Caen Community Primary School

BRAUNTON CAEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 th June – 1 st July 2004

p.1

BRAUNTON CAEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Braunton Caen Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

BRAUNTON CAEN 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. Braunton Caen Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 274

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Caen Street Braunton Devon

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01271 812786 Fax number: 01271 815781

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs H Knight

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 st June 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Braunton Caen Primary School is situated on the North Devon coast. It is a bigger than average primary school with 274 boys and girls on roll including 30 children in the reception class who all attend full time. Some children started in September and a larger group in January of this year. Pupils are nearly all of white UK heritage and all but a very small number speak English at home. A very small number are from other minority ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below average. Two pupils have a statement of their needs and this is below average. Overall attainment on entry to the school is average. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average, but this does not reflect the average social backgrounds of most pupils. The school is developing a partnership with the Basic Skills Council to provide additional support to the local community. It

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

has been awarded ‘Investor in People’ in recognition of its work to train and develop everyone who works in the school, and ‘Activemark’ because of its work in developing sporting activities. The school won a ‘School Achievement Award’ in 2002 because of improved standards. Braunton Caen Primary School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

27899 Mrs G Beasley Lead inspector Science, Art and design, Design and technology, Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage, English as an additional language. 9644 Mr M Whitaker Lay inspector 13307 Mr I Hancock Team inspector English, Religious education, History, Geography. 20671 Mr J Palethorpe Team inspector Mathematics, Information and communication technology, Music, Physical education, Special educational needs.

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the 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). Braunton Caen Primary School - 5

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

Braunton Caen is a good school with some very good features. Indications are that standards are still rising and the school is well placed to improve further. Relationships are very good so pupils get along very well together. Standards are above average and all pupils achieve well. Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. The school is well led and managed. It gives good value for money.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

• Achievement in English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology (ICT) and physical education (PE), and for children in the Foundation Stage is good. • Standards and achievement in religious education (RE) are not as good as they should be. • Achievement in art and design is very good and standards are well above average. • Pupils have a very good understanding about how to improve their own work because they are fully involved in assessing how well they are doing. • Lessons involve all pupils in thinking things through for themselves so they work independently very well. • Pupils are very interested in lessons and work hard. • The school has a friendly but productive learning atmosphere which supports pupils’ learning very well. • Leadership of the headteacher and most subject co-ordinators is very good and continues to drive forward improvement. • There is insufficient evidence of planned opportunities for pupils to develop an awareness

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the previous inspection in June 1998 is good. All of the main issues have been dealt with well. Assessment procedures are good and are used effectively in most subjects to check how well pupils are doing and to plan suitable support and challenge in lessons. As a result, challenge for higher attaining pupils has increased and standards in most subjects have risen. Provision for ICT has improved very well and pupils have regular access to computers and other equipment to support their learning. This is resulting in good overall achievement. The health and safety issues highlighted in the previous report have been dealt with although there are some new issues which need addressing.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

Pupils’ achievements are good . Children start school with average knowledge, understanding and skills. They achieve well in all areas of learning to reach the goals they are expected to by the end of the reception year. Many children exceed these in their personal and creative development. All pupils continue to achieve well in Years 1 and 2. The recent decline in test results at the end of Year 2 in reading and mathematics has been halted, and standards seen during the inspection were well above average. Similar improvements have been seen in writing. Achievement in all three aspects is very good. Standards in science and ICT are above average and pupils achieve well.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A D B B Braunton Caen Primary School - 7 Mathematics B E C C Science D E B 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.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

Standards at the end of Year 6 have been rising faster than the national trend and are now above average in English, mathematics and science. Although there was a difference in boys’ and girls’ achievement last year in mathematics, this is no longer the case because the school successfully implemented strategies to raise girls’ achievement. Standards in ICT are average. Achievement is good because pupils have caught up previously missed learning quickly. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, those who speak English as an additional language, and higher attaining pupils, are doing well. Standards in RE are below expected levels because pupils do not have regular enough opportunities to revisit their learning about a range of different religions. Achievement is unsatisfactory. Standards in art and design are well above average because of the enthusiastic way the subject is taught and

p.7

OVERALL EVALUATION

achievement is very good. Standards are above average in PE and pupils achieve well in this subject. History, geography, design and technology and music were not inspected. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . Very good provision for social and moral development nurtures pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour. Pupils know the local culture well but their knowledge and understanding of world cultures is too limited. Attendance is good and pupils arrive at school in plenty of time, ready to start work.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good . Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. Teachers and pupils evaluate learning together and this ensures pupils have a very good understanding of how well they are doing. Targets in English, mathematics and science enable pupils and teachers to check progress. Teachers’ planning is thorough and identifies work which challenges higher attainers well and supports those who need it effectively. Teaching assistants provide very good support to pupils in lessons. The curriculum is good and provides a good range of extracurricular clubs and activities. Provision for special educational needs is very good and enables these pupils to achieve well. Arrangements for pupils’ care and welfare are very good. Links with parents are good. They are very good with the local community. The accommodation is unsatisfactory. In particular the mobile classrooms become too hot and

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

stuffy during the afternoons and this affects pupils’ concentration levels.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides very good leadership and has been instrumental in motivating staff and establishing the school’s very positive working atmosphere. School improvement is at the forefront of school development planning. Governors provide good support and ensure all statutory requirements are in place. The enthusiasm and very good subject expertise of many subject co-ordinators continues to improve pupils’ achievement.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school works hard to include all pupils’ views in its work. Pupils enjoy coming to school, especially ‘ because of the exciting lessons’ . Parents are pleased with the school. Most are Braunton Caen Primary School - 8 happy with what the school does for their child and agree that pupils behave well and that their child likes school.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

p.8

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards and achievement in religious education. • Provide more planned opportunities for pupils to learn and develop a greater awareness of a range of cultures other than their own.

p.8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

All pupils achieve well. Standards are above average in many subjects by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the reception class achieve well. • Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above average at the end of Year 2. • Standards in art and design are well above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and achievement is very good. • Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in religious education so standards are below expected levels. • Achievement is good in English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology (ICT) and physical education throughout the school.

p.8

Commentary

1. Children start school with skills that are average overall. They all achieve well, and most reach the expected goals by the end of the reception year in all areas of learning. A number of children do better than this. Achievement in personal, social and emotional development, and in creative development, is very good and children exceed the goals in these areas of learning. The improvement in provision is resulting in higher standards at the end of Year 2 because the children start Year 1 ready to learn.

p.8

Commentary

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

p.8

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.7 (16.9) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 14.4 (14.9) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 16.9 (17.3) 16.3 (16.5) There were 48 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Braunton Caen Primary School - 9 2. Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is good. Standards have been falling for a few years in reading and mathematics but this fall has been halted this year. Standards seen during the inspection were well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because nearly all pupils reach average levels and a good number of pupils reach the above average levels. Achievement in these subjects is very good. Standards in science have been above average for a number of years. This is still the case. Good emphasis is given to developing pupils’ scientific enquiry skills so pupils achieve particularly well in this aspect. A higher than usual proportion of pupils reach above average levels. Although teachers assess boys’

p.8

Commentary

achievement higher than girls in the subject, no difference was seen in pupils’ work or in lessons. Standards in ICT are above average, achievement is good.

p.9

Commentary

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

p.9

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 28.0 (26.5) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.3 (25.1) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.8 (27.2) 28.6 (28.3) There were 43 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.9

Commentary

3. Achievement in Years 3 to 6 is good. Results in national tests at the end of Year 6 have risen since the last inspection and compared to schools nationally and with similar schools (in comparison with their standards at the end of Year 2), standards in 2003 were above average in English, average in mathematics and well above average in science. Boys did better than girls in mathematics last year. Standards seen during the inspection confirm this upward trend and are above average in English, mathematics and science. The school has put into place successful strategies to raise girls’ achievement in mathematics. As a result, they have done much better this year and their achievement is good. Standards in ICT are average. Achievement is good because, due to good teaching and regular ICT lessons, pupils have quickly caught up their previously below average skills.

p.9

Commentary

4. Standards in RE are below average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and achievement is unsatisfactory. Pupils do not have enough regular opportunities to revisit learning so they forget much of what is taught and become confused when talking about religions. Achievement is very good in art and design, and standards are well above average throughout the school. Pupils are enthusiastic about their work and enjoy celebrating their achievements. Standards in PE are above average and achievement is good. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about standards and achievement in design and technology, history, geography and music at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 because these subjects were not foci of the inspection.

p.9

Commentary

5. Good improvement since the previous inspection is the way that higher attaining pupils are targeted and provided with the challenge they need in lessons to do well. As a result, they achieve well. Booster groups effectively help those who need a little more help to reach their Braunton Caen Primary School - 10 potential. These have been successful and pupils have done well against their earlier attainment.

p.9

Commentary

6. Pupils learning English as an additional language achieve well. Very good support as soon as pupils join the school ensures that they soon settle into school and cope well in lessons. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. Adults working with them know their targets in individual education plans so these pupils get very focused support in lessons to help them succeed. As a result of this very good support from teachers and teaching assistants in class, many of these pupils do well to reach average levels in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6.

p.10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The school's very good and supportive relationships and caring atmosphere promote pupils’ very good behaviour, a very strong interest in learning, and very good personal values. Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good as is attendance and punctuality.

p.10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

• Pupils demonstrate a very high level of enthusiasm in lessons and in all other opportunities provided by the school. • Pupils behave very well as a result of the school’s very positive ethos which nurtures high self- confidence and self-esteem, and clear expectations and skilled classroom management. • Very strong relationships at all levels contribute significantly to pupils' personal development and help to create a tolerant and inclusive community. • Social and moral development is very well promoted through involving pupils and raising their self-esteem. Their cultural development, however, suffers from a lack of awareness of Britain as a multicultural society. • Parents make sure they send their children to school regularly and on time.

p.10

Commentary

7. Very good attention is paid to developing positive attitudes of all pupils through such work as the Emotional Literacy group, circle time and personal, social and health education lessons. As a result, pupils have very good attitudes to school, an improvement on the good attitudes noted in the previous inspection report. Pupils enjoy their lessons very much. For example, in a reception class science lesson, the children were exploring ways of making floating things sink. There was much splashing and hilarity because the lesson was great fun and a considerable amount of learning was going on. Throughout the school, pupils are fully attentive, concentrate very well and persevere with challenging tasks because they are very well motivated to learn. This was particularly evident during the afternoons when the heat in the huts outside tested pupils’ concentration to the limit. There is considerable enthusiasm for the other opportunities

p.10

Commentary

on offer, such as representing the school in competitive sport, serving on the school council or taking advantage of the good range of extracurricular activities.

p.10

Commentary

8. Provision for pupils' social and moral development is very good. This represents good improvement since the previous inspection. Adults in school provide a positive moral framework for pupils that is underpinned by a thorough personal, social and health education and citizenship programme. The school's emphasis on emotional literacy serves to develop pupils' self-confidence and self-esteem very well. Braunton Caen Primary School - 11 9. The school has high expectations of behaviour, backed up by a set of clear sanctions and rewards. As a result, pupils behave very well at all times. Pupils are friendly, open and polite towards visitors and very considerate with each other. A few parents have expressed concerns about bullying. However, there was no sign of such behaviour during the inspection and pupils spoken to had no concerns about it. They were aware of the issue and had discussed it in their

p.10

Commentary

school council meetings and in personal, social and health education lessons. Any unpleasantness that did arise was dealt with well by the staff (although pupils said that they would, where possible, prefer to sort matters out for themselves).

p.11

Commentary

10. The school is a very close knit and open community in which pupils learn to debate social and ethical issues. Pupils are happy to negotiate solutions to minor disputes that may occur and the school council is eager to try their 'Guardian Angels', a proposed system for pupils to solve things for themselves. The school provides a number of good personal development opportunities, including responsibilities such as playground buddies and monitors, the chance to collaborate in team sports and drama and, for Years 4 and 6, the chance to go away on a residential visit. The school works hard to include all pupils, regardless of ethnic origin, ability or background, so all are fully involved in the life of the school. Relationships are very constructive and supportive at all levels and contribute significantly to pupils' personal development and attitudes towards school and each other. All staff contribute constructively

p.11

Commentary

towards pupils' wellbeing. For example, the school's financial administrator leads the very popular early morning keep-fit sessions for pupils.

p.11

Commentary

11. Pupils' cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils learn about literature, art and music from many different countries and enjoy a number of cultural experiences, through theatre visits, a singing club and African drumming club. They have a good knowledge of their own local culture through work in history and geography. However, pupils lack any real understanding of the multicultural nature of contemporary British society. For example, in a religious education lesson, Year 3 pupils had difficulty in understanding that there were British Muslims. Spiritual development is good because pupils have good knowledge about their personal strengths and weaknesses. They have an acute responsibility for caring for their surroundings and respect each other’s feelings and views when debating moral issues in lessons and assemblies. However, their knowledge and understanding of different faiths is confused.

p.11

Commentary

12. Attendance is good. At 94.9 per cent, it is above the national average for primary schools. Unauthorised absence, at 0.1 per cent, is below the national average. Punctuality is good and pupils arrive in plenty of time ready to start work.

p.11

Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

p.11

Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 5.1 School data: 0.1 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.11

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. The curriculum is good and enriched well with a good range of extracurricular activities. Care and welfare is good overall. Links with parents and other schools are good. Links are very good with the local community. Braunton Caen Primary School - 12

p.11

Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good. Assessment procedures are good overall and very good in the Foundation Stage and in English and mathematics.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ planning is very thorough and identifies precisely what pupils are to learn in lessons. • Pupils are expected to think things through for themselves and this enables them to work independently because they know how to learn. • The ends of lessons are used very effectively to review what pupils have learned and what they need to do next to improve. • Pupils have very good opportunities to share ideas and contribute to the way they will learn in lessons. • Higher attaining pupils are given good challenge in lessons. • Assessment information is used very well in English and mathematics to target individuals and ensure all pupils achieve well in these subjects.

p.12

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

p.12

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.12

Commentary

0 (0%) 8 (21%) 21 (55%) 9 (24%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

p.12

Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.12

Commentary

13. The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the previous inspection and is consistently good in most lessons. It is very good in art and design in Years 1 to 6 and in creative development in the reception class. A weakness last time was in a lack of challenge for higher attaining pupils. This has been rectified and these pupils achieve well in nearly all subjects. Those pupils identified with a particular gift or talent are provided for well through specific activities to extend their learning. Planning makes sure all pupils’ needs are met well because it is based securely on a review of learning at the ends of previous lessons and identifies precisely what it is pupils will learn next. The information is used to plan suitable work for pupils with special educational needs to do in small groups with a teaching assistant. This helps many of them to achieve average standards in English, mathematics and science. Pupils

p.12

Commentary

who are at the early stages of speaking English are supported very well. Guidance from specialist staff is enabling the school to produce vocabulary lists and reading books in the home language so that these pupils are able to join in with and understand the purpose of activities in lessons.

p.12

Commentary

14. All lessons are structured well to include a clear review of previous learning, an explanation of what pupils will learn, and a review at the end to evaluate how well all pupils have done. This involves all pupils in learning and gives them a very good understanding of how well they have done and what they need to do next. Often pupils are involved in planning how to do things and this gives them ownership of their own learning and helps them to work very well independently. Sharing ideas with a partner or small group enables pupils to consider things not previously thought about and to think around the subject before embarking on a task. Braunton Caen Primary School - 13 15. Pupils are expected to think and this involves them in most lessons:

p.12

Commentary

• Asking questions to find out why something is as it is. This makes pupils wonder about what would happen if something were to change. It helps them to understand what is happening in science for instance, or to consider the impact of their actions on different situations in personal, social and health education and citizenship. • Predicting what may happen if something was changed. For example in art and design how would the finished piece of work look if the colours or shapes were changed, or what would happen if stitching in cushions was not secure in design and technology? • Interpreting results and drawing conclusions so that pupils realise there is a purpose to collecting information and measuring what happens. • Giving reasons why pupils think something happened the way it did, for example in history or science, and explaining how they reached a particular answer in mathematics. • Evaluating how well they have done so that targets can be reviewed and pupils can think for

p.13

Commentary

themselves what improvements they will need to make next time to improve.

p.13

Commentary

16. By developing pupils’ thinking, teachers are giving pupils the tools for learning so they develop very good levels of independence by the end of Year 6. This was a weakness in the previous inspection which has been dealt with very well.

p.13

Commentary

17. Assessment is used effectively by teachers to target individuals to make sure they receive the support and challenge they need to achieve well. Procedures are very good in English and mathematics because they give teachers a clear overview of whether pupils are doing as well as they should, and this has led to higher standards and achievement especially for all pupils in Years 1 and 2, higher attaining pupils across the school, and girls in mathematics in Years 3 to 6. Procedures are being trialled in other subjects. They are not yet in place in all subjects so gaps in curriculum coverage and knowledge and understanding in religious education have only just been picked up. Plans to extend the very good procedures being trialled in some classes in art and design, ICT, PE, design and technology and music are detailed clearly in the school’s development plan.

p.13

Commentary

18. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good when they work in one- to-one sessions with a teaching assistant. Learning intentions are closely related to pupils’ targets in their individual education plans. Teaching is good in the normal classroom situation where suitable work, and support, is given by class teachers.

p.13

The curriculum

The curriculum is good overall and is enriched by a good range of activities outside the classroom. Resources are satisfactory overall. The accommodation is unsatisfactory.

p.13

The curriculum

• Good cross-curricular links make the curriculum relevant to all pupils. • Pupils are encouraged to reflect and review their own learning. • Curriculum provision in RE is unsatisfactory. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is good. • Pupils’ learning is enriched by numerous visits and visitors. • Extracurricular activities have improved since the last inspection and are good. Braunton Caen Primary School - 14 • Parts of the accommodation are too hot in the afternoons and this affects pupils’ concentration.

p.13

The curriculum

19. The school provides a relevant and rich curriculum, which includes all pupils fully. It is suitably broad with good cross-curricular links between all subjects. Since the last inspection provision and standards have improved in most subjects including English, mathematics, science, ICT and art and design. Strategies have successfully been introduced to improve reading and writing as part of literacy. Independence is encouraged throughout the curriculum where pupils are encouraged to reflect and review their own learning. More opportunities have been provided in mathematics and science for investigation and problem solving activities to support learning and raise standards of attainment. ICT skills have developed well since the introduction of the new computer suite and these skills are being used effectively to support many curricular areas. However, standards and provision have declined in religious education

p.14

The curriculum

since the last inspection and are unsatisfactory. The scheme of work is not yet appropriate to ensure that all aspects of the syllabus, particularly world religions, are taught regularly enough and in a meaningful way to support pupils’ understanding and knowledge. 20. Very good support is given to pupils with special educational needs. This provision enables pupils to make good progress in relation to prior attainment and to targets set within individual education plans. The school has a clear policy and procedures that meet the requirements of the Code of Practice for special educational needs. Documentation for these pupils is clear and very well managed.

p.14

The curriculum

21. High priority is given to the provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship, which is good. The school has identified this as a focus for further development next year. It is an integral part of the school’s ethos because all staff work hard to provide a calm environment that successfully encourages pupils to work very well together in class and around the school. Staff, supported by the school nurse, teach sex education effectively to older pupils. Outside visitors, including theatre and drama groups, effectively support the curriculum to raise pupils’ awareness about the dangers of drugs.

p.14

The curriculum

22. Pupils’ learning is greatly enriched by numerous visits to local places of interest. For example, visits to Barnstaple museum and heritage centre support learning in history, and those to local farms, rivers and estuaries learning in geography. Visitors such as authors, theatre groups and musicians regularly enrich learning in English, music, art and design and design and technology. The school provides a wide and varied range of after school clubs, which are well supported by staff, parents and older pupils, and particularly enhance physical education and music. Swimming is taught to all pupils up to Year 4 and older pupils enjoy residential visits that enrich their personal development.

p.14

The curriculum

23. The accommodation is big enough but too many classrooms are old and difficult to get to. The huts are in a very poor state of repair and the outsides are unattractive. Staff make every effort to make these more attractive by providing a clean and welcoming environment and good quality, stimulating displays. The huts are hot and oppressive in the summer. The ICT suite lacks suitable ventilation, which has a negative impact on pupils’ learning because children find it hard to concentrate. The school library is dark because there is no natural light. It has no means of access without disturbing at least one class and therefore cannot be used effectively to develop pupils’ library skills. Resources are satisfactory overall. They have been improved greatly in ICT since the last inspection and this has helped raise pupils’ achievement in the subject. Braunton Caen Primary School - 15

p.14

Care, guidance and support

Pupils are very involved as members of the school community and as partners in the development of their own learning. Good procedures promote pupils' physical, academic and emotional wellbeing.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ involvement in the running of the school and in understanding their own learning is very good. • Academic and emotional support, based on solid, trusting relationships between pupils and adults, is very good. • Induction arrangements for new pupils are thoughtful and thorough. • Pupils' health and welfare are well promoted, although some physical hazards were noted.

p.15

Commentary

24. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection in the quality of care and welfare for pupils. Previous health and safety issues have all been dealt with and the school ensures procedures are in place to identify and deal with child protection matters.

p.15

Commentary

25. The school's procedures for involving pupils and seeking their views are very good. Throughout the school, pupils are encouraged to assess, mark and evaluate their own work and that of their classmates and this gives them ownership of their learning. Pupils have targets, phrased in child-friendly language, in the core subjects of English, science and mathematics so they know what they have to do to improve. Pupils are involved in the day-to- day running of the school through a school council and all members feel that the headteacher and staff listen to them. Pupils in Year 6 are monitors and Year 5 pupils act as play leaders to smaller children.

p.15

Commentary

26. The quality of relationships throughout the school is very good. Consequently, pupils feel that they can always find an adult to confide in should they need to. It might be their class teacher, the headteacher or a teaching assistant - pupils spoken to varied in their response - but all felt confident in the adults in school. Personal, emotional and academic support of a high order is available to all children, based on staff thorough knowledge of their pupils, and on good assessment records.

p.15

Commentary

27. Induction procedures for all new pupils are very good. The school has a close relationship with the various pre-school groups in the area, especially the one on-site. The reception teacher makes home visits to children before they start and the pre-school children join in a range of school activities. Parents are encouraged to come into class to help settle their children in the early days and the point at which the child starts to attend full-time is left to the parent. Pupils joining at other times are equally well supported, particularly those for whom English is an additional language.

p.15

Commentary

28. Welfare, health and safety procedures are good. The headteacher is one of two members of staff trained in child protection procedures. All staff, including support staff, are aware of the action to be taken in cases of concern. Parent volunteers have been appropriately checked and the community police officer is a familiar figure to the children. Pupils' wellbeing is a high priority, which sometimes involves the headteacher in working with parents with problems. The Braunton Caen Primary School - 16 school has been awarded an 'Activemark' (an award for schools showing a strong commitment to the benefits of physical activity) and healthy eating is encouraged, for example, by selling healthy snacks at break time.

p.15

Commentary

29. Health and safety procedures are in place and are satisfactory overall. The necessary safety checks on electrical, fire and physical education apparatus are carried out when required. Fire drills are held and there are competent arrangements to meet pupils' medical needs. A committee of the governing body is responsible for health and safety matters and they, together with the resident caretaker, inspect the premises periodically. At present building work is taking place and the work is well separated from pupils. However, several health and safety hazards were observed. The temporary building that accommodates classes in Years 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 is in poor condition and the bench outside it has much exposed rough splintering wood. In the main building, near to the Years 5 and 6 classroom, there are two windows whose frames are totally rotten, with the result that the lower edge of the glass is

p.16

Commentary

exposed and unsupported. The school is aware of these matters and plans are in hand to make the necessary repairs.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school works hard at establishing and maintaining good positive links with parents and other schools and settings. The range and variety of links with the community are very good and significantly enhance pupils' learning.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is friendly and welcoming to parents, and encourages parental involvement. • Very good links with the community make a substantial contribution to pupils' learning and personal development. • Good links with other schools ensure smooth transition from one stage of education to another.

p.16

Commentary

30. Links with parents are good, as was the case at the time of the previous inspection. There is a relaxed, informal atmosphere and parents feel able to raise concerns without the need for formal appointments. This is because they know the headteacher is always available in one of the two playgrounds at the beginning and end of each day. In the parents’ Ofsted pre- inspection questionnaire, 97 per cent of parents said that they would feel happy about approaching the school with a concern. In place of the conventional termly meetings for parents to discuss their child’s progress with teachers, the school has a procedure whereby parents can opt to see the teacher at one of the fortnightly meetings. As only a few parents attend each evening meeting, these are less pressured occasions. Parents know they can see the class teacher if they ask at others times and this ensures the school’s open door approach. Parents

p.16

Commentary

are invited to attend school events such as Christmas drama productions or sports day, and those who help in school provide good support to learning. Parents’ views are sought - either by means of newsletters, meetings with parents or through the parent-teacher association – and these are acted upon by the school. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept fully informed of their progress, and are regularly invited to attend meetings. They are involved in agreeing targets for future development in individual education plans. Braunton Caen Primary School - 17 31. Links with the community are very good, an improvement upon the good links noted in the last inspection report, and support learning very well. The local environment is used effectively to illustrate work in history and geography, for example, by visiting the estuary of the river Taw, the local beach or walking round the Victorian streets of Barnstaple. The responsibilities of

p.16

Commentary

community membership are underlined by taking part in community activities, such as entertaining the elderly at Christmas, by supporting local charities, and by visiting a waste recycling centre. The school savings club, run in association with a local bank, encourages personal responsibility. Visits to local theatres and by travelling theatre companies contribute to pupils' cultural awareness and help stress important messages about alcohol and substance abuse. There is a good level of community use of the premises, especially the swimming pool, and the school enjoys good support from local traders.

p.17

Commentary

32. There are good, productive relationships with the local secondary school and playgroups. There is a particularly close relationship between the school and the on-site pre-school group, so much so that the pre-school children's transition to full-time education is virtually seamless. Good, supportive links exist with the numerous other pre-school groups in the area. The majority of pupils transfer to a secondary school in the same town and links with this school are effective. Pupils are familiar with the school before they transfer through visits for a mathematics day, to use the computer suite, to take part in a country dance festival, and to see a drama production. Parents are invited to attend an open day and pupils have a day visit to familiarise themselves with the buildings and staff.

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good. The leadership of other key staff, the effectiveness of management, and the governance of the school are all good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a clear focus on raising standards. • The management of special educational needs and assessment is very good. • The work of most co-ordinators is very effective. • The staff work very effectively as a team. • School finances are managed very effectively • Performance management procedures are very effective.

p.17

Commentary

33. The headteacher provides very caring and clear, purposeful direction to the work of the school. He has successfully put together an effective and confident staff team who all have clearly defined roles and responsibilities. The focus is very much on providing the best education for all pupils and results in a very positive and conducive learning environment.

p.17

Commentary

34. The school’s development and improvement plan clearly identify the priorities, and says what has to be done. Targets are closely linked to raising standards, and are written in consultation with staff, governors, and other relevant individuals. For example, the caretaker is involved in matters relating to the premises.

p.17

Commentary

35. The leadership and management of special educational needs provision is very good. This is attributable to a very good working relationship between the co-ordinator and teaching Braunton Caen Primary School - 18 assistants, especially one in particular who is mostly responsible for special educational needs. Between them, they ensure that the aims of the policy are very well implemented and that teaching assistants are effective in their role. Considerable improvement has been made to assessment procedures and their use since the previous inspection because of the very good leadership of the co-ordinator. The information is used well to identify gaps in curriculum provision in most subjects and very effectively in English and mathematics to target individuals and groups of pupils. Additional support is put into place to enable pupils to achieve well.

p.17

Commentary

36. Many subject co-ordinators lead and manage their subjects very well. In particular, they check very closely how well pupils are achieving through a range of strategies such as looking at pupils’ work, checking teachers’ planning, watching lessons, teaching alongside colleagues and giving demonstration lessons. This has been instrumental in raising the quality of teaching and learning, and subsequently the improved standards. Another significant factor is the teamwork shown by all who work at the school. There are important contributions from teaching assistants, administration officers, governors, parents and the caretaker, and all show very good commitment to the school and its pupils.

p.18

Commentary

37. The performance management systems are thorough and effective. All staff have annual meetings to discuss how effective they are in the classroom. They receive good support and the training opportunities provided are of good quality and reflect the professional and career needs of the individual, as well as the needs of the school.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 611,631 Balance from previous year 12,732 Total expenditure 614,327 Balance carried forward to the next 10,036 Expenditure per pupil 2478

p.18

Commentary

38. Governors give the school good support and ensure all statutory requirements are met. They have a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses. Their governance is good. Systems for the management of all finances are good. They are working well and there are effective controls. Best value principles are achieved in practice, but are not sufficiently well documented. All recommendations from the latest audit report have been, or are currently being, dealt with. The amount of money carried forward into the next year is very small but the budget plan is based firmly on the needs identified in the school improvement plan. The school gives good value for money. Braunton Caen Primary School - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well in their personal, social and emotional development and in their creative development because provision in these areas of learning is very good. • Teaching and learning are good. • Assessment information is detailed and used very effectively to plan suitable activities. • Links with local playgroups are very good and this helps children and their families to get to know the school quickly. • Induction arrangements are very good and ensure children settle into the school’s routines very quickly.

p.19

Commentary

39. Children start school with average skills and levels of attainment overall. By the end of the reception year, nearly all children reach the goals they are expected to reach in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and in physical development. Achievement in these areas of learning is good. A good number of children exceed these goals in their personal, social and emotional development and in their creative development. Achievement is very good in these areas of learning.

p.19

Commentary

40. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Planning is thorough and builds carefully on children’s earlier achievements. Often the class is split into smaller groups and adults work effectively together to focus on different learning intentions. Learning is very good at these times. It works particularly well because all children develop skills and work at the right levels. When the children work together as a whole class, the needs of all children are met well, but learning slows down as adults make sure all of the children understand what is being taught and children have to wait longer for their turn. Assessment procedures are very good and keep careful track of how well children are doing in all areas of learning. The information is used well to plan suitable activities. There is a good balance between focused lessons and times when children choose for themselves which activities they want to do.

p.19

Commentary

41. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good. Particular care is taken to welcome children into school through very good links with the local playgroups and parents. Home visits provide very good opportunities to talk to parents to find out what the children are already good at and the things they are not. This is then built effectively into early learning. Very close links with the playgroup on-site ensure that the younger children who do not start until January cover the same curriculum content as those who start in September. Activities often cover more than one area of learning and this helps the children see links with other subjects from an early age and ensures that learning is often seamless.

p.19

Commentary

42. Children achieve very well in their personal, social and emotional development because very good focus is given to this area of learning as soon as children start school. Braunton Caen Primary School - 20 Relationships are very good so children are confident to approach adults for help and advice. They learn quickly to share and take turns because they know that there will always be time for them to have a turn. Their work is valued highly so all are willing to have a go at new learning knowing they can make mistakes. The children have very good levels of independence because they are expected to look after their own things.

p.19

Commentary

43. Achievement in communication, language and literacy is good. Children enjoy a range of activities to develop their speaking and listening skills. They share ideas and talk confidently about how they completed particular pieces of work. Good guidance is given to help them decide for themselves how well they have done. For example, when putting together an advertisement to sell Jack’s cow the children considered carefully what they would need to include and how they would present the information to catch the buyer’s eye. As a result, all adverts were clearly presented and a good range of adjectives was used to attract potential buyers. Many children have already made a start at reading. Nearly all know their letter sounds and a good number are beginning to put these together to sound out new words. A good number of children are writing independently, using this same knowledge to attempt their own

p.20

Commentary

spellings. These may not always be correct but they are recognisable to the reader.

p.20

Commentary

44. In mathematical development children achieve well. Activities are practical and fun. When the children work in small focused groups they get the support they need to work at an appropriate level. This enables higher attaining children to be challenged and build on previous learning without having to wait for others to catch up. As a result, most have a good understanding of numbers to ten. During the inspection, this group successfully investigated the number eight by finding pairs that add up to this number. While many found these by counting rather than remembering, most knew without counting that if you take one from seven, there will be six left. While this was going on children who needed to, played a game, to consolidate their understanding of the number eight. They sorted toy animals by the number of legs they had, made spiders, and played counting games.

p.20

Commentary

45. Achievement in knowledge and understanding of the world is good because an interesting range of activities are organised for the children to enjoy. Themes are linked and this adds purpose to the activity. In one very good lesson, the children were fascinated as tomatoes were pulled out of a bag, each one getting bigger. They showed natural curiosity as the tomatoes were cut in half, looking closely, touching and smelling each one and making relevant comments as these were passed around the circle. Children successfully used what they learnt about the colour, shape and size to produce tomato collages in artwork. Children have grown a number of different plants and have learnt how to care for these while at the same time monitoring their growth. Weekly lessons in the ICT suite develop computer skills well. Regular opportunities are available for the children to make models with construction kits,

p.20

Commentary

and to explore water and sand while filling and emptying containers.

p.20

Commentary

46. Teaching and learning in physical development are good and all children achieve well. Children have a good sense of space and move around the hall and playground with confidence. During the inspection the children were practising for sports day. They showed good accuracy when bouncing, throwing and catching balls and beanbags, and many skipped confidently. Pencil skills are good. Most children write their names correctly with a firm pencil grip and comfortable movement. Scissors are used sensibly and carefully to cut accurately around simple shapes.

p.20

Commentary

47. Children’s creative development is nurtured very well through a very wide range of activities which provide very well for imaginative play and creativity. Achievement is very good. Braunton Caen Primary School - 21 Role play areas are used very effectively to develop children’s imaginative ideas and language. Art activities are particularly well structured so children have good observational skills by the time they start Year 1. ‘ This seed looks like a tear drop’ reflected one child while looking closely at a tomato seed. As a result, the shape of the seed was reproduced accurately in pictures. Opportunities to respond to music through dance and art are very well planned. This raises children’s awareness of how certain effects, such as changing the loudness, speed or pitch of sounds, can change the mood. This gives very good opportunities for them to develop their own ideas.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have significantly improved since the last inspection. • Teaching is good where lessons are well planned to help pupils reach their full potential. • Good opportunities are provided to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills. • The school has successfully targeted reading and writing to raise achievement. • Assessment procedures are very good. • Literacy skills are well used in many other subjects.

p.21

Commentary

48. Standards of attainment have been improved since the last inspection and are well above average by the end of Year 2 and above average by the end of Year 6. The school has worked hard to raise pupils’ attainment in reading and writing and, as a result, pupils are achieving well. Some are achieving very well.

p.21

Commentary

49. Pupils make good progress in developing their speaking and listening skills so that standards are above average throughout the school. Younger pupils are encouraged to listen attentively to teachers’ explanations and respond well to instructions. They effectively develop their speaking and listening skills through role play and reciting poems such as those by Spike Milligan as part of homework. Older pupils are eager to answer questions and enjoy participating in class discussions and debates. They are given many opportunities to practise their skills through class assemblies, hot seating (when someone sits in a chair and responds to questions in role, such as pretending to be a character in a story), drama and school productions. As a result the majority of pupils are articulate and speak confidently.

p.21

Commentary

50. Pupils’ attainment in reading is well above average at the end of Year 2 and above average at the end of Year 6. All pupils including those with special educational needs make good progress through numerous opportunities to read in school and regular reading at home. As a result, most pupils enjoy reading. Their progress is checked regularly by teachers who encourage pupils to develop and practise their skills. Most pupils are confident and fluent Braunton Caen Primary School - 22 readers by the time they leave the school. They can discuss features of their reading such as characters and plot development with good understanding. Good teaching in literacy lessons has enabled pupils to understand the use of glossaries and contents pages when using non- fiction text. However, the school library is inaccessible and so rarely used for retrieval and developing pupils’ library skills.

p.21

Commentary

51. The school has successfully targeted writing, and standards have improved as a result. They are now above average and achievement is good throughout the school. Skills of story planning are emphasised, poetry encouraged and characters analysed to create effect and feeling. Handwriting standards are good because regular teaching and handwriting sessions have a positive impact on pupils’ achievements. Younger pupils take a pride in their handwriting which is neat and well formed, and older pupils’ work is well presented. Spelling is a relative weakness. The school has begun to address effectively the issue with an intensive spelling programme. This is having a positive impact on raising achievement. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well promoted by exploring characters from a different country such as pupils expressing their feelings from the perspective of a South African child.

p.22

Commentary

52. The quality of teaching is good overall, with a high proportion of very good lessons seen during inspection. Learning is most effective in lessons where planning is clear, tasks are purposeful for all abilities, the pace of lessons is brisk, and pupils are encouraged to take some responsibility for how to approach and organise their learning. Where this is linked to confident class management and good subject knowledge, learning is at its best and all pupils achieve very well. Very successful teaching is characterised by very good relationships with pupils who are encouraged to evaluate their work and share their findings. Teaching assistants are well trained and offer very good support to small groups of pupils in lessons and at times when they work outside the classroom on specific tasks. At these times learning is very good and pupils develop high levels of self-esteem because they achieve very well.

p.22

Commentary

53. Leadership and management are very good. The co-ordinator is experienced, hard working and gives good support, leading by example. She has successfully identified key areas for improvement and has been effective in raising standards and achievement. She has good opportunities to make sure teaching and learning are consistently good throughout the school and used the evaluations to identify further relevant priorities for development. Very good assessment procedures have been introduced and the school has detailed tracking systems where targets are regularly set and reviewed to improve pupils’ achievements. Pupils know their targets because they are written in child friendly language and this gives them a very good knowledge of how to improve their work independently. Improvement since the previous inspection is good.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. Good opportunities are provided across the curriculum to develop and improve pupils’ literacy skills, particularly writing. Effective cross-curricular links have been established in history, such as writing a report on the last days of Pompeii and life in Ancient Greece, and geography when comparing life in the Punjab with that in Braunton. Younger pupils effectively use their literacy skills to record their findings in science and compare life in the village with that of the past as part of their topic work.

p.22

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is good. Braunton Caen Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a range of strategies to raise attainment. • Teaching and learning are good. • Teaching assistants contribute significantly to the achievement of pupils with special educational needs. • The monitoring of teaching and learning is effective. • Assessment procedures are very good, although teachers’ marking does not always provide pupils with enough guidance about how well they have done.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

55. Attainment is well above average at the end of Year 2 and is above average at the end of Year 6. These are both improvements since the last inspection, with a good proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels. In national test results girls previously did less well than boys. The school recognised this and acted quickly to make sure girls’ achievement improved. As a result girls achieve as well as boys. All pupils achieve well including those with special educational needs.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

56. Good attention has been paid to the improvement in the quality of teaching. While it is consistently good, at times it is very good. The strengths in teaching include:

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Thorough planning and preparation, with clear lesson intentions made known to pupils. • Pupils of all abilities being fully involved and included. • Clear explanations and demonstrations of planned learning enabling pupils to complete tasks successfully. • Well managed group work with very good support from teaching assistants when available. • Good use of assessment information to set different work for different ability pupils. • A good balance of teacher input, and time for pupils to practise skills and work things out for themselves. • Very good relationships, leading to very good pupils’ attitudes and behaviour, and a very good learning environment.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

57. ICT is used well when lessons are in the computer suite, particularly for creating graphs, tables and spreadsheets. It is not always used when it could be in class lessons because some classroom computers are unreliable.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

58. Teaching assistants very effectively support pupils who need extra help in lessons to enable them to achieve well. They have a good understanding of pupils’ needs and how to meet them. They build strong relationships with pupils, who then work hard and remain on task. Records show that pupils benefit well from this.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

59. Subject leadership is good. The co-ordinator has developed a variety of strategies to improve standards. Assessment information is checked closely and identifies pupils who will benefit from specific help in lessons. This targeted support is helping to raise standards. The quality of teaching and learning in lessons is checked regularly and makes sure that this is consistently good throughout the school. The information from very good assessment procedures is used well to agree child friendly targets for pupils to work towards. This gives them a very good understanding of how well they are doing and what they need to do next to improve. Marking is inconsistent however. In some classes only ‘ticks’ are used to tell pupils Braunton Caen Primary School - 24 whether they have answered sums and problems correctly. The best marking gives specific advice on how to improve, or questions pupils to find out how they reached a particular answer.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

Improvement since the previous inspection is good.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. The use of mathematics to support work in other subjects is good. Pupils are regularly expected to take accurate measurements in geography and science and present the information using graphs and tables. For example, pupils in Year 1 collected and recorded information about whether they walk, bike or come to school by car, and pupils in Year 4 measured the pulling force of different objects, reading the different scales accurately.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement is good throughout the school because teaching and learning are consistently good. • Very good focus on pupils’ scientific skills ensures pupils achieve particularly well in planning and carrying out investigations. • Assessment information is good, although the information is not used as effectively as it could be to check pupils are making enough progress. • The extreme heat in some classrooms interrupts pupils’ concentration levels. • The subject co-ordinator is doing a good job.

p.24

Commentary

61. Pupils achieve well in science and standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This is good improvement since the previous inspection when standards were average. Girls do as well as boys throughout the school. Despite girls being assessed lower than boys at the higher than average levels in Year 2 there was no evidence in their work or in lessons to indicate they achieve less well. Standards in physical science are lower this year in Year 2 because pupils have not revisited learning in this aspect. Achievement in scientific skills is very good because there are very good planned opportunities for pupils to plan investigations and find out things for themselves. All pupils are encouraged to question and think why something happens the way it does and what would happen if some things were to change. This develops an inquisitive approach to learning.

p.24

Commentary

62. The quality of teaching and learning is good. All lessons have a good structure. They usually start with a question to explore and investigate followed by practical opportunities for pupils to share ideas and think for themselves how they intend to find the answer to the question raised. Good skills are developing as a result, especially in awareness of what is, and is not, a fair test, and how to draw conclusions from the results they have collected. Every lesson finishes with a review of what pupils have found out and this helps them identify for themselves what they have learned and what they need to do next to improve. Despite well planned and interesting activities, learning in some lessons is only satisfactory because the extreme heat in the outdoor huts is overbearing, especially in the afternoon, and this makes it hard for pupils to concentrate as well as they usually do in morning lessons.

p.24

Commentary

63. Leadership and management are good. Assessments are carried out at the beginning of each half term to find out what pupils already know about the planned topic, and at the end to find out what they have learned. The information enables teachers to check how much progress Braunton Caen Primary School - 25 pupils have made. Any gaps in knowledge, skills and understanding are identified as individual targets and these are checked out regularly to note whether these have been met successfully. This gives pupils a very good understanding of how well they are doing and what they need to do next to improve further. End of year targets for pupils’ achievement are not yet identified, although the school plans to use the same format as the very good procedures already established in English and mathematics. The subject co-ordinator has a good overview of learning in Years 1 and 2 but does not yet have a sufficiently clear picture of achievement in

p.24

Commentary

Years 3 to 6 because there has been no opportunity recently to check provision as the subject has not been a focus for review. Recent purchases of ICT equipment and computer programs are leading to better use of ICT to support learning in the subject, although the school identifies that this is an area for development.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• Pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. • There has been a significant improvement in hardware which has contributed to very good improvement since the previous inspection. • Teaching is consistently good. • The leadership of the subject is very good.

p.25

Commentary

64. The new computer suite means that teachers now have the resources with which to teach the subject effectively, and this they are doing. The average standards at the end of Year 6 are an improvement on the last inspection when there were weaknesses in some areas. In Year 2, where pupils have really benefited from the new hardware, standards are now above average.

p.25

Commentary

65. Standards have improved because of the regular use of good quality computers and good teaching. Teachers are confident and have good subject knowledge. There are two timetabled lessons each week in the suite, and good lessons are enabling pupils to achieve well in learning key skills. One of the lessons is always related to another curriculum subject. This is developing pupils’ ICT capability and contributes to learning in other subjects.

p.25

Commentary

66. The subject co-ordinator is keen and enthusiastic, and is making a major contribution to the development of the subject. The policy has been updated and the scheme of work re- organised. Her monitoring of lessons is helping to improve teaching and learning, and assessment is developing well.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. Effective links are made with other subjects when ICT is taken in the computer suite. However, limited access to computers in the classroom means that it is very difficult to support subjects with one group of pupils at computers and others at their desks. The use of programs to support learning in class is underdeveloped.

p.25

HUMANITIES

Braunton Caen Primary School - 26 68. During the inspection it was only possible to see one history and one geography lesson. No overall judgment can therefore be made on standards, achievement, teaching and learning. Discussions with the co-ordinator and Year 6 pupils together with a scrutiny of pupils’ work and displays indicate that the school uses an appropriate scheme of work to support the development of pupils’ skills. Some good cross-curricular links have been established particularly in literacy and ICT skills and are beginning to be used more effectively to support pupils’ learning. In the two lessons observed teaching was good.

p.26

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Provision in religious education is unsatisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below those expected throughout the school. • The scheme of work is not an effective tool to plan appropriate work, particularly for world religions. • Insufficient time is allocated to the teaching of religious education. • Although there has been training to update teachers’ subject knowledge and increase confidence this has not yet resulted in significant improvements to provision. • Good cross-curricular links are made using pupils’ literacy skills to support learning. • The co-ordinator has improved resources but leadership and management have been unsatisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

69. Standards of work in religious education in Year 2 and Year 6 are below those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Standards at the time of the last inspection were reported to be in line with expectations. Since that time the subject has not been a high priority for development, and improvement is unsatisfactory. Below the recommended time is allocated to the teaching of religious education throughout the school. The scheme of work does not ensure that all aspects of the syllabus are covered regularly enough, particularly knowledge and understanding of world religions. Consequently, despite learning about Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam during their time in school, many pupils forget what they have been taught and are confused about what belongs to which religion!

p.26

Commentary

70. Too little teaching was seen to judge the overall quality. However, teaching in the lessons observed was satisfactory and occasionally good. Teachers manage their pupils well. They encourage them to show respect for other people’s feelings and have high expectations of behaviour. In the best lessons resources were used effectively to stimulate pupils’ interest and learning was good. However, scrutiny of work and discussions with pupils indicate that learning is unsatisfactory overall. Despite having good respect for the feelings of others, because this aspect of personal development is promoted so well by the school, pupils know and understand too little about the range of faiths in Britain today. In many instances teachers fail to match work to the needs of individual pupils. This is partly due to ineffective assessments, which means teachers do not have an accurate picture of how successful learning is and what

p.26

Commentary

progress pupils are making. There has been training to update teachers’ subject knowledge. However, this is yet to prove effective in raising standards. Some good cross-curricular links are developing, such as using pupils’ literacy skills to research and write about famous people including Martin Luther King and Mother Teresa. Good use is made of circle times and Braunton Caen Primary School - 27 personal, social and health education lessons to consider moral and social issues but there are too limited planned opportunities across the curriculum to promote spiritual awareness.

p.26

Commentary

71. Leadership and management of religious education have been unsatisfactory overall. The co-ordinator has improved resources and these make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning and understanding in some lessons. However, she has too many other management responsibilities to check standards effectively and the quality of provision across the school. She is capable, enthusiastic and keen to improve provision in the future.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

72. Design and technology and music were not inspected in full. However, from looking at teachers’ planning and pupils’ work, and talking to teachers and pupils, it is possible to judge that the curriculum and leadership and management are good. Subject leaders are enthusiastic and have put into place structured training opportunities to make sure teachers have the expertise they need to teach both subjects well. A particular strength in design and technology is the focus on developing skills. Pupils are fully involved in evaluating their own work and this is helping them to make improvements and to make sure that their design fits its purpose. For example, when talking about their cushions, pupils soon realised that careful stitching was required if it wasn’t to come undone in the middle of the night when used as a pillow. The enthusiasm of the subject co-ordinator and the musical ability of other teachers are

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

particular strengths in music. Staff are all putting their musical skills to good use in encouraging pupils to take part in, and enjoy, musical activities, both in and out of school time. The African Drumming club is a particular favourite of pupils and performances in assemblies make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development.

p.27

ART AND DESIGN

Provision in art and design is very good.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have a very good knowledge of artists’ work and understand very well how certain techniques have been used to create intended effects. • The extreme heat in some classrooms interrupts pupils’ concentration levels. • The subject co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and has inspired all staff to teach very well and all pupils to learn very well.

p.27

Commentary

73. Standards are well above average at the end of Years 2 and 6 and achievement is very good. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the subject and love art lessons. This was demonstrated in the way that pupils wanted to talk and share their work with adults. Learning is planned very well so that skills, knowledge and understanding are taught in a meaningful way and art is brought to life. A visit to a local sculpture park enthused pupils in Years 1 and 2 to learn more about the work of Andy Holsworthy. Pupils talk knowledgeably about the way shape, colour, form and space are used to create the sculptures and are using these to stimulate their own ideas. At the same time they are learning to care for the environment and realise the importance of making sure their sculptures add to its beauty rather than destroying it. Braunton Caen Primary School - 28 74. Teaching and learning are very good. Teachers are enthusiastic and this rubs off on all

p.27

Commentary

pupils, who are keen to create. Good links with other subjects, especially ICT, ensure that every piece of work has a purpose. Skills and knowledge are taught systematically and this ensures learning builds well on the work completed in earlier lessons. Every lesson ends with an evaluation of pupils’ own and others’ work and this helps all pupils identify whether they like what they have done and why, and whether they will make any improvements next time. This gives pupils very good knowledge of their own learning and helps them develop very good levels of independence. At times the very good teaching is less effective and results in only ‘good’ learning because the excessive heat in the outside classrooms during the afternoon interrupts pupils’ concentration.

p.28

Commentary

75. Leadership is excellent because the subject co-ordinator enthuses everyone about the subject. Management is very good. The co-ordinator provides a very well planned programme of staff training which has led to better subject expertise and very good teaching and learning. All training is focused on precise evaluation of pupils’ achievements. For example, the recent high quality work on sculpture has arisen from more confident staff expertise as a result of this training. Assessments are still developing. Procedures are good and recently developed portfolios of pupils’ work are supporting teachers’ knowledge and assessments very well. This inspirational leadership has led to very good improvement since the previous inspection.

p.28

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision in physical education is good.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good range of extracurricular activities. • The subject’s leadership is good. • There are no swimming opportunities for any non-swimmers in Years 5 and 6.

p.28

Commentary

76. Improvement since the previous inspection is good. The curriculum is considerably enhanced by a wide range of extracurricular sporting activities. Most of these are taken by teachers, but help is given by parents and outside coaches. The clubs enable pupils to improve their skills in the various events, with some pupils taking them to a high level. For example, the tag rugby team have been invited to take part in the North Devon Championships for the past two years. Pupils’ social development is developed very well through meeting with pupils from other schools in competitions. This results in pupils’ good overall achievement, especially in games and swimming and standards are above average throughout the school.

p.28

Commentary

77. The co-ordinator is very keen and enthusiastic. She helps to raise the quality of teaching and learning by observing lessons, working alongside teachers, and taking demonstration lessons. This, together with attendance at courses, is ensuring that teachers are competent and confident in the subject. This is having a positive impact on learning and standards. Pupils’ good performances have come about through good teaching.

p.28

Commentary

78. Pupils in Years 1 to 4 have swimming lessons. At the end of this course, the vast majority can swim. However, there is no provision for non-swimmers in Years 5 and 6, some of whom may have started the school in those years, to learn to swim. Braunton Caen Primary School - 29

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is good .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school council gives pupils good responsibility to take a leading role in the school’s development. • Pupils learn to get along together very well through circle times and personal, social and health education lessons. • Thinking skills are developed well in lessons and this makes sure pupils become responsible for their own actions.

p.29

Commentary

79. Pupils welcome the opportunity to talk about their school. They value the opportunity to take a leading role in helping to decide priorities for improvement and relish the chance to take responsibility for their own and others’ actions and behaviour. Good opportunities are planned to raise pupils’ awareness of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle through consideration of diet, and exercise in PE and science.

p.29

Commentary

80. Many aspects of personal development are effectively integrated into discussions during personal, social and health education lessons and circle times. Assemblies provide suitable opportunities for pupils to consider how their actions affect others. Pupils are constantly invited to think about how they would resolve certain conflicts and this develops their ability to put themselves into the place of others very effectively. In one lesson for example, pupils considered what they thought of people who carelessly start fires in the local community. ‘They are not good citizens’ volunteered one pupil who went on to explain what she meant by this statement. Braunton Caen Primary School - 30

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.30

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 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 5 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 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 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3 Braunton Caen Primary School - 31 The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

p.30

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.31