to correct conclusions from their experimental work. They write about their work independently and to a good standard, often using the computer to include tables and graphs. Links to mathematics in this way are also strong, enhancing pupils’ understanding of numeracy effectively. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all aspects of work. They make very good progress along with the rest of the class, especially in investigative work, which they enjoy for its visual impact. Higher attainers are also effectively challenged,

p.27

Commentary

often through good questioning by the teacher, which makes them think more deeply.

p.27

Commentary

66. Science teaching throughout the school is good overall . Lessons seen during the inspection were well planned and organised. Resources are stimulating and capture the pupils’ interest, such as circuits or when using a football to illustrate Newton’s force of gravity. In the best lessons teachers have high expectations of what pupils are likely to achieve. There is a good pace to the teaching, which helps pupils to learn and understand more. There is time at the end for pupils to describe their work, and learn from each other. Learning support assistants are used effectively to prepare materials and support groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs, who make good progress. Where the teaching was only satisfactory the pace was slower or the tasks too complex, and pupils’ interest declined. Learning is good. Pupils behave well in lessons. Many show a high level of interest in

p.27

Commentary

science, following and contributing to discussions, thereby enhancing learning.

p.27

Commentary

67. The way in which pupils’ work is marked is variable. Where marking is most effective in helping pupils learn better, teachers briefly explain and correct errors. Some examples were found where work had not been marked, or where no individual help was given. However, teachers assess how individual pupils succeed with the main objectives of each topic and this is good practice.

p.27

Commentary

68. The subject is very well led by the coordinating teacher. There was a major review of science teaching during 2002/3, and the coordinator worked hard with the other staff to review the planning throughout the school. As a result all the different areas of science are addressed thoroughly. Teachers had training in using lessons to support literacy and numeracy, and examples of this are apparent in pupils’ work. An effective initiative using ‘concept cartoons’, in which characters make true and false statements about science phenomena as a stimulus to pupil discussion, was introduced. Both these initiatives have helped to raise standards. Battyeford CE Primary School - 28 69. The coordinator also manages the subject very well. Class lessons throughout the school were monitored, and a very useful report was presented to the staff, detailing strengths and areas for development. Also, test responses were analysed to reveal which aspects pupils did

p.27

Commentary

not understand so well. It was clear that teachers had acted on this information. The coordinator was also able to give individual support to some teachers. Since the last inspection there has been good improvement in science. Standards are higher and pupils make better progress. The teaching, though still variable, is better overall.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

There is very good provision in this subject.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good learning in this subject and across the curriculum. • There is very good support for colleagues from an enthusiastic and knowledgeable subject leader. • Very good resources are used effectively in all areas of the school.

p.28

Commentary

70. Achievement is very good. All pupils benefit from the ICT provision in the school and learning is greatly enhanced. From an early age, pupils learn basic skills of using the keyboard and controlling the mouse. They make rapid progress through very good teaching and instruction. As a result, they are proficient in logging on, accessing files and saving and storing information by Year 2. Pupils with special educational needs make better than expected progress as their learning needs are met effectively by good quality computer programs that help them acquire basic grammar and mathematical facts. Higher-attaining pupils are able to expand the range and extent of their creativity through research, design and experiments using computers and associated software.

p.28

Commentary

71. Teaching and learning are very good throughout the school. Staff plan effectively and use time very well. Pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy the visual approach to learning. Teachers provide many frequent opportunities for pupils to work in pairs, such as in Year 5 when linking into geography, or in Year 2 when using a ‘wizard’ to help them develop a character linked to their literacy work. Collaboration is very good and pupils do not waste time or take advantage. They beaver away at their tasks and enjoy experimenting with different fonts, sizes and perspectives of text, and with colour and shading. Work on display and in many books is of a very high standard. This helps to consolidate the overall very productive learning environment established successfully throughout the school.

p.28

Commentary

72. Standards are well above average at the end of both Years 2 and 6. This is a good improvement since the school was previously inspected. It is the cross-curricular usage of the resources that are responsible for the high standards. All subjects use ICT to some degree, and teachers’ planning features computers, whiteboards or visits to the computer suites as an integral feature of many lessons. Resources are also very good and enhance learning effectively. There are whiteboards available in both sections of the school, Years 1 and 2, and Years 3 to 6. These are used frequently to illustrate and enhance teaching points. Words of songs, demonstrations of icons or recording of scientific investigation feature prominently in many lessons. Staff are very confident and make very good use of the facilities available. Battyeford CE Primary School - 29 73. Subject leadership and management are very good. The new subject leader is

p.28

Commentary

enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He has already established himself as a good source of information and help for other staff. There are plans in embryo stage to increase the resources significantly, with a proposal for a whiteboard in every classroom. Staff feel very well supported. The coordinator keeps a close watch on standards and these are monitored regularly with very good quality feedback being given.

p.29

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74. There is very good provision for ICT to be used to enhance learning across the curriculum. Computers are in regular and frequent use in classrooms, supporting the learning of all pupils very effectively. Pupils learn how to construct weather maps in Year 1, for example, or how to produce high quality broadsheets in history at the time of the Romans. Very good links are made to many other subjects such as music, English, mathematics and science. Pupils gain significantly in learning in science, for example when sensors are used to measure changes in temperature. Graph printouts enhance the work undertaken and provide a clear visual illustration of what was actually happening. Similarly, this occurs with the maps used to show climate in geography. Pupils have a clear visual image of symbols and, as a result, those who might find text somewhat daunting have an instant picture of what is happening or predicted to

p.29

HUMANITIES

Due to timetabling factors, only a small range of lessons was seen in all three subjects. The report contains judgements where sufficient evidence was available.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average and achievement is good. • Good learning is taking place. • Good use of resources such as artefacts and field trips. • Effective cross-curricular links. • Recorded work does not reflect sufficiently the pupils' knowledge and understanding.

p.29

Commentary

75. Pupils learn well because they are provided with an interesting curriculum. This has been adapted to meet the needs of the pupils so that they enjoy learning, retain knowledge and show good understanding. Year 6 pupils have a very good sense of chronology, accurately pinpointing the times of the Roman invasions, the age of the Tudors and Victorians. They are aware of sources of evidence and how it can sometimes be contradictory, such as reports about Boudicca. Pupils identify a number of Caribbean islands and use map coordinates successfully.

p.29

Commentary

76. Very good displays of resources and pupils' work sometimes feature some challenging questions . A Year 6 display of coastlines also includes some Ordnance Survey maps, with pupils asked to identify certain coastal features. A display of Victorian artefacts includes some Battyeford CE Primary School - 30 Year 4 interviews with grandparents. History is real! The local area is used well so that, for example, Year 2 pupils contrast their area with a neighbouring village. Good use is made of literacy and ICT in the task set. Many good links are made with other subjects. Year 6 pupils produce mosaics in art and design lessons to support their knowledge of the Roman culture. Recording tasks support literacy well, with pupils writing diaries, newspapers and persuasive letters. A lot of history is taught through drama and other oral methods. Both subjects make good contributions to pupils' social and cultural development. They show good improvement

p.29

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good teaching in Years 3 to 6. • There is a very good supportive curriculum covering a range of faiths. • Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to reflect and think about their personal qualities.

p.30

Commentary

77. Standards in religious education are above average by Year 6. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Achievement is good. Pupils have a competent grasp of their own faiths, and a good insight into the Jewish and Muslim faiths. Pupils gain effectively in the skills of relating Christian beliefs to their own lives. However, pupils also learn to respect the beliefs and traditions of other faiths at the same time. They acknowledge, for example in Year 6, that it is important to respect the beliefs of others, and not just people of their own faith, as each person has a right to worship in his or her own way.

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Commentary

78. No lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2. Elsewhere, teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan to give pupils opportunities to discuss issues as well as to acquire facts. Pupils in Year 5 enjoyed the challenge of thinking about how the Ten Commandments might affect them personally, or how they related to school rules. As a result, they were all clearer about the needs for rules in society. Pupils in Year 6 show good levels of respect for their peers who have other faiths. They talk with some authority about pilgrimages to Mecca, or about the Passover in the Jewish religion. They have a good understanding of the traditions and beliefs of Christianity. This begins at an early age in Years 1 and 2 and pervades the teaching and learning throughout the school. ICT is used well when appropriate to help pupils learn more effectively. For example, in a Year 3 lesson, pupils’ attention was grasped immediately as the

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Commentary

teacher used the whiteboard to outline the story of Moses and the principles of the Ten Commandments. This was successfully built upon when the pupils returned to their classroom. Good opportunities are built into lessons for pupils to think and to debate. Such activities make the lessons more stimulating and enhance the quality of learning effectively.

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Commentary

79. The subject is suitably enhanced by visits to promote better learning. Teachers ensure that pupils make visits to the local church whenever possible, and include other visits to a Mosque as well. The local vicar comes into assemblies each term. Other visitors enhance learning by explaining different cultures and traditions. The subject is effectively led and managed, with the subject leader constantly reviewing provision with a view to raising standards.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good and achievement is also good. • Good links are made to other subjects. • Displays are of high quality.

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Commentary

80. All pupils achieve well. At the time of the last inspection standards in art and design were above average for pupils in Years 2 and 6. They continue to be above.

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Commentary

81. Teaching is good and pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. Teachers plan lessons well. They explain and demonstrate new techniques very clearly, using technical vocabulary well, and ensure that pupils have a good understanding of new learning. They make good links from art and design to other subjects. Year 1 pupils combine art with geography as they use mixed media to illustrate their view from a railway carriage window on their journey on the Worth Valley Railway. Year 3 pupils use a range of ICT programs. They create a stamp on the computer and make repeating patterns, as well as using ICT to learn about pointillism in the style of the artist George Seurat.

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Commentary

82. Art and design is effectively linked to other areas of the curriculum. Good links are made to ICT and history when pupils in Year 6 use books and the Internet for ideas for Roman mosaics. They learn how to create perspective by drawing the outline of a mountainous landscape, and use darker shades in the foreground moving through to lighter shades for the background.

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Commentary

83. Throughout the school displays are exciting, informative and inviting . They capture the attention of pupils, parents and visitors and they are used well to celebrate pupils’ artistic achievements. They play a significant part in promoting pupils’ success in the subject.

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Design and technology

During the inspection it was possible to observe only one lesson in Years 1 and 2 and three lessons in Years 5 and 6, all on a special activity day when the normal timetable was suspended. Judgements are made on the basis of these observations, scrutiny of pupils' work throughout the school and discussion with pupils and teachers.

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Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils experience a wide variety of design and making activities. • Work in design and technology supports other areas of learning. • There is not enough tracking of pupils’ skills as they develop.

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Commentary

Battyeford CE Primary School - 32 84. Throughout the school, pupils make good progress and do work of a good standard. In Year 1, pupils use colourful cut-up fruit sections to make faces. They observe angry, happy and sad faces, and choose appropriate shapes and colours. This links well to art and design work, as well as to literacy, enhancing the development of skills effectively. In Year 2 cogs and gears are studied. Pupils use construction sets effectively to make working models, and count the number of times the wheels rotate, learning well through experimentation. In Years 3 and 4, pupils make good designs for pneumatic toys and, after completing the models, write good quality self-critical evaluations of their own work. Older pupils are taught the PRIME model as an aide-memoire: plan, research, ideas, make, evaluate, resulting in better learning through consolidation. They brainstorm ideas, and discuss criteria for making packaging for Caribbean

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Commentary

food. Pupils with special educational needs take a full part in lessons, and also do well.

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Commentary

85. Teaching in the few lessons seen was good. In all lessons good attention is paid to health and safety issues. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subject. They focus well on pupils’ thinking skills by effective questioning and discussion with the teacher. Pupils’ behaviour is good overall and pupils enjoy the work. Much of the activity supports other subjects, as when pupils make pop-up story-books linking to literacy, or use electrical circuits in their models aiding understanding in science. There are good opportunities for older pupils to extend their skills with specialist teaching in a well-equipped workshop room. They solve problems well, such as designing and making a vehicle to move forward and pick up a yoghurt pot.

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Commentary

86. Planning throughout the school is satisfactory, which represents satisfactory progress since the last inspection. It includes a good range of topics, which give experience with different materials and design situations. Resources for teaching are adequate, and there is sufficient time on the timetable for the subject. The enthusiastic coordinating teacher is effective in monitoring planning and the resulting work. There has been no opportunity for her directly to monitor teaching and learning in other classes. Also, pupils are not assessed sufficiently as they develop their design and making skills. As a result, teachers are not always aware of the progress pupils are making.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good overall achievement and above average standards by Year 6 in music. • Pupils show good achievement in gymnastics and hockey skills. • There is good teaching overall, with some examples of very good practice, especially in music. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. • There is good leadership in both subjects.

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Commentary

87. Pupils achieve well in both subjects. They acquire the skills of body movement, control and poise in physical education progressively as they mature. In music, pupils acquire a wide range of analytical skills, learn to improve their singing, and acquire good creative insight into composition. This results in above average standards by Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs take a full and active part in all aspects of both subjects and achieve very well. Both subjects have improved since the school was previously inspected. Battyeford CE Primary School - 33 88. In the two subjects overall, teaching and learning are good. Teaching and learning in the two lessons seen in physical education were satisfactory. Lessons are effectively planned to raise standards of gymnastic and hockey skills. In physical education, teachers demonstrate good practice as a good focal learning point for the class. In music, teaching is very good

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Commentary

overall. Teachers give pupils plenty of opportunities to be creative; technical terms are used frequently, so pupils’ literacy knowledge is extended. Skills of reading music, simple note annotation and learning differences between loud and soft and high and low are embedded in the teaching from Year 1 onwards. In Years 1 and 2, pupils behave very well and learn to treat instruments carefully. Lessons are well planned to give a wide range of experiences from listening, through performing and to appraising. In Years 3 to 6, pupils compose their own music, they learn to sing in rounds to a high standard, and they perform in front of the rest of the class, thereby boosting their self-confidence and self-esteem. Pupils enjoy lessons in both subjects, participate fully in whatever exercises or activities are planned, and collaborate well with one another.

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Commentary

89. The quality of leadership is good in both subjects. Both subject leaders know their areas well and have set realistic targets for improvement. However, in physical education, there are insufficient opportunities for the subject leader to monitor the performance of colleagues. The accommodation is used effectively in both subjects to promote higher standards. Adjacent rooms are used for rehearsal in music; in physical education, good use is made of the extensive fields and good-sized hall. Pupils commented very favourably on the playing field provision, which they enjoy using in and out of lessons.

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Personal, social and health education and citizenship

Personal, social and health education, including citizenship, was sampled during the inspection. It was possible to make some judgements based on the limited evidence available due to timetable arrangements.

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Strengths include:

90. Pupils receive a good balanced curriculum focusing on issues of a personal nature. Planning covers a wide range of personal and social issues such as listening effectively, concentration, caring, consideration for others and feelings. Health education is included in Years 3 to 6 along with elements of citizenship such as care for the environment, recycling and a drugs education project involving the local police. Throughout, there is a strong focus on personal development and good links to what is taught in other subject areas. For example, the Year 6 lesson on opinions links in well to history in the building of a nation.

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Strengths include:

91. Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are effectively planned to allow pupils plenty of opportunities for discussion and debate. In Year 4, for example, pupils were sitting in a circle discussing possible scenarios concerned with squabbling. With structured guidance, pupils put themselves in the roles of themselves as pupils and of their parents in order to gain a better understanding. The debate and its outcomes led to the building of self-esteem and self- confidence. In Year 6, pupils examined how opinions were formed as they learnt to base their own opinions on a good range of evidence. This helped to contribute well to their understanding of citizenship and moral values. Battyeford CE Primary School - 34

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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 3 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 2 Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 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 2 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 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 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 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 2 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2 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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