Bonsall CofE (A) Primary School

BONSALL C of E (VA) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 th – 14 th July 2004

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BONSALL C of E (VA) PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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BONSALL C of E (VA) 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. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School i

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street Bonsall Matlock Derbyshire Postcode: DE4 2AE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 th December 2001

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary school is a very small school that primarily serves the village of Bonsall near Matlock. It has recently been awarded the Bronze ECO award. It previously gained ‘Investors in People’ in 2003 and the Schools Achievement Award in 2002. All pupils are of white British backgrounds, many from longstanding village families. No pupils speak English as an additional language. The area has average socio-economic indicators, and attainment on entry to the school is in line with that expected nationally, but below in the areas of speaking and listening and other aspects of communication, language and literacy. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is higher than that found in most schools. Their needs include speech and language difficulties and specific learning difficulties. Few pupils leave or join the school other than at the usual times. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School ii

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23031 Ian Knight Lead inspector Mathematics; Science; Information and communication technology. 1311 Barry Wood Lay inspector 30691 Kathleen Yates Team inspector The Foundation Stage; English; Art and design; Design and technology; Geography; History; Music; Physical education; Special educational needs.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 6

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School is a very good school. It offers very good value for money. The standards achieved are very good as the result of a very good quality of education. The headteacher offers excellent personal leadership, supported very well by other staff and the governing body. The school has an outstanding commitment to the fullest possible inclusion of all pupils and adults in school life.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The very positive ethos of the school ensures that every member of the school family is highly valued for their unique contribution to school life. • The outstanding personal leadership of the headteacher, supported very well by other staff and the governing body, has enabled the school to make very good improvements in all aspects of its provision: * pupils achieve very well; * pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good; * teaching is very good; * the curriculum is very well planned and implemented; * pupils are looked after very well; * very good links are maintained with parents, the community and other schools; * parents really appreciate the school’s vision for their children. • The current ethos in the combined Reception and Infants class is not yet consistently in line with that in the rest of the school.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made very good improvement since the last inspection: more opportunities for extended writing are offered; standards across the board have improved significantly; teaching and learning are much better. In addition, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour and the school’s leadership and management have improved further.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A B D B mathematics A A D B science A* A* 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 is very good. A grade of A* in the table above means that test results placed the school in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Standards vary considerably from year to year in small schools: test results in Year 6 in 2003 were affected by an unusually high proportion of pupils that year with special educational needs (SEN). This year, children in Reception exceed the expected goals in their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, and in their mathematical development. They attain the expected goals in the other areas. This indicates good achievement because they entered the school with average standards except in their communication skills, which were lower. In Year 2, standards are well above expectations in reading, and exceed expectations in writing, mathematics and science. These pupils are achieving well. In Year 6, standards are above expectations in English, well above expectations in

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT), and outstanding in science. Achievement is very good overall, and excellent in science. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 2

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

are progressing very well. Attendance and punctuality are very good. Attitudes and behaviour are currently good in the combined Reception and Infants class, and very good overall.

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The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching and learning are very

good. Teaching and learning in the combined Reception and Infants class are good overall, and are very good in the juniors. Equality of opportunity is promoted excellently across the school. The encouragement and support of pupils are excellent in the juniors and good in the combined Reception and Infants class. The brisk pace of lessons in the juniors leads to very rapid progress. Expectations of behaviour and workload are high in the juniors so that pupils work with outstanding application, whether they are working in groups or independently. In the combined Reception and Infants class, time is used satisfactorily because some pupils are not consistently well managed in the absence of the permanent teacher. Very good assessment information is used very well throughout the school.

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The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching and learning are very

The school provides a very good curriculum, with very good provision for pupils with SEN. Pupils are cared for very well, are provided with very good advice and are involved very well in the school, which actively seeks and values their views. The school maintains very good links with parents, the community and other schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher’s outstanding personal leadership has largely driven the current improvements and the outstanding commitment to inclusion. Other staff provide very good leadership in their areas of responsibility, supporting the headteacher very well. The governing body carry out their duties very well. All statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are outstandingly positive about all aspects of the school. Pupils are very satisfied, especially with the way they are treated by adults and other pupils.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

This is a very effective school with no areas of significant weakness requiring urgent attention.

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Nevertheless, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

• Continue to work to ensure that the ethos in the combined Reception and Infants class matches that in the rest of the school more closely. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 3

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is good in Reception and Years 1 and 2, and very good in Years 3 to 6. Standards in Year 6 are well above expectations overall; those in science are outstanding.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards and achievement in science are outstanding in Year 6. • Standards and achievement in reading are very good throughout the school. • Standards and achievement in Year 2 are good across the board. • Pupils with SEN are fully included and achieve very well.

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Commentary

1. In the 2003 National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 2 (the latest for which national comparisons can be made), standards were well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. If the school is compared only to those with a similar intake, based on the take-up of free school meals, then standards in reading were above average, whilst standards in writing and mathematics were well above average. In all three areas, the proportion gaining the higher Level 3 was well above average, and in the top five per cent of schools nationally in writing. Results do fluctuate more year-on-year in such small schools, but the recent trend has been one of improvement in reading and writing, and of consolidation at a high level in mathematics. Whilst there are no tests in the other core subject of science, teachers’ own assessments indicate that the proportion gaining the expected Level 2 was very high, but that no pupils gained the higher Level 3.

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Commentary

2. In the table, one ‘point’ represents approximately the progress expected in a term. The expected Level 2 is represented by 15 points; the higher Level 3 is represented by 21 points.

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

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.5 (16.8) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 17.2 (14.6) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 18.2 (18.8) 16.3 (16.5) There were 13 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

3. In the 2003 National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 6, standards were below average in English and mathematics and average in science, having fallen from a period of consistently very good results. If the school is compared only to those that had similar scores in the Year 2 tests four years previously, then standards were above average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. This group of pupils was small and had an unusually high number of pupils with SEN relating to learning difficulties. The school’s tracking systems confirm this, and show that the progress of this group was rather better than the test results would suggest. In English and science, the proportions gaining the higher Level 5 were good, but the number who only gained the lower Level 3 adversely affected the overall figures.

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

4. In the table, the expected Level 4 is represented by 27 points and the higher Level 5 by 33 points. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 4

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

Standards in: School results National results English 25.7 (27.9) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 25.7 (28.7) 26.8 (26.7) Science 29.0 (32.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were nine pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

5. However, test results tell only part of the story. They relate to a few subjects in two year- groups, and are now a year old. In particular, they give no clues about achievement, that is, are pupils doing as well as they can? Inspection evidence can fill some of these gaps.

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

6. Children enter Reception with attainment that is broadly in line with that expected nationally, but with weaknesses in the areas relating to communication. They have made good progress over the year and exceed the expected goals in the important areas of personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development. They attain the expected goals in the remaining areas. An analysis of their completed work and of tracking data shows that they have achieved well over the year, although their usual teacher was unavoidably absent from school during the inspection and in the lessons actually seen achievement was satisfactory.

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

7. Pupils in Year 2 attain standards above expectations in speaking and listening, writing, mathematics and science. Standards in reading are well above expectations. An analysis of completed work and of assessment data, alongside the provisional results in the 2004 National Curriculum tests, shows that these pupils have achieved well because of good teaching over the year. However, they are taught alongside Reception and Year 1 pupils in the same class, and, as with Reception above, the regular teacher was absent during the inspection period. In lessons, achievement of pupils in Year 2 was inconsistent because it was sometimes affected by some immature behaviour that was not always dealt with effectively. There was insufficient evidence to form secure judgements in the other subjects.

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

8. In Year 6, standards are above expectations in English, with a particular strength in reading. Standards in mathematics and ICT are well above expectations and standards in science are exceptional. These judgements are based on an analysis of completed work, alongside the provisional results of the 2004 National Curriculum tests and school assessments. An astonishingly high proportion of pupils gained the higher Level 5 in science. These standards represent very good achievement in English, mathematics and ICT, and outstanding achievement in science. There was insufficient evidence to form secure judgements about standards and achievement in the other subjects.

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

9. The school rightly prides itself on ensuring that each individual is valued and receives exactly the right educational diet. As a result of this commitment, pupils with SEN receive very good support tailored closely to their needs. Consequently, they also achieve well in Reception and very well overall. Pupils who have a particular gift or talent are encouraged and also achieve very well overall.

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

10. At the time of the last inspection, standards in writing were a relative weakness and the subject of an issue for action. The school has made very good progress on this issue to gain the standards of writing reported here.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

11. Pupils have very good attitudes and behaviour. Their personal development is very good, supported by very strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Pupils maintain very good attendance and punctuality. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 5

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Reception Year make a positive start to their school lives and have good attitudes and behaviour. • Pupils are very proud of their school and make every effort to live up to the exceptionally high expectations of the headteacher and staff. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in the classroom are very good and contribute well to their involvement and concentration. • Pupils’ very good behaviour outside the classroom makes a major contribution to the school’s sense of purpose and very good ethos. • Pupils build very good relationships with each other, and they work and play together with total confidence. • The school’s very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural education helps pupils to become very mature and self-confident.

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Commentary

12. The school has maintained very good attendance levels over the last four years. All classes have very good attendance and most pupils’ attendance is greater than the national average. Pupils’ unauthorised absence is minimal. The school’s attendance procedures are well established and very effective in focusing parents on the need to avoid taking holidays during term time. Parents’ punctuality in bringing their children to school at the start of the day is very good. The school is deals well with the few attendance and punctuality issues that arise.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.8 School data 0.0 National data 5.2 National data 0.2 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

13. Children in the Reception class quickly settle into the school family, and understand its routines and expectations. They show confidence, and are sensible in discussions. They build good relationships with each other and their teacher. They are attentive and are able to work together in pairs or groups and share resources. Children develop good attitudes and behaviour, so that they make good progress and exceed the expected levels in their personal, social and emotional development.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

14. Pupils are very proud of their school and many arrive early to take part in the activities on offer. All pupils are very keen to respond to the school’s exceptionally high expectations, and older pupils help to reinforce these expectations in younger pupils. From their positive start in the Reception class, infant pupils maintain their good attitudes and behaviour. Only a few boys found it difficult to come to terms with a change of teacher, and they can show some restless behaviour when teaching does not stretch them enough. Pupils in the juniors have very good attitudes and behaviour. Their high levels of involvement and concentration ensure classrooms are purposeful places in which all pupils expect to work hard and do their best. The school has not needed to use exclusions, as all pupils have a good understanding of the code of conduct and of behaviour boundaries. Pupils with SEN are indistinguishable in attitudes and behaviour from other pupils and they contribute well.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

15. Staff and older pupils are very good role models in a big happy family. Pupils like and respect adults and show politeness and trust. Around the school, pupils are happy and relaxed and play safely together without any fear of bullying or oppressive behaviour. Older pupils look after younger pupils and take their family-group responsibilities at lunchtime very seriously. All pupils value each other’s differences and contributions, both in the classroom and in assemblies. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 6 16. Pupils’ learning of academic subjects is supported well by their very strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Their personal development is very good: they develop an extended sense of tolerance and fair play; have the confidence to give their views, and develop leadership qualities and pride in their school and village community. Pupils enjoy very good personal, health

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

and social education. The school is very proactive in allowing pupils to talk about their concerns without fear of ridicule, and pupils have mature views on world events. Collective worship meets statutory requirements and pupils learn about and have respect for the celebrations and beliefs of other faiths. The school’s ethos is very strong in valuing the individual and nurturing the confidence and self-esteem of pupils within a Christian context of friendship and teamwork.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

17. The school is an energetic force in the local village community and pupils participate enthusiastically in their own cultural traditions, and also appreciate and take part in art, sport, music and theatre, both inside and outside the school. The school has forged very good links with a multi- ethnic school in London to the advantage of both schools. It uses many opportunities to introduce pupils to learning about the multicultural world through visits and studies of other cultures, so that pupils are gaining a good understanding of the mixed cultures of modern Britain.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching and learning are very good, based on a very good curriculum. The school cares for pupils very well and maintains very good links with parents, the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good in Reception and Years 1 and 2, and very good overall. Very good assessment procedures are used very well in teaching.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have very high expectations for every pupil, so that all pupils are challenged and make the progress of which they are capable. • Pupils are encouraged to take progressively more responsibility for their learning, so that older pupils work exceptionally well independently and in groups, as well as under the supervision of a teacher. • Teaching in the combined Reception and infants class does not yet reflect the school’s positive ethos as closely as elsewhere.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 2 3 5 4 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

18. Teachers use very good assessments very effectively in their planning. Teaching for pupils with SEN is very good because assessment is used very well to inform the next stage of learning. Class teachers and the co-ordinator regularly review the pupils’ individual education plans (IEPs). Effective targets are set; progress towards them is rigorously assessed, and the outcomes of such assessment are used successfully to plan the next steps.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

19. Throughout the school, lessons are carefully planned so that each pupil in the lesson is challenged beyond his or her comfort zone and progress is therefore maximised. This is done effectively by varying the task to suit individuals, or by setting the same task but making different Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 7 expectations explicit to pupils. As a result, pupils work hard and productively. This was especially evident in an excellent mathematics lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6. They were learning how to make accurate mathematical solids. Along the way, they learned huge amounts about the Platonic solids and how they were constructed. Their geometrical imaginations were stretched as they took a solid and tried to draw its ‘net’ – the flat shape that will fold into the original solid. The most capable had to do this with the icosahedron – a regular solid with no less than twenty triangular faces. Other

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

pupils did this exercise with simpler solids. All experienced success because the teacher’s high expectations of what they would achieve never wavered and pupils rose to the occasion, producing some very accurate solids.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

20. In an excellent English lesson for pupils in Years 3 and 4 on poetry, the pace was maintained most effectively by the use of rigorous time limits and short, sharply focused activities. Pupils were well used to working independently or with ‘talking partners’, and they responded very well to the trust placed in them by the adults present. The teaching assistant was very well deployed in supporting the weaker group: as a result, they made the same excellent progress as their peers. All areas of English – speaking and listening, reading and writing – were promoted very well in this inspiring lesson.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

21. A typical feature of many lessons is that pupils are used to working together sensibly even when they are not directly supervised. This means that teachers’ management of behaviour is invisible and time is not wasted ensuring pupils are working throughout. Pupils enjoy discussing their work and rising to the challenges which are presented to them.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

22. The permanent teacher in the combined Reception and infants class was unavoidably absent during the inspection. The analysis of completed work shows that many of the positive features of teaching and learning noted above were present. However, the teaching seen during the inspection sometimes lacked the same pace and urgency as elsewhere in the school because tasks were not always consistently challenging in lessons. Nevertheless, the pupils here still achieve well overall.

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The curriculum

The school bases its teaching on a very good curriculum. This is enriched very well by other activities. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is very well planned to include all the necessary elements as well as a significant amount of enrichment. • The school’s outstanding commitment to inclusion ensures that all pupils, including those with SEN or a particular gift or talent, are very well catered for. • The school ensures that pupils see beyond the local area and gain an appreciation of life elsewhere in Britain.

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Commentary

23. The school has carefully planned its curriculum to ensure that all requirements are met. Many subjects use centrally produced schemes of work as the basis for their work. However, this is considerably enhanced by links between subjects. For example, infant pupils completed a project in design and technology that required a motor or buzzer to be included, immediately linking to their earlier learning about simple circuits in science. Afterwards, they used their literacy skills to evaluate their work fully and honestly. Finally, they used ICT to produce final drafts of their evaluations, taking care with the presentation, and including digital photographs of their completed projects. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used very effectively to support learning in general. The school enjoys the skills of a specialist teacher who liaises closely with staff to ensure that the skills

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Commentary

taught in a module link closely to work in other subjects. For a small school, the variety of extra- curricular clubs is impressive, encompassing mainly the arts and sport. Some of these clubs have been initiated and are led by older pupils for the benefit of their younger peers. Visitors to the school Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 8 further enliven provision: during the inspection period, pupils were treated to a high quality concert that enhanced their understanding of music considerably. Themed weeks also form part of the school’s provision. This year, the focus was on the creative arts and pupils enjoyed spending time with other specialists. One offshoot of this was that pupils in Years 5 and 6 took part in a celebration of the local cotton industry, devising and presenting a play about Richard Arkwright.

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Commentary

24. The school has an outstanding commitment to ensuring that all pupils get the best possible deal in lessons. Short and medium term planning is highly effective in ensuring that tasks are closely matched to individual pupils’ needs. Provision is very good for pupils with SEN throughout the school. Pupils’ IEPs have specific short-term targets and teachers use these well when planning class work. The school regularly involves support from outside agencies and this assistance is used well to ensure that what is provided is appropriate. Pupils with a particular gift or talent are presented with extra challenges to really stretch them.

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Commentary

25. When the headteacher was appointed, governors understood that children in a small village can often become insular. Part of the headteacher’s brief was to ensure that pupils develop an understanding of the world beyond their village. One aspect of this is a cross-curricular project involving a multicultural school in London. The main focus is on aspects of the geography curriculum, including the study of a contrasting locality. However, the link has gone far beyond this, with pupils from both schools having visited one another and links made electronically. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 produced booklets about this school using ICT, including digital photographs and producing maps on computer for the partner school to use, linking geography, ICT and literacy skills as well as enhancing pupils’ knowledge of the wider world.

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Care, guidance and support

The school is highly effective in ensuring pupils’ care, welfare and health and safety. It provides them with very good support and guidance and it involves them very well in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and staff give very good pastoral care, support and guidance to all pupils, enabling them to do their best. • The headteacher, staff, and governors are very vigilant in protecting pupils from dangers inside and outside the school, so that they feel secure. • The headteacher and staff have a very good knowledge of their pupils’ academic and non- academic abilities, but formal records of pupils’ personal development are insufficient. • The school ensures that all pupils are quickly included in all aspects of the school family, and leave without anxiety at the time of transfer to secondary school. • The school makes very determined efforts to listen to pupils and values their views in developing the school.

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Commentary

26. The headteacher gives a very high priority to the care of pupils, and has very good support from staff and governors. Over the last four years, she has improved most aspects of this area to a very good level. This very high quality of care is securely underpinned by a wide range of well-written policies that the dedicated and well-trained staff implement very well. Pupils with physical, emotional or learning difficulties are completely involved in the school family and its rich activities, so that they can focus on doing their best. The school receives good support from outside professional agencies in caring for pupils. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 9 27. Child protection procedures conform to guidelines issued by the local authority and staff training has been updated recently. The school is very vigilant in all matters regarding risks to children, and it helps them to protect themselves, for example through the display of the Childline

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Commentary

telephone number. The good focus on health and safety issues makes the school a safe place. However, there is a high rate of minor accidents because the playground is too small for pupils when they cannot use the large playing field.

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Commentary

28. Pupils experience the school’s culture of high expectations through the very strong behaviour procedures. The code of conduct is very clear and contributes well to the school’s very positive ethos. Self-discipline is always an expectation. Older pupils often correct younger pupils with a sympathetic look or word. Staff are seldom required to intervene for any signs of oppressive behaviour.

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Commentary

29. The headteacher and staff give the highest priority to the pastoral care of all pupils, which often extends even to their families. Pupils, in their turn, mirror the very good care for each other, both formally through the family table groups, and informally around the school. Regular visitors, such as the visiting volunteer for the Reading Partnership, are well appreciated by all pupils.

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Commentary

30. The arrangements for assessing pupils’ attainment in academic subjects are very good. The tracking of pupils’ personal development is, however, dependent upon the staff’s accumulated knowledge and experiences with the individual child. Too little is formally recorded, so it is difficult to identify pupils’ progress in this area over their time in the school. Teachers identify pupils with SEN and they develop very good IEPs with pupils and parents, which enable pupils to make very good progress.

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Commentary

31. Children new to the Reception class are quickly and effectively integrated into the school family by the caring and thoughtful actions of staff and older pupils. Children adapt well through a carefully planned withdrawal of parents. Parents appreciate the school’s ethos of high expectations, so that there is little turnover of pupils. The school is very caring when transferring pupils to the secondary school. Many pupils in Year 6 maturely realise that they have outgrown their school, but are sad to depart.

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Commentary

32. The school listens closely to pupils on school issues that affect them, and puts their ideas into practice. It routinely calls for their views through, for example, personal and social education sessions. Although there is no school council, older pupils apply themselves conscientiously to running their family groups where they earnestly discuss whole-school issues with younger pupils. All pupils have a very good sense of ownership of the school: they have developed ideas on behaviour, the school environment and trips, and many of their ideas are part of the school improvement plan.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Parents are exceedingly satisfied with the school and the education it provides. The partnership between the school and home is very good. The school’s links with the community and other schools are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have an outstanding level of satisfaction with all aspects of the school. • The very good partnership with parents makes a highly effective contribution to pupils’ learning and involvement in school life. • The headteacher and staff ensure they are open to all parents and take their views into account in the school’s work. • The school’s quality of written information for parents does not always reflect the very high quality of education that their children receive from the school. • All pupils benefit from the school’s very good relationships with the local community Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 10 • The very good relationship with the local secondary school helps pupils to settle well at the time of transfer.

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Commentary

33. The headteacher wants parents to feel part of the school family and be fully involved. Parents are universally supportive and have complete trust in the headteacher’s vision for the education of their children. Presently, the partnership with parents is very effective in supporting the school and their children’s education and progress. Parents are exceedingly satisfied with the school and its provision: many told inspectors that the school was ‘marvellous’ or ‘fantastic’. The inspection team confirm the extremely positive views of parents.

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Commentary

34. There are no areas that parents are dissatisfied with. The headteacher is determined that she and her staff will be approachable to parents to allay any concerns immediately, so that very few complaints need to reach the governors. Parents have an easy access to the school at either end of the day, and there is obvious trust in the relationship between parents and staff. Parents feel that the school respects and values their role, and that they are equal partners in their children’s education.

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Commentary

35. The statutory information for parents is good, but does not always communicate the very good ethos of the school. Annual reports to parents are sound personalised statements of each pupil’s performance in all National Curriculum subjects, but they do not contain enough feedback on their performance compared with their targets, although they do give an impression of future target areas. Pupils write an appreciation of their own school year for parents, but reports do not call for written feedback from parents. Parents feel comfortable with the opportunities they have for talking to teachers, and recognise the descriptions of their children and their achievements. Parents enjoy an informative newsletter each half-term and letters to home are timely. The school web-site is developing well. Parents have a good view of topics and their children’s work, enabling them to help with homework. They complete questionnaires, and feel very involved in the school family and the

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Commentary

development of the school improvement plan. A good number of parents help the school, and parent governor positions are filled.

p.15

Commentary

36. The school is at the heart of village life and it sustains very good relationships with the local community. Pupils benefit greatly from these close ties, which give them additional activities and a greater awareness of their local culture and traditions, as well as a sense of helping others. Pupils enthusiastically anticipate their return to school during the summer holiday to build the school float for the village well dressing. The school has close links with the local churches, and participates in the major Christian festivals and community events. Many people from the local community, including businesses, are welcomed into the school to support the spiritual and cultural agenda.

p.15

Commentary

37. The school is conscious of its potential to be isolated geographically and it has made determined efforts to build very good links to other schools. It welcomes other schools to view its best practice, and it has established very good relationship with a London school that enriches the school’s work on multicultural education. It is well involved with the local cluster of primary schools and pupils benefit from joint activities. The links to the local secondary school are very good and lead to an effective working partnership for the promotion of sport and physical education, an arts week, joint music presentations, and demanding science and technology work. Parents receive very informative advice as the time for transfer to the secondary school approaches. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 11

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school’s governors make a highly effective contribution to the very good performance of the school. The headteacher is an outstanding leader who enables her staff to provide very good leadership. The management of the school is very good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher is very dedicated to her school and provides outstanding leadership for its development. • The headteacher has a clear vision for the promotion of an exceptionally inclusive ethos within the school and extremely high expectations for pupils. • The headteacher enables all staff to fulfil their roles very effectively. • Governors provide highly effective support to the school and are totally dedicated to its improvement. • Very strong financial management supports the achievement of the school’s clearly defined educational priorities.

p.16

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice An outstanding leader took a school in severe difficulties and changed it into a very effective one.

p.16

Commentary

When the headteacher came to Bonsall Primary School four years ago, it was in special measures. Governors were shell shocked, parental feuds were evident, and pupils were disillusioned. Within 18 months the school had been turned around: a new team was in place, the governing body was focused on improvement, parents believed in the school, and pupils had pride. Two years further on, the school is assessed as very effective and very good value for money. A real success story! On arrival, the headteacher analysed the problems and planned the way forward. She recruited a dedicated team in which all had an equal part in the running of the school. She focused the governing body on important areas and gave it a clearer understanding of the school, so that it could be a true critical friend. She showed pupils her commitment to high expectations inside and outside the classroom and gave them pride in their

p.16

Commentary

actions and the school. She involved parents in their children’s education by explaining how they could best help. The common thread is the headteacher’s total commitment to inclusion and to making all the stakeholders feel that they have ownership of the school. Everybody matters!

p.16

Commentary

38. The headteacher’s leadership of the school is outstanding and her management very good. These have been the key factors in bringing about the school’s major improvements. She has extremely high aspirations for the school’s forward development, and is totally dedicated to the continued drive towards very high academic standards within a very rich curriculum. She is passionate about the school’s level of commitment to inclusion and the need to enable pupils to achieve their potential. She has given very high priority to the personal care and development of all pupils, and has been very proactive in gaining the universal support of parents.

p.16

Commentary

39. The headteacher was decisive when joining the school; she quickly assembled a team who have harmonised very effectively with her values and aspirations, and who provide first-rate role models for pupils. The school does not operate with a senior management team as all teachers have an equal input to the running of the school. This collective management style has been very effective in producing decisive management to drive the school forward quickly, and also in gaining the acceptance of pupils, staff and parents within a small village school. All teachers have individual co-ordinator roles for the principal National Curriculum subjects, whilst other subjects are co- ordinated by the teachers and headteacher together. All subjects are very effectively co-ordinated as co-ordinators are given time to view their subjects and have a very good understanding of their subjects’ strengths and weaknesses. There are clear examples within subjects of new strategies

p.16

Commentary

being developed and applied to improve standards. Assessment of pupils’ progress in academic subjects is very good and the school is able to analyse the improvements produced by subject strategies. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 12 40. Self-evaluation is a particular strength of the school as most of the teachers are happy in an analytical role. The results of self-evaluation are put to good use in informing the school’s strategic planning. The school improvement plan is a very good reflection of the school’s current needs and has very high status within the school. All the school’s stakeholders contribute to its development each year. Although it is a one-year document, it fits within a three-year plan and is rigorously reviewed twice per year. It has a clear focus on standards; co-ordinators’ action plans in the principal subjects lock into it, and its initiatives are well costed and funding appropriately allocated.

p.16

Commentary

41. Performance management has very strong roots in the school and drives it forward. The headteacher regularly monitors planning and teaching and agrees professional development targets, so that all staff receive training highly appropriate to their needs and the school’s priorities. The school has had a good strategy for integrating a new teacher into the combined Reception and infant class, whilst the valued permanent teacher is unavoidably absent.

p.17

Commentary

42. The governing body is very supportive of the school and headteacher, and has a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. All governors are well trained, and the governing body fulfils its statutory duties very effectively and is prepared to challenge critically when necessary. Individual governors bring a wide range of experiences to the role, and their skills have been well used in supporting the school’s progress. They are regular visitors to the school and individual governors identify with different aspects of the school or subjects of the National Curriculum, which they monitor in conjunction with co-ordinators. The work of the governing body is successfully supported by a number of active committees.

p.17

Commentary

43. The financial management of the school is very competent. The headteacher and the governing body have a very good understanding of the school’s financial strategy. They operate prudently and have prioritised a strategy for maintaining stability in their village school and protecting against the consequences of any fall in the number of pupils on roll. Consequently, they have implemented budgets that have maintained a high level of carry forward each year. However, the forecasted budget for this year indicates higher spending on resources, which are currently only adequate, and on occupancy costs, as cleaning has been performed by parents in the past year. This will reduce the surplus balance, but it will still be above national recommendations. The school has applied the principles of best value well in protecting its finances, but governors have had too few opportunities to compare their school’s costs against other schools, due to lack of data.

p.17

Commentary

44. The costs of educating each pupil are in line with the national averages for small schools. When the very good standards, the very good quality of education, the very good leadership and management of the school, the very good improvement since the last inspection, and the very good ethos of the school are considered against the average cost of educating each pupil, the school gives very good value for money.

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 222,226 Balance from previous year 26,634 Total expenditure 215,174 Balance carried forward to the next 33,686 Expenditure per pupil 3,031 Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 13

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in Reception is good , as it was at the time of the previous inspection.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Ten children of Reception age are taught alongside eight Year 1 and six Year 2 pupils in a bright and stimulating classroom. Good use is made of the extensive outdoor area, where many worthwhile activities take place. On entry to school, the attainment of the majority of children is at the expected levels for their age. However, in personal, social and emotional development, and in communication, language and literacy, a significant number of children attain below the expected levels on entry.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. Teaching and learning are consistently good in Reception. During the week of the inspection, a temporary teacher taught the children and ensured that all children made at least satisfactory progress. The teaching assistant provided valuable support. Assessment procedures are very thorough and ensure the progress of all children is rigorously monitored.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. In all areas of learning, achievement over time is good for all children, including those with SEN. In personal social and emotional development it is very good. The majority of children are on track to reach the expected standards in all areas of learning. A few exceed these levels, while a small number are unlikely to reach them.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. Despite the wide age range within the class, the curriculum is planned in fine detail so that all Reception children, including those with SEN, are able to benefit from working alongside older classmates. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good, and good liaison with parents and carers ensures that arrangements for induction run smoothly.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults and children enjoy good relationships. • Independent skills are well promoted. • Attitudes and behaviour are good.

p.18

Commentary

49. Teaching and learning are good and all children achieve well. Most children enter school with the expected social and behavioural skills, but a significant number are unable to play together and display little independence in learning. The good relationships and teamwork of the staff ensure that all children are provided with a warm and caring environment in which they settle quickly to a good range of activities. Daily routines are well established and independent skills are well promoted as children respond eagerly to good practices and gain confidence. They take pride in their work, and at the end of the year, all children are making choices and working co-operatively. They are polite, have good attitudes to learning and are well behaved. This earns the praise of adults and raises self- esteem all round. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 14

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Planning provides well for the needs of all children

p.19

Commentary

50. Children enter Reception with a variety of speaking skills. Teaching and learning are good, and by the end of their year in Reception, most children speak clearly and with confidence. In a lesson observed, staff read stories with great expression and all children listened intently. The most capable recorded the order of events confidently as they wrote their own simple sentences, while the attention of their less capable peers was skilfully drawn to writing labels to identify features in the story. Particular attention is given to spelling to encourage good writing patterns. Reading books are regularly sent home and parents contribute well to their children’s learning by sharing books with them. Achievement for all children, including those with SEN, is good.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children enjoy their tasks and concentrate well.

p.19

Commentary

51. Teaching and learning overall are good, and children achieve well. The majority have already achieved the expected goals and only a small number are unlikely to achieve them. A wide variety of resources enables children to enjoy many mathematical experiences. In the lesson observed, teaching and learning were satisfactory as was the achievement of the children. They concentrated well on their tasks, and the more able selected the coins they needed to purchase fruit that ‘cost’ 55 pence. The less able were very well supported by the teaching assistant as they sorted flat shapes: good emphasis was placed on the use of mathematical language to enhance their speaking and listening skills too.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities for children to explore and investigate are good.

p.19

Commentary

52. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. The school grounds are extensive and are used well to promote children’s knowledge and understanding of the world. The local village is full of interest and provides a very important source of learning. In a lesson observed, children used their senses well to compare the differences in texture and taste of a raw and a cooked potato, and of bread and toast. When using the computers, they displayed appropriate mouse skills as they selected foods of their choice from a menu. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 15

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Instructions are clear. • Collaborative skills are well developed.

p.20

Commentary

53. Teaching and learning overall are good, as is the achievement of children. The majority have already achieved the expected goals and only a small number are unlikely to achieve them. In the lessons observed, children followed the teacher’s clear instructions and used space sensibly as they travelled at a variety of speeds with increasing control of movement. They handled tools skilfully and used malleable material such as plasticine effectively, moulding it to form bananas and apples. On all occasions they shared resources respectfully and were polite to one another.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.20

Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. They are given a wide range of experiences to develop creatively. Role-play areas are well resourced and encourage children to develop language, social and mathematical skills through play. Staff interact well with children, for example, when they enacted a puppet show and decided the order of activities for organising a picnic. During art activities, staff encourage children to experiment and be creative with a variety of media.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well because of very good teaching. • Pupils have very good attitudes. • Leadership and management of the subject are very good. • Library provision is currently unsatisfactory.

p.20

Commentary

55. Standards in Year 2 are above expectations in both speaking and listening and writing, and pupils achieve well. In reading, standards are well above expectations and achievement is very good. Teaching is good. Attainment in Year 6 is above the expected levels. These findings show Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 16 very good achievement over time for all the older pupils, including those with SEN. They are better than at the time of the previous inspection. In both junior classes, teaching is very good. Teachers plan very thoroughly and their very high expectations of pupils lead to very good progress.

p.20

Commentary

56. Throughout the school the very caring ethos ensures staff and pupils have very good relationships and pupils display very positive attitudes to learning.

p.21

Commentary

57. Standards in speaking and listening on entry to school are low for a significant number of pupils. Staff plan diligently to promote pupils’ vocabulary. They provide opportunities for pupils to participate in discussions with ‘Talking Partners’ and with the whole class to help them to express themselves confidently, both orally and in their writing. Regular opportunities to participate in drama, both in lessons and in clubs, have led to pupils achieving high standards. Older pupils confidently perform in front of audiences, for example as they created the characters and situations experienced by Arkwright’s mill workers in Victorian times.

p.21

Commentary

58. Reading is taught well; as a result all pupils enjoy reading. Reading partnerships, in which older pupils share books with younger children, promote the enjoyment of reading as well as the development of good social skills. Very good use is made of the electronic library to improve the reading and spelling skills of the less able pupils, who are also well supported by teaching assistants and voluntary helpers. Currently, the area used as a library is unattractive. Plans are well advanced for it to be completely refurbished in the holiday to provide a quiet comfortable area where pupils may develop research skills and read for pleasure.

p.21

Commentary

59. Teaching is very good overall. In an excellent lesson, the level of challenge was very high and the pace of learning very brisk. Very good and trusting relationships were evident so that all pupils developed a high capacity to apply themselves to tasks that engaged their interests very well. The planning for this lesson was superb, bringing together opportunities to speak, listen, read and write, as well as the development of the social skills of co-operation and collaboration.

p.21

Commentary

60. The subject leader has a very good knowledge and understanding of English and has been inspirational in ensuring that the school has successfully addressed all the key issues of the previous report. Data obtained from testing is analysed rigorously. Areas of identified weakness, which have included spelling and punctuation, have been systematically targeted and good improvements have been achieved. Staff regularly track pupils’ progress so that they can identify when and where further assistance is required. Presentation and marking of pupils’ work have improved. As well as making comments that celebrate pupils’ success, teachers now write comments that show pupils how they may improve their work. Personal targets and individual discussions between teachers and pupils ensure that all pupils are clear about what their targets are and how they are to work towards them. Homework, which includes spellings and reading activities,

p.21

Commentary

is set on a regular basis and is taken seriously by both pupils and parents. All of these factors make a very significant contribution to the progress pupils make.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

61. Opportunities to use literacy across the curriculum are consistently identified in planning. Pupils acquire a good range of technical vocabulary in subjects such as science, music and geography. In art, pupils discussed their findings animatedly, using vocabulary such as ‘tessellating hexagons’. Written work makes a good contribution to pupils’ achievement in design and technology when pupils evaluate their designs. Pupils’ literacy skills are further enhanced as individuals confidently read poetry in assemblies. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 17

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well because of very good teaching. • The subject is led very well.

p.22

Commentary

62. Throughout the school, pupils do better than would be expected. Pupils in Year 2 have attained standards above national expectations. The school predicted what these pupils could reasonably be expected to achieve from their baseline results when they entered Reception three years ago. In mathematics, Year 2 pupils on average attained standards two thirds of a National Curriculum Level higher than predicted. This rapid progress is confirmed by the analysis of these pupils’ work over the last year, indicating consistently high expectations and careful planning to ensure that tasks match pupils’ needs closely. This high standard of teaching was not evident during the inspection because the permanent teacher was unavoidably absent. Nevertheless, the temporary replacement has maintained the standards. This shows that achievement in Year 2 is good.

p.22

Commentary

63. In the juniors, teaching is very good, and one excellent lesson was observed. The dip in results in 2003 is explained convincingly by the school through the use of its tracking data and the high proportion of SEN in that group of pupils. The provisional results for 2004 indicate a significant improvement over 2003. On average, pupils in 2004 attained an extra level over and above those gained in the 2003 tests. Every pupil gained the expected Level 4, and fully two-thirds gained the higher Level 5. Again, the high standards and rapid progress are confirmed in the analysis of completed work. Standards for this group were quite high when they did the tests in Year 2. However, they have still made more progress in the juniors than would normally be expected. This came about because of the consistently high expectations of pupils by teachers, challenging them to do better and providing tasks that absorb pupils. Pupils with SEN are catered for very well in

p.22

Commentary

planning so that they make the same very good progress as their peers and similarly achieve very well. All pupils are able to work very well independently and to discuss their work maturely with each other and the teacher.

p.22

Commentary

64. Much of the improvement has been driven by the mathematics co-ordinator. She provides very good leadership and management of the subject, and acts as a very good role model for staff. Improvements have been informed by rigorous monitoring, which has also been used to decide on priorities in the subject’s action plan. A minor weakness of the action plan is that it does not link closely with the whole-school development plan. Nevertheless, close attention to all of the areas identified as needing further work and improvement was clearly evident in the analysis of work, as teachers sought to place more emphasis on, for example, division and shape.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

65. The school’s cross-curricular approach ensures that mathematics skills learned in timetabled lessons are used in appropriate contexts in other lessons. For example, the skills of collecting data and making inferences are used effectively to support learning in science, whilst those of accurate measurement are important in design and technology. Work on perspective in art and design used some of M C Escher’s work, which linked closely to work on tessellations and solids in mathematics. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 18

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 6 are outstanding because of very good teaching. • Leadership and management of the subject are very good.

p.23

Commentary

66. Standards in Year 2 are above expectations, and this reflects the consistently high expectations in this class. However, presentation of science work in the work analysed was not always as tidy as is usually seen. Provisional results in the 2004 National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 6 are outstanding, with all gaining at least the expected Level 4 and almost every pupil gaining the higher Level 5. The analysis of work completed by pupils in Year 6 confirms this. Almost all of the work in books was at the higher Level 5. The rapid progress observed over the school year shows that pupils have worked hard and achieved well. This comes about because of very well planned, knowledgeable teaching, focusing on the scientific skills of enquiry. Even when teachers lack confidence in some aspects, the co-ordinator is able to support and advise particularly effectively because of her background in the subject. This means that all teaching in the juniors is

p.23

Commentary

very effective in challenging all pupils well beyond their comfort zone. Indeed, pupils challenge themselves; in a lesson for pupils in Year 5 in which they produced keys to help to identify different animals, some pupils deliberately chose unusual animals with unusual properties to make their task even harder.

p.23

Commentary

67. The co-ordinator is highly knowledgeable and leads by example. She is a very good role model to staff and pupils. The role is shared with the headteacher, who carries out rigorous monitoring of provision. The assessment systems are simple but effective in tracking individuals’ progress and in determining future planning.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well in the juniors. • Information and communication technology (ICT) is used very effectively to support learning in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

68. No lessons directly aimed at ICT skills could be observed, but lessons were observed in which ICT was an integral part of teaching other subjects. These observations, together with an analysis of work completed and on display, are sufficient to make secure judgements about standards, teaching and learning in the juniors, but not in the infants.

p.23

Commentary

69. An analysis of pupils’ ICT folders shows that standards in Year 6 are well above expectations. Very good teaching has resulted in very good achievement for these pupils. They have completed a variety of tasks across the whole syllabus to a high standard. Included with their completed work are good quality self-assessment sheets on which pupils honestly and frankly indicate their levels of confidence. Pupils in Year 6 have produced PowerPoint presentations about themselves that have also contributed to their spiritual development as they reflected on their careers at Bonsall. Computers have also been used to assist in research, for example on the Andes. The computer Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 19 suite is used heavily before and after school as well as in lessons. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 used the digital camera and other software to produce information booklets about the school, including maps

p.23

Commentary

of the village produced electronically. In a science lesson for pupils in Year 5, pupils were confident users of the computers as they transferred and extended their keys that allowed the quick identification of animals. The software they used was new to the school, but after a little instruction, they were quickly able to explore some of its more advanced features as they extended their keys further. Infant pupils’ work on display shows how they have used the digital camera and inserted the images into documents about their design and technology project. The specialist ICT teacher meets with staff in the school regularly to ensure that the skills she teaches can be directly used in the context of other subjects. This is very good practice and helps to consolidate pupils’ understanding.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

70. As noted above, ICT is used extensively to support learning across the whole curriculum because the specialist teacher ensures that her planning and the school’s forthcoming plans dovetail closely. As a result, pupils are confident users of ICT as a tool as well as learning it for its own sake.

p.24

HUMANITIES

71. As no lessons were observed in geography and history, no judgements can be made on provision or standards. However, the work actually seen and discussions with pupils show that the curriculum provided is broad, with very good links being made to other curricular areas.

p.24

HUMANITIES

72. While pupils in Year 2 study games of the past and the present and the local environment, older pupils value their link with a large multicultural school in St Pancras. This has given rise to visits both ways as part of a most enjoyable project on contrasting localities. Pupils have written vivid accounts about their journey, and described their ‘immersion’ into the noisy London playground as ‘finding themselves being carried with the crowd whilst watching the faces of the teachers growing smaller in the distance’. Very good links are made to art and design, design and technology, and music. For example, pupils made masks for their own dramatisation of an African myth. This also included the dances taught by a professional dancer from Zimbabwe who worked with all three classes during the recent Creative Arts Week. Teachers constantly plan to make learning exciting and pupils talk enthusiastically about their visits to the local Arkwright’s Mill and the Jug Hole Mine in

p.24

HUMANITIES

conjunction with their study of the Victorians.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. Art and design, design and technology and music were sampled and no judgements can be made on provision or standards. Only one lesson was seen in each subject. No judgements are made on physical education as no lessons were seen. However, pupils participate in a very good range of popular sporting activities.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. In art and design, work on display and discussions with pupils show that they have good opportunities to use a range of media and materials. In the one lesson observed for pupils in Years 5 and 6, teaching and learning were very good and pupils achieved well as they investigated tessellations in Escher’s work. Their imagination was fired by an inspiring presentation so that they were very perceptive in their views, discussing the tessellation of hexagons in an animated way. They were very well behaved and displayed very positive attitudes to learning.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. In design and technology, in the lesson observed for pupils from Years 3 and 4, teaching and learning were good and pupils enjoyed their tasks immensely. The lesson was very well planned and proceeded at a brisk pace as pupils prepared sandwiches according to the detailed plans they had previously drawn up. They learned the importance of hygiene when using food and displayed good independent skills as they worked very industriously to prepare work surfaces, organised ingredients and utensils and used tools safely and effectively. Good questioning enabled pupils to Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 20 evaluate their finished product and to comment on how it might be improved. The teacher promoted literacy skills very well as pupils were constantly challenged to comment on the appearance, smell and texture of the bread and the fillings and then to record their evaluations in a variety of interesting

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. The music lesson observed was in the form of a mini concert for all pupils, and teaching, learning and achievement were very good. The lesson had very good pace and was led by two visiting specialists. Their enthusiasm for the subject was instantly conveyed to the pupils who recognised and responded very well to developing active listening skills as they were introduced to the ‘families’ of instruments. Pupils responded very well as an audience and gave spontaneous applause showing their genuine appreciation.

p.25

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

77. No lessons directly aimed at this area could be observed. Nevertheless, it is clear that the school shows a very good commitment to this area. In all lessons, personal and social skills are discreetly reinforced with high expectations so that pupils work happily together in a variety of groupings, showing positive attitudes and very good behaviour. The school is keen to ensure that pupils understand their place in multi-cultural Britain, and has forged strong and mutually beneficial links with a multi-cultural school in St Pancras, thereby enhancing pupils’ knowledge of citizenship. Other areas are covered in timetabled lessons and in science as appropriate. Bonsall C of E (VA) Primary School 21

p.25

Inspection judgement Grade

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 2

p.26

Inspection judgement Grade

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

p.26

Inspection judgement Grade

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

p.26

Inspection judgement Grade

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

p.26

Inspection judgement Grade

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

p.26

Inspection judgement Grade

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

p.26