Broseley CofE Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 – 24 September 2003

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Broseley CofE (Controlled) 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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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. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 243

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Dark Lane Broseley Postcode: TF12 5LW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01952) 882 673 Fax number: (01952) 883 606

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr R Lane

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The area served by the school has a high proportion of single parent and extended families. Many homes are local authority properties, and the Broseley area is one of the most deprived in this rural county. A small proportion of houses is privately owned. The pupils are predominantly of white, United Kingdom heritage, but with a few of mixed race and two of Chinese origin. No pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs (14.8 per cent) is below the national average, with most having moderate learning difficulties. The mobility of pupils is not a significant issue for the school, although it can affect overall standards when pupils leave or join the same year group in a short space of time. Overall attainment on entry is broadly average in most years, but falls below average in other years. The school received an achievement award in 2002 for its improvement in standards.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

10859 O Cooper Lead inspector English Geography History Music English as an additional language 9928 A Dobson Lay inspector 30935 K McArthur Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Physical education Foundation stage 17907 M Bowers Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Religious education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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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 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 29

Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides its pupils with a sound education . Overall standards are average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Leadership and management of the school are sound and focused on raising standards. Value for money is satisfactory.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The good tracking of pupils’ progress and achievement from year to year. • Overall rising standards despite the turbulence in staffing since the previous inspection. • The governors and some senior managers are making a significant contribution to the direction and development of the school. • The school has good links with other schools and the community, which enrich the curriculum. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is good; pupils are well cared for, behave well and work collaboratively, which supports their learning. • Insufficient attention has been given to improving pupils’ skills in writing. • The management structure of the school is not as effective as it could be and is impeding the drive to raise standards and improve teaching. • The children in reception are not well catered for and are underachieving. • Attendance levels are below the national average and affect pupils’ levels of achievement.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The high staff turnover in junior classes has impacted on the overall effectiveness of the school since the previous inspection. Nevertheless, improvement has been satisfactory. The key issues have been remedied; curricular planning is now consistent and sound assessment procedures implemented. In addition, national test results at age eleven have improved in line with the national trend.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools Similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English D C C D Mathematics C B E E* Science C B D D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The table above does not reflect the current situation in the school, especially in mathematics, where the school’s 2002 results were in the lowest 5 percent compared with similar schools. The 2003 results showed notable improvement. Pupils’ achievement is currently satisfactory, except in literacy and numeracy in reception, where tasks are not always closely matched to each child’s needs and a small number of pupils are currently not on course to reach the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception. By Year 2, current standards are below average in reading, writing and mathematics because of the unusually high proportion of lower attaining pupils. Nevertheless pupils are achieving well in literacy and numeracy. Standards in Year 6 are broadly average in English, mathematics and science and all subjects inspected except for geography, where insufficient time has been allocated to teaching the subject and pupils have not gained

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

sufficient depth of knowledge. Standards in writing are not as high as in reading. Pupils’ overall achievement is satisfactory because the school is now tracking the progress of each pupil from year to year and using support programmes to help those falling behind. Achievement in English in Year 3 is unsatisfactory as pupils are in mixed age classes and lesson plans cater more for Year 4 pupils. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 7

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

development. Most pupils arrive on time, show enthusiasm for school and want to learn. They appreciate the range of extra-curricular activities and are keen to take part. One pupil has been excluded permanently for unacceptable behaviour in the latest reporting period. There are no procedures for taking pupils’ views of the school into account. Attendance and the procedures for monitoring it are unsatisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. Four temporary teachers were employed during the inspection due to staff absence and the teaching seen may not be typical. Throughout the school the quality of teaching is satisfactory, but with good teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy in Year 2, where pupils rise to the teachers’ high expectations of work and effort. The emphasis on practical work in science has enabled pupils to develop their investigative skills and led to over half the pupils reaching the higher level in national tests in 2003. The teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly for lower attaining pupils or those with special educational needs. This enables them to be fully included in lessons. Regular monitoring of pupils’ progress, together with additional support programmes and booster classes, ensures all pupils are encouraged to do their best.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management of the school are satisfactory . The headteacher successfully motivates staff to strive for further improvement in standards. However, the way that curricular responsibilities are allocated to teachers is unsatisfactory because it leads to confusion in some subjects, including English, about who is responsible for what. The school has satisfactory procedures for evaluating its success and identifying areas for improvement through analysing the pupils’ performance in national tests. The governance of the school is good. Governors play an active role in the strategic planning and in determining future developments.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with most aspects of the school. They would, however, like more information about the work their children will be doing each term and more frequent information about their children’s progress.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils are very satisfied with all aspects of the school and could not give any aspects requiring improvement.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in writing throughout the school and in geography in Year 6. • Improve the implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum. • Improve the management structure of the school. • Improve attendance rates. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement in the Foundation Stage (reception year) is unsatisfactory in literacy and numeracy , but is satisfactory in all other areas of learning. For pupils in Years 1 to 6, achievement is satisfactory overall. The performance of boys in English is no longer an issue in the school as they are achieving as well as girls. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are below average in Year 2 , but in science are broadly average . In Year 6 , current standards are broadly average in English, mathematics and science. The downward trend in standards in English over the last three years has been halted, with pupils on course to achieve higher standards in 2004.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement in basic skills in literacy and numeracy is good in Year 2. • Pupils’ investigative skills in science are well developed. • Standards in writing could be higher. • Standards in geography are below average in Year 6. • There is some underachievement in English among Year 3 pupils.

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Commentary

1. Standards at the end of Year 2 in 2002 were very close to the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, as shown in the table below. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level in reading was close to the national average and in writing and mathematics was above as pupils’ achievement was good.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.8 (15.6) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 14.7 (15.4) 14.4 (14.3) Mathematics 16.9 (16.2) 16.5 (16.2) There were 38 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. The 2003 results were similar, but with a lower proportion of pupils reaching the higher level in mathematics and reading as there were fewer more able pupils in the year group.

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Commentary

3. Standards at the end of Year 6 in 2002, as shown in the table below, were broadly average in English, but were below the national average in science and well below in mathematics as pupils underachieved. The school worked hard to raise standards in national tests in 2003 and was successful in doing so in mathematics and science. However, standards in English declined due to low standards in writing as pupils underachieved. The overall trend in improvement over the last five years is broadly in line with the national trend. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 9 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.7 (27.0) 27.0 (27.0) Mathematics 24.7 (27.6) 26.7 (26.6) Science 28.0 (29.2) 28.3 (28.3) There were 37 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Current standards in the Foundation Stage are below average in literacy and numeracy, but are average in all other areas of learning. The proportion of children on course to reach the goals expected by the end of reception is currently below average in literacy and numeracy. The accommodation is unsatisfactory, as it is cramped and there is no regular access to outdoor learning and this is hindering pupils’ achievement. The children are in a class with Year 1 pupils and this leads to a small number, notably lower attainers, being given tasks that are too demanding at times.

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Commentary

5. In Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are currently below average. This is because of the higher than usual proportion of lower attaining pupils and does not indicate a decline in the quality of teaching, in fact pupils of all abilities are achieving well in developing their basic skills in literacy and numeracy in Year 2. Standards in science are average, with pupils’ investigative skills developing well due to the practical approach to teaching the subject. All Year 1 pupils are in mixed age classes and those in with Year 2 pupils are achieving better than those with reception children, where the tasks are not so well matched to their needs. Boys’ achievement is as good as that of girls in all year groups, although more boys are lower attainers.

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Commentary

6. Standards in Year 6 are average in English, mathematics and science. The analysis of pupils’ performance in national tests has highlighted the weaknesses in their writing skills and these are being addressed in lessons. Action taken last year to improve the pupils’ accuracy in spelling has been successful and this aspect is now satisfactory. Standards in information and communication technology, history, art and design, religious education and physical education are broadly average and achievement is satisfactory. However, in geography, standards by Year 6 are below average as pupils have superficial knowledge of other countries and of maps. Insufficient time has been allocated to teaching geography.

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Commentary

7. The underachievement evident in national test results in previous years has been overcome due to the assessment and tracking procedures now implemented, which include the assessment of pupils’ writing skills. All pupils have targets for improvement based on the assessment information and are aware of what they need to do to achieve their targets.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have a positive attitude to school life and their behaviour is good. During their time at the school, their moral standards and social skills develop well. Their development in spiritual and cultural areas is sound. Attendance levels at the school are unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy coming to school and learning. • Behaviour is good. • Pupils develop into sociable and sensible individuals with a good sense of right and wrong. • Attendance figures are not high enough. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 10

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Commentary

8. Pupils like the school. Their punctuality is good and in lessons they are keen to learn. They are alert, attentive and enjoy joining in. When given a task to do they usually work hard. They respond well when challenged to think. School clubs are well attended.

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Commentary

9. The pupils are well behaved and the atmosphere in the school is conducive to learning. Movement around the school and in the dining room is orderly. Playgrounds have a happy friendly atmosphere where boys and girls and pupils of different ages mix well together. The school’s behaviour management procedures work well and are considered fair. One pupil has been permanently excluded for unacceptable behaviour in the latest reporting period. Bullying is not seen as a problem by either parents or pupils.

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Commentary

10. Pupils develop valuable personal qualities and useful skills for later life. They are polite to each other and the many adults in the school. Doors are opened spontaneously and ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are used quite naturally. In class, they make good use of the opportunities to work things out for themselves, often through collaboration, for instance pairs of younger pupils sorting out words to make a sentence and older pupils working productively in small groups solving word processing problems on computers. Pupils are given opportunities to take responsibility, for example, older pupils are keen to volunteer to help younger ones at playtime. Pupils are given a good grounding in right and wrong and good use is made of residential visits to develop pupils’ independence.

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Commentary

11. Attendance at the school is below that normally found in primary schools. Good attendance does not have a high enough profile in the life of the school and parents are not made aware of the educational implications of poor attendance, which is why it did not improve in 2002/3. Over a fifth of pupils last year only attended school for the equivalent of a four and a half day week. Detailed monitoring of absences is not systematic enough to have much impact. Awards are not given for good attendance and the school does not immediately contact parents when a pupil is away without reason. The school has a too tolerant approach to holidays in term time. The wording on the subject in the governors’ annual report does little to discourage parents from taking their children away on holiday.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.3% School data 0.0% National data 5.4% National data 0.5% The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 11

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 195 1 1 White – Irish 1 0 0 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 4 0 0 Chinese 2 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 15 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

12. The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. The curriculum is relevant, includes all subjects, but the time allocated to some subjects is insufficient. The curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is good . The teaching is sound and enables pupils to make satisfactory progress in their learning.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school. This indicates a decline since the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are examples of very good teaching of basic skills in Years 2 and 5. • Teachers in Years 3 to 6 have good knowledge of many of the subjects they teach and there is some specialist teaching which leads to good learning. • In Years 1 to 6, teachers insist on high standards of behaviour; give pupils plenty of encouragement and deploy teaching assistants effectively. • Pupils in Years 1 to 6 work well independently and in small groups, which supports their learning. • Pupils have individual targets for improvement in English and mathematics. • Unsatisfactory teaching in occasional lessons. • Inadequate planning to meet the needs of all pupils in reception and in English in Year 3/4 classes.

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Commentary

13. There were four temporary teachers working in the school during the inspection period due to staff absence and the figures in the table below may not be typical of the teaching at other times. However, the scrutiny of pupils’ work from the previous year also indicated teaching and learning to be satisfactory. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

0 (0%) 2 (5%) 13 (31%) 25 (59%) 2 (5%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

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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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

14. The best teaching and learning is in Years 2 and 5 and results from the thorough planning which includes the use of information and communication technology and activities which are challenging, but not too demanding for all groups of pupils. The activities are linked to the pupils’ targets so they understand the purpose of what they are doing and how it is helping them move towards the next stage in their learning. The teachers are enthusiastic and have high expectations of all pupils, who in turn try hard to complete their work. The marking of pupils’ work in Year 2 is particularly good, referring to pupils’ individual targets. Lesson plans are evaluated; pupils’ attainment assessed and notes made of where further teaching is necessary, or where individual pupils can move on more quickly. This ensures all groups of pupils make good progress in developing their basic skills in literacy and numeracy. Innovative

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

teaching in Year 2 was seen where poetry was used as a stimulus for dance, enabling pupils to express their ideas through movement.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

15. In Years 3 to 6, teachers have secure knowledge in English, mathematics, science, religious education, physical education, music and ICT. Subject specialists share their knowledge by working with other classes or supporting colleagues. This often leads to good learning experiences, as the teachers show enthusiasm for the subject, challenge pupils in their thinking and thus pupils acquire greater depth of knowledge or improve their skills.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

16. The school’s behaviour policy has been reviewed recently to ensure strategies are in place to support all pupils with behavioural difficulties. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour and effort in most lessons are high and because the behaviour management strategies are applied consistently, very little time is wasted on discipline in lessons and pupils’ learning is not disrupted. Teaching assistants provide good support for lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs, helping them to sustain their concentration during whole class discussions or helping them to complete their activities successfully. Some teaching assistants have been trained in using additional national strategies in literacy and numeracy, and their work with small groups enables these pupils to make better progress in their learning.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

17. From an early stage pupils are expected to work independently, particularly in literacy and numeracy lessons and they soon learn to do so. They often discuss their ideas or opinions with partners or in small groups, or work together on investigations in science and so learn much from each other. Assessment procedures have improved since the previous inspection; learning targets are identified in lesson plans, usually shared with pupils and progress towards them is assessed towards the end, which helps pupils to understand their pace of learning. Pupils know which National Curriculum level they are working towards, with charts in their books tracking progress towards their target level. Assessment information is used satisfactorily to inform planning in English, mathematics and science in most year groups, but assessment in other subjects is still informal, with no assessment at the end of units of work.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 42 lessons

18. Unsatisfactory teaching in literacy in Year 3/4 resulted from insufficient opportunities for pupils to participate in discussion, and planning for activities based on the National Literacy Strategy for Year 4, which were too difficult for some Year 3 pupils and too easy for some Year 4 pupils. Activities planned in mathematics for Year 1 pupils in the mixed reception/Year 1 class were too challenging, pupils lost interest and their behaviour deteriorated. In reception too many worksheets are used in some lessons at the expense of practical activities, which would help to develop children’s skills in mental arithmetic. Here assessment information from lessons is not being used as effectively as higher up the school. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 13

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The curriculum

Overall the school provides a satisfactory range of learning opportunities that cater for the interests, aptitudes and particular needs of pupils , but in geography do not cater for the systematic development of pupils’ knowledge and skills.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The National Literacy Strategy has been adapted to meet the needs of the pupils in order to raise standards, and additional national strategies implemented. • There are effective links between subjects leading to some innovative teaching. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • Visits and visitors enrich the curriculum and provide good learning experiences. • Insufficient time has been given to teaching geography. • The development of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills is insufficiently planned for in other subjects. • Provision for outdoor learning in the Foundation Stage is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

19. The school’s curriculum is now satisfactory, having been judged good in the last inspection report. All National Curriculum subjects and religious education are taught; statutory requirements are met and pupils say lessons are interesting. The curriculum provides well for those with special educational needs. However, the use of information and communication technology is not applied to all subjects and the planning in geography is not systematically followed through in teaching.

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Commentary

20. The Foundation Stage curriculum includes all the required areas of learning. However, the unsatisfactory accommodation and lack of resources for learning out of doors restrict the range of experiences that can be provided for children to learn about the world around them. Because these children are in a class with Year 1 pupils, some of the activities, such as those in reading and writing, are too formal and demanding and affecting their achievement. In Years 1 to 6 the National Curriculum programmes of study are fully supported by school planning. This should ensure that pupils receive their full entitlement. However, some of the time gaps between planning in history and geography are too long and continuity in learning and the systematic development of pupils’ knowledge and skills is not maintained. The time for information and communication technology in the computer suite allocated to each class is at

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Commentary

a minimum level. Extra time is given to class teachers on request but this still leaves time when the suite is available for further use.

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Commentary

21. The strategy of organising mixed Year 5 and 6 classes into discrete year groups in English and mathematics facilitates planning, has made better use of teachers’ time and expertise and is instrumental in raising standards. In addition, more able Year 6 pupils receive support as a small group to ensure they are sufficiently challenged. However, pupils in all year groups are not always challenged to apply their writing, numeracy or information and communication technology skills in other subjects. There are some good links between subjects, such as English and dance, and history and art that are leading to more interest and enjoyment in lessons and to very good learning through innovative teaching.

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Commentary

22. The good practice of deploying extra staff to support pupils with special educational needs ensures that they remain part of the class, learning alongside their classmates, and make good progress. Class teachers have a good understanding of the needs of these pupils and provide effective individual education plans with clear targets that direct the teaching and measure progress. The religious education co-ordinator teaches her subject to most junior classes, releasing the teachers to teach music. This raises the standards of learning in both Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 14 these subjects. Teaching assistants have been trained in using the additional literacy and numeracy strategies and their work with small groups of pupils enables those concerned to make better progress through regular intensive support programmes.

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Commentary

23. The school ensures that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are fully involved in activities. Good links have been established with the local secondary school and colleges in respects of the arts and numerous arts related clubs, visitors and visits enrich the curriculum. A good range of sports’ clubs is organised and teams compete in local competitions.

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Commentary

24. Staffing levels are adequate. Most teachers are experienced with areas of personal expertise and enthusiasm. The accommodation is of good quality ensuring that pupils have sufficient space to complete their tasks, except in the Foundation Stage where the accommodation is unsatisfactory and too cramped for practical role-play activities and with no outside play area or appropriate outdoor resources. The children go out to play at the same time as other pupils. This prevents these pupils from developing their gross motor skills through planned activities or being involved in imaginative play linked to indoor activities. All subjects have suitable and sufficient resources with the exception of computers, where there are insufficient numbers of computers in the classrooms, and in the Foundation Stage.

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils are well cared for and supported but have little say in the way the school develops.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are well looked after in a caring environment. • There are good arrangements when children first start school. • Pupils’ academic progress is well supported through good monitoring. • There are no formal means of considering pupils’ views of the school.

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Commentary

25. The school is a caring community where pupils are well looked after, well supervised and secure. Relationships are good throughout the school. Pupils are treated with respect and listened to when they have concerns. Child protection issues are handled responsibly with a high level of expertise. The school has effective relationships with the outside agencies and other schools.

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Commentary

26. The school’s induction arrangements for young children into the school are good. Home visits by school staff ensure that parents are entirely familiar with the school’s procedures and that the children have met their teacher in their own home before they start school. Children visit the school one afternoon a week for several weeks before they start full time and this gives them plenty of time to settle in. This smooth transition from home to school helps to form the positive attitude to school that is apparent as the children get older.

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Commentary

27. Pupils are given good support in their academic development based on effective assessment procedures, for instance all pupils have clear targets for English and mathematics and know what they are. Good quality marking is giving pupils clear guidance on how to improve. Regular monitoring of pupils’ progress together with booster classes and additional support programmes ensures that all pupils are being encouraged to do their best.

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Commentary

28. Although staff and pupils get on well together, the school has no formal mechanism for collecting pupils’ views of the school or involving pupils in the way the school develops. There is no school council, pupils’ questionnaires are not used and class discussion time does not appear on the school timetable. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 15

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents and good links with the local community and local schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils benefit from a good level of involvement in the local community. • Curriculum and sporting links with local schools are good. • Parents are not given enough information on how to help with their child’s learning.

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Commentary

29. Pupils are involved in the life of the local community and this benefits their sense of citizenship. This ranges from maypole dancing in summer to choir singing to elderly people at Christmas. Local police and clergy regularly visit the school. The local area, rich in industrial history, is studied in history and art. The school’s facilities are well used by local clubs and for continuing education.

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Commentary

30. The school has good links with local schools. Pupils are involved in many sporting events with other primary schools in the area. The local secondary school has specialist status in performing arts and shares good practice and expertise to develop teaching in this school. A programme of studies including dance and music is being developed using teachers from the specialist school. Links with a local special school are close and effective. The school has good relations with local nurseries, two of which are located within the school’s grounds.

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Commentary

31. Parents do not receive enough information to allow them to be fully involved in their children’s learning. This was an issue raised both on the parents’ questionnaire and at the pre-inspection meeting and is confirmed by the inspection. Parents do not receive any details of what the pupils are about to study. The timing of formal parents’ meetings in early Autumn and July does not allow parents to monitor progress during the course of the year or to receive any guidance from teachers on how to help their child in time to have any impact on that year’s work. Pupils’ annual reports are inconsistent and often do not appear to be written with the parent in mind. Suggestions for improvement range from vague to incomprehensible. Apart from at the end of Years 2 and 6, no indication is given as to what standard the child is working at. Many reports do not state clearly what the child can or cannot do.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory, a decline since the previous inspection. The governance of the school is good . The leadership of the headteacher is satisfactory. The leadership of other key staff is satisfactory overall, but of some senior managers is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The governors play an active part in the strategic planning for school development and improvement. • Some senior managers have high aspirations, have played a significant part in the drive to raise standards through rigorous analysis of test data, but have insufficient opportunities to monitor and develop teaching and learning. • The leadership of the Foundation Stage is unsatisfactory. • The senior managers and governors are totally committed to including all pupils in lessons, except where small groups are withdrawn for specific teaching in literacy skills. • The management structure is inefficient; it is impeding the leadership of some subjects and a whole school approach. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 16

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Commentary

32. The governors plan strategically for the development of the school over a period of four years, taking into account the falling pupil numbers and their vision for a smooth transition to a new headteacher in September 2004. This is the reason for the larger than recommended carry forward, shown in the table below, one third of which has already been used to balance the budget for 2003/4, maintain the curricular provision and increase the number of teaching assistants. Further funding is earmarked for monitoring teaching and learning. Governors visit the school frequently, talk to pupils about their work and discuss any issues arising with the headteacher. This keeps them well informed of potential problems. Curriculum co-ordinators are invited to attend governors’ meetings to discuss developments or changes in their areas of responsibility, or to justify expenditure. There are good relationships between staff and

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Commentary

governors, with a free flow of information between them.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 555,288 Balance from previous year 81,340 Total expenditure 500,122 Balance carried forward to the next 86,750 Expenditure per pupil 2,128

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Commentary

33. Two members of the senior management team plus a temporary member have drawn up the assessment procedures and collated all the data to form the system for tracking each pupil’s progress from year to year. This has the potential to be a very good system when fully embedded and to impact further on the standards achieved in national tests. Any pupil making insufficient progress over a year can be identified and a support programme put in place to help them to catch up. Teachers can also be held accountable for the progress made by pupils in their classes, as all pupils have targets to achieve in English and mathematics by the end of the year. The pupils’ performance in English and mathematics tests, at age seven and eleven, has been analysed by these teachers and areas for improvement identified. All teachers are now focusing on these aspects in their lessons to remedy the weaknesses. However, they

p.16

Commentary

have only monitored teaching once, very recently, and do not have a clear overview of teaching in English and mathematics throughout the school. Teaching has been monitored regularly by the headteacher, written feedback given and areas for development discussed, but the monitoring lacks rigour. The leadership of the Foundation Stage is currently unsatisfactory; the co-ordinator is on maternity leave and the curriculum for these young children is not being implemented effectively, as there is no access to outdoor learning. Too many activities seen were formal and directed by adults.

p.16

Commentary

34. The management structure is inefficient; it involves one senior manager having overall responsibility for infant classes and another for junior classes. Job descriptions do not show any person with overall responsibility for English throughout the school who can lead the drive to raise standards and improve teaching. Similarly, several teachers have responsibility for the arts, and humanities, but no one has sole responsibility for art and design or geography. Other then the headteacher, no one has an overview of standards or provision. The senior managers know what needs to be done to raise standards but are not empowered to do so with the current management structure, which is hindering the drive to raise standards. Some co- ordinators, such as in information and communication technology and special educational needs, are positively influencing the provision through good leadership and effective

p.16

Commentary

management. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 17 35. The staff and governors are totally committed to including all pupils fully in lessons and they work well with other agencies and schools to meet the needs of individuals whether they have medical, behavioural or learning difficulties. The professional development of staff is also a priority, supporting the drive to raise standards. Recent training in teaching literacy and numeracy skills and in meeting pupils’ special educational needs has led to some good practice in the school which can now be shared. Good induction programmes are planned for teachers new to the profession, allowing time away from their classes to observe good practice and undertake training. The school makes good provision for students undertaking initial teacher training, and they are well supported. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 18

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The overall quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is unsatisfactory and has declined since the previous inspection.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The reception class is currently being taught by a temporary teacher. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall in all areas of learning. At the time of the inspection, the children had only been in school for three weeks. On entry overall attainment is broadly similar to most children of the same age. There will be two more intakes of children during the school year. No children are currently identified as having special educational needs.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory and most of the children are on course to meet the learning goals by the end of reception .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good provision for the care, welfare, health and safety of the children. • Children quickly settle into school because of the good induction procedures. • Snack time is not used effectively to promote social skills.

p.18

Commentary

36. Achievement is satisfactory. Children leave their parents confidently when they bring them into school each morning. Relationships between staff and children are rather formal. The children undress themselves competently for physical education lessons and are beginning to work with a partner when using the computer. Snack-time, when the children are offered fruit is not made into a social occasion to reinforce sharing and good manners.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is unsatisfactory. The children are not securely on course to reach the learning goals by the end of reception.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good selection of suitable books is accessible to the children. • The children listen attentively to stories. • The children are not given activities suitable for their individual needs and too many worksheets are used.

p.18

Commentary

37. Achievement is unsatisfactory because the children are not offered work suitable for their individual learning needs. The school’s approach to the teaching of writing is inappropriate for reception children. It lacks variety and the children are expected to complete too many worksheets. They are learning to write their own name, but make little use of the writing table where they could practise writing skills independently. They listen well to stories, such as ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, but are not encouraged to participate in the repeated phrases or to practise correct speech. A good selection of suitable books is accessible to the children. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 19 However, there is little interaction with children during role play to develop speaking skills and extend their vocabulary.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is unsatisfactory and the children are not securely on course to reach the goals expected by the end of reception .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Practical resources are good. • There are too few practical activities and an over-reliance on worksheets.

p.19

Commentary

38. Achievement is unsatisfactory because the children do not experience enough practical activities, planned to meet their individual learning needs. There is over-reliance on the completion of worksheets. Most children count to 10, and are beginning to write some numbers up to 5. They soon spotted that the number 8 had been omitted from the number line. There is a good range of resources and equipment to practise counting, sorting and matching, which could be used more effectively to support children’s learning.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory and most children are on course to reach the learning goals by the end of reception.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is varied and links well with the early stages of the National Curriculum. • There is no regular provision for children to learn out of doors.

p.19

Commentary

39. Achievement is satisfactory. The children were interested when the vicar showed them different coloured vestments worn according to the Christian calendar. Most children use the listening station competently, and control the computer mouse to ‘drag and drop’ objects into the Three Bears’ room. They compare their baby photographs with pictures of children and adults to learn about change over time, and look at different foods to learn what makes a healthy diet. However, there is no regular provision for children to learn out of doors, which some prefer to do, in order to gain knowledge and experience of the world around them.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory and the children are on course to reach the learning goals by the end of reception.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school hall is used regularly to provide physical activities. • There is no designated outdoor area or large wheeled toys to provide physical challenge. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 20

p.19

Commentary

40. Achievement is satisfactory, and most children are developing balance and co-ordination well. The children use the school hall several times each week for physical education and dance lessons to compensate for the lack of outdoor provision. There are no large wheeled toys, climbing equipment or designated space outdoors for the children to experience greater physical challenges and learn to work safely in a space with a growing awareness of other children around them. They can control tools, scissors and pencils, and construct models by joining blocks competently.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is satisfactory and standards are average. The children are on course to reach the learning goals expected by the end of reception.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children experience a suitable range of apparatus and media. • Occasionally activities are too demanding.

p.20

Commentary

41. Achievement is satisfactory. Appropriate activities give the children opportunities to express their creative ideas through paint, collage, modelling with play-dough and making handprints. They use the role play area to act as a character from the ‘Three Bears, but tend to play alongside each other rather than interact and talk. There is limited interaction from adults in the role-play to encourage imagination and creativity. Children can repeat a simple rhythm by clapping and they are beginning to join in familiar songs, but find it difficult to remember the words when too many verses are introduced at once.

p.20

ENGLISH

Provision in English is satisfactory overall and is good in Year 2. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory except in writing in Year 3/4 classes.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good in Year 2, with interesting activities planned. • There is strong emphasis on developing different styles of writing in Years 5 and 6. • Marking often relates to pupils’ targets and supports pupils’ learning. • Assessment procedures are good and track each pupil’s progress from year to year. • Additional national strategies and ‘booster’ groups help pupils make better progress. • There are unsatisfactory aspects of teaching when tasks planned are either too easy or too hard. • There is no consistent approach to teaching writing skills throughout the school.

p.20

Commentary

42. Much training has been undertaken by teachers since the previous inspection that has led to improved standards in Year 2 and currently in Year 6. The downward trend in the percentage of pupils reaching the national standard in the last two years has now been halted and current evidence indicates an upturn in 2004, if the current provision is maintained. The assessment and target setting procedures now implemented and the thorough analysis of pupils’ Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 21 performance in national tests have helped to identify clearly where improvements can be made both in the teaching and pupils’ learning. Training for, and the deployment of, teaching assistants has helped those just reaching the expected level at the end of Year 2 to make better progress. Improvement since the previous inspection has been satisfactory, but could have been better in writing, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

p.20

Commentary

43. Standards in speaking and listening are average in both Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils have opportunities to share their views and opinions with a partner or in small groups, as well as participating in whole class discussions. Teachers focus on the attention and participation of pupils, particularly of boys, in lessons and direct questions to any pupil not participating fully. This helps to ensure all pupils understand and can express their ideas clearly. Standards in reading and writing are below average in Year 2, due to the high proportion of lower attaining pupils in the year group (approximately 40 percent). In Year 6, standards are average but could be higher in writing. The school has purchased more reading books of interest to boys, including non-fiction books, and this has helped to raise their attainment and achievement. Pupils discuss books they have read recently by a range of children’s authors, but none

p.21

Commentary

44. Higher standards in reading have compensated for lower standards in writing in recent years. The school is now focusing on improving pupils’ writing skills through increased emphasis on sentence structure, correct use of punctuation and grammar and how to organise writing for different purposes. The weakness in spelling identified last year has been largely remedied as pupils learn spellings for homework or practise during registration each day. No whole school approach to teaching writing skills is evident from the scrutiny of pupils’ work from last year. Some teachers spend most time on formal exercises and worksheets, others encourage pupils to write independently, which leads to better progress over the year. Too many pupils lack confidence in their abilities as writers. This may stem from the approach to teaching writing in reception where children trace over an adult’s writing and put in missing words in the

p.21

Commentary

first few weeks in school, when they are not ready for such activities as they are not confident in forming letters.

p.21

Commentary

45. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and good in Year 2, where activities are interesting and texts carefully selected, so pupils enjoy reading them and tasks build on what pupils have read. Tasks are closely matched to the pupils’ needs, provide sufficient challenge, but are not too demanding and so all pupils make good progress towards achieving their targets. The marking of pupils’ work often relates to their targets and helps them to improve. Some innovative teaching linked literacy and dance and pupils gained much from expressing their ideas about a poem through movement. Lesson planning in Year 3 /4 classes does not take sufficient account of the National Literacy Strategy for both year groups and some pupils underachieve because activities are either too easy or too difficult. There is little evidence of pupils redrafting their work in Years 3 to 6 in order to improve the content rather than merely

p.21

Commentary

correcting spelling errors. Teaching assistants have been trained in using additional literacy strategies and they make a significant contribution in helping pupils to catch up. Similarly higher attainers in Year 6 receive additional help from a support teacher and this enables them to make better progress. There is good emphasis on teaching pupils how to organise their writing for different purposes in Year 6, which is helping pupils become more confident writers.

p.21

Commentary

46. The leadership of the subject is satisfactory overall and is good in Years 3 to 6. The leadership is not as efficient as it could be, because of the management structure in the school, with no one having overall responsibility for the drive to raise standards. Satisfactory monitoring of teaching takes place regularly but has only just started to involve the co-ordinator for Years 3 to 6. The monitoring to date has lacked rigour and not developed the teaching as well as it could have done. The school recognises the need to make changes in its management structure. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 22

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

47. There are sufficient opportunities for speaking and listening in other subjects, also for reading, but writing skills are not promoted well enough. This is partly due to the use of worksheets in English as well as in other subjects. Worksheets are often used in religious education and colouring in, for example in history and geography, at the expense of writing affects pupils’ attainment and achievement. Writing skills are promoted well in science where pupils write up the findings of their investigations. Pupils undertake research into geographical features of other countries, but just print the information off and glue it into their books, instead of making notes to support their own writing. The school has dictionaries readily available and pupils use them in many lessons. The scrutiny of work showed limited promotion of literacy skills through information and communication technology, with little evidence of pupils redrafting their work

p.22

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory. In Year 2 standards are below average , but pupils’ achievement is satisfactory . In Year 6 standards are average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Often lesson planning is based on accurate assessments; consequently, many pupils are suitably challenged and are beginning to make good progress. • Pupils with special educational needs are making good progress as they are well supported. • There is good teaching in lessons in Years 2, 5 and 6. • Information and communication technology is used effectively to enable pupils to practise and consolidate their mathematical skills. • Very good monitoring and evaluation of pupils’ performances in the national tests has enabled the school to close gaps within its provision and to adopt new organisational and teaching strategies. • The teaching of the youngest pupils is limited in respect of adult expectations and teaching skills. • Mathematics skills are not systematically applied to other subjects. • In some lessons the group activities are not organised sufficiently well or do not take full account of the developing abilities of small groups of pupils.

p.22

Commentary

48. The school has identified the areas for development underlying the unsatisfactory performance in the 2002 national tests, and the latest unvalidated results (2003) indicate a good improvement by Year 6 to achieve average standards.

p.22

Commentary

49. Current standards in Year 2 are below average because of the large number of lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs who are unlikely to achieve the national standard by the end of the year, although they are making good progress. About one third of the pupils are working to the higher levels. Effective organisation strategies are in place with extra staff working with small groups of pupils who currently require further support and assistance. The organisation of pupils into discrete year groups in Years 5 and 6, with a group of more able Year 6 pupils being taught as a smaller group, is particularly effective in challenging the higher attainers. Some of these pupils are now making good progress. In Years 3 to 6, pupils with special educational needs continue to receive extra support and assistance and, consequently, they also make good progress. Standards have improved from

p.22

Commentary

the well below average standards in 1999, with the school’s improvement following national trends, except in 2002, when insufficient numbers of pupils in Year 6 achieved the national Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 23 average for the higher level due to mobility of pupils. Throughout the school, girls and boys achieve similar standards.

p.22

Commentary

50. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall and currently good in Years 2, 5 and 6. Almost all teachers have good subject knowledge and plan their lessons carefully to meet the range of aptitudes in their classes. Teachers are enthusiastic and have developed good relationships with pupils. Their explanations are clear, detailed and accurate. They include questions to help pupils to recall previous learning, practise their mental mathematics skills, and explain how they arrived at the solution to a mathematical problem. Pupils respond well to these good introductions. They willingly volunteer answers and join in discussions showing high levels of interest and confidence. Time is used effectively and usually group work is well organised with appropriate computer software and visual equipment provided which help pupils understand complex mathematical relationships. Teachers circulate the class effectively to

p.23

Commentary

give support, often focussing on one particular group. This ensures that pupils receive the necessary support when required. Occasionally mathematical tasks are too complex for pupils to complete because the method of recording is too complicated or, alternatively , small groups are not being challenged to work at their full potential.

p.23

Commentary

51. Unsatisfactory teaching in Year 1 results from pupils being unsettled and insufficient strategies used to create a positive learning environment. Some of the work set is too difficult for pupils to complete, consequently they are not fully attentive and do not experience success.

p.23

Commentary

52. The subject is managed well and the monitoring of teaching is accurate and supportive. The pupils’ achievements in the national tests are carefully analysed with areas for development identified and acted upon. The strategy of providing additional support for more able pupils in Year 6 is raising their expectations of themselves.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

53. The development of pupils’ mathematical skills is not planned systematically in other subjects. Pupils use their skills in science when involved in practical investigations and when recording their findings in tables and charts. There was some evidence of the use of timelines in history, and of comparing temperatures in different locations in geography. There was no evidence in design and technology or other subjects of the curriculum. The promotion of mathematics across the curriculum is unsatisfactory.

p.23

SCIENCE

The provision for science is satisfactory overall. Standards are average in Years 2 and 6 and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are rising due to the practical approach and interesting lessons. • Coverage of life processes and living things in the science curriculum is good. • Pupils use the vocabulary of science well. • Good provision for pupils with special needs. • The untidy way pupils present their work. • Limited study of electricity and sound. • Marking does not show pupils how to improve. • Little use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

54. Recent test results show that standards in Year 6 are gradually rising, and more pupils reached the higher level in the recent national tests. Pupils enjoy the experience of setting themselves questions, and planning ways to find the answers from their investigations. From Year 2, pupils can explain how to set up a fair test. Older pupils use vocabulary including ‘photosynthesis’, ‘food chains’ and ‘habitat’ appropriately. However, throughout the school, pupils are not given enough encouragement to present their work well. It is often untidy and careless; diagrams in ink, and charts drawn without rulers. The science curriculum is delivered over two years to avoid repetition. There is good coverage of areas including healthy diets and life processes, but limited work on electricity or sound was observed. Year 5 and 6 pupils visited the local river to investigate creatures prior to building food chains. Although this class

p.24

Commentary

used the Internet to research further information, overall pupils make little use of the computer, either for research or to present their results.

p.24

Commentary

55. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. An example of good teaching was observed in a mixed Year 5/6 class, where the lesson built effectively on what pupils already knew. The good pace and lively delivery, along with a good balance between practical activity, question and answer sessions and teacher explanation kept pupils interested in learning. Time towards the end of the lesson was used well to assess how much pupils had actually learned and understood. All teachers set high standards for behaviour, and expect pupils to work hard in their lessons. Overall, pupils show good attitudes to their work because they enjoy the activities provided. Pupils often work in mixed ability groups, and those who have special educational needs are well supported by teachers and classroom assistants. This gives all pupils good opportunities to collaborate and support each other, planning investigations and

p.24

Commentary

sharing information. Lessons are planned satisfactorily, and activities are well resourced, particularly in the older classes. However, when marking pupils’ work, teachers do not give guidance to show pupils how to improve their work.

p.24

Commentary

56. The co-ordinator has held the post for just three weeks, so has had no opportunity to influence the direction of the subject and there is insufficient evidence on which to judge leadership and management of the subject. There are appropriate plans to develop the use of information and communication technology, and to ensure more able pupils experience greater challenge in their learning. Assessment procedures have improved, and are manageable and informative. The progress of each pupil is tracked against key criteria for the age group to check for understanding, and plan future learning activities. A scheme of work guides teachers’ lesson planning, and supports those who are less confident in their subject knowledge. The subject is well resourced, with sufficient equipment for groups to conduct practical investigations. The improvement in science since the previous inspection is satisfactory.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory. Standards are average in Years 2 and 6 and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Time when classes are in the computer suite is used well, lessons are carefully planned and enabling large numbers of pupils to be taught the relevant skills. • Confident teachers have good subject knowledge and organise their classes effectively. • The subject is effectively led and managed. • Individual pupils or small groups, including those with special educational needs, benefit from using specific programs run on computers in classrooms. • There are not enough machines in classrooms to enable all pupils to practise their skills regularly and make further improvements. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 25 • The subject is not used systematically to support other subjects and the computer suite is not fully timetabled. • Time is lost when machines break down or are not ready for use.

p.24

Commentary

57. By Years 2 and 6, pupils confidently achieve the skills and techniques identified in the school’s scheme of work. The good teaching observed in the computer suite enables pupils of different abilities to develop their skills accordingly, but the link between the work in the computer suite and in the classrooms is insecure. Overall teaching and learning are satisfactory, and good in Years 5 and 6, however, pupils have insufficient opportunities to practise their skills, link information and communication technology applications to their learning in other subjects and produce documents of good quality. There is good use of information and communication technology in some subjects such as the humanities, and mathematics when pupils with special educational needs investigate fractions, younger children are introduced to measuring using centimetres and the oldest order information about a nearby town. They create

p.25

Commentary

brochures that include photographs of important buildings and features, and their writing includes columns of descriptive and informative text. Other good quality practice features the use of the Internet to share information with a school in Arizona. All pupils enjoy their time in the computer suite. They work hard and have good relationships with the adults who help and support them.

p.25

Commentary

58. Staff training and the provision of a school scheme of work ensure that teachers are confident and skilled and that statutory requirements are fully met. Information sheets are available to ensure that both pupils and staff are able to check the procedures for operating software packages. The leadership and management of the subject are good and influencing the drive to raise standards and make full use of the resources available. Although the computer suite, complete with its interactive whiteboard, is timetabled to enable each class to have one hour per week and for class teachers to sign up for extra time, insufficient use is made of all the available time to give pupils greater opportunities to develop their skills. The suite often becomes uncomfortably hot when a whole class is working and all the computers are running, as the ventilation systems within the room are inadequate in these conditions. The current lack

p.25

Commentary

of a technician often results in teachers having to solve any problems caused by unreliable machines or system problems, which is not always effective use of their time.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

59. Pupils use computers to develop their research and enquiry skills in history and geography and occasionally to present their work attractively in English. Even taking into account the recent difficulties with the local authority’s system, which affected the school’s use of its computers, the scrutiny of pupils’ work from the previous year shows that computers are not used sufficiently to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum.

p.25

HUMANITIES

No history lessons were taught in Years 1 to 6, but inspectors looked at a sample of pupils’ work from the previous year and talked to pupils. One lesson was seen in geography in a Year 5/6 class. Two lessons were seen in religious education in classes in Year 2 and a Year 5/6 class.

p.25

History, geography and religious education

Provision in history and religious education is satisfactory; standards are average and pupils achieve satisfactorily. In geography provision is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6; pupils are underachieving and standards are below average. No judgement could be made on the provision of geography in Years 1 and 2. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The use of artefacts in history and religious education lessons adds interest for pupils. • Leadership of religious education is good. • Field trips, visits and visitors enrich the curriculum in all three subjects. • Insufficient time has been allocated to teaching geography. • Periods of time between teaching units of work in geography, and to a lesser extent in history, impede the systematic development of pupils’ knowledge and skills. • Leadership of history and geography is shared and no one has a clear overview of standards throughout the school.

p.26

Commentary

60. Discussions with pupils about previous work in history revealed sound knowledge of the different periods in history and the importance of past events for life today. Pupils said they learned most from the ‘history days’, such as Victorian and Tudor days when as part of the unit of work they spent a day taking part in pastimes of that era or learning about life at that time from actors or other visitors. They investigated artefacts and used census information about the local area to research how family life has changed in the locality. They have good understanding of different sources of evidence and their enquiry skills develop satisfactorily. Because of the mixed age classes, all pupils in Years 3 to 6 study the same period in history at appropriate levels and this prevents any unnecessary repetition of work.

p.26

Commentary

61. In religious education, pupils investigate the common ground between religions through the study of themes, such as ‘Creation’, ‘Light’ and ‘Rules for Living’ and gain sound knowledge of major world religions other than Christianity. They know of the life of Jesus Christ and His ministry through their studies of key events in The New Testament. Through good teaching in Years 5 and 6, pupils respond positively to the stimulating questioning and they respectfully investigate sacred Islamic artefacts on display. They confidently share their ideas about the significance of these artefacts and their use in ceremonies and worship and make good progress in their learning. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in other year groups. Year 2 pupils are actively involved in drama to help them understand the commitment of people to their faiths and their desire to share them with others. However, pupils’ writing is often

p.26

Commentary

restricted by the use of worksheets and, although their work is satisfactory, opportunities to consider religious themes in greater detail are not taken. Religious education makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal, moral, social and cultural development through study of such issues as respect, rules, rites of passage and visits from representatives of non-Christian religions. The importance of Lent, church visits and the symbolism of The Cross ensure that pupils become aware of the Christian message. The school continues to maintain the standards achieved at the previous inspection, through the continual development of the scheme of work and additions to the full range of resource books and sacred artefacts.

p.26

Commentary

62. Pupils talked with great interest about their recent fieldwork in geography when studying the River Severn and used their knowledge gained to identify features of the river from photographic evidence. This generated great interest in the lesson and pupils settled to their work quickly. The teaching in the lesson was satisfactory; atlases were used to follow the course of the River Severn from source to mouth. However, the scrutiny of work from the previous year showed no geography was undertaken until the end of the year in Year 5/6 classes and only one piece of work was recorded in one class. Insufficient time has been allocated to teaching the subject to allow pupils to gain any depth of knowledge or to develop their skills systematically. Some of the work in Year 3/4 classes was of poor quality, for example when maps of the British Isles were coloured in, but only London marked on them and no title to show the purpose of the map. The work on climate and weather, comparing

p.26

Commentary

holiday destinations in England with South Africa showed little geographical knowledge had been acquired from research using the Internet, as the web sites used were inappropriate. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 27 63. Leadership and management of religious education are good. The co-ordinator leads by example in teaching the junior classes, which also provides an overview of standards and plans for the systematic development of pupils’ knowledge and skills. In history and geography the leadership of the subjects is unsatisfactory; is shared between three members of staff and no one is monitoring the provision in either subject rigorously enough. The good progress in history and geography found at the time of the previous inspection has not been maintained because of the increased time allocated to literacy and numeracy to raise standards. No judgement was made on standards in history and geography in the previous report.

p.26

Commentary

Improvement since the previous inspection has been satisfactory in history and religious education, but in geography has been unsatisfactory.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Provision in art and design, music and physical education is satisfactory. Design and technology was not timetabled and was not inspected.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils show good attitudes to their lessons and work carefully. • Good observational drawing and colour mixing skills. • Pupils have opportunities to use musical instruments, to sing, compose and record their ideas using musical notation. • Extra-curricular sports activities broaden the range of the pupils’ physical education. • Insufficient opportunities to work in textiles, or for painting and modelling on a large scale. • Pupils have limited knowledge of composers. • No monitoring of standards to ensure that knowledge and skills are developed progressively. • No clear leadership in subjects grouped by the school as ‘the arts’.

p.27

Commentary

64. Standards are average, and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and consistent with others of the same age. Pupils work hard and attitudes are good because they enjoy their activities. In art lessons, they look closely when drawing plants, water birds and flowers. They visited the river to observe colours and created their own individual palette of shades, blending pastel, watercolour and pencil well. However, there are few opportunities to work imaginatively on a large scale with paint, or to mix media, use textiles and produce three-dimensional work. Year 3 and 4 pupils played a variety of instruments in tune, and had ideas to improve their performance. However, pupils have little knowledge of famous composers and or popular classical music. The football and netball clubs are popular, and there are lessons for weaker swimmers.

p.27

Commentary

65. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teachers have good subject knowledge, and ensure pupils learn subject specific vocabulary. They present interesting activities that capture their pupils’ interest well. Lessons are planned effectively, and good routines ensure activities are carried out with good regard to safety. Pupils are encouraged to collaborate and work together in groups, and to help each other to improve. Those pupils who have special educational needs are fully integrated into all activities, through effective support from all staff. Occasionally, too much time is spent giving explanations, and pupils become less interested. Pupils have made clay tiles, linking with the local traditional industry. They study the work of great artists, including Van Gogh and LS Lowry, and have worked in the style of Chinese and African artists. This makes a good contribution to pupils’ understanding of their own and other

p.27

Commentary

66. The leadership and management of music and physical education are satisfactory. Other creative subjects are linked as ‘the arts’ but there is a lack of clear leadership, which is unsatisfactory. There is no system to monitor standards to ensure skills are learnt and Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 28 developed in a structured way through the school. Pupils have participated in large performances, and worked in collaboration with outside organisations, such as the local community carnival. There are plans for subject development, including a new scheme of work for art and wider sports and coaching links with local primary schools. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory.

p.27

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

There is satisfactory provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education but no planned provision for citizenship.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school nurse and a local police officer support the teaching and pupils’ learning well. • There is very limited provision on class timetables for personal and social education or citizenship.

p.28

Commentary

67. Much of the work in this area of the curriculum is planned in science where the importance of healthy eating is promoted and the damage that alcohol and tobacco can have on the human body are discussed. The school nurse and a local police officer make good contributions to the pupils’ sex and health education and to their understanding of the safe use of drugs, with intensive six week courses in both aspects. Whilst there are no planned and taught whole school programmes for other aspects of personal and social skills and citizenship, some time is given to class and group discussions in all year groups. Additional support is provided for small groups having difficulty with personal issues or in behaving well, and this has helped pupils with behavioural difficulties cope more comfortably in the classroom. Furthermore, religious education lessons and assemblies provide sound developmental opportunities for

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Commentary

pupils to learn about life situations and relationships. Broseley CofE (Controlled) Primary School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 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 4 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 4 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 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 5 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 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 3 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).

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