Ditton Church of England Junior School

DITTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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DITTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND JUNIOR 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. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 7 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 194

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: New Road Aylesford Kent Postcode: ME20 6AE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01732 843446 Fax number: 01732 873410

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Paul Smith

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a Church of England junior school for pupils aged 7 to 11 situated in the village of Ditton. There are 194 pupils on roll. Nearly all pupils are of White heritage and very few pupils speak English as an additional language. Mobility is average but the percentage of pupils with special educational needs is above the national average and the percentage with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average but the intake is socially mixed. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is broadly average. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23886 Declan McCarthy Lead inspector Science Physical education Personal, social and health education 9614 Carolyn Webb Lay inspector 15918 Margaret Julia Goodchild Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology 14871 Beryl Buteux Team inspector English Geography History 8139 Barbara Johnstone Team Inspector Special educational needs Music

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks Kent TN15 OEG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS

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

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SUBJECTS IN KEY STAGE 2

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 25 Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The overall effectiveness of the school is satisfactory. Standards are now in line with the national average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, although much of the teaching seen during the inspection was good. The school makes very good arrangements for pupils’ personal development and ensures that they are well cared for. As a result, pupils have very positive attitudes and behave very well. The school is led and managed satisfactorily. It provides sound value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are that:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Although National Curriculum test results in 2003 were in line with the national average, they were well below those of similar schools; standards in science were particularly low. • Recent improvements in teaching and in the analysis of performance data are having a positive effect on pupils' achievement. • Recording of assessment information in English, mathematics and science is good but the school has yet to analyse this information and use it to move pupils’ learning forward. • Subject leaders have made good improvements in planning and identifying areas for further development, but they have no allocated time for monitoring. • Learning support assistants do not always play as full a part as they could do in some lessons and individual education plan targets have not been developed for pupils with mathematical learning difficulties. • The good arrangements for care and very good provision for social and moral development

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OVERALL EVALUATION

contribute to pupils’ very positive attitudes, very good behaviour and very good attendance. • The very good range of extra-curricular activities promotes pupils’ learning, but teaching time is less than the national recommendation. • The school’s partnership with parents is very good and it has very close links with the parish.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made satisfactory improvement since it was last inspected. It has made good progress in response to most of the key issues from the previous inspection. Although test results fell further in 2002, they improved significantly in 2003. Teaching is satisfactory overall; it has improved recently and is leading to an improvement in standards. The school is beginning to ensure that pupils are challenged sufficiently in science.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D D C E mathematics D D C E science E E D 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.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 have underachieved in the past, although most are achieving appropriately now. Standards are broadly average in English, mathematics and science but some pupils do not always do as well as they could in mathematics and science. In 2003, the school’s Year 6 test results were in line with those nationally but well below those of similar schools and in the bottom five percent in science although test results in Year improved significantly on those of 2002. The school is beginning to raise standards in science. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 7

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Pupils’ personal qualities and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very

good . They have very positive attitudes and behave very well; attendance is very good .

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school is providing a satisfactory quality of education . Recent test results show that it is beginning to overcome previous weaknesses. Teaching is satisfactory overall and in lessons seen during the inspection teaching was good and sometimes very good. As a result, pupils’ recent learning is good but remains satisfactory overall. Recording of assessment information in English, mathematics and science is good, although the majority of teachers have yet to undertake detailed analysis of assessment information in their subjects and use this to move pupils’ learning forward.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

A very good range of clubs and educational visits enriches an otherwise satisfactory curriculum. The school cares for its pupils very well and works closely in partnership with parents to enhance pupils’ learning. There are very good links with the parish and satisfactory links with other schools.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher motivates other staff and teamwork is strong. Monitoring and self-evaluation by the headteacher, supported by the local education authority, have been crucial to the recent improvements that have taken place in the school. Subject leadership is satisfactory overall, although subject leaders are not released to monitor teaching, learning and pupil outcomes within their subjects. School governance is satisfactory overall. The governing body has a very good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and works hard to maintain parents’ wishes.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very positive about the school and appreciate the quality of information they receive and the care provided by the school. Pupils are very happy and enthusiastic about their school. They particularly like their teachers and believe lessons are interesting.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Continue to raise standards, particularly in science. • Increase the amount of teaching time in line with national recommendations. • Further develop the role of learning support assistants and ensure that all pupils with mathematical learning difficulties are provided with targets in their individual education plans. • Ensure that assessment information is used by teachers to track pupils’ progress, to set individual targets and inform planning. • Ensure that subject leaders are given sufficient time to monitor teaching learning and pupils’ achievement across the school. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is satisfactory overall and standards are average throughout the school. Pupils are currently achieving satisfactorily in Years 3 to 6, in response to satisfactory teaching. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as their peers. They make satisfactory progress in lessons and good progress when they receive individual teaching support in the base. The very few pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds and those at an early stage of learning English achieve as well as other pupils. There are no significant differences between boys’ and girls’ achievements in English. However, boys do better in mathematics than girls and the gap between their performance in national tests is steadily rising.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Year 6 test results in English in 2003 showed that there are not enough pupils gaining Level 4 in English and mathematics and Level 5 in science. • Pupils are currently achieving appropriately in Years 3 to 6, in response to recent improvements in teaching and the curriculum. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well when withdrawn from lessons for additional support.

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Commentary

1. Year 6 test results rose from below the national average in 2002 to being in line with the national average in 2003, compared with schools nationally. Although this is an improvement over the 2002 results, not enough pupils gained Level 4 in English and mathematics, or Level 5 in science. However, the school’s own analysis of national test results shows that more pupils gained Level 5 in English, mathematics and science in 2003 than in 2002. Although the trend in the school’s performance from 1999 to 2003 was below the national trend, this was mainly due to particular Year 6 groups with an above average proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs in 2001 and 2002.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.4 (25.9) 26.8 (27) mathematics 26.6 (26.4) 26.8 (26.7) science 27.7(26.5) 28.6 (28.3) There were 43 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. However, standards in English and mathematics were well below those of schools whose pupils gained similar results in their Year 2 tests and in the bottom five percent nationally compared to similar schools. These results indicated that these pupils made poor progress from the beginning of Year 3 to the end of Year 6. Achievement was unsatisfactory as a result of weaknesses in the curriculum and in teaching, particularly in science, and staffing difficulties. However, some pupils, particularly higher attainers, made good progress, as indicated by the school’s own analysis of data.

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Commentary

3. The school exceeded its targets in 2003, and is on course to meet its 2004 targets There are clear gender fluctuations within individual subjects from year to year. In 2002, girls outperformed boys in English, and boys have outperformed girls in mathematics over the last Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 9 two years. There were no significant gender differences in English in the 2003 tests, yet the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in mathematics is steadily rising.

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Commentary

4. Observations of lessons and pupils’ work show that currently achievement is satisfactory and standards are broadly in line with national averages. More pupils are expected to gain Level 4 in English and mathematics, and Level 5 in science, as a result of recent improvements in teaching and the development of the curriculum. Good teaching was seen during the inspection where work was closely matched to pupils’ different levels of attainment. As a result, pupils’ learning was generally good in these lessons and they were achieving well. Pupils’ work since September 2003 indicates satisfactory teaching and learning, though assessment is not yet fully used by teachers to move pupils’ learning forward. The curriculum is now planned more effectively, particularly in science, to ensure pupils build on their knowledge and understanding from year to year and this is already having a positive impact on

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Commentary

5. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory, overall. When pupils are supported in class their achievement is satisfactory. However, when pupils are withdrawn and taught in the special educational needs base, their achievement is good. This is mostly due to work which is well matched to each pupil’s needs and to the small size of groups which enables each child to receive individual attention.

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Commentary

6. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are now achieving sufficiently in English, mathematics and science because teaching is good. New assessment systems have been introduced which track pupils’ progress systematically but a detailed analysis of this has yet to be carried out by most subject teachers so that the information can be used to identify and remedy gaps in learning. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory in most other subjects, and opportunities to extend and consolidate their learning through the development of literacy skills, and the use of ICT in a range of subjects, support pupils’ achievement. Parents are generally pleased with the progress that their children are making now, although some parents were concerned about the numbers of supply teachers, particularly in a Year 4 class last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to their education and their behaviour are very good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Christian ethos and values promote very good relationships. • Teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and implement the ‘Golden Rules’ consistently. • Pupils arrive very promptly. • Pupils’ personal development is very good.

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Commentary

7. Procedures to record and monitor pupils’ attendance are good, and attendance is well above the national average. Few parents need reminding that they should inform the school of the reason for their child’s absence. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 10 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.4 School data 0.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

8. Pupils like their school, are interested in their lessons and work well together. They make constructive criticisms of their own and others’ work and, because of the very good relationships enjoyed throughout the school community, all value these opinions. Although a small number of pupils expressed doubts about the behaviour and friendliness of others through their questionnaires, inspectors found behaviour to be very good at all times. ‘Golden Rules’ are followed, and adults and pupils enjoy mutual respect. Very good moral values result in a strong sense of justice and any sanction given is regarded as fair. There have been two exclusions for short periods in the past twelve months.

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Commentary

9. Very good social skills develop quickly to the benefit of all. Working with a partner, used frequently before starting on written work, develops good communication, co-operation and concentration. Lunchtime is a very sociable occasion when all ages mix happily, as they do on the playground where pupils happily and enthusiastically ‘let off steam’.

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Commentary

10. Pupils’ personal development is promoted very well through teachers’ high expectations and knowledge of their developing maturity. Pupils are expected to behave responsibly from the time they arrive and, being aware of those less fortunate than themselves, they try to include everyone in their activities and collect for charities to help others. The Year 6 rota is displayed in the playground and pupils look forward to their tasks. House and vice captains try to be good role models for younger pupils and watch the house points very carefully. School councillors are proud to voice the suggestions and concerns of their peers, although as yet they do not take charge of meetings, which are adult-directed and led. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is also promoted very effectively in assemblies and in lessons such as English, history and science.

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Commentary

11. Spiritual development is very good. Through assemblies, religious education and personal, social and health lessons, for example, pupils are encouraged to think about their responsibilities to the school and wider community and to reflect on their Christian tradition. They create their own prayers, demonstrating reverence and their growing spiritual awareness, and ‘feel’ music as they dance and sing. Pupils understand their own culture and take part in community events. They are interested in learning how others worship and live their lives and enjoy the different musical rhythms and cadences and various ways of expressing art. Their cultural development and knowledge of other cultures is very good, and they have a sound understanding of the ethnic diversity in Britain today. Pupils’ cultural development is also very well supported through links with schools overseas and lessons such as geography when, for

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Commentary

example, pupils studied the lives of ordinary people living in different locations around the world.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school is now providing a satisfactory quality of education but the full impact of current practice is not yet evident because teachers are working to overcome the impact of previous weaknesses on pupils’ achievement. Good teaching, especially in Years 3 to 6, means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are being filled. Throughout the school, assessment is not used sufficiently to measure the progress that pupils are making and to identify ways of improving achievement.

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Teaching and learning

Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 11 Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Much good teaching was seen during the inspection and this is now having a positive effect on pupils’ learning and helping to raise standards.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Recent improvements in teaching are having a good effect on standards. • All teachers display good basic teaching skills, maintain very good relationships with pupils and manage their behaviour well. • Teachers’ planning has improved so that pupils of all abilities are now learning more effectively. • Learning support assistants do not play as full a part as they could in some lessons. • Throughout the school, pupils apply themselves well to the tasks that are set for them and try especially hard when they are given the opportunity to work independently. • Good assessment systems have recently been developed but teachers have yet to use assessment information to set individual targets for pupils and secure improvements in learning.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 29 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

12. At the time of the last inspection, teaching was good. Results of national tests over the last three years and changes in staffing, particularly in science, show that teaching declined over recent years. However through the determined efforts of the headteacher there is a more stable teaching staff and teachers have worked hard to overcome previous underachievement. As a result, teaching is now satisfactory overall. However, teaching in lessons seen was good overall with some very good teaching. The improvements in national tests results in 2003 and inspection findings show that good teaching is having a positive effect on pupils' achievement and on standards throughout the school. However, subject leaders do not currently have time to monitor teaching, learning and teachers’ use of assessment in lessons in order to further improve the quality of teaching and learning.

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Commentary

13. Teachers prepare their lessons thoroughly and explain learning objectives clearly to pupils. All teachers promote literacy well in lessons with a strong emphasis on speaking and listening and the development of pupils’ writing skills. Numeracy and ICT are also promoted soundly within subject lessons. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils and manage their behaviour well so that pupils’ attitudes to work and their behaviour are very good. Pupils say that their teachers are kind, helpful and enable them to understand their work. Teachers’ good use of questioning supports pupils’ learning and achievement, promoting high standards. Teachers regularly set and mark homework, which is effective in moving pupils forward in their learning.

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Commentary

14. Good improvements in teachers’ planning have ensured that pupils of all abilities are now achieving appropriately. Learning objectives are well thought out and lessons have a clear beginning, middle and end, incorporating a rich variety of strategies and resources to motivate pupils and sustain their concentration. For example, teachers now make greater use of ICT to support teaching and learning in lessons. Teachers are careful to ensure that work is matched to pupils’ different ability levels and that different tasks are set for lower and higher-attaining pupils. However, this is not always the case, as seen, for example, in some pupils’ work and in a mathematics lesson and a science lesson. Recent good improvements in planning for science has ensured that more pupils are now on course to achieve Level 4 and Level 5 in the forthcoming national tests. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 12

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Commentary

15. Pupils with special educational needs are either taught in class or withdrawn for additional support, according to their needs. Teachers have a copy of each child’s individual education plan. In the one lesson seen in the special educational needs base, the teaching was good. Plenty of opportunity was provided for pupils to talk about their work and, as a result, they made good progress in explaining their ideas. The use of in-class learning support assistants is satisfactory overall but variable. Learning support assistants are generally well informed about their role and sometimes make an effective contribution in lessons. On other occasions, they do not take a sufficiently active part in lessons, for example, they do not always have a clear enough idea on how to support pupils with mathematics learning difficulties.

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Commentary

16. Throughout the school, pupils try hard, concentrate well, and are eager to contribute their ideas. They show interest in learning and willingly become involved in the tasks that are set for them. Boys and girls work with equal diligence. Pupils organise their written work effectively in response to well-established classroom routines. Pupils work both independently and very well together. They are often keen to present their findings to the rest of the class and do so confidently, responding enthusiastically to such opportunities.

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Commentary

17. Assessment is satisfactory overall. Good assessment systems have recently been developed, particularly in English, mathematics, science and ICT. However, assessment information has yet to used by teachers to set individual targets for pupils and move learning on, so that pupils can improve their work. Despite this weakness in assessment, the headteacher and assessment co-ordinator have carefully analysed test results to identify underachievement and used this information effectively to address the lower performance of boys in writing. The special educational needs co-ordinator ensures that pupils with literacy difficulties are identified and that their progress is carefully tracked by reviewing their individual education plans.

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The curriculum

Overall, the provision of curricular opportunities for all pupils is satisfactory. Pupils enjoy a broad range of learning opportunities which provide equal opportunities for all to make satisfactory progress and achieve as well as they can, including pupils with special educational needs. All statutory requirements are met satisfactorily and provision for collective worship through the daily assemblies is a strength of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Recent improvements in curriculum planning have facilitated better teaching and learning. • A good range of enrichment activities extends pupils’ learning opportunities and contributes to their personal development. • The school has made good improvement in its arrangements for pupils with special educational needs. • Insufficient teaching time has been allocated during the school day.

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Commentary

18. The curriculum is balanced appropriately towards raising achievement in literacy, numeracy and science. Subject leaders have worked hard to develop the curriculum and improvements in planning, particularly in science, have resulted in better teaching and learning. The curriculum is now effectively planned to ensure that pupils build up skills, knowledge and understanding year on year and it ensures that the needs of pupils with different attainment levels are accommodated appropriately. A range of booster classes and support strategies are in place to promote higher standards and these have been particularly effective in overcoming weaknesses in boys’ written work. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 13 19. A good range of extra-curricular opportunities provides support for pupils’ learning outside lessons and greatly enhances pupils’ personal development. There is a variety of visits and

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Commentary

field trips and especially good provision for swimming, netball, athletics and football coaching. An annual residential trip also provides good opportunities to enrich learning, for example in the pursuit of outdoor and adventurous activities. The curriculum fund provides financial support where necessary, ensuring that all pupils benefit equally from the activities offered.

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Commentary

20. Pupils with special educational needs have full access to the curriculum. Each child’s individual education plan outlines the targets for their work and pupils are often involved in setting their own targets. However, there is some inconsistency in the writing of targets. Occasionally, they are too general and do not give specific detail as to exactly what has to be achieved. Targets do not always indicate what should be taught, how it should be taught and how often it should be taught. There is a particular lack of focused target setting in mathematics.

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Commentary

21. The accommodation is satisfactory overall with a good library which is well stocked with fiction and non-fiction books, a well equipped ICT suite and a separate room for design technology lessons. By the time of the inspection, there was a match of qualified and experienced teachers to meet the demands of the curriculum, but there is no deputy head teacher and two classes are taught by long term supply teachers covering maternity leave. The school has experienced difficulties in the recent past with retaining suitably qualified science staff and this partly explains the fall in standards over time. The school does not meet national recommendations in the amount of teaching time it provides. This is an important weakness given that more work needs to be done to raise standards.

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Care, guidance and support

The school has good procedures to promote the health, welfare and safety of pupils. It provides good support, advice and guidance for pupils. The school has effective systems for involving pupils in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have a good knowledge of individual pupils and support their needs well. • Very good relationships throughout the school community promote tolerance and understanding. • Very good child protection arrangements are in place. • Individual targets are not consistently set for all pupils, other than for those with special educational needs.

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Commentary

22. The school provides good care for its pupils. Teachers know pupils and their capabilities very well. However, whilst ensuring that they develop into thinking, confident young people well prepared for transfer to their next school, their personal development is not systematically monitored nor recorded other than in their annual reports. Pupils are confident that their views ‘count’, and are proud when asked for their opinions. School councillors, house and vice captains feel they are part of decisions made by the school. Pupils are also confident that if they had any concerns they could talk to their teacher. They are well supported by the good induction programmes when they join the school and by arrangements to prepare them for transferring to secondary school. By the time pupils are ready to move on they are confident and self-assured.

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Commentary

23. All staff are aware of child protection procedures and follow very good guidelines if the need arises. Trained personnel administer first aid and practice is good. Risk assessments take Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 14 place regularly and security is reviewed systematically by the governing body’s health and safety committee.

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Commentary

24. The procedures for monitoring and improving pupils’ academic achievement and personal development are satisfactory. Although pupils’ achievement is now carefully tracked, assessment information is not fully analysed by teachers to set individual targets to improve learning. Pupils want to do well and know their group’s targets but none are set for them individually, other than for those already identified with special education or other needs. Individual targets would help all to reach their potential. Older pupils report that marking can be complicated and does not always help them to know where and how to improve their work, although they find the comments made during lessons very useful. The monitoring of attendance is good and the education welfare worker works closely with the school.

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Commentary

25. Pupils with special education or other needs are well supported, and their parents invited to their reviews each term. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are regularly informed of their child’s progress. Frequent opportunity is provided for parents to meet class teachers and the special educational needs co-ordinator. Parents receive a copy of their child’s individual education plan.

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Commentary

26. Daily routines are very well established and the school’s procedures for managing pupils’ behaviour are highly effective. Teachers are quick to identify patterns of behaviour and attendance that might cause concern, and pupils are very well supervised at playtimes.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established very good links with parents, the church and the local community. The satisfactory links with other schools and colleges are improving.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very involved with their children’s education. • The church has strong and well-established links with the school.

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Commentary

27. The school now has a very good partnership with parents, an improvement since the last report. Parents support the aims and ambitions for their children and are involved in their education in different ways. Some help in the classroom; others assist the Young Chefs, a very popular after-school activity and much enjoyed by all 42 participants. Attendance at consultation and curriculum evenings is very good, and when productions take place the hall has ‘standing room only’. The enthusiastic parent teacher association runs successful social as well as fund raising events and contributed over £8000 to school funds in the past year.

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Commentary

28. Through the prospectus, governors’ annual report, regular news bulletins and other letters the school provides good information for parents. They like their children’s annual reports, detailing what they have achieved, although most lack targets to help children to improve. Teachers are happy to see parents if they have concerns and the administration officer will always help with general information or filling out forms if this is required. Parents of children with special education or other needs are well informed and supported, which represents good improvement since the last inspection. For example, parents are now invited to their children’s reviews each term. The school also has good procedures to support parents whose first language is not English. 29. Strong links with the church permeate the school community. The rector and other members of the parish are regular visitors and Harvest, Christmas and Easter services are very well

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Commentary

attended. Children take part in the annual church schools’ festival. Other members of the local community provide financial and practical support, and have contributed towards the new computer suite and sponsored the netball kit. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 15 30. Links with and within the local cluster of schools are developing well. Teachers in Years 2 and 3 exchange visits; joint training resulted in the Child Protection Day and more is planned. Liaison with secondary schools are more difficult to develop because the school has links with 12, but improvements are benefitting all pupils in Year 6.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher and other staff with key co- ordination roles provide satisfactory leadership. The school is appropriately managed and runs efficiently on a day-to-day basis. School governance is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher is committed to school improvement and has successfully established a cohesive team of staff. • Subject leaders have already made some good improvement in their subjects; the further development of their role is hampered by the fact that they are not given any time to monitor teaching and learning. • Although governors have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, they have not managed the budget effectively enough.

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Commentary

31. At the time of the previous inspection, leadership and management were judged to be good overall but now both leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has been effective in establishing strong teamwork amongst the staff and successfully motivated them to work with him to improve the school. All staff are working hard in their attempts to bring about school improvement. The headteacher has made an effort to develop the school through a period when it experienced staffing difficulties, particularly with the loss of a Year 4 class teacher and the deputy headteacher last year. For example, he analysed national test results at the end of 2002 and identified boys’ writing as an area for improvement. This was incorporated as a priority into the school development plan and linked to performance management targets for teachers. As a result, in the 2003 national tests, the gap in standards

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Commentary

in writing between girls and boys narrowed significantly. The headteacher also recently appointed a new science leader, who has already made a good start in developing the curriculum and assessment in order to raise standards further. The headteacher undertakes a satisfactory amount of monitoring. The school has received good support from the local education authority in bringing about recent improvements in teaching and in the use of performance data.

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Commentary

32. Subject leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Subject leaders have begun to develop their subjects effectively, producing action plans for further improvement linked to well thought out priorities within the school development plan. However, subject leaders have no time allocated to track pupil progress, nor to monitor teaching, learning and assessment. The work of teachers and teaching assistants is not monitored closely enough. This is unsatisfactory, given the need for the school to raise standards further, particularly in science.

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Commentary

33. The special educational needs co-ordinator provides satisfactory leadership and management. She holds regular meetings with learning support assistants and provides in-service training for staff. She is developing assessment procedures further to ensure that they provide a more detailed analysis of pupils’ needs when they enter the school. However, occasionally, there is some inconsistency in the monitoring of pupils' individual education plans, because targets are not always set for mathematics. There is a well-resourced special educational needs room with a computer. The extra resources required for pupils with a statement of special educational need are in place. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 16 34. The governing body is very experienced. Governors have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and ensure that statutory requirements are fully met. However, governors have not been strategic enough in making decisions about how the budget should be

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Commentary

used in order to overcome barriers to learning and to raise standards further. For a number of years, the governing body has used the services of an independent financial consultant who has presented three possible scenarios for managing the budget, within the context of falling rolls and staffing difficulties. Among the options presented to governors, with very detailed financial implications, was the re-organisation of the school into mixed aged classes or the retention of single year groups, as currently exist. Governors rightly consulted parents on the options available and parents expressed a wish to retain single year groups. Despite the falling rolls in the school, governors – with the very best of intentions – adhered to parental wishes and decided to retain a very large financial surplus from year to year in order to buffer the effects of a reducing budget. As a result of this decision, no additional funding was made available to

p.16

Commentary

appoint a new deputy headteacher or to release subject leaders to monitor teaching and learning. This has contributed to the school’s performance being well below that of similar schools in recent years.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 485,977 Balance from previous year 108,478 Total expenditure 488,311 Balance carried forward to the next 106,144 Expenditure per pupil 2,543 Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 17

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Results at Level 4 in the 2003 National Curriculum tests pulled overall results to well below those of similar schools. • Higher-attaining pupils did well in the 2003 tests and a recent improvement in standards is evident. • Enthusiastic teachers encourage pupils at all levels of ability to achieve as well as they can. • Pupils’ reading and writing skills are improving as a result of new strategies for learning. • Pupils have very good relationships with their teachers and work co-operatively with each other. • Assessment schemes need revision because pupils’ rate of progress is not tracked precisely enough.

p.17

Commentary

35. At the end of Year 6 in 2003, standards in the National Curriculum tests were in line with the national average but well below those of schools whose pupils gained similar results in their Year 2 tests. However, these results were an improvement on those of the previous two years, when they were below the national average. Furthermore, results obtained by higher-attaining pupils in the 2003 National Curriculum tests were above those attained by pupils nationally and reflect the good quality of work seen during the inspection. Boys achieved particularly well in the tests in 2003: they performed better than boys nationally, and their performance was in line with that of the girls. A major contributory factor was the improvement in boys’ writing in 2003 over those in 2002.

p.17

Commentary

36. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is in line with national average, although the writing skills of a significant minority are below average. In response to skilful teaching and a well- designed scheme of work, which encourages an interest in reading and writing, pupils have begun to make good progress. Pupils from all year groups read fluently because they are introduced to a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts. This acts as a rich stimulus for their written work. Speaking and listening skills are very well developed because teachers encourage pupils to discuss, review and recommend books they have enjoyed. They comment on the styles of writing and the language used by different authors. As a result, pupils’ own writing is lively, imaginative and interesting. They understand how to structure a story to create an atmosphere and build tension to a climax.

p.17

Commentary

37. The quality of teaching is good overall with some very good features. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and lessons are well planned with a range of different activities designed to meet the wide diversity of pupils’ needs. Higher-attaining pupils are challenged by more complex tasks and begin to develop as independent learners. Lower-attaining pupils tackle tasks aimed at developing their confidence to succeed. Teachers’ skilful questioning techniques stimulate pupils to search out the meanings from stories, poems and non-fiction material and explain the hidden message underlying the texts. Throughout Years 3 and 4, pupils are encouraged to comment on stories and poems, selecting interesting words, exciting characters and unexpected developments in the plot. As a result, by Year 6, pupils can sustain Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 18 a detailed explanation, developing each point in a coherent argument. This sensitive teaching

p.17

Commentary

equips pupils with the learning habit, arousing their curiosity and joy in learning.

p.18

Commentary

38. Teachers’ marking of written work facilitates good learning because pupils are reminded of ways they can improve and encouraged by praise for their efforts. As a result, pupils discuss their work enthusiastically; they are proud of their writing, which is displayed attractively. Assessment systems provide useful information on pupils’ achievement, but data is not used sufficiently to track the progress of individual pupils or in the setting of targets.

p.18

Commentary

39. The subject is led well. The literacy co-ordinator organises well-structured programmes for learning, including innovative schemes to raise the standards of attainment in national tests and the achievement of pupils of all abilities. As a result of her leadership, there have been significant improvements in teaching and learning since the last inspection.

p.18

Language and literacy across the curriculum

40. Literacy skills are well integrated across the curriculum and fuel pupils’ learning in other subject areas. As a result, pupils in all year groups present their work in a variety of forms using ICT facilities profitably. Most pupils speak confidently, listen thoughtfully to others and tackle problems to be solved productively. Pupils read fluently and this enables them to research information and record their findings competently. As a result of these good literacy skills, pupils produce high quality studies in several subjects, including history projects on Victorian Britain, geographical research on river settlements, instructions for making models and recipes for cooking food. Excellent wall displays throughout the school celebrate the writing achievements of pupils of all abilities because lower-attaining pupils are well supported in their learning of literacy skills.

p.18

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• National Curriculum tests show that pupils who left in 2003 made poor progress in their time at the school. • Good improvement in the analysis of performance data and the introduction of a new scheme of work are leading to an improvement in standards. • Most teaching and learning seen during the inspection were good. • The subject co-ordinator is not given the opportunity to observe others teaching mathematics.

p.18

Commentary

41. In 2003, standards in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 were in line with the national average but well below those of schools whose pupils gained similar results in their Year 2 tests. These results were an improvement on the two previous years, when they were below the national average. Last year’s results at Level 4 were below the national average and in the bottom five per cent compared with similar schools nationally. At Level 5, results were above average but below those of similar schools. The standards reached in these tests indicated that these pupils made poor progress between the beginning of Year 3 and the end of Year 6. In the last two years, boys outperformed girls in tests at the end of Year 6, overturning a previous pattern where girls in the school did slightly better than boys.

p.18

Commentary

42. In an attempt to improve its results, the school worked with the local education authority to identify gaps in curriculum coverage and introduced a new scheme of work that is closely linked to the National Numeracy Strategy. The positive impact of this is beginning to be evident. Pupils currently in Year 6 are working broadly in line with the national average. The school’s Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 19 own data shows that an above average proportion of pupils are expected to reach Level 4 in the 2004 National Curriculum tests, which has been the particular focus of its developments in the subject. The percentage expected to gain Level 5 is, however, below average. Past work shows that pupils’ use of mathematical language to explain their thinking is a relative weakness and the school has identified the need for pupils to improve their understanding of fractions. School assessment in Year 6 shows that the gender gap is widening: boys are doing much

p.18

Commentary

43. Most pupils achieve satisfactorily, with the exception of some pupils in Year 4 whose achievement has been adversely affected by staffing difficulties. Throughout the school, the average-attaining majority make the best progress. Other pupils make satisfactory progress overall, but higher-attaining pupils are not always challenged enough and those with special educational needs could sometimes make better progress. There are few individual education plan targets based on mathematical learning difficulties, although it is clear that a significant minority of pupils have such difficulties, and the role of learning support assistants is underdeveloped. Nevertheless, support assistants provide good support in some lessons. For example, in a Year 3 lesson the support assistant worked effectively with a group of lower- attaining pupils and, in Year 4, a support assistant worked closely to good effect with a pupil

p.19

Commentary

with a statement of special educational needs.

p.19

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Most teaching seen during the inspection was good; over time, pupils’ work shows that teaching is satisfactory. Improvement in the curriculum means that lessons usually build on pupils’ prior attainment. In most lessons, planning is good and teachers match work well to the needs of different groups in the class so that, in addition to pupils being placed in upper or lower sets, three different tasks are set for upper, average and lower-attaining pupils. In the only lesson seen where teaching was unsatisfactory, pupils with a wide spread of prior attainment were given exactly the same task. The provision of adult support was ineffective in meeting all pupils’ needs equally and higher- attaining pupils in particular did not make as much progress as they should have done. In this, and most other lessons, teachers make good use of practical resources and lessons proceed

p.19

Commentary

at a good pace. Pupils show an interest in learning and apply themselves well to the work they are given. In the current year, they have all covered a good amount of work. They have many opportunities to undertake paired or group work, and collaborate well. At times, they would benefit from more direct teaching and from teachers developing further their use of the plenary at the end of lessons to clarify points and check pupils’ understanding. Teachers make good use of ICT to support pupils’ learning and the subject contributes well to the development of pupils’ ICT skills. Marking is variable: sometimes teachers make clear to pupils what they need to do to improve; at other times, marking praises pupils too readily.

p.19

Commentary

45. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is a good role model for other teachers and has good subject knowledge. Her role has developed in recent months through working closely with the local education authority adviser, and this has led the school to improve its analysis of how pupils do in National Curriculum tests and in the non-statutory tests it administers at the end of each year. A good range of assessment information is collected but the school does not use this to monitor pupils’ progress towards statutory targets nor to set individual targets for numeracy. The co-ordinator scrutinises pupils’ work but is allocated no time to observe others’ teaching or to gain a total overview of provision in the subject. The findings of lesson monitoring by senior managers are not shared with the co-ordinator in relation to provision in mathematics.

p.19

Commentary

46. Since the last inspection, standards have declined but lessons and pupils’ work show that they are beginning to rise again through improvements in the last year in the curriculum and the use of data. Development since the last inspection has, therefore, been broadly satisfactory.

p.19

Mathematics across the curriculum

47. Opportunities for promoting mathematics within other subjects are planned for satisfactorily and these were evident in lessons seen and pupils’ work. For example, in science, pupils use Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 20 standard measurements during investigations and learn to tabulate their findings. In geography, they use grids and co-ordinates and during the inspection, pupils used the exchange rate to calculate how much a traveller would be able to spend in different countries. In design and technology, they use measurements in their planning.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have recently improved from the 2003 national test results so that they are now in line with the national average in Year 6. • Teaching and learning in lessons seen were good in Years 5 and 6. • The new co-ordinator has made a good start with improvements in assessment and curriculum planning.

p.20

Commentary

48. Standards reached by pupils in Year 6 have recently improved, despite the poor National Curriculum test results in 2003, where Year 6 results were below average nationally and in the bottom five percent in comparison with similar schools. Not enough pupils were achieving the higher Level 5 in the national tests. Over the past three years, standards in science were lower than English and mathematics because of unsatisfactory leadership of the subject, with three subject co-ordinators in as many years. As a result, there were significant weaknesses in science planning. Methods of recording and tracking pupils’ achievements across the school were not in place and teachers lacked knowledge of how to move pupils’ learning forward from one topic to the next. However, a new co-ordinator who is a subject specialist has been appointed, and pupils’ work from September 2003 shows that pupils are now achieving

p.20

Commentary

satisfactorily with more pupils expected to achieve Level 4 and Level 5. Inspection findings show that pupils in Years 3 to 6 are now working broadly in line with the national average and achieving appropriately. An analysis of recent assessment information shows that the current Year 6 pupils are on line to achieve better results than last year. Work seen in Years 3 to 6 shows a thorough coverage of the whole science curriculum, with opportunities for pupils to develop scientific enquiry through investigations. Pupils with special educational needs are achieving appropriately as are higher-attaining pupils, with no significant differences between the achievement of girls and boys.

p.20

Commentary

49. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Since September 2003, teaching and learning have improved. Poor results in national tests over this time period clearly indicate weaknesses in teachers’ subject knowledge and low expectations of what pupils should achieve. However, the school has now ‘turned the corner’ and no unsatisfactory lessons were seen during the inspection. In lessons seen in Years 5 and 6, teaching was good and in Years 3 and 4 it was satisfactory. A feature of all teaching is an emphasis on scientific enquiry through practical investigations. Pupils discuss and record their predictions before their experiments. They develop a good understanding of fair testing, deciding what they will change and keep the same, what they will measure and how they will investigate. All lessons were well structured with different tasks for different groups of pupils, so that work was closely matched to the

p.20

Commentary

needs of lower and higher-attaining pupils. A feature of the lesson in Years 5 and 6 was the time spent on helping pupils to assess how much they had learned in the lesson and how they could further improve. However, learning support assistants are not always used effectively enough and teachers do not currently set individual targets for pupils to move their learning forward. Teachers maintain very good relationship with pupils and this leads to very good attitudes and behaviour. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 21 50. The recently appointed subject leader has made a good start in developing a structured curriculum which builds on pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding as they move through the school. There is more detailed guidance for teachers on how to move learning forward within topics and new good assessment systems are in place. There is a recently introduced routine of testing at the end of units of work, to identify any weaknesses in provision. However,

p.20

Commentary

this assessment information has not yet been used effectively to promote learning and achievement because it is newly in place. Although there has been recent good improvement in the development of the subject, improvement since the last inspection has only been satisfactory overall because not enough was done prior to September 2003 to develop provision in science.

p.21

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is co-ordinated effectively and there are clear plans for its further development. • ICT supports pupils’ learning in a range of subjects and these subjects, in turn, contribute positively to the development of pupils’ ICT skills.

p.21

Commentary

51. By the end of Year 6, standards are broadly in line with national expectations, and achievement is satisfactory throughout the school. There is no difference in the achievement of boys and girls, or in that of pupils from ethnic minorities and those who have special educational needs.

p.21

Commentary

52. Pupils develop a range of appropriate ICT skills as they move through the school. Pupils in Year 3 know how to combine text and graphics. Pupils in Year 4 show satisfactory understanding of control technology as they develop simple programming skills. They also use computer graphics to experiment with pattern, and use ICT to present information and data. In Year 5, pupils use ICT for graphical modelling, to present and conduct basic analysis of data, and they develop their knowledge of spreadsheets. Pupils develop their confidence in navigating the Internet, and in Year 6 pupils are able to create multimedia presentations and have gained some experience in designing web pages.

p.21

Commentary

53. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and teaching in the lessons seen during the inspection was good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and prepare thoroughly for lessons. They make good use of the whiteboard that is connected to the computer and use pupils’ ideas well during their demonstrations. Expectations are generally appropriate and behaviour is managed well. In one lesson, the work was very challenging and provided much scope for higher and average-attaining pupils, although lower-attaining pupils met with limited success. In another, the teacher’s instructions were very clear and the task was put into a context that was at once motivating for pupils. Pupils work with enthusiasm and enjoy their ICT lessons. They listen carefully and many collaborate effectively.

p.21

Commentary

54. Leadership is good. The co-ordinator has been effective in developing aspects of the subject, supports other teachers well, and has put in place clear plans for further development of the subject. Curriculum planning is effective, underpinned by a commercial scheme and national guidance. Pupils’ attainment is regularly assessed and the co-ordinator has developed good materials for use by other teachers, including self-assessment sheets that relate specifically to each unit of work. The school has begun to develop a portfolio of ICT work, but samples of work have not yet been annotated. Management is satisfactory: the co-ordinator undertakes monitoring of work but does not have opportunities to observe others’ teaching in ICT. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 22 55. Provision is less good than that reported at the last inspection, when standards were above average and subject co-ordination was very good. There has, however, been good

p.21

Commentary

improvement in aspects of provision in recent years.

p.22

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

56. There is good evidence from display and pupils’ work of the use of ICT to support their learning in a range of subjects, and these subjects also contribute to the development of pupils’ ICT skills. In mathematics, pupils use ICT to present information in graphs and tables, and make quite extensive use of computer programs in data analysis. In English, they improve their written work by using ICT for redrafting. In science, pupils in Year 5 have produced an information booklet on human anatomy and used ICT in their work on materials. In art, they explore the way images can be manipulated and repeated. In geography, pupils have used the Internet for research on world poverty and to produce diagrams on the water cycle.

p.22

HUMANITIES

Geography and history were sampled and therefore no judgements were made on the quality of teaching and learning and pupils’ achievements. Religious education was not inspected because it was subject to a Section 23 inspection.

p.22

HUMANITIES

57. Geography was sampled, two lessons were observed and pupils’ project folders and notebooks were reviewed and discussed. Pupils in Years 3 and 6 discussed the wall displays of their work using appropriate vocabulary to explain the significance of grid references, icons and symbols which identified the geographical features of the locations and environments they had studied. The quality of their written work indicates that pupils understand the changes caused by weather conditions, local resources, employment, traffic congestion and the effects of these on people and places. Pupils use cross-curricular skills from literacy, numeracy and ICT to develop their comparative studies of contrasting locations in St Lucia and Britain. Pupils use graphs, diagrams and simple maps as they focus on geographical features of river settlements throughout the world. For example, pupils explain the importance of irrigation

p.22

HUMANITIES

schemes for people living and working on the banks of the River Nile. Pupils’ learning is enriched by excursions locally and by the Year 6 field trip to Dorset providing more cross- curricular links and opportunities to investigate coastal features, land use and marine biology. Nonetheless, learning time is constrained and more time is needed for teaching overall.

p.22

HUMANITIES

58. Two lessons were observed in history and pupils in Year 6 discussed their work enthusiastically, explaining their methods of historical enquiry into important people and places in Victorian Britain. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 recognise the need to link cause and effect as they select and organise events and happenings that change the lives of men and women over time. They record their discoveries carefully using historical vocabulary very well. Older pupils analyse the ideas, beliefs and attitudes that change society and present this information in their research projects, which reach a good standard. To counteract budget restraints and the time needed for teaching literacy and numeracy, pupils complete their written work at home using ICT facilities very successfully and some achieve outstanding results. Pupils’ learning is enriched by visits to local places of historical interest. Cross-curricular skills in drama, music,

p.22

HUMANITIES

art and craft are demonstrated through presentations linked to pupils’ studies of the Greeks and Romans, events in Shakespeare’s time and life in Britain during World War Two during the annual Curriculum Evening in 2002. However, more teaching hours in the school week are needed to increase the learning opportunities for all pupils.

p.22

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were sampled. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 23 59. It was not possible to see any art and design lessons. Judgements about art are based on scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning, and discussions with staff, so there is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement about provision, achievement or teaching.

p.22

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

60. Work on display shows that standards are often above national expectations. A large-scale collage after Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’, by pupils in Year 4, reveals very good subject knowledge by the teacher and effective collaborative work. Standards are, similarly above average, where pupils sketched porcelain bowls and eggs from direct observation, then developed their sketches further using watercolour wash and by tracing patterns and designs in blue pencil. A display of work on pattern in Year 3 shows an above average knowledge of form, with much variation evident in repeating patterns and good use of ICT. It also reveals that the topic was taught well so that pupils developed their ideas systematically, and worked with motivation and precision. Pupils’ skills in the use of tone, colour and in their technical control are in line with expectations in observational drawings of fruit by pupils in Year 5. As part of the ‘Art portfolio: a

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

showcase of artistic talent’, where pupils’ pictures are framed and displayed in a corridor, the best pastel drawing – again after Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ – is well above national expectations in mark making, colour and composition. Pupils transfer their artistic skills well when they produce diagrams and illustrations as part of their work in a range of subjects.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

61. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and has been proactive in developing the subject since she took on the role at the beginning of this academic year. A detailed scheme of work has been put in place and assessment sheets have been created, based on the expectations in each unit of work, which give rise to end of year assessment against National Curriculum levels. The curriculum reflects National Curriculum Programmes of Study very well: it includes the study of non-western art, such as a project on African-inspired batik, involves pupils in evaluating the work of famous artists and art movements, and includes consideration of photography and film. Work in art is linked well with literacy, as in a project on ‘Dreams and Fantasies’. Although the co-ordinator does not have any opportunity to monitor others’ teaching, she scrutinises pupils’ work through display and has devised a useful questionnaire to

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

collect other teachers’ views about the new scheme of work.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

62. Design and technology was not inspected in depth, so it is not possible to make any overall judgements about provision, achievement and teaching. Sampling of work indicates that pupils’ designing is rather better than their making skills. Standards are broadly in line with national expectations in the designs for photograph frames produced by pupils in Year 3, and in Year 6 work on board games. In both these projects, pupils used wood and card to construct their final products. A satisfactory range of skills was evident in shaping and joining the materials. In the Year 3 project, good teaching led pupils to use their evaluation of commercial photograph frames and to consider the needs of the user in their designs. Once they had made their frames, they were challenged to evaluate their products. Learning in design and technology lessons is supplemented for a considerable number of pupils by attendance at an after-school

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

cookery club where pupils have the opportunity to make a range of different dishes.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

63. In the one Year 6 music lesson seen and in an assembly, there is evidence to confirm that pupils’ vocal skills are well developed. They sing with enthusiasm. Pupils show a good memory for the words of songs and hymns and sing confidently and in tune. The school provides frequent opportunities for pupils to develop their performing skills. Over 40 pupils are in the school choir and they perform both in and out of school. Pupils have taken part in the Maidstone Choral Festival, the Rochester Church Schools’ Festival and have sung at a local store. They have also performed for senior citizens in the community. Visiting teachers from the Music for Schools Foundation provide lessons in brass and woodwind instruments, and 15 pupils receive lessons. Professional musicians have visited the school to perform to pupils.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

64. Scrutiny of photographic display in physical education and discussions with the headteacher demonstrate that pupils are actively involved in a range of sporting events. All pupils participate in swimming at the local leisure centre and nearly every pupil achieves well, gaining accredited 25 metres swimming awards. Pupils also have good opportunities for football coaching once a Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 24 week from a representative of Arsenal Football Club. Pupils are also involved in the Aylesford and District netball and football tournaments. The school has established strong links with a local secondary sports specialist school, which provides a sports teacher to oversee sixth form students who work with Ditton pupils. Pupils use their facilities regularly, participating in joint activities such as rounders and athletics. Pupils benefit from involvement in the athletics club

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

during the summer term, a sports play club provided by the parish. The residential field trip to Dorset enables pupils to engage in outdoor adventurous activities such as abseiling, hiking and orienteering, which enhances their personal development through the development of team work.

p.24

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

65. Insufficient work was seen to form an overall judgement about provision in personal, social and health education or citizenship. Judgements are based on a scrutiny of curriculum planning and discussions with staff and pupils.

p.24

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

66. The school has satisfactory arrangements for teaching personal, social and health education (PSHE) which also permeates through the life of the school. Pupils make good progress in their personal development, through the provision of ‘Golden Rules’ discussed by the School Council and agreed by all pupils. They also develop positive attitudes, values and personal qualities through PSHE lessons as they discuss moral issues, learn about health, and know how to function as positive members of society. The house captain and house vice captain system also promotes the development of citizenship as pupils take on responsibility for the welfare of others. Class rewards and celebration assemblies promote pupils’ self-esteem, and the Christian ethos of the school promotes kindness and consideration for others. Ditton Church Of England Junior School - 25

p.24

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.25

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.25

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.25

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 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

p.25

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.25

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).

p.25