Eastington Primary School

EASTINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 -28 January 2004

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EASTINGTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Eastington Primary - 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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EASTINGTON 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. Eastington Primary - 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: 145

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Churchend Eastington Stonehouse Gloucestershire Postcode: GL10 3SB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01453 822922 Fax number: 01453 826215

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr. P. Clayton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 March 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Eastington Primary school is a small village primary school. It serves the village of Eastington but also draws pupils from the wider area because of its good reputation. All the pupils are from White United Kingdom backgrounds and none speak English as an additional language. At the time of the inspection there were 145 pupils on roll. The number of pupils entitled to free school meals is well below average, although this does not fully reflect the wide range of social backgrounds. Overall, this is broadly average. Attainment on entry is average overall, although the personal and social development of pupils is below average when they first start school. The number of pupils who join the school after the usual time of admission is below average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is well below average, though the number with a Statement of Special Educational Needs is average. Their special educational needs include moderate learning, social,

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

emotional, behavioural, and speech and communication difficulties as well as physical disability. The school is involved in a local authority initiative which is looking at the transition of pupils between Years 6 and 7, and the headteacher is a participant in the national leadership strategy in primary schools. The school received a school achievement award in 2001 and a healthy schools award in 2003. Eastington Primary - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

3349 J. Ikin Lead inspector English Information and communication technology History Geography English as an additional language 9756 K. Parsons Lay inspector 14997 V. Emery Team inspector Science Music Physical education Citizenship Foundation Stage 19916 D. Kerr Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology Religious education Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

This is a very good school, which gives very good value for money. It has a distinctive ethos that is highly effective in developing pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and love of learning. There is excellent provision for special educational needs and very good teaching. All pupils achieve very well and standards are well above average. The school is very well led and managed and the headteacher continually seeks ways of raising standards even further.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• The headteacher provides outstanding leadership and gives the school a clear sense of purpose and direction. He is given excellent support by the deputy headteacher and is very well supported by the governing body, a very strong staff team and the parents. • Pupils achieve very well in English, mathematics and science and standards are well above average by the end of Year 6 as a result of the very good teaching in the school. • The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is excellent. • Pupils develop excellent social skills and a real enthusiasm for learning as a result of the school’s excellent provision for their personal and social development and the provision of very good care and guidance. • The school is highly inclusive and all pupils have equal opportunities to learn and succeed. • Standards of behaviour are very good. Pupils work and play very well together, are courteous

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OVERALL EVALUATION

and respectful to each other and have excellent relationships with all the adults who work in the school. • There is excellent enrichment of the curriculum through after-school activities, sport and peripatetic music teaching, and there are excellent links with the secondary school. • The National Curriculum is fully covered, however there are inconsistencies in planning and assessment for subjects other than English, mathematics, and science.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s improvement since the last inspection is very good. It has improved standards in English, mathematics and science and set itself challenging goals for further improvement and is on course to meet them. The school has built upon the strengths identified in the last inspection and fully addressed all the recommendations made.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English C A A A mathematics A A A* A* Science A A A* B Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is very good . Standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) and religious education are average. Standards in music are above average. The A* grades in the table above mean that results of the 2003 national tests at the end of Year 6 were in the top five per cent nationally for mathematics and science.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is excellent. Higher attaining pupils and those who are talented and gifted achieve very well. Children’s achievement in reception is good. Eastington Primary - 7 Nearly all reach the goals that are expected for them by the end of the reception year and about a third exceed them in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, and knowledge and understanding of the world.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their moral and social development, are excellent. Their spiritual and cultural development is very good. Their attitudes to their work are excellent and they behave very well. Attendance and punctuality are good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

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

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching and learning are very good . Teachers have very high expectations of their pupils and are very successful in helping children to acquire the skills of literacy, numeracy, science and music, and in giving pupils the skills and confidence they need to become independent learners. Teaching assistants provide very good support. The curriculum is good overall. It is very good in English and mathematics, and good in science and music. In other subjects there are weaknesses in planning and assessment, which the school has identified and begun to address. The recent reorganisation of school day makes efficient use of time and provides a very good base for curriculum improvement. Provision for pupils who have special educational needs is excellent and there is very good provision for talented and gifted pupils. There is excellent provision for activities outside the school day, sport and music tuition. The school is very well staffed and resources are good. The accommodation is

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

satisfactory although very good use is made of the space available. Pupils are very well cared for. The school’s partnership with parents is very good; there are excellent links with the secondary school and very good links with the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good overall and its governance is very good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The headteacher provides outstanding leadership and he is given excellent support by the deputy headteacher. There is a very effective staff team who share the headteacher’s high aspirations. Governors give very strong support to the school and fulfil all their statutory duties.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of every aspect of the school’s work and hold it in very high regard. Pupils are extremely proud of their school, care about it and thoroughly enjoy being there.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school has no major weaknesses. However, to build on its work and improve standards even further it should:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• continue its work in developing greater consistency in curriculum planning and assessment in subjects other than English, mathematics and science. Eastington Primary - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6 achieve very well. Standards are well above average in reading, mathematics and science in Year 2 and above average in writing. In Year 6 standards are well above average in English and mathematics and science. Children in the reception class achieve well. Nearly all reach the goals set for children at the end of the reception year and about a third exceed them in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the foundation stage are thoroughly prepared for the curriculum in Year 1. • The school has successfully sustained its high standards in national tests in English, mathematics and science. • The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is excellent. Higher attaining pupils and those who are talented and gifted achieve very well. • Standards in music are above average and a third of the pupils in Years 3 to 6 are competent instrumentalists. • Standards in religious education are above average in Year 2.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 17.5 (16.7) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.7 (15.2) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 17 (16.4) 16.3 (16.5) There were 20 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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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 29.6 (28.6) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 31.1 (29.5) 26.8 (26.7) Science 30.4 (31.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were 16 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. Although overall standards are average when children enter the reception class many children find it difficult to listen to the teacher and to get on well together at first. As a result of the good teaching they receive, the children achieve well and develop these skills by the end of the reception year. Higher attaining pupils in the reception class benefit from working alongside their Year 1 classmates and this motivates them to achieve well.

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Commentary

2. Pupils’ results in the 2003 Year 2 National Curriculum tests were well above the national average for reading and above average in writing and mathematics. The results of the 2003 teacher assessments for Year 2 pupils in science were well above average. The results of national tests in Year 6 were well above average for English and in the top five per cent Eastington Primary - 9 nationally for mathematics and science. All pupils in Years 1 through to 6, including those with special educational needs and talented and gifted pupils, achieve very well in English, mathematics and science. Standards are well above average in these subjects. Boys and girls achieve equally well, lower attaining pupils receive all the additional support that they need and higher attaining pupils receive challenging work which is very well matched to their needs and capabilities. Standards in English, mathematics and science have improved since the last

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Commentary

inspection. This is as a result of: • very good teaching and the high expectations that teachers have of their pupils; • the extremely positive attitudes that pupils have to their learning; • the excellent provision for pupils with special educational needs; • the very good use made of assessment information by teachers to plan for pupils’ differing needs in mathematics and English; • the very good support that pupils receive from home.

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Commentary

3. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is excellent. This is reflected in the school’s one hundred percent record for pupils reaching the levels expected and above in Year 2 and Year 6 in national tests for English, mathematics and science. The very early identification of pupils’ needs, the excellent teaching they receive and the carefully chosen targets in their individual education plans help them to make excellent progress in learning and in the growth of their self-esteem and confidence. They catch up with their classmates and usually reach the standards expected for their age. In literacy and numeracy particularly, skilled classroom assistants work alongside the pupils to give extra support and this significantly helps their progress in acquiring the basic skills of reading, writing and number. The pupils are given the skills that they need to work independently and many are removed from the school’s special

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Commentary

needs register because of the success of the school’s work.

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Commentary

4. Pupils’ achievement in music is good and overall standards are above average. The provision of peripatetic music tuition and opportunities to take part in musical activities such as the school orchestra at the beginning and end of the school day make a significant contribution to the standards. About one third of the pupils play a musical instrument and many of them do so to a very high standard. Parents report that the enthusiasm for music that the school engenders is carried through into pupils’ secondary education where many pupils choose to study music at a higher level.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ achievement in ICT is satisfactory and standards in are in line with those expected for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. Standards are not as high as they were in the last inspection because of changes that have taken place in the curriculum and more is now expected of pupils if they are to achieve at the higher levels. The school has invested in better equipment and in training for staff to keep pace with these developments and has plans to improve resources even further, for example, to extend its work in control technology. The computer suite is very well equipped, although it can only accommodate half a class at a time, and there are networked computers in all classrooms. The provision of an interactive whiteboard in the Year 5/6 classroom is particularly effective in enabling pupils to use their ICT skills to support their learning in other subjects. Achievement is satisfactory rather than good because the

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Commentary

curriculum and assessment for ICT have only recently been reviewed and the use of computers to support work in other subjects is not yet fully embedded.

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Commentary

6. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve very well in religious education because of the very good teaching they receive in the subject. In the rest of the school pupils’ achievement is satisfactory rather than good. This is because the way that the curriculum is planned means that some year groups do not have the opportunity they need to develop their understanding in depth. The school is aware of this and is currently reviewing planning for religious education as part of its whole-school curriculum review.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Eastington Primary - 10 Pupils’ attitudes are excellent and their behaviour is very good. Personal development is very good. Their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is very good overall. Attendance is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ excellent attitudes to their learning make a strong contribution to their very good achievement. • Pupils’ behaviour is very good. • Attendance by pupils over the last few years has been above the national average for a school of this type and parents bring them to school on time. • Pupils’ social and moral development is excellent. Their spiritual and cultural development is very good.

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Commentary

7. Pupils’ excellent response to their learning has been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils take great pride in their school and have a real thirst for learning. This makes a very significant contribution to their very good achievement throughout the school. Not all children enter the school with appropriate personal and social development and the school has to work hard to enable children in the reception class to reach the goals expected for them by the end of the reception year, and to achieve these outstanding results for all pupils in the rest of the school. The consistent approach and high expectations of all teachers and adults in the school results in an ethos where all pupils are highly valued and cared for and their self-esteem and confidence are purposefully developed.

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Commentary

8. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and they acquire very good work habits. For example, they are able to organise their own resources, help each other with their class work, and concentrate extremely well on their work when working together or on their own. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, want to learn and succeed because teachers take such care to make tasks relevant and interesting and treat the pupils as partners in the education process.

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Commentary

9. The school has high expectations of behaviour. The well-established behaviour policy has a very strong focus on positive reinforcement, is unobtrusive and consistently and successfully applied. All pupils strive very hard to meet the very high standards that the school sets. They develop excellent relationships with each other and with all staff. Relationships between pupils, teachers and parents are highly valued and in discussions, pupils report that ‘ teachers tell you what you need to work on and this helps you to learn well ’. Pupils behave very well in lessons and as they move around the school in an orderly manner. They come into assemblies in a quiet and well-behaved way and behaviour at playtimes, lunchtimes and in the before- and after-school clubs is very good. Pupils have learned the value of good manners and friendly sociable chatting. There were no exclusions last year.

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Commentary

10. Attendance by pupils is generally above the national average for a school of this type, although there was a slight dip last year. Pupils want to come to school - a couple of parents suggested that their children were disappointed on Saturday when they could not come. The school tries to discourage parents from taking children away on holiday in term-time and the level of unauthorised absences is low. Parents bring their children to school on time. The headteacher is very active in monitoring the attendance registers and any problems are picked up very quickly and acted upon. The very good relationship that the school has with parents contributes to the good attendance rate.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 5.0 School data: 0.2 Eastington Primary - 11 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. 11. The pupils have an excellent understanding of right from wrong, which is well promoted by the school’s behaviour policy. Staff set very good examples, showing high levels of concern and respect for the needs of all pupils, and take their views seriously. Strong features of the school’s moral development are the assemblies and ‘circle’ times. The latter provide an arena for discussions of right and wrong and associated feelings.

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Commentary

12. The high expectations that the school has of its pupils are evident in the responsibilities it gives them in the day-to-day running of the school and this contributes to the excellent development of their social skills. Older pupils quite competently look after the school office at lunchtime, for example, living up to the trust that is placed in them. The well-established school council provides excellent opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding of their wider social responsibilities. The ‘Big Friends / Little Friends’ school initiative is highly successful in promoting social responsibilities. Older pupils are carefully matched to younger ones and the friendships that ensue are greatly valued by pupils, often continuing into secondary school, and providing very good opportunities for shared activities.

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Commentary

13. Very good provision for cultural development is well supported by a wide range of visits and visitors. Pupils show a high level of interest in, and respect for, religious beliefs and cultural traditions that are different from their own. The exchange of resources and visits that pupils make to neighbouring schools, together with the strong links with an inner city school in Gloucester, which has many pupils from Asian heritages, contribute to this understanding. Links with the local community and participation in traditional events such as the annual ‘May Queen’ celebrations contribute to their very good understanding of their own cultural traditions. The very good range of books and provision for music also contribute to pupils’ cultural awareness.

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Commentary

14. The excellent ethos of the school successfully promotes pupils’ spiritual awareness. A very strong set of values, which are based on pupils’ respect for themselves and others, enables all pupils to grow and flourish. A culture of openness and empowerment is promoted and this results in an atmosphere in which pupils feel safe and secure when discussing difficult issues, for example, those concerning life and death are discussed quite openly and frankly. During the inspection, time was set aside in assemblies to think about and reflect upon issues concerned with the theme of ‘encouraging others’, and pupils honestly contributed their own experiences about when they had needed the help of others and when sometimes they had not been as helpful towards each other as they should have been. Parents very much appreciate the way in which the school promotes pupils’ personal development and feel that the school has a real

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Commentary

strength in the way that it promotes the all-round development of their children. Provision has made good improvement since the last inspection.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Very good teaching enables all pupils to make very good gains in their learning. The curriculum is good and the school provides a very good standard of care for its pupils. There are very good links with parents and the community.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good in the reception class and very good in Years 1 to 6. Pupils throughout the school learn very well. Assessment is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching in the reception class ensures that children are well prepared for their work in Year 1. Eastington Primary - 12 • There is very good teaching of English and mathematics, and good teaching of science and music. • Teachers help pupils to acquire extremely positive attitudes to learning and the skills that they need to become independent learners. • Assessment in the reception class and in English, mathematics and science is used well to track pupils’ achievement, but is not yet as good in other subjects. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is excellent and all pupils are given the opportunity to learn and make progress. • The curriculum is being reviewed to make better use of time in lessons.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 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

15. Teaching is judged to be very good not only as a result of lessons seen, but also from evidence of pupils’ work.

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Commentary

16. The teachers’ lesson planning in the reception class reflects a thorough understanding of the curriculum for children of this age. There are high expectations of the way that the children should behave. These are consistently reinforced and are very effective in helping the children to develop good habits of working, and the skills that they need to get on with each other. There is good teaching of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy and the many opportunities provided for children to learn through practical and play activities are well planned. There is a good level of challenge for higher attaining children, who benefit from working with their older and more experienced classmates. Provision for outdoor play leads to good opportunities for the children to explore the world about them, on a larger scale than is possible indoors, and makes an important contribution to all areas of their learning.

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Commentary

17. In Years 1 to 6, teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of English and the National Literacy Strategy. They are very skilful in developing pupils’ vocabulary and speaking skills and in making very good use of good quality texts, sometimes written by the teachers themselves, to draw pupils’ attention to the strategies that authors use to create different effects and to how language can be used in different ways to create good quality writing. The teaching of reading is very well planned and highly effective. Teachers work on carefully selected texts with groups of pupils on a regular basis, developing an increasing level of challenge as pupils move through the school. Phonics is systematically taught and pupils regularly take books home to read. The very good support given by parents to home reading makes a significant contribution to the progress that pupils make.

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Commentary

18. The teachers’ high expectations, their very good subject knowledge and their care and concern for individual pupils are features of mathematics teaching. Teachers have excellent relationships with their pupils, are quick to spot when they have a problem and take time to help pupils overcome difficulties. Pupils readily try out new and more complex ideas and persevere with difficult work because they are given the confidence to do so. Very good use is made of well-targeted questions which enable pupils who are working at different attainment levels to fully participate in lessons. Work is well matched to individual needs and there is very good use of practical resources, as well as clear explanations, to help pupils understand new ideas. The use of ICT to support pupils’ learning in mathematics is being developed and the new interactive whiteboard in Year 6 is making a significant contribution to this.

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Commentary

Eastington Primary - 13 19. The good teaching of music involves all pupils in practical and enjoyable activities involving singing and making music using percussion instruments. Accomplished peripatetic music teachers provide very good instrumental tuition for about 30 per cent of the pupils. They set challenging targets for their pupils and expect them to work hard both in lessons and in their practice at home. Teachers give willingly of their time to support pupils’ learning of music outside the school day, and make music so enjoyable that many pupils come into school early to practise with the school orchestra.

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Commentary

20. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of science have improved since the last inspection and are now good. Throughout the school teachers ask challenging questions which require pupils to recall, analyse, evaluate and explain their ideas. New learning is presented in a range of interesting and practical ways and, as a result, pupils have a good recall of a wide range of factual knowledge as well as an eagerness to find out about scientific phenomena.

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Commentary

21. Teachers throughout the school help pupils to acquire the skills of independent learning. Pupils are encouraged to access and organise their own resources. They are encouraged to take risks and try things out for themselves and they are also enabled to acquire the skills of working with others through group and partner work. Strategies for planning, note taking and problem solving are systematically taught and pupils increasingly use these skills in the course of their work. Opportunities to raise pupils’ self-esteem and confidence are an integral part of every lesson, and as a result pupils are proud of their achievements, confident and eager to learn. They frequently want to continue with their work after lessons have finished.

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Commentary

22. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is excellent. Teachers plan tasks that take full account of what pupils need to learn in literacy and numeracy, and there is extra support from skilled classroom assistants in these and in many other lessons. In all classes, teachers and classroom assistants work very closely together to plan the support that these pupils need and to discuss their progress in each lesson. Assessment for these pupils is very good. Individual education plans identify the next steps of learning for each pupil and teachers review these each term with the special needs co-ordinator and with parents. All pupils are given the opportunity to learn, including higher attaining pupils and those who are talented and gifted, because of the wide range of teaching methods that are used and the individual attention that they receive.

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Commentary

23. Assessment is satisfactory. There are strengths in the systems that the school uses for the assessment and monitoring of pupils’ progress in the reception class and in English, mathematics and science in the rest of the school. There is good use of these assessments in the course of lessons. The teachers check on what pupils already know before they start the main part of the lesson. They then build on this effectively to develop pupils’ understanding further. They check what pupils have learned at the end of the lesson and use this information to adjust their planning for future work. Most marking is done with the pupils and teachers talk to pupils to help them understand how well they have done and what they have to improve. These comments are not often recorded, however, and so there is no means of tracking the advice given to see if it has been effective. Assessment in other subjects gives a broad indication of

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Commentary

what pupils have achieved and meets the statutory requirements, but is not yet of the same quality as in the core subjects. The school is aware that its assessment systems need to be developed, in line with the changes that it is making in the curriculum, in order to track pupils’ skills progression more systematically. The school has developed its own computerised system for systematically tracking the progress of individual pupils as part of its school improvement efforts. However, it is still very new and it is not yet possible to make a judgement about its effectiveness.

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Commentary

24. The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide very good role models through the high quality of their own teaching. They also give very good encouragement and support to all members of staff, and this makes a significant contribution to the quality of teaching. Learning is at the heart of the school’s current initiative to improve the curriculum, with a particular focus on different learning styles and the development of the skills of independent learning. These Eastington Primary - 14 elements are already a feature of the best lessons. They are not evident to the same extent in lessons which are satisfactory rather than good. The long-term programme of work for subjects other than English, mathematics, science, music and ICT is being reviewed and the time that is available for teaching has been increased to enable these subjects to be taught in greater depth. Improvements have been made to history and geography and this has led to

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Commentary

better links between these subjects and English and mathematics, for example. This work has also enabled teachers in mixed age classes to teach a range of subject specific skills within an overall theme or topic. Where subjects have not yet been improved, for example, in religious education, difficulties still occur such as those experienced in the Year 4/5 class, where the teacher tries to teach a separate lesson to each age group at the same time. This does not work well enough for the pupils to achieve as they should.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good overall. It caters for pupils’ interests extremely well and ensures they make progress. There are excellent opportunities for enrichment. Resources are good and the accommodation is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The excellent provision for extra-curricular opportunities in music, sport and the arts substantially enhances the curriculum. • There is excellent provision for pupils with special educational needs and inclusion is excellent. • Excellent links with the local primary and secondary schools prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education. • The excellent planning for personal and social education contributes significantly to the high standards of pupils’ personal and social development. • There are currently some weaknesses in planning for the mixed age classes in Years 3 to 6. • The school makes very good use of its resources and accommodation.

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Commentary

25. Teaching and support staff give freely of their time to provide an exciting range of clubs, sports and activities of exceptional quality which all pupils may attend outside the school day. The high quality of instruction is a particular feature. Through this provision pupils extend their skills in music through the choir and orchestra, school productions and instrumental tuition. They are enabled to reach particularly high standards in sport for a school of this size, regularly winning leagues and tournaments against schools in the local area. Pupils throughout the school now have an opportunity to learn French and thoroughly enjoy these lessons, which are taken by a Teaching Assistant with a particular expertise in the subject. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 benefit from the annual residential trip to an outdoor activities centre and all pupils have regular opportunities for visits to places of interest to support their learning in a range of subjects.

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Commentary

These opportunities contribute significantly to pupils’ very positive attitudes to school and to learning.

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Commentary

26. The school works hard to ensure that the needs of boys and girls of differing levels of attainment are met. Pupils with special educational needs have full access to the rich and varied curriculum that the school provides and the highly skilled teaching assistants play a particularly valuable role in ensuring they are fully included in lessons. In literacy and numeracy, the extra support significantly helps pupils’ progress in acquiring the basic skills of reading, writing and number. Nearly all pupils with special educational needs catch up with their classmates and some achieve above average levels. This is one reason for the school’s very good results in the national tests.

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Commentary

27. The school recognises the value of forging strong partnerships with the local secondary schools to ensure that pupils make a smooth transition to their secondary education. Its Eastington Primary - 15 involvement in a local authority initiative to improve the links between Year 6 and Year 7 is contributing to this. There is a well-planned programme of visits, teacher and pupil exchanges and specialist teaching in place. This helps pupils become familiar with secondary school life and boosts their self-confidence and self-esteem. These arrangements are of mutual benefit to both the primary and secondary schools, and the secondary school teachers report that when Eastington pupils arrive, they have already established excellent relationships with many of the staff and older pupils and are extremely well prepared for their secondary education. The involvement of the assistant headmaster of the secondary school on the board of governors of

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Commentary

Eastington School makes a very important contribution to the excellent links between the two schools.

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Commentary

28. The school makes excellent provision for pupils’ personal and social development which enables them to become mature, caring, sensitive and accepting of others’ ideas and beliefs. There is a well-planned programme of work for personal, social and health education, and pupils are fully involved in every aspect of school life. They are treated as equal partners in the learning process and know that that their views are respected and valued by all the adults who work in the school. They learn to respect others because they themselves are respected and know that their views are taken seriously. The teachers have high expectations of behaviour and teach the skills that pupils need to work and learn independently. This enables pupils to become confident, independent and enthusiastic learners and responsible members of society.

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Commentary

29. The curriculum provided by the school meets statutory requirements. For the most part, teachers follow approved schemes of work for each subject that ensure pupils develop their skills, knowledge and understanding progressively as they move through the school. However, the time spent on each unit of work varies according to the age mix of classes. The school knows about this and is keen to improve the curriculum further. It benefits from the headteacher’s forward looking and innovative approach, basing its work on the national ‘Excellence and Enjoyment’ guidance. The time available for teaching has been increased and the school day effectively reorganised to allow more time for subjects other than English, mathematics and science. The new arrangements ensure that no time is wasted and provide a good base for the school’s plans for curriculum improvement. It has begun to improve the efficiency of programmes of work for each subject, starting with history and geography, aiming

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to develop the links between subjects and better skills progression. It has well-established plans to develop this work further in religious education, art and design and design and technology.

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Commentary

30. The school’s range of good quality resources are very well organised so that pupils can access them independently. Pupils with special educational needs are provided with all the resources that they need to help them with their work. The school makes very good use of all the space that is available to it and a very attractive learning environment has been created. Very good organisational arrangements ensure that all pupils have access to the computer suite, which accommodates half a class at a time. Very good use is made of the small hall for a range of activities including physical education and music. Pupils are encouraged to use the school’s small, well-stocked library, not only in the course of lessons, but also at lunchtime. The playground space includes the provision of large play apparatus together with a safe surface, as well as a quiet seating area. There are well-established plans to extend the school site to

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Commentary

improve provision for physical education and to pave the way for possible extensions to the main school building.

p.15

Care, guidance and support

The school cares for its pupils well in a safe environment and good child protection procedures are in place. There is very good support and guidance for pupils and their views are sought and acted upon very well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Eastington Primary - 16 • The school has effective child protection and health and safety procedures in place. • The school’s provision to guide and support pupils is very effective. • Staff work hard to develop excellent supportive relationships with their pupils. • There are very good arrangements to act on pupils’ views and to give them a sense of responsibility for their school. • Induction arrangements are excellent and are particularly effective.

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Commentary

31. Parents believe that the care their children receive at this school is something special: “ pupils are not numbers on roll but individuals”, “pupils grow into caring, sympathetic, understanding youngsters”, “my daughter has settled in brilliantly”, “staff all want the children to do well as if they were their own child”, “giving so much confidence…so much inspiration ” – these are just examples of the comments received. Inspectors support these views. The school’s ethos does promote a high level of care and positive relationships between staff and pupils. The school has good formal procedures for health and safety and child protection. The governors carry out a risk assessment of the premises regularly. The school takes necessary safety precautions when planning school visits. Staff are active in ensuring that working practices are safe, including aspects such as Internet access. Routine health and safety procedures are in place.

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Commentary

The school has a range of initiatives to promote a healthy lifestyle and the school was given a Healthy Schools Award in 2003. Both teachers and learning support assistants are vigilant in carrying out their child protection responsibilities and there are regular opportunities for them to discuss individual pupils and to express any concerns they may have. The school works well with other relevant agencies, such as the educational welfare officer and social services, to ensure that pupils get additional help when they need it.

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Commentary

32. Teachers and support staff in this small village school know their pupils well and help them to develop as individuals. Virtually all parents believe that the staff encourage their children to become mature and independent and that they treat the children fairly. Class teachers genuinely care about their pupils and there is very effective support from the headteacher; a very positive ethos permeates the school. Staff work well together as a team to share information and responsibilities. They respond appropriately if a pupil is having problems. Encouragement for older pupils to actively look after younger ones in the ’Big Friends / Little Friends‘ programme is highly effective and adds another layer of support to help younger pupils thrive. They all know there is a sympathetic adult they can approach if they are having difficulties. Pupils really do appreciate this whole-school ethos, and the emotional security that

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Commentary

results helps them to flourish. Pupils’ views are regularly sought through the school council; although this provision is relatively new, the agenda for its discussions is set by ideas that come through the pupils’ suggestion box. They are confident that their views are taken seriously and acted upon. Induction arrangements for new pupils are excellent, with the local pre-school group visiting the school every week during the summer term prior to transfer. Parents are very satisfied with them. There are also highly effective procedures to help Year 6 pupils transfer successfully to secondary school.

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Commentary

33. Pupils’ personal development is monitored by class teachers and appropriate records are kept as necessary. Support is very much on a personal basis. Staff know the stage at which individual pupils are in their personal and academic development. The school uses formal procedures to monitor pupils’ overall standard of work, which are used well to help pupils improve.

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Commentary

34. Pupils with special educational needs are identified very early on and their progress is monitored carefully. Pupils who enter the school late are assessed shortly after they arrive and extra help and support is provided for any who have learning difficulties or behaviour problems. The school works very closely with outside specialists such as the educational psychologist and members of the special needs advisory service, and acts on their advice to ensure that these pupils receive the best possible help whilst they are at the school. Eastington Primary - 17

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Virtually all parents have very positive views of the school and appreciate what it is doing for their children. The school has very good links with its parents, the local community and other schools in the area.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very supportive of the school. • The school has a very open style which enables parents to access information and to talk to staff when they need to. • The school is an important focus within its local community. • A number of individuals, companies and the local church provide help to the school to the benefit of pupils’ learning. • There are particularly good links with both the local pre-school group and the Mother Goose Club.

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Commentary

35. The school is keen to maintain its links with its parents and their contribution is highly valued. Parents believe in this school and appreciate the efforts the headteacher and his staff make to work with them for the benefit of their children. The school has the confidence of its parents and it lives up to their expectations: “ I have nothing but excellent remarks about the school, giving my son so much inspiration”, “the school promised us that they are geared for children to grow as people and advance academically – their promise has been kept”, “my child was very shy – has settled in brilliantly – lovely school”, “pupils grow into caring, sympathetic, understanding youngsters – echoing the ethos of the school”. The vast majority of parents rate the school highly on all counts and believe that it is helping their children to learn and to develop as individuals. These views are fully supported by inspectors.

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Commentary

36. Links with parents are very good, as much because of the high level of trust and informal communication as the formal channels. Parents feel that the school is open and accessible; in particular they appreciate the headteacher’s presence in the playground first thing in the morning and the fact that he always has time to listen to their views and concerns. Virtually all parents would be comfortable approaching the school with a problem or question. The school actively seeks parents’ views through regular questionnaires and where possible implements their ideas. The school communicates with parents to keep them well informed about what is going on. The governors’ annual report is a good document that fulfils its legal function and gets across some of the flavour of the school. The prospectus provides a lot of useful practical information for new parents. The annual reports to parents on their child’s progress contain

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Commentary

their targets and comments that are very individual to the child; parents, however, could be given more information on their child’s attainment in relation to national standards. The school has an active parents’ association which organises social and fund-raising events. The school has good procedures to let parents know what is going to be taught in advance through a very well written termly curriculum newsletter and most parents do support their child by helping with homework, including hearing their child read at home. A Governor also runs the recorder club.

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Commentary

37. Parents of all pupils with special educational needs receive good information about their child’s progress. The school offers regular opportunities for parents to discuss their child's progress and, if necessary, to meet with outside specialists involved with their child's learning.

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Commentary

38. Eastington is a close-knit community and the school is an important part of it. The strong local tradition of crowning the May Queen and the Christmas concerts provides two particular occasions when the school and community come together. A number of local residents come into school to talk to pupils, for example, to tell pupils about their work in support of a project on occupations, or to provide first hand accounts of what in was like to be a World War II evacuee. Eastington Primary - 18 The rector regularly takes assemblies, whilst the school in turn is a regular visitor to the nearby parish church. Local companies have sponsored physical education equipment and the water coolers. A number of local organisations make use of the school facilities.

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Commentary

39. The school has particularly close liaison with Eastington Playgroup, which provides children with a positive entry into formal education. There are good links with secondary schools to ease the transfer of Year 6 pupils, whilst the school is an active member of its local cluster of primary and secondary schools. The Mother Goose childcare scheme works very closely with the school to provide pre- and post-school care for children whose parents’ work routines do not tie in with the school day. Parents are highly appreciative of this service.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. The leadership of the headteacher is excellent and the deputy headteacher gives excellent support. The governance of the school is very good.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The personal commitment and vision of the headteacher, the school’s ethos in which every child is respected and expected to do their best, the very strong partnership with all members of the school community, very good teaching, excellent provision for special educational needs, the focus that the school has on pupils’ personal development as well as their academic standards together with the wide range of strategies for enriching the curriculum and giving pupils opportunities to succeed, are very effective aids in raising the achievement of pupils.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher is highly influential both within the school and the wider educational community. • The deputy headteacher works in very close partnership with the headteacher and is highly influential in key curriculum areas. • Leadership is evident at all levels in the school community and innovation is encouraged. • The school benefits from the expertise of the governors, who give it very strong support. • Inclusion is integral to the school’s ethos and all pupils are given opportunities to succeed. • There are very good links between performance management, the training that all the staff receives and the school’s priorities for improvement. • The budget is very well managed and there is very effective day-to-day administration.

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Commentary

40. The headteacher is dedicated to achieving the highest possible personal, social and academic standards for pupils. His personal drive, energy and enthusiasm, together with a belief that children learn best when they are confident, secure and happy, has established a unique atmosphere where every pupil feels important because they are treated as an equal partner in the learning process. Pupils are hugely proud of their school and the part that they play in it, and this contributes to the standards that they achieve. In addition to regular formal meetings with pupils, staff, parents and governors, the headteacher gives generously of his time to listen to their views on an informal basis. This flow of communication ensures that all feel valued and fully involved in the school’s work; they also have a clear understanding of its aims and values and the importance of their role in moving the school forward. The headteacher’s influence

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Commentary

spreads beyond the school to others in the area where he contributes to school improvement issues as part of his role in the national leadership strategy for primary schools. He has also been highly influential in promoting better links between primary and secondary schools as part of a local authority initiative which is looking at the transition of pupils between Years 6 and 7.

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Commentary

41. The deputy headteacher is fully involved in all aspects of the leadership and management of the school. She provides excellent leadership for special educational needs provision and leads Eastington Primary - 19 and manages English throughout the school, setting a very good example by the very high quality of her own teaching.

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Commentary

42. Leadership is evident at every level in the school community. New ideas, issues and concerns are discussed openly and honestly and all staff, teaching and non-teaching, are involved in the running of the school. They are given the training that they need to carry out their work and encouraged to develop their own ideas and innovative practice. Pupils are given important responsibilities, for example, taking a lead in the running of the school council and taking responsibility for the welfare of younger pupils. The school also benefits from the regular involvement of members of the community in running school based activities. For example, the skills of a parent have been utilised to develop the teaching of French through the school, so contributing to the enrichment of the curriculum. A member of the community runs the ‘Mother Goose Club’ before and after school, making a substantial contribution to the school’s provision

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Commentary

for the care and welfare of pupils. Governors are currently leading an initiative to purchase a piece of land at the side of the school to provide greater opportunities for physical education on site and to pave the way for a possible extension to the school building.

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Commentary

43. Governors are very loyal to the school and make a major contribution to its effectiveness through their hard work and commitment. They are fully involved in strategic planning and the formulation of policies. They keep in very close touch with the school’s work by visiting the school regularly, observing its work and talking with staff and pupils. This ensures that they have a clear view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and the challenges it faces. Committees and meetings are very well organised and attended, and issues are debated openly and honestly before decisions are taken. Governors come from a wide range of backgrounds and collectively they have a wide range of experience and expertise which they contribute willingly and generously for the benefit of the school. For example, the assistant headteacher of the local secondary school is a governor and this greatly enhances the links

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Commentary

between the two schools. Another member of the governing body is also a member of the Parish Council and this enhances links with the local community. The governors fulfil all their statutory duties very well and all the minor criticisms regarding school documentation in the last report have been addressed.

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Commentary

44. The headteacher and the deputy headteacher have a particular expertise in the teaching of pupils with special educational needs and are highly committed to inclusion. As a result inclusion is integral to the school’s ethos and every pupil is given the chance to succeed. The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is excellent. Administrative tasks are carried out efficiently and funds targeted for special educational needs are spent appropriately. Teaching assistants are kept very well informed about issues relating to all pupils with special needs through a weekly meeting with the deputy headteacher. This means they are all very aware of individual pupils’ problems and can be deployed flexibly around the school if required.

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Commentary

45. There are very strong links between the school’s systems for checking its work, performance management, planning for improvements and training. The school’s policy of regularly seeking parents’ and pupils’ views, and its regular programme of curriculum monitoring, results in it having an accurate view of its strengths and of the areas where it needs to improve, particularly in relation to national initiatives. A good example of this is its current work on curriculum improvement which is based on the national ‘Excellence and Enjoyment’ initiative. The co- ordinators for English, mathematics and science analyse the standards that are being achieved and all staff and governors are involved in thorough annual reviews of the school’s work. The resulting priorities for improvement are written into a very clear improvement plan in a procedure which ensures the involvement of all members of staff and the governors. The

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Commentary

performance management objectives of staff are all linked to these priorities together with the training and support that is needed. Eastington Primary - 20 Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 391065 Balance from previous year 33634 Total expenditure 341127 Balance carried forward to the next 83572 Expenditure per pupil 2352

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Commentary

46. The large carry over in the school budget includes capital funding reserved for the purchase of land and a possible new building project.

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Commentary

47. The budget is very well managed and the principles of best value are applied very well so that the highest value is obtained for the lowest cost. Budgeting priorities are firmly based on the educational needs of pupils. A good example of this is the very good provision of well-qualified teaching assistants that ensures that all pupils get the individual attention that they need to make progress. The school makes very good use of all its allocated funds for their designated purposes and links them closely to its priorities for improvement. The work of the parent teacher association makes a significant contribution to the school’s funds. The day-to-day administration of the school is very good and this enables the school to run smoothly. Eastington Primary - 21

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in their Reception Year (Year R) in the Foundation Stage is good and the children achieve well. Children are admitted to the reception class at the beginning of the school year in which they become five. Children enter the school with an average range of attainment except in their personal and social development, which is below average.

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The provision is well led and managed and the quality of teaching is good. As a result children achieve well. By the end of Year R, standards are a little above average in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, and in knowledge and understanding of the world. In all other areas inspected, children reach the required goals. Standards, teaching and learning have been sustained at the good level identified in the last inspection and there have been improvements in the provision for outdoor play. A good range of practical and relevant activities supports children’s learning well. The teacher and nursery nurse work as an effective team and the classroom and the children are very well managed. This helps to ensure that the needs of both the Year R and Year 1 pupils in the class are met well. There are very good induction arrangements in place and very strong links with the local playgroup.

p.21

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because they are encouraged to be independent and take responsibility for their own actions from an early age. • When children enter the reception class standards are below average. However, they meet the goals set for children of this age by the end of the reception year.

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Commentary

48. A high emphasis is placed on children getting to know the school and the reception teacher so that they are very familiar with these before full time entry to school. This is achieved by very good links with the playgroup so that children attend the school for pre-school sessions each week in the summer term. The teacher and other staff provide a welcoming and secure environment where classroom routines are quickly and securely established. All children are warmly welcomed and the teacher provides a careful balance of directed and independent activities.

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Commentary

49. Teaching and learning are good. Many children are not used to doing things for themselves when they first start school and often find it difficult to get along with each other. They are also unaware of how to share and of what to say when they someone is in their way or when they when they want to use something that someone else has. The teacher and nursery nurse work patiently to help the children to develop these skills, setting up tasks which require them to work together, organise their own resources and use the language of social conventions. As a result most children reach the goals that are set for them by the end of the reception year.

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is good. Eastington Primary - 22

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. • Opportunities to develop a love of books are well supported in a range of practical and interesting ways.

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Commentary

50. Careful daily attention to the development of reading and writing skills ensures that they are systematically taught and practised. The children are taught their sounds progressively and use their knowledge to identify initial and final sounds and to sound out words. Most have acquired a bank of known sight sounds and are starting to write independently. Well thought out imaginative games, such as ‘silly sentences’, help children to be interested and learn well. Such sentences as ‘Can a pen hop?’ are decoded by children and greeted with an enthusiastic ‘No !’ Most children are confident speakers, but not such attentive listeners at present. Expectations of the children are high and they respond by, for example, sorting difficult words to put on a skeleton in the ‘doctor’s surgery’. Words such as stomach, shoulders and abdomen are placed accurately by children without adult support. Higher attaining children benefit from

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Commentary

working with their older Year 1 classmates.

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Commentary

51. Children have opportunities to take their books and word cards home daily and to change them frequently. They regularly share stories with the teacher and other adults. For example, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ was being explored and enjoyed at the time of the inspection. Good links are made with dance and drama to explore this story and the children enjoyed chanting ‘Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum’ as they enacted the roles of giants. Activities are extended to increasing the children’s vocabulary by collecting describing words for the giant such as ‘mad and bald’ to help them with their writing.

p.22

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well in their mathematical development and some higher attaining children achieve very well. • Children develop positive attitudes towards mathematics because of their success in the wide range of practical and enjoyable opportunities that is provided.

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Commentary

52. Children’s achievement is good, nearly all the children reach the goals expected by the end of the reception year, and over one third of the pupils exceed them. This is because of good teaching and the provision of a wide range of practical and enjoyable experiences to help children learn. Children can count reliably up to ten and many children in the reception classes can count reliably well beyond that. They begin to use language such as ‘more’ and ‘less’, and some are able to find ‘one more’ or ‘one less’ than a given number. A small number of higher attaining children, who benefit from working with their Year 1 classmates, are able to add and subtract numbers up to ten accurately.

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Commentary

53. Most children develop the language that they need for shape, space and measure. For example, when exploring the contents of a shopping bag brought in by the teacher they are encouraged to compare the weight of different items and to use the language of ‘heavier than’ and ‘lighter than’ when talking about what they notice. They know the names of simple two- dimensional shapes and, through their outdoor play and their work with a programmable toy, have sound understanding of directional and positional language. Opportunities to fill and empty Eastington Primary - 23 containers in the sand and water trays helps children develop the language of capacity, such as full and empty.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities to work and play outdoors make a significant contribution to children’s learning. • A wide range of practical activities is provided for children to find out about the world about them.

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Commentary

54. Children achieve well and they nearly all reach the standards expected by the end of the reception year because of the good teaching they receive. As a result of the provision of a wide range of practical activities, most children are keen and interested in exploring the world about them using all their senses. The outdoor area is an improvement since the last inspection and makes a significant contribution to children’s learning about the environment.

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Commentary

55. Children build and construct with a range of objects, including construction kits, cardboard packaging and play dough. Most children select the appropriate components and resources to develop their work. They are carefully taught the techniques that they need and so develop the skills and confidence to use tools and materials independently.

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Commentary

56. There are appropriate opportunities for children to develop their understanding of the place where they live and of past and present in relation to their own lives. They also learn about significant events in history through stories that they hear and looking at pictures and artefacts from the past. The children make satisfactory use of computers as part of their learning.

p.23

Physical development

Provision for physical development is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Regular opportunities are made for physical activities in the hall and for outside physical activity. • Children are provided with a good range of practical activities.

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Commentary

57. The children have good access to the hall where they regularly have physical activities, but it was only possible to observe a dance drama session. During this session, children were able to find their own space independently and had good awareness of the need to warm up their muscles before physical activity. Children had an appropriate understanding of fast and slow movement and used these in their dance/drama work. Physical outdoor activities such as riding on tricycles and gardening are regular features of the provision.

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Commentary

58. A good range of practical activities, such as sand and water, cutting, sticking and painting, help the children to develop their physical skills. Overall, the teaching, learning and achievement of children are good. Eastington Primary - 24

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

59. Insufficient activities were seen to make an overall judgement about provision in this area of learning. However, evidence from teachers’ planning indicates that this area of learning is fully covered. Role play activities are provided both indoors and outdoors and there are well planned opportunities for drama, dance and music. The ‘Doctor’s Surgery’ and ‘Percy’s Hut’ (in the outdoor area) provide good opportunities for children to develop their own imaginative ideas.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is very good; standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are well above average and have improved since the last inspection. • Teaching and learning are very good and pupils develop excellent attitudes to learning. • There are excellent arrangements to ensure that pupils with special educational needs make progress. • The leadership and management of the subject are very good. • Pupils use their literacy skills very well in other subjects.

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Commentary

60. In Years 1 to 6 pupils are able to express their ideas very well both orally and in writing. They talk and listen confidently as a result of learning from the very well-planned opportunities for the development of speaking and listening skills, for example, through paired tasks, drama and role-play. They listen carefully and adapt what they have to say to the needs of those listening, making very good use of subject specific vocabulary to develop their ideas and discuss their work. Pupils also develop their vocabulary well because teachers provide well-planned opportunities for them to learn new and more complex words in their discussions of texts during the literacy hour.

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Commentary

61. Throughout the school pupils are enthusiastic readers. Their knowledge of phonics is very good because it is very well taught from an early stage. This enables pupils to work out unfamiliar words when they read independently. They know how books work and their skills in finding deeper meaning in the books that they read are developed very well, particularly in the course of the regular group reading sessions. Pupils know how to use information books to help them in their research and also make competent use of ICT to find information. Teaching assistants very ably support individual pupils with their reading, using a range of interesting activities. Parents support their children’s learning at home very well and this makes a significant contribution to achievement in reading and spelling.

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Commentary

62. Pupils learn to write in a variety of styles such as narrative, information text and poetry. In the main, pupils’ writing is organised, imaginative and clear. This is because they are given the strategies they need to plan and develop their writing. Sentences are well sequenced and pupils’ use of interesting phrases and complex vocabulary to enliven their writing develops very well as a result of the consistent focus on this aspect of their work as they move through the school. A very good example of this is in the Year 3 and 4 class, where the teacher’s excellent subject knowledge enables her to write her own teaching materials. In a lesson observed she had included a range of complex words together with clear examples of figurative language. She adapted her questions and follow-up tasks precisely to meet the different needs of the pupils and this ensured that they had all the skills and knowledge that they needed to write their

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Commentary

own fantasy stories. The basic grammatical structure of the sentences that pupils use is Eastington Primary - 25 usually correct and punctuation and spelling are generally accurate. Pupils present their work very well and their handwriting is good.

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Commentary

63. The quality of teaching is very good overall. The strengths of teaching are: • The very high expectations that teachers have of their pupils; • Teachers’ very good subject knowledge which enables them to plan work to meet the different needs of their pupils; • The lively and interesting ways in which the subject is presented, which capture pupils’ interest and motivate them to learn; • Skilful questioning which draws on what pupils already know and moves their learning forward; • The teaching of the skills of independent learning, such as note taking, and how to plan their writing; • The excellent relationships that teachers have with their pupils and the consistent use of strategies that raise pupils’ confidence and self-esteem.

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Commentary

64. There is a wide range of strategies to ensure that all pupils are given every opportunity to take part in lessons and to make progress. There is additional support for pupils who have special educational needs from the high calibre and well-trained teaching assistants. Work for these pupils is very well planned and closely linked to the targets on their individual educational plans. Where a pupil requires additional resources to support learning then they are provided. For example, a sound-field system in some classes benefits pupils who have difficulty in hearing and also helps other pupils to develop their listening skills. All pupils benefit from the very close attention that is given to their individual needs and the wide rage of visual and practical strategies that teachers use to aid understanding. An atmosphere of mutual trust and respect is evident in all classes. Pupils trust and respect their teachers and are fully involved in the

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Commentary

learning process. They believe that they can succeed because their teachers believe that they can. The good use of focussed questions ensures the active involvement of all pupils during whole-class sessions.

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Commentary

65. The very good leadership and management and the high aspirations of the co-ordinator are significant factors in the improvement in standards since the last inspection. She provides a model for all staff and pupils, setting a very good example by the quality of her own teaching. The close watch that she keeps on the achievement of all pupils, as well as the continual development of strategies to improve standards in the subject, are major factors in the school’s achievement. The curriculum is very good, as are resources. There is a wide range of good quality books to support learning and pupils make very good, independent use of the small, but well stocked, library, not only in lessons but also at lunchtime.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

66. Pupils make very good use of their speaking and listening, reading and writing skills in other areas of the curriculum. A good example of this is in geography, where, during the inspection, pupils were using their reading and writing skills to find out about, take notes and report on mountain environments.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

The provision for mathematics is very good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average in Year 2 and Year 6. • All pupils achieve very well. • Pupils with special educational needs receive excellent support from skilled classroom assistants. Eastington Primary - 26 • Very good teaching ensures pupils enjoy their work in mathematics and make very good progress in lessons. • The subject is very well led and managed. • There is scope for further improving the use of ICT in the subject.

p.25

Commentary

67. The school has maintained high standards in national tests for the past three years and improved them since the last inspection. In the 2003 national tests, no pupils fell below the expected standard for their age. Pupils in Year 6 did exceptionally well with over two thirds of pupils in the year attaining the higher levels. This represents very good achievement for most pupils, who enter the school with broadly average mathematical understanding. There are no significant differences between the achievement of boys and girls. Standards of number work are a particular strength. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 quickly develop an understanding of place value and by the end of Year 2 can work confidently with numbers to 100. They understand where the decimal point comes when dealing with pounds and pence and higher attaining pupils confidently work with values up to 1000. Work in pupils’ books shows that by Year 6,

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Commentary

pupils can apply the four rules to very large numbers, and are confident to find their own preferred ways of solving and recording number problems.

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Commentary

68. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is particularly good because their problems are identified early on. Individual education plans identify the specific areas of mathematics with which they need help, and teachers ensure that work in lessons is well matched to their needs. Skilled classroom assistants work alongside them and to make sure they take full part in whole-class activities and are fully included in the lesson.

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Commentary

69. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Lessons are well planned to take account of the national guidelines for the subject and teachers are particularly good at ensuring that higher attaining pupils have harder work so that they are fully challenged in lessons. Teachers make lessons interesting by giving pupils many opportunities to take an active part in the lesson. They make good use of individual whiteboards to make sure all pupils attempt the mental and oral problems. They frequently ask pupils to demonstrate their calculations to the class on the interactive whiteboard, or explain how they have solved a problem in their own words. As a result, pupils are used to working practically, thinking mathematically and using mathematical language. Younger pupils confidently demonstrated how to count forwards and backwards with the leaping frog on the class number line, and older pupils learning about acute and obtuse

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Commentary

angles made good use of cardboard strips hinged with a paper fastener to check their work

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Commentary

70. A significant strength of the teaching lies in the very high expectations teachers have for their pupils. Good work habits are established very early on and pupils in Years 1 and 2 settle down very quickly to their tasks, working quietly and sensibly for extended periods whilst their teacher helps individuals and groups on their particular tasks. Pupils become absorbed in their work, sometimes discussing it sensibly together and helping one another solve problems. Teachers take time to explain work to pupils, and go over aspects they find difficult until they understand. One Year 6 pupil reported that she had a lot of problems with mathematics when she joined the school last year, but her teacher explained it all to her and now ‘ I just speed through my work’ !

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Commentary

71. The subject has been very well led and managed for some time and as a result, provision for the subject has continued to improve since the previous inspection. Standards, teaching, learning and pupils’ achievement are now all very good. Teachers have received regular training on how to teach the subject better, and the work of teachers and pupils is regularly checked. The results of national tests are analysed to identify areas needing improvement, and some specialist and small group teaching is given to pupils who would benefit from additional help.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

Eastington Primary - 27 72. Pupils often use mathematical skills as part of their work in other subjects. Examples were seen in science, when using graphs and tables to record data, in design and technology, when measuring and in geography when working on co-ordinates in map work. Pupils’ ability to solve mental mathematics problems and work practically supports their work very effectively in a range of subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are well above average and this represents very good achievement by the pupils. • Teaching and learning are good. • The school has recognised that pupils need to have even more opportunities to learn through their own lines of enquiry.

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Commentary

73. The standards in science have been high for the last two years at the end of Year 6, and were also well above average at the end of Year 2 in 2003. Standards, in comparison with similar schools, were above average at the end of Year 6. Standards seen during the inspection were well above average throughout the school and achievement is very good. Standards have improved since the last inspection.

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Commentary

74. Teachers now have good subject knowledge, which is an improvement since the last inspection. The pupils enjoy the subject very much and this helps them to apply themselves well to their learning. They have a good thirst for acquiring knowledge, which is evident in both the youngest and oldest pupils. In a Year 1/ 2 class, pupils were very eager to sort foods into a ‘Food Triangle’ on display and were quick to put different foods under their correct headings and then create a carefully thought out healthy ‘picnic box’. In a Year 5/6 class, pupils were also very eager to acquire and recall numerous facts concerning the movement of the Earth, Sun and Moon. They took notes and recalled new knowledge enthusiastically from a work sheet, using the interactive whiteboard. Teachers support pupils’ self-esteem very well and show genuine respect for their achievements. As pupils become older, they learn to know what their preferred

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Commentary

style of learning is and they use this to help their learning. This is particularly effective for pupils with special educational needs. For example, visual and more practical work has been used to help these pupils understand the complex movements of the Sun, Earth and Moon. Teachers have very high expectations of pupils, using scientific vocabulary well from an early age and delivering lessons at a good pace. Books are regularly marked by teachers, but overall, there is a lack of written comments about how pupils might improve their work.

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Commentary

75. The approach to practical investigative work is well developed in Years 1 and 2. Analysis of the school’s test results shows that pupils score very highly in questions that require scientific application. Very good links with the local secondary school provide valuable opportunities for pupils to work in their science laboratories and to use more advanced equipment. Co-ordination for science is good and there are appropriate plans to develop pupils’ investigative skills even further.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Eastington Primary - 28 • Teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the subject and the skills of ICT are systematically taught. • Resources for ICT are good, but the accommodation limits opportunities for whole-class teaching. • There are some weaknesses in the use of computers to support work in other subjects.

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Commentary

76. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and standards are average in Year 2 and Year 6. This is not as high as at the time of the last inspection because the curriculum is now more demanding than it was. The school has kept pace with these changes. All teaching and support staff have received effective training to support their work with pupils. This has increased their confidence and expertise and enabled them to teach basic computer skills well. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers plan work so that pupils build on the skills that they have gained in earlier years. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 enter, save and retrieve their work and record their work in different styles, colours and sizes of font in English. Pupils in Year 6 develop their presentation skills as part of their work in design and technology, using graphics and print to prepare ‘marketing’ materials for picture frames they had designed.

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Commentary

77. The school has made ingenious use of the space available to it in the main building to provide a well-equipped computer suite. The suite accommodates half a class at a time and the school makes very good organisational arrangements for this. In addition there are networked computers in every classroom. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have access to a recently acquired interactive whiteboard, which is being used effectively as an aid to teaching and learning. There is regular use of the computer suite, mainly by groups of pupils working on specific ICT skills or programmes.

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Commentary

78. The subject is well led and managed. The co-coordinator has a very clear over-view of the subject and has well-established plans to promote greater use of ICT in other subjects of the curriculum. There are satisfactory assessment procedures which ensure that teachers know how well their pupils are doing.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

79. The school improvement plans shows a clear aim to develop greater use of ICT to support learning in other subjects of the curriculum. There is evidence that this work has started. Pupils make satisfactory use of their ICT skills to support their work in English and there is also evidence of their use in art and design, geography and science. Pupils use the computers in the classroom, the ICT suite and at home independently to support their work in other subjects. For example, during the inspection they accessed the Internet to find information to help them with their work on mountain environments. There are weaknesses in other subjects, for example, the use of control equipment in design and technology and compositional programmes in music.

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HUMANITIES

Religious education was inspected in full and is reported below. Geography was sampled. No report is made on history because no lessons were seen.

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HUMANITIES

80. There was not enough evidence to form an overall judgement about standards and achievement in geography . However, three lessons were seen and in two of these the teaching was good and in the other it was satisfactory. In the best lessons, the teacher built very effectively on pupils’ previous learning and there were very clear explanations to help pupils understand new ideas. A good example of this was in a Year 5/6 lesson where the teacher used the interactive whiteboard very effectively to explain contours and how they were represented on a map. Pupils were then given an opportunity to build their own mountains by Eastington Primary - 29 manipulating the sections of mountains on screen. They were challenged to do this in as few moves as possible, which added a real sense of excitement to the lesson.

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HUMANITIES

81. The school has recently reviewed its planned programme for geography as part of its own ‘excellence and enjoyment’ initiative. More time has been created for the subject and the curriculum is being developed to establish more systematic planning for the progression of geographical skills, including fieldwork, and the development of greater links between subjects. Although the theme of ‘mountains’ was the same for all the pupils in the lessons seen, teachers had effectively identified different tasks for different groups of pupils, and this helped them to learn at a range of appropriate levels. This included a good level of challenge for older and higher attaining pupils.

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Religious education

Provision in the subject is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 2 are well above average. • Teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 are very good. • The subject makes a positive contribution towards pupils’ personal development. • There are weaknesses in curriculum planning for pupils in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

82. Standards of attainment are well above those expected by the locally agreed syllabus at Year 2 because of the high quality of teaching that these pupils are currently receiving, and they achieve very well. Standards are average at Year 6. This is similar to the findings of the previous inspection and represents satisfactory achievement for most pupils. Only three lessons were seen altogether, and there was a limited amount of work in pupils’ books because much of the work centres around discussion and debate. However, pupils interviewed in Year 6 demonstrated that they had studied the units of work planned for their year group and could use that knowledge to discuss and explain the importance of religious faith in some people’s lives.

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Commentary

83. Standards in Year 2 are well above average because pupils in Year 1 and 2 are very well taught. The teacher has a very good knowledge and understanding of the subject and an enthusiasm for it that inspires the pupils. This was evident from the impressive way in which pupils could recall previous work on Islam and were keen and eager to ask and answer questions. Very good use is made of visual aids, and pupils develop a strong sense of respect for and appreciation of the special nature of books and artefacts, and their importance to religious worship. The teacher reinforced this in the lesson seen by her sensitive handling of the Bible and the Koran, and her clear explanations of key differences and similarities between them.

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Commentary

84. Teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 are satisfactory. Pupils study the faiths of Islam, Judaism and Christianity and are gaining a sound understanding of the key features of the faiths. Teachers ensure that pupils have opportunities to reflect on and discuss what they have learnt and apply their knowledge to everyday life and the subject makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ personal development. In discussion, Year 6 pupils demonstrated a good understanding of the value of finding out about what people from other faiths believe, and how understanding should help people live together in harmony. Weaknesses in the teaching in Years 3 to 6 link to the way in which the curriculum is planned for the mixed age classes. In the Year 4/5 class particularly, the teacher has to cover too much work in one lesson and neither year group is able to study their particular unit in enough depth and detail.

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Commentary

Eastington Primary - 30 85. The leadership and management of the subject are sound. The co-ordinator manages resources well and provided good support to teachers. Some work has been done on assessing pupils’ work but this remains an area for future development.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Music was inspected in full and is reported below. Art and design and design technology were sampled. No report is made on physical education because no lessons were seen and there is insufficient first hand evidence to make judgements.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. Only three lessons were seen in art and design and design and technology and it was not possible to make firm judgements on provision, teaching and learning. There were examples of pupils’ work on display throughout the school from pupils of all ages and abilities. Standards of work on display were broadly average, and there were some examples of very good three- dimensional work. Teachers use the guidance from approved schemes of work for both subjects, and this ensures that pupils have an appropriate range of experiences in both two- dimensional and three-dimensional art, craft and design work, and use a good variety of materials and tools.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

87. Teachers ensure pupils take time to plan, carry out and evaluate their work but teachers do not make the use they could of sketchbooks. In a Year 5/6 lesson on designs for slippers, the teacher stressed the importance of experimentation, evaluation and review in the process and this gave pupils confidence to explore and experiment with their designs. She made good use of questions to help pupils generate ideas, and the high quality of relationships within the class meant that that pupils collaborated well in pairs and approached their work with real interest and enthusiasm.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

88. There are weaknesses in the way the subjects are planned for the mixed age classes, particularly the Year 4/5 class where the teacher has to teach two different units of work in one lesson. This limits the time available for pupils to study a unit in appropriate depth and detail. In an art lesson, for example, half the class worked on textile collages based around a story they had read, whilst the other half painted pictures based on the theme of journeys. The teacher had a good understanding of the subject and pupils were enthusiastic about their work, but a lot of time was spent giving different teaching points to each group, limiting time available for pupils to get on with their work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well as they move through the school. • By the time they have reached the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards which are above average. • Teaching is good and is very well supported by other adults and the peripatetic music teachers.

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Commentary

89. The above average standards in music have remained the same since the last inspection. Pupils have well-developed musical skills and play a good variety of instruments well for their age.

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Commentary

90. Teaching and learning in music are good and in some lessons are very good. In the lessons seen in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, the objectives were made clear to pupils and lessons began at a good pace. A good level of practical activities involved all pupils effectively, enabling them to Eastington Primary - 31 learn well. The teacher’s knowledge of music was good and the pupils achieved above average standards because of the high level of challenge. Pupils show a high level of enjoyment and enthusiasm for the subject, as was seen by the good numbers of boys and girls appearing in school at 8 am for an orchestra practice. Additionally, 30 per cent of pupils have music lessons from peripatetic teachers. The very good levels of specialist knowledge by these teachers add even more challenges for the pupils. Levels of homework expected are high and completed in a very disciplined way by all pupils. Homework diaries indicate that good assessments and

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Commentary

individual targets are set for all pupils taking extra music lessons.

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Commentary

91. The co-ordination of music is good and allows for some semi-specialist class lessons to take place. The co-ordinator’s own enthusiasm for music is highly infectious and a significant factor in the high profile that music has in the school and pupils’ positive attitudes towards the subject.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is excellent.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for pupils’ personal and social education is integral to the ethos of the school.

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Commentary

92. Pupils’ personal and social education is promoted in all aspects of school life. An atmosphere of respect pervades the school and the excellent role models set by the headteacher and the teachers are fundamental to this. The attention that is given to encouraging pupils’ confidence and self-esteem and their attitudes towards one another is highly effective. Pupils become confident and mature, and are able to take responsibility for their actions. They have a very good understanding of their role within the school and the wider community and have a responsible attitude towards all tasks given to them. They use their initiative when they see that something needs to be done and readily suggest their own ideas for improvements around the school, or for contributing to initiatives outside the school, such as charitable events, because they know their ideas are listened to and taken seriously. They are very caring and sensitive

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Commentary

towards each other and highly accepting of those who have different beliefs to their own. The subject makes a very strong contribution to high standards and very good achievement in academic subjects.

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Commentary

93. The teaching of personal, social and health education is very good. Lessons and discussion sessions known as ‘circle time‘ are used very effectively. Sessions are planned that enable pupils to discuss personal responses to a wide variety of issues. In one lesson seen, issues of excluding someone from pupils’ play were discussed sensitively. Pupils made thoughtful contributions, obviously able to empathise with the feelings of others, particularly someone who looked a little different. Pupils were encouraged to reflect on how they would feel if they went to another country, for example, and feelings of inclusion and exclusion were explored well. Opportunities to promote personal and social education are not limited to specific lessons; they permeate all lessons. Assemblies are also used very effectively to promote pupils’ understanding of personal and social issues. Opportunities to take on responsibilities around

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Commentary

the school, for example, welcoming visitors and answering the telephone, also help pupils to acquire the skills they will need in the adult world. Eastington Primary - 32

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 3 Attitudes 1 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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