Cheriton Primary School

CHERITON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st – 24 th June 2004

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CHERITON PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 395

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Road Folkestone Kent Postcode: CT20 3EP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01303 276112 Fax number: 01303 272305

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr. Peter Gane

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th July 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Cheriton Primary is on the outskirts of the seaside town of Folkestone. It is a larger than average school, with 395 pupils on roll. The majority, 84 per cent, are from white British backgrounds and most others from Asian backgrounds. A significant minority of pupils are Nepali, whose parents are based at the local army barracks for the Gurkha regiment. Forty pupils are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language. The number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is broadly in line with the national average, although this data is misleading as a significant minority of the families with children at the school are not entitled to claim free school meals. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is above the national average. The proportion of pupils with statements is high, mainly because the school provides a unit for hearing-impaired pupils. Other needs include moderate learning difficulties, speech and

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

communication, autism, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and physical disability. The socio-economic circumstances of the area around the school are less favourable than the national picture. When they start school, pupils’ skills and knowledge are generally less well developed than expected for their ages. A significant number of pupils do not start their education at Cheriton, but transfer from other schools at various stages in their schooling. Equally, a significant proportion leaves at some time before the usual end of primary education. This represents high mobility which, in this case, is a factor in the overall picture of standards achieved in the school. Cheriton Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

3525 Peter McGregor Lead inspector Science, Information and communication technology (ICT), Design and technology, Physical education 9537 Caroline Marden Lay inspector 30814 Elizabeth Coley Team inspector Mathematics, Art, Personal, social and health education (PSHE), Music 20760 Sheila Roberts Team inspector English, English as an additional language, Religious education 30244 Roger Tapley Team inspector Foundation Stage, Geography, History

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23300 Lily Evans Team inspector Hearing impaired unit, Special educational needs

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e-Qualitas Limited

Langshaw Pastens Road Oxted Surrey RH8 0RE

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e-Qualitas Limited

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). Cheriton Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

OVERALL EVALUATION Cheriton is a sound school , providing a caring environment. Teaching, learning and achievement are satisfactory. Standards are generally below average when pupils start school and at the end of Year 6. The headteacher, supported by governors and staff, has worked very hard to see that all pupils are valued, whatever their background. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory overall, with strengths but also weaknesses. Value for money is satisfactory. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are • The leadership of the headteacher has not been effective enough in driving the school forward to improve pupils’ achievements and in resolving problems as they arise • Teaching, learning and achievement in the Reception year are very good • Pupils achieve very well in ICT; they underachieve in science • Pupils in the hearing impaired unit and those pupils for whom English is an additional language

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

are very well integrated into school life and achieve well • The quality of teaching, though satisfactory, is inconsistent, with too much that is dull • A very successful focus on pupils’ personal development results in well-motivated learners • Management of what is provided for some pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection . The character of the school has changed greatly since 2000, when groups of Nepali pupils started attending the school, for many of whom English is an additional language. Pupils’ achievements overall, relative to their capabilities, are similar to those of six years ago. Resources have improved. Some progress has been made with assessment procedures and a new, worthwhile system is being introduced, although individual tracking of pupils’ progress is not yet happening. Very good developments have taken place in ICT. Curriculum planning has improved and is now

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

satisfactory. The headteacher has not tackled rigorously enough the key issue of checking the effectiveness of teaching and learning. STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D D E C mathematics D D E D science E E E E 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. Achievement overall is satisfactory . Test results at the end of Years 2 and 6 in 2003 were well below average overall. Compared to schools with similar patterns of Year 2 results in the past, the results of eleven-year-olds were below average. The mobility factors at Cheriton, however, mean that such comparisons are less significant. Currently, children achieve very well during their Reception year because of the focus on building their confidence to work and play together and on the skills of speaking and listening. By the time they enter Year 1, however,

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

many will not have reached the goals expected in several areas, mainly because of their low language levels when they start at the school. The most successful areas are personal, social and emotional development and physical development. In Years 1 and 2, pupils achieve well, particularly in speaking and listening, but standards are below average overall. Pupils’ progress is good in English and satisfactory in maths. In Years 3 to 6, achievement is Cheriton Primary School - 7 satisfactory, including in English and maths. Achievement is unsatisfactory in science across the school and standards are much lower than they should be. ICT standards are above average by the end of Year 6 and achievement is very good. Pupils do well in art. In other subjects standards are broadly as expected, or a little below, and pupils achieve satisfactorily. Hearing impaired pupils achieve well because individual education plans are targeted well to

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

their needs. Other pupils with special educational needs generally achieve satisfactorily. Pupils for whom English is an additional language achieve well because of the priority given to developing oral skills. Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good . Relationships between staff and pupils are very good. Pupils have very good attitudes to school; they are respectful, polite and friendly. Attendance is average. Most pupils arrive promptly, though a few are consistently late. QUALITY OF EDUCATION The quality of education provided is satisfactory . Teaching is satisfactory overall and leads to sound learning. It is very good in Reception, good in Years 1 and 2, and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Some excellent teaching was seen during the inspection, which resulted in highly motivated pupils, learning as well as they could. Teaching strengths include the involvement of

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

all groups of pupils and good behaviour management. As a result, pupils become good independent learners and concentrate well. However, some boring and unsatisfactory teaching was observed which did not demand enough of pupils, particularly the more able. Teaching and learning were satisfactory overall in English and maths, unsatisfactory in science, and very good in ICT. A satisfactory curriculum is enriched with a good range of extra activities. Planning is very good for ICT but unsatisfactory for the PSHE course. Accommodation and resources are good overall. Teaching staff and assistants take good care of pupils, but midday supervisors can be ineffective and treat pupils inappropriately. Most older pupils with special educational needs are not sufficiently involved in discussing the work planned for them and their progress. Annual review procedures do not meet requirements. Pupils in the hearing

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

impaired unit are aware of their own targets and their annual reviews meet requirements. The school has good links with parents, the community and other schools. LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory overall . The headteacher’s vision for a caring school has been very effectively implemented. His leadership is unsatisfactory overall as it does not focus rigorously enough on raising pupils’ achievement and on tackling issues when they are identified. Several staff lead their subjects well; there are weaknesses in the management of some areas, particularly science. Management and governance overall are satisfactory but the school has not ensured that risk assessments are always rigorously carried out. PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL Most parents are happy with the school and believe that their children are doing well. They are particularly positive about the way all pupils work and play together, the care offered, and the

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

standards of behaviour. A few parents were concerned about the cleanliness of the toilets and dangerous parking outside the main gates, with good reason. Most pupils like their teachers and feel valued within the school community. They are generally enthusiastic about their work and enjoy learning, though older pupils in their questionnaire responses were less positive about the interest created in some of their lessons. Inspection evidence supported these views. IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED The most important things the school should do to improve are Cheriton Primary School - 8 • Focus the leadership of the headteacher on raising pupils’ achievement, through checking that teaching, learning and planning are more effective, particularly in science and PSHE • Improve management and support for some older pupils with special educational needs • Tackle issues of inappropriate midday supervision, unpleasant toilets and dangerous

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

and, to meet statutory requirements • Ensure that all annual reviews and risk assessments are carried out rigorously Cheriton Primary School - 9

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall. Within this general picture, considerable variation exists, depending on subjects, year groups and pupils’ needs. Standards are below average at the age of eleven. Main strengths and weaknesses • Pupils achieve very well during their time in Reception and well in Years 1 and 2 • Science standards are much lower than expected across the school and pupils underachieve • Pupils for whom English is an additional language achieve well • Pupils achieve very well in ICT • Whilst most pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily, the youngest pupils and those with a hearing impairment do well Commentary

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

1. Compared with similar schools, the results of national tests in 2003 at the end of Year 6 were average in English, below average in maths and well below average in science. In comparison with all schools, pupils’ attainment was well below average in all three subjects. The proportion of pupils who reached a standard higher than that expected for their age was smaller than the average. The school is situated in an area which is affected by high pupil mobility, mainly because of the local military barracks, and has a significant number of pupils - about fourteen percent - for whom English is not their mother tongue. In addition, an above average number of pupils have special educational needs. These characteristics of the pupil population have a significant impact on the overall standards reached at the end of each stage of learning, but not on pupils’ achievements, which are judged relative to their own starting points and capabilities.

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

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

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

Standards in: School results National results English 24.7 (25.9) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 24.3 (26.3) 26.8 (26.7) science 25.9 (27.3) 28.6 (28.3) There were 60 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. 2. Attainment on entry to the school is variable but overall is below average, with a significant minority of children who struggle with their learning. Overall, children achieve very well in the Foundation Stage, particularly those for whom English is an additional language. The majority will achieve the expected standards in personal and social skills and physical development. Most pupils will not achieve the goals expected in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, and creative development. Overall, standards are below expectation when pupils enter Year 1. 3. Pupils’ achievement in Years 1 and 2 is good overall, a judgement based on the evidence

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

available. Standards at the end of Year 2 are below average. It is not clear what the starting points were for current Year 2 pupils as assessment and tracking records are not available. Many opportunities are given for pupils to improve their speaking and listening skills, which are particularly important to pupils with restricted use of English, and pupils achieve well in English overall, although achievement in reading and writing is not as good as in speaking and listening. In maths, pupils achieve satisfactorily during Years 1 and 2 and standards observed Cheriton Primary School - 10 are below average. Maths is taught through practical work, and it is clear from pupils’ books that less work is recorded than should be. The standard of presentation of pupils’ work is unsatisfactory at times. In science, pupils underachieve and standards are well below those expected, with little recorded work. In ICT, achievement is good and attainment is about

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

average, reflecting the very good progress made in the subject in recent years - the high quality facilities and expert knowledge have an important bearing on ICT standards. In other subjects, standards are generally of an average standard or below and achievement is satisfactory, and occasionally good. 4. From Years 3 to 6, pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. They do reasonably well, considering their starting points, but achievement is highly variable because of inconsistency in the quality of teaching, though this too is satisfactory overall. Some lessons demanded too little of more able pupils, who then underachieved. At other times, such as in the top ability maths set, higher attainers rose to the challenges given and did well. Standards are below average overall by the time pupils leave school at the end of Year 6. Achievement in English and maths is satisfactory, with some good work, but less progress is made than could be because of

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

inconsistent practice, particularly amongst the younger junior classes. Standards in science are much lower than those expected at the end of Year 6, because teacher expertise is unsatisfactory and planning is not suitable for the needs of the pupils. The work set is not demanding enough. The school has recognised this situation, but has not tackled it properly over the past four years when standards have been too low. 5. ICT standards are above average and pupils achieve very well in Years 3 to 6 because of very effective teaching. They are given opportunities in several subject areas to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills. In religious education, standards are in line with expectations and achievement is satisfactory. Other subjects - physical education, design and technology, music, geography and history - were just sampled, but indications were clear that here too standards were average or a little below and achievement was satisfactory. Whilst art

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

was only sampled, the very good displays around the school suggest that standards are above average, and achievement is good. For the taught course in personal, social and health education (PSHE), not enough evidence was collected to give an overall judgement about achievement but there were inconsistencies in pupils’ experiences. 6. Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress over their time at the school due, in great part, to the targeted help they receive and the school’s focus on the development of language and personal skills. 7. Evidence indicates that most pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall. Pupils under the age of five achieve very well. Progress of pupils towards individual education plan (IEP) targets is recorded consistently through Years 1 and 2, but not in Years 3 to 6. It is therefore unclear, in a few cases, whether pupils are achieving their

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

targets. 8. The progress of pupils in the hearing impaired unit is good. They achieve well, from a well below average starting point, and a few reach nationally expected levels by the end of Year 6. Standards achieved in writing and science are not as good as in speaking and listening, reading and maths. IEPs are well targeted to pupils’ needs and progress towards them is good. 9. Since the last inspection, the character of the school has changed significantly, so it is difficult to evaluate reliably any differences in standards. Pupils’ achievements overall, relative to their capabilities, are similar to those of six years ago, indicating that satisfactory progress has been made since the last inspection. Cheriton Primary School - 11

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to learning and behaviour are very good, an improvement since the last inspection. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Pupils’ personal development is very good overall. Provision for social, moral and cultural development is very good and is good for spiritual development. Main strengths • Very good, sometimes excellent, relationships exist between teaching staff and pupils • Pupils generally behave very well in class and around the school • Pupils are keen to participate in lessons and activities • Excellent racial harmony is a very successful feature of the school Cheriton Primary School - 12 Commentary 10. Behaviour in the school is very good. Pupils are consistently polite and go out of their way to help visitors. They respond readily to teachers’ instructions and play sensibly together in the playground. Pupils move around the school in an orderly fashion but a few do have a tendency

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

to chat inappropriately in both lessons and assemblies. This is not always adequately checked. The school works hard to keep pupils within the learning community and only uses exclusion as a last resort. Relationships within the school community are very good. The degree of racial harmony is excellent with all pupils fully accepted and included. Pupils in their questionnaire comments showed how much they appreciate having friends from different cultural backgrounds.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 330 2 White – any other White background 6 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 56

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Exclusions

11. Pupils have a high degree of trust and respect for their teachers, and expressed confidence that they would deal effectively with any incidents of bullying. This also means that they are happy to volunteer answers in lessons and to persevere with tasks they find difficult. Pupils quickly settle to their work and are keen to play an active role in the lesson. They work hard and usually concentrate well, even when the lesson is boring. They are keen to share their ideas and listen respectfully to each other’s views. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those in the hearing impaired unit, have very good attitudes to work. 12. The very good role models that teachers, teaching assistants and almost all staff provide make a significant contribution to how well pupils achieve in their personal development. Pupils recognise that they are treated fairly and so replicate this behaviour. An exception is the

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Exclusions

inappropriate attitude of midday supervisors, which will be covered in a later section of this report. 13. Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong that is reinforced by almost all staff and through assemblies and lessons. The school council gives pupils a good opportunity to take responsibility for aspects of playground provision and to explore moral issues relating to the environment in re-applying for eco-school status. The very good displays around the school celebrate different religions and cultures. The Nepali culture is extensively celebrated and valued, reflecting the high proportion of pupils from Nepal who attend the school. Pupils also learn about British culture and an assembly that combined English country dancing and traditional Nepali dancing was very moving. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is encouraged by building up their self-esteem through praise and wide recognition of their successes, including

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Exclusions

the achievement assembly. Not all assemblies attended were successful in fostering spiritual understanding. In lessons, pupils have helpful opportunities to develop an understanding of other people’s attitudes and feelings. The good range of extra-curricular sports clubs promotes pupils’ social development very well and pupils work well together in team situations. 14. Pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average. The level of unauthorised absence is relatively high, because the school will only accept written explanations even when a valid reason for the absence has been given verbally. Most pupils arrive punctually in the morning but a very small Cheriton Primary School - 13 number of pupils consistently arrive late. The school has good procedures for monitoring absence, with scope to strengthen these as the new computerised system becomes operational. Cheriton Primary School - 14

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.8 School data 0.9 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education for its pupils. The quality of teaching is inconsistent but satisfactory overall. The curriculum is satisfactory and a good range of extra- curricular activities adds to pupils’ learning and enjoyment. Pupils are generally well cared for and the school has good links with parents, other schools and the community. Risk assessments are not being carried out rigorously enough to meet health and safety requirements. Teaching and learning Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Teaching is very good in Reception, good in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. Some excellent teaching was seen during the inspection, as was some that was mundane or unsatisfactory. Assessment is satisfactory overall but information is not always used well to raise the achievement of individuals. Main strengths and weaknesses • Teaching and learning are very good in the reception classes in all areas of learning

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

• Teachers and teaching support staff are very successful at involving, in lesson activities, pupils for whom English is an additional language or those with a hearing impairment • Unsatisfactory teaching in science has resulted in underachievement • Higher attaining pupils do not learn as well as other pupils in some lessons, nor do those with special educational needs where individual education plans lack detail • Pupils learn very well in ICT in response to very good teaching and facilities • Assessment for the foundation subjects is not used consistently Commentary 15. In the Foundation Stage, the quality of teaching is very good in all areas of learning. Attainment on entry into Reception is variable but overall is below expectation. A significant number of children have special educational needs, including those who have a hearing impairment, and a high number of pupils do not have English as their mother tongue. As a result, teachers work hard across the

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

school, but particularly in these early years, to develop personal and social skills and communication, language and literacy skills. Pupils make very good progress in these areas of learning. Teaching is usually matched well to the ability of each group. Assessment of pupils’ progress in Reception is very good and staff are aware of each child’s needs, responding appropriately in planning the next stage of their learning. 16. In Years 1 and 2, teaching is good overall. Teachers continue to emphasise the development of oral skills, responding to the complex needs of pupils, including those who join the school at different times. For example, in a Year 2 English lesson based on understanding rhyming words and movement and feeling in a poem, the teacher read verses aloud in various, expressive ways. Pupils were then invited, through skilful questioning, to discuss key words and the use of interesting

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

vocabulary. This extended their language and oral skills very effectively. 17. In English and maths, more significant weaknesses in teaching were seen in Years 3 and 4 than in Years 5 and 6. The lack of challenge in some Year 3 and 4 lessons has resulted in weak foundations being built for more demanding work in Years 5 and 6. The teaching in Years 5 and 6 is sometimes good, as teachers try to develop pupils’ understanding. For example, in a Year 6 maths lesson on problem solving, pupils considered what misleading information they could disregard in order to Cheriton Primary School - 15 arrive at the correct solutions. The lack of enough investigative work in earlier years meant that the teacher had to spend time laying basic foundations before the pupils could move on in their understanding. 18. Throughout the school, the teaching of ICT is very good, and pupils make significant strides in their learning, making use of the extremely good computer facilities. For example, pupils in Year 1 were

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

learning to appreciate the sequence of operations involved and the control needed to draw squares and rectangles on the computer. Through a very wellstructured lesson and very good explanations, pupils achieved very well. As well as discrete ICT lessons, good opportunities are given in several curriculum areas to develop pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding of ICT. The teaching of science is unsatisfactory. In Years 1 and 2, very little work is recorded and, that which is, is of an inferior quality. In Years 3 to 6, lessons observed indicated that teaching lacked subject expertise, and planning was not rigorous enough to ensure that pupils’ achievements were appropriate. 19. Overall, teaching was most successful when teachers demonstrated secure subject knowledge and understanding, which was effective in moving forward pupils’ learning. Making links between subjects was seen to be effective in several lessons, and good use was made of the school site, for example

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

in art and, to some extent, in science. Imaginative and innovative teaching resulted in a variety of strategies being used that fully involved pupils in their work and helped them to achieve well. Very strong relationships between teachers and pupils result in pupils’ very good attitudes and enjoyment in learning. Behaviour is managed well; teachers, assistants and visiting adults all support pupils well. 20. Examples of mundane teaching were seen, which could have led to lessons being unsatisfactory were it not for the keenness and positive attitudes of pupils. Some over-directed teaching meant that there were fewer occasions when pupils could participate in independent work. For example in a Year 4 maths lesson, pupils did not achieve as well as they could have done because of lack of time left for practical work. Opportunities were sometimes lost for assessing pupils’ progress. A few lessons were seen where the small group of more able pupils were not challenged enough by the

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

work set for them. 21. All pupils are valued and known well, and fully involved within lessons. Most teachers match work appropriately to the needs of the class. Pupils with English as an additional language receive good support from a bi-lingual teacher and support assistant when they are at an early stage of acquiring English. Pupils with special educational needs have good support in class. When work is set at a level suitable for their needs, they make good progress. Grouping of pupils according to their skill levels in maths, for example, where teaching can focus on the next steps needed, helps those with special educational needs to learn at an appropriate pace. Where IEPs lack clear and specific targets, the teaching does not always meet individual needs and pupils underachieve. 22. Hearing-impaired pupils are well supported in lessons, which enables them to complete work successfully. In the unit, skilled levelling of literacy work for three different year groups enabled pupils

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

to progress well. Full use of visual aids and real objects was effective in giving the younger pupils a clear understanding of a story. Good questioning challenged pupils to think of their own ideas. In less successful mainstream lessons, teachers were ready to accept written work that was of too low a standard. Inappropriate positioning of pupils, teacher or teaching assistants in parts of lessons detracted from the quality of learning, as adults could not easily reach pupils in need of support. 23. Examples of marking seen were often helpful and informative in English and science, but inconsistent in maths where, on several occasions, no guidance was given on how pupils could improve. Other aspects of assessment are also inconsistent, such as discussing with pupils the quality of work and how it could be improved; this was good in English and satisfactory in maths and science. Pupils’ progress is tracked, and strengths and weaknesses identified, but the impact of

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

these on teaching and learning is not monitored sufficiently to ensure that pupils achieve as well as they can in all their subjects. A new system for assessment is currently being introduced, which allows for the use of individual targets to raise standards. 24. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory. The quality of teaching has improved in the Foundation Stage, but remains the same in other sections of the school. Some areas of weakness have not been rigorously followed through and remain to be resolved. Cheriton Primary School - 16 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 48 lessons

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

3 (6%) 8 (17%) 16 (33%) 16 (33%) 5 (10%) 0 (0 %) 0 (0%)

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

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. The curriculum The breadth and balance of the curriculum is satisfactory overall. It is mostly well planned and enriched by a good variety of extra-curricular activities. Staffing and resources are generally well matched to the curriculum. Accommodation and resources are good overall, and very good in ICT. Main strengths and weaknesses • Planning of the whole-school curriculum focuses well on all pupils, whatever their needs, having access to what is taught • ICT provision has a very positive impact on what pupils can achieve • Planning inconsistencies within year groups lead to inequality in what parallel classes experience • There is no overall plan for the delivery of PSHE across the school • A good range of extra-curricular opportunities adds to pupils’ learning and enjoyment

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Commentary 25. The curriculum is generally well planned, meets National Curriculum requirements and is relevant to pupils at their various stages. In the Foundation Stage this includes all the areas of the Early Learning Goals with a strong emphasis on personal development, communication, language and literacy, and maths development. It is a strength of the school that all groups of pupils have an equal chance to participate in what is being taught. The needs of pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue are well planned for within the curriculum; planning for pupils with special educational needs is generally satisfactory. Setting in maths is well managed and ensures good provision for older pupils. The ICT curriculum is very effective, with a very good ICT suite of computers. French has been introduced for the older pupils. The school has good procedures for preparing pupils for the next stage of their education.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

26. Within the overall picture of equal access for all groups, a few instances were apparent of pupils’ actual experience being different between parallel classes, due to a lack of co-ordinated planning by individual teachers. Additionally, although PSHE is taught through a weekly assembly and circle time, there is no overall plan to ensure that all required elements are taught to all classes. 27. Schemes of work are based on national guidance and generally meet the needs of the pupils. Further guidance is needed in some areas where teachers’ own knowledge is not secure, such as in science. The national literacy and numeracy strategies are followed well, providing a clear structure for both subjects. Individual teacher timetables are sound, although no common system or pattern is apparent, apart from those required by setting for maths. 28. Pupils and parents greatly appreciate the clubs and other opportunities the school provides to

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

extend the curriculum beyond the classroom and the school day. A very successful computer club, inter-school team games, especially football, dance and rounders clubs are a few examples. The choir and recorder groups perform both in school and at local events. These activities make a valuable contribution to the personal development and social understanding of pupils. 29. The numbers and experience of the teaching and non-teaching staff are appropriate, though a shortfall in the amount of ICT technical support available places undue time pressures on teaching staff when urgent technical issues have to be resolved. The school’s accommodation is good, with a new library and music room, and very good ICT room. The two halls meet the needs of the Cheriton Primary School - 17 curriculum well. Facilities in the hearing impaired unit are good although the acoustics of the area are not as good as they should be. The school grounds are extensive and attractive with a good wildlife

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

area, which provides a valuable contribution to resources for the National Curriculum, particularly science. The quality of the stimulating displays around the school and grounds is very good. Resources to support the curriculum are good overall and very good in some areas. The curriculum has improved well since the last inspection, when planning for subjects was much weaker. Care, guidance and support The school takes good care of its pupils and offers good support and guidance in some areas; pastoral care is very good. In some aspects, such as risk assessment, cleanliness and reviewing how well pupils are doing, systems are not rigorous enough. Main strengths and weaknesses • The pastoral care given by teachers and other teaching adults is very good for all pupils • A very good family liaison programme is in place • Induction procedures are very effective • Procedures are unsatisfactory for reviewing the progress of most pupils with special educational

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

needs • Risk assessments for outside visits are inadequate; boys’ toilets smell and are not clean enough • Midday supervisors’ attitudes to the pupils are often inappropriate Commentary 30. The ethos of care and respect for the individual permeates the school. Pupils are well known to their teachers who provide them with very good individual support and encouragement. Each pupil is valued and different groups of pupils are fully integrated into the school community. The school’s commitment to pastoral care extends beyond the pupils and it has put in place a programme of liaison that helps families access other forms of support when they need it. All this is in contrast with the way that some midday supervisors treat pupils, with unkindness, inappropriate shouting and, frequently, indifference to what is happening around them. This area of weakness in the care of pupils has not been tackled by school leadership, though it has

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

been pointed out by parents, staff and pupils. 31. The school has recently introduced a good system to track pupils’ progress but it is too new for teachers to have made much use of it to guide individual pupils towards greater achievement. Assessment data has been used well to place pupils in the correct ability groups in maths and to provide extra support in literacy and numeracy. 32. Most pupils with special educational needs are not involved in setting, recording or reviewing their progress towards IEP targets. Progress towards targets is recorded and evaluated by teaching assistants and teachers, but these records are not kept systematically or consistently through Years 3 to 6. IEPs for pupils with specific difficulties such as autistic spectrum disorder are often too general and record neither that which is additional or different from curriculum provision nor associated needs such as social skills - and they should. Annual review

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

procedures do not meet requirements because they do not present a full record of proceedings, correspondence, reports submitted, or of who was present. 33. Pupils in the hearing impaired unit are aware of their individual action plan targets, and have special times to work towards them. Annual reviews for hearing-impaired pupils meet requirements. 34. Very thorough induction programmes for pupils joining the reception class work well. When changes occur in the local regiment, the school goes out of its way to ensure that new pupils and their parents are well supported. The school opened in the summer holiday so that parents and pupils could have a tour of the school and buy school uniform. A bilingual interpreter translated the headteacher’s introduction to the school. The “buddy” system is helpful for new Cheriton Primary School - 18 pupils to find their way around the school quickly and learn the routines. The school provides

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

good support for pupils as they transfer to secondary school. The headteacher has helpful individual consultations with parents where they can discuss the different choices that are available. 35. Health and safety procedures are generally satisfactory. Child protection procedures are securely in place. Provision for first aid and administering medicines are good. However there are some concerns. Risk assessments are not properly recorded for outside visits and, although the school says that teachers do them, the only evidence is a few handwritten notes, and these are not sufficient. Parents and pupils raised concerns over the state of the toilets. The inspectors found that the girls’ toilets were in a satisfactory condition but the boys’ smelt and were not cleaned thoroughly enough. The problem has been known for some time and not enough has been done to ensure that boys use the toilets appropriately and cleaning is

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

thorough. 36. The school has maintained the good level of care for its pupils since the last inspection. The systems for welcoming new pupils and their families are a positive introduction but a number of new issues have developed and not been tackled effectively. Change over the past six years since the last inspection has been satisfactory overall. Partnership with parents, other schools and the community The school fosters and maintains good partnerships with parents and the local community. Parents support the school in many ways. Links with other schools are good and productive. Main strengths and weaknesses • The school liaises very well with pupils’ families and, in turn, parents are supportive of the school and their children’s learning • Links with the local community enhance pupils’ experiences and improve partnership with parents • A good working relationship with local schools provides opportunities for teachers to broaden

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

their knowledge and understanding and contribute to pupils’ achievement • Information for parents on the curriculum is not publicised widely enough • Parents put pupils at risk by the way in which they park illegally outside the school on restricted areas Commentary 37. The school has an open door approach that parents value, leading to warm relationships between staff and parents. Parents are confident that any concerns they might have would be listened to sympathetically. The school’s home liaison programme, partially funded by a charity, has been very successful in enabling parents to gain nationally recognised qualifications and giving them the confidence to support their children’s learning. 38. The termly consultation meetings in conjunction with the annual reports give parents good information about what their children have learnt. In response to parental comments about the timing of the reports, they are now issued mid-year so that they can be part of the target setting process.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

This also means that teachers have time to address any issues before the end of the year. The school is very committed to ensuring that all parents are well informed and has had a large range of standard letters translated into Nepali; it also uses translators when necessary. However, as the school only displays information about the curriculum in school, and does not send it home, not all parents know what their children are currently learning. 39. Parents of pupils on the special educational needs register are informed of pupils’ IEP targets at parents’ evenings. Planned discussions of IEPs only take place for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Parents are welcome to come to see the special educational needs co-ordinator if they have concerns. Parents and pupils are asked for their views at annual review meetings. There are continued good links with special schools and specialist learning support teachers who give advice and carry out

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

assessment of individuals. Cheriton Primary School - 19 40. Involvement of parents in the work of the hearing impaired unit is very good, including telephone calls and home visits where necessary. Weekly visits from a specialist speech and language therapist are arranged and links with hospitals are good. Arrangements for repairs of ear moulds are efficient, although spare moulds are not retained for emergencies. 41. The school is popular in the local area and is currently over-subscribed. The parent and teacher association works hard to raise money to improve school resources and has recently bought playground equipment. In addition, a few parents help regularly in school with a range of activities. However, in spite of many parents and pupils rightly having concerns about the safety of parking in the main road, a significant number of parents blatantly disregard the parking regulations and park directly in front of the school on the yellow zigzags.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

42. The school values links with the local community and these are strengthened by having governors who represent businesses and the army. Pupils benefit by taking part in local events, for example, the Mayor’s carol concert and choral events. The school uses the local area to support learning and pupils have recently studied the new sea defences. Local groups, such as brownies and a choral society, also use the school’s facilities regularly. 43. A range of links with different local schools supports pupils’ learning in a number of ways. A local secondary school supports gifted mathematicians and provides expertise and technical support for ICT. Good communication with the secondary schools to which most pupils go leads to smooth transfer. The school includes in this process keeping information on a school in Brunei, to which some pupils transfer, so that they have an idea of what to expect. 44. The school has maintained and extended its good links with parents, other schools and the local

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The leadership of the headteacher is unsatisfactory, though that provided by other members of staff is sound. Management and governance are satisfactory with some aspects that require improvement. Main strengths and weaknesses • The leadership of the headteacher does not focus rigorously enough on raising pupils’ achievement • Key staff manage their subjects well when given the opportunities to do so • Management of the provision for science and for older pupils with special educational needs is unsatisfactory • The school improvement plan does not focus on raising standards and is not monitored effectively • Induction procedures for teaching staff are good • Finances are managed efficiently Commentary 45. The headteacher has led the school for the past six years. His caring attitude and successful vision of providing a school where all are equally welcome is recognised by governors, staff

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

and parents. He is often in the playground at the start of the school day, giving both parents and pupils the opportunity to discuss issues. The school’s response to pupils’ and most parents’ concerns is reasonable, although several issues, such as the attitude of midday supervisors, have not been dealt with effectively. Together with the governing body, the headteacher drew up an action plan to deal with the key issues arising from the last inspection but has not succeeded in addressing all points. His leadership has not resulted in action to correct weaknesses; he has accepted too slow a rate of improvement. For example, little evidence was found of any checking on the quality of teaching and learning until the local education authority identified the school for extra support six months ago. Opportunities had therefore been lost for identifying ways to raise pupils’ standards and, since the last inspection, the

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Cheriton Primary School - 20 school’s performance has lagged behind that of similar schools. The lack of decisive leadership is a barrier to school improvement. Decisions taken in staff and senior management meetings, on procedures to influence pupils’ achievement, are not systematically recorded or their impact evaluated. So it has not been possible to measure the amount of progress made each term . This makes it very difficult for some staff to manage their subjects effectively. 46. The headteacher is well supported by a loyal and hardworking staff team. When given opportunities to undertake training to manage their subjects, the information gained has enabled co-ordinators to determine how the curriculum should be developed. This has been used to best effect in the development of English, maths and particularly ICT, which has improved greatly since the last inspection. The science co-ordinator has not been given

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

sufficient training to lead this subject well and, as a result, provision is unsatisfactory. Most teaching is at least satisfactory, but more could be done to improve that which is mundane or unsatisfactory. 47. Provision for special educational needs in the main school is managed well in Reception and Years 1 and 2. In Years 3 to 6, management is not effective enough. Staff involved, although they have received some training, are not familiar enough with required procedures, such as the recording of annual reviews. There are no regular meetings with staff to discuss progress and review the appropriateness of intervention for pupils with special educational needs considered to need support. The result of this is that, where pupils make too little progress, they are not made a focus for action. Currently discussions to identify pupils who may benefit from IEPs take place on an ad hoc basis. Regulations are not fully met.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

48. The hearing impaired unit is well managed. Efficient systems, careful timetabling and well- planned integration support the smooth running of the department. Monitoring teaching within the unit and also the experiences of pupils within the school is carried out, though there is scope for greater rigour in this process. 49. The school day runs smoothly as clear procedures are in place for most areas of school life and are generally followed. Staff work well together, assisting one another. The school has good systems for induction of staff. Newly qualified teachers are supported well in their professional development so that they are increasingly effective within the classroom. 50. The school improvement plan outlines the school’s priorities, for example ‘to improve standards in writing across the school’. The targets set, however, do not focus rigorously enough on improving pupils’ skills in order to raise achievement. The plan is not monitored to

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

ensure all issues are dealt with effectively and, as a result, it does not accurately measure school development. The plan is not linked closely enough to school finances. 51. Governors are enthusiastic and are good supporters of the school. Their monitoring of the schools’ finances is effective. They share the headteacher’s vision and have helped create a school where all pupils are welcomed and valued. Since the last inspection, they have dealt with four out of the five key issues. Some of the governors are beginning to work more closely with the school on curriculum matters, for example in the development of a more innovative curriculum for geography. They have a sound grasp of the school’s strengths and the areas in which it needs to improve. However, the valuable support they provide for the school is not matched by suitably constructive challenging of what takes place. They rely heavily on the

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

headteacher's views and need to develop further their role as critical questioners on items such as progress in the school development plan, disparities in national test results in English, maths and science, and the lack of proper recording of risk assessments for school visits. In other ways, the school and governors take good account of best value principles, for example Cheriton Primary School - 21 by noting good practice in other schools and spending money with care for the benefit of pupils. 52. Budgets are set in accordance with statutory requirements. The local education authority carried out an audit two years ago and all issues have been addressed. Day-to-day management of financial matters, and the general smooth running of the school, are helped considerably by the welcoming and efficient office staff. Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1138083 Balance from previous year 43706 Total expenditure 1146132 Balance carried forward to the next 35658 Expenditure per pupil 2844 Cheriton Primary School - 22

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SUBJECTS AND COURSES

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE 53. Overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. Children are prepared very well for transfer to Year 1. Most have attended some form of pre-school provision and a developing liaison helps achieve continuity. Alongside this are home visits and induction days, where parents and children are welcomed to school. Children starting at Cheriton represent a full range of skills but overall pupils start with skill levels below those expected for their age group. All children achieve very well, particularly those who speak little English at home, but a significant number will not achieve the expected goals in communications language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development by the end of the year. This is mainly due to their low levels in these areas on entry. They do make considerable progress through the stepping-stone levels towards those

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SUBJECTS AND COURSES

goals. The very good teaching of pupils’ personal and social skills and their physical development results in most children achieving the expected standard in these areas of learning by the end of the year. Overall standards are below those expected when children enter Year 1. Teaching is very good in all areas. 54. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good. The curriculum is planned very well and imaginatively, with a wide range of interesting and relevant activities linked to a theme. For example, the outdoor play area was suitably equipped with a pulley system attached to a tree so that the children could re-enact scenes from the book ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’ which was being read to the children during literacy lessons. The team is co-ordinated very well and all adults succeed in providing a consistent approach to children’s learning. Recent staff changes have been managed smoothly with appropriate

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SUBJECTS AND COURSES

concern for the continuity and care of the class involved. Teaching is matched to the ability of each group and very good provision made for children with special educational needs, those who have English as an additional language and those of higher ability. The accommodation, although rather small, is satisfactory overall, with the exception of some classroom furniture, which is of poor quality. The outside play area has been improved since the last inspection. The overall quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is much better than it was six years ago.

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Personal, social and emotional development

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good. Main strengths • Supportive relationships and high expectations encourage children’s development • Very good opportunities are provided for children to develop independence and make choices Commentary 55. Some children have poorly developed personal, social and emotional skills when they start school. Teachers and support staff work hard to instil confidence and to act as role models for appropriate social skills. Both teachers and teaching assistants have very good relationships with the children. This gives them a supportive structure in which they learn how to interact together and with adults. Children are taught to respect and accept the differences between them and this is evident in the way everyone, whatever their backgrounds and abilities, gets on so well together. Cheriton Primary School - 23 56. The behaviour of the children is very good and is managed very well in all situations. For

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Personal, social and emotional development

example, a teaching assistant was concerned over the amount of noise a group was making while playing at building a house in the play area. She told them that she might not want to hire them to build her house because they were too noisy and would give her a headache. As a result, the children played quietly together. Activities are planned to support independent learning and children demonstrate motivation and willingness to learn. They sustain concentration well and take turns in groups. Most children will attain the standards expected for their ages by the end of the year. This is very good achievement, particularly for those children who have English as an additional language. Cheriton Primary School - 24 Communication, language and literacy Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good. Main strengths • Opportunities for practising language and communication skills are developed across the

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Personal, social and emotional development

curriculum • ‘Letter-sound’ relations are taught very well • Planned activities enable children to make choices and explain them Commentary 57. Children are encouraged continually to develop skills in speaking and listening and adults use questioning very well. Very good opportunities are given for children to make choices, explain reasons for them and record them, for example when they hang cards of the chosen activities on the wall. When looking at pictures and models, their vocabulary is extended and they are encouraged to describe what they see in good sentences. The physical education lessons are used very well to develop children’s writing skills. For example, when they run around the hall they are taught to make large circles with their arms. This helps them in the formation of letters. The teaching of letter sounds is very good. In one very good lesson, the teacher drew rectangles on the white board and

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Personal, social and emotional development

told the children that the dot underneath each box was a sound button. She then asked them to write the letters c-a-t in the boxes, pushing each button; as a result the children were able to sound out the word ‘cat’ correctly. There are opportunities for reading in all lessons. Shared and guided reading sessions help in monitoring the progress of individuals and groups. Teaching is very good and all children make very good progress, although many will not achieve the expected Early Learning Goals. Mathematical development Provision in mathematical development is very good. Main strengths • Teachers and support staff reinforce the teaching of number through all sorts of activities • Teachers are alert to developing mathematics through play Commentary 58. Though standards are below those expected at the end of Reception, children achieve very well in this area of learning because teachers make very good use of opportunities for them to

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Personal, social and emotional development

learn to count and understand numbers. The majority can count up to ten and back down to zero without a mistake. Higher attaining children also add numbers to ten correctly and can count on to fifty. For example, during one very good lesson, the children delighted in running up and counting numbers placed on the fence enclosing the infant play area. They stopped and cheered once they had reached fifty. Teachers ensure that children use correctly simple mathematical language such as ‘larger’ and ‘smaller’. They also provide pupils with very good opportunities to develop their knowledge of basic mathematical shapes. Learning was reinforced well when children were in the ‘café’ preparing sandwiches and the teacher reminded them of the rectangular and triangular shapes they were making. Knowledge and understanding of the world Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. Main strengths

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Personal, social and emotional development

• Very good scientific knowledge is developed through first hand observations • Adults actively promote opportunities for teaching scientific concepts Commentary Cheriton Primary School - 25 59. All aspects of this area of learning are developed very well through very good opportunities for discussion, stimulating first hand experiences, and very good challenges set by teachers and teaching assistants. Children enter the school with very little basic knowledge. Very good teaching and very well planned activities stimulate pupils’ interest. For example, teachers enable children to achieve understanding through touching and examining things with their hands. Scientific vocabulary is very well taught at just the right moment for learning. Children are encouraged to make connections and notice changes that occur. For example, a boy was pouring water down a chute and the classroom assistant asked him to make the water travel

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Personal, social and emotional development

up the chute. The boy could not manage this and asked the teaching assistant why this was so. He was told that gravity prevented the water from travelling upwards. Children work confidently on the computer using the mouse to control a range of simple programs, for example, to make ‘insects’ move around obstacles placed in their path. Children carefully make models and cards to illustrate stories read to them during literacy lessons. Overall, children achieve very well but standards are below average when they enter Year 1. Physical development Provision in physical development is very good. Main strengths and weaknesses • The quality of teaching is very good • Very good use is made of the safe and secure outdoor area to support children’s learning Commentary 60. Children achieve very well. By the time they leave Reception, standards are at the expected level. Very good teaching challenges children to think for themselves and apply what they have

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Personal, social and emotional development

learnt in new situations. For example in one very good lesson, the teacher taught the children to copy movements to music. When they had achieved this, the children were asked to make up their own movements to the same tune. As a result the children were able to create their own ways of moving to music. The school has provided the children with a very good outdoor area in which they can work and learn in safety. In this area and the school hall, children move with good control. They are fully aware of the movements of others around them. Pupils are also learning to use and control tools and utensils very well, such as paintbrushes and scissors. This is because teachers and teaching assistants provide children with very good opportunities to learn, supported by very good practice. Creative development Provision in creative development is very good. Main strengths • The very good opportunities teachers provide for creative learning also support children’s

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Personal, social and emotional development

learning in literacy, numeracy and science • Children with English as an additional language benefit greatly from the emphasis on oral activities and make very good progress

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Commentary

61. Children make very good progress and all achieve very well. They enjoy reciting rhymes and singing songs. They benefit greatly from the very good guidance provided by teachers and other adults and this is helping the development of their speaking. Opportunities for role-play and for children to use their imaginations are very good, such as when the play area becomes a scene from ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’. The children talked about this story with great enthusiasm and played at being lighthouse keepers, using the pulleys and ropes to bring the keeper his lunch wrapped up in a basket. By using the equipment, pupils with English as an additional language learnt the meaning of the words ‘push’ and ‘pull’. Children worked hard and most made very good models of seagulls out Cheriton Primary School - 26 of cardboard and paper tubes. Children have easy access to water, sand and modelling materials.

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Commentary

Their creative work is linked to other areas of learning; they made spheres from soft malleable materials, which supported their mathematical development very well. By the end of Reception, a number of pupils will reach the expected goals but many will not, so standards are lower than expected, though children do very well, given their starting point. Cheriton Primary School - 27

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ENGLISH

Provision in English is good. Main strengths and weaknesses • Some teachers have high expectations and use a good variety of strategies to enable pupils to achieve well, especially in Years 1 and 2 • Inconsistency in the quality of teaching between classes is restricting pupils’ achievements • Good leadership is providing a clear future vision for the subject, but insufficient monitoring and support for improvement of teaching is restricting progress • Good opportunities are given to develop speaking and listening skills in a range of subjects • Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good, and teaching assistants provide good support • Presentation of work is untidy and the use of non-standard English restricts what pupils can achieve

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Commentary

Standards in national tests 62. In the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 2, standards in reading and writing were well below the national average. There is no evidence of these pupils’ levels of language skill on entering the reception class, so the progress over their time in the school is difficult to estimate. Results over the last five years have fluctuated in reading and improved in writing. In the tests at the end of Year 6, standards in English were well below the national average but in line with those of pupils in schools where results had been similar at the end of Year 2 in 1999. This indicates satisfactory achievement. The trend in results over the last five years is downwards. In both sets of tests – Y2 and Y6, fewer pupils than expected nationally achieved the higher grades. The changed character of the school has had some negative impact on the overall standards attained by pupils at the age of seven and eleven.

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Standards and achievement currently

63. In the lessons seen during the inspection, infant pupils’ standards were in line with those expected nationally, although their work indicated below average standards over time. Junior standards were below average overall with fewer pupils than expected reaching higher standards. In most classes, pupils showed sound or better achievement for their abilities. Standards were affected by the relatively high numbers both of pupils with special educational needs and of those at the early stages of learning English. Year 4 pupils underachieved in the lessons seen, particularly in writing skills. Pupils’ work in their books confirmed that relative standards reached were generally higher in Years 1 and 2 than in Years 3 to 6, but below average overall. Achievement overall was good in the infants and satisfactory in the junior years. 64. Pupils make good progress in the development of speaking and listening skills throughout the

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Standards and achievement currently

school. They listen attentively to teachers and to each other and learn to speak more confidently. Good opportunities to develop these skills are provided through role-play, such as in a ‘hot seat’ activity where several pupils assumed the roles of story characters and the rest of the class questioned them about their feelings. Older pupils spoke out well in assembly where they performed a sketch from ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. 65. Pupils read from a variety of texts, sometimes with very challenging vocabulary. Good reading aloud opportunities are also provided. Year 2 pupils read together, with very good expression and obvious enjoyment, the nonsense poem ‘On the Ning Nang Nong’. Guided reading sessions successfully support the development of pupils’ vocabulary and therefore extend their Cheriton Primary School - 28 reading skills. A good example of this was seen in a Year 5 class where pupils read from a

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Standards and achievement currently

simplified version of a Shakespeare play. The emphasis was on understanding the meaning of the different vocabulary used then, and comparing it to modern-day English. The school has identified reading skills for younger pupils as an area for improvement. Differences in the achievement of classes reflect variation in the quality of teaching and planning. Overall achievement in reading is sound. 66. Pupils write for a variety of purposes and make satisfactory progress over their time at the school. Year 1 pupils wrote some very good descriptions of an imaginative creature ‘My Wild Thing’. In poetry, Year 2 pupils replaced the original words of a poem with those of their own choosing, which showed that they had a sound grasp of rhyme. Year 6 pupils wrote some very good letters to an author telling him which parts of his book they liked best and gave well thought out reasons for their choice. Presentation of written work is often untidy, especially in

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Standards and achievement currently

Years 4 and 5. Some of the work of older pupils is spoilt by poor spelling and grammatical errors.

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Teaching and learning

67. The overall teaching of English is satisfactory. It is good in the infants, helping pupils to learn well. Learning and teaching are weakest in the younger junior classes. However, some excellent lessons were seen, in both infant and junior classes. Throughout the school, relationships are very good, which means that pupils feel secure and have a positive attitude to learning. In the best lessons seen, teachers had high expectations of the pupils and planned their lessons well, with an appropriate variety of strategies to ensure good achievement by all pupils. They reviewed previously learnt work by asking searching questions, which pupils answered thoughtfully, and set group and individual tasks to extend the learning of all pupils. Teaching assistants usually worked very well, enabling pupils with English as an additional language, and those with special educational needs, to make progress. Year 2 pupils made

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Teaching and learning

good use of alliteration, such as ‘wiggling worms’ to write their own minibeast poems. In less successful lessons, timing and pace were weak, with too much oral work and insufficient opportunities for pupils to work independently. This resulted in too little being achieved during the lesson. In some junior age lessons, although teaching was satisfactory, it lacked the urgency and demand that can lift pupils’ interest and achievement. Teachers mark work regularly and offer good advice for improvement. Targets for improvement are set for some pupils, but this is not consistent in all classes.

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Leadership and management

68. Leadership of English is good, with a clear vision for improvement. An appropriate focus on raising standards is guided by assessment and a very good analysis of the needs of the pupils. Tracking of pupils’ achievement is being developed to guide teachers’ planning, but this is at an early stage, and insufficient improvement has been made in this area since the last inspection. Resources to support the English curriculum are good. Monitoring of the subject, to enable the very good practice in some classes to be shared by all, is under-developed. The inconsistencies in teaching are having an impact on pupils’ overall achievement. Management has been just satisfactory. Time has not been available to bring about improvements in known areas of weakness. 69. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory. Monitoring, and implementing changes, remains an important issue if weaker teaching and learning are to be eradicated and

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Leadership and management

achievement and standards are to improve.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

70. Pupils’ literacy skills are promoted well in a range of subjects. For example in history, in their work on Ancient Egypt, Year 5 pupils recounted and sequenced the story of Horus and Year 6 Cheriton Primary School - 29 pupils used their ICT skills to write well set out letters. Year 2 pupils linked their work on poetry with their science when writing butterfly poems. Other subjects are used to enhance the English curriculum, such as in Year 2 when pupils selected musical instruments to accompany their poems. These examples show how individual teachers are enabling pupils to make progress, but no consistently applied policy exists to assist with implementation. Pupils’ competence in language and literacy is below average for their age. Cheriton Primary School - 30

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MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory. Main strengths and weaknesses • The good subject knowledge of teachers contributes well to pupils’ learning • Teaching is inconsistent in quality • Relationships within the classroom are strong and caring • Assessment is not rigorous enough to ensure all pupils achieve as well as they can • Pupils enjoy this subject and their behaviour is good • Presentation of work is often poor and marking inconsistent Commentary Standards in national tests 71. Results in the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2003 were below the national average. At the end of Year 6, results in the national tests were well below the national average and below average in comparison with similar schools. High mobility of pupils in and out of the school does affect these figures. Far fewer pupils than average are achieving the higher levels in both tests. Girls performed better than boys at the age of eleven.

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Standards and achievement currently

72. Pupils currently enter the school with below average standards, but the attainment on entry of pupils in the current Year 2 is unknown. A significant number have moved into the school, many with English as an additional language or with special educational needs. Given the need to improve the oral skills of pupils, a greater emphasis is placed on practical maths in Years 1 and 2, which means that not enough written recording of mathematical concepts takes place. Current standards at the end of Year 2 are below average and pupils’ achievement in maths is satisfactory. The prior attainment of pupils in Year 6 was well below average when they entered Year 3 four years ago. Current standards are below average and pupils achieved well in the lessons seen. However, from examining samples of pupils’ work, achievement over time is judged satisfactory. There is less evidence of investigative work than of the other aspects of

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Standards and achievement currently

mathematics. Those pupils with special educational needs, with English as an additional language and pupils from the hearing impaired unit achieve as well as other pupils because of the targeted support of their teachers and teaching assistants. Teaching and learning 73. Overall teaching is satisfactory, with a number of strengths, but also areas for improvement. It is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, and in Years 3 to 6 where pupils are set according to their ability. The stronger teaching occurs in the older classes. In the most successful lessons, teachers have a good command of this subject and give clear explanations that develop pupils’ understanding. They provide an effective range of activities that are suited to the needs of the pupils, and use the plenaries at the end to extend pupils’ learning effectively. Good questioning encourages pupils to explain how they arrive at their answers. For example in a Year 6 lesson,

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Standards and achievement currently

the teacher gently persisted with a pupil in his explanation of the answer to 30 x 60, to make sure that he and others fully understood why the answer ended with two zeros. Assessment of pupils’ progress is used well in such lessons to inform teachers of the next steps needed to move pupils on in their learning. In less successful lessons, teaching is over directed, which reduces the opportunity for independent learning and results in a lack of challenge for a few higher attaining pupils. The pace of the lesson is not maintained throughout and opportunities are missed for assessing pupils’ understanding. 74. Pupils say they enjoy this subject and their behaviour is good. Together with very good relationships between teachers and their pupils, a good environment for learning is created. In Cheriton Primary School - 31 most lessons good support is offered to those pupils who require extra help and this enables

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Standards and achievement currently

them to achieve well, as in a Year 3 lesson where pupils were finding the multiples of two and five on a number square and recognising the pattern of common multiples of these numbers. All pupils were successful in this task because of the good support by both teacher and teaching assistant. Cheriton Primary School - 32

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Leadership and management

75. Leadership is good and has a clear vision for raising achievement. Both staff and pupils are motivated and inspired to do their best. Leadership is based on knowledge of teaching methods and developments in curriculum and knows the strengths and weaknesses in the subject. All staff are committed to inclusion. Management is satisfactory. Pupils’ performance data is tracked and strengths and weaknesses are identified, but how these findings are used in the classroom is not checked for its impact on pupil achievement. Pupils do not always take pride in their work, as it is often messy and untidy, particularly in Years 1 and 2, and less able pupils’ work is too often unfinished. When marking, some teachers give helpful feedback that shows pupils how they can improve, while others do not. Older pupils have regular maths lessons in the ICT suite, and use computers for handling data, which is good practice.

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Leadership and management

Accommodation is good. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory, with a marked improvement in the use of ICT and in resources so that they are now adequate, but with barely sufficient improvement in the quality of teaching, because monitoring is not effective enough.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

76. Opportunities for developing mathematical skills across the curriculum are satisfactory. Displays of scale drawing in art were seen in Years 4 and 6, and pupils in Year 2 in physical education were counting the number of jumps they could make in a given area, becoming more spatially aware. In ICT, Year 1 pupils understood the sequence of operations required for drawing squares and rectangles, and evidence was seen of Year 6 pupils creating bar charts and line graphs in ICT. The music curriculum indicates that younger pupils learn to distinguish between rhythm and pulse, developing their skills in this element of music. Pupils’ competence in using mathematics is below average. SCIENCE Provision in science is poor. Main weaknesses • Standards in national tests have been too low for a number of years • The quality of teaching is not good enough and so pupils underachieve • Investigative science is given insufficient attention

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Mathematics across the curriculum

• The standard seen in pupils’ books indicates that work is not demanding enough Commentary

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Standards in national tests

77. In teacher-assessed work, pupils’ attainment was found to be well below average at the age of seven, with similarly low standards in all areas of the science curriculum. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher level, level 3, was broadly average. In the 2003 national tests in science taken at the age of eleven, pupils’ attainment compared with results of similar schools was well below average, indicating that these pupils were not doing as well as they should. Results were also well below average compared with all schools. Standards have been lower than average for the past five years and they are falling. Boys’ and girls’ results have been broadly similar. Standards and achievement currently 78. Pupils’ current standards are much lower than those expected for their ages and achievement overall is unsatisfactory in both the infants and juniors. Year 1 pupils’ books have too little recorded work and, what there is, is of an unacceptable quality. Year 2 books have much more

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Standards in national tests

work, but what pupils were trying to find out about was not always explained well in their work. Cheriton Primary School - 33 For example, when looking at changes in materials, the conditions that were changed were not recorded. The ‘before and after’ pictures for materials that were changed, such as clay, water and chocolate, were accurate in the more able pupils’ books but incomplete in many others’. The work seen in a sample of older pupils’ books was of a higher standard, including tasks across the required areas of the National Curriculum. Topics include interdependence and adaptation, forces in action and separation techniques. Pupils predicted possible outcomes, and recorded outcomes to experiments in tables and graphs. The work of higher attaining pupils was of an average standard. Less able pupils’ work was sometimes incomplete and substantially below the standard expected. In the lessons seen, pupils underachieved. Too little

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Standards in national tests

was completed in the available time and pupils could not explain why things occurred; they were content to describe what was seen. Pupils remembered little of their work from earlier years.

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Teaching and learning

79. No teaching was observed in Years 1 and 2. The teaching seen in Years 3 to 6 was unsatisfactory. Expectations were too low, the pace of lessons slow, and explanations did not always make clear to pupils what they should be doing. As a result, pupils’ learning was not good enough and they underachieved. For example, on a visit to the school’s excellent wild area and pond to look at different habitats, some aspects of the session represented a nature walk rather than a careful analysis of a habitat. Investigative aspects that should have reinforced the importance of fair testing were not considered, such as identifying the soil and water depth at which temperatures were measured. In a lesson on electricity, pupils learnt how to represent simple motor and bulb circuits using symbol diagrams, but the pace of work was very slow and the work was too easy for the more able. Pupils, in groups of three or four,

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Teaching and learning

chattered for lengthy periods about other things and girls tended to watch as boys carried out the practical work. Learning support assistants were effective in some lessons and taught well, working with specific groups, such as those with special educational needs. At other times, their lack of subject knowledge and rather passive approach restricted the achievements of the pupils they were teaching. 80. Effective aspects of teaching were good behaviour management and the way in which pupils from all backgrounds were valued and included in lessons, including those from the hearing impaired unit. In group work, pupils work co-operatively but their concentration soon wanes when they are not challenged. Marking of books is often detailed and helpful. Teachers do not question pupils’ understanding sufficiently, however, and so work is not well enough matched to their existing knowledge. Leadership and management

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Teaching and learning

81. Sound assessment records are kept on the attainments of all pupils, using a three-point scale to record what has been attained at the end of each topic. Curriculum planning is appropriate and based on the national guidance for pupils of their ages. The role of the subject co-ordinator is clearly defined, with an appropriate emphasis on ensuring consistency through monitoring. The action plan for the subject appropriately points out the need to increase the time available for science in Years 1 and 2, and the need to focus on investigative science. It does not, however, refer to issues of teaching quality. Senior managers are aware that science has had insufficient focus in recent years, as maths and English have been given priority. The outcomes for the pupils are unacceptable and leadership and management have been insufficiently effective in bringing about improvements. The limited monitoring of teaching and learning that

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Teaching and learning

has taken place has been unsuccessful in producing a consistently good quality. Progress since the last inspection six years ago has been poor. Standards have fallen and pupils’ achievements and the quality of teaching are worse. Cheriton Primary School - 34 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Provision in ICT is very good. Main strengths and weaknesses • Pupils’ achievements are very good overall, resulting in above average standards by the age of eleven • Some very effective teaching results in rapid progress, although not all staff are confident users of ICT • An excellent computer suite contributes greatly to pupils’ achievements • Expert knowledge available within the school enables problems to be resolved quickly and effectively, despite the shortfall in technician support time • A very well-planned curriculum introduces pupils to interesting and challenging work Cheriton Primary School - 35 Commentary

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Standards and achievement currently

82. Current standards are similar to national expectations by the age of seven, showing good improvement and achievement. Continuing progress means that, by the age of eleven, many pupils attain above average standards across the expected areas of the curriculum. Pupils can use the keyboard with confidence from an early age, changing fonts, saving and editing their work skilfully. By the age of seven, all are learning to control floor robots and can control on- screen directions of an object. Eleven-year-olds use e-mail and access information on the Internet with confidence. Older pupils can develop sequences of instructions to draw squares, steps and rectangles on screen and control traffic lights. They are aware of the importance of ICT skills, as they improve their work on screen in a range of subjects. Access to computers in classrooms, as well as the excellent thirty-station network, results in individuals developing their

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Standards and achievement currently

skills very effectively as they progress through the school. High attainers achieve very high standards in some classes and pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. Pupils from overseas who join the school with minimal ICT skills, many of whom are highly motivated, achieve very well. Over time, pupils’ progress has been very good, resulting in very good achievement considering their starting points. Teaching and learning 83. The quality of teaching is good overall. Individual lessons seen varied between excellent and sound. Discussions with pupils and the extent of the use of computers in maths and English lessons showed how successful teaching and learning are in ICT. In the very best lessons, the very good subject knowledge of the teacher was a key reason for the success. This led to very well planned work, which was interesting and challenging for pupils of all abilities and

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Standards and achievement currently

backgrounds. In a lesson, for example, where older pupils were writing sequences to control traffic lights, key words such as device, output and sensor were used throughout, developing technical language very well. Pupils are questioned carefully to ensure that they understand tasks before moving on. During the summary session of the lesson, pupils reviewed their own work and decided how well they had succeeded. This self-assessment showed how very good the learning and achievement had been. Each pupil made very good progress whatever her/his background or capability in English. In an infant class, a digital projector was used effectively to demonstrate the use of control sequences to move an on-screen object, before the pupils, in pairs, carried out the work themselves. Additional adults present were very helpful, with good knowledge of the ICT. Relative weaknesses in teaching and learning involved too much paired

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Standards and achievement currently

work at times, when able pupils could have achieved even higher standards if they had worked individually, and teachers’ lack of confidence in using ICT, which resulted in a slower pace of work than there might have been. Generally, pupils work very well together, concentrate hard on their allotted tasks and achieve very well, setting their own agendas for improvement.

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Leadership and management

84. The subject is led and managed very effectively. The curriculum is very well planned to give all pupils access to all areas of the National Curriculum. Expert support for staff, good in-service training and very good facilities are enabling pupils to make very good progress. The temperature in the ICT suite, however, can be a barrier to learning – it is almost too hot to work at times – as is the slow access to the Internet. More rigorous monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning could also enable the quality of teaching to improve further. The restricted amount of technical support available means that staff time has to be taken up solving an immediate problem, to enable equipment to remain in use. A very successful computer club enables pupils to develop their expertise along a number of fronts. For example, a group has produced an excellent animated video sequence which is on the school’s own

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Leadership and management

website and short books have been prepared with voice-overs in Nepali, the language spoken Cheriton Primary School - 36 at home by a significant minority of the pupils. These represent excellent practice. The school has made very good progress since the last inspection six years ago, when the pupils’ knowledge of ICT was unsatisfactory. Cheriton Primary School - 37 Information and communication technology across the curriculum 85. Most staff and pupils are confident users of ICT and so the very good facilities are used to good effect in a range of subjects. In maths, pupils learn how to draw bar charts and line graphs as well as program sequences to control objects. In English, and a range of other subjects, pupils use word-processing skills with confidence, improving first drafts of writing and generating documents which incorporate good images using the school’s digital camera. Pupils’ competence in the use of ICT is above average.

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HUMANITIES

Religious education was inspected in detail. History and geography were sampled.

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Geography

86. One lesson was observed, discussions held with the co-ordinator and a sample of books was inspected. 87. Pupils achieved satisfactorily in the lesson seen. Work in pupils’ books was at the expected standard. In Year 2, most pupils have a sound recognition of features in their school and the local area, and compare their own area with areas in France or where they have been on holiday. They can identify where they live on maps of the local area. They know the sequence of the seasons and the effects this has on their local community. By Year 6, pupils have made steady progress in their use and understanding of maps and use grid references with some accuracy. They have studied some areas in detail, for example villages in Nepal, but very little evidence was seen of opportunities to describe geographical patterns, which would help pupils make further progress. In the one lesson seen, the teacher used questions well to check pupils’

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Geography

understanding of erosion and, as a result, pupils made satisfactory progress. 88. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The curriculum has recently been changed to include the study of countries known by a significant minority of the pupils at the school – this is good practice. A survey has been carried out in order to identify pupils’ attitude towards the subject and to help identify ways of making it more interesting and enjoyable. Assessment of the written work of individual pupils is very basic, however, and does not help identify whether pupils are achieving well enough, or areas for further development. History 89. No lessons were seen in history because of the way the curriculum is planned over the year. Pupils’ work was analysed in Years 1 and 2, but too little evidence was gathered to make any overall judgements. 90. In Year 1, pupils have written about how houses today differ from those in the past. They have

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Geography

examined toys made during the Victorian era and compared them with those they play with at home. By Year 2, pupils are beginning to have some understanding of chronology and have studied events like the great fire of London and recognise the reasons why the fire started and its effects on the people living during this time. Religious education Overall provision for religious education is satisfactory. Main strengths and weaknesses • Pupils have a sound knowledge and understanding of the beliefs and characteristics of world religions • Pupils respond well in lessons • Spiritual and multi-cultural development are supported very well • No formal assessment of pupils’ progress takes place Cheriton Primary School - 38

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Standards and achievement currently

91. Throughout the school, standards are in line with those expected in the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils achieve satisfactorily, showing a sound knowledge of world religions, including Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism. Their study of the beliefs and customs of Hinduism plays an important part in their understanding of Britain as a multi-cultural society as there are a significant number of Hindu pupils in the school. By the end of Year 2, pupils understand that whilst there are many different religions in the world, they have some things in common. They know the Christmas story and the events of Easter. Year 1 pupils showed real awareness in their work on gifts at Christmas and what they would like to give the baby Jesus, such as a quilt to keep him warm. They know about things important to Jews, such as the Torah. By the end of Year 6, pupils understand the similarities between religions, such as

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Standards and achievement currently

places of worship, some symbols, and initiation ceremonies, like Baptism and Bar Mitzvah. Teaching and learning 92. Teaching quality varies but is satisfactory overall. In the best lessons seen, teachers had good subject knowledge and planned their lessons well to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. They reviewed previous work by effective questioning, made good use of artefacts to enhance learning and set tasks that developed pupils’ understanding. In one lesson, after seeing a model Torah and Mezuzah, pupils made their own Mezuzahs, decorated them and put inside rules relevant to themselves, whilst listening to Jewish music. This enhanced the pupils’ spiritual development and very good attitudes to religion and they achieved very well in this lesson. In a less successful lesson, the teacher read at length from a text, with no use of artefacts or practical activity and pupils lost interest. The good behaviour

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Standards and achievement currently

and attitudes of the pupils enabled them to make satisfactory progress in their learning. Throughout the school, pupils respond very well in religious education lessons and show very positive attitudes to the subject.

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Leadership and management

93. The subject is satisfactorily led and managed. All aspects of the Locally Agreed Syllabus are planned well to ensure sound learning about religions. Planning does not show a full awareness of the attainment targets for the Agreed Syllabus. No formal assessment of pupils’ progress is made, which is unsatisfactory. There are good links with other subjects such as art and literacy. Resources are good and there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The four subjects of art, design and technology, music and physical education were all sampled. Insufficient evidence was gathered in these sampled subjects to make judgements about overall provision. Art 94. Two lessons of art were observed, a sample of sketchbooks and displays were seen, and discussions were held with the co-ordinator and some pupils. 95. In the two lessons seen, pupils’ work was at the standard expected for their age group and their achievement was good. Good teaching ensured that the learning objectives of the lessons were clear, and good questioning and explanations developed the understanding of pupils about the task set. Sketchbooks were seen being used to good effect in the older classes, where pupils were encouraged to modify and improve their work, so that their intentions were carried through. Good use was made of the school grounds for landscape drawing in perspective. In the younger classes,

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

pupils used a range of materials and approaches. For example, pupils in Year 1 made effective Cheriton Primary School - 39 beach sculptures using articles found by the sea. The work of famous artists, such as Van Gogh and Picasso, makes a significant contribution to pupils’ artistic and cultural development. There are good links with other subjects, for example, when pupils transferred their initial sketches into a full-scale piece of artwork and linked this to their studies of scale drawing in maths. Evidence was also seen of the use of music as a stimulus for painting. The school had recently held an art day, and examples of the excellent three-dimensional artwork produced were still on exhibition in the school grounds. Very good displays were observed around the school, for example Year 5 pupils’ ‘trees in blossom’ and Ancient Greek style vases displayed by Year 4. These very good displays indicate that overall

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

standards in art are above average and achievement is good.

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Design and technology

96. No lessons of design and technology were observed, but a sample of work was seen and discussions were held with the co-ordinator. The work shows that a full range of materials is used, including junk materials, food, wood and fabric and that all classes carry out timetabled work in design and technology. Music 97. Two lessons of music were observed, curriculum planning was reviewed and a discussion was held with the co-ordinator. 98. In the lessons seen, standards were in line with national expectations and achievement was satisfactory overall. Pupils sang with enjoyment and made satisfactory progress when preparing for a concert. In a composition lesson, where pupils were using percussion instruments creatively to express the mood of an ‘eerie or spooky planet’, good organisation and planning meant that pupils were able to spend maximum time on the task. In preparation for the composing element of the lesson, a pupil for whom English is an additional language

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Design and technology

was able to articulate his ideas well, and, as the lesson progressed, pupils used the elements of tempo and dynamics to good effect. At the end of both lessons, pupils listened to their performances and discussed how they could be improved. 99. Music makes a good contribution to extra-curricular activities, with a choir and two recorder groups, which participated in the Shepway Primary Music Festival. Four peripatetic teachers offer instrumental lessons, and a range of multi-cultural instruments are available for use within the classroom. Recently, a celebration of ethnic music took place with Nepali music and dance as part of ‘Black History Week’. Physical education 100. Two lessons of physical education and two sports clubs were observed, curriculum planning was reviewed, and discussions held with the co-ordinator and pupils. 101. Pupils were working at the expected standard in the two lessons seen and their achievements

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Design and technology

were satisfactory. Where teaching staff had good knowledge and skills, of cricket for example, demonstrations and careful observation of pupils’ performance enabled all to make good progress. When a physical education lesson was short, such as thirty minutes at the end of the day, although pupils enjoyed the session, not enough time was available for consolidation of skills, or for a cool-down period. Good support was provided by a teaching assistant for pupils with special educational needs; pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue were fully involved in the lessons seen. Generally, the time available is appropriate and curriculum planning meets the needs of the pupils. 102. The school sports teams are successful in inter-school sports, particularly in football. Extra- curricular dance, rounders and football clubs are popular and successful. Staff expertise in these sports is very good and coaching in the clubs very effective.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Cheriton Primary School - 40 Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship was sampled. In some areas of personal development the school is very successful, because of the school ethos and the manner in which all pupils are valued. This section of the report, however, deals with the elements of PSHE which need to be taught, including sex and health education. Too little was seen to judge teaching, standards or achievement in this area. Cheriton Primary School - 41 Personal, social and health education (PSHE) 103. This subject is delivered through a PSHE assembly once a week and circle time. One lesson of circle time and one assembly were observed, a discussion was held with the co-ordinator and the results of an audit were reviewed. 104. The assembly was based on the theme of taking responsibility, by showing respect and care, particularly in the light of new playground equipment that had recently been installed. Pupils

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

contributed well in response to good questioning and answered confidently. They understood the dangers that would arise should any equipment be broken. In the lesson seen, teaching was good and the pupils achieved well as they reflected on, and appreciated, the differences between people. Very good relationships were observed between the pupils, including those with special needs and those for whom English is an additional language. All were fully involved in the lesson and encouraged by the teacher to work with friends they do not often work with. The task, to discover three things about each other, developed pupils’ speaking and listening skills as well as their social skills. 105. Sex education is taught to Year 6 pupils by the school nurse; drugs and alcohol education is taught through the science curriculum. An audit was undertaken earlier this year to confirm the contribution that other subjects make to teaching aspects of PSHE, but as yet no overall plan is in place to make

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

sure that all aspects of the subject are taught at appropriate times to each age group. Whilst PSHE is taught through circle time, not all classes participate in this activity. The outcome of the current arrangements is one of inconsistency, where some pupils are enjoying a good PHSE programme, whilst others are not. The co-ordination of the curriculum for PSHE throughout the school is therefore unsatisfactory. Cheriton Primary School - 42

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 5 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Cheriton Primary School - 43

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