Brierley Primary School

BRIERLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 9 – 11 February 2004

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BRIERLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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BRIERLEY 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. Brierley Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 185

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mirion Street CREWE Cheshire Postcode: CW1 2AZ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01270 581527 Fax number: 01270 251376

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Gordon Fyffe

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Brierley Primary School is located close to the centre of Crewe. As in other schools in the locality, the number on roll is falling. About an average number of pupils join or leave the school other than at the usual times. All classes are for single year groups, with two classes for pupils in Year 5. Pupils’ families represent a range of social backgrounds but the socio-economic circumstances of most are below average, which represents a change from the last inspection.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

On admission to the reception class, the attainments of most children are below average, lower than at the time of the last inspection. A lower than average number of pupils (12 per cent) has special educational needs, generally linked to moderate learning difficulties, visual impairment or social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. These pupils are not distributed evenly between the classes and there is a higher number in Years 1 and 6 than in other classes. Six pupils, an above average proportion, have a formal Statement of Special Educational Need. An above average proportion of pupils is known to be eligible for free school meals (25 per cent). Pupils are mainly of white British ethnic background, with a small number of pupils of black or mixed minority ethnic background. None is at the early stages of speaking English.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school was awarded a Schools Achievement Award for the good improvement in test results in Year 6 for 2003. Brierley Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22380 Mrs Penny Parrish Lead inspector English Art and design Music Foundation Stage English as an additional language 8922 Mrs Brenda McIntosh Lay inspector 18344 Mr David Earley Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Religious education Special educational needs 23204 Mrs Christina Wojtak Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Independent School Inspection Services (ISIS) 3 Harrowby Road West Park LEEDS LS16 5HN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Brierley Primary School provides a sound education for its pupils . The ethos of the school is welcoming and caring. The attainments of most children are below average as they start school in the reception class and the school is dealing increasingly well with raising standards by the end of the reception year, Year 2 and Year 6. The quality of teaching and learning is sound, overall, and pupils achieve satisfactorily. Recent changes to the management team and governing body are now settled; leadership and management are satisfactory and standards are moving forward at a steady pace. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Standards are improving, overall, but a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the current Year 6 cohort means that standards are lower this year than in 2003. • In the reception class, children get off to a good start because the quality of teaching is good. • Relationships are good, and the school provides well for pupils’ moral and social development. • The effective partnerships with parents and the local community benefit pupils well. • Support staff supplement the work of teachers well in all classes. The school provides a base for the local service for visually impaired pupils and provision for these pupils is good. • Systems for assessing what pupils know and need to learn are unsatisfactory overall; they are not established across all subjects or used consistently well throughout the school. • Time available for learning is less than in most primary schools nationally and this is having a

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OVERALL EVALUATION

negative impact on what pupils are achieving, particularly in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Since the last inspection, the effectiveness of the school has made satisfactory improvement. Standards fell initially but good support from the local education authority put the school back on track. Significant recent improvements in the progress made by pupils between Year 2 and Year 6 have led to a Schools Achievement Award. Issues identified in the last report have been dealt with satisfactorily but there is still more to be done to make the work of subject leaders more effective.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D E C A mathematics D C D B science B B D 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’ achievement is satisfactory , overall, and is improving steadily as the staff work increasingly successfully as a team to build on best practice, supported well by the local education authority. Standards have improved in the reception class. Most children are on course to meet the goals expected by the end of reception, although their speaking skills are likely to remain below average. Standards at the end of Year 2 are now rising and although below the national average in reading, writing, mathematics and science, they are improved on the former well below average trend. Compared to similar schools, results in Year 2 in mathematics were average for 2003, although below average for writing and well below average for reading. By Year 6, results in national tests have made good improvement over the past three years; in 2003, results met the national average in English and were only just below in mathematics and science. The current Year 6 has a

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

high proportion of pupils with special educational needs; standards are below average in Brierley Primary School - 7 mathematics and science and well below average in English. Standards in ICT are average by Year 2 but below average by Year 6. In other subjects, standards are broadly average by Year 6. Clear overall judgements on standards were not possible in history, music and physical education.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good , overall, with the school’s strengths in its provision for moral and social development. Consequently, pupils’ personal development, their attitudes to school and their behaviour are good, although there is a small proportion of pupils with specific behaviour difficulties who distract others from their work sometimes and take up teaching time. Attendance is well below average, overall, but most pupils attend regularly and arrive punctually. There are good procedures for promoting good attendance.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are satisfactory, overall, for pupils in Years 1 to 6 and good for the children in the reception class. Useful systems for assessing pupils’ skills are not established in most subjects and are unsatisfactory overall; the target setting recently introduced in English have yet to impact fully on the quality of teaching in most classes.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory but the school’s overall allocation of time for learning is significantly less than the nationally recommended minimum. A good range of activities supplements lessons and improves achievement for pupils taking part. The school cares for pupils well and attention to health and safety is good. Partnerships with parents and the community are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is satisfactory . Recent changes in the senior management team and the governing body are impacting positively on leadership and management but there is more to be done to improve the consistency of the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Governance is sound, overall, although minor infringements exist in the statutory requirements for the school’s prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents support the work of the school and think their children work hard and make progress; some have concerns about the behaviour of a small proportion of pupils. Pupils are generally happy with all that the school provides, feel safe and are confident that they will get help when they need it.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • continue to work to raise standards in English, mathematics, science and ICT; • improve the impact on standards of the work of subject leaders; • establish a clear picture of pupils’ next steps for learning in all subjects; • review the allocation of time within the school day to maximise the time available for learning;

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

and to meet statutory requirements: • ensure that the school’s prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents are complete. Brierley Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils achieve satisfactorily , overall, including those with special educational needs. Standards are steadily rising, overall, in English, mathematics and science but the current cohort of pupils in Year 6 faces specific difficulties, with almost a third with special educational needs. For pupils in Years 5 and 6, achievement has improved from the unsatisfactory judgement of the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most children enter the reception class with lower than average attainments, particularly with regard to speaking and listening. • Standards are on an upward trend in the reception class, children are achieving well and, for the first time, most will meet the learning goals in most areas of learning as they transfer to Year 1. • Although below the national average in English, mathematics and science, standards in Year 2 have improved on last year and are on course to be in line with similar schools. • In the current Year 6, standards are below average in mathematics and science and well below average in English. Although lower than in 2003, standards represent satisfactory achievement from Year 2. • In information and communication technology (ICT), standards are below average by the end of Year 6. • Standards in design and technology are above average by the end of Year 2.

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Commentary

1. On admission to school, the attainments of most children are below average, lower than at the time of the last inspection due to changes in the profile of the catchment area. Recent improvements in provision for the reception class and good teaching mean that most children achieve well and are likely to meet the early learning goals set nationally for the end of reception in all areas of learning, except in speaking and listening where standards remain lower than average. This is a good improvement on past standards and means that the children currently in reception are better prepared for the work in Year 1.

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Commentary

2. At the end of Year 2, the results of National Curriculum tests have been inconsistent and sometimes very low in reading and writing. Unsettled staffing in Year 2 has hindered stability in standards, also the school has been slow to put rigorous assessment systems into place to keep close checks on pupils’ progress. The situation is now improved and reading and writing are checked each half term and targets set for improvement. As a result, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory but improving. Provision for improving pupils’ speaking and listening is more effective. This is helping the pupils to compensate for their below average start to school and they are making up ground in all subjects. Although standards are below those reached by most schools nationally, they show a good improvement on the results of national tests in 2003 and are broadly in line with similar schools. Brierley Primary School - 9

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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 13.3 (12.6) 15.9 (15.8) writing 13.4 (10.6) 14.8 (14.4) mathematics 15.6 (14.5) 16.4 (16.5) There were 22 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. At the end of Year 6, standards were low in 2000 and the school worked with the local education authority to improve pupils’ achievements. Improvements in teaching worked well and in 2003, the school gained a Schools Achievement Award for the very good value added between Year 2 and Year 6. There is a high proportion of pupils in the current Year 6 with learning difficulties and this is resulting in a dip in standards. The pupils in Year 5, however, are achieving well and standards are on course to rise again in Year 6 next year. In Years 3 to 6, teaching is good in mathematics and science but satisfactory in English, which explains the difference in standards between the subjects. This represents a change from 2003, when English was the stronger subject but is explained by changes in staffing. Targets set for Year 6 in 2003 were exceeded in English but not fully met in mathematics. Targets set for 2004 are

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Commentary

unlikely to be achieved in English, where standards in writing are lower than predicted.

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Commentary

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 26.6 (25.3) 27.0 (27.0) mathematics 25.9 (26.8) 27.0 (26.7) science 28.3 (29.5) 28.8 (28.3) There were 34 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Most pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily and some pupils achieve well, sometimes going on to attain average levels in National Curriculum tests. Pupils with visual difficulties are well supported by specialist staff based in the school and achieve consistently well, sometimes attaining above average standards. The small number of pupils with English as an additional language are fluent in English and achieving at least as well as other pupils.

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Commentary

5. Girls tend to achieve more than boys in English and the difference is wider than that noted nationally. In order to improve boys’ attainment, the school has appropriately followed national guidance and reviewed topics chosen for study to ensure that work appeals to boys as well as girls. There are signs that the gap in attainment between boys and girls is closing. In mathematics, science and other subjects, there is no notable difference in the attainments of boys and girls.

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Commentary

6. Standards in subjects other than English, mathematics and science are broadly average by both Year 2 and Year 6, except in ICT, where standards are below average at the end of Year 6. Standards were low at the time of the last inspection and unavoidable delays in securing up-to-date resources means that older pupils are still catching up on previous gaps in learning. In geography, where standards were also low in the last inspection, good improvements to the curriculum and teaching have raised pupils’ achievements and standards are now average.

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Commentary

7. The use of literacy and numeracy across other subjects is satisfactory but the use of ICT is unsatisfactory. Teachers are not ensuring that the improved writing standards evident in English lessons are practised at the same level in other subjects. Similarly, there is more to be Brierley Primary School - 10 done to include mathematics and data analysis more frequently in subjects such as science and design and technology. The computers in the new suite are put to good use but there is a shortage of software programs that limits the extension of pupils’ skills fully to other subjects. The very recent connection to the Internet has significantly improved opportunities for learning in almost all subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and most behave well. Good provision is made for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is well below average. Most pupils attend regularly and arrive punctually each morning but a small group has a record of poor attendance and this significantly affects overall figures.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most pupils are enthusiastic about school and are keen to learn. • From the earliest stage in school, provision for pupils’ social and moral development is good and, as a result, most pupils behave well in lessons and around school. • The specific behaviour problems of a small number of pupils in Year 1 and Year 6 sometimes result in misbehaviour in lessons and a loss of interest in learning for other pupils. • The school monitors pupils’ attendance and punctuality well and is taking effective action in the cases where attendance is poor.

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Commentary

8. The majority of pupils say they like coming to school. The youngest children settle into the reception class happily and enjoy the tasks set for learning. Pupils throughout the school are keen to learn new things and say their teachers make learning fun. When teaching is focused and challenging, pupils are well-motivated and attentive and become involved quickly in their tasks. They are responsive - asking and answering questions and volunteering opinions. Pupils want to do well and they are motivated by the teachers’ encouragement and praise. For example, in a science lesson in Year 2, pupils were highly motivated and interested in the practical task of exploring melting ice. There was a ‘wow’ from the pupils as the teacher produced an ice balloon and a real sense of excitement as the teacher peeled away the balloon leaving the solid ice sphere inside. In discussion, pupils show that they have a real work ethic, based on an understanding that hard work gets you a good job.

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Commentary

9. Pupils with special educational needs have good attitudes to their work because relationships are good. They are helped by both teachers and teaching assistants to take a full and active part in lessons and the life of the school. Individual behaviour programmes are provided where necessary and appropriately used. Pupils who have behavioural difficulties are usually identified at an early stage and provided, mainly in Year 1, with additional support through joining a small nurture group each afternoon. This successfully helps the small number of pupils involved to modify their behaviour. Teachers and the two supervising assistants ensure that the work of pupils in the nurture group matches that of their peers.

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Commentary

10. Pupils’ behaviour is good in the majority of lessons, helping to create a positive atmosphere for learning. Most pupils gain a good understanding of what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and are managed well through the teachers’ praise and encouragement. Parents are right in their view that there is a small number of pupils who misbehave in some lessons but the problem is not widespread. Problems occur sometimes in Year 1 and Year 6, due mainly to the specific problems of a small number of pupils. However, when teaching is good and tasks interest pupils fully, behaviour is good in all classes. Pupils enjoy the reward systems and say they help them to behave well but feel there are a few pupils who are not deterred by the sanctions. Brierley Primary School - 11 11. The atmosphere around the school at lunchtime is friendly and welcoming. Pupils are sometimes quite noisy but are well behaved and chat happily with each other in the dining

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Commentary

room. On their own initiative, pupils offer assistance to adults and each other. They move around the building in an orderly and sensible fashion. In the playground, especially at lunchtimes, pupils play well together, making good use of the good range of play equipment made available. Pupils feel that if any bullying occurs, members of staff are quick to respond and deal with problems effectively. They like especially the way the ‘buddies’ help to sort out any problems in the playground.

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Commentary

12. There have been ten fixed-term exclusions during the last year but no permanent exclusions for four years. However, the figure for fixed-term exclusions is rising, with 12 listed for the past autumn term, involving six boys in Years 3 to 6. These were appropriately used for extreme cases of unacceptable behaviour when other sanctions were exhausted.

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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 180 9 0 Mixed - White and Black Caribbean 1 1 0 Mixed - White and Black African 1 0 0 Black or Black British – African 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 1 0 0

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Commentary

13. The development of pupils’ social awareness is given appropriately high priority and has helped to establish good relationships throughout school. Teachers challenge pupils well to work collaboratively, either in pairs or small groups, to talk things through and learn from each other. Pupils are encouraged to take on responsible roles in school, beginning with classroom jobs and culminating in Year 6 with more influential positions, such as house captains, prefects and first-aiders. Through religious education lessons especially, pupils develop a good sense of respect for other cultures and consider, for example, why the Qur’an is important to Muslims and how all religions advocate a code for living successful lives.

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Commentary

14. The school has put good systems into place for promoting and monitoring pupils’ attendance and punctuality. The promotion of good attendance is given a high profile and individual and class achievements are celebrated. Although pupils’ attendance is well below the national figures, it has improved over the last term. During the autumn term last year, almost one quarter of the authorised absence was due to five pupils with very poor attendance records whose cases are being pursued by the educational welfare officer. Absences are carefully monitored and the school makes first-day absence calls if no explanation is received. As a result, the number of unauthorised absences is falling. Most pupils arrive punctually, but there are a few persistent latecomers each day.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002/03 (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.3 School data 1.2 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. Teaching is satisfactory, with the main strengths being in mathematics for pupils in Years 3 to 6 and in science, where good teaching is Brierley Primary School - 12 based in investigative learning. Assessment is unsatisfactory and does not provide information for future planning. The curriculum is satisfactory and is enriched well by visits to places of educational interest and visitors from the local community.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory , overall, and good for the children in the reception class, mathematics in Years 3 to 6, and science throughout the school. Occasionally teaching is unsatisfactory in English, mainly when pupils are insufficiently challenged and do not achieve enough in the time available.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In most lessons, teachers engage the pupils well and ensure that they learn through practical and stimulating activities. Occasionally pupils are not so well involved and do not learn enough. • Teachers usually ensure pupils are clear about what they need to learn, although sometimes the objectives they set are too general to be useful. • Teachers and their assistants work effectively together to meet the differing learning needs of pupils. They work hard in include pupils who need help in understanding but sometimes higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged. • Assessment of pupils’ learning is unsatisfactory, with most subjects needing to develop or consolidate suitable systems.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

15. The teachers generally plan and prepare lessons well, ensuring that learning runs smoothly and pupils’ achievement is at least sound. In a music lesson in Year 5, for example, introductory recordings of music were well prepared and instruments required for individual use were made easily accessible round the room. Charts had been prepared to aid the analysis of recordings and pupils were very clear on the task in hand and what they were to learn. The enthusiasm of the teacher was infectious and pupils applied themselves well to composing a variety of rhythms. Where resources are prepared less well, such as in a lesson in mathematics in Year 1, time is wasted while equipment is gathered. Time is not always balanced successfully through lessons and too long is sometimes spent on the whole-class section of the lesson, leaving too little time for individual practice. This was evident in an English lesson in Year 2, where two examples of improving sentences were effective but a

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Commentary

third example left pupils tired and less attentive, with too little time to practise their own skills.

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Commentary

16. From the reception class onwards, teachers help pupils to engage successfully in learning by making sure that they have a clear understanding of the learning objectives for each lesson. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. Where teaching is effective, the learning objectives are returned to during the lesson to keep pupils on track and a good summary is shared with pupils at the end, as was the case in a music lesson in Year 5. Pupils were given the opportunity to assess the success of their own learning and to suggest improvements to their performance. In less successful lessons, the learning objectives set are too general. In an unsatisfactory lesson in English in Year 6, for example, the objective set was ‘to identify the main features of a story’, which failed to make clear enough to pupils what they were required Brierley Primary School - 13 to learn at a level that was suitable for their age. In addition, the text studied provided too few

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Commentary

complex examples of description to meet the pupils’ needs.

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Commentary

17. Teachers make learning interesting so that pupils are keen to make progress. In the reception class, children find the good range of activities on offer irresistible. In Year 1, pupils enjoyed the number game led by the teacher and this helped them to extend their counting skills. In science, teaching is good because it involves pupils well in practical investigations but the skills of recording are not taught so well, with pupils sometimes copying the teacher’s model or filling in prepared sheets too often. The enthusiasm and interest teachers convey to pupils is a key feature of the good lessons where pupils achieve well. Occasionally lessons are unsatisfactory because pupils are not involved sufficiently and do not learn enough in the time available. This was evident in an English lesson in Year 1, where the pupils’ task to label the parts of a flower involved too little learning for most pupils; the task was too simple to occupy

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Commentary

the time available and supplementary spelling activities did not involve pupils enough.

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Commentary

18. A strength of the teaching is the good teamwork achieved between teachers and support staff. The contribution of teaching assistants is generally planned well and effective in helping to make sure that the needs of all pupils are met. In the reception class, the teacher and nursery nurse work well together to provide support where it is needed and to share information on the children’s learning. This is of significant benefit to the pupils with special educational needs who make at least satisfactory progress because of the effective support provided by teaching assistants, the learning mentor and adult volunteers. The visually impaired pupils make good progress because of the continuous and systematic support provided on a daily basis by specialist staff. Although the school seeks to provide well for pupils with behavioural and concentration difficulties by helping them in the early stages, the use of staff in Year 1 in the

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Commentary

early part of each afternoon is not efficient enough to maximise support for daily reading practice.

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Commentary

19. Where the teachers’ subject knowledge is good, the expectations for pupils are suitably high. This is the strength in the good teaching in mathematics in Years 3 to 6 and the provision for the children in the reception class in all areas of learning. Whole-class and group lessons on teaching reading and writing have improved through staff training. With the extra opportunities being provided to improve pupils’ speaking and listening skills, standards in English are set to improve further. Nevertheless, there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching between classes that need to be addressed by the school if pupils are to achieve all that they are able. In science, investigative work is rightly set as a priority but an appropriate balance is not always achieved with regard to written work. In addition, higher attaining pupils are not always fully challenged. Expectations for tidy work and careful presentation vary through the school but are

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Commentary

20. Assessment is unsatisfactory, as it was at the time of the last inspection, and this is a hindrance in tailoring teaching to match specific needs. The school is working to improve its planning so that all pupils are not set the same task but the success of this work is limited because clear evidence of pupils’ needs in all subjects is not available. Although lower attaining pupils are supported well through the work of teaching assistants, higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. This is the case in science, where not enough is planned to extend the skills of the higher attaining pupils. They do not devise and carry out their own investigations, for example, or work on a wider set of data than other pupils. The picture is similar in ICT. The new deputy headteacher is guiding the school forward by supporting the establishment of new systems but there is much work to be done to make sure a direct link

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Commentary

exists between lesson plans and pupils’ identified needs. Individual targets recently set in English are raising standards where they are used well. In the Year 5 classes, in particular, pupils are given very constructive feedback against the targets when the teachers mark their work. Gifted and talented pupils have been identified recently but provision is not yet in hand to help staff to meet their needs. Brierley Primary School - 14

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory , with good enrichment experiences. Satisfactory improvements since the last inspection mean that all required subjects are taught, including ICT.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although the statutory curriculum is provided, work in some subjects sometimes lacks depth. Investigations and discussions in science and history, for example, are not followed up sufficiently with written work. • The time allocated to teaching and learning is less than in most schools; inefficiencies in managing daily routines sometimes take up too much time. • Provision is good for pupils with visual impairments. The nurture group provides an innovative means for helping younger pupils with behavioural, social and emotional difficulties. • An unsettled staffing situation in recent years has slowed curriculum improvement. • The school has improved its accommodation well since the last inspection.

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Commentary

21. The quality of planning for the curriculum has made sound improvement since the last inspection. For the children in the Foundation Stage (the reception class), improvements encompass national recommendations and provide a good balance between teacher-directed activities and worthwhile opportunities for learning through play, enabling good achievement. Additions to the outdoor equipment have resolved weaknesses identified in the last inspection. The statutory curriculum for ICT is now in place. Although difficulties exist with accommodating the larger classes in the computer suite, resources for developing pupils’ ICT skills have improved well, helping to strengthen pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in particular. The adoption of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy, along with support programmes, is improving the weaknesses noted in English in the last inspection. Although still

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Commentary

in the early stages, staff are now turning their attention to improving the curriculum through incorporating different teaching and learning styles into their everyday lessons and forging creative links between different subjects. The two main barriers to progress have included the delay experienced due to difficulties with computer equipment and changes in staffing which has had a significant impact on the leadership and management of improvements to the curriculum.

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Commentary

22. The school rightly prioritises the provision for English and mathematics and a high proportion of time is spent on these subjects. In English in Years 1 to 6 and in mathematics in Years 1 and 2, however, this is not always resulting in good achievement for pupils because the quality of teaching varies. The time the school allocates to the curriculum is significantly less than is recommended nationally and some of the other subjects manage on relatively little time. The impact is apparent in the limited time available for ICT in some classes and the limited evidence available of past work in subjects such as history and geography. In addition, the efficiency of the use of time on a daily basis varies from class to class. Throughout the school, learning time is lost around assemblies, snack and break times, which take longer than allowed in most schools. Staff from outside agencies, such as community health

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Commentary

professionals, support the school’s provision well for sex and relationships education and for teaching drug awareness. The school’s programme for personal, social, health and citizenship education is linked into other subjects but overall planning for this aspect lacks rigour and opportunities for providing, for example, for pupils’ emotional health, are not arranged in a systematic way.

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Commentary

23. The school takes care to ensure that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum and equal opportunity to succeed. Increasingly, staff are successful in providing different tasks for pupils of differing needs. The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory and individual education plans indicate manageable targets for improvement. The Brierley Primary School - 15 provision for the small number of visually impaired pupils is good, enabling them to achieve well, with equipment that is suitably adapted and teaching assistance of good quality. The ‘busy bees’, or nurture group, is made available in Years 1 and 2 and is a useful innovation that helps pupils with specific behavioural and social difficulties to learn. Good care is taken to make sure that they follow a parallel curriculum. Gifted and talented pupils have recently been identified as part of a local schools’ project but specific provision is still at the planning stage.

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Commentary

However, weaknesses in checking timetables, as at the time of the last inspection, mean that there are discrepancies in the teaching time pupils receive in some subjects, particularly affecting provision for the humanities. The teaching and learning time made available each week is less than in most schools and this impacts on the breadth and depth of study in subjects such as history and geography.

p.15

Commentary

24. There are good opportunities for enriching pupils’ learning through visits, visitors and after- school activities. For example, through residential visits and outdoor education, pupils extend their social skills, their progress in subjects such as geography and develop a greater spiritual appreciation of the world, especially valuable considering the limited access of most pupils to green spaces in their daily lives. Interesting visitors, such as dancers and artists, enhance the curriculum well. The good programme of after-school activities generates pupils’ enthusiasm for learning. These are well attended and, in particular, promote a love for sport. The school’s commitment to pupils’ physical education is strong, resulting in wide participation in sport, despite the limited outdoor space available.

p.15

Commentary

25. Since the last inspection, the building has been adapted to provide better facilities for computer studies, the library and the reception class. The computer suite is too small for some of the larger classes and there have been difficulties with connections to the Internet, which have delayed improvements to the curriculum. The absence of a means of demonstrating to the whole class in the suite, such as an interactive whiteboard, creates difficulties for teaching and learning. A small number of laptops and other machines help to supplement provision in classrooms but there are still organisational issues to manage so that all pupils have sufficient time to become fluent in using new skills. Pupils who are visually impaired have sufficient access to personal word processors.

p.15

Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for ensuring pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are good . The school provides pupils with satisfactory academic and personal help and guidance and involves them satisfactorily in its work and development.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers, teaching assistants and the learning mentor provide good personal support for the pupils. • The arrangements for health and safety and for child protection are organised well. • Pupils are not involved in setting their own targets for learning. • Pupils have positive views of the school and feel that teachers are fair and that the school listens to their views. Brierley Primary School - 16

p.15

Commentary

26. Staff are caring and helpful in their dealings with the children. Pupils say that they are looked after well and that the teachers and their assistants are fair and listen to them. The adults show that they value the pupils and their contributions and, as a result, the pupils receive personal attention of good quality. The learning mentor provides good support in her role of helping pupils whose behavioural, personal or social problems may be hindering their education. Pupils identify her as a person they can confide in and talk over their problems with if the need arises. The nurture group is helpful for a small number of pupils who are experiencing social and emotional problems and have difficulties in working within a whole class. Here, pupils have good opportunities to express their feelings and concerns openly in a relaxed and supportive environment.

p.16

Commentary

27. The steps taken to ensure the pupils’ welfare, health and safety are good. Regular inspections and risk assessments of the building and equipment are undertaken and formal records are maintained well. This is a sound improvement since the last inspection. The arrangements for child protection are good. All staff are familiar with up-to-date good practice and are aware of what to do if they have any concerns about the children in their care. Pupils are supervised well.

p.16

Commentary

28. Although arrangements for assessment in subjects are unsatisfactory, overall, the school has satisfactory systems for checking on pupils’ rate of progress in English and mathematics. The information gained is used appropriately to provide extra help for those not achieving at least satisfactorily. However, the information is based on scores and levels of attainment and not suitable as a basis for setting specific targets for individuals or groups of pupils in any subject except English. Pupils with special educational needs receive satisfactory support and guidance, but some pupils are kept too long at the monitoring stage before their needs are fully identified. Once pupils’ needs are clearly specified, they are supported well in class and there is thoughtful liaison between teachers, teaching assistants, parents, pupils and outside agencies to ensure that pupils make at least satisfactory progress. Individual education plans

p.16

Commentary

and statements of special educational need are regularly reviewed and help staff to monitor progress and adjust provision. The school works closely with the local education authority’s service for visually impaired pupils and this ensures that these pupils have good access to the curriculum on a daily basis.

p.16

Commentary

29. Pupils’ views and ideas are regularly sought; for example, pupils contributed their ideas to the development of the playground and lunchtime activities. Pupils have also expressed a wish for a grassed area for play times. As a result, weather permitting, older pupils are taken regularly for a picnic lunch to a local play area where they can participate in various sports and team games.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership with parents, the community and other schools is good and contributes well to pupils’ learning and achievement. Educational and support programmes for parents, families and members of the community are good .

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good links with parents support pupils’ learning well. • Parents find the school welcoming and are encouraged to be involved in school life. • Good links with the community and other schools enhance learning opportunities for pupils. Brierley Primary School - 17

p.16

Commentary

30. Parents find the staff very approachable and always willing to answer questions about individual pupils or the curriculum. They comment about how the school has a ‘lovely feel’ to it with a friendly and lively atmosphere. The school communicates well with parents through a range of information about the school and their children’s progress. There is a regular sharing of information about pupils’ progress through parents’ meetings, written reports and reviews of progress for pupils with special educational needs. Parents feel that staff work well with them to understand and help their children. Annual progress reports provide a good summary of pupils’ achievements and include targets for future learning. The headteacher and staff are out on the playground each morning and initiate conversations with parents to help build good relationships with them, that have positive effects on their children’s learning and attitudes to

p.17

Commentary

school. Staff make telephone calls home to parents to tell them the good news about their children as well as the concerns that may arise.

p.17

Commentary

31. A number of parents help regularly in classes and many more are willing to accompany school visits or help with specific activities such as escorting the pupils to the gym. Concerts and school events are supported very well. The Friends’ Association is successful, organising fund-raising events that support the school very well; for example, money raised by parents has helped with the development of the playground and the purchase of equipment. Parents of pupils who attend the nurture group are involved in their children’s learning and social development. They attend weekly sessions to work alongside their children on games to develop their speaking skills and other similar activities. This increases the parents’ confidence in supporting their children’s learning at home. Parents set up the after-school club and the mother and toddler group, both held on the school site.

p.17

Commentary

32. The school involves parents well in its work with pupils who have special educational needs. They are involved in review meetings and targets for improvement are shared so that parents can help to support their children’s learning. The school has good links with the local secondary school to ensure that when pupils with special educational needs move to their next stage of education the transfer is a smooth one.

p.17

Commentary

33. The school provides a base for adult courses that give parents and members of the community opportunities to develop their study skills and to improve their parenting skills. The courses on helping their children with mathematics and reading are especially useful as parents are introduced to activities and games that give them extra knowledge of how to help their children to learn at home.

p.17

Commentary

34. The school makes make good use of local resources, such as working with people and visiting places to enrich the curriculum. The school’s site is used very well to extend local facilities; for example, it provides a base for the after-school club, mother and toddler group and the local Brownie troop. There are good links between the mother and toddler group and the reception class that help the new children starting school to settle quickly and easily. Some pupils take part in musical events at a local theatre and this helps to increase parental involvement as they are keen to attend to help with costumes and watch their children perform. The school seeks to work closely with local secondary and primary schools. An assistant headteacher from a local high school is a new governor of the school to help forge further links. There are regular opportunities for the sharing of curricular issues, training and staff expertise. The useful

p.17

Commentary

sporting links allow pupils to develop their skills in competitive situations. Brierley Primary School - 18

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory . The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. The leadership of senior managers as a whole is satisfactory. The governance of the school is satisfactory. The school’s management systems are satisfactory.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Arrangements for checking the performance of the school are satisfactory but could be more rigorous in the drive to raise pupils’ achievement. • The headteacher encourages all staff to develop their leadership skills but subject leaders need more opportunities to be involved in monitoring and raising standards. • A significant number of governors are newly appointed and the role of the governing body is underdeveloped. • Although the school’s plan for improvement guides its work satisfactorily, the top priorities do not stand out as clearly as they could.

p.18

Commentary

35. The purposeful leadership of the headteacher ensures that the school is moving standards forward at a satisfactory pace. The good support of the local education authority has been influential in guiding and checking school improvement; standards have risen well over the past three years for the pupils in Year 6, although advances in Year 2 have been slow. Recent changes in staff and responsibilities have been taxing for the senior management team but the headteacher has maintained a strong sense of purpose and kept the school working effectively. Systems for checking pupils’ overall progress are satisfactory but more could be done to identify specific strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning, such as through more efficient monitoring of the outcomes of national tests and a greater involvement of subject leaders in checking standards.

p.18

Commentary

36. The headteacher and governors have established a suitable staff team and new members of staff are inducted well. The new deputy headteacher has taken on her role with determination and is very enthusiastic about introducing new ideas to the development of the school and the raising of pupils’ achievement. Because the headteacher is keen for all members of staff to develop their leadership skills, she has had the confidence to delegate some major subject responsibilities to the least experienced teachers. They are rising to the challenge and have made a positive start in finding out about their subjects and how to move them forward. The senior management team is still developing but they are already working well as a team and contributing satisfactorily to the running of the school. The national Primary Leadership Programme, recommended by the local education authority, is helping the senior team

p.18

Commentary

members to improve their confidence and leadership qualities.

p.18

Commentary

37. Subject leadership is satisfactory, overall, but systems for driving standards forward lack rigour. Although subject leaders are involved, with the headteacher, in checking teachers’ planning and pupils’ work, they have not been trained or had sufficient opportunities to check the quality of teaching and learning in lessons. Leadership and management of provision for the pupils with special educational needs are satisfactory, overall, and good for the pupils who are visually impaired. The co-ordinator for special educational needs does not have sufficient opportunities to work in lessons in order to get a clear picture of where and how to make further improvements.

p.18

Commentary

38. The school improvement plan is satisfactory and suitably based on a review of previous developments, including contributions from both staff and governors. There are a large number of initiatives that are interspersed, however, sometimes with separate action plans, so that the school’s top priorities of raising standards do not stand out as clearly as they might. Although satisfactory overall, the school has under-developed systems for monitoring some aspects of its provision. For example, although all required subjects of the curriculum are taught, the Brierley Primary School - 19 class timetables, in practice, do not reflect the agreed time allocations. This affects pupils’ achievements because learning time is sometimes significantly reduced and in humanities, for example, pupils’ studies lack depth. The principles of performance management for teachers are in place. Personal objectives relate well to whole-school priorities for improvement and

p.18

Commentary

39. The governing body is supportive of the school and ensures that statutory requirements are met in most areas of its work, with the exception of reporting requirements to parents. Meetings are held regularly and governors receive detailed reports from the headteacher about the work of the school. As a result, the governing body has a sound understanding of the school’s strengths and its areas for development. Governors are prepared to challenge decisions by asking questions to seek further information if they are unclear about a subject. The new chair of governors is keen to develop the governors’ role further and wishes to introduce more rigour into the systems for monitoring the work of the school.

p.19

Commentary

40. Financial planning is sound. The school’s budget is managed satisfactorily to support its priorities for improvement and is regularly monitored to ensure that spending levels are within agreed targets. The school is very mindful of its falling number on roll and the implications this will have for the school budget and staffing levels. A good proportion of the high balance carried forward last year was due to an unexpected ‘windfall’ of staffing costs adjustments from the local education authority which had to be paid back into the school budget. Much of the carry forward has been allocated appropriately to the employment of extra teaching assistants and for an additional teacher to enable time for members of the senior management team to fulfil their duties.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 558,519 Balance from previous year 53,791 Total expenditure 562,222 Balance carried forward to the next 50,088 Expenditure per pupil 2,433 Brierley Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The quality of education provided for children in the Foundation Stage is good and effective improvements have been made since the last inspection. (In this school, the Foundation Stage refers to the reception class.)

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

There are 17 children in the reception class, with the teacher and, generally, one or more other adults assisting learning. The good number of adults promotes learning effectively and ensures good achievement for the children, whatever their starting point. On admission, the attainments of most children are below average and lower than at the time of the last inspection. Because teaching is generally good, most children will meet the learning goals set for the end of the reception year in almost all areas of learning. Most children are not on course to reach the goals for speaking, mainly due to their lower than average starting point on entry to school. A good proportion of children is on course to exceed the goals for mathematical development because this is a strength in the teaching.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good and children make rapid progress. • Because the teacher and the nursery nurse establish an orderly, supportive and friendly atmosphere, children develop the confidence to try things out. • There is a good balance between activities led by adults and opportunities for children to engage in purposeful play with other children.

p.20

Commentary

41. Most children are likely to achieve the goals set for this area of learning by the end of the reception year. The children settle into school routines successfully, helped by part-time attendance in the early weeks. The teacher and the nursery nurse understand the needs of the children well and relationships are good. Improvements to the building since the last inspection mean that the classroom is self-contained and this helps the children to feel safe at all times. Well-planned teaching means that the day runs smoothly, children enjoy a good sense of achievement and develop the confidence to try out new situations, such as the role- play based on life in a snowy climate. Adults take part to extend the play and increase the co- operation between the children. The children take turns to answer questions or to use equipment quite amicably and show that they are sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.

p.20

Commentary

Staff are adept at balancing just the right amount of support with enough independence to challenge the children to learn well, make choices and to look after themselves. When making face masks, for example, the nursery nurse was on hand to help the children to use the materials while allowing them to take important design decisions themselves.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good . Brierley Primary School - 21

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching means that expectations are high, most children are challenged well and learning proceeds at a good pace. • The small class and high number of adults mean that there are plenty of opportunities for the children to improve their spoken language. • There is a firm focus on teaching letter sounds and early attempts at reading and writing are generally good. • For the lowest attaining children, learning is not always broken down into small enough steps.

p.21

Commentary

42. Most children are on course to achieve the learning goals set nationally for literacy for transfer to Year 1. From a below average starting point, the children achieve well and are suitably prepared for the next stage of learning. Good progress is made with speaking and listening but, for most children, speaking skills remain limited for their age. Most children are slow to initiate conversations, for example, to question why things are happening or to give explanations. Most children rely on a series of questions from the teacher and nursery nurse to express their views.

p.21

Commentary

43. A suitable variety of stories helps the children to discuss events, possible outcomes and their thoughts and feelings. Children showed that they understood the ‘Dear Zoo’ story, could make suggestions for the unsuitability of zoo animals for pets and enjoyed joining in the refrain “So I sent him back“. Although the children work hard during reading times in small groups with the teacher, the teacher sometimes misses opportunities within the whole-class reading sessions to ask the children to re-read familiar sentences or to point to individual words for extra practice. Nevertheless, all children understand how a book works and a good proportion of children of above average attainment can already read simple books with their teacher.

p.21

Commentary

44. The children’s generally good understanding of sounds linked to letters underpins their reading and writing skills well. The teacher provides plenty of opportunities for practice and shows that she values their successes. When learning to write, the children make good use of their developing knowledge of letter sounds and shapes and the teacher is skilled at encouraging them enthusiastically but not helping too much. In this way, children learn more and more of the letters included in words and above average children can use the class’s bank of known words that are used frequently, such as like , I, and and with . The opportunity to make their own simple storybooks gives the children a good incentive to write. The children are taught to form their letters correctly through daily practice sessions and the teacher provides a suitable model in her own handwriting. The lower attaining children are behind the others at this stage but

p.21

Commentary

keen to catch up. Their efforts are sometimes frustrated, however, when the teacher’s expectations are too high. Too many letter sounds are sometimes taught at one sitting and, although this ambitious approach works well for higher attaining children, for these lower attaining children, the pace set is too fast and they become discouraged when their efforts are too often unsuccessful.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teacher is confident and knows how to teach early mathematical skills quickly and well. • A good variety of activities gives the children lots of practice in counting and working with different sizes and shapes. • The vocabulary for comparing, counting and describing quantity and shapes is well used and taught. Brierley Primary School - 22 • The teacher knows what each child needs to learn next and organises appropriate levels of challenge.

p.21

Commentary

45. Teaching is consistently good and children make at least good progress and achieve well. All children are likely to meet the early learning goals in numeracy by the time they transfer to Year 1and a good proportion are on course to exceed them. Most will have a fair understanding of the vocabulary that describes quantity and shape.

p.22

Commentary

46. The teacher is confident in her understanding of the children’s needs; the class is small, she listens carefully to what they say and notes their progress. This enables her to match her teaching plans well to the children’s differing needs. Whole-class teaching is organised well and the small numbers in the class mean that turns to try are frequent. Games, such as finding matching numbers hidden under cups, interest the children and encourage good concentration and effort. The nursery nurse works very well in partnership with the teacher and devises effective ways of emphasising the teacher’s words. For example, she traced numbers on the back of a child having difficulty remembering the names of numbers; this made learning irresistible and helped the child to focus his concentration fully. Lots of practical opportunities for counting, sometimes to high numbers, keep the children on their toes. Games add an

p.22

Commentary

element of fun and lots of practice. Higher attaining children use a line of numbers to 15 to practise taking away one and are soon ready for another challenge. The high number of adults helping in the class means that children are supervised well and helped to take their learning forward quickly.

p.22

Commentary

47. Model-making activities include structures of different shapes and sizes that acquaint the children well with a good range of possibilities and adults on hand help them to learn the vocabulary that describes them. The zoo story enabled the children to guess which size and shape of animal was likely to fit into which container. Play situations, such as the cylinders on the ‘fireman’s’ back, help to familiarise the children with different shapes. Settling down into sleeping bags inside the ‘igloo’ help the children to experience the cosiness of a half-sphere. Most children are already familiar with adding or counting on one more and identifying the number before or after the ones they know. The children are gradually being helped to learn to write numbers for themselves and jotting down telephone numbers in the ‘fire station’, for example, gives extra practice. The teacher quite rightly focuses at this stage on counting and

p.22

Commentary

calculating as much as possible without spending too much time on writing numbers. The pace of learning is good and the right balance is achieved between practical and written work.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good and an interesting curriculum is provided that is well suited to the needs of the children. • Most children are likely to meet the learning goals set for the end of the reception class.

p.22

Commentary

48. Interesting projects involve the children in a good range of play and adult directed activities that extend their knowledge and understanding of the world well. The children discover, for example, that plants grow, and need care and water. They are encouraged to examine and draw interesting shapes, such as shells and fir cones. Topics, such as ‘hot and cold’ focus the children’s learning well and they know, for example, that cold places require warm clothes and that frost and ice is a feature of cold climates. Pretend activities, such as living in an ‘igloo’ and setting off on a ‘polar expedition’ underline the children’s knowledge of the requirements for Brierley Primary School - 23 different weather conditions. Photographs of people dressed differently are sorted into sets for hot and cold weather. Play within the class ‘fire station’ broadens the children’s general knowledge and they learn, for example, that firemen need breathing apparatus to enter places

p.22

Commentary

where a fire is burning and cylinders of oxygen need to be carried. An awareness of change through heating is developed through baking and the safety and hygiene precautions are suitably highlighted. The children learn how to operate audiotape players to listen to songs and stories, and how to use the ‘mouse’ to click on-screen keys to operate computer programs. The teacher is careful to make sure the children understand vocabulary linked to their work and extends their understanding through discussions while taking part in play and other learning activities.

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

A full range of evidence was not available to make clear overall judgements on provision. Evidence available indicates that provision for developing the children’s fine motor skills is good .

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

49. Daily opportunities are provided for the children to work with a suitable range of tools and equipment such as scissors, pens, brushes, construction sets and jigsaws and their co- ordination and precision of movement is typical of the age group. Lessons are arranged to develop larger motor skills and climbing apparatus, new since the last inspection, is available to enable practice on a daily basis. A range of wheeled toys is available to extend the children’s control, motor co-ordination and balance.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

A full range of evidence was not available to make clear overall judgements on provision in creative development. Evidence available indicates that provision is at least satisfactory .

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

50. The children are given frequent opportunities to develop their artistic and musical skills and to respond to role-play situations creatively. Staff make sure that the children make their own choices of materials and design their own work, such as when making masks or mixing colours in paint. Musical instruments are available for experimentation through play and children were seen thoughtfully listening to the sounds made as they moved the instruments in different ways. Brierley Primary School - 24

p.23

ENGLISH

Provision is in English is satisfactory . It has improved satisfactorily since the last inspection when the curriculum in English was an issue for development. Pupils’ achievement is sound.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• At present, standards are below average by Year 2 and well below average by Year 6, but the overall trend is improving. The current Year 6 class includes a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, so standards are considerably lower than last year, when they were average. • Although the quality of teaching is satisfactory, overall, it varies from good to unsatisfactory. • Assessment systems have recently been extended to include individual targets for pupils but these are not being used to their full advantage in most classes. Tasks set are not always linked sufficiently well to pupils’ specific needs. • More could be done by the subject leaders to raise standards.

p.24

Commentary

51. Standards in English are improving steadily although standards for the cohort of pupils currently in Year 6, with its high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, are well below average. Teaching is of satisfactory quality, overall, pupils are making steady progress and their achievement is satisfactory. In Year 5, class numbers are small, the quality of teaching is at least good, and pupils are achieving well. Consequently, the improving trend in National Curriculum test results in 2003 in Year 6 is likely to be restored next year.

p.24

Commentary

52. In Year 6, pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well below average and most are not able to discuss texts, for example, in sufficient depth for their age. Teachers are devising more opportunities for pupils to improve their speaking and listening skills and this is paying off well. In Year 2, for example, pupils are noticeably more confident and capable of expressing their thoughts than younger pupils in the school. This improvement is gradually impacting on pupils’ achievement in reading and writing. Pupils are now able to contribute more to discussions on books and to glean more understanding from their own reading. This was evident when pupils in Year 2 were able to recall the detail well from a story that was based in India, showing a good understanding of comparative social structures, such as how a king and queen in Britain compare with a Rajah and Ranee in India. The teacher aided their understanding well through

p.24

Commentary

compiling a ‘web’ of words that linked central characters in the story. This got pupils thinking and their interest was evident as they worked with a partner to think of adjectives that described the characters, such as helpful , clever , or sneaky . Older pupils have not had the full benefit of these improvements in earlier years in school but, through a similar focus on well- structured discussions, show that their speaking skills are improving.

p.24

Commentary

53. Reading skills are improving in all classes as pupils’ discussion and analysis skills move forward. The school generally teaches the pupils to recognise and use letter-sounds well although some opportunities are missed during literacy lessons to practice reading or spelling words. For example, sometimes individual pupils are asked to try to spell words while the rest of the class sits waiting, rather than working on the same task through the use of resources such as individual whiteboards. This also misses opportunities for quick assessments that enable the teacher to develop a clear and up-to-date picture of pupils’ spelling needs. Many such opportunities were missed in a lesson in Year 1, which failed to tax pupils sufficiently throughout, resulting in unsatisfactory teaching and learning.

p.24

Commentary

54. In their writing, most pupils, both by Year 2 and Year 6, show an average ability to spell and to use punctuation correctly. The weaknesses in writing are linked to the composition of written Brierley Primary School - 25 work. In part, this reflects the pupils’ limited speaking skills but, in addition, pupils are not always consistently challenged sufficiently to improve their work. In Year 2, for example, pupils were encouraged to use words and phrases linked to time in their work but having achieved this well, they were not reminded sufficiently to hang on to this skill and subsequent work shows it slipping away. In Year 6, a lesson was unsatisfactory when pupils were set the task of identifying events in a story in preparation for writing their own stories. This failed to focus the pupils’ learning at a sufficiently complex level for average and higher attaining pupils and learning opportunities were missed. Too often, tasks set for learning ask the same or almost

p.24

Commentary

the same of all pupils in the class, whatever their needs. This weakness links with the lack of rigour in the use of assessment and insufficient involvement of pupils, generally, in their own learning. There are exceptions where practice is very successful, such as in Year 5, where the teacher’s marking continuously guides pupils’ learning forward through marking against their individual targets and constantly raising new targets as they are achieved. For example, the teacher wrote in an above average attaining pupil’s book, “Well done, you have met your target. This week I want you to use more than one clause in a sentence wherever possible.” About ten days later, the comment was, “ I can see evidence of more than one clause. Now I want you to concentrate on using a variety of sentence beginnings.” This very good marking sets a rapid pace to learning and ensures that pupils are very clear on where to focus their efforts.

p.25

Commentary

Although there are some good examples, especially in Year 5, most pupils’ handwriting and presentation of their work is generally untidy, making it difficult to read and reducing pupils’ pride in their own achievements.

p.25

Commentary

55. The leadership and management of English are satisfactory, overall, and standards are gradually rising. Checks on progress through the National Curriculum are supported well by the headteacher, enabling the targeting of extra support for pupils whose progress is less than satisfactory. The headteacher and inspectors from the local education authority have monitored lessons each year, which has led to improvements in provision. However, the two subject leaders work at the lower end of the school and could do more to find out what is happening in the older classes to keep a strong enough check on teaching and learning. For example, the pupils’ answers in National Curriculum tests are not routinely analysed to check for areas for development that might lead to improvements in teaching.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

56. Arrangements for the use of language and literacy across the curriculum are satisfactory and improving. The school’s focus on increasing opportunities for discussion is paying off and pupils often discuss their work profitably in pairs or groups in subjects such as science and geography. Increasingly, pupils are asked to read books and other texts to research information needed and the recent connection to the Internet is improving opportunities for reading. However, an appropriate balance is not always achieved with written work and pupils’ writing is limited in quantity and quality in subjects such as science and history.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory. Standards are below average by the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils make sound progress from a below average base on starting school and achieve satisfactorily. Results in national tests show improving standards, particularly when pupils' performance at the end of Year 6 is compared with that at the end of Year 2.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good in Years 3 to 6. This leads to good learning and to improving standards by the end of Year 6. • Teachers do not use assessment sufficiently to identify strengths and weaknesses in mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding. Brierley Primary School - 26 • The presentation of pupils' work is inconsistent, making it difficult for some pupils to work accurately.

p.25

Commentary

57. The National Numeracy Strategy is effectively used in order to give a well-planned structure to learning and to enable pupils to build securely on work that has gone before. This helps most pupils to achieve at least satisfactorily. In Years 3 to 6, pupils achieve more because teachers have good subject knowledge and they ensure that pupils develop a secure understanding of the rules of calculating and use a range of strategies. By Year 6, most pupils work confidently with fractions, positive and negative numbers and can use their skills, for example, to compare the lengths of rivers and heights of mountains. Although teachers provide pupils with sufficient opportunities to apply their knowledge in the solution of word problems, their skills in this area of their work are less well developed.

p.26

Commentary

58. Teachers in all classes arrange work that is well-suited to pupils' needs so that they are challenged to extend their understanding at their own levels. This enables most pupils, including those with special educational needs, to make satisfactory progress. For example, when working on co-ordinates in Year 4, higher attaining pupils were asked to plot the position of shapes moved from their original position; pupils of average attainment worked in pairs to identify missing co-ordinates and lower attaining pupils were supported by a teaching assistant in order to reinforce their understanding of co-ordinates. Because pupils with special educational needs are supported well, their confidence increases and this enables them to make sound progress. Teachers usually organise tasks well so that lessons run smoothly and pupils focus their attention well. In Year 3, for example, good teaching meant that most pupils

p.26

Commentary

increased their understanding of capacity well because the teacher had a good range of containers and materials readily at hand and pupils were efficiently allocated to small groups supported by adults. When teachers are not prepared so well, as in a lesson in Year 1, when the appropriate equipment needed for work on weighing was not available, understanding is impeded.

p.26

Commentary

59. The school makes good use of teaching assistants and other adults to support the work of teachers. In Year 6, for example, the understanding of reflective symmetry and the use of quadrants was deepened because teaching assistants worked with pupils with learning difficulties and those with visual impairment. The learning mentor helped to sustain the concentration of pupils who might otherwise have been distracted and a parent helped to challenge a further group. Because the teacher and supporting adults were clearly aware of the nature of the tasks and provided good support, learning for most pupils was good.

p.26

Commentary

60. An improvement since the last inspection is the way teachers set clear lesson objectives, share them with pupils and return to them at the end of lessons, helping pupils to develop a useful understanding of their own learning. This is extended well when teachers relate this learning to work in subsequent lessons. The teachers’ feedback to pupils on their learning varies but most try to provide helpful comments when they mark pupils' work, so that their understanding is clarified and pupils are challenged to improve. During lessons, teachers generally assess pupils’ work carefully. In Year 2, for example, the teacher moved from group to group, helping pupils with difficulties and advising pupils how they might improve their work to increase their skills in subtraction. Assessment systems, however, are not used to set individual or group targets for improvement in order to help pupils to achieve their best.

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Commentary

61. Teachers and support staff usually manage pupils well so that they behave well and work hard. Because relationships are good, pupils are confident to answer questions. They know that their efforts are valued. In Year 5, for example, pupils were eager to explain the different strategies they used in addition and subtraction. However, teachers do not consistently insist on high standards of presentation. This leads to some untidy books. Weak presentation sometimes gets in the way of accuracy and the clarity of understanding of aspects of work, such as place Brierley Primary School - 27 value. In some instances, the work of pupils in Year 3 is better presented than that of pupils in Year 6.

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Commentary

62. The leadership and management of mathematics are satisfactory, overall. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge but does not have sufficient opportunities to check on teaching and learning through the school in order to gain a clear understanding of how to develop standards further. The school does not use national test results sufficiently well to identify strengths and weaknesses in the mathematics curriculum so that it can decide upon its areas of strength and focus on targets for improvement for the whole school.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

63. Mathematics is soundly used in other subjects to give a relevance to work and to help pupils to deepen their understanding. In Year 6, pupils used Venn diagrams in their scientific work on food chains. In design and technology, pupils in Year 2 used a matrix and made measurements. Pupils extended their understanding of time in Year 5 when they produced time lines in their work in history on the Tudors.

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SCIENCE

Provision in science is satisfactory , overall. Since the last inspection, standards have improved well because teaching is focused more successfully on learning through investigation. For most pupils, achievement is satisfactory from below average attainment as they start school but standards are below average, overall, at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 because the higher attaining pupils do not achieve as much as they are able.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good, overall, but pupils’ independence in recording their own ideas and findings is limited, particularly for the more able pupils. • Teachers are firmly committed to investigative learning and the development of correct scientific vocabulary, which meets the pupils’ needs well and ensures sound scientific understanding. Sometimes, however, teachers guide pupils’ work too closely • The use of assessment to set targets for improvement and to enable scientific skills to be developed systematically is not sufficiently precise.

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Commentary

64. The school’s improved focus on scientific investigation means that standards have risen well by the end of Year 6 since the last inspection. The written element of the subject is not as strong as the investigational aspect, however, and a lack of attention to careful marking and imprecise assessment systems is limiting overall standards, particularly for the more able pupils, who have the ability to make greater leaps in their knowledge. By Year 6, despite generally lower than average speaking and listening skills, higher attaining and average attaining pupils can talk confidently about the areas of science they have studied and show sound, and sometimes good, knowledge and understanding. For most pupils, planning and data interpretation skills are relatively weak because they are given insufficient opportunities to plan and carry out their own investigations. In Year 2, although most pupils have the expected

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Commentary

level of knowledge and understanding for their age, their ability to express their ideas is impeded for most pupils by difficulties in recalling scientific vocabulary.

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Commentary

65. In most lessons observed, the quality of teaching was good, and occasionally very good, with most pupils making good gains in their learning. Lessons were based on practical investigations, the pupils’ motivation was high and pupils worked with enthusiasm. Where teaching assistants are present, they work effectively in partnership with teachers and ensure Brierley Primary School - 28 that most pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. When a teaching assistant peeled away the balloon container, for example, from a sphere of ice, pupils in Year 2 were awe-struck by the shape they could see. This was heightened further when the teacher poured food colouring over the top. More able pupils described the sphere as ‘translucent’ and less able pupils talked about what appeared to be ‘hairs’ inside. Teachers are skilful at developing the pupils’ use of correct scientific vocabulary. In Year 6, skilful questioning

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Commentary

challenged pupils’ thinking and clarified their ideas when investigating food chains. The teacher stimulated the pupils’ interest through a good selection of interactive teaching methods that enthused pupils and promoted good learning. This was also evident in Year 5, where pupils finalised a lesson about sound, pitch and ‘columns of air’ with a fun, impromptu performance on the mini pitch-pipes the teacher had thoughtfully provided. Where teaching was satisfactory rather than good, the lesson was not so well paced, pupils were slow to start their investigations and lost concentration because expectations were not as high. Although the practical work arranged has increased well and was seen to good effect during the inspection, pupils’ past work indicates that much of their work is too closely directed and they have insufficient opportunity to use their own ideas to plan and carry out investigations. This

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Commentary

limits the achievement of higher attaining pupils especially. Their skills for recording their work are inconsistently developed and, in some cases, pupils copy what the teacher has written. Assessment systems have improved but the use of information to set clear, precise targets for improvement is under-developed.

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Commentary

66. Leadership and management are satisfactory and the school is fortunate in having a number of science specialists on the staff. The main area for further development lies in developing pupils’ recording skills and in linking the assessment of pupils’ skills to appropriate planning for differing needs, so that more able pupils, in particular, have more control over their own learning and are inspired to progress further.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

The provision for ICT is satisfactory . Satisfactory improvement has been made from the unsatisfactory judgement of the last inspection. Standards are average by Year 2 but still below average by the end of Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although below average in Year 6, standards are rising through the school as the improved curriculum impacts on pupils’ learning. • Teaching is improving as teachers become more familiar with the school’s new resources. • Assessment procedures are under-developed and do not link directly to planning, particularly for the more able pupils. • There are some shortages in software programs which is limiting the use of ICT across the curriculum.

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Commentary

67. Since the last inspection, staff have worked hard to improve planning for ICT but learning has been disrupted by the delay in updating equipment in the new computer suite. As a result, standards in Years 4 to 6 are not as high as they should be because pupils have not had sufficient time to consolidate their skills and their achievement is unsatisfactory, overall. In Years 1 to 3, pupils are acquiring skills satisfactorily and their achievement is sound. The new suite is a good improvement in provision but is rather small for the larger classes.

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Commentary

68. By the end of Year 2, pupils use the computer satisfactorily for word processing, operating the mouse confidently, and are beginning to find their way around the keyboard and icons as they operate CD-ROM programs. By Year 6, most pupils are more confident and competent Brierley Primary School - 29 computer users. They know the usefulness of information and communication technology in their work and in the outside world. For example, pupils readily collect information and present it on spreadsheets and graphs. They are beginning to use secure search engines to access websites on the Internet but this has only become available very recently in school. Their skills in control technology are limited because of a lack of appropriate software and past experience. By the end of the year, pupils will have experienced all aspects of the subject but they have limited time to catch up and acquire a suitable level of fluency in all the necessary

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Commentary

69. Although teaching is sound, overall, it is improving and standards are rising. Some teachers have good subject knowledge and present their lessons confidently. Lessons are planned well and the learning objectives are made clear to pupils, which helps them to focus their learning successfully. Emphasis is placed appropriately on the development of relevant technical vocabulary. A good example was seen in Year 5 when the teacher explained terms such as ‘Broadband’ and ‘firewall’. Teachers achieve a good balance between formal instruction and the time allowed for pupils to practise skills. Where teaching is good, the pace is brisk and learning is broken down into easily manageable steps. Skilful questioning fully involves pupils in their own learning and support is targeted well at those who need it most. Positive attitudes and good behaviour are important factors in pupils’ achievement in lessons. Visually impaired

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Commentary

pupils are helped to access lessons through appropriate equipment.

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Commentary

70. Leadership of the subject is satisfactory; developments are only just beginning to make an impact on standards. Nonetheless, the co-ordinator has an accurate overview of provision and standards across the school since carrying out a comprehensive audit. The piloting of a manageable assessment system features prominently in the action plan. Some teachers are assessing pupils’ skills and moving them on suitably in lessons but the procedures are not yet standardised and rely on individual teacher’s skills. Since the last inspection, staff knowledge has improved through training although there are still areas for further development. Some staff require training in the use of the interactive whiteboard.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

71. Better use is being made of ICT information and communication technology (ICT) across the curriculum than at the time of the last inspection and the position is now broadly satisfactory although in the early stages. Some classes regularly use ICT equipment, such as laptops or the computer suite, for a range of lessons. Pupils’ literacy skills are improving through their growing proficiency in word processing and through the use of computer programs to improve their skills in reading and spelling. In Year 5, good use was made of the Internet to research information on the Indian village of Chembokoli but pupils in most classes do not yet use CD- ROMs and the Internet regularly for personal research in other subjects.

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HUMANITIES

The school is working to improve its provision for the humanities and the curriculum has been improved satisfactorily since the last inspection. Teachers focus on the key skills of each subject but, as in science, the written element of the subject is limited. In part, this is due to the allocation of time to the subjects, which varies between classes but is limited by restrictions on time set by the shorter than average length of the school day. The subjects are led and managed by one co- ordinator and this is useful in setting a clear focus on key skills backed up by visits to places of interest to enrich the curriculum. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and works hard to support colleagues by checking planning and, sometimes, pupils' work. She does not have opportunities to monitor teaching and learning in lessons to gain a clear overview of strengths and areas for development. Brierley Primary School - 30

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Religious education

Provision for religious education is satisfactory . Discussions with pupils and a review of past work indicates that standards are in line with the requirements of the Cheshire locally agreed syllabus, as was found at the time of the last inspection, and that the quality of teaching is satisfactory, overall. For most pupils, including those with special educational needs, achievement is sound.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching builds well on the good relationships in the school and its caring and respectful ethos. • The school makes good use of educational visits in order to enhance pupils' understanding.

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Commentary

72. The school has improved planning for the subject since the last inspection so that the locally agreed syllabus is fully taught and pupils build securely on work that has gone before. The good relationships in the school and its caring atmosphere provide a good basis for learning. This enhances lessons when pupils learn about different religions and different codes for living, encouraging pupils to care for others and to respect differences. In Year 5, for example, pupils learn that Muslims use the Qur’an as a source of guidance in leading their lives and pupils are challenged to reflect on their own codes for living. Pupils in Year 6 understand the importance of the Hajj for the followers of Islam and clearly describe the festival of Id Ul Adha.

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Commentary

73. The school makes good use of visits to enrich and extend pupils’ understanding of religious education. In Year 5, pupils visited a mosque to extend their understanding of the religious practices and values of the followers of Islam. They made effective use of literacy skills, using bullet points and lists in order to record the results of their discussions. Similarly, pupils in Year 2 made clear written accounts of their visit to a synagogue and showed a suitable understanding of the use and significance of artefacts such as the menorah , yad and shofar . The school also makes effective use of visitors to enrich pupils’ understanding. In Year 5, pupils learned about Hindu wedding ceremonies during work with a visitor from India. A member of a local Baptist church helps in lessons based on Christianity. Spiritual awareness is encouraged during school assembly when pupils listen to the stories illustrating attitudes

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Commentary

and values told by a Methodist minister.

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Commentary

74. In the lessons observed, teachers managed the pupils well so that they behaved well and sustained their concentration through making the work lively and interesting. In Year 2, for example, pupils were efficiently organised into groups to work out their understanding of parables through the use of drama and role-play. Pupils were sensitively and skilfully challenged to look beneath the surface and to find the deeper meaning of these stories. Teachers present work in interesting ways so that pupils gain further insight into religious stories. In Year 4, for example, pupils prepared questions they would like to have asked the shepherds in the Christmas story and compared the journey of Mary and Joseph to their own journeys.

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Geography

Insufficient evidence was available to make an overall judgement on provision because only one lesson was observed. Evidence of pupils’ past work, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils indicates that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met and standards are average at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. Standards have improved satisfactorily since the last inspection.

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Geography

75. In Year 2, pupils know about journeys and begin to understand the differing conditions in contrasting locations, such as countries with hot or cold climates, because their work is enriched well through the use of stories and visits to places of interest, such as Chester Zoo. By Year 5, pupils' understanding of conditions and life styles in different locations focuses on Brierley Primary School - 31 life in an Indian village, enhanced by a visit from an Indian person who was able to provide them with opportunities for learning more about customs and traditions. This work is further enhanced by research using the computer search programs, enabling practice in note taking skills and the use of geographical vocabulary to increase their knowledge of life in India.

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Geography

76. In a lesson in Year 6, the quality of teaching was good and pupils achieved well. The teacher’s good subject knowledge meant that explanations were very clear, enabling pupils to understand well, for example, the features of mountainous environments and the effects of human intervention such as tourism. Photographs made available enabled discussions and pupils used this information well to discuss issues such as the positive and negative affects on the environment and mountain communities of a ski resort. Pupils with special educational needs achieved well because appropriate support increased their confidence and understanding. The teachers plan work that is suited to the differing needs of pupils so that they are challenged at a suitable level. In Year 6, for example, higher attaining pupils were given more complex newspaper articles from which to extract points of view on the effects of

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Geography

tourism. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs used simplified texts with more adult support. Past work indicates that although teachers provide pupils with opportunities to develop their use of a range of maps, this area of their work is less well developed.

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History

There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on provision or on standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Only one lesson was observed, so an overall judgement on the quality of teaching is not possible. Discussions with pupils and teachers and a review of planning and the limited amount of work available indicate that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met.

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History

77. In Year 2, for example, pupils know about famous people from the reign of Charles II and about how the Great Fire of London spread. Taking part in the parade for Remembrance Day helps them to begin to understand the effects of war. The work on the Second World War by pupils in Year 4 was enhanced by a visit to the Manchester War Museum and included the use of photographs and effective journalistic styles of writing. Work in Year 5 includes detailed accounts of the journeys of Francis Drake that help pupils to empathise with the conditions of people in the past through a study of the conditions on board ship during Tudor times. In Year 6, pupils researched the life and times of John Lennon, using sources such as books, the Internet and photographs.

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History

78. The lesson observed in Year 3 was of satisfactory quality. Reference materials were well- organised so that pupils learned how different sources can be used to research Viking long- ships. Pupils were interested in their work and their concentration was enhanced by the good relationships which encouraged pupils to engage in discussions to increase their understanding. Insufficient time was spent, however, on explaining how information might be extracted and recorded so that progress in these skills was limited. Brierley Primary School - 32

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Due to the small number of lessons observed in each subject, no overall judgements on provision can be made for creative, aesthetic, practical and physical subjects. Judgements on standards were possible through a review of past work in art and design and design and technology but this was not possible in music or physical education.

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Art and design

A review of pupils’ work indicates that standards are broadly average at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6, as at the time of the last inspection.

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Art and design

79. By Year 2, pupils show satisfactory control of a range of media; suitable tasks are set to extend their skills. In their most recent work, interesting three-dimensional pyramid sculptures show a creative response to a study of the work of Goldsworthy, to illustrate the theme of ‘cold’.

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Art and design

80. By Year 6, pupils show a satisfactory understanding of the different styles of famous artists, such as Warhol and Liechtenstein, Lowry and Cézanne, and of different cultures, such as Aboriginal art. A recent focus on the work of Lowry and portraying urban landscapes included the use of perspective within drawings of buildings. Pupils devised their own paintings of buildings and showed a satisfactory ability to mix and control paint. They know the different qualities of, for example, watercolours and acrylic paint. Pupils enjoy art and design tasks and set about them with enthusiasm. In a satisfactory lesson observed, pupils in Year 6 worked hard on experimenting with shades and tones of watercolours in preparation for a painting of a rural landscape in the style of Cézanne. The teacher provided a good range of photographs of different landscapes as a basis for work and the plentiful supply of examples was especially

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Art and design

helpful to the visually impaired pupils. The teacher focused the pupils’ attention suitably on the different shapes and textures through useful vocabulary links, such as ‘spiky’, ‘rugged’, ‘smooth’, to highlight the different textures to be represented. Sketchbooks are kept but work is inconsistent and varies widely in quality. In general, sketchbooks are not used sufficiently as a means of recording details and samples of work for future use.

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Art and design

81. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory in that the curriculum is organised suitably and a reasonably wide range of resources is to hand. Assessment techniques are vague, however, and do not focus sufficiently on specific skills to help to guide teaching and learning to higher levels. Too few examples are kept of pupils’ work to provide useful exemplars of the standards expected at different stages in the school in order to guide staff in raising standards further.

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Design and technology

Evidence of teachers’ planning and past work indicates that standards are broadly average in Year 6 and above average in Year 2. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory.

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Design and technology

82. Standards are above average by Year 2, as at the time of the last inspection, and achievement by the age of seven is good. Good teaching moves learning forward purposefully. Each stage of the design and making process, from planning through to evaluation, is clearly linked to a purpose and ideas are carried through to fruition. In the lesson observed in Year 2, good teaching engendered positive attitudes and safe behaviour as the pupils researched the variety of vehicles seen on a nearby street. Preparation through the study of toy vehicles was effective and the teacher gave precise feedback to pupils to enable them to improve their observations. Both the teacher and the teaching assistant helped pupils to link cause and effect through discussion and, thereby, the development of logical reasoning. Pupils were encouraged to Brierley Primary School - 33 support each other and they did so willingly. Higher attaining pupils were challenged well

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Design and technology

through the opportunity to complete a matrix to analyse their observations.

p.33

Design and technology

83. In Year 6, standards have moved forward from below average at the tome of the last inspection. Items are clearly designed to meet a need and they are tested and modified satisfactorily until they are of an acceptable standard. The pupils’ evaluation of their work, however, is limited. There is little evidence of research or design carried out using computers because there is a shortage of software and the school has only recently been connected to the Internet.

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Design and technology

84. The subject leader is a positive and enthusiastic specialist and role model. Management systems are satisfactory, overall. Although the subject leader has a clear grasp of the subject and is able to advise colleagues at the planning stage, there has been little monitoring of teaching and learning. Teachers assess work in different ways and there is no formalised system for recording information about skill development. There are some gaps in resources, such as construction kits, control boxes and battery holders.

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Music

Only one lesson was observed and no overall judgements can be made on provision, standards achieved or the quality of teaching.

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Music

85. The new subject leader has recently established a new published scheme as a basis for lesson planning and staff appreciate the support this gives. In a good lesson in her class, the subject leader showed a good enthusiasm for the subject that pupils found infectious. The lesson was organised well and pupils soon made good progress in identifying, for example, ostinato and drone rhythms in recorded music. The good range of examples contrasted the atmosphere created by vocal percussion music from Africa with strummed guitar chords. Working in groups, pupils achieved well and produced thoughtful sequences of sounds, and were able to identify elements of their own work and that of others that belonged to each category. In school assemblies, pupils were heard to sing tunefully. A recent initiative has begun that features ‘music of the week’ in assembly, promoted by the new subject leader. Resources are sufficient in quantity and quality. Pupils have the opportunity to join school

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Music

performances for parents. A choir operates for part of the year and pupils who choose to join are able to sing at occasional functions in the locality. There are few opportunities for pupils to learn to play musical instruments.

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Physical education

No overall judgements on provision or standards can be made. From the two lessons observed, it is evident that standards in dance by Year 2 are above average and that games skills in Year 5 are broadly average. Standards are high in dance at age seven because of inspired teaching that promotes creativity within a well-structured framework. Records of swimming lessons indicate that standards in swimming exceed national expectations by Year 6. All pupils dress in school kit and change promptly, which is an improvement from the last inspection.

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Physical education

86. In the lessons observed, pupils’ enthusiasm and disciplined approach to the subject were directly linked to the teachers’ high expectations of performance and behaviour. In Year 2, the teacher creatively directed and transformed the pupils’ experience. The hall came alive with the Great Fire of London, as tiny flame drops licked the buildings in Pudding Lane and larger, angrier flames of red fabric began to destroy the shops in an historical dance sequence. The lesson continued powerfully as the music rose to a crescendo and the flames were fanned. The teaching assistant worked effectively with the least confident pupils so that everyone was moving in rhythmic harmony. Brierley Primary School - 34 87. The leadership and management of the subject are sound. The curriculum covers all elements of physical education but there is no effective assessment system to judge the development of skills in key areas and to help develop standards further. The subject co-ordinator plays a key

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Physical education

role in the support she gives to participation in local league competitions and events. Although pupils like to win, the underpinning mission of the school is evident in the commitment to working for the team. Specialist coaching staff provide a good range of gymnastics, swimming and athletics lessons which give the pupils in Years 3 to 6 the opportunity to learn a range of skills at a good level. The school has limited outdoor space and no grassed area easily available but remains committed to the provision of regular physical activity, and extra activities are organised at lunchtimes on a daily basis.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for the pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship is satisfactory . It makes a sound contribution to the good attitudes and relationships and to the good behaviour of most pupils in school.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

88. Few specific lessons are set aside but pupils do sit in a circle to examine issues and resolve problems through discussion. There are satisfactory links with science and physical education as pupils learn about the value of healthy eating and exercise. Discussions based on literature and lessons in geography help pupils to consider wider issues and different cultures. Pupils know that their views are valued and this contributes well to the commitment that pupils have to listening to the views of others. Systems such as the playground buddy scheme help the older pupils to develop a sense of responsibility for others and younger pupils to understand that there is a means for seeking help from other pupils in resolving minor difficulties at playtime. Brierley Primary School - 35

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 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 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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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). Brierley Primary School - 36

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