Bawtry Mayflower Primary School

BAWTRY MAYFLOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th to 11 th December 2003

p.1

BAWTRY MAYFLOWER PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Bawtry Mayflower 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.

p.1

BAWTRY MAYFLOWER 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. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 251

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Station Road Bawtry Doncaster Postcode: DN10 6PU

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01302 710721 Fax number: 01302 719887

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Ms Angela Scott

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 7 th December 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school serves the small market town of Bawtry and a neighbouring village. There is a higher than usual proportion of private homes, increased recently by the building of a new estate. The town has some areas of significant deprivation, though there is a new estate of large privately owned houses. Overall there is considerable socio-economic variation. Almost all pupils are of white British heritage. Six pupils, from a variety of minority ethnic groups, are at an early stage of learning English. Although numbers of boys and girls on roll are almost the same, there are far more boys than girls in reception and Year 6 and far more girls than boys in Year 3. The proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs is well below average, though the proportion having a statement of special educational need is above average. Statemented pupils have a variety of needs ranging from autistic to motor co-ordination difficulties. The school has won an Award for All to support the

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

teaching of basketball. Attainment on entry is generally average, though it is rising. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

20191 Mr J D Eadie Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music Physical education 19720 Mrs D Granville-Hastings Lay inspector 16761 Mr M Hemmings Team inspector Foundation Stage Science Art and design Design and technology Personal, social and health education 30362 Mrs J Henshaw Team inspector Special educational needs English as an additional language English Geography History Religious education

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 5

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

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

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

Bawtry Mayflower is a good and improving school . The school has been through some very difficult times in recent years, with significant staffing problems which have now been resolved. It has done well to achieve all it has despite these problems. This achievement is largely due to the very good leadership and management of the school. The quality of teaching has improved and is now good. The pupils are, therefore, learning well. Much of this improvement has happened recently and this is the reason why the pupils are achieving satisfactorily overall. The school gives good value for money.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The quality of leadership and management is very good. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • Pupils reach above average standards in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. • Standards in science are below average. • The presentation of pupils’ work is not good enough. • Very good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs. • The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is very good. • The school is very good at seeking and acting on the views of parents and pupils.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good progress since the last inspection. All the key issues from that report have been addressed well. For example, the first key issue was to raise standards in religious education. Very effective improvements to the curriculum and quality of teaching have taken place. This has resulted in greatly improved standards, which are now above average in this subject. Standards across the range of subjects have been variable since the last inspection, but much of this is due to the staffing problems that the school has suffered. Since these were resolved last year, standards have risen well.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A D A A mathematics C D B B science C D D D 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.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils are achieving satisfactorily through the school. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes are starting school with average standards of attainment and are achieving satisfactorily. They reach the goals children are expected to reach by the end of Reception in all areas of learning. In Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to achieve satisfactorily and achieve above average standards in reading and average standards in writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. This satisfactory achievement continues in Years 3 to 6, although it is good in Year 6. Pupils reach above average standards in English and mathematics and below average standards in science by the end of Year 6. Standards are above average by the end of Year 6 in religious education and are average in information and communication technology (ICT). Most groups achieve equally; girls, boys, pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who are of higher ability. The pupils with special educational

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

needs achieve well due to the very good support they receive and the well-targeted plans for their progress. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 7 The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is cultivated very well. Pupils generally have good attitudes to their work and their school. Behaviour is generally good and the small proportion of pupils who exhibit challenging behaviour are managed well so that learning is not disrupted. Attendance has been consistently above the national average.

p.6

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. The curriculum is broad and balanced and is enhanced well by an interesting selection of visits and visitors into school and a good range of extra- curricular activities. The quality of teaching is good. There are many strengths in the teaching and because of this the pupils learn well. For example, the teachers have high expectations of their pupils and provide them with challenging work.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school cares well for its pupils. The pupils respond well to the very good relationships that exist between all members of the school community and the very good role models set by adults. There are effective partnerships with parents, the community and other schools. All of these have a positive effect in improving the pupils’ achievement.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is very good. The headteacher provides very clear direction for the school and other staff with leadership responsibilities support her very ably. The governing body has given very effective support and is instrumental in aiding the progress of the school so that governance is very good. Management is very good at all levels. For example, the school has managed the changes of recent years very effectively. All staff and governors make a very good team, which is leading the progress being made. The school is very good at analysing the results of the national tests in English and mathematics and other data and putting in place initiatives to address identified areas for development.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Nearly half of the parents responded to the questionnaire and they, and the small number of parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting, have positive views of the school. The pupils also like their school. However, a small minority of parents and pupils feel that the behaviour of a few pupils affects the learning of others. The evidence from the inspection is that this is no longer a problem.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Boost achievement and raise standards in science. • Improve the presentation of pupils’ work. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 8

p.7

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils achieve satisfactorily through the school, though their achievement is good in Year 6. Since the school was last inspected in 1998, it has been through a difficult period with considerable changes of staff. The resulting turbulence created a very difficult situation in the school. It is against this background that the report needs to be read, since straightforward comparison between the last inspection report and this one does not tell the whole story. Many pupils in the school were underachieving during the time of staffing difficulties, and the present good provision overall has improved this so that the majority are now achieving satisfactorily. There is good potential for further improvement in pupils’ achievement. Standards reached are above average by the end of Year 6 due to the very good teaching and good achievement of the pupils in this year group.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Work seen confirms the national test results in that standards in English and mathematics are above average by the end of Year 6. • Standards in science seen by the inspection team confirm the national test results, which are below average by the end of Year 6. • Standards in reading are above average by the end of Year 2. • The pupils with special educational needs are achieving well. • The presentation of pupils’ work is not good enough.

p.8

Commentary

1. Results in the national tests in Year 2 in 2003 were above average in reading, average in mathematics and below average in writing. They were the same when compared with schools with similar proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals. Standards declined after the last inspection but have improved recently. This decline is a factor of the instability of staffing that the school suffered. The slight decline in the last year is explained by the 2003 group of pupils having a greater proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The expected proportion of pupils gained the higher levels in the tests, showing that higher attaining pupils are achieving as well as others.

p.8

Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

p.8

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.5 (16.9) 15.7 (15.8) writing 14.2 (14.8) 14.6 (14.2) Mathematics 16.6 (17.5) 16.3 (16.5) There were 33 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.8

Commentary

2. In the national tests in Year 6 in 2003, the results were well above average in English, above average in mathematics and below average in science. These results show a considerable improvement in English and mathematics since the previous year. This reflects the resolution of the staffing difficulties and the work that the school has done to improve standards in these two subjects. Standards have been very variable in recent years due to the staffing problems, but have generally risen in line with the national trend. The proportion of pupils gaining the higher level in the tests in 2003 was lower than might be expected. This indicates that higher attaining pupils in Year 6 did not achieve as well as they could. The explanation for this is that Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 9 the school was anxious to improve the general level of results. The school has addressed this and there are now good levels of challenge for higher attainers.

p.8

Commentary

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

p.9

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 28.5 (26.2) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.8 (25.8) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.3 (27.7) 28.6 (28.3) There were 33 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.9

Commentary

3. The school has carried out detailed analyses of the Year 6 national test results and test results from other year groups to establish areas for improvement. It was clear during the inspection that this has been effective as teachers were seen addressing the identified weaknesses regularly. This is helping to raise standards and achievement. These analyses have also followed the progress of pupils and show at least satisfactory achievement since they took the Year 2 tests four years previously. Statistics show that this achievement is very good in English, good in mathematics and unsatisfactory in science. Science has only just started being a focus for improvement as the school was keen to put the problems of the last few years behind it. Consequently, a lot of work was put into raising pupils’ standards and achievement in the key subjects of English and mathematics. This work has been successful.

p.9

Commentary

4. Children enter the school with average standards. Good provision is made for these children and they achieve satisfactorily in the Nursery and Reception classes. They reach the levels expected for children of this age by the time they start the subjects of the National Curriculum in Year 1. This is the case in all areas of learning.

p.9

Commentary

5. The pupils in Years 1 and 2 are achieving satisfactorily and are reaching average standards across the range of subjects by the end of Year 2. The exception to this is in science, where standards are below average. Insufficient attention is given to developing the pupils’ investigative skills and this is the major reason for their unsatisfactory achievement in this subject.

p.9

Commentary

6. In Years 3 to 6 the pupils are achieving satisfactorily overall, and they are reaching above average standards across the range of subjects by the end of Year 6. This represents an improvement since the last inspection, when standards were described as average overall. The pupils in Year 6 are achieving particularly well, due to the very good teaching that they often have in the two Year 6 classes. Achievement is good, and standards are above average, in English, mathematics and religious education. Achievement is unsatisfactory and standards are below average in science in Years 3 to 6. Once again, it is the lack of progressive development of the skills of investigative and experimental science that is hampering achievement in this subject. Throughout the school, standards of presentation of work are not good enough. Too often the pupils are not able to follow their own working, and written work

p.9

Commentary

7. The pupils with special educational needs are achieving well through the school. They are identified early and very clear plans are made for the next stages in their achievement. These plans are kept under constant review and are used very well by teachers and support staff to ensure their good achievement. The pupils for whom English is not their home language are achieving as well as their classmates due to the sensitive support they receive from their teachers and other adults, as well as from other pupils. The imbalance in numbers of girls and boys in some year groups is not having a negative impact on the achievement of either group. For example, in one mathematics group in Year 6, there are very few girls. However, these girls were taking a full part in the lesson observed, one of them acting as spokesperson for her group, all the rest of which were boys. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 10

p.9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is very good which results in pupils having positive attitudes to school, to others and behaving well. The pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is cultivated very well. Attendance overall is good, being consistently above national averages. All of these show good improvement since the last inspection.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has high expectations of attitudes and behaviour and involves pupils well in all activities of the school. • Relationships are very good, creating a happy and productive learning atmosphere. • Pupils take on responsibility well and make a real contribution to the daily life of school.

p.10

Commentary

8. The importance of the pupils’ personal development is at the heart of everything the school does. A supportive and caring atmosphere in which pupils grow and flourish has been successfully created. From the Nursery onwards, pupils are valued as individuals and for their contribution to school life. There is a feeling of harmony throughout the school. Pupils enjoy learning about the cultures of others and enjoy celebrating festivals from different faiths. Recently, pupils looked at the wedding ceremony in the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths, taking pleasure in new experiences. Indeed, a strength of the school is the way in which pupils from all social and cultural backgrounds live and work together happily. This is particularly true for those pupils for whom English is not their home language, who are fully included in all activities by their classmates.

p.10

Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.10

Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 235 0 0 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 6 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 3 0 0 Chinese 3 0 0 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.10

Commentary

9. The school ethos is based on the values of tolerance and respect, and this results in very good relationships between teachers and pupils. This has a positive impact on pupils’ response and attitudes in lessons and to school in general. Pupils go through the school day happily and enjoy having visitors to talk to. They are friendly, polite and keen to talk about themselves and their school. From an early age, pupils are taught to listen to one another. They show concern and compassion, and a respect for others’ needs. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 11 10. Pupils take a keen interest in how their school works. They enjoy being part of such things as the school council, where they have a genuine voice in what happens in the school. All pupils were involved in the recent review of the behaviour policy. Their opinions played an important part in establishing the code of conduct that is now displayed all around the school. Pupils’

p.10

Commentary

confidence and self-esteem improves greatly through being given such responsibilities and they gain a real sense of belonging to and taking pride in their own community.

p.11

Commentary

11. At lunchtime, pupils sit in ‘family’ groups, where older pupils serve and look after younger pupils. After lunch and at break times, many older pupils choose to spend time with the younger ones, playing with and caring for them in a genuine and practical manner. This all adds to the harmonious and happy environment created and has a positive impact on the pupils’ achievement. This happy environment extends to the youngest children in the Nursery and Reception classes, whose personal and social development is good.

p.11

Commentary

12. Attendance has been consistently above the national average.

p.11

Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

p.11

Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.7 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.11

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils. Teaching and the curriculum are good. The school operates within a framework of effective care, guidance and support, and there are good links with parents, with the community and with other schools.

p.11

Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is good and, consequently, the pupils learn well. Teaching has improved since the last inspection. Assessment is good and teachers use it well to plan for the next stages in learning.

p.11

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teachers are very good at engaging their pupils, giving them interesting work and encouraging them to do well. • The support staff make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning as teachers work very well together with them. • The teachers insist on high standards of behaviour and generally provide the pupils with challenging work. However, they do not insist on high standards of presentation. • The teachers make good use of questioning to develop thinking skills. • Teachers’ assessment and their knowledge of where their own pupils are at is good and they use the results of assessment very well to address areas for development.

p.11

Commentary

13. The quality of teaching is good. It is particularly good in Year 6, where it is often very good. This good teaching is beginning to have an impact on the achievement of the pupils. The period of staffing difficulties had a major impact on the quality of teaching and learning, which dropped significantly. As well as the difficulties, some of the existing staff had to move year Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 12 groups to classes where they were less experienced. The management of the school has worked hard to overcome these difficulties and now has a settled and enthusiastic staff. A number of staff are in their early stages of their career and the teaching quality is still improving.

p.11

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons

p.12

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.12

Commentary

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.

p.12

Commentary

14. There are a number of general strengths in the teaching. The teachers ensure that the content of most lessons is interesting and relevant for their pupils. This helps to encourage the pupils to put in maximum effort. The teachers set high standards in almost all aspects of their teaching. For example, there are high standards of behaviour set. The behaviour policy is applied consistently, largely because of the contribution made by staff and pupils to its construction. Teachers also expect their pupils to work hard. All these high expectations are having a very positive impact on the pupils’ achievement. The only area in which the expectations are not so high is that of the presentation of the pupils’ work. Much of this is untidy and does not show a lot of pride. In some instances, particularly in mathematics, it is not easy for pupils to follow their working out and this is not helping their achievement.

p.12

Commentary

15. In lessons, the teachers make very good use of questioning to make the pupils think. The pupils are encouraged to explain their reasoning and their thinking. This is supported by the very good use of paired and group discussions in lessons. The pupils are often given half a minute to “discuss with your partner” what they may be thinking. This ensures lively, engaged pupils, who make very good use of this time to advance their own understanding and achievement. The teachers also frequently focus their questions on those pupils for whom English is not their first language to ensure that they are fully included and understand what is going on. This enables these pupils to achieve as well as their classmates.

p.12

Commentary

16. Other adults in the classrooms make a significant contribution to the pupils’ achievement. They are given very clear guidance, almost always having their own planning sheet, detailing which pupils they are to work with and what is to be their objective for the lesson. These sheets have space for the support staff to write an evaluation of the success of the pupils’ learning. These evaluations are discussed with the teachers, which means that pupils’ stages of learning are very well known. This ensures that the pupils with special educational needs, for whom the support staff are usually responsible, achieve well.

p.12

Commentary

17. The teachers have very good knowledge of what stage of learning all their pupils are at. The formal systems for English and mathematics are very thorough. They are based on regular checks on pupils’ progress and help the teachers to provide challenging yet appropriate work for them. The analysis of the national test papers is also thorough and has identified areas for improvement. For example, in mathematics pupils were less successful in solving word problems. In almost all mathematics lessons seen, the teacher planned to address this weakness in the context of the particular topic being covered. The pupils’ skills are, therefore, developing well. Although a number of classes have a gender imbalance, there was no evidence during the inspection of any loss of equal opportunities. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 13

p.12

The curriculum

The curriculum is good. It is broad and balanced with good opportunities for enrichment and has improved since the last inspection. Accommodation and resources are good.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is planned well to provide good links between subjects. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and enables them to achieve well. • There is good use of visits and visitors to extend pupils’ learning. • Pupils are prepared well for the next stages in their education. • The accommodation provides a stimulating setting for pupils to learn in. • Planning for the progressive improvement of pupils’ investigative skills in science is at an early stage of development.

p.13

Commentary

18. All pupils are able to take part in a variety of interesting and enjoyable activities. In the Nursery and Reception classes, the emphasis is on making learning fun. In Years 1 to 6 the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been put into place well, which has helped pupils reach above average standards in English and mathematics. Since the last inspection, the provision for ICT has been improved by the creation of a computer suite that allows whole- class teaching of skills in the subject. This has had a positive impact on achievement and standards in this subject. A lot of thought has been put into curriculum planning to make the most of links between subjects. As a result, pupils are able to use skills learned in one subject to support their learning in others. For example, pupils in Year 3 have used their art skills to create close observational drawings of Roman artefacts as part of their work in history. There

p.13

Commentary

are also many opportunities for pupils to practise their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills across the curriculum. Planning for the development of pupils’ scientific investigative skills lacks sufficient rigour and this hinders their achievement in this important aspect of science.

p.13

Commentary

19. All pupils have equality of access to every aspect of school life within a fully inclusive curriculum. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, with their individual educational plans having specific and manageable targets in them, enabling these pupils to make good progress and achieve well. Teachers plan carefully for the needs of these pupils and support staff are used well to support their learning. Pupils for whom English is not their home language and those who are gifted and talented are also supported well. Pupils of the same age in different classes are given similar learning experiences to ensure that they have equality of opportunity. Throughout their time in school, all pupils are prepared well for the next stages of their education. This is exemplified by the strong links with the local high school to prepare them for transfer there.

p.13

Commentary

20. The school also gives all pupils opportunity to take part in an extensive range of visits, including residential stays that enrich the curriculum by providing further significant learning experiences. Such visits have included one to Cusworth Hall for pupils in Year 1 to learn about the history of toys. A range of visitors complements these visits. These include theatre groups and musicians who have worked with the pupils to develop a variety of skills. Pupils are also able to take part in a variety of musical and dramatic performances for parents and members of the community. Pupils can also take part in extra-curricular activities, such as environment, drama and football clubs. All these extra opportunities enhance the pupils’ learning and improve their achievement.

p.13

Commentary

21. There is a good match of teachers and support staff to the curriculum, so that the needs of all pupils are met well. Resources for teaching and learning are plentiful, and are of good quality. The good accommodation includes extensive grounds and spacious inside areas, with Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 14 attractive displays of pupils’ work that provide an interesting environment in which to learn. The positioning of the library in the building occupied by the younger pupils does not allow older pupils to use it readily for independent research and learning, so hindering achievement in this aspect of learning.

p.13

Care, guidance and support

The school provides good support for its pupils and involves them very effectively in school life. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. Procedures for managing health and safety have been maintained since the last inspection and are satisfactory.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• An atmosphere of trust and respect pervades the school. • Very good relationships between staff and pupils increases pupils’ confidence. • Well-informed teachers know pupils and families well and support individual needs well. • Pupils are involved in the daily life of school very well and they know their views are important. • Children settle into the Nursery and Reception classes well. • Procedures for looking after pupils are good but formal risk assessments of activities within school are not carried out.

p.14

Commentary

22. The school is a very caring place where pupils feel safe and confident. Staff have an in-depth knowledge of all their pupils and a genuine concern and interest for their welfare and progress. The very good relationships are the basis upon which much of the personal support is built and this contributes to pupils’ ability to get the most out of every day. The school is a very happy place and pupils, staff and visitors enjoy being there. The development of pupils’ social and personal skills is intrinsic in school life and pervades the whole day. All staff in the school work as a close team which ensures that pupils always encounter the same approach, standards and philosophy.

p.14

Commentary

23. The good assessment procedures ensure that teachers have detailed knowledge and understanding of each child and they use this well to support pupils’ learning. The support staff work closely with teachers and are instrumental in helping all pupils achieve well in lessons. Pupils gain in confidence as a result.

p.14

Commentary

24. The school values pupils’ opinions highly, seeing them as an integral part of the school community. In many lessons, pupils are expected to make decisions and often evaluate their own and each other’s work. In the recent behaviour review, pupils showed perception and maturity when asked about the way in which behaviour affected their learning in lessons.

p.14

Commentary

25. Young children settle into the Nursery and Reception classes quickly and easily because of the school’s sensitive approach. Staff visit families at home before children start school so they recognise a friendly face. Classroom routines are soon familiar and even the youngest children are confident and relaxed.

p.14

Commentary

26. The school pays good attention to the daily care of its pupils. Sickness and accidents are dealt with in a sensitive way to minimise the upset for young children, and the school liaises closely with parents at all times. Health and safety checks across the school site are carried out efficiently. The school has good systems of risk assessment for out of school visits, but there are no formal systems for other school activities.

p.14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 15 The school has good links with its parents, the local community and other schools. All these links have improved since the last inspection. It enjoys the confidence of all the communities it serves. For example parents’ views are significantly more positive now than they were at the time of the last inspection.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good communication keeps parents well informed about the school and their children’s progress. • Parents are very supportive of the school and appreciate the work and attitude of staff. • Good use is made of the local community to supplement the curriculum. • Links with other schools are good and pupils are well prepared for secondary school.

p.15

Commentary

27. Parents feel the school values them as partners and friends and works hard to involve them in as many ways as possible. Much of the information available is practical, helpful and in an appropriate style. Class notice boards keep parents up-to-date with topics covered in the term ahead. The Nursery and Reception booklets give a good flavour of what parents can expect. They also give practical advice on how parents can help at home, particularly with reading.

p.15

Commentary

28. Parents appreciate the many formal and informal opportunities to meet and talk to teachers and as a result they are well informed about how well their children are doing. Relationships between staff and parents are very good and form a very good basis for genuine dialogue. Many parents spend the first fifteen minutes of the day with their children in the classroom, reading, talking and looking at work. There are parents’ meetings each term when teachers and parents discuss targets and achievement. All these close links with parents have a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

p.15

Commentary

29. The school makes good use of its immediate community to enhance pupils’ lessons. Pupils can often be seen in the town, visiting the church, chapel, Bawtry Hall and the shops. The school has a good friendship with local Muslim families and they celebrated Eid together, sharing in delightful food supplied by parents. Specialist sports coaches are regularly in school, which extends the range of activities pupils can experience. For example, pupils have recently received coaching in golf, basketball, cricket, rugby and football.

p.15

Commentary

30. The school has a good relationship with other schools in the local ‘pyramid’. Staff meet regularly to discuss topical issues, the curriculum and share good practice. Bawtry Mayflower staff are active partners, often setting up new discussion groups, such as those for deputy heads, and for religious education and art teachers. Pupils are well prepared for the move to the secondary school. Throughout the year, there are projects and activities where Year 6 pupils from all the primary schools meet and work together. Year 6 and year 7 teachers work together closely to ensure that the transfer is a natural step in the pupils’ education.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school, its management and governance are all very good. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection and is the major reason for the progress that the school has made and the way it has successfully weathered the storms of the last few years.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a very effective and evident team ethic about the school. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 16 • The school is very good at evaluating the success of initiatives, planning new strategies to deal with identified areas for development and keeping a constant check on these developments. • There is a very good programme of staff development and training.

p.15

Commentary

31. The headteacher provides very clear leadership for the school. She has been instrumental in overcoming the staffing difficulties of the last few years and ensuring that they did not have a bigger impact. She has created a very effective team around her. The way that all staff, governors and parents work together has aided the progress of the school considerably. Many of the co-ordinators provide considerable expertise and enthusiasm. Although a number are new in their responsibilities, they have already made striking progress. For example, the mathematics co-ordinator is a leading teacher for the local education authority and is using her expertise very well in raising pupils’ standards and achievement in the subject. Similarly, the assessment co-ordinator has carried on the good work started by the headteacher and has put in place very clear tracking systems for monitoring pupils’ progress. Many of the co-

p.16

Commentary

ordinators have provided relevant and worthwhile training for their colleagues. This has been a major cause of the rising standards and the improving quality of teaching. This training is not restricted to teachers as support staff and lunchtime supervisors have also received specific training as well as being included in consultation and training on general issues, such as the behaviour policy.

p.16

Commentary

32. The governors have moved on considerably from the role they had at the time of the last inspection, that being the usual view of being ‘critical friends’. They regard their current role as being much more involved in the strategic development of the school. It says much for their involvement that there was an almost 100 per cent attendance at a training day for all staff and governors where the future management and development of the school was discussed. They have taken much of the brunt of the strategic development from the shoulders of the headteacher, allowing her time to manage the daily needs of the school and create a happy and successful school.

p.16

Commentary

33. The school is managed very efficiently. Day-to-day routine runs very smoothly. Financial control is good. Although the school has had a sizeable carry forward figure for each of the last two years, this has been planned for to enable further capital development and the retention of the present staffing levels.

p.16

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 642,998 Balance from previous year 62,572 Total expenditure 660 ,545 Balance carried forward to the next 45,025 Expenditure per pupil 2,585

p.16

Commentary

34. The school is very good at keeping a check on the success of measures taken. The school improvement plan is a clear and logical document. It is monitored regularly and further plans put in place as and when needed. The school also carries out very effective analysis of the results of test results to establish areas for development. These areas are then the focus of training and many examples were seen during the inspection of teachers addressing these weaknesses in lessons. All this is having a very positive impact on pupils’ achievement. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 17

p.16

THE FOUNDATION STAGE OF LEARNING

The school has been successful in maintaining the good provision noted at the last inspection. At this early stage of the year the children are achieving satisfactorily. By the time they start Year 1 most of them are likely to achieve the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception in all areas of learning, and a significant minority are likely to exceed them. There was disruption to staffing in the Nursery last year, which has delayed the achievement of children currently in the Reception classes. With the good provision in place there is the potential for improvement and children are likely to achieve well as the year progresses. In the Nursery and both Reception classes, teaching is consistently good or better in all areas of learning. The good teamwork of all adults in these classes contributes well to children’s learning.

p.17

THE FOUNDATION STAGE OF LEARNING

The curriculum is good, giving children many stimulating and practical experiences so that learning is made fun. Of particular note, is the opportunity for children in Reception to plan and review their learning, and this makes a positive contribution to their personal and social development. Leadership and management are very good, with the relatively new co-ordinator’s very good teaching being a very good role model for all staff.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good, with a strong emphasis on encouraging children to become independent learners. • The plan, do and review sessions are innovative and well organised. • The very good relationships and ethos of the classes makes a significant contribution to learning.

p.17

Commentary

35. Teaching is good and lessons are planned well, so there is a good balance between children choosing activities themselves and teacher direction. This gives children the opportunity to begin to take some responsibility for their own learning. A good example of this is in the Nursery, where they have to register themselves when they arrive at school by putting their name card in the correct place. Adults are good role models and use every opportunity to praise children to build their confidence and self-esteem. A very friendly working atmosphere has been built up in all classrooms and children feel safe and secure in their activities.

p.17

Commentary

36. The innovative and well-organised plan, do and review sessions play an important part in developing the children’s independence. On three afternoons each week, the children in the Reception classes plan their own activities, carry them out and then tell the rest of the class what they have been doing and what they have learned. Children show very positive attitudes to their learning, being well behaved and co-operating well. They can choose which activity they want to do, get out the resources needed and then tidy up when finished. In so doing, they concentrate for lengthy periods of time and have high levels of involvement. They also show care and concern for other children, are encouraged to express opinions and are given first hand experiences to develop their understanding of others’ feelings. There are well-structured opportunities provided for children in the Nursery and Reception classes to work and play

p.17

Commentary

together, which supports their social development well. This is also helped by their going on a variety of visits, in which they mix with adults and other children. Children achieve satisfactorily in this area of learning at this early stage of the year . Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 18

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good, with all adults working well together to develop children’s speaking and listening skills. • High expectations of adults result in children presenting their written work well. • There is good classroom organisation, which enables children to develop their reading and writing skills independently of the teachers.

p.18

Commentary

37. Teaching is good and children are presently achieving satisfactorily in this area of learning. All adults ensure that children are given many good quality opportunities to talk about their experiences and the work they are doing to help them develop their speaking and listening skills. They are able to practise these skills in the role-play areas, such as when children in the Nursery were organising the Christmas mail in the sorting office . Children show confidence in talking about their home life and their likes and dislikes.

p.18

Commentary

38. Teachers model the behaviour of a good reader well, as was seen when children in the Reception were listening to the enthusiastic reading of the story of A Tiger Came to Tea . This leads to children enjoying books and handling them with care. Because of the good quality teaching, most children can describe the main events and characters in a story and talk with interest about different books.

p.18

Commentary

39. The way that classrooms are organised allows children the choice of working in writing areas, independently of teachers. They enjoy writing, with the more able children being able to create simple sentences and make reasonable attempts at spelling unfamiliar words. The high expectations of adults result in children taking pride in their written work and presenting it well.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good, with many well-structured activities being given to children in order to develop their mathematical skills. • The attitudes of children to their work in mathematics are very good. • Children have access to a wide range of good quality resources.

p.18

Commentary

40. Teachers give children interesting activities so that learning is made fun and children are achieving satisfactorily. The quality of teaching is good overall. In a Reception lesson, the use of an adding machine and a ‘magic spell’ was imaginative and effectively developed the children’s understanding of how to find one more than a given number. In this lesson the teacher used mathematical language well to extend the children’s own vocabulary, so that they learned new words such as ‘symmetry’ and ‘mirror image’. Adults work well together to ensure that all children receive a high proportion of direct teaching and, as a result, have a good work rate.

p.18

Commentary

41. Relationships are very good and give children the confidence to have a go at answering questions, even when not sure if they are correct or not. They know that adults and other Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 19 children will value their comments. Most children show curiosity and enjoyment in their mathematical activities, working well together in pairs and small groups to solve problems. Good provision of resources enables children to take part in a variety of interesting practical activities to develop their mathematical knowledge and understanding. For instance, when exploring a variety of objects during learning about the properties of 2D and 3D shapes.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good opportunities for children to investigate and explore outside formal lessons. • There is good teaching about the beliefs and traditions of other cultures. • Activities are planned well to let children use their own experiences in helping their learning. • Some of the independent activities lack sufficient structure to suitably develop children’s learning.

p.19

Commentary

42. The quality of teaching is good and children are encouraged to develop their powers of observation by looking closely at natural and man-made objects. Activities are planned well to link to their own experiences and they are helped to ask questions as part of their natural curiosity. When using the computers, they show they have suitable mouse and keyboard skills to allow them to operate the programs correctly. They work together well on their practical activities and select sensibly from a good range of resources. They build models, using a good variety of materials, and confidently select the tools they need. There are times when the independent activities lack sufficient structure and so do not challenge children in a suitable manner. Children are achieving satisfactorily at this stage and are given good opportunities to learn about the way of life of people from different cultures. For instance, they have taken part

p.19

Commentary

in an Eid party to learn more about the traditions and beliefs of Muslims. The plan, do and review sessions are used effectively by teachers to let children explore and investigate outside a formal classroom setting.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers provide well-structured and interesting experiences, to which children respond very positively. • The plan, do and review sessions make a good contribution to children’s learning. • Resources are plentiful and of good quality. • The outdoor area is rather drab and uninteresting.

p.19

Commentary

43. Teaching is good and there are many good opportunities given to children to let them develop their skills in manipulating scissors, writing and painting tools, along with handling a range of equipment when making models. Resources are plentiful and allow children to take part in a wide range of enjoyable experiences, to which they respond very positively. They also show good attitudes in physical education lessons, as was seen when children in Reception were creating a variety of movements, using the nursery rhyme Incy Wincy Spider as their inspiration, during a dance lesson in the hall. During the plan, do and review sessions, the outdoor areas are used well as a means of developing children’s learning through outdoor play. The school is planning to refurbish this outdoor area, as currently it lacks interest and is Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 20 not a stimulating setting in which to learn. Children are currently achieving satisfactorily in this

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan stimulating activities that develop children’s imaginations well. • There is a wide range of good quality resources. • Children have good opportunities to practice their creative skills outside formal lessons.

p.20

Commentary

44. Teaching is good as teachers ensure that children are able to make use of paint, crayons, pencils and glue daily. The children have good quality opportunities when experimenting with colour mixing to make a variety of colours. A good example of this is seen in the work of children in Reception who have mixed shades of green and blue, then painted patterns using gold, silver and bronze paint. In Nursery, the children were engrossed when making Christmas decorations, sharing the resources fairly and handling them carefully. Resources are good and allow children to develop their skills well in handling and using a range of media. The role-play areas are used well to develop the children’s imaginations, being changed regularly to maintain their interest and stimulate their ideas. Children are achieving satisfactorily in this area of learning at this stage of the year. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• In work seen, standards are above average at the end of Year 6. • The development of speaking and listening skills is good and standards are above average. • The quality of teaching is good overall, with some very good teaching in Years 2 and 6. • The assessment of pupils’ work is good. • Literacy is used well in other subjects. • The quality of handwriting, spelling and presentation of work does not show sufficient care.

p.21

Commentary

45. The inspection found that good teaching in Years 1 and 2 and some very good teaching in Year 2 has resulted in sustained high standards in reading and an improvement in the standard of writing. Pupils reach above average standards of English by the end of Year 6, which is an improvement since the last inspection. This is because teaching is generally good in Years 3 to 6 and very good in Year 6. Pupils are still achieving satisfactorily as the quality of teaching has only recently improved. Standards in reading are usually better than writing and pupils are also well supported at home.

p.21

Commentary

46. Handwriting, spelling and presentation of work are unsatisfactory. This is because teaching has concentrated less on this area and the importance has not been emphasised enough. In spite of pupils’ very good attitudes in lessons, they show less pride in the presentation of work. Writing can often be untidy with poorly formed letters and insecure attempts at spelling.

p.21

Commentary

47. The school has worked very hard to improve pupils’ speaking and listening skills and uses a variety of ways to develop thinking skills. This development has resulted in mature, analytical work by pupils and an improvement of their comprehension skills in reading. For example, in a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils successfully identified word play in poetry and used partners to discuss ideas. Their answers were, consequently, interesting and sometimes creative. The depth of pupils’ understanding and their use of English are above average. This understanding is also reflected in the content of their written work. The emphasis on speaking skills is particularly supportive of pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. As a result, these pupils feel confident, contribute well to lessons and make good progress.

p.21

Commentary

48. The quality of teaching is good overall and varies from satisfactory to very good. This is an improvement from the last inspection. Relationships in lessons are always good and often very good. There is always a good atmosphere in which pupils are keen to learn. Consequently their behaviour is often very good and impacts positively on learning. Pupils listen well and get on with their work sensibly. Staff use the National Literacy Strategy confidently and flexibly and plan the most appropriate curriculum for improvement. For example, group reading sessions are structured and used well. These sessions include detailed checking to ensure that all pupils make good progress. Lesson plans are detailed and challenge all ability groups. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, pupils made very good comparisons between different instructional texts. They demonstrated very good achievement because there was a high level of challenge and expectation for all the groups.

p.21

Commentary

49. Support staff teach well. The work of pupils in their care, is planned in detail and matched to their interests and abilities. Therefore, these pupils successfully integrate in the classes and achieve well. Checking and tracking systems are used well to ensure that all pupils are Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 22 making progress. National tests and other relevant data are analysed carefully to identify strengths and weaknesses. Any weaknesses are addressed through changes to planning, organisation and teaching methods. For example, the school has identified a need for more emphasis on the use of information texts for girls. It is resolving this through modelled and shared writing. The enthusiastic subject leader is very new to her post but has made a good start. She is very aware of strengths and weaknesses and has good plans to move the school forward and improve standards in English.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

50. Language and literacy are promoted well in all subjects. The particular emphasis on speaking and listening is apparent in all lessons. Many opportunities are taken to develop reading and writing skills in creative ways. For example, storyboards were used to link to an African dance and pupils in Year 6 wrote responses to war poems or ‘letters home’ from ‘soldiers’. Pupils learn to research information using the Internet and information books. However, older pupils do not use the school library often because of its position.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of work seen are above average at end of Year 6. • The quality of teaching is good and pupils are learning well. • The leadership of the subject is very good and very good analysis is carried out of the results of the national tests. This analysis is used well by teachers to address weaknesses. • The system of setting by ability in Year 6 is very effective. • Presentation of work is often unsatisfactory. • Sessions are sometimes too long, leading to pace slackening.

p.22

Commentary

51. Standards have improved significantly recently. Much of this is due to the work of the co- ordinator, who is a leading teacher for the local education authority. Her enthusiasm and knowledge and the way she has used the expertise available locally have been the major contributory factor to this improvement. All staff have benefited from training that she and others have delivered and this has resulted in the quality of teaching improving from the last inspection to its present good quality. The result is that the pupils are now learning well. At present pupils are only achieving satisfactorily as the staffing problems suffered by the school disrupted the learning of most. These problems have now been resolved and pupils are beginning to achieve well. This improved provision is also the reason for the improved standards since the last inspection.

p.22

Commentary

52. The teachers know their pupils’ abilities very well and use this knowledge to give them challenging work. This knowledge is extended by the very good analysis of the results of the national tests. This has identified weaknesses in the pupils’ performance. These weaknesses are addressed well by teachers in their lessons, so raising the pupils’ achievement. For example, the analysis identified weaknesses in the pupils’ ability to solve problems when they were in words. In many lessons observed the teachers used word problems to present the particular topic they were teaching, so increasing the pupils’ familiarity with solving these types of problems. This is successful in that pupils are now beginning to master these problems.

p.22

Commentary

53. The teachers have high expectations of their pupils’ behaviour and what they can achieve. However, their expectations of presentation and setting out of work are barely satisfactory, and much work is untidy. This results in pupils finding it difficult to follow different methods of Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 23 calculation. Lessons are usually lively and brisk, with pupils working hard and very productively. However, occasionally, the lengthy sessions set aside for mathematics are not used well by the teachers. In these lessons, the introduction to the topic is sometimes a little protracted and this part of the lesson lacks pace. The setting by ability in Year 6 is very effective in meeting the needs of the pupils in this year group. The more able set is being given really challenging work, with the expectation that most will reach the higher level in the national tests next year. The set of lower ability pupils, which is smaller, allows these pupils’ particular

p.22

Commentary

needs to be addressed as there are often support staff present.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

54. Mathematics is used well in a number of other subjects. For example, accurate measuring is an integral part of many science lessons, and extensive mathematical skills had been used by pupils in Year 5 when they carried out a traffic survey.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Over the last few years, the results in the National Tests in Year 6 have been below average. • Leadership and management are now good and the co-ordinator has created a good action plan for improving standards. • Some teaching is good and pupils with special educational needs are well supported. • Pupils have positive attitudes towards their work; • Planning for the development of pupils’ scientific investigative skills lacks sufficient rigour.

p.23

Commentary

55. Standards of work seen are below average overall, which would suggest a decline in standards since the last inspection when they were described as average. Much of this has been due to the staffing problems that the school has suffered. Once these were resolved, last year, the school correctly concentrated on the key areas of English and mathematics. The below average standards are largely because pupils make unsatisfactory achievement in the important attainment target of scientific investigation. Their conclusions to their experiments tend to be a description of what they have done rather than an evaluation based on prior scientific knowledge and understanding. They also lack suitable skills in interpreting data and identifying patterns in their findings. In the knowledge based attainment targets, the pupils achieve satisfactorily and reach appropriate standards. Science is a current priority for the

p.23

Commentary

school and a number of initiatives have been put in place to raise standards.

p.23

Commentary

56. The recently appointed co-ordinator has quickly identified that the main reason for the below average results is the way the curriculum has been planned. Teachers have been following guidelines that emphasise the importance of whole class investigations. Consequently, not enough time has been given to teaching pupils the basic skills of carrying out an investigation, such as making close observations, taking careful measurements, recording findings in a variety of ways and in considering what these findings tell them. To improve provision, the co- ordinator has created an action plan that involves amending lesson plans to enable teachers to spend more time in developing these skills progressively. She provides a good role model to other staff because the high quality of her teaching incorporates such methods.

p.23

Commentary

57. Where teaching is good, the pupils are asked challenging questions and the activities build well on previous work so they are able to use their prior scientific knowledge and understanding to help their learning. These lessons are motivating, so that pupils maintain their concentration and have a good work rate. The activity is organised well so that pupils are Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 24 able to use their initiative and take some responsibility for their own leaning. Such teaching was seen in a lesson for pupils in Year 6 in which they were comparing and contrasting the components found in different simple electrical circuits. In this lesson, the higher attaining pupils showed they had a well-developed scientific vocabulary to explain accurately what they were doing. The way that pupils were given time to discuss in groups what they already knew about electrical circuits and then report back to the whole class, made a positive contribution

p.23

Commentary

to their speaking and listening skills and to their personal and social development. In general, teachers do not have high enough expectations of the standards of presentation of pupils’ work. At times, this lacks accuracy and is often untidy. Support staff provide good support for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their first language, in order that they are fully involved in all activities.

p.24

Commentary

58. Pupils have positive attitudes to their work and show a lot of enjoyment in their activities, particularly when they are practical ones. They are well behaved, work together well and show interest and curiosity in what they are doing. They treat the scientific equipment and resources with care and are aware of the need for safety when carrying out their experiments. In a lesson for pupils in Year 5 on the phases of the moon, they talked with enthusiasm when they were planning their own questions to ask other pupils about this topic.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good progress has been made since the last inspection. • The teachers have been trained well and are confident in their use of technology. • A very good system of pupils’ self-assessment is being trialled. • ICT is beginning to be used well in other subjects.

p.24

Commentary

59. Pupils are reaching average standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and are achieving satisfactorily. This represents a considerable improvement since the last inspection, when raising standards in Years 3 to 6 was a key issue. This improvement can be put down to two major factors. The school has invested in a well-equipped computer suite and good levels of staff training. Teaching has, therefore, improved significantly and is now good. The teachers are confident in using the technology available in the suite and use it well to advance the pupils’ learning. For example, in a lesson observed in Year 6, the teacher was able to use the networking facility to bring the same display onto every screen to make a further teaching point while the pupils were working. This ensured that no time was wasted dealing with individual problems that arose.

p.24

Commentary

60. A wide range of the strands of ICT was seen during the inspection. The pupils’ standards in communicating and handling information are good. There is some very well presented work done by pupils in Year 2 combining text and pictures. In Year 5, the pupils use spreadsheets to plan and cost a party given a wide choice of parameters. They adapt their spreadsheets readily when further criteria are given, such as a reduction in the price of cola. The pupils in Year 6 show satisfactory achievement when they control a lighthouse, ensuring that the light is on when it is dark. A start has been made at using technology to monitor external events, such as the results of science experiments, but this is at an early stage of development. New booklets have been introduced for the pupils to assess their own levels of knowledge and understanding. This involvement of the pupils in their own learning is already beginning to have

p.24

Commentary

an impact in raising standards and achievement. The newly appointed co-ordinator is currently providing satisfactory leadership for the subject. She has made a good start and was instrumental in introducing the new system of pupils’ self-assessment. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 25

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

61. ICT is beginning to be used well to support learning in other subjects of the curriculum. For example, during the inspection the suite was used during an English lesson to enable the pupils to draft and redraft their work. Computers in classrooms with appropriate software are used to enhance learning in mathematics. Displays showed the use of ICT in both science and geography to be satisfactorily developed. All these experiences are having a positive impact on the pupils’ achievement.

p.25

HUMANITIES

Insufficient evidence was gained during the inspection to make judgements on the provision for geography and history as neither of these subjects was a focus for inspection. Judgements were possible in religious education.

p.25

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Provision in religious education is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • Leadership of the subject is very good. • The subject makes a very good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral and cultural education. • There has been a very good improvement since the last inspection. • Formal assessment procedures are in place but they are recent and are not yet used sufficiently.

p.25

Commentary

62. There has been a considerable improvement in standards since the last inspection when standards were below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils now demonstrate a good understanding of the different religions they study and the links between religions and their own lives.

p.25

Commentary

63. Leadership of the subject is very good and has had a significant impact on standards. This is because there is now a comprehensive scheme linked to the locally agreed syllabus and to other areas, such as literacy, personal development, spiritual and moral development. This development and support have resulted in improved teaching, which is at least satisfactory and is often good. The subject leader has enthusiasm, commitment and good subject knowledge. Her advice, encouragement and support have directly impacted on the increased knowledge, skills and confidence of the staff. She has modelled planning and checks how well this works in the classrooms.

p.25

Commentary

64. The subject leader has monitored lessons in four age groups with a specific focus on the assessment of pupils’ responses. This was found to be very encouraging and confirmed by the inspection. Although a formal procedure is in place to check how pupils are doing, staff have not yet received the training to use it effectively.

p.25

Commentary

65. A variety of teaching methods is used and the curriculum is often taught through experiences. For example, a Year 5 project on wedding festivals involved the local community and allowed pupils to experience the ceremonies of Christian, Jewish and Islamic weddings. Lessons often involve the development of speaking and listening skills and challenging questions allow pupils to think in depth about the subject. This emphasis has resulted in a respect for the feelings and values of others and an understanding of other cultures and faiths. Teaching is often visually stimulating and includes drama and good use of resources. For example, in Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 26 Year 2, an empty stable was filled with characters as each verse of a carol was discussed and sung. Pupils were therefore motivated to pay attention to the words resulting in a greater depth of understanding.

p.25

Commentary

66. Pupils have positive attitudes to the subject. They enjoy the diverse celebrations and respond to their learning in variety of ways. For example through art, drama, mathematics, music, ICT and literacy. Where possible, pupils are encouraged to talk to others about their own faiths to increase understanding and respect.

p.26

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

Standards in history at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are average but, as only one lesson was seen, no judgement can be made on the overall quality of teaching. The curriculum is balanced and taught in an interesting and lively way. Local history is used well, particularly the town and the school’s connection with the Pilgrim Fathers. The tri-annual Thanksgiving celebration occurred recently and pupils excitedly dressed up as pilgrims. They are knowledgeable about the period and talk in detail about it. History lessons are planned well and work around school showed that history is important to the school. The one lesson seen in Year 5 was taught well. The work in this lesson was challenging and pupils were very keen to continue after it ended. Pupils used their knowledge of graphs as they constructed a ‘feelings graph’ for the pilgrims. Standards in this lesson were above average.

p.26

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

History is planned to make relevant links with other subjects; for example, through writing from others’ perspectives, using paintings as evidence, observational drawings of Victorian artefacts, and models of Tudor housing and the Trojan horse. History is brought to life well through visits and drama, which support understanding of the periods. Homework projects extend interest effectively and bring support from home.

p.26

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

There were no geography lessons seen, and no judgement can be made on the standards reached or the quality of teaching, but the work displayed indicates that these lessons also make good links with other subjects. These planned connections help pupils to make sense of the subject. For example, pupils in Year 6 use different presentations of data to answer questions about the average temperatures in different countries. They were successfully able to compose their own questions for others and to use their mathematical and ICT skills. The geography curriculum uses local interest from an early age and includes safety and traffic study.

p.26

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

The development of speaking and listening skills is very well planned in these subjects and helps to consolidate and deepen pupils’ understanding. However, presentation skills are unsatisfactory and pupils do not always show enough care in handwriting and presentation of their work. No formal procedures are in place for checking how well pupils are doing but this has been identified and is planned. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 27

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

There was insufficient evidence to inspect these subjects in detail, so no judgements can be made on provision, standards, teaching, achievement or curriculum leadership. However, they were sampled during the inspection.

p.27

ART AND DESIGN

Pupils are given opportunities to use a suitable variety of materials to develop their skills in different artistic techniques. They are able to study the work of famous artists as a stimulus for their work. For instance, pupils in Year 5 have investigated mixing paints to create the colours that Lowry used, and then made pictures in his style. Links with other subjects are well planned, such as when pupils in Year 3 class have used their close observational skills to make pencil drawings of Roman artefacts as part of their work in history. Pupils in Year 5 have been able to bring into play their ICT skills in using computers to create prints in a similar style to William Morris. In the one lesson observed, the pupils in Year 6 showed suitable understanding of how to create correctly proportioned sketches when using figurines of the Magi as their inspiration. In so doing, they showed appropriate skills in

p.27

ART AND DESIGN

using shading to create depth and texture. The displays of artwork around the school are of good quality and reflect the care that pupils take in their activities and the value that staff place upon them.

p.27

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

The curriculum is appropriately planned, so that pupils have opportunities to use a range of materials to develop their skills in the subject. It also enables them to use learning in other subjects to develop their design and technology skills. For instance, pupils in Year 5 have used their skills in music to design and make a variety of musical instruments. In these activities, they show suitable skills in being able to evaluate their work and in saying how it might be improved.

p.27

MUSIC

The curriculum for music is appropriately planned and there are also a number of other opportunities. For example a good number of pupils have lessons in violin, Guitar, brass or woodwind. Singing in assemblies was tuneful, with due regard to pitch and dynamics. The pupils having to stand to sing improves the quality. Although there is no choir at present, the pupils have opportunities to sing at events such as end of term productions. There is an adequate range of musical instruments, though this is rather stretched when the Reception classes and Years 1 and 2 have music at the same time in the hall. The end result is that few children are actively involved for the whole of the time.

p.27

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The pupils are having the full range of opportunities in physical education. The pupils in Year 5 go swimming; all are confident in the water, and most can swim 25 metres by the end of the year. With two halls and good areas of both hard surface and grass outside, there are no problems in delivering the whole curriculum. The school benefits from community involvement, and the pupils have received coaching in basketball, golf, cricket, hockey and rugby. Few opportunities exist at present for competitive sport, although the school has been involved in a tag rugby tournament. There is also a popular football club. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 28

p.27

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education is good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The breadth of opportunities that the pupils are given to learn about living in a community. • The good opportunities that are provided for the pupils to take responsibility. • The openness of relationships, which enables good discussions in and out of classrooms on issues that affect the pupils’ personal development.

p.28

Commentary

71. Pupils are given many opportunities to help them to learn to respect the values and beliefs of other pupils and adults, as well as developing their self-esteem. Social development is supported well by an extensive range of visits, including a residential stay for pupils in Year 6. During these experiences, they learn a variety of social skills, such as working together and caring for others. Pupils are given opportunities, in and out of classrooms, to show initiative and take responsibility, which helps their personal development. A good example of this is the school council, which allows pupils to express their views about school issues and learn about the democratic process. There are ‘circle time’ activities, in which pupils sit in a circle with their teacher to discuss a variety of issues and any concerns they might have about school. They are also used as a means of talking about how pupils can become responsible

p.28

Commentary

citizens. There is appropriate provision for sex education, which encourages pupils to consider responsible behaviour and the values of family life. Pupils are helped to develop positive attitudes towards healthy eating and are made aware of the harmful effects of drugs. The school is planning to improve provision for pupils’ personal education further by ensuring that opportunities to develop it are formally planned into each subject. Bawtry Mayflower Primary School - 29

p.28

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.29

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29