Carlton Primary School

CARLTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th to 7 th May 2004

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CARLTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Carlton 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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CARLTON 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. Carlton Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 266

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: New Road Carlton Wakefield West Yorkshire Postcode: WF3 3RE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0113 214 6316 Fax number: 0113 282 8869

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Jack Robson/Jane Hardwick (Joint chairs)

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Carlton Primary School is set in the village of Carlton, between Wakefield and Leeds. The socio- economic indicators for the village are about average and almost all pupils come from the village. The pupils’ levels of skills and knowledge on entry to the school are broadly average and this has declined since the last inspection. Virtually all pupils are of white British heritage, with a very small number from a variety of Asian backgrounds. There are no pupils at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need is below average as is the proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs. Most of these have social, emotional or behavioural difficulties with six having speech or hearing impairment and three with moderate learning difficulties. The proportion of pupils starting or leaving at times other than the usual ones is well below average. The school reached the standards necessary for the Investors in

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

People Award in 2002, and the Healthy Schools and Investors in Pupils awards in 2003. Carlton 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

20191 Mr J D Eadie Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Personal, social and health education Modern foreign language (French) Music 19743 Mrs A Taylor Lay inspector 19041 Mr R Linstead Team inspector Foundation Stage English as an additional language Science Art and design Design and technology Geography 23204 Mrs C Wojtak Team inspector Special educational needs English History Physical education Religious education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Independent School Inspection Services (ISIS)

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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). Carlton 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 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Carlton Primary is a good school . The headteacher leads the school very well. The initiatives she has instigated, which have been very well carried through by the hard-working and supportive staff, have led to rising standards and good achievement 1 . The training put in place has resulted in improving standards of teaching and learning, which are now good. There is an atmosphere of teamwork about the school. All who are involved, particularly the pupils, feel a part of the decision making process within the school. This is exemplified by the school being one of the few in the country to reach the standards required for the Investors in Pupils award. The school provides good value for money. The restricted size of the reception classroom is a barrier to learning for these children.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • the headteacher leads the school very well; • the quality of teaching is good and pupils are learning and achieving well; • standards in English, mathematics and science are above average by the end of Year 6; • there are occasions when pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not given sufficiently challenging work; • the school provides very well for the pupils’ personal development; • achievement in reading in the reception class is not as good as in other areas of learning; • the pupils work very hard and are very enthusiastic about all the school has to offer; • the governors, whilst being very supportive and well informed, are not sufficiently involved in monitoring what goes on in school, or in strategic development.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made very good progress since the last inspection. Although standards did not rise immediately they have risen well in the last couple of years. Very good improvement has been made in addressing most of the key issues from the last report, particularly raising attainment in Years 1 and 2, curriculum planning and formulating and using systems of assessment to raise pupils’ achievement.

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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 C C B B Mathematics E D B B Science D D B B 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 are achieving well throughout the school . Children enter the school with broadly average skills and knowledge. They achieve well and are on course to exceed the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception in their personal development, speaking and listening and number skills. Nearly all children in the reception class are likely to reach the expected goals in all other areas of learning except in reading, which is a weakness. The standards pupils currently in Year 2 are reaching are above average in reading, average in mathematics and below average in writing. However, these pupils were at well below average levels when they started in Year 1 so have achieved well to reach these standards. By the end of Year 6, pupils are reaching above average standards overall and in English, mathematics and science. They have achieved well through Years 3 to 6. In a few lessons in Years 1 and 2, potentially higher attaining pupils are not being sufficiently

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

1 Pupils’ achievement is a measure of how well they are progressing in relation to their capabilities. Carlton Primary School - 7 challenged and then they are achieving satisfactorily rather than well. The pupils with special educational needs are achieving as well as their classmates, due to the well-designed individual education plans made for them and the very good support of the teaching assistants. There are good systems in place to ensure that gifted and talented pupils also achieve well.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The pupils’ personal development is nurtured very well. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . Pupils have very good attitudes to their school and their work and they usually behave well. Levels of attendance are average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education . The broad and balanced curriculum is considerably enhanced by a very wide range of well-attended extra-curricular activities. There are some interesting additions to the curriculum, for example the teaching of French and Spanish to Year 6 and the regular focus weeks for a variety of subjects and aspects. There is very good provision for the pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship education. The quality of teaching is good. Throughout the school, pupils are learning well because of this good teaching. There are a number of strengths to the teaching, the most significant being the questioning skills of the teachers. They know their pupils’ needs very well and are very good at extending their learning. The teaching assistants and other adults also make a very good contribution to the pupils’ learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The pupils are cared for very well and are given very good guidance and support. There are good partnerships with parents, the local community and other schools and the pupils benefit considerably from these links.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is good overall . The headteacher leads the school very well. She has moved the school forward considerably in the last few years. She has been aided in this by the hard work and strong leadership of other key staff, very well supported by all other staff. The management of the school is very good. Much of the progress made has been based on very thorough self-evaluation and the very effective and well-planned training that has been provided for teachers and support staff. The governance of the school is satisfactory. A number of governors are new to their roles and the governing body is supportive and involved well in the school. However, they do not take a sufficiently active role in formally monitoring what is going on in school or in strategic development. All statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have positive views of the school. Pupils are content at school and expressed positive views on their questionnaires. Pupils expressed no significant concerns. A small minority of parents felt that their views are not sought. A number of others expressed the opposite opinion but the inspectors judge that the school could do more to seek the views of parents.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • to ensure that pupils in Years 1 and 2 are always offered sufficiently challenging work so that the proportion of higher levels gained in the national tests at the end of Year 2 increases; • to provide further training for governors to enable them to fulfil their roles of monitoring and strategic development more effectively; • to work together with the local education authority to improve the accommodation for the reception class. Carlton Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils achieve well through the school. They currently reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. By the end of Year 2, standards are above average in reading, average in mathematics but below average in writing.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement through the school is good. • Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average at the end of Year 6. • The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good. • Achievement of the most able pupils is good in Years 3 to 6 but in Years 1 and 2 the higher attainers sometimes lack challenge, though their achievement is good overall.

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Commentary

1. In the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2003, standards were average in writing and mathematics, but below average in reading. These pupils had their test year disrupted by staff changes and therefore did not achieve as well as they should have done. These problems have now been resolved. In comparison with schools with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, standards were below average in writing and well below average in reading and mathematics. Standards have been more variable than one usually finds in a school of this size. The trend in results in recent years has been below the national trend. This is largely due to staffing problems that the school has experienced for pupils of this age. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in the tests last year was too low, indicating that the potentially higher attaining pupils were not being challenged sufficiently. The school

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Commentary

realised this and has made changes in staffing and put in place procedures to address this weakness. These initiatives have been successful and more pupils are now working at higher levels and standards are rising well.

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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 15.2 (17.0) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 15.1 (15.8) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 16.3 (17.1) 16.3 (16.5) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. In the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2003, the pupils’ standards were above average in English, mathematics and science. Over time, standards have varied, though they have risen well in the last two years. In comparison with schools with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, results were average in English and science and below average in mathematics. When compared with schools whose pupils scored similarly in the tests for seven-year-olds four years previously, standards were above average in English, mathematics and science. This indicates that these pupils have achieved well during their time in Years 3 to 6. At this age, a higher proportion than might be expected gained the higher levels in the tests. This is partly as a result of the work that has been done on identifying more able pupils and ensuring that they are given suitably challenging work. A further feature that

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Commentary

has had a major impact on the rising standards is the very good use that has been made of initiatives to improve the achievement of various groups, particularly the potentially lower Carlton Primary School - 9 attainers. There has been no material difference between the performance of boys and girls in the tests in recent years.

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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 27.9 (27.7) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.6 (26.1) 26.8 (26.7) Science 29.4 (27.7) 28.6 (28.3) There were 32 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. Children enter the school with broadly average skills and understanding. They achieve well in the nursery and reception classes and exceed the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception in their personal development and in speaking and listening, number skills and their information and communication technology (ICT) skills. These higher standards are due to the high emphasis placed by the school on raising standards of personal development and the good teaching and opportunities provided in the nursery and reception classes for the development of basic skills. Most of the children will reach the expected goals in all other areas of learning by the end of reception except in reading, which is a weakness.

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Commentary

4. By the end of Year 2, standards are average overall. They are above average in reading, average in mathematics and below average in writing. This particular group of children has achieved well in Years 1 and 2. The school has very thorough tracking records, which show this very clearly. Although the school has no clear records of their levels of skills and understanding when they joined the school, their attainment was generally well below average when they started in Year 1. Standards at the end of Year 2 are average in ICT and in religious education.

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Commentary

5. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above average overall and in English, mathematics and science. These pupils have achieved well from Years 3 to 6. Standards at the end of Year 6 are average in ICT and religious education.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well due to the well-planned individual education plans, and the very good support they receive from well-trained teaching assistants and other adults. The school has good procedures to identify and support gifted and talented pupils. For example, a group of older pupils was withdrawn from class and a skilled teaching assistant challenged them with more demanding work connected with the work that the rest of the class was doing in literacy and science. There is no variation in the achievement of boys and girls and the schools strong commitment to inclusion ensures that all have equal opportunities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The pupils’ attitudes are very good and their behaviour is good. Their personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is all very good. Pupils’ attendance is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school very successfully encourages the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of its pupils. This is a strong feature of school life. • Pupils are enthusiastic learners who enjoy their lesson and like their teachers. • Pupils behave well and are kind and considerate to each other. • Unauthorised absences have been virtually eliminated because of the very good attendance procedures. Carlton Primary School - 10

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Commentary

7. The pupils have such positive attitudes to learning because of the very good way their personal development needs are thought about and catered for. This is grounded in the very good relationships that exist in the school and the good standard of teaching, which interests and motivates them to work hard. These relationships are built from the early days in the nursery and reception classes, resulting in the children in the Foundation Stage 2 reaching above average standards in their personal development. Parents agree that their children work hard and appreciate this. The very good attitudes have a significant impact on the pupils’ good achievement.

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Commentary

8. The school provides a very good range of opportunities to raise the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. Teachers are very good at offering pupils quiet moments for thought and reflection. These times successfully form part of the daily programme of collective worship, in which the school complies with the law. During one period of reflection, the oldest pupils initiated a thought provoking discussion on racism. After some mature and considered comments, pupils closed their eyes and joined hands, standing in respectful contemplation.

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Commentary

9. The pupils’ behaviour is good and pupils are polite and friendly. Parents agree that behaviour is good, though a minority of pupils thinks that some do not behave well. Although good, behaviour is not very good overall, as a number of pupils join the school with behavioural problems. The school deals very successfully with these problems and has an extensive range of rewards and treats for pupils who behave well and they enjoy receiving these. This illustrates one aspect of the strong moral and social encouragement that is helping pupils to become well-rounded individuals. Most unusually and quite appropriately, the school excluded one pupil during the inspection. Other than that, there were no exclusions last year and this is the usual picture.

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Commentary

10. The work undertaken to gain ‘Investors in Pupils’ is paying dividends. Older pupils are especially good at helping younger ones, especially through the Buddy 3 system, and the school actively encourages this. Each class has composed its own ‘mission statement’ which really helps pupils to feel a strong sense of belonging. There are class discussions about the regularly updated ‘ethos statements’ linked into the very good quality programme for personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE). The current statement is ‘I stand up for those who are unfairly treated’. This is why the social development of pupils is so very strong. Pupils insist there is no actual bullying, because the school does not tolerate it and works hard to make sure it does not happen. The atmosphere in school, together with all the different strategies employed to make playtimes happy, make this statement quite understandable.

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Commentary

11. Cultural opportunities are equally strong, and have improved considerably since the previous inspection. A wide range of well-attended enrichment activities and other events help make the curriculum rich and diverse. These include several trips out, foreign languages for the older pupils, and special themed events such as the recent history week where pupils and staff dressed up in costume and experienced life as Victorians. This experience increased the pupils’ understanding of their own heritage and culture significantly.

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Commentary

12. Attendance declined slightly after the last inspection and this can be attributed to a change in the socio-economic circumstances of families coming to the school, combined with a growing trend of holidays taken during term time. Most recent figures show pupils’ attendance has stabilised around the national average. The school has made very good progress in monitoring and encouraging attendance. This was highlighted for improvement from the

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Commentary

2 The Foundation Stage contains the children in the nursery and reception classes. 3 Buddies are trained pupil volunteers who befriend others who have no one to play with. Carlton Primary School - 11 previous inspection. Procedures, led by the school’s Learning Mentor 4 , are of high quality. They have successfully stabilised attendance and reduced the unauthorised absence figure to the national figure last year and virtually eliminated it this year.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.9 School data 0.4 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 good education for its pupils. The curriculum is broad and particularly relevant and is very well enhanced by a wide range of very well-attended extra-curricular activities. The quality of teaching is good and the pupils are learning well. The pupils are very well cared in a safe and inclusive environment. There are good links with parents, the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is good and so the pupils are learning well. Systems of assessment are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have very good questioning skills. • All staff have a very good awareness of individual pupil’s needs. • Pupils are offered very good levels of encouragement and engagement, based on the very good relationships that exist. • The teachers’ planning is very effective in enabling them to meet the needs of all pupils. • Very good use is made of support staff and other adults. • There are occasions when teachers do not provide sufficiently challenging work for all pupils • The monitoring of pupils’ long term progress is very good. In English pupils have a clear understanding of what they need to do to improve but systems to enhance this understanding are not yet used so effectively in other subjects.

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Commentary

13. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school and the pupils are therefore learning and achieving well. Parents consider that the quality of teaching is good and appreciate the provision that is made for their children. Teaching for the children in the Foundation Stage is good. Although all the excellent lessons seen were in Years 1 and 2, a number of very good lessons were observed in Years 3 to 6. There has been a considerable improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection. Pupils’ learning has therefore improved and this is one of the main reasons why achievement has improved. For example, very good progress has been made in the following areas:

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Commentary

• the quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2; • systems of assessment, recording and marking; • the use of homework to re-enforce pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

4 A Learning Mentor is a member of staff who works with individual pupils and their parents to overcome any issues that are hindering learning. Carlton Primary School - 12 Much of the improvement is down to a very well planned scheme of training and support for teachers, developed as a result of thorough monitoring of teaching by senior managers. Teaching in all subjects in which judgements were possible is good except in personal, social and health education, where it is very good.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 52 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

3 (5.8%) 10 (19.2%) 27 (51.9%) 12 (23.1%) 0 0 0

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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

14. There are a number of general strengths in the teaching. Perhaps the one with the most impact on aiding pupils’ learning is the skill of the teachers at asking questions that challenge pupils. They know individual needs very well and ensure, by their questioning, that each pupil is made to think and to explain their thinking. For example, in a number of lessons, the teachers showed great skill in using questions to get the pupils to recap quickly on prior learning and gather ideas to address the current learning objective. Lessons generally move at a good pace and, because the teachers look for links between different subjects in all their teaching, they are relevant and interesting for the pupils. Within this positive picture, there are occasions when teachers do not provide sufficiently challenging work for all pupils. For example, sometimes all are expected to complete simple tasks before the potentially higher

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Commentary

attaining pupils are allowed to move on to more difficult work. In these instances the achievement of these pupils is only satisfactory.

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Commentary

15. The excellent lessons were exemplified by very lively, imaginative delivery, which engaged and involved the pupils in every moment of the lesson. Pupils were encouraged to express their ideas, which, because of the very good relationships, were listened to and respected by all. Much of the success of these lessons was the very clear planning, which ensured that the teachers knew exactly what it was that they wished the pupils to learn. This planning is common to all lessons, where a consistent system is used that is very effective in supporting teaching and learning. The pupils are almost always given a clear indication of what they are expected to learn during the lesson. Teachers often return to this objective at the end of the lesson so that pupils can gauge the success of their learning. The planning also includes the very good number of teaching assistants and other adults who help in class. These other

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Commentary

adults make a very significant contribution to the pupils’ learning because they are fully involved in the planning and know what the pupils they are responsible for are to learn. The work done when teaching assistants withdraw small groups is particularly effective. This is an improvement since the last inspection and is largely due to the work done in providing good quality training for the teaching assistants.

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Commentary

16. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Very good procedures identify pupils with additional needs at an early stage. These needs can range from learning or physical difficulties, to extra provision needs for gifted and able pupils. Close liaison with the homes ensures that there is a shared understanding of the way these pupils can achieve well. Pupils benefit from the combination of the skilled support staff and parent volunteers, who enable pupils to benefit from whole class discussions and motivate them to learn.

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Commentary

17. Assessment is very thorough. The school keeps very careful records of what each pupil has achieved each year. These records are used very well to analyse how effective their progress has been. Targets are set for pupils’ achievement each year and shorter-term targets are set for classes and individuals. This system of setting targets in English is particularly effective. Each pupil knows exactly what it is that they have to do to move the next stage forward in their learning. The system is not so well refined in other subjects, so pupils are not clear about what they need to do to improve. Carlton Primary School - 13

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good. High quality planning ensures that lessons are interesting, enabling pupils to achieve well in nearly all subjects. The very good range of extra-curricular activities makes an important contribution to their personal development. The school is well staffed and accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ intelligent use of national plans and guidance helps the pupils to achieve well. • Careful planning makes the most of opportunities to link subjects, making it easier for the pupils to understand new learning in depth. • The curriculum is very successful in meeting the needs of the pupils of varied capabilities, natures and backgrounds. • The school provides very well for each pupil’s personal development. • There are very good opportunities for the pupils to take part in many activities to enrich their learning. • Poor accommodation for the reception children reduces their progress in several areas of learning.

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Commentary

18. There has been a big improvement in all areas of the curriculum since the last inspection. The school has dealt very well with all the weaknesses reported in planning, teamwork, design and technology and ICT. The curriculum meets fully all legal requirements and meets the needs of children in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 to 6. Teachers have worked hard and successfully to adapt and develop national strategies and plans. For example, they have adapted the national literacy and numeracy strategies to suit the needs of the pupils in their school. As a result, pupils are achieving well.

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Commentary

19. Good planning matches learning well to pupils’ different capabilities. Pupils learn intensively through exciting presentations from visiting speakers, professionals, artists and musicians. The school caters well for the needs of gifted and talented pupils. For example, four bright Year 6 girls were encouraged to research Darwin to enrich the science work of their class on animal adaptation. The curriculum also provides very well for pupils’ personal development, for example in understanding responsibility and healthy and safe lifestyles. There are very good procedures in place to provide for sex and drugs awareness education. The curriculum is most effective in developing pupils’ talents and self-esteem. Very good care has been taken to ensure that pupils with statements of educational need have an appropriate curriculum.

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Commentary

20. Teachers provide many extra activities to enrich the curriculum. Pupils have very good opportunities to develop their cultural, sporting, practical and academic interests in out-of- school and lunchtime clubs. The range and quality of extra provision for music is a strength of the school. About a third of the pupils are involved in choir, orchestra, lessons on string, wind and brass instruments and recorders. The pupils’ learning gains breadth and depth in whole weeks set aside to explore particular subjects or themes. So far, these have focused on history and safety. Classes go out on a significant number of visits in the course of a year to enrich learning in every subject of the curriculum.

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Commentary

21. Very effective teamwork on planning each half term allows teachers to seize any opportunity to link subjects. Such links enlarge understanding and make learning more relevant. Year 6 pupils explained: “It makes it easier to learn.” Carlton Primary School - 14 22. The school is well staffed. The headteacher’s appointments have brought together a team of teachers with a wide range of enthusiasms, expertise and talents. Experienced, and very well trained, support staff make valuable contributions to the quality of learning in each class. Resources are satisfactory overall and have improved a great deal since the last inspection. Few schools work in a building with so many variations in the quality of accommodation. The use of the new ICT suite is rapidly raising standards, while at the same time the reception classroom holds down standards in the Foundation Stage. This room is cramped and does not allow the full range of experiences to be provided. It is also used as a corridor, which

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Commentary

distracts the children from their learning.

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Care, guidance and support

Arrangements to ensure pupils’ care and welfare are very good. The school provides pupils with a very good level of support, advice, and guidance. There is a very good level of involvement through seeking, valuing and acting upon the views of pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pastoral support for pupils is very strong and pupils are cared for very well. • Using targets to help pupils understand how to improve their work, particularly their personal development, is very well done. • Pupils are very involved in school life and have an unusually high insight into how it is managed, organised and run.

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Commentary

23. Pupils’ care and welfare needs are very well looked after. This is largely because relationships are positive and friendly and the school is a happy place for children and pupils to learn in. This is evident from the early days in the Foundation Stage, where children are welcomed and made to feel secure. The work of the Learning Mentor is another important way the school effectively cares for pupils’ welfare. She is well known as someone they can talk to, and in fact several do. They can slip a note in the ‘concerns’ box and she will talk to them sensitively about their personal problems.

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Commentary

24. Child protection and health and safety procedures are all carefully adhered to and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities. Procedures have developed considerably since being highlighted in the previous inspection as needing improvement. The work being undertaken to achieve the next level of being a Healthy School, combined with events like the focus week to help improve pupils’ safety and the very good quality PSHCE programme, are characteristic of the careful way the school looks after its pupils.

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Commentary

25. The way pupils are helped to understand how they can improve, particularly by setting themselves targets, is very effective. All classes have their own ‘class target’ and each pupil has an academic as well as a personal development target, which are checked regularly and revised. In all classes, achieving your target involves pupils placing appropriate markers on eye-catching displays, so involving pupils in monitoring their own progress in a way that appeals to them.

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Commentary

26. Pupils’ views are taken seriously and they have a very good level of involvement in the school. They are helping to make improvements specifically related to their experiences as pupils. For example, they organise the Buddy system, are currently involved in an anti-litter campaign and help to suggest and organise lunchtime activities. As part of the ‘Investors in Pupils’ work, they have discussed the differing roles and responsibilities of members of school staff, compiled child-friendly job descriptions, spoken with governors and even learnt about the budget and staffing costs! This greater understanding of the running of the school has contributed Carlton Primary School - 15 significantly to the very good relationships and shows how much pupils’ contributions are valued.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership with parents is good overall. There are good links with the community and other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of information for parents about day-to-day news and what pupils are learning is very good. • The school has forged some strong community links that are helping to add variety and interest to school life. • The headteacher plays an influential role by sharing her expertise with other schools. These good relationships bring many benefits for staff and pupils. • The school could do more to seek the views of parents.

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Commentary

27. The school is a welcoming and friendly place and day-to-day communication is regular, well presented and useful. Regular information letters and curriculum updates, interesting displays for parents and newly introduced numeracy games sessions, where parents are encouraged to play mathematical games with their children, combine to make up the very good quality provision. Parents are supportive of the school and a good number provide valuable help in classes, enhancing the pupils’ learning and achievement significantly. Pupils’ annual reports provide a fair amount of detail about how pupils are progressing, including relevant targets to work on next year. The school has close links with the parents of pupils with special educational needs and their views are valued. Parents are kept fully informed about the progress and the needs of their children. However, some parents do not feel that their views

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Commentary

are sufficiently taken into account and the school could do more to seek their views.

p.15

Commentary

28. The school is a focal point of village life and has forged some strong partnerships within the wider community. Of particular note is the willingness of the school choir to perform at occasions such as music festivals and village events. There is a lot of goodwill from local businesses, especially visible in the new ICT suite and refurbished library. Support like this helps the school benefit from goods and services it would otherwise be unable to afford and the pupils’ learning to be enhanced accordingly.

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Commentary

29. Partnerships with other schools are good. Links, especially with other local schools, have brought benefits through shared teacher expertise and training. The headteacher’s management and leadership expertise, which she is sharing with other primary schools, brings in a considerable amount of extra money into the school budget, used for the benefit of the pupils. Carlton Primary School - 16

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is good. The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school and she is ably supported by all staff, particularly by other key staff who fulfil their leadership roles well. Management of the school is very good. Governance is satisfactory, although it has improved significantly since the last inspection. The cramped classroom for the reception children is a barrier to their learning.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher is very good. • The leadership of other key staff is good. • There has been a very well planned system of staff training. • The management of the school is very committed to inclusion. • Managers within school are very good at self-evaluation. • Governors are involved and knowledgeable, but are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the effectiveness of what goes on in school, or in strategic planning.

p.16

Commentary

30. The headteacher has accomplished a great deal over the last few years. The last inspection report identified a large number of key issues and the school took these very seriously. The headteacher put in place a number of procedures to address these issues, which have been addressed very well. The most important was a very thorough system of staff development and training. This was based on a very good analysis of needs, identified through monitoring and discussion and has had a significant impact on raising standards. These standards, and the quality of teaching and learning, are still improving, as evidenced by the very effective monitoring that is carried out. One of the particular strengths of the training and development has been the way that the teaching assistants and other staff have been included. This demonstrates the very inclusive nature of the school, where all are valued and feel that they

p.16

Commentary

are part of the team. This inclusiveness is also demonstrated in the way that pupils are involved in the management of the school through the work connected to ‘Investors in Pupils’. The very good race equality policy is another example of the inclusive nature of the school. There have been some difficult staffing issues in the years since the last inspection and these have been handled very sensitively placing the pupils’ achievement as the top priority.

p.16

Commentary

31. The new deputy headteacher offers very good support, co-ordinators lead their subjects well and the Foundation Stage is well led. Relevant monitoring has been delegated to them. They have monitored the effectiveness of learning by analysing work samples and by visiting lessons. They have also carried out some very useful analysis of strengths and weaknesses in the national tests. All this hard work has contributed well to improving pupils’ achievement.

p.16

Commentary

32. The school is very well managed and has carried out very good self-evaluation. Before the inspection, a very thorough self-evaluation form was completed, with very good evidence to support judgements. In addition, an extremely complete response was received covering the hypotheses made in the pre-inspection commentary. One of the particular strengths of management is the way that the recruitment, deployment and development of staff have been managed. When vacancies have arisen, particular strengths have been sought and the school has a staff with a very good range of expertise and experience. Performance management is very good and has contributed very well to the improving teaching and learning and rising standards. Finances are managed well. The carry-forward figures for the last two years are higher than usual because the school made significant savings on spending on planned major projects and also raised funds from other sources. The school manages its finances and

p.16

Commentary

uses the principles of best value very well. Budgets are planned to keep a minimum aside for contingency. Taking into account all relevant factors, the school gives good value for money. Carlton Primary School - 17 Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 468,410 Balance from previous year 49,780 Total expenditure 485,936 Balance carried forward to the next 32,254 Expenditure per pupil 1,799

p.17

Commentary

33. The governors are interested, very well informed and involved in the school. A number visit regularly to carry out their specific roles or to help and support. This is strength within governance. However, they do not carry out their roles of monitoring sufficiently formally. Neither are they sufficiently involved in strategic planning. As a result, this task is left very much to senior managers in the school, taking up time that could be spent more profitably on other issues. Carlton Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Too few lessons were seen to judge provision and teaching quality in the children’s creative development. However, thoughtful planning gives children adequate opportunities to explore media, sing, enjoy music making and use their imagination in art and construction work.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The Foundation Stage is led and managed well and good progress has been made since the last inspection. Children’s attainment on entry to the nursery is broadly typical for their ages and lower than at the time of the last inspection. By the end of reception most are on course to reach the goals set in all the areas of learning. This is good achievement overall as a number of children started at below and well below levels. The quality of teaching, learning and support is good across all areas of learning. Assessment is satisfactory but does not yet make enough impact on improving children’s standards. In the reception class, unsatisfactory accommodation creates a barrier to progress in several areas of learning.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children settle into the nursery well because activities are well organised and supported. • Reception children work well as a class and have developed good attitudes to school.

p.18

Commentary

34. Children are likely to exceed the expected levels by the start of Year 1. Good teaching enables them to make rapid gains in confidence. Nursery children soon work well together. Staff encourage children to be responsible and independent from the start. For example, children register themselves when they come in and get straight on with their chosen activities. As soon as she had registered her presence, a three-year-old took her mum to the number display to show her how she could count up to 10. Because nursery staff keep a very close eye on children they are able to make the most of opportunities to encourage them to work and play productively, both by themselves with others. Several well-organised and supervised areas for role-play develop the children’s social skills well. Squabbles are rare because children quickly learn to listen to each other, share and take turns. Staff and helpers promote

p.18

Commentary

good manners strongly, not least by their own very good examples.

p.18

Commentary

35. Reception children have come together well as a class, often working and behaving like Year 1 pupils. This is a good achievement since the class did not easily gel at the start of the year. The children now take the demands of whole-class and group work in their stride in their first term of daily numeracy and literacy lessons. Weekly time set aside for discussion sensitively builds their understanding of helping, sharing, being friends, taking turns, speaking well to others, dealing with problems and being proud of themselves. Good work on the theme of “People who help us” helps to develop understanding of responsibilities in the community. The reception teacher also makes responsibility real through good opportunities for pupils to take up duties to look after the whole class. Children also learn by example how staff deal sensitively but firmly with class members with emotional and behavioural problems.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Progress in speaking and listening is good because staff and helpers stimulate language development skilfully. • The development of children’s early literacy skills is satisfactory overall but children are capable of more progress in reading.

p.19

Commentary

36. Skilled planning, observation and support encourages children to speak and listen in a very good range of activities. They are achieving well due to good teaching. Nursery children talk animatedly in role-plays as shopkeepers, customers, office workers, parents, police and fire fighters. Many one-to-one conversations with adults open speech up in stimulating activities such as baking, printing, sand and water play. For example, a boy telephoned his dad for advice on trainers in the shoe shop, copying a parent governor’s role-play. Children enjoy books because the teacher promotes reading well. They are enthralled by well-read stories and enjoy choosing and stamping their library books. There are satisfactory opportunities for mark making and early writing in many activities. Children also enjoy work on a high quality scheme of letter sounds in the summer term, which prepares them well for work in Year 1.

p.19

Commentary

37. Speech continues to develop well in reception in thoughtful whole-class, group and individual discussions. However, the cramped accommodation limits role-play and imaginative activities. Time for discussion strengthens listening and children’s confidence in speaking to the whole class. Writing comes on apace through literacy hour work, lively teaching of letter sounds and regular handwriting practice. Children know their letters, read and write their names clearly and form words. With help, faster learners write readable news sentences. However most pupils’ achievement in reading is unsatisfactory and the weakest aspect of learning. Only half the children are likely to reach the expected standard by the end of the year. This is largely because they lack practice in using newly learned letter sound skills. Unsatisfactory accommodation denies them the use of a quiet and attractive reading area and prevents the

p.19

Commentary

teacher developing print-rich displays. Despite these shortcomings, the quality of teaching is good and children are achieving well overall.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s number skills develop well because staff provide many opportunities for counting. • Children reach well above average levels in some areas of their number work. • Most reception children are on course to reach the goal expected of children by the end of the year.

p.19

Commentary

38. Nursery children do a great deal of counting, sorting and talking about shapes and sizes. A brighter learner can recite the two-times table forwards and backwards. In registration, children take turns in counting the number present. Staff and helpers encourage them to count objects as they paint, role-play, celebrate birthdays and bake. Good resources help pupils to learn about shapes, space and measures through touch, observation and movement. Carlton Primary School - 20 39. Lively counting sessions continue in reception leading to lessons based on the National Numeracy Strategy for Year 1 in the children’s final term. They are moving well into applying two and five times tables, which is above the expected level for their age. Well-planned whole- class and group activities also considerably increase the detail of their knowledge of two and three-dimensional shapes. The teacher’s high expectations challenge the children, sometimes

p.19

Commentary

taking them well into Years 1 and 2 National Curriculum work. The quality of teaching is good in both classes and the children are achieving well, particularly in developing number skills.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Well organised learning opportunities lead to good achievement in most aspects in the nursery. • Cramped reception accommodation restricts independent work in this area of learning.

p.20

Commentary

40. Nursery routines and carefully planned learning opportunities lead to good achievement in this area of learning. Registration includes discussion of day, month, time and weather. Children learn basic science skills as they observe growing plants and small creatures. Much practical work gives a good start to learning about materials, changes and forces. Well-organised and moderated use of the classroom computer has resulted in a good achievement in ICT skills. Regular local visits and stories give children good early understanding of place, different environments and past and future.

p.20

Commentary

41. Reception activities suffer from lack of space. This particularly affects the opportunities for children to work independently and choose their own activities. However, energetic and imaginative teaching sustains progress. For example, the outdoor summerhouse becomes a garden centre stimulating children to design, make and sell seed packets. Visits and visitors, such as members of the police and fire services, widen children's knowledge of communities.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Nursery children make good progress because of the good number and variety of activities provided. • Limited accommodation slows down progress in reception.

p.20

Commentary

42. The good range of activities improves children’s physical skills well in the nursery. For example, 10 minutes after registration each day all the children are busily engaged in baking, printing, writing, dressing up, observing, looking at books, digging or sand and water play. Vigilant supervision of these activities skilfully develops their fine and gross motor skills. They delight in outside play. When the door opened for playtime in the outdoor area they surged out with a unanimous “Yeah!” Music and movement lessons, using high-quality tapes, improve the children’s co-ordination and imaginative interpretation well.

p.20

Commentary

43. Reception children have fewer opportunities because of lack of space in the classroom and are less stimulated by the opportunities for movement in the outside area, because of its familiarity. However, well-taught lessons in the hall sustain progress. Because children Carlton Primary School - 21 behave very well, serious lack of space in the classroom presents less of a problem. However, few children can join in several activities and it is not unusual for children to trip and bump as they change and move. In both nursery and reception, staff give thoughtful attention to giving children with special educational needs full access to activities. Carlton Primary School - 22

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning and achievement are good because teachers work hard teaching all pupils to understand ideas and express them accurately. • Standards in reading in Years 1 and 2 have improved as a result of improved systems for the teaching of group guided reading. • Standards in writing are below those in reading and speaking and listening. • A well-chosen focus on speaking and listening is improving standards in writing. • Although the subject is led and managed well, there are limited opportunities for the co-ordinator to observe lessons taught by colleagues. • Although the library accommodation has been vastly improved, it is not yet in use.

p.22

Commentary

44. Standards in the national tests in 2003 were above average. Current standards in Year 6 are slightly above average, and are consistent with pupils’ ability. There have been pockets of underachievement in the past but the school has gradually fine-tuned its assessment systems so that each pupil’s progress is now checked each half term. There are fewer pupils working at the higher levels in Year 6 this year because their progress in past years has not always been as steady as it has this year.

p.22

Commentary

45. The below average performance in the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 2 was because there were too few pupils reaching the higher levels. This has improved this year and standards are now average overall. Teachers have systematically overhauled the teaching of literacy, by focusing on the quality of opportunities for speaking and listening. This is now well established, and standards are now above average in reading and slightly below average in writing and pupils are learning well overall. The co-ordinator has introduced new systems for the teaching of reading and all staff have given it a separate lesson time in the curriculum. Pupils are being challenged at an appropriate level. As a result, pupils are enthusiastic, expressive readers who readily share their opinions about the texts that they enjoy. Writing is the skill that lags slightly behind the other two skills. Achievement in writing is satisfactory. The

p.22

Commentary

focus has been on helping pupils to value their ideas and order their thoughts. Teachers have developed their questioning skills and they use aids such as structured writing frames 5 .

p.22

Commentary

46. Achievement and teaching and learning are good in reading and speaking and listening because teachers engage the pupils very well through exciting approaches such as role-play that emphasises speaking and listening. The methods they often choose are inspired. Standards in reading are above average because of the good quality support given to pupils in Years 1 and 2, and the emphasis on reading for meaning. Teaching is good because teachers focus on teaching understanding through the spoken language, visual representation and active movement. Teachers manage behaviour well and are respected by pupils. Support for pupils with a statement of special educational needs is good. Support staff are committed to raising standards and work together with increasing effectiveness to support pupils’ learning.

p.22

Commentary

47. The co-ordinator is leading the subject very well and much has been achieved in the year since she took over the subject. Progress has been good since the last inspection. Of

p.22

Commentary

5 Writing frames are specially created worksheets that can be tailored to the ability of each pupil. Carlton Primary School - 23 particular note is the organisation and efficient systems that underpin recent changes. Change is managed well. The library is a good case in point. Although the current space is cramped, it is well organised but not able to be used for pupils to carry out research. The new library is spacious and well designed, but not yet in use. The changes have been well paced so that the staff have the will and energy to make the best use of it. One of the next identified developments is to make more time available for the co-ordinator to observe lessons. The lack of this opportunity means that she does not have a sufficiently clear view of strengths and areas for development in the pupils’ learning.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. Pupils apply their speaking skills, together with drama, regularly and well across the curriculum to extend learning in subjects such as history, religious education, geography and science. Writing skills are not always used effectively in other subjects where lessons are short. Good use is made of ICT.

p.23

French and Spanish

These subjects were only sampled and no judgements are possible on teaching and learning, standards or leadership and management. The pupils in Year 6 enjoy this valuable extra experience. This has been made possible in conjunction with a local high school, which is a Languages College. Skilful and enthusiastic teachers from this school visit each week. The pupils are receiving very good opportunities to learn the basics of these languages.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership of the subject is very good. • Pupils are achieving well. • Standards at the end of Year 6 are above average. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • Systems of assessment, although very good in the long term, are not recorded sufficiently efficiently in the short-term and pupils are not sufficiently involved in the setting of their own targets.

p.23

Commentary

49. The co-ordinator, although only in post a relatively short time, has already begun to make a positive impact on raising standards and is leading the subject very well. In conjunction with the Year 6 teacher she has carried out some very good analysis of past test results. The co- ordinator has also analysed pupils’ work to identify areas for development. These analyses showed that pupils’ standards in problem solving were well below those in other areas of mathematics. She put in place a number of procedures to address this weakness, For example, as well as ensuring that staff have had training on how to teach these skills, each class now has a weekly lesson on problem solving. It is clear that standards in this area have already risen to be at least average by the end of Year 6. The co-ordinator has a very clear picture of the information that performance data gives and has good plans for continuing to

p.23

Commentary

raise standards in the subject. Much work has been done and good progress has been made since the last inspection. Carlton Primary School - 24 50. Standards in the national tests in 2003 were average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. Pupils are currently reaching above average standards by the end of Year 6. They are average at the end of Year 2 as these pupils had a much lower starting point. The school’s assessments show that these pupils have made good progress. They are achieving and learning well through the school as the quality of teaching is good. Lessons are typified by pacy oral mental sessions, where pupils show that they have very good recall of mathematical facts. Teachers are very good at asking questions to draw out pupils’ understanding and to challenge them and make them think. Teachers’ planning is good, particularly in how they plan for the very good support of the other adults who are present in almost all lessons. This

p.23

Commentary

planning and well-organised support ensures that all pupils, particularly those with special educational needs, can achieve as well as one another. In each year group a number of pupils have been identified as being potentially more able and these pupils are being challenged well, are reaching high standards and are achieving well

p.24

Commentary

51. There are thorough systems of assessment. Within the last year, half-termly tests have been instituted so that a check can be kept on whether pupils are achieving as well as they could. These tests result in targets being set for the class each half term and these are displayed so that pupils have some involvement in their learning. An integral part of the success of this is the helpful and developmental marking seen in books in many classes, particularly Years 5 and 6. Although targets are set for pupils, they are not yet sufficiently detailed to give the pupils a clear indication of what they need to do to improve. As these targets are not individual, the pupils are not sufficiently involved in their setting them and checking on their progress.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

52. Mathematics is used well in other subjects of the curriculum. For example, the pupils use their recording and graphical skills well when displaying the results of science experiments. Work is often planned so that mathematical skills learnt are applied in other subjects such as ICT. This enhances learning, both in these subjects and in mathematics.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good quality teaching is raising standards, but there is too much difference in standards between one class and another. • Pupils are achieving well because teachers give them lots of opportunities to find things out. • Lessons balance out the main aspects of science well over time. • Assessment is satisfactory but does not show how pupils can improve their learning in Years 1 and 2.

p.24

Commentary

53. The good quality of teaching and learning has begun to address the wide variations in standards between one class and another. Standards are above average in Years 1, 5 and 6, average in Years 2 and 4, and below average in Year 3. Standards are therefore average at the end of Year 2 and above average at the end of Year 6. The standards achieved in the national tests in 2003 in Year 6 were above average. Teaching quality during the inspection varied between satisfactory and very good. This is partly because of previous weaknesses in provision, but also because there has been no recent monitoring of lessons. Although training has improved teachers’ understanding of topics the pupils study, the school does not do enough to meet the needs of faster learners in Years 1 and 2. For example, only one pupil reached the level beyond that expected for seven-year-olds in last year’s national tests. The Carlton Primary School - 25

p.24

Commentary

new co-ordinator has led a team approach to this problem, and good quality teaching in Years 1 and 2 is beginning to improve the pupils’ achievement.

p.25

Commentary

54. The school’s drive to strengthen pupils’ investigative skills has paid off, improving the quality of learning. Well-designed frameworks ensure pupils plan, measure and record findings systematically. They also encourage writing, observational skills and sketching. The pupils of all ages are enthusiastic about investigations and say how well they learn through them. Very well led planning for investigation in a Year 6 lesson showed pupils’ good understanding of fair and reliable testing, and also well developed skills in scientific thinking and use of technical vocabulary.

p.25

Commentary

55. Lessons are planned so that time is balanced between the main areas of science. Good standards of presentation by the time pupils are in Year 6 help them to understand more readily the scientific laws and systems they are discovering. Very thorough assessment also clearly shows pupils how and what to improve in their work, often engaging them in scientific dialogues, though this is not as well developed in Years 1 and 2. Careful analysis of test answers enables the Year 6 teacher to strengthen weaker areas through well-planned revision. An after-school science club and extra lessons to boost the pupils’ achievement help raise standards. All pupils who attended last year’s science club gained above average levels in the 2003 national tests.

p.25

Commentary

56. The subject is well led and managed and good progress has been made since the last inspection. The co-ordinator has successfully improved and reorganised resources, identified and addressed the need to raise standards in Year 2, and has a clear vision of how the subject is to develop.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new, spacious and well-equipped ICT suite offers good opportunities for the teaching of the subject, although it is not used frequently enough. • Pupils are achieving well. § The quality of teaching and learning is good.

p.25

Commentary

57. The school has set up a very spacious and well-equipped ICT suite. This is a very good example of the success of the headteacher and governors in finding alternative sources of funding as the school could not have built such a facility from their own budget. This suite enables the teaching of skills to whole classes. There has been a considerable consequent improvement in pupils’ skills since the suite opened and pupils are now reaching average standards by the end of Year 6. Their skills are above average in some areas of the curriculum. For example, the pupils in Year 6 showed quite sophisticated skills when designing a multi-media alphabet book for the children in the nursery. Throughout the school, pupils are confident with the technology and standards are average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Logging on, loading programs, editing and saving their work is coming as second nature to them. Bearing in mind the progress that has been made in the last term or so, the

p.25

Commentary

pupils are achieving well through the school.

p.25

Commentary

58. Alongside the installation of the new ICT suite has gone very relevant staff training. This training has also extended to teaching assistants, who make a considerable contribution to the pupils’ achievement. In every lesson seen there was at least one other adult, who was skilled Carlton Primary School - 26 and supported the pupils well. In two lessons, the teaching assistant took a major role in teaching the skills to be learnt, a task they carried out well, making good use of the training they have received. All teachers are confident and the quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers make good use of time in their lessons, using the interactive whiteboard well to interject teaching points into their lessons and ensuring that learning is good.

p.25

Commentary

59. The new co-ordinator has made a good start at analysing strengths and weaknesses and is leading the subject satisfactorily. She has put in place a system of assessment, but it is not sufficiently refined to allow teachers and pupils to have a clearer knowledge of standards attained and pupils’ achievement.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

60. Some good use is made of ICT in other subjects. In many of the ICT lessons observed, the ICT skill was based on work being done in another subject. For example, in an ICT lesson in Year 4, the pupils were editing a piece that they had used in their literacy lesson. In a lesson in Year 1 the work was based on their science topic of small creatures. These lessons showed that pupils are using their ICT skills well in other subjects. Each class has time in the suite for literacy, numeracy and other subjects as well as their time learning ICT skills. However, these times are not yet sufficiently well planned to enable best use to be made of the suite.

p.26

HUMANITIES

Of these subjects, only religious education was a focus for the inspection. Geography and history were sampled.

p.26

HUMANITIES

No lessons were seen in geography and work was therefore sampled. It is not therefore possible to form an overall judgement on provision. Standards seen in pupils’ work suggest satisfactory achievement. The accurate match of topics to pupils’ ages enables pupils to make steady gains in geographical skills and knowledge each year. Work seen on settlement is of good quality. The subject is not tapping into the potential of ICT enough.

p.26

HUMANITIES

Only one lesson was observed in history and the teaching, learning and achievement in this lesson were good. There was insufficient evidence to form overall judgements about teaching but the work in pupils’ books suggested standards to be better than average for pupils’ age. Teachers’ planning indicates that pupils’ knowledge, skills and gains in technical vocabulary are built up in a systematic way. The focus week organised by the co-ordinator enabled pupils to hone their research skills through immersion in the subject. Regular use of the Internet adds depth to the quality of pupils’ learning, such as when pupils in Year 5 located information on the Victorian period based on a census.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan lessons that are meaningful to the pupils. • There are good links between the curriculum for religious education and pupils’ learning in PHSCE, which strengthens pupils’ understanding of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues. • Some lessons are too short to enable pupils to express their reflections on religious issues in writing. • Planned visits to places of worship, other than Christian, are insufficiently frequent.

p.26

Commentary

Carlton Primary School - 27 61. Standards in Years 2 and 6 are in line with those expected by the local agreed syllabus for the subject. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Pupils develop a satisfactory knowledge of a range of world faiths. They have a sound knowledge of the stories, special artefacts and symbols of Christianity and other faiths and develop good attitudes to learning. Pupils develop respect for those of faiths other than their own and are genuinely interested in their beliefs and traditions. They have a sound understanding of the links and the differences between Christianity and other faiths.

p.27

Commentary

62. Pupils relate faith to how it affects the way people live. For example, pupils in Year 6 wrote very moving diary entries about the story of the nativity from Mary and Joseph’s point of view. In Years 3 and 4, the pupils’ recording of work is insufficient to communicate their depth of knowledge and understanding and therefore many opportunities are missed for them to develop their literacy skills and consolidate learning through recording.

p.27

Commentary

63. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is good overall because the teachers plan lessons that are meaningful to the pupils. Visits to local churches bring learning to life so that all pupils share experiences. Teachers provide many good opportunities for pupils to develop their oral skills and deepen their understanding through discussion on faith beliefs and issues. This work is enhanced by the strong links with the programme for PHSCE. The sensitive chairing of discussion helps to prepare pupils for life in a multicultural society. The subject is satisfactorily led and sound progress has been made since the last inspection.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

None of these subjects was a focus for inspection and overall judgements are not possible.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In art and design no lessons were seen. However lesson plans, displays, scrutiny of work and conversations with pupils suggest this subject has had a low priority in Year 6 recently. However, a focus week for art is planned before the end of this term. A visiting artist led sessions of learning on art in nature. The work example showed wide variations in the use and quality of sketchbooks, and few examples of painting or three-dimensional work.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In design and technology , no lessons were seen. Conversations with pupils and scrutiny of work and planning show the school has successfully addressed key issues from the last inspection on progress, curriculum and teachers’ knowledge of the subject. The school is engaging all pupils well in all aspects of design and evaluation. Completed projects show good standards of finish. The standard of Year 4 pupils' work on containers was above average.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Music has a high profile in the school. Few lessons were seen but in these lessons the quality of teaching, learning and achievement was good. Sufficient evidence was gathered to suggest that standards are above average by the end of Year 6. The pupils of this age put together a very musical rendition of a song, accompanied by a wide variety of tuned instruments. There is a very good range of other opportunities in music. As well as instrumental tuition in strings, brass, guitar and woodwind, there is a very strong choir and a range of extra-curricular clubs, two different ones meeting each day of the week. Around a third of the school is involved in one or other of these activities. The choir, as well as entertaining locally, has been very successful in music festivals. All these opportunities add significantly to the pupils’ social, cultural and spiritual development.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In the two physical education lessons seen the quality of teaching, learning and achievement was good overall. Pupils are motivated to take responsibility for their learning. A good proportion of pupils take part in the clubs for football, netball, cross-country and cycling proficiency. The two lessons observed were an athletics lesson in Year 4 and a games session in Year 1. In these lessons, the pupils attained a standard expected for their age and their achievements were satisfactory. The curriculum addresses all elements of physical education and sufficient time is allocated to it. There are under-developed assessment systems to enable the teachers to judge the development of skills Carlton Primary School - 28 in key areas and to help develop standards further. The co-ordinator plays a key role in the support she gives to extra-curricular activities. The school has an adequate outdoor space and a good-sized

p.27

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

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

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good curricular planning of the subject. • The school’s ethos adds significantly to the pupils’ achievement in this subject. • Pupils are achieving very well. § The quality of teaching and learning is very good.

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Commentary

64. The planned programme for this subject is very good and progress has been good since the last inspection. All aspects are planned, including relevant drugs and alcohol abuse education and a very thorough sex and relationships education scheme. The major strength in the programme is the way that it is linked inextricably to the school’s ethos and the very good relationships that exist in the school. Issues are discussed completely openly, with the result that pupils say that there is effectively no bullying or harassment. By the time they leave, pupils are developing into very responsible and thoughtful citizens and they have achieved very well.

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Commentary

65. Each class alternates a lesson of personal, social and health education with a discussion session. All these are handled sensitively and the quality of teaching and learning is good. In some lessons it is outstanding as the teachers explore issues surrounding sexism and racism. They connect to the pupils by using language that they relate to, involving all pupils and by very imaginative use of a puppet. The pupils clearly enjoyed these lessons and gained a great deal from them. There are so many incidental opportunities taken to re-enforce learning in this subject. For example, the class mission statements and the weekly ethos themes. All of these are designed to encourage the pupils to think of others and how they can play their full part in making the world a happier place in which to be. Carlton Primary School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 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 3 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 2

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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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