Carsington and Hopton Primary School

VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 th - 18 th May 2004

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VOLUNTARY AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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VOLUNTARY AIDED 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. Carsington and Hopton Primary School i

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 45

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Carsington Matlock Derbyshire Postcode: DE4 4DE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01629 540206 Fax number: 01629 540206

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr G Rennie

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 st May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Carsington and Hopton Church of England (Voluntary Aided) Primary School is much smaller than most other primary schools. The villages of Carsington and Hopton consist of mainly private accommodation. About 50 per cent of the pupils come from the nearby town of Wirksworth, which is a mixed community of private, rented and council-owned housing. All of the pupils come from white ethnic backgrounds. The number of pupils who either leave or join the school during the academic year is below average. The percentage of pupils who are entitled to free school meals is well below the national average. Seven per cent of pupils are assessed as having special educational needs; this is below average. There are no pupils with statements of special educational need. One pupil uses English as an additional language. Children start the school with levels of attainment that are average. Over the past two years, the school has received the following awards: Basic Skills

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Quality Mark, Healthy Schools, Schools Achievement Award and Eco Schools. Carsington and Hopton Primary School ii

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20695 Mr C Kessell Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education English as an additional language 19677 Mrs M Cumbers Lay inspector 18709 Ms N Bee Team inspector English Geography History The Foundation Stage curriculum Special educational needs Personal, social and health education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

VT Education Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 5

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very good school and it provides good value for money. Pupils achieve very well and standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science in Years 2 and 6. Teaching and learning are very good. The leadership and management of the headteacher and staff are good overall. Many aspects of the headteacher's leadership are very good. The pupils' personal development is a very strong feature of the school, and pupils are very well cared for.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very high standards in English, mathematics and science. • Teaching and learning are very effective. Particular attention is paid to the different needs of pupils in mixed-age classes. • All pupils are very well behaved and have very positive attitudes to learning. Provision for pupils' personal development is very good. • The new headteacher's leadership is effective. He has high aspirations for the school, and is a good role model in the classroom. • The school has strong and effective links with its parents. • Although special needs provision is satisfactory, and has been developed effectively over the last academic year, further progress still needs to be made if it is to be as strong as all other aspects of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Improvement since the school's previous inspection six years ago has been good. The school and governors have addressed the issues surrounding the school's accommodation as well as possible. Considering the limited space, the school building and outside play areas are used very effectively. The new headteacher and governors are improving further the approach to school development planning, which was another issue raised during the previous inspection. Standards in English, mathematics and science are now higher, and many other aspects of the school have developed since the previous inspection, including the quality of teaching and learning, and the pupils' behaviour and attitudes. Data for the school indicates that from 2000 to 2003, no pupils were identified with special educational needs. This is no longer the case; in a short period of time, the new headteacher, staff and governors have worked hard to develop and improve the provision for these

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Main strengths and weaknesses

pupils. Although there is still some work to be done, the pupils' needs in English and mathematics are now being met through effective programmes of support.

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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 B A* A* A* Mathematics B A A A Science B A* A* A* Key: A* - very high; 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

Standards achieved by pupils throughout the school are very good. The table above shows that in the national tests in 2003 for Year 6, standards in English, mathematics and science were well above average; they were, in fact, in the top five per cent of the population nationally. The pupils currently in Year 2 are achieving standards that are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics, and this is an improvement in reading and mathematics on the 2003 national Carsington and Hopton Primary School 2 tests. Recent national test results for Years 2 and 6 show that girls outperform boys more than is found nationally, but this may be the result of having very small year groups, which makes any statistical analysis unreliable. In the Reception class, children are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they start Year 1.

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

are very good. Their high standards of behaviour and very positive attitudes to learning contribute very effectively to the high levels of achievement. Relationships through the school are very strong. The pupils' attendance and punctuality are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching and learning are very good overall. The teachers have a very good understanding of the subjects they teach, and lessons are interesting and exciting. Pupils learn very enthusiastically and are very productive. Lessons are very well managed, and all teachers have high expectations in terms of the pupils' academic performance and behaviour. Very effective planning ensures that lessons are effectively organised for the wide age range found in both classes. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to pupils' learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum provided by the school is good overall. Out-of-class activities enrich the curriculum well. Given the school’s size, the pupils' participation in sporting activities is very good. The school's partnership with parents is very good, and very good care is provided for the pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The teaching and non-teaching staff work very effectively as a team. There are very high aspirations for the school, and all of the teaching staff are good role models for the pupils. The new headteacher has brought a strong sense of direction and purpose to the school. The school's current issues for action are focused on continuing to improve the quality of education and maintain high standards. Pupils' achievement is carefully tracked. The work of the governors is very good, and the school fulfils its statutory requirements.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with the work of the school. They feel that their children are making good progress and are well taught. Parents are happy with the standards of behaviour, and feel that the school is very much part of the local community. Although they would like to see the outdoor facilities improved, and acknowledge the lack of space in the school building, they believe that the school makes good use of its accommodation. The inspection team fully supports the parents' views.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The pupils enjoy coming to school, acknowledge that they have to work hard, and find their classmates friendly. They would also like to see some improvement in the school's accommodation.

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The most important thing the school should do to improve is:

Carsington and Hopton Primary School 3 • Continue to develop the provision for pupils with special educational needs, and monitor rigorously how their targets are being addressed in the wider curriculum.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average. Pupils’ achievements overall are very good, but small year groups can lead to significant variations year-on-year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve highly in relation to their earlier attainment. Standards in the core subjects are well above average 1 . • Standards in English, mathematics and science are higher than when the school was previously inspected. • Standards in ICT have improved. • Pupils work consistently hard all of the time. • On occasions, pupils with special educational needs do not achieve as well as their classmates.

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Commentary

1. Standards have improved since the previous inspection. Parents feel that their children make good progress and are learning as well as they can. The majority of pupils believe that they have to work hard. The inspection team would support these views. The pupils are achieving very well. This is the result of very good teaching that ensures pupils progress at a rapid rate. The pupils' very positive attitudes to learning also contribute to their achievement.

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Commentary

2. The children enter Reception with average standards and get a good start at the school. By the time they start in Year 1 most children reach the expected levels, with some easily exceeding them. They achieve very well because they are given a curriculum which is accurately matched to their individual needs; and they work confidently alongside the older pupils in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

3. National test results for pupils in Year 2 in 2003 were not as good as the previous year in reading and mathematics. When compared to all schools, standards were average in reading and mathematics and well above average in writing. Standards in writing were in the top five per cent nationally. When compared to similar schools (as defined by the proportion of children having free meals), standards were below average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. Because of the small year groups found at the school year-on-year, comparisons should be treated with caution. Closer analysis of the Year 2 results in 2003 indicates that 60 per cent of the pupils were identified with special educational needs. The school has introduced a greater emphasis on reading in response to last year's results, purchasing more books and providing extra adult support. Standards are currently well above average in Year 2 for reading, writing and mathematics.

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Commentary

4. Whether compared with all schools, or with similar schools, the national test results for pupils in Year 6 indicate that standards in the three core subjects of English, mathematics and science, are well above average; and in English and science, they are in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Current standards in Year 6 are also well above average in these three subjects.

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Commentary

5. National data suggests that the gap in performance between boys and girls is wider in some subjects than found nationally at the end of both key stages 2 . In Year 2, this has been in favour of the

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Commentary

1 The core subjects are English, mathematics and science. 2 Key Stage 1, sometimes referred to as the infants, caters for pupils aged between 5 and 7 and refers to pupils who are in Years 1 and 2. Key Stage 2, or the juniors, is Years 3 to 6. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 4 girls in reading and the boys for mathematics. Girls have performed better than boys to a greater extent than that found nationally in Year 6.There was no evidence of this during the inspection and with small year groups, fluctuations in performance are more pronounced. 6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. However, when they receive small group teaching, which focuses on basic literacy and numeracy skills, they do better and achieve very well. The school has one pupil who speaks English as an additional language. He has made very good progress, having started school at the very early stages of speaking English.

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Commentary

7. Standards in ICT are higher than those expected for the pupils in Year 2 and 6. This is an improvement on the previous inspection. Although other subjects were not part of the main inspection, pupils in Year 6 spoke confidently and knowledgeably about art and design, geography, history and music. As a Church of England voluntary aided school, inspectors from the local diocese will inspect religious education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance and punctuality are very good. The behaviour of the pupils in and around school is also very good. They are courteous and cheerful, and the school is a friendly place in which work. The personal development of the pupils is very good, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well supported.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils' very positive attitudes, their very good behaviour and levels of attendance help them to achieve very well. • The high expectations by staff of pupil behaviour and achievement. • The school's positive and supportive atmosphere.

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Commentary

8. Attendance is very good; there is no problem with truancy, and there has been no need for exclusions. The pupils are keen to come to school, enjoy being there, and are punctual. They are keen to start and get on with their work quietly before lessons begin. Their attitude to their work is exemplary, and they show considerable resourcefulness and independence in their learning, which helps the teachers cope well with the mixed-age classes. The pupils concentrate well, and do not give up when they find a task difficult. Expectations are high, and the pupils rise to the challenge.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 2.7 School data 0.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

9. The children in Reception show very positive attitudes to learning. Induction procedures are satisfactory, and enable the children to settle quickly into school. Personal and social skills are consistently well promoted in all that they do. This results in very good independent skills being developed. By the time they leave Reception, most children work well together and develop very good relationships with each other, and with the adults who help them. Behaviour is very good.

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Commentary

10. Behaviour is very good in and around school. The pupils are courteous and polite. They take responsibility willingly, and help around the school in numerous ways, which supports staff considerably. They are also keen to serve on the school council and various committees. They are sensible and eager to give their opinion when asked, and know that the school will take notice of what they say. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 5 11. Relationships are very good, and the pupils care for those younger than themselves as a matter of course without having to be told. The lunchtime movement of the pupils from the school to the sports field is more like a family outing than part of a school day.

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Commentary

12. The school takes care to ensure that pupils’ horizons are broadened, and staff take every opportunity to expose pupils to the experience of other cultures, including trips to different places of worship. Opportunities are also taken to display books, music and art from other cultures.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good education for its pupils. Teaching and learning are very good. Curriculum provision is also good. The pupils are very well cared for. There are very strong links with parents, the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are very good. Assessment procedures and the use of assessment are equally good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are very effectively organised, and teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach. • The needs of mixed-age classes are addressed very well. • Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils' learning. • Pupils are enthusiastic about learning, and work very hard. • The pupils are able to work successfully together as well as independently. • Pupils with special educational needs do not always receive work which is well matched to their needs.

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Commentary

13. Teaching and learning are very effective. They make a significant contribution to the pupils' very good achievement, and are a significant strength of the school. Parents responding to the pre- inspection questionnaire agreed that teaching is good, and that staff expected pupils to work hard. These views were supported at the pre-inspection meeting, where parents also stated that teachers were very concerned about the individual needs of pupils because of the mixed-age classes. Parents of pupils with special educational needs were also happy with the support provided, and acknowledged that this was a recent improvement in the school.

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Commentary

14. The inspection team would support most of the parents' views. Good, and often very good, teaching enables pupils with special educational needs to achieve well, and sometimes very well. During lessons they are regularly well supported by a teaching assistant. Occasionally, work is not accurately matched to their needs and, as a result, they have difficulty completing written tasks. Sometimes they are given too little guidance to improve, and there is insufficient reference to their individual targets in teachers’ marking. Their learning is less effective when this happens.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 11 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 0 8 3 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

15. Teaching is very good for children in the Reception year. The teacher and the teaching assistant form very good relationships with the children and support them very well. All adults, Carsington and Hopton Primary School 6 including the specialist teacher who works with them for one day each week, work well together. As a result, information collected on individuals is used well to plan activities, which suits the children’s individual needs well. Learning is very good because all adults expect pupils to complete activities, and to behave well both inside and outside the classrooms. As a result, the children quickly develop positive attitudes to learning and work with great enthusiasm and enjoyment. They generally concentrate very well as they work on activities they are given. When they are offered a range of activities to choose from, they confidently work independently or in small groups. Clear profiles are

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Commentary

developed on the children based on the national guidance. These clearly track pupils’ progress through all areas.

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Commentary

16. The very good start that children get when they enter the school continues throughout their time there. As the parents identified, the challenge of mixed-age classes is addressed very well. Teachers have a thorough understanding of the subjects they teach, and lessons are planned rigorously. A very strong feature of many lessons is the pupils' ability to work very well on their own when teachers are working with specific years or groups. This was seen to good effect when Year 5 and 6 pupils undertook work on percentages, whilst the class teacher worked with the Year 3 and 4 pupils. Year 1 and 2 pupils studied objects from the past and present independently as part of their work in history. Pupils of all ages show mature attitudes to learning and recognise that they are expected to be responsible for aspects of their work, which allows their teachers time with different groups of pupils. They also realise that if they have any serious difficulties, their teachers or teaching

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Commentary

assistants will respond to their needs immediately, such is the quality of teachers' awareness in all classrooms.

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Commentary

17. A combination of high expectations from teachers, enthusiasm from pupils and lessons taught at a good pace, produce teaching and learning of a very high quality. The pupils cover a comprehensive range of work through the year. Literacy and numeracy lessons are well managed, and the skills associated with these areas of learning are successfully promoted in other areas of the curriculum. Speaking and listening skills are also developed well. Because of their very good behaviour, and the respect they show for each other and the staff, the spoken contributions of pupils are listened to very carefully. Successful questioning by teachers ensures that pupils of all ages and abilities are involved and contribute to lessons.

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Commentary

18. Thorough assessment procedures have recently been introduced. These clearly show how well individual pupils are progressing in reading, writing and mathematics. From this information, teachers are able to predict possible grades, and then track pupils’ rate of progress to see if they are on course to reach their targets. Performance information is used effectively to place pupils into groups during literacy and numeracy lessons, and to move individuals and groups of pupils on to the next stage of learning more easily. In addition, all pupils have individual targets for reading, writing and numeracy and, as a result, they begin to develop a good awareness of how well they are doing. In other subjects, teachers have developed satisfactory systems that inform them how well pupils have achieved. This enables them to generally prepare work that is accurately matched to the needs of all pupils. Marking is good; it is always supportive, and generally informs pupils how to

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The curriculum

The curriculum is broad and balanced, well planned, and contains a range of interesting and exciting learning opportunities. It enables the children in the Foundation Stage to receive a good start to their school life. Pupils with special educational needs require some additional support, but are presently cared for satisfactorily. There is an effective programme for the development of personal, social and health education (PSHE). The school’s staff and resources for learning support the curriculum well. The accommodation is only satisfactory; the space is limited, but it is used well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils are offered the wide range of activities that support all curriculum areas. • Visits into the local community, and further afield, enrich many subjects. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 7 • Pupils have good opportunities to take part in activities outside the school day. • There are ample opportunities to promote PSHE and citizenship. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 8

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Commentary

19. The curriculum is well planned, and includes all subjects of the National Curriculum. In addition, older pupils have the opportunity to learn French. The school deals very successfully with the mixed-age classes by using either a two-year or four-year rolling programme to plan most lessons. Curriculum planning is thorough, and interesting activities are developed in all subjects. Teachers successfully tackle the wide range of abilities and ages within each class. They also provide links with other subjects, which consistently reinforce pupils’ learning. There is an interesting selection of activities for pupils to take part in after school. The parents particularly like the recent sporting opportunities that have been included.

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Commentary

20. The children in Reception work well alongside the pupils in Years 1 and 2. The curriculum for the few children in the Foundation Stage is good. Activities in all the areas of learning are interesting and linked to the national guidance. Emphasis is placed on the promotion of personal, social and emotional development in all activities. These youngest children receive a good start to their school life. Resources effectively support most areas, but because of lack of space, the children have limited opportunities to use large climbing equipment. However, they have sufficient opportunities to develop physically. The immediate outside area is small, but there are playground areas and a large field where the children take part in activities that promote physical development. These facilities are used well to promote pupils’ physical well being.

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Commentary

21. This strong emphasis on the development of personal and social skills permeates the whole school. All teachers follow the well-structured PSHE programme that focuses on keeping safe, and developing a healthy lifestyle. As a result, pupils in Year 6 very sensibly sell healthy snack options during morning break. For one day each week, they sell only fruit. As they divide packets of raisins into smaller portions, and give younger pupils change, they develop and reinforce skills taught in numeracy lessons. Older pupils are polite and kind to the younger children who come and buy from them, and their behaviour is a credit to the school. They clearly show how successful the PSHE programme is.

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Commentary

22. The provision for special educational needs is only satisfactory. Historically, there has been only a very small minority of pupils identified as having special educational needs and sometimes none at all. Since the appointment of the new headteacher, a number of pupils have been identified as requiring additional help, and a few other pupils are causing concern. Satisfactory systems have recently been adopted to help these pupils. Individual education plans have been developed for all pupils with special educational needs, and parents have been informed. Pupils who have previously had difficulty acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills are now given very good quality support each week from a part-time teacher. They enjoy this small group teaching.

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Commentary

23. There are many well-planned visits that greatly enrich the curriculum. Older pupils regularly visit the local secondary school to take part in physical education lessons. All pupils visit the village church each week, and each fortnight pupils swim at the local baths. The local area is used well to promote and reinforce learning in many ways. For example, visits to Carsington Water, a local reservoir, enhance numerous subject areas, such as history and geography, art and design, and design and technology. Visits further afield to places like York and the Stone Centre enable pupils to develop an idea of the wider world, as well as consolidating learning introduced in the classrooms. When older pupils take part in the residential visit to an outdoor pursuits centre, personal and social skills are reinforced well when they learn to live alongside each other for a few days. People from the local community are regularly invited to join the school for harvest and Remembrance services,

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Commentary

and volunteers regularly come in to hear pupils read, or to accompany them on their visits out of school. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 9 24. Pupils have opportunities to take part in the wide selection of activities that take place out of school hours. These include sporting activities such as football, rugby, hockey and netball. In addition, pupils are offered musical activities, such as learning to play the violin, or the opportunity to work on school productions. These include drama options as well as dancing and singing. These activities are very well attended, and add much to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Commentary

25. The school building is very small, but all adults who work there use the limited amount of space well. All areas are well maintained and very well cared for. The outdoor accommodation consists of a main playground and two smaller areas. Information and communication technology (ICT) facilities are good. Resources in English and mathematics are good and support the subjects effectively. The talented and hard working teachers and teaching assistants are well qualified to meet the demands of the curriculum, and to develop it further. In addition, three part-time teachers come in for two and a half days and effectively support the Foundation Stage curriculum, pupils with special educational needs, and teaching in science, art and design and design and technology.

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Care, guidance and support

The school gives a high priority to pupils’ care and welfare. Procedures for ensuring this are very good, as are those for ensuring pupils’ health and safety. The school monitors the pupils’ progress and development carefully, and provides very good support, advice and guidance as they move through the school. Arrangements for involving the pupils in the work and development of the school are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils work and play in a healthy and safe environment. • The headteacher and staff know and support pupils and their families. • The school listens to parents' concerns and the school council and takes notice. • Break times and lunchtime have been carefully organised to make the most of the available space and facilities.

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Commentary

26. The school takes great care to ensure that both premises and pupils’ activities are safe. Arrangements for child protection work well and are known to the staff, and risk assessments and safety checks are carried out regularly. Play and lunch times are well supervised, and radio contact is maintained when the pupils go up to the playing field after lunch.

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Commentary

27. The pupils take a pride in their school, and the buildings are kept clean and tidy. Because of lack of a hall, the pupils eat lunch in their classrooms, but even so, the carpets remain clean and pupils clear up after their meal themselves. There is little vandalism in spite of the community having access to the playground after hours.

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Commentary

28. The school monitors pupils’ academic progress carefully, and targets are set and reviewed regularly. Written reports to parents are helpful, and there are regular evening progress meetings. All children in Reception are very well supported and looked after by the adults who work with them. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated well into classes. Outside agencies are used well to support these pupils when necessary.

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Commentary

29. The pupils have a mature attitude to bullying, and parents confirm that it is not a problem; when it occurs the school sorts it out promptly. Good behaviour is rewarded by stars and certificates. Relationships throughout the school are warm and trusting, and the pupils are well known to staff. The pupils confirm that they know who to go to if they have a problem and need help, and they know that they can also rely on their friends. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 10

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents and the community are very strong and effective. Links with other local schools are very good, and those with early years’ providers are improving.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The support that parents give to the school in and out of the classroom. • The strong links with the local church and community. • The parents' view of the school as the heart of the village.

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Commentary

30. Many parents choose to send their children to the school because it is small and at the heart of the local village community. They support the education of their children effectively by helping them with their homework and giving support in the classrooms and with extra curricular trips and activities. They are invited to visit the school regularly for assemblies, to watch productions and help the school by attending social fund-raising events.

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Commentary

31. The school provides detailed information for parents, including using village and church newsletters for publicity. Parents are kept informed of changes in routine as necessary. Regular progress and pastoral evenings are arranged to keep them up to date with their children's progress. Written annual reports are detailed and helpful, including suggestions on what pupils can do to improve, and how parents can help them to do so.

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Commentary

32. Parents are happy that any problems that arise at school will be sorted out promptly, and they know that they can talk to the school with confidence. Parents on the governing body are well known at the school gate and approachable.

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Commentary

33. The school has strong links with the local church, where school assemblies are held weekly, and with the local trustees of the school, who still give it financial support. The school finds links with the local Carsington Water particularly useful, and visits are made to it frequently. Pupils' horizons are also broadened with visits further afield and contacts via an e-mail system. Sporting and curricular links with local primary and secondary schools are also strong and effective.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. Many subjects and aspects of school are well led. The governance of the school is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher's strong leadership contributes much to the success of the school. • Other key staff contribute significantly to the running of the school. • Governors are proactive in shaping the development and future of the school. • The teachers are very good role models for pupils. • There is insufficient monitoring of provision for special educational needs.

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Commentary

34. The new headteacher has had a significant impact since joining the school and is a very good leader. The parents believe that the school is well led and managed, and he is popular with the pupils because of his energy, enthusiasm and humour. The headteacher is ambitious for the school, but is also thoughtful about current practice and self-critical. This is well illustrated by the new priorities added to the school development plan that he inherited. He has been very successful Carsington and Hopton Primary School 11 in improving the resources for ICT in a very short period of time, and raising the profile of sporting activities at the school. Many of the pupils commented on this through their pre-inspection questionnaires. There is a very noticeable 'team approach' in all that is done at the school. This does not just include other staff, but pupils, parents and governors. The positive atmosphere is

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Commentary

evident for anyone entering the school. Pupils are aware that they have to work hard, but enjoy their education.

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Commentary

35. Like many very small schools, there is one whole-school team. Although staff are very clear about their roles, and have subject and aspect responsibilities, school issues are discussed as a team, and decisions are made after listening to, and valuing, everyone's contribution. Evaluation is a high priority, and the headteacher not only monitors teaching in the other class, but also expects to be observed teaching himself, so that he can develop his own practice. Teaching is very effective and all of the teachers inspire and motivate the pupils. They are knowledgeable about current practice, and are very effective in dealing with the challenge of mixed-age classes. This is well illustrated with the provision for the Reception-aged children. The adults who are involved with the children in Reception work successfully together as a team. This is because all systems are clear and understood by everyone, and they all have a secure knowledge of how these young children

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Commentary

learn. As a result, these children achieve very well.

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Commentary

36. Although a good feature, the management of the school is not as strong as the leadership. Much of this is due to the relatively short time that the headteacher has been at the school. There is a strong emphasis on maintaining the high standards that are normally found at the school, and a number of new processes have been introduced by the headteacher to monitor pupils' progress. Assessment procedures in some subjects are relatively new and not yet fully established. Although the key issues for action in the school development plan are relevant to the school's current situation, the headteacher would acknowledge that the development plan format needs to be reviewed in order that it is clearer and more effective to use. The links between budget setting and development planning should also become more secure with proposed changes to the development planning process. There are insufficient systems in place to monitor how well pupils with special

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Commentary

37. The governors make a very good contribution to the work of the school. They understand the school's strengths and weaknesses very well, and are in close touch with the work of the school as members of various committees and through visits. They have a clear view about the school's future development and have initiated a number of meetings to discuss building a new school, mainly funded through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Meetings have been held with the local authority, the diocese and local community. As part of the development, the governors would be looking to offer accommodation and resources to improve the early years provision for the area, but to remain as a small school overall. Governors are very conscious that the number of pupils who either join or leave the school is rarely equal, and this has implications for the school budget. The strategy of developing early years provision may ensure that the school's admission number is met every year.

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Commentary

Governors are not looking to raise admission numbers.

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Commentary

38. The governors have appropriate procedures to ensure that they fulfil their statutory duties to agree and monitor the school budget. They do their best, along with the headteacher and staff, to ensure that the financial resources available to the school are used properly to provide for the needs of the pupils. The carry forward amount is above the recommended levels, and reflects a cautious and sensible approach to setting budgets with the uncertainty of pupil numbers. For example, two children joined the school this year, whilst seven left for secondary education. In a small school, funding for only a few pupils can mean a significant proportion of the budget, and the governors are very aware of this. A budget has been set for the current financial year which allows the school to maintain its staffing levels, but the school and governors are aware that they cannot continue to rely on the carry forward which is becoming smaller each year.

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Commentary

Carsington and Hopton Primary School 12 Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 126,368 Balance from previous year 21,295 Total expenditure 122,214 Balance carried forward to the next 18,253 Expenditure per pupil 2,350

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Commentary

39. Both the school and governors are aware of the need to apply best value principles when securing goods and services. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 13

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. Year groups vary in size, but are normally small. There are currently only two children in Reception. The following report is based upon the detailed observation of the work of the two young children, plus lengthy discussions with the teaching staff involved, and the scrutiny of work from previous Foundation Stage children. Over the last few years, information collected when children start school indicates that attainment on entry is at expected levels, although there is generally a wide range of abilities. This was similar during the previous inspection. Induction procedures are satisfactory and ensure that the children settle in quickly. There are two small outdoor areas that are used well to support learning during the school day. There is a generous selection of resources, but there is no large equipment for climbing because of the lack of space. However, the school does belong to a local group from whom they

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

borrow large equipment from time to time. In addition, there is a school field that is used to help children’s physical development, and the school visits a local adventure playground occasionally. Children achieve well during their time in Reception. Activities are well planned to develop learning in all areas. The children work for four days each week in a class alongside pupils in Years 1 and 2. Teaching is very good. A teaching assistant effectively supports the children, and this adds to the very good achievement they make. In addition, they receive good quality support from a specialist teacher, who teaches them for one day a week. This support is generally organised as small group teaching outside the classroom, and focuses on child-initiated activities that support all areas of learning. All adults develop very good relationships with the children, and promote personal and social skills consistently throughout the day. Assessment procedures are good. Adults continually

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

collect useful information on the children and use this well when they plan lessons. The school uses the national guidance to develop profiles on children, and these clearly show the progress that each child makes.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good. This area is consistently well promoted in all activities. • Adults support learning well as they interact sensitively when children work in a small group or alone. • Personal and social skills are reinforced very well. • The children develop positive attitudes to learning and achieve very well. • Behaviour is very good.

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Commentary

41. Very good provision enables children to equal or exceed the expected levels by the end of their time in Reception. All adults have very high expectations regarding behaviour; as a result, they behave very well. The children confidently choose activities themselves and also work happily on topics that have been selected for them. They get on very well with each other and with the adults who they come into contact with. Teaching is very good. All adults quickly develop good relationships with the children and plan activities which suit their individual needs well. The children show very positive attitudes to learning; they are inquisitive and confidently ask questions to find out more. They are interested in all they do. The children work well together and begin to develop the skills necessary to work independently. Personal independence is very well developed. For example, when the Reception children work alongside the Years 1 and 2 pupils, it is difficult to pick

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Commentary

Carsington and Hopton Primary School 14 out the younger children. The Reception children confidently join in with whole-class discussions and sit and listen attentively. Achievement is very good. Previous planning shows that celebrations such as Christmas and Easter are focused on activities which give the children a good insight into Christianity. In addition, visits to different places of worship, such as a Mosque, enable them to begin to develop an appreciation of different religions.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good. • The children respond very positively to lessons. • By encouraging the children to listen attentively and to ask questions, adults help the children to achieve well. • Occasionally, adults miss opportunities to develop writing skills.

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Commentary

42. The children are on course to reach or exceed the expected levels by the end of their time in Reception. Teaching is very good. There are well-planned opportunities for them to write; as a result, they pick up pencils confidently. Work from earlier Foundation Stage children confirms that they have achieved very well, in particular with regard to writing. They write confidently, but at times adults miss opportunities to show the children the correct way to write their letters. This is not helpful because, if children constantly write letters incorrectly, they have great difficulty trying to join them when they get older. Reading skills are developed very well, which results in the children picking up books and reading confidently for their age. They easily identify the main characters in the stories they listen to, and children have the opportunity to take books home. The children have many

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Commentary

opportunities to develop speaking skills. The adults value what they say which gives them confidence to speak out in class discussions. Adults generally have very high expectations regarding listening carefully and as a result the children listen attentively at all times.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

43. There was too little evidence to make a judgement on provision in mathematical development. However, the planning for this area is good. For example, it develops children’s idea of basic coins up to 20p. Activities are imaginative and interesting and are linked well to creative development and communication, language and literacy, as they include experiencing life as the ‘shop keeper’ and the ‘customer’. Other activities include using crayons to make coin rubbings. Children’s previous work clearly shows that the children are taught how to write numbers correctly and develop basic mathematical vocabulary such as ‘empty’, ‘nearly full’ and ‘full’. The children work through many activities in order to develop an understanding of numbers up to 10 and then 20.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children achieve very well. • Teaching is very good because activities are well planned. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 15 • There are good opportunities for children to develop ICT skills because ICT is used well to support many areas.

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Commentary

44. Activities are very well planned and imaginatively thought out to support this area. Teaching is very good. Reception children were seen working alongside the pupils in Year 1 and 2 as they learnt facts about light. The children listened very well and concentrated hard as the teacher read a story about The Owl who was afraid of the dark . Language was cleverly developed as the story was linked with ‘dark’ and ‘light’. With support from a teaching assistant, the children worked through a simple investigation and recorded their results using the same format as the children in Years 1 and 2. Achievement was very good. At the end of the lesson, during a whole-class discussion, a higher attaining child in Reception confidently said, ‘Light hits your eyes and then you can see’. Children’s previous work shows that they have looked at body parts and named different parts of the face. They have talked about past and present and thought about how things have changed since they

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Commentary

were babies. Their recent work has included activities related to what life was like at the seaside long ago, and they have made comparisons with what it is like today. The children have looked at different places that are popular seaside towns. The children begin to develop a good idea of the local area. They are planning to go into the village and look at the different buildings and then draw what they see. There are frequent visits to Carsington Water, which is nearby and has an adventure playground that supports their physical development. Children develop a good awareness of how ICT can support many activities. They confidently work through a good selection of programs that reinforce many areas. For example, one boy was seen independently working through a program which was set on a beach. He very confidently clicked on the clouds and made it rain; then clicked on the suntan cream and made a teddy bear rub some cream on himself. When asked why the

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Commentary

teddy bear did that, the boy very confidently said, ‘To stop him getting sun burnt’. Other programs reinforce language and literacy and mathematical skills well. The children achieve well and are on course to achieve or exceed the expected levels.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

45. There was too little evidence to make a judgement on provision in physical development. The teacher works hard to plan activities to support this area despite space being limited. Although there is no hall, they use the playground areas and the field well for the children to develop physically. In addition, from time to time, they visit a local adventure playground and borrow equipment from a local resource that loans out larger equipment to small schools. In particular, when they work alone with the specialist teacher, the children have good opportunities to play imaginatively and confidently with constructional toys and have good opportunities to play using sand and water. The school has successfully addressed the issue relating to unsafe playground equipment that was reported during the previous inspection.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

46. There was too little evidence to make a judgement on provision in creative development. The teacher has developed portable boxes for imaginative play because the classroom is too small for permanent areas. For example, she has a box that turns into ‘the beach’. When yellow and blue fabrics are put on the ground, and the other interesting items are taken out of the box, the children are ‘at the seaside’. Children in Reception were seen working very well in a small group with Year 1 pupils. The lesson was well resourced as they imagined they were at the seaside; they sorted fish and decided which ones might sting or bite them, and they played with seaweed. The teacher missed the opportunity to promote reading and writing skills by not having the names of the seaside artefacts available. Children’s previous work indicated that they have many opportunities to use paint, glue and different materials to develop collages and pictures. Planning shows that the children

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

have many opportunities to develop a repertoire of songs as they learn to sing songs about the seaside and number rhymes. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 16

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good. • Standards are well above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • Pupils achieve very well because they consistently work hard and have very positive attitudes to learning. • Teaching assistants effectively support the pupils.

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Commentary

47. Standards are well above average at the end of Year 6. These standards are similar to the 2003 national test results, and an improvement on those reported during the previous inspection. In Year 2, standards in writing and reading are well above average. This is similar to the 2003 national tests for writing, but an improvement on reading. Last year, the lack of the higher Level 3 in Year 2 for reading alerted the school to concentrate more on this aspect of English. As a result, reading levels in Year 2 have improved significantly. Reading and writing standards at the end of Year 2 have improved since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

48. Most pupils speak confidently in all year groups because, in both classes, there are very good opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills. This is particularly noticeable during whole- class discussions because teachers’ questioning skilfully addresses all abilities and ages, which results in all pupils being involved. In addition, teachers value what pupils have to say, and the pupils respect each other and listen very well to one another and their teachers.

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Commentary

49. Pupils in all year groups have reading and writing targets, and these enable them to see how well they are doing. Reading diaries support learning well; in particular, when they contain informative comments which tell pupils what they need to do to improve. During lessons, pupils in both classes confidently use the skills they have been taught as they read, or closely follow, the texts they are given. Most pupils are enthusiastic readers. Achievement is very good. In both classes there are opportunities to develop neat, legible handwriting. Pupils in all year groups write confidently. Drafting and re-drafting skills are developed well, and clearly show the high standards achieved. Information and communication technology is used well to support the subject. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 use the computers to sign in each morning and have regular opportunities to develop word processing skills. In addition, there are a number of programs which

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Commentary

they use to develop reading skills and listening skills. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 were seen using the computers to plan, edit and redraft formal letters to a Member of Parliament to try and persuade them not to allow a circus to come to the village. They used the laptops with confidence, accuracy and independence. Pupils throughout the school achieve well as they acquire writing skills.

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Commentary

50. Teaching is very good. One of the reasons for this is that lessons are planned to address the mixed-age classes. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported during lessons, and this enables them to work through all activities. In addition, each week they receive good quality support outside the classroom, which focuses on basic literacy skills. Information collected on individual pupils is used well to predict future grades in reading and writing, and to track pupils’ progress. It is used further to group pupils and match activities accurately to their needs. Activities are interesting and imaginative, and resources are well chosen to reinforce and develop learning. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 were seen thoroughly enjoying learning to spell alongside their glove puppet – ‘Russell Crow’. Texts are chosen well and promote pupils' cultural development, such as in Years 1 and 2 when they read Amazing Grace, and in Years 3 and 4, Grandpa

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Commentary

Chatterley . Marking is always supportive, and the best examples inform the pupils how well they are Carsington and Hopton Primary School 17 doing. Learning is effective in both classes because pupils develop very good relationships with their teachers, concentrate well, and have very positive attitudes to their work. Resources are good and support learning in all aspects of the subject. Although space is limited, the staff have worked hard at developing library resources. The subject is very well managed. Both teachers work well together and have a very good idea of the standards achieved by all pupils in their classes. Good assessment procedures have recently been introduced, and teachers are now able to track pupils’ progress as they move through the school.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

51. There are good opportunities to write in different subjects. Teachers have high expectations regarding the presentation of all written tasks, and the pupils respond positively to these high demands. Literacy lessons are reinforced well in history. For example, when pupils write about interviews with famous people of the past, such as Sir Francis Drake and other historical characters. In other curriculum areas pupils use their drafting and re-drafting skills as they develop ‘best pieces’ of work. Pupils in Year 2 produced well-presented pieces of writing about The Gunpowder Plot when they studied Guy Fawkes. Language was developed well when Year 6 pupils looked up the meanings of words such as ‘monasteries’, ‘harbours’ and ‘slaves’ in humanities. Whenever the pupils are expected to write, literacy skills are generally promoted very well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average in Years 2 and 6. • The pupils achieve very well. • Teaching and learning are both very good. • The subject is a key focus in the school’s development plan.

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Commentary

52. Standards in mathematics are well above average for pupils in Years 2 and 6. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Standards in Year 2 have improved on the national test results for 2003. Standards in Year 6 are similar to last year. The pupils work very hard at the subject and achieve very well. The very good teaching and learning that take place across the school also contribute to the pupils' achievement. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as their classmates because they are provided with a successful programme of support. Although national data suggests that the differences between boys and girls performance is greater than that found nationally, particularly in Year 6 where the girls have performed better than the boys, there was no evidence of this during the inspection.

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Commentary

53. Teaching and learning is a strength of the subject. The teachers have good subject knowledge, use the national strategy for numeracy effectively, and pay special attention to the demands and needs of mixed-age classes. Some of the lesson planning and organisation observed during the inspection was excellent. Teachers have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve, and place great emphasis on the pupils' personal development. Pupils are given responsibility for some of their own learning and are expected to work independently. They do this well, which gives teachers the opportunity to work with particular groups of pupils. Lessons have pace and no time is wasted. In response, pupils are constantly engaged with their work, show high levels of application and concentration and a strong desire to learn. Analysis of pupils' previous work reveals that they cover a good range of work, including problem solving and mathematical

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Commentary

investigations. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 18 54. The subject is well led and managed. Mathematics is a key focus in the school development plan. This is the result of a recent decline in standards at Year 2 and mathematical achievement not being as high as English and science in Year 6. More resources have been provided, and a new commercial scheme has been purchased to support the work of the teachers. The school's own assessments, and inspection evidence, would indicate that the additional effort has already had some success. For example, standards in Year 5 are well above average, indicating that these pupils have made very good progress from Year 2. Assessment procedures are good, and allow the teachers to track the progress of individual pupils very carefully. Pupils who are finding difficulties with mathematics, and not making the same progress as their peers, are provided with effective

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Commentary

additional support. Teachers' marking is thorough. Not only is it supportive to the pupils, but also provides them with guidance on how to improve. Homework is used successfully to support learning in school, and pupils are provided with targets to enable them to assess their own work. Year 6 pupils are supportive of this process.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

55. Mathematics is promoted well across other areas of the curriculum. During the inspection, Year 5 and 6 pupils were observed discussing the terms 'average', 'mean' and 'mode' as part of their work with spreadsheets in ICT, and Year 3 and 4 pupils were producing different graphs in ICT from a range of data. In science, pupils collect and record data, and measuring activities are included in design and technology. The oldest pupils in the school are also given responsibility to sell 'healthy' foods to other pupils at break time.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average in Years 2 and 6. • The majority of pupils achieve very well. • On some occasions, pupils with special educational needs do not make the same progress as their peers. • The quality of teaching is very good.

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Commentary

56. Standards in science are well above average in Years 2 and 6. This is an improvement on the previous inspection, particularly in Year 2, where standards have improved significantly. The majority of pupils achieve very well, and this is a better picture than at the time of the previous inspection when pupils' progress was only satisfactory through Key Stage 1. Occasionally, pupils with special educational needs could do better. They are sometimes given work that they find too challenging and, if they are not supported, it results in unfinished work. The current standards maintain the teacher assessments and national test results of 2003.

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Commentary

57. Since January 2003, a part-time teacher has undertaken all of the science teaching in the school. This is a successful arrangement that allows the headteacher, and full-time class teacher, non-contact time to undertake management responsibilities. The quality of teaching is very good. The charismatic and knowledgeable teacher makes science lessons interesting and exciting, as well as effectively challenging the pupils. This was seen to good effect as Key Stage 1 pupils were observed looking at the source of natural light, and Key Stage 2 pupils studied rocks and soils and reversible and irreversible changes. Both teaching and learning are very good. A particular feature of all lessons is the initial introductions that are informative and grab the pupils' imaginations. Carsington and Hopton Primary School 19 Explanations are clear, and questioning is challenging and involves all pupils. Humour is used well,

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Commentary

and the majority of pupils develop their knowledge and understanding successfully. Proper emphasis is placed on investigative work, with the pupils responding well to the challenge of working together and finding answers.

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Commentary

58. The part-time teacher has taken whole-school responsibility for the subject and provides good leadership and management. He is an outstanding classroom practitioner who is a good role model for other staff and for the pupils. He has developed effective assessment procedures that, once established, will allow staff to track pupils' knowledge and understanding. The school also uses nearby Carsington Water to develop aspects of the science curriculum. The Year 6 pupils spoke confidently about using this very good resource for studies about water and the environment.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since the previous inspection. • The pupils make good progress. • Resources for the subject are good. • Information and communication technology supports other areas of the curriculum well.

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Commentary

59. Pupils reach standards above the levels expected in both Years 2 and 6. All pupils make good progress. This is considerable improvement since the previous inspection when standards were lower and pupils' progress was not so rapid.

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Commentary

60. As only one lesson was observed during the inspection, it is not possible to make an overall judgement on teaching and learning. However, discussions with pupils in Years 2 and 6 indicate that the pupils are given a good range of opportunities to develop their ICT skills and extend their knowledge and understanding of the subject. Pupils talked confidently about the subject and, in the words of one Year 6 pupil, ‘We are always using it.’ The observed lesson was good. The Years 5 and 6 pupils worked on spreadsheets, whilst the Years 3 and 4 pupils produced different kinds of graphs from imaginary data. Links with mathematics were promoted well, and there were good examples during the lesson of pupils working co-operatively together and joining in group discussion. The teacher's interactions with the pupils were good. This enabled him to encourage a debate with the Years 3 and 4 pupils about considering the needs of an audience when presenting data, and

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Commentary

supporting Years 5 and 6 pupils as they thought about different formulas for their spreadsheets.

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Commentary

61. Resources for the lesson were good and were a notable feature. The headteacher, who is the subject co-ordinator for ICT, has developed the school's resources successfully since his arrival, particularly the hardware. He has used fund-raising events to improve resources, and enabled ICT to be used to support other areas of the curriculum more successfully. He provides good leadership and management for the subject. He is a good role model in the classroom and has secure subject knowledge. He has introduced appropriate interim assessment procedures for the subject that will be developed further in the new academic year with the arrival of new assessment software.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

62. The school uses ICT well to support other subjects of the curriculum. During the inspection, Years 5 and 6 pupils were observed using laptop computers as part of an exercise on formal and informal letter writing. Their word processing skills were very good. Analysis of pupils' work from Year 2 provided examples of ICT supporting English, mathematics and science. In the Key Stage 1 classroom, photographs of Carsington Water are displayed, emphasising that a digital camera has Carsington and Hopton Primary School 20 been used and Year 2 pupils were able to discuss using the computer to help their work with spellings and tables.

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HUMANITIES

63. Geography and history were not part of the inspection focus; therefore, no judgement can be made about provision. One history lesson was observed in Years 1 and 2. The quality of teaching and learning in this lesson was very good. On the classroom wall an informative display promoted interest in the subject, and reinforced skills and knowledge previously taught. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 spoke enthusiastically about history topics they have worked on.

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HUMANITIES

64. The pupils in Year 2 have covered a satisfactory range of work in geography and history. In history, pupils have had opportunities to use literacy skills, and all written work is well presented. For example, when they wrote about Guy Fawkes and The Gunpowder Plot, pupils of all abilities produced neat and accurate historical accounts. During the lesson observed, pupils in Years 1 and 2 demonstrated a good understanding of similarities and differences from the past as they worked on their seaside topic. Photographs were used very well to reinforce and develop their understanding. Speaking skills were effectively promoted and clearly indicated the confident levels the pupils have reached. As a result, pupils achieved very well. In geography, Year 2 pupils spoke about how they had looked at maps to find the location of different places. They knew that they lived in England and one higher attaining boy said that it was really ‘Derbyshire’ where they lived. Most

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HUMANITIES

pupils name other countries, but a few were muddled between the idea of a town and a country. Limited work was available, but all pieces were well presented. 'Barnaby Bear' regularly goes on holiday with the younger pupils. This enables them to get a better idea of the wider world. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 looked at the most popular seaside places to visit. Mathematical and ICT skills were used well as pupils used charts and graphs to present the information they had collected.

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HUMANITIES

65. The pupils in Year 6 have covered a satisfactory range of work in history and geography. Written tasks are well presented and clearly show the high levels achieved in writing. During discussions, pupils listened very well, and all spoke confidently and accurately about their geography and history work, clearly showing the high standards of speaking and listening skills achieved. Pupils are beginning to understand the different periods of time that they study in history. They spoke about enjoying visits to local places in the community such as Carsington Water, which supports many curriculum areas, but geography in particular when they study the water cycle. All pupils enjoyed visiting the Viking museum in York because it developed and reinforced skills and knowledge previously taught in history. Well planned visits enrich history and geography well and play a major part in promoting pupils’ social and cultural development.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were not a focus of the inspection, and there was not enough evidence to report fully on them. No lessons were observed in these subjects. However, some work was sampled in these subjects and discussions were held with pupils from both Years 2 and 6.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. In discussions about art and design, Year 6 pupils talked confidently about a number of well- known artists, including Van Gogh, Lowry, Matisse and Picasso. They indicated that they had produced pictures in the style of some of these painters, and could identify particular characteristics of their work. They discussed using sketchbooks, and recollected producing sketches of Carsington Water that were then developed into paintings back at school. In design and technology, Year 5 and 6 pupils are currently designing and making electric cars.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

68. Two acts of collective worship were observed during the inspection in which all of the pupils sang enthusiastically and tunefully. Year 2 pupils discussed their work with rhythm, whilst Year 6 pupils identified a range of different composers. The pupils listen to different styles of music in Carsington and Hopton Primary School 21 assembly, including tunes from Africa or India. The school's music provision is enhanced with the support provided by peripatetic teachers.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

69. The school's limited indoor and outdoor accommodation makes delivering an appropriate physical education curriculum challenging. However, the school does very well to ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met. All pupils are given an opportunity to swim, and the outdoor and adventurous activities element of the curriculum is met through a residential visit. During the inspection, Key Stage 2 pupils visited the local secondary school as part of a programme of work in gymnastics. The session was led by a member of the senior school's physical education department and provided the pupils with a good opportunity to work in a proper gym. A range of extra-curricular activities and sporting competitions with other schools also supports the physical education curriculum very well. This provision has been increased under the current headteacher and is popular with both pupils and parents, who see it as one of the strengths of the school.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

70. The programme for PSHE is good, and there is a strong emphasis on the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle and keeping oneself safe. There are clear guidelines for teachers to plan lessons. Personal, social and health education lessons are planned in all classes, but no lessons were seen during the inspection. However, pupils’ previous work in Year 2 shows that the class have discussed, and written about, what it is they need to make their body healthy. One pupil wrote, ‘exercise, medicine and fuss’. By completing such activities, not only is PSHE awareness reinforced, but literacy skills are also promoted well. This important part of the curriculum is effectively emphasised in all the school does. For example, at break time Year 6 pupils sell healthy options such as raisins and healthy breakfast bars. On ‘Fruity Friday’ they only sell fruit. These pupils in Year 6 spoke very maturely and convincingly about what they were doing and why.

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 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 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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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 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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