Branton St Wilfrid's Church of England Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 3 rd March 2004

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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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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. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 202

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Valley Drive Branton Doncaster South Yorkshire Postcode: DN3 3NB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01302 537344 Fax number: 01302 533091

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Y Docherty

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Branton St Wilfrid’s is an average sized voluntary aided primary school, which serves the local and wider Anglican community. There are 202 pupils in classes from reception to Year 6. Pupils come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Most are from British families and no pupils from other ethnic backgrounds speak English as an additional language. A very small number of pupils come from travelling families. When they start in the reception year children’s attainments vary considerably but most have the skills and knowledge expected for their age, particularly in language and in their personal and social development. The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs is well below average though 16 pupils are on the school’s register because they have special educational needs linked to learning, physical or emotional difficulties. This proportion is lower than the national average. A small number of pupils have been identified as gifted or

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

talented. The proportion of pupils that join after the reception class is lower than the national average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

In 2001, the school gained a School Achievement award for raised standards. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20267 Miss K Manning Lead inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Foundation Stage Special educational needs English as an additional language 1234 Mrs T Bradley Lay inspector 29188 Mrs G Ulyatt Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Geography History 11510 Mr K Oglesby Team inspector English Music Physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Eclipse Education (UK) Ltd 14 Enterprise House Kingsway Team Valley Gateshead NE11 0SR

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 23

Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 4

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school where teaching is good and pupils achieve well. Pupils benefit from a satisfactory curriculum and good links with the church, community and parents. They have positive attitudes to learning and are happy in school. Good leadership and management from the headteacher and co-ordinators have ensured that standards have either been maintained or improved since the previous inspection. The school achieves all of this at an average cost and provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Though standards in reading are above average, standards in writing are not as high. • Standards in mathematics and science are above those expected. • Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy school. • Teaching is good and consequently pupils of all abilities achieve well. • Assessment procedures are good in the Foundation Stage and English, mathematics and science but not as effective in other subjects. • Good leadership and management have helped the school come a long way since the previous inspection. • A strong Christian ethos permeates all of the school’s work and helps promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has improved at a good rate since the previous inspection. All of the key issues identified in the previous report in 1997 have been tackled successfully and the school has raised standards in information and communication technology and design and technology. There is good teaching in all years and teachers now ensure that work is pitched at the right level for pupils of different abilities.

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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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English A C B B mathematics A A A A science B B A A* Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well . When they start in the Foundation Stage children’s skills and knowledge are generally typical for their age and by the end of the reception year they have made good progress to exceed many of the early goals in personal and social development, communication language and literacy and mathematics. Their physical skills are typical for their age. There was insufficient evidence to make judgments about children’s knowledge of the world or their creative skills.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The results of national tests last year show that, by the end of Year 2 standards in reading, writing and mathematics were well above average. Inspection findings are that most pupils are working at levels that are above those expected for their age in these subjects and in design and technology. In information and communication technology, standards match those expected for pupils’ ages.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Last year, the results of national tests for pupils in Year 6 showed that standards were above average in English, well above in mathematics and science. Inspection findings are that, in mathematics and science many pupils are working at levels above those expected for their age. In English, pupils do well with reading but in writing most are working at the level expected. Despite Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 5 this, the school exceeded the target it had set for raising standards in English. It did not meet its target in mathematics. The school’s results are rising at a faster rate than the national trend in Year 2 but slow down and rise at a similar rate to the national trend in Year 6.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards in information and communication technology are continuing to rise and now match those expected. In design and technology, standards are beyond those expected for pupils’ age in Years 1 and 2 and match those expected by the end of Year 6.

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

are good . Pupils are sensible and mature and there were no exclusions in the last year. Attendance is well above the national average and pupils arrive at school on time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. There is good teaching and learning throughout the school and the school’s procedures for assessment are satisfactory overall, but good in the Foundation Stage and in English, mathematics and science. There is a limited range of after school activities but educational outings enrich the curriculum and there are good links with the church and the community. The resources and accommodation are satisfactory though the outdoor space in the Foundation Stage is very small. Pupils are cared for, guided and supported well and the links with parents are good. This is a school with a calm and friendly ethos where all pupils are valued.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall . The headteacher has got off to a good start in her short time in post. Co-ordinators work effectively as a team. They keep a close eye on their subjects and know what needs to be done to continue to improve the quality of teaching and raise standards. Governors do a good job on behalf of the school and all statutory requirements are met in full.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents have positive views of the school and are very happy with what it provides. The home- school agreement is a measure of their willingness to be involved in their children’s learning. Pupils are proud of their school and talk animatedly about the lessons and activities that they most enjoy.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards in writing to the same high level as those in reading. • Extend the good assessment procedures to all subjects. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils of all abilities achieve well during their time at Branton St Wilfrid’s and consequently standards in mathematics and science are well above average when they leave the school. Standards in English are above average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the end of the Foundation Stage, most children have achieved the early skills and knowledge expected in each area of learning. • The school’s performance in national tests at the end of Year 2 is rising at a faster rate then the national trend. • Over the last four years, girls in Year 2 have consistently outperformed boys in reading and writing but in Year 6, boys outperform girls in English, mathematics and science tests. • Although standards in writing match those expected, they are not as high as the school would like them to be. • Standards in information and communication technology and design and technology have risen since the previous inspection and now match those expected for pupils’ ages.

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Commentary

1 Children get off to a fine start in the reception class. Though it varies considerably, most children have the skills and knowledge expected for their age when they start school. Good teaching and an appropriate curriculum ensure that children exceed the early goals in personal, social and emotional development, in communication, language and literacy and in mathematics. The limited, secure outdoor space does not prevent children’s physical development from being typical for their age because teachers make good use of the hall for gymnastics and games.

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Commentary

2 Children continue to learn at a fast rate in Years 1 and 2 and consequently achieve standards in reading, writing and mathematics tests that are well above average. As a result, the schools results in national tests are rising at a faster rate than the national trend. In Years 3 to 6, even though comparisons with prior attainment confirm that pupils make good progress, the school’s results are rising at a similar rate to the national trend. This is largely because many pupils start Year 3 with a higher than average level of attainment.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.6 (17.7) 15.7 (15.8) writing 16.4 (15.8) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17.9 (18.5) 16.3 (16.5) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3 The results of national tests show that girls in Year 2 have consistently outperformed boys in reading and writing tests. Teachers identified this through an analysis of test results but could find no single reason or pattern of attainment that would explain the difference. It is a similar picture with standards in Year 6. An analysis of English, mathematics and science tests revealed no one reason why boys performed better than girls. However, being aware of the problem, teachers are careful to ensure that boys and girls have equal opportunities in mathematics and science lessons and make sure that the books pupils read are interesting to boys and girls. Teachers continue to monitor the situation closely, particularly in mathematics, where boys are nearly a year ahead of girls. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 7 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 28.0 (27.6) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 28.5 (28.4) 26.8 (26.7) science 31.1 (29.7) 28.6 (28.3) There were 31 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4 Pupils of all abilities achieve well in English, mathematics and science. In English, the strengths of attainment are in pupils’ very confident speaking, the way that they listen carefully to others and in their ability to read and enjoy books. Standards in writing are not as high as in other aspects of English because a small number of boys and girls are reluctant to write. This is something that the school has identified as a key area for improvement in the next year. In mathematics and science, inspection findings are that many average and higher attaining pupils are already working at a level above that expected by the spring term.

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Commentary

5 Improved teaching and increased resources have helped to raise standards in information and communication technology and design and technology. In both of these subjects standards now match those expected for pupils’ age by the time they are in Year 6. In design and technology, good teaching in Years 1 and 2 has led to pupils having a good knowledge of design components and creating models of a high quality. As a result, standards here are above those expected. This is a real success for the school and paves the way for further raising standards in Years 3 to 6.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to school are positive. Pupils are sensible and mature and behave well. This is reflected in the fact that there were no exclusions in the last year. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good. Pupils attend school regularly and punctually and attendance is well above the national average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils co-operate with others during lessons and this helps them to achieve well. • Pupils make friends easily and are generally ready to help each other out. • Provision for multicultural awareness has improved. Pupils are learning about other peoples’ customs and beliefs. • Pupils enjoy coming to school.

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Commentary

6 Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy the opportunities it provides. In lessons, they are interested, listen well and try hard to complete the set tasks. This is one reason for the good standards that pupils achieve in science, mathematics and reading. However some are not always quite as determined when it comes to writing. Pupils work productively in pairs or groups, and joint activities such as singing together are successful.

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Commentary

7 Behaviour during lunchtimes and playtimes is good. Pupils feel safe and welcome in school, they mix well and make friends easily. When things go wrong they know what to do. Pupils think that the school’s rules, sanctions and rewards are fair, and that adults deal quickly with any problems. The school promotes social and moral development well, for example, when pupils reflect, after a story in assembly, on times they may have upset a family member. Pupils are keen to take responsibility to help the school run smoothly and take their jobs seriously.

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Commentary

8 Provision for pupils’ cultural development has improved since the last inspection and is now good. The school has worked with the Diocesan Board of Education to plan more opportunities to Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 8 learn about the cultural and ethnic diversity of British society. Teachers broaden pupils’ understanding through subjects such as art, literature, history and geography. There are some useful visits and visitors that enhance the curriculum, for example, pupils talk about how much they enjoyed museum visits and theatre groups in history. However the older pupils’ knowledge of other faiths and values is still rather patchy. This is because the improvements are only in the third year of operation.

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Commentary

9 Pupils’ levels of attendance are very good. This has improved year-on-year and is now well above the national average for primary schools. This reflects both the pupils’ enthusiasm for school and the good support from parents. Children arrive in good time for the start of the school day. The school checks attendance records and encourages pupils through certificates and prizes.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (96%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.0 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.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 176 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 3 0 0 Chinese 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 20 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Good teaching and close links with parents and the community are the main strengths of the provision. Staff also take good care of pupils and the school has a warm, friendly ethos.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is good. The assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers adapt work so that it matches the needs of pupils of different abilities. • Pupils who have special educational needs are taught well and consequently make good progress towards their individual targets. • Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. • Pupils always know what they are learning because they are told this at the beginning of lessons. • Assessment is good in the Foundation Stage and in English, mathematics and science but in some subjects it is embryonic and in others there are no agreed procedures. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 9

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0 (0%) 2 (7%) 18 (60%) 10 (33%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

10 The main strength of teaching lies in the planning of pupils’ work. In the Foundation Stage, staff use their thorough knowledge of how young children learn to plan activities that are interesting and challenging for children of different ages. In many lessons in Years 1 to 6, and specifically in English, mathematics and science, teachers ensure that the work they plan is adapted to suit the different groups of pupils in their class. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when the most able pupils were not being challenged sufficiently. In most lessons, work is planned so that lower attaining pupils and those who have special educational needs are given tasks that help them overcome their barriers to learning while higher attaining pupils are set extension tasks or more difficult challenges. For example, in a good science lesson, lower attaining pupils in Year 6 were helped by the teacher to structure the way they recorded their results while higher attaining pupils

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Commentary

were asked to record theirs using a computer program. This worked well and, by the end of the lesson, pupils of all abilities had completed their work successfully.

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Commentary

11 The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs has improved since the previous inspection and is now good. With clear guidance from the headteacher, staff have improved the format of individual education plans and the targets set for these pupils are now much clearer about what each child needs to do to overcome their barriers to learning. In lessons, their work is generally pitched at the right level and is closely linked to their targets. For example, in an English lesson, a pupil in Year 1 was asked to look at letters in the words that the group was using to describe the properties of materials. With some prompting from an adult he was able to read and subsequently write words such as ‘shiny’ and ‘stiff’ by the end of the lesson.

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Commentary

12 From the Foundation Stage onwards, teaching assistants make a significant contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. This is largely because they are well trained and work confidently at a wide range of teaching activities. For example, in the Foundation Stage, the teaching assistant often assesses and records what children know and can do while the teacher is talking with the whole class. In Years 1 and 2, teaching assistants spend time reading with small groups of pupils during English lessons. Through careful questioning and prompting they help pupils learn to use a range of strategies to read unfamiliar words. Throughout the school, teaching assistants often work with groups of pupils who have difficulty learning. In these situations, their prompting and advice often ensures that pupils complete their work and gain a sense of success from their efforts.

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Commentary

13 Throughout the school, teachers take some time at the beginning of the lesson to explain what pupils are going to learn. Sometimes teachers use acronyms such as WILT (what I learned today) to introduce the lesson aims but mostly they are written on the board so that pupils can read them and refer back to them during the lesson. Teachers refer to them during the lesson, often prompting pupils to think about what they are doing by comments such as ‘what did we say we would be learning and have we done it yet?’ This strategy is particularly successful because pupils know what they should be learning and understand how well they are doing. A second good effect is that, in understanding what they should be doing, pupils generally settle to their tasks quickly and sensibly.

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Commentary

14 The school’s procedures for assessing and recording what pupils know and can do vary in quality. In the Foundation Stage, where much work has gone into assessing what children know at the start and end of the reception year the procedures are effective. Staff gather evidence from daily observations and collate it several times a year. It is then used to predict how well pupils are likely to do by the end of Year 2. In English, mathematics and science, teachers have good procedures for Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 10 assessing, recording and tracking pupils’ progress. These enable teachers to spot pupils who are not doing as well as they should and to intervene to give them the help they need. In information and communication technology, teachers have begun to assess pupils progress but the procedures have not been in place long enough to have had an impact on standards or teaching. In design and

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Commentary

technology and some other subjects, there are no agreed procedures for assessing pupils’ knowledge. However, co-ordinators are aware that this is an area for further development, which puts teachers in a good position to use the best of what they already have to make the necessary changes.

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The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory range of curricular opportunities. The variety of extra activities that take place outside the school day are satisfactory but limited. Accommodation is satisfactory and resources are used effectively to support teaching and learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum ensures equal opportunities for all. • Pupils benefit from after school sports and a recorder clubs. • Provision for personal, social and health education is good; pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education. • Provision for special educational needs is good. • There is only a small, secure outdoor space for children in the Foundation Stage and this prevents their curriculum from being more exciting.

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Commentary

15 Following the last inspection report, the school has rectified imbalances in the curriculum. Planning provides teachers with firm foundations from which to develop their lessons. Plans take good account of the ways in which pupils of different abilities learn and activities are planned to extend those who learn fast and support and consolidate learning for those who need more help. The school considers that this will ultimately contribute to raising standards in all subjects. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is good as a strong emphasis is placed on learning through play and practical activities.

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Commentary

16 The curriculum is enhanced through the provision of extra-curricular activities. However these are limited to sport and music through sessions of rounders, netball and recorder teaching. Expertise from outside the school provides football sessions which are paid for separately by parents. The school has had staffing difficulties during the past year and so at present there are too few permanent members of staff to provide long-term activities beyond the school day.

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Commentary

17 Provision for personal, social and health education is good and well embedded in the curriculum. For pupils in Year 6, there is a residential visit, where, in addition to experiencing a variety of outdoor and adventurous pursuits, they develop self-esteem and learn the importance of teamwork. Pupils have good opportunities to develop responsibility and help out with the smooth running of day-to-day events such as preparing the apparatus for physical education lessons. Work is planned to include and incorporate multi-cultural awareness through areas of the curriculum. The school has strong links with the secondary school and pupils in Year 6 are well prepared for their transfer to secondary education. The school plans a range of visits whereby pupils go to the new school and undertake projects with other Year 6 pupils within the pyramid group of schools. Teachers from the secondary school also visit and get to know the pupils well.

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Commentary

18 The curriculum ensures that all pupils have an equal opportunity to make progress. Pupils who have special educational needs have the same opportunities to attend clubs and take a full part in lessons. The opportunities they have to learn are extended by an appropriate range of initiatives such as ‘early’ and ‘additional literacy’ support and ‘springboard mathematics’. These lessons helps pupils who need an extra ‘push’ to learn and consolidate fundamental skills in reading, writing and Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 11 mathematics. Pupils who are gifted and talented have access to some additional coaching and after-school clubs but the curriculum is not yet focused on attending to their particular needs. This is highlighted as a key area for development in the near future. 19 The accommodation is satisfactory and there are sufficient resources to support the work planned. There is an appropriate number of qualified teachers and assistants to meet the demands

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Commentary

of the curriculum. The quality of the work of support staff is good. Outdoor, secure accommodation for the reception class is limited and this reduces the opportunities that teachers have of using the area to enrich or extend the curriculum. The school is generally well resourced for teaching, and provides an attractive and spacious learning environment. Classrooms are organised and well resourced to provide interesting experiences.

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils are cared for well. The school ensures their health and safety and teachers provide them with good advice and guidance. Pupils are sufficiently involved in the work of the school but this is something that teachers are going to extend in the near future.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In the Foundation Stage, the arrangements for settling children into school work well. • Relationships are good; each pupil has a trusting relationship with at least one adult in the school.

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Commentary

20 Parents and children benefit from the good arrangements that help children settle quickly into school. Teachers meet parents prior to the start of the autumn term and provide them with a very useful information pack that includes practical information about daily routines and contact numbers. They explain the assessment procedures that help them identify what children already know and can do when they start school and parents are invited to work with teachers to add to these. Children and parents then come into the reception class while the previous year’s children are still there and spend a morning in school. All of this helps children relax and grow familiar with their new surroundings and consequently, at the start of the autumn term there are very few problems and children leave their parents happily.

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Commentary

21 The relationships that teachers forge with pupils are built on mutual respect and friendship. Teachers expect pupils to behave well and try their best with work and pupils respond to this well. Pupils understand the need for school rules and say that they feel they are fair. They also try hard because they want to please their teachers. This was evident in a handwriting lesson when pupils in Year 2 worked in almost total silence as they practised writing the letters ‘l’, ‘t’, ‘h’ and ‘d’. When they are hurt or upset pupils are quick to seek help from their teachers and other staff. This is because they know that they will be looked after and given sympathy for their knocks and bruises or for whatever is upsetting them at the time. The trusting and warm relationships between staff and pupils are part of the school’s ethos of care and concern for all and are a real strength of its provision.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has good links with parents, the church and the local community. Links with other schools are satisfactory and improving.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils benefit from increasingly strong links with the local and wider community. • The school’s links with the church continue to be strong and have a positive effect on pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 12 • The home-school partnership is a measure of how parents are keen to be involved in their children’s learning.

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Commentary

22 Since the previous inspection, teachers have widened the links that the school has with the local community and extended these substantially. Teachers regularly use local places of interest, such as galleries and museums to bring the curriculum to life and pupils enjoy these visits and learn much from them. In addition, members of the local and wider community visit the school and help promote pupils’ cultural development. For example, in the last two years a theatre group and an Indian dancer performed for pupils, a well known author visited the school and an actor played the part of an ancient Greek God. As well as being exciting and fun, these visitors and educational outings reinforce the work that is being done in lessons and helps pupils learn. Throughout the school, pupils are encouraged to play a part in the community by contributing to local and national charities. Efforts such as ‘bring and buy’, sales help raise considerable funds for a wide range of

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Commentary

good causes. At a purely local level, pupils provide concerts for the elderly and carol concerts for the general public at Christmas.

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Commentary

23 Close links with the church ensure that there is a strong Christian ethos to the school. Children and their families are welcomed and encouraged in church and pupils talk animatedly about services and celebrations, such as Christingle, that have happened in school or church. They say that their church is beautiful and many are looking forward to the parents’ service at Easter. The local priests are regular visitors to the school and often lead assemblies. A number of parents said that their choice of school had been made because of the close links between church and school and that it is important to them that home, school and church promote the same shared values.

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Commentary

24 Last year, the headteacher re-launched a home school agreement setting out what the school agrees to provide, what pupils will do and what part parents can play. The previous agreement, begun in 1999, was initiated after consultation with parents and governors and after discussions about the expectations of all groups of stakeholders. The result of these consultations is a well thought out and accessible agreement that can be understood by pupils and is clear about the roles and responsibilities of parents and teachers. A measure of its success is that every parent signed and returned the agreement. It provides a tremendous starting point for strengthening the links between home and school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The leadership provided by the headteacher and senior teachers is good and they manage the school well. Governors do a good job on behalf of the school. The most pertinent barrier to raising achievement in the past few years has been the high level of absence of staff.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has managed the problems of staff absence very well. • Co-ordinators keep a close eye on their subjects and know what needs to be done to continue to improve the quality of teaching and raise standards. • Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. • The budget has been affected by the lengthy absence of staff.

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Commentary

25 Although the headteacher has been in post for only a couple of months, the time spent as acting headteacher prior to this has been used profitably to create a close team of teachers and governors and to review the school’s provision. With clear direction from the headteacher, all staff have been involved in a careful and systematic review of what the school does well and what needs improving. This has led to the formation of a detailed long-term plan for school improvement that Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 13 has identified relevant key areas for work over the next four years. For example, staff feel that raising standards in writing and information and communication technology will continue to be priorities in the near future. With the backing of the governing body, the headteacher has already begun to revise the way that the school works and is looking ahead to the deployment of staff once the newly

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Commentary

appointed deputy headteacher takes up her post next term. In addition to leading the school the headteacher has also guided the school through a difficult period when a number of staff, including the former headteacher were absent. This resulted in a number of classes being taught by temporary teachers for substantial periods of last year. One of the headteacher’s first priorities on appointment was to deal with this unsettling situation. A deputy headteacher has been appointed and two permanent teachers are to be appointed next term. Until then the headteacher has been innovative in her management of staff to ensure that pupils have had some continuity of teacher. The success of this is evident in the fact that standards have been maintained over the last year.

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Commentary

26 Staff with leadership and managerial roles have a good understanding of their responsibilities and contribute to the effective management of the school. A clear indication of good leadership is that the school’s provision for information and communication technology and design and technology is better than it was at the time of the previous inspection and, as a result, standards in both subjects have risen. Subject co-ordinators manage their subjects well. They analyse the results of National Curriculum tests in English, mathematics and science and in other subjects are involved in consultations about setting targets and identifying gaps in teaching or learning. In these subjects, and in the Foundation Stage, co-ordinators also keep a close track of pupils’ progress from one year to the next. They use the information to predict the school’s results in national tests and help teachers set targets for groups and individual pupils.

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Commentary

27 Governors are committed to the success of the school and do a good job on its behalf. Recently appointed governors have grasped opportunities to improve their performance through training and all are confident that they can support and challenge the school appropriately. Most governors find out what is going on through frequent visits to classrooms and from the regular reports they require the headteacher to provide at governing body meetings. This is a strong feature of their leadership and management and ensures that they have a firm grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and the quality of teaching and learning. They use this information to fulfil their statutory duties, such as ensuring that the school implements their race equality policy and to help shape the direction of the school. They are very much involved in decisions about policy and spending.

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Commentary

28 The school’s budget is reasonably healthy but has been affected substantially by the lengthy absence of staff. The appointment of temporary teachers has been a drain on finances and governors have had to set aside money until the school regains the expense it has incurred in salaries from insurance companies. This has led to a larger than average carry over of funds to the next year. With help and advice from the local education authority the headteacher and governors have managed this difficult situation wisely. It has not had an adverse affect on levels of staffing or on the quality of provision.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 527,155 Balance from previous year 78,162 Total expenditure 549,704 Balance carried forward to the next 55,613 Expenditure per pupil 2,630 Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 14

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

29 Provision is good in this key stage. The quality of teaching is good in all areas of learning and consequently children achieve well. The two part-time teachers work closely as a team and ensure that the curriculum is suitable for children of this age.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

30 Some areas of learning were sampled and insufficient teaching or learning was seen to make judgements about them. Teachers plan many opportunities for children to increase their knowledge and understanding of the world. They do this though providing first-hand experiences such as exploring with ice and water and from observing nature and the locality around the school. As a result, children draw simple maps showing the way from home to school and use a computer program to create pictures and designs on screen. They know that some places, such as a church, are special and that harvest, Christmas and Easter are all times for celebration. Teachers also plan daily opportunities for children to develop their creative skills through painting, drawing and creating models. Each day, there are times when children come together to sing, listen to music or play a wide range of percussion instruments.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Many activities promote children’s social development. • Activities such as circle time help children talk about their feelings.

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Commentary

31 One of the reasons why children exceed the goals children are expected to reach in this area of learning is that teachers encourage children to be independent in their day-to-day activities; for example, in getting their own aprons and finding the equipment they need to complete a task. Staff are patient and understanding. They explain instructions clearly so that children know exactly what is expected of them and, as a result, there is a calm working atmosphere in the reception class. Children are encouraged to work together, help each other and to share materials good- naturedly. The good behaviour and social development established by staff during the reception year have a continuing impact on pupils’ good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning throughout the school.

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Commentary

32 In circle time activities, children are given the chance to listen to others and share their own feelings about issues that may be important to them. Teachers make good use of a toy monkey to be a prompt for these sessions and his views are often the ones that are discussed. For example, following his whispered and imagined comments to a teacher, children talked about what they like and do not like about the weather. This led some to explain their fear of thunder or lightning and others to wonder at the marvel of a rainbow. All children had something to say, although the fact that it was a whole-class activity meant that some had to be patient for a long time before getting their turn.

p.16

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers promote the development in language in everything that children do. • Teachers ensure that there are plenty of opportunities for children to read each day. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 15

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Commentary

33 The main reason why standards in speaking exceed the early learning goals is that teachers promote the development of language in everything children do and never miss an opportunity to engage children in conversation. Good use is made of role-play to help children use a widening range of words and language. For example, children learn to use words such as ‘brochure’, ‘ticket’ and ‘booking’ in the travel agency corner. With guidance from staff, children begin to use the more technical terms associated with mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. When engaged in mathematical activities they use terms like ‘between’ and ‘through’ to describe position and in scientific explorations they ‘tessellate’ bricks.

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Commentary

34 Teachers make good use of big books and exciting stories to motivate children and get them reading increasingly difficult and lengthy sentences. They also make sure that children have a good grasp of the sounds that letters make so that children are able to make fairly accurate guesses at unfamiliar words such as ‘blue’. All children take books home regularly, which further promotes their interest in reading. Other children happily join in the telling of stories they know well and re-tell a story by referring to the pictures. As a result, most children exceed the early learning goals for reading by the end of the reception year and many are able to read simple stories.

p.17

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Practical activities help promote children’s understanding of mathematics. • Children’s mathematical understanding develops as they sing songs and engage in imaginative play.

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Commentary

35 Most children exceed the early learning goals for mathematics because teachers ensure that children gain an understanding of number, pattern and shape through practical activities such as counting objects, playing games and sorting objects into sets. Most mathematical activities begin with a practical activity, such as ordering a line of numbers and then thinking about which is greater or less than a given number. Other practical activities, such as exploring in sand and water help children gain an understanding of weight and capacity and most can decide accurately which of two objects is lighter, heavier, shorter or longer and say whether a container is full, empty or half full.

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Commentary

36 Children learn a lot from singing songs and from their imaginative play. Teachers regularly bring the class together to sing number rhymes that help children grasp the concepts of addition and subtraction long before they begin to record these as mathematical equations. For example, at the beginning of a good lesson, children sang the song One, Two, Three, Four, Five , which helped those who were unsure to count and reminded them of left and right positions. In their imaginative play children are encouraged to use large and small numbers. In the travel agent shop children made up lengthy telephone numbers and then read them back to an adult and showed the opening and closing times of the shop by drawing hands onto clock faces.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although teachers make good use of the hall the secure outdoor space for children in the Foundation Stage is too small to be used for the whole class. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 16

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Commentary

37 Regular opportunities to use the hall for gymnastics, dance and games help children make steady progress in the development of physical skills and most are set to achieve the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. They are robust and lively and enjoy physical activities, such as rolling, chasing and catching balls and stretching to the rhyme of Humpty Dumpty. However, the secure outdoor area is too small for teachers to use with the whole class and this slightly inhibits children’s opportunities to play outside in warm weather. In addition, there is no large-scale adventure or climbing equipment to thrill children and further encourage their physical development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Subject leadership is good. • Lessons are interesting, so pupils have positive attitudes and achieve well. • The school provides good opportunities for extended work in reading and writing in all subjects. • Teachers work hard to match work to the range of ability in their classes, so all make good progress. • The teaching of reading is effective. Standards are good. • The school keeps thorough records of pupils’ progress and provides good support where this is needed. • The school has not yet managed to raise standards in writing to those achieved in reading.

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Commentary

38 The school has managed to maintain good standards since the last inspection, despite some prolonged staffing difficulties, which were caused by illnesses. National test results over the last few years show that pupils have regularly reached well above average standards in Year 2 and Year 6. Many of them enter the school with about average language skills, so pupils are achieving well. The subject is well led and managed, so pupils have continued to make good progress despite the teacher changes. Another reason is that the pupils work hard, listen well and want to learn. Problems relating to the absence of several staff are almost resolved and teaching is good, so the school is well placed to raise standards further.

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Commentary

39 Pupils of all abilities are learning well. A strength of the teaching is that work is carefully matched to pupil’s learning needs. Higher attaining pupils are challenged in lessons, this is an improvement since the last inspection. In Year 6, for example, the teacher’s analytical marking constantly shows pupils that even good work can be improved. Boys have achieved better than girls in recent years, which is the opposite of the national picture. The school is aware of this and has looked at teaching styles and the curriculum to see if these are factors. During the inspection there was no evidence that this is the case, although the older boys do tend to be more eager to answer and contribute than the girls. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they have good support from their own teachers and additional staff. Work is carefully planned to help them to achieve their personal targets.

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Commentary

40 Standards in writing do not match those achieved in reading although pupils reach the expected level in Year 6. The school is working hard to improve writing and has identified this as a whole-school priority. Teachers are setting a good range of exciting things to write about. They give good advice and show pupils how to improve their work. A strength is that writing is taught in manageable stages, so pupils can try different styles and techniques before tackling the final version. Examples from authors and poets are used well to guide and inspire. Pupils generally take great Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 17 care with their handwriting, spelling and punctuation. Despite all this, the school has not yet fully overcome a reluctance to write by a minority of pupils. These find it hard to get started, or to sustain their ideas. However, even for these pupils, some of the best writing is seen in other subjects. For

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Commentary

example, pupils write very good accounts of what they discover in science, or their feelings after visiting a World War II museum.

p.19

Commentary

41 The school promotes reading well, standards are good throughout the school. Pupils of all abilities are enthusiastic readers, they take great care of their books and many use other libraries. Some of the factors that have contributed to this good picture are:

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Commentary

• Good support and encouragement by parents • The school gives pupils a good start in phonics, and provides a range of strategies to tackle new words. • The reading programme is well organised and there are careful records of pupils’ progress. • There is a good range of up-to-date fiction and non-fiction books. The school library is attractive and is used regularly to enhance work in all subjects. • The quality of extra support for less able readers is very good. • Teachers do not leave the best readers to their own devices, they encourage pupils to make wider choices and discuss what they find.

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Commentary

42 There are several strengths to the teaching. Teachers have good relationships with their classes and motivate pupils effectively. They make clear what is to be learned and what standard is expected, so pupils are focused right from the start. Teachers prepare attractive materials for pupils to use, this not only keeps pupils interested but helps to set the standard for pupils’ own presentation. Lessons move along purposefully because teachers plan well and rarely talk for too long. In the best class discussions, teachers show expert knowledge of language and literature as they engage pupils in exploring ideas about well-chosen texts. Pupils are expected to contribute audibly, or work with talking buddies to share ideas. Such work extends pupils’ speaking and listening skills effectively. Standards in these are good throughout the school. Teachers use good devices to encourage reluctant speakers, for example, some pupils in Year 1 dressed up as

p.19

Commentary

characters in Cinderella to help the class practise asking and answering questions. This proved so popular that the pupils spent every spare minute of the day thinking up new questions.

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Commentary

43 Leadership of the subject has been effective through a difficult period. The co-ordinator has a clear grasp of the strengths and weaknesses because she keeps a close eye on planning, teaching and pupils’ progress. There are good plans to enrich the curriculum, for example, through drama and new approaches to writing. Priorities are clearly identified and achieved; for example, there has been a good improvement in the quality of the fiction and non-fiction libraries.

p.19

Language and literacy across the curriculum

44 The things pupils learn in English lessons are practised and reinforced well in all subjects. This is a strength of the school. Pupils use a variety of styles and techniques in writing, for example, in explaining exactly why their prediction was wrong in science, or writing clear instructions with labels in design and technology. Pupils show they can express feelings, for example, when they write from the point of view of characters in history or religious education. They have good research skills and use the non-fiction library and the Internet well. Teachers provide a range of opportunities for pupils to be involved in discussions. These are well managed and contribute effectively to pupils’ learning.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above the expected level. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 18 • Teaching and learning have improved. • Marking does not always help pupils to understand how they can improve their work. • Leadership is good and so is the monitoring of teaching and learning.

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Commentary

45 The school does well for its pupils, with all groups making good progress and achieving well. Standards are above the expected level by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by teaching assistants in classes. The strong and appropriate focus on numeracy skills has improved pupils’ knowledge and capability because they are taught to consider a variety of strategies. By Year 2, pupils develop a knowledge and understanding of place value and recall addition and number facts to at least 20. They are taught to recognise number patterns such as odds and evens and use different strategies when calculating. As pupils move up the school, the speed and range of mental calculations increases. Pupils in Year 4 increase the number of strategies they use to add and subtract numbers up to 1000. They recognise patterns in times tables. By Year 6, pupils use multiplication and division to find out factors of high numbers,

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Commentary

measure angles and calculate angles in triangles.

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Commentary

46 Since the last inspection the quality of teaching and learning has improved. In lessons seen teaching was good overall and very good in Year 6. Strengths in teaching include:

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Commentary

• Carefully planned lessons with learning objectives, which are referred to throughout. This ensures pupils remain well focused on their activities; • The quality and range of activities, which match each pupil’s stage of development. Pupils therefore progress at a good rate because they clearly understand what they are learning; • Teachers evaluate each lesson and re-teach points which pupils are unclear about at the start of subsequent lessons; • Teaching captures pupils’ interest and enthusiasm and makes them enjoy the challenge of mathematics; • Good emphasis on the correct use of mathematical vocabulary; • Many opportunities to explore different methods of calculation and the encouragement for pupils to explain theirs knowing that each contribution will be valued by all; • Clear explanations and support from teachers to ensure all pupils understand how to complete the task successfully; • Teaching assistants who are well briefed and often work with individuals or small groups on

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Commentary

47 Marking in books seen, is consistent across the school, but the ticks and crosses placed next to sums and general mathematical calculation does not indicate to pupils how they can improve.

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Commentary

48 The curriculum leader has a very good grasp of the subject’s strengths and areas for development. This is illustrated by the current emphasis on improving the way information and communication technology is used to support mathematics, especially in the classroom. There has been an impressive analysis of standards over recent years, which effectively helps set priorities for development as well as to highlight those areas of success.

p.20

Mathematics across the curriculum

49 The range of work that pupils are given in each successive year group effectively covers the National Curriculum and teachers are good at forging links between different subjects. The use of mathematical skills is evident in design and technology, geography, information and communication technology and science. It plays a significant role in the good standards pupils achieve. The cross- curricular approach ensures that pupils develop an appreciation of mathematics in every day life.

p.20

SCIENCE

Provision in science is good. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 19

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to experiment and investigate. • Pupils use a wide range of methods to record their experiments meticulously. • Teachers always use the correct scientific terminology and pupils use a wide technical vocabulary in their work.

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Commentary

50 One of the reasons why standards are above those expected is that pupils enjoy experimenting and teachers encourage them to find things out for themselves. This begins in Years 1, for example, when pupils test materials for their properties and continues in Year 2 as when they set up an experiment to measure the distance a toy car will travel down a ramp. In Years 3 to 6, pupils begin to consider how to make these tests fair and how best to record their findings. For example, pupils in Year 3 investigated different types of paper for absorbency and tried to make their tests fair by ensuring that the same amount of water was used on each sample. As their experience of investigations grows pupils use their scientific knowledge to predict what might happen in their experiments. In their work on electricity, an average attaining pupil predicted accurately that ‘the thickest wire will make the brightest light because it can carry more power to the light bulb’. Pupils

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Commentary

enjoy science lessons and set about their investigations enthusiastically. They are used to working in pairs or small groups and generally share the workload so that everyone has a part to play in setting up, carrying out and recording the experiments.

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Commentary

51 Teachers insist that pupils of all ages take the time to record their scientific experiments and investigations accurately and logically. In Year 1, pupils already understand the importance of using diagrams and pictures to record their observations. In their work on living things they labelled the parts of a plant and a body accurately. In Years 1 and 2, pupils use charts and simple block and bar graphs to communicate findings so that they are easy to read. Teachers in Years 3 to 6 help pupils record their findings systematically by talking through each step of an investigation and by providing examples of many different ways of setting down their findings. Consequently by the time they are in Year 6, pupils use their mathematical knowledge to record the results of experiments on separating materials as straight-line graphs. They also used mathematics to help them formulate further tests such as ‘how can we make sugar dissolve more quickly?’

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Commentary

52 The main reason why teaching is good is that from Year 1 onwards, teachers always use the correct technical vocabulary when talking about scientific concepts. This means that pupils in Years 1 and 2 are familiar with terms such as ‘making a test fair’ and ‘prediction’. In taking their cue from the teacher, pupils begin to use the same terms in their descriptions and explanations of their work. Many of the practical experiments planned by teachers also help widen the scientific vocabulary of pupils. For example, after listening to the teacher describe materials as ‘transparent’ and ‘opaque’ one or two higher attaining pupils in Year 1 grasped the idea that they were opposite properties of glass. In Years 3 to 6, teachers use an increasingly technical range of scientific terms in their recordings and discussions. For example, pupils in Year 6 use the words ‘filtration’ and ‘pollination’ to describe work on physical and life processes.

p.21

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and resources have improved in the last three years. • Standards match those expected for pupils’ ages. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and their achievement is steady. • Leadership and management of the subject are good. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 20 • Information and communication technology is used well to support some aspects of the curriculum but less well to support others.

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Commentary

53 The school is better equipped now and teachers have benefited from training. They make good use of an interactive display board in the computer suite to teach whole class groups. The school now has computers in classrooms that are compatible with those in the computer suite so pupils can complete or extend their work throughout the week.

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Commentary

54 By the end of Year 2, pupils use word processing, control and drawing programs to present their work. Pupils in Year 6 demonstrate basic skills of logging on, saving, printing and amending their work well. They know how to research information and how to use digital cameras and the computer to examine, for example parts of a flower. They are well aware of the advantages of using computers in the home and office and are alive to the dangers posed by computer viruses. They know that information and adverts on the Internet can be misleading.

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Commentary

55 Pupils thoroughly enjoy working with computers and they achieve steadily throughout the school so their confidence improves. They work well in pairs helping and supporting one another in lessons.

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Commentary

56 The leadership and management of the subject are good and the co-ordinator has worked hard to raise standards in the subject. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and has analysed the way pupils are learning. She uses the information gathered to provide helpful advice and support for colleagues. The school improvement plan shows clearly how the school intends to continue developing the subject. Assessment procedures are newly in place and are being used to help teachers judge the levels reached by pupils.

p.22

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

57 The use of information and communication technology in other subjects is patchy. During the inspection, several examples of good practice were seen. Information and communication technology is used particularly well in some classes to support design and technology. Pupils’ mathematical and science skills were supported when they recorded the results of investigations of food types onto graphs and when Year 2 used clip art and various fonts to identify the components of a torch. However, past work shows that opportunities have been missed in science and in history and geography. Pupils sometimes use the Internet to gather information but this skill could be developed further. The school is fully aware of the need for further development and has it in hand.

p.22

HUMANITIES

58 The school has a religious character and consequently religious education was inspected and reported on separately.

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HUMANITIES

59 Geography was sampled by looking at displays and pupils’ books and by talking with them about their work. It was only possible to see one lesson. In Year 2 there are good links between geography and literacy as pupils learn about the physical features of a fictional island in Scotland from stories of Katie Morag. In Years 3 to 6, pupils learn about the effects of weather and location on life styles and communities and are aware of the detrimental impact that humans have on plant and animal life in mountainous areas. Pupils in Year 5 extended their knowledge of information and communication technology and geography when they studied changes to the locality and produced surveys to find out how local people felt about a nearby airport development. In discussions, pupils talked enthusiastically about their work in geography and said that they particularly liked working on projects.

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HUMANITIES

60 History was sampled in a similar way, although no lessons were seen. From discussions with pupils in Year 6 it is clear that they enjoy history and recall periods they studied in each year Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 21 group. They talked equally knowledgeably about the Great Fire of London, which they studied in Year 2 as they did about the Tudor period studied in Year 5. Teachers make good use of visitors to the school and educational outings to bring history alive for pupils. For example, a visiting actor in the guise of Odysseus inspired pupils to learn about Greek myths and legends. Similarly, pupils talked excitedly about dressing up in Tudor clothes during their visit to Gainsborough Old Hall. Pupils in Year 6 were fired with enthusiasm to find out more about recipes, food rationing and the black market as a result of their visit to Eden Camp, where they learned about life and times during the

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HUMANITIES

Blitz and World War 11. A good feature of the history curriculum is that the topics planned by teachers incorporate other subjects, such as art and design, literacy and mathematics. This means that pupils have opportunities to practise these skills at the same time as they widen their historical knowledge and understanding.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

61 No lessons in art and design were seen because the subject was sampled. However, pupils talked about their work and there were attractive displays in classrooms and shared areas. Pupils have used a wide range of media to paint and draw in art and design and to illustrate their work in other subjects. Pupils in Year 6 have studied the work of the artists Kandinsky and painted well-executed paintings in the style of Monet, who they rightly described as being one of the Impressionists. Teachers incorporate art competitions into the curriculum and pupils say that they enjoy taking part in these considerably and are proud if their work is chosen for exhibition.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

62 Music was sampled by talking with pupils and observing them performing in assemblies and lessons. Pupils listen to music each day at the start and end of assembly and learn about modern and classical composers in this way. From Year 3 onwards, all pupils learn to play recorder and some go on to play a widening range of instruments as they get older. Pupils also have the chance to learn from experts such as the pianist who helps teach singing to all classes. As a result, pupils of all ages sing tunefully and with clear diction. When asked, pupils said that they enjoy music lessons but that the real highlights of the subject are taking part in school concerts and visits by an orchestra and brass band.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

63 The school’s provision for physical education was sampled through looking at teachers’ planning, photographs of pupils engaged in sporting and athletics activities, from observing games and gymnastics lessons and by talking with pupils. In both of the lessons seen pupils moved with control, balance and an awareness of space. They co-operated with partners and showed that they could work in teams. Teachers’ planning shows that the curriculum includes gymnastics, athletics and games and pupils in Year 5 have swimming lessons, which are very popular. At present there is only a limited range of after-school sports activities, largely because a number of teachers have been absent recently, but there are firm bookings for expert coaches to run clubs in the summer term. A good feature of the curriculum is that pupils in Year 6 have the chance to take part in a residential adventure week each year. Boys and girls said that they could ‘hardly wait’ for their turn.

p.23

Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good leadership has helped improve provision since the previous inspection but there is still work to do on assessment. • Standards have risen and now match those expected by Year 6. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are given a wealth of opportunities to practise their design and technology skills and this has led to standards being above those expected. • Pupils benefit from the school’s links with a local business and education initiative.

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Commentary

Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 22 64 With clear direction from the co-ordinator the curriculum has been broadened and is now satisfactory. Teachers use a good quality scheme of work to guide their teaching and ensure that pupils’ skills are developed sequentially and build on their prior learning. The co-ordinator is a good role model and provides informal help and advice for other teachers. This has led to an improvement in the quality of teaching, which is satisfactory overall but with some good features. Strengths of the teaching lie in the way that teachers link the work in design and technology with other subjects and make good use of computers. The main area for further improvement is that the school does not yet have procedures for assessing or recording what pupils know and can do. However, through systematic and regular monitoring of teaching and learning the co-ordinator is

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Commentary

aware of what needs to be done next. This puts the school in a good position to be able to continue to raise standards. 65 Improved teaching and planning has ensured that standards have risen since the previous inspection. They now match those expected in Year 6 where pupils have a sound understanding of the design, make and evaluate process. The only gap in their use of designs is that very few contain information about dimensions or provide views from different sides or angles. Despite this, pupils create a wide range of models, some of which move through the use of pneumatics. They are generally finished to a reasonable standard but pupils in Years 3 to 6 do not pay the same attention to finish and detail as those in Years 1 and 2. In these years pupils’ models are finished to a good standard, reflecting the high expectations of teachers.

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Commentary

66 In Years 1 and 2, pupils have many opportunities to design and make models. This is evident in the output of work on display and incorporated into the everyday life of the class. For example, pupils in Year 1 read two beautifully presented books made by the pupils who are now in Year 2. The books include moving parts and are very popular with pupils. With regular practice, pupils’ designs show that they think ahead about the sequence of their work and plan each step of the making process. Pupils become familiar with a range of techniques for joining and assembling materials and use components such as axles very effectively to make moving vehicles. All of this helps to make standards above those expected by Year 2.

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Commentary

67 Last year, pupils in Year 6 benefited from taking part in a competition set by a local business in partnership with the local education authority. Pupils in all Doncaster schools were set the challenge of designing, marketing and building a prototype for the next generation of alarms that go off if the wearer falls over. With help from their teacher and the co-ordinator pupils designed a range of models suitable for men and women. They then used a digital camera and computer technology to market the product. Their efforts paid off and they won first prize for the marketing and gained a cup and certificate for the school. Pupils in the current Year 6 class say that they are keen to do as well with this year’s challenge.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

68 The school’s provision for promoting pupils’ personal, social and health education was sampled and no lessons were seen. Pupils’ personal and social development is promoted in everything that the school provides and does and through the close relationships that teachers forge with pupils. Throughout the school, teachers have high expectations of how pupils should act and work. Pupils respond to these by acting in a mature fashion and behaving in a friendly manner to other boys and girls. Regular visitors to the school help pupils make decisions about healthy lifestyles and drugs awareness and sex and relationship education is part of the curriculum for the oldest pupils. At present the school does not have a school council where issues that are important to pupils can be discussed but pupils acquire citizenship skills in their day-to-day interactions with staff and through the contribution they make to the life of the school. This has already been identified

p.24

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

by the school as an area for future development. Branton St Wilfrid’s Church of England Primary School - 23

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PART D: 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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.25