Fellside Community Primary School

FELLSIDE COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 –19 November 2003

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FELLSIDE COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Fellside Community 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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FELLSIDE COMMUNITY 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. Fellside Community Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 238

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Fellside Road Whickham Newcastle upon Tyne Postcode: NE 16 5AY

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0191 4887486 Fax number: 0191 4887490

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr J Burke

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is an average-sized primary school, with a nursery, for children aged three to eleven. Nearly all pupils are of white British ethnic background. A very small proportion of pupils is learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is about four per cent, which is well below average. The school serves a socially and economically advantaged area. Children’s attainment on entry covers a very broad range but is average overall. Twenty-three pupils (9.7 per cent) are on the register of special educational needs, which is well below average. No pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs. Most of the pupils receiving additional help have specific learning difficulties, a physical disability or autism. The number of pupils joining or leaving the school other than the usual times is low; however, in the current Year 6 class, a significant proportion of pupils was not at the school at the start of Year 3. The school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

received a National Achievement Award in 2001. Most pupils live in the immediate area, although the nursery serves several other schools and, as a result, the nursery children come from a much wider area. The headteacher has been at the school since September 2002. Fellside Community Primary - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21024 Mr Robert Robinson Lead inspector Foundation stage Mathematics Information and communication technology English as an additional language 8922 Mrs Brenda McIntosh Lay inspector 18344 Mr David Earley Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education 22058 Mrs Christine Richardson Team inspector English Geography History 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). Fellside Community Primary - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s effectiveness is very good . Pupils’ achievement is high. Pupils attain well above average standards because the leadership and management are excellent, the quality of teaching and learning are very good, and pupils’ attitudes to work and their behaviour are of a high standard. The school provides very good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are as follows:

• The leadership and management of the headteacher are outstanding. • Standards, by the end of Years 2 and 6, are well above average in English, mathematics, science and religious education. • All groups of pupils achieve very well throughout the school because of the consistently high standards of teaching. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good, leading to a very positive ethos in the school. • The curriculum is exciting and promotes high achievement. • The assessment and recording of pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science is very good. In other subjects, teachers have a clear understanding of how well pupils are doing but the recording of this information is insufficient.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are as follows:

Improvements since the last inspection in June 1998 have been very good. High standards in English, mathematics and science have been maintained. The quality of teaching and learning is now very good. The leadership and management are now excellent. In response to the areas for development identified at the last inspection, the roles of the subject co-ordinators have improved, the pupils’ annual reports now meet statutory requirements and the outdoor environment is used effectively.

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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 A A* A C mathematics C A B D science C A A C Key: A* - very high (highest five per cent nationally); A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is very good . Children in the nursery and reception classes achieve very well and are likely to exceed the goals children are expected to reach in all their areas of learning by the end of the reception year. In Years 1 and 2, pupils achieve very well and standards are on course to be well above average in reading, writing, mathematics, science and religious education by the end of Year 2. Pupils are achieving very well in Years 3 to 6 and standards of the current group of pupils in Year 6 are likely to be well above average in English, mathematics, science and religious education. The school maintains high standards reached in Year 2 during Years 3 to 6. In information and communication technology, pupils achieve well and standards in Year 6 are above those normally seen. The achievement of boys is similar to that of girls. The reasons for the relatively weak Year 6 results in mathematics in 2003 was identified by the school and standards in mathematics are now

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

similar to those in English and science. Fellside Community Primary - 7

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Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development is very good. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

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

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching and learning are very good. Teaching is very good in the nursery and reception classes and also in Years 1 to 6. The quality of teaching and learning is of a high standard in English, mathematics, science and religious education. The teaching and learning in information and communication technology are good. Teachers’ knowledge of the curriculum leads to very effectively planned lessons that help pupils to acquire knowledge and understanding very well. Teachers relate very well to pupils and have high expectations of work and behaviour, and lessons move at a fast pace. As a result, pupils work most productively and show high levels of concentration. Teaching assistants help pupils well and, together with the teachers, assist pupils with special educational needs to make brisk progress. The assessment of pupils’ progress is good and used very effectively to set future work in English, mathematics and science; however, the recording of pupils’

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

attainments, in subjects other than English, mathematics and science, is insufficient and restricts further improvements in standards.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is very good . The work during the school day is enriched very well by innovative projects and very good opportunities in out-of-school activities. The accommodation and learning resources are good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, and is very good for personal, social and health education. Pupils are prepared very well for secondary school. The skills of the teaching staff are of a high standard. The teaching assistants and other staff are well qualified and capable. Procedures for the care, welfare and health and safety of pupils are very good. The partnership with parents and the community is very well established.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership is outstanding. The headteacher has an extremely clear view of the future direction of the school and is dedicated to ensuring that high standards are maintained and all pupils achieve very well. Management is excellent. Highly effective monitoring of pupils’ work and of the quality of teaching has ensured high standards. The deputy headteacher and other senior staff very ably assist the headteacher. The senior management team and subject co-ordinators take full responsibility for managing their subjects. The governing body meets its statutory responsibilities very well. Governors have been extremely successful in appointing high quality staff. Governors work very well with the headteacher and other staff. They have a very good understanding of the strengths of the school and areas for development.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Parents have a high regard for the school, particularly the way it is led and managed and the arrangements for their children to settle when they start school. They have no significant concerns about the school. • Pupils enjoy school because staff and other pupils are friendly and because they know that their views matter. They are happy with all aspects of school life and some state ‘school is perfect.’ Fellside Community Primary - 8

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

There are no significant weaknesses in this very effective school; however, the governing body should consider the following for inclusion in the action plan:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Development of systems to record succinctly pupils’ attainment in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology, music, physical education and religious education. Fellside Community Primary - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards are above average by the end of reception, and well above average in the current Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils’ achievement, including of those pupils with special educational needs, is very good throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well as a result of consistently very good teaching and their very good attitudes to learning. • The relative weakness in Year 6 mathematics standards was identified and resolved through very good monitoring systems leading to improved teaching. • Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve as well as their peers because of very good support.

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Commentary

1. The children are on course to exceed the expected standards in all the areas of learning by the end of the reception year. The achievement of children in both the nursery and reception classes is very good; this is because of the high standard of teaching. The children make very good progress in their learning, as was the case at the last inspection.

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Commentary

2. Over time, since the last inspection, standards, by the end of Year 2, were drifting downwards; however, in 2003 the decline was impressively reversed with pupils’ performance being in the highest five per cent, both nationally, and when compared to similar schools, in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The present group of pupils in Year 2 is likely to reach well above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The variation from the previous year, when standards were in the highest five per cent nationally, is because the present group of pupils has a higher proportion of lower attaining pupils. The improvement of standards, to the well above average standards seen at the time of the last inspection, is the result of leadership’s focus on enhancing the standard of teaching and changes of staffing. The achievement of the present group of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is very good. The lively and very

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Commentary

effective teaching in Years 1 and 2 encourages pupils’ very good attitudes to work and a brisk pace of learning. All groups of pupils make similar progress relative to their prior attainment. The following table shows clearly the improvement in average points scores between 2002 and 2003:

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results Reading 18.7 (16.7) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 18.7 (14.4) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 19.1 (16.7) 16.3 (16.5) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. Standards, of the present group of pupils in Year 6, are on course to be well above the national average in English, mathematics, science and religious education and above average in information and communication technology by the end of the year, despite significant changes in the year group since the beginning of Year 3. In the 2003 national tests at the end of the Year 6, average points scores have increased since the time of last inspection, with particular Fellside Community Primary - 10 improvements in English and science. As can be seen from the following table, the results were not as high as the previous year (2002) because of a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs, including two pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs:

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results English 28.6 (30.8) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.8 (28.6) 26.8 (26.7) science 30.3 (30.6) 28.6 (28.3) There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. In mathematics, pupils’ performance was not as good as that in English and science over several years; however, this was identified by the leadership and action was taken to increase monitoring of teaching, training for teachers and reviewing the methods used to teach calculation. These actions have been successful and the present Year 6 pupils display no significant differences between their performances in English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ achievement in Years 3 to 6 is very good because pupils have very good attitudes to work and there is a high consistency of very good teaching in all of the year groups. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards the targets on their individual education plans because of the warm, supportive, atmosphere in the school and the very high quality of the support they receive. These pupils frequently achieve very well for their abilities in the national tests. Pupils who are identified as gifted or talented also achieve very well and reach high standards. Teachers are aware of the needs of both groups so that, in lessons and small group work, pupils are very well supported and encouraged. The achievement of boys and girls is similar. The very small number of pupils learning English as an additional language is helped very well and makes very good progress. Pupils in the present Year 6 are on course

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Commentary

to achieve the school’s challenging targets.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils' attitudes and behaviour are very good and the school makes very good provision for their personal development. The school’s overall provision for developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Attendance is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very interested in the life of the school and their attendance and punctuality are very good. • Relationships are very good. • There are very good opportunities for pupils to be enterprising and to take responsibility.

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Commentary

6. Pupils want to come to school because it provides a very interesting and stimulating range of activities and this makes them want to learn and helps them to achieve very well. The school and parents work very well together to encourage regular attendance and punctuality. This results in very high attendance levels and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ achievement. Fellside Community Primary - 11 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2003/03 (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.0 School data 0.0 National data 5.8 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

7. Relationships are very good. Adults provide very good role models for pupils. The school has created a very positive ethos within which all are respected and welcomed. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, pupils learning English as an additional language and gifted and talented pupils, are expected to give of their best in all aspects of the life and work of the school. The school does not tolerate bullying and if any incidents arise they are dealt with promptly. Pupils' contributions in lessons and in the daily life of the school are very highly valued so that they are confident and have high self-esteem. They have very good attitudes towards their work because teachers support them very well and have high expectations.

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Commentary

8. Pupils develop a very good understanding of how to live together as a harmonious community. The school council meets regularly and makes a significant contribution to the life of the school. Pupils have many opportunities to take the initiative, accept responsibility and to learn about citizenship; for example, pupils act as playground monitors and organise school activities, such as the conker competition. They are provided with opportunities to talk to local representatives, such as Members of Parliament. They contribute regularly to those less fortunate than themselves by raising money for various charities. In lessons and around school, pupils get on very well together and collaborate very well in play and work. Pupils are very friendly and welcoming and, on their own initiative, offer to help visitors and their peers in class.

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Commentary

9. In assemblies, religious education lessons, extra-curricular activities and in subjects such as art, music and physical education, pupils have many well-considered opportunities to enhance their spiritual development. They write their own very sensitive prayers and learn to respect and value the beliefs and opinions of others. The school actively seeks out occasions of special interest and excitement, such as the activities in the outdoor residential week. The school has very clear behaviour guidelines and adults have very high expectations. These help pupils to behave very well and to have a very clear understanding of the differences between right and wrong. There have been no exclusions. Pupils have a very good understanding of their own cultural traditions and the diversity and richness of other cultures. This is enhanced by work in subjects such as geography, history, religious education, art and music. They learn about their

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Commentary

own cultural traditions, such as local folklore, music and musicians, and celebrate festivals, such as Christmas and Harvest Festival. Pupils learn about the music and traditions from other cultures, visit a local mosque and receive visitors from a variety of faiths and beliefs.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 158 0 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0 Chinese 1 0 0 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 45 0 0 Fellside Community Primary - 12

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. The quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is very good. The curriculum is very effective. Standards of care, welfare and health and safety are high. Partnership with parents and the community are very well developed.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Very effective teaching leads to very good learning in the nursery and reception classes and in Years 1 to 6. The assessment of pupils’ work is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is very good across all classes in English, mathematics, religious education and science; this consistency of very good teaching is a strong influence upon pupils’ very good progress. • Teachers have a very good understanding of the subjects they teach and plan lessons very thoroughly, ensuring the pace of lessons is brisk and that learning resources are used very effectively, so that pupils acquire skills, knowledge and understanding very well. • Teachers relate very effectively to pupils and have high expectations of good work and behaviour, resulting in pupils working hard and learning very well. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good, in class and withdrawal groups, and this helps them achieve very well relative to their level of attainment. • The marking of pupils’ work is good and this assists pupils to appreciate how they can improve.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The checking of pupils’ work is good and used very well to set future work for all pupils; however, the succinct recording of assessment in subjects, other than English, mathematics and science, is an area for development.

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Commentary

10. The following table shows the tremendous strength of the teaching seen during the inspection. Very good teaching was seen in all classes including the nursery and reception classes. The proportion of very good teaching has increased significantly since the last inspection. Teaching and learning in nearly all lessons observed in English, religious education and science were very good and, in all other lessons were good or better. All teaching and learning in mathematics were judged to be very good. In information and communication technology, the quality of teaching and learning was good overall, though some teaching was very good or better. The very good teaching enables pupils to achieve very well. The reason for the high standard of teaching is the direct result of action taken after rigorous and very effective monitoring of teaching and checking of pupils’ work by the senior managers.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 49 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 1 (2%) 33 (67%) 13 (27%) 2 (4%) 0 0 0 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

11. All teachers are skilful in teaching subjects of the primary curriculum. They plan activities very carefully that interest and stimulate pupils to learn at a fast pace. Pupils, at each level of attainment, including those learning English as an additional language and gifted and talented pupils, have work planned suited to their needs, with a high level of challenge. Learning resources, such as projectors linked to a computer, enrich the learning so that pupils acquire new knowledge and understanding quickly, whilst having plenty of opportunities to practise new skills and to consolidate previous learning; for example, in an information and communication technology lesson, pupils built up on their previous learning about spreadsheets in mathematics Fellside Community Primary - 13 when the teacher demonstrated, using a computer program, how to calculate the cost of items for a party. Pupils appreciated the value of using computers to ensure accuracy in calculations

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Commentary

and to speed up calculations when changes of data were made. Pupils were very interested and keen to develop their own spreadsheets on a computer, which they accomplished very efficiently.

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Commentary

12. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very positive. Pupils know that they are expected to work hard and behave well and this supports their very good achievement. The youngest children in the nursery and reception classes are encouraged actively to work productively whether independently, in small groups or with an adult. This very good foundation is developed increasingly as pupils move through the school. Lessons are presented in lively and interesting ways so that pupils sustain interest and concentration and behave very well in all year groups.

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Commentary

13. Teachers and teaching assistants plan very carefully for pupils with special educational needs. They take very good account of the targets on pupils’ individual education plans. The quality of teaching in groups is consistently very good. Pupils are grouped according to their prior attainment in literacy and numeracy and have additional support in class or when they work in small groups. Teachers match activities carefully to pupils’ abilities when planning lessons. Assessments are carried out very thoroughly and targets on individual education plans are achievable, though challenging. There are regular reviews of targets and all members of staff are aware of pupils’ needs. Learning takes place in a very caring, supportive atmosphere.

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Commentary

14. The management of the school has focussed, recently, on improving the quality of marking of pupils’ work. This initiative has been successful because teachers have looked at each other’s practice and, together, developed a whole-school policy, which is now being introduced. In most year groups, the marking is very evaluative and clearly shows pupils how well they have done and how they can improve.

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Commentary

15. Teachers question pupils very well and this pushes on pupils’ learning very quickly. Teachers know how well pupils are doing and ask questions very effectively to individuals to gauge their understanding and to check their progress. Regular and thorough checks of pupils’ levels of attainment are carried out in all subjects. Annotated pieces of work are kept by the subject co- ordinators to provide benchmarks to guide teachers when they assess pupils’ work. In Years 1 to 6, detailed records of pupils’ attainments in assessment tests are kept in English, mathematics and science and challenging targets are set for each individual pupil. No succinct systems of whole-class recording of pupils’ attainments are kept for other subjects to enable the management to spot quickly individuals and groups of pupils’ progress, in order to set targets for further improvements in standards. In the nursery and reception classes, the

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Commentary

checking of children’s attainment is very good. It follows national guidance, using commercial tests to track children’s progress.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is very good. The school works hard to provide a broad range of interesting curricular opportunities that encourage all pupils to achieve very well. Pupils build thoroughly on their learning as they move through the school, in activities both within and outside the normal school day. Accommodation and resources are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Innovative projects enhance all pupils’ opportunities for learning within a wide range of challenges in sport, music and personal development. • Participation in a very good range of extra-curricular clubs, visits and sporting competitions, and support for pupils’ out-of-school activities, maximise the benefits of links with the community. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good because of the high quality of inclusion and very good teaching. Fellside Community Primary - 14 • Very good planned use of literacy in other subjects provides pupils with opportunities to practise skills in an imaginative, stimulating, way and to develop an enthusiasm for writing. • Displays around the school are of a very high standard and reflect pupils’ high achievement very pleasantly.

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Commentary

16. The curriculum covers all the requirements of the National Curriculum and areas of learning in the Foundation Stage very well. The strengths of the curriculum in the last report have been maintained and there are now more innovative opportunities to enhance pupils’ learning. The curriculum enables all pupils to achieve very well. The very good arrangements for pupils with special educational needs enable them to achieve particularly well because the high quality of planning meets their individual needs very effectively. They are included in all aspects of the life of the school very sensitively. Pupils who learn English as an additional language or are identified as talented or gifted also benefit very well from the very well planned curriculum.

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Commentary

17. The curriculum is reviewed regularly and there is a clear vision of the development of purposeful connections between subjects. Teachers plan very effective links between literacy and all other aspects of the curriculum. Pupils use the skills they have learned in information and communication technology imaginatively in other subjects; for example, they have assumed the role of nurse or soldier writing a letter home from the Crimea using word- processing skills. Well-trained teaching assistants work closely and effectively with skilled teachers to provide each pupil with any necessary support. Teachers use the new whiteboards and projectors well to stimulate interest, particularly at the beginning of the lesson, and pupils have developed an enthusiasm for using the Internet for their research.

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Commentary

18. Links with other schools generate many interesting and diverse opportunities. The school provides a very rich and varied range of challenging experiences for pupils in their last term in Year 6. They have lessons with teachers from the secondary school and gain an insight into the different subjects they will study. This helps to prepare pupils very effectively for transfer and extends the contacts they have had with the secondary school through an exciting range of sporting activities. Pupils have experience of finding out about the running of a hotel. Pupils in Year 4 gain much from their exciting experience of eighteenth century music, including singing along to a harpsichord.

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Commentary

19. The school supports all pupils’ learning through a wealth of clubs, visits and visitors to the school. Members of staff work hard to provide clubs for a wide range of interests, such as French, art and drama. These clubs are valued by the pupils and are very well attended. Residential visits include a wide range of exciting and challenging opportunities, as well as valuable time to learn how to live with others away from home. Members of the school council pay their respects at the war memorial on Remembrance Day. This enhances their understanding of the war long ago and why we still remember it.

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Commentary

20. High quality displays around the school emphasise respect for the environment. Members of staff provide opportunities for motivational work in every class. Serene displays on religious topics inspire a wish to reflect. Vibrant displays of written work and historical topics give pupils a strong sense of pride in the value of their work. Fellside Community Primary - 15

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Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for ensuring pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are very good. The school provides pupils with very good support, advice and guidance, and involves them very well in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a secure and happy environment in which pupils are cared for very well and this makes a significant contribution to their achievement. • Pupils are very well supported in their personal and academic development and this helps them to achieve very well. • The arrangements to help new children settle in the nursery are effective. • Pupils are regularly consulted about aspects of school life and their views are valued.

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Commentary

21. The steps taken to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety are very good. Regular risk assessments and inspections of the building and equipment are undertaken and appropriate records are maintained. The involvement of children and parents in the School Travel Plan has focused attention on travelling to school. As a result of taking part in the initiative the school has been able to make substantial safety improvements to address traffic problems and congestion around the school. Parents feel that their children are cared for well and are impressed how, right from day one, the nursery staff are very supportive and know the names of all the children. The arrangements for child protection are good and all staff are aware of what to do if they have any concerns about the children in their care. Pupils are always well supervised. If a child is ill or has an accident, member of staff are immediately on hand to look after them to ensure

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Commentary

minimum distress. At lunchtimes, older pupils look after the younger ones in a very caring way.

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Commentary

22. Pupils feel that the teachers are fair and like the fact that they can rely on them to help if they need support. The school liaises very well with the local secondary school to ensure a smooth transition and a continuation of learning. Pupils with special educational needs have speedy access to support because of the very well maintained records of their attainment and progress. They are very well supported in class and this helps them to take a full and active part in the lessons. The information about pupils’ academic achievements is used effectively to set targets and to provide additional support for individuals or groups of pupils, which helps them to achieve very well. Pupils say they understand how well they are doing with their work and what they need to do to improve because the teachers write useful comments in their books.

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Commentary

23. There is an effective induction programme to help the children settle quickly and happily into the routines of the nursery. Members of staff establish early links with parents through a series of home visits and gather information about the children. Parents agree that the arrangements are good and that children settle easily into school.

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Commentary

24. One of the things that pupils like best about the school is that they feel their opinions matter. The school councillors feel their role is important because they are helping to make the school a better place by being involved in making decisions. They feel that the school listens to them and acts upon their suggestions where possible and give an example of how the play equipment has been purchased for the playground because of their requests. Pupils are very sensible and say they only take ideas that can be reasonably achieved. An outstanding feature of how the school values pupils’ opinions is the way that they are involved in the selection and recruitment of new teachers. Teachers applying for a post at the school are asked to deliver a lesson and pupils’ views are taken into account before a new member of staff is appointed.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Fellside Community Primary - 16 The partnership with parents is very good. The school works very effectively with parents to support pupils’ learning. Links with the community and other schools are very good. They enhance the range of learning opportunities for pupils and help them to achieve very well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents make a significant contribution to their children’s learning at school and at home. • The school has developed very effective links with the local secondary school and primary schools to extend the range of learning opportunities. • The school uses the community well to strengthen pupils’ learning experiences.

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Commentary

25. Parents show a great deal of satisfaction for the very good all-round quality of education the school provides for their children. They feel that the high standards and achievement arise because their children really enjoy coming to school. Parents have high expectations of the school and are very keen for their children to do well and, in turn, this has a significant effect on pupils’ attitudes to learning. Parents accompany school visits and support concerts and other school events extremely well. The friends of the school organise fund-raising events for children and adults; for example, their support has led to improvements in literacy resources. A number of parents make a regular commitment to help in the classrooms or with other specific tasks. During the inspection, the Year 5 assembly on Henry VIII attracted a very good number of parents and grandparents. They value the opportunities to see their children take part in such

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Commentary

high quality performances and gain an insight into what they are learning and the standards of work. The school communicates well with parents through a good range of information about the school and their children’s progress. There is a regular sharing of information about the pupils’ progress through parents’ meetings, written reports and reviews of progress for pupils with special educational needs. The annual reports have been amended since the last inspection and now meet statutory requirements. Parents support their children well when work is sent home and make a good contribution to the standards achieved; for example, this was seen in the display of high quality model bridges which had been made at home. The sharing of curriculum and topic information helps parents support their children’s learning at home; for example, parents found the mathematics workshop very useful for understanding methods of

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Commentary

26. The school capitalises very well on the expertise and resources in the community to improve pupils’ learning. Visits to local places of interest bring a sense of relevance to work in subjects such as history and geography. The school takes part in national initiatives such as the School Travel Plan that has involved members of the community, and the Pedalling Picnic, as part of National Bike Week. The very good links with a local hotel increase pupils’ awareness of the world of work. The school works closely with the local secondary school and other primary schools. There are regular opportunities for the sharing of curricular issues and staff expertise. The links with the secondary school are extensive and enhance the curricular provision for the pupils very well, for example, they benefit from specific sports training and specialist teaching in science, art, French and personal, social and health education. The secondary school hosts

p.16

Commentary

various events that give the pupils opportunities to take part in musical performances and competitive sports with pupils from other schools. Children in the nursery and reception class welcome children from a local special school who benefit from this experience of mainstream school. Feedback from colleges confirms that the school makes a very effective contribution to the initial training of teachers. Fellside Community Primary - 17

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are excellent. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership. The leadership of senior managers as a whole is very good. The governance of the school is very good. The school’s management systems are excellent and highly effective.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher strongly inspires, supports and encourages staff to develop their leadership qualities. He has created a new strong sense of common purpose and direction that is firmly focused on high expectations of pupils’ achievements. • The rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning and the effective action taken to address areas of weakness are major contributory factors to the high standards and very good achievement. • There is commitment to high quality provision for all groups of pupils in the school community. • Governors make a significant contribution to the leadership of the school and its successes. • Financial planning is very good and the systems for financial control and administration are excellent and highly effective.

p.17

Commentary

27. Parents say that the headteacher has done an excellent job in the relatively short time he has been at the school and manages to get the best out of everyone. His philosophy that ‘satisfactory is not good enough’ inspires and motivates everyone in the school community to aim for the highest possible standards. The school does seek high quality in everything it does. As a result, this is a very effective school where pupils achieve very well. The efficient delegation of responsibilities to staff at all levels ensures that everyone participates in decision- making. The headteacher has successfully built a high performing team with a strong, shared commitment to improvement. The senior management team is very effective because it brings together all parts of the school equally. It plays a key role in setting the school’s future direction based on the responses from other members of staff. Subject co-ordinators are equally

p.17

Commentary

committed to school improvement and they work effectively to support colleagues. Their contribution to the leadership and management of the school has improved since the last inspection. They have a very good understanding of their subject’s needs, development and standards, and this contributes to the school’s successes.

p.17

Commentary

28. Self-evaluation processes are strong and are well established in the school. The monitoring and evaluating of teaching and learning are comprehensive and very effective, and have helped to drive up the standards and quality of teaching. The principles of performance management, linked to support and opportunities for professional development, are firmly in place. Personal objectives relate very well to whole-school priorities for improvement and raising standards. The collection of data about pupils’ progress has improved in quality and quantity. There is now a meaningful set of data in place that is used by teachers to measure pupils’ progress against their agreed objectives. Governors have ensured that the performance management objectives for the headteacher were securely focused on raising standards. This has contributed to the improvement in the quality of teaching and in pupils’ higher achievement over the past year.

p.17

Commentary

Evidence suggests that the high standards are on course to be maintained in 2004 at the end of Year 2 and 6. The school improvement plan is a very useful working document that sets out clearly how the school plans to move forward. It is firmly based on review of standards and achievement and includes contributions from all staff.

p.17

Commentary

29. The school is a place that welcomes all groups of pupils and places a high commitment to providing quality provision to meet their individual needs. This determination shows through the very good provision for pupils with special educational needs, including provision for the particular needs of pupils with exceptional gifts and talents. Governors have put into place a policy for racial equality and this is monitored effectively. Fellside Community Primary - 18 30. Governors are very perceptive in their understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are very experienced and support the headteacher very well in the management of the school, ensuring that statutory requirements are met in all areas of its work. The skills of individual governors are used effectively to support the work of their committees and specific projects in school; for example, a governor, who is an architect, is

p.17

Commentary

liaising with the local education authority in drawing up the plans for the development of the information and communication technology suite. Governors have a very good range of strategies for checking on the work of the school; for example, they visit the school often and individual governors are linked to specific subjects or responsibilities. A strength of the governing body is the high level of information sent to the school and its own members over and above details about the formal meetings. To this end, governors are very knowledgeable about the school and hold it to account for the standards it achieves.

p.18

Commentary

31. Financial planning is very good. The school budget is very well managed to support the school’s priorities for improvement and is regularly monitored to ensure that spending levels are within the agreed targets. The principles of best value are applied effectively, ensuring all resources are used efficiently to meet the high expectations of the school. The systems for routine financial control and day-to-day administration are excellent, overseen by the very competent administrative officer. All school routines are very well established and the members of the administrative staff provide very good support both for all teachers and the headteacher, who can then concentrate their efforts on the pupils and their learning. Members of the administration staff use computers as an efficient and effective means of producing, storing and retrieving information including details of the school budget and pupils’ attainment and

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 476659 Balance from previous year 54502 Total expenditure 434080 Balance carried forward to the next 42579 Expenditure per pupil 1839 Fellside Community Primary - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The provision in the foundation stage is very good .

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

It was not possible to report in full on any of the areas of learning individually because insufficient lessons were seen in each area of learning, though all areas of learning were sampled. From the evidence of lessons seen and examination of children’s work, the children are likely to reach above average standards in all their areas of learning by the end of the reception year. The quality of teaching and learning seen was, overall, very good in both the nursery and reception classes. The children achieve very well. The school has made good improvements since the last inspection.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching overall is very good and this helps children to make very good progress in their learning. • Children have very good attitudes to learning and they work hard and behave very well, when working with an adult or when not directly supervised. • All children experience a very broad and exciting curriculum in each of the areas of learning which aids their very good achievement. • The outdoor environment is used very well to develop the children’s learning; however, occasionally, in the nursery, adults do not interact with children sufficiently to develop play.

p.19

Personal, social and emotional development

32. In the lessons observed in the nursery, the children showed independence in selecting and carrying out activities; for example, in the mark making area they chose their own different types of pencils and made marks, to represent words, with great enthusiasm. A very good range of activities and thorough planning assisted children’s learning very well. The teaching helped children to participate in group work and to explore new learning. The children settled very quickly and became engrossed in their work. Encouraging support for all children, including those with special educational needs, helped them to complete tasks suited to their level of attainment. The teaching seen in the reception class helped children to gain a much better understanding of right and wrong through the use of puppets and the retelling of the story ‘Cinderella’. The teacher used puppets skilfully to represent characters in both the story and in

p.19

Personal, social and emotional development

the discussion to identify moral issues children may encounter in the playground. The children were encouraged to relate their experiences and this helped them to talk about problems with an adult.

p.19

Communication, language and literacy

33. In the lessons observed, children improve their language skills because the teacher modelled language very well to help them. Most children were confident to respond and contributed well to questioning. Teachers encouraged all children, including those at an early stage of learning English as an additional language, to join in discussions; however, occasionally, individuals were allowed to dominate because the teacher did not always circulate questioning to other children.

p.19

Communication, language and literacy

34. Children achieve very well with their reading because the teachers’ systems for helping them to read are very effective. A very good home-school booklet develops a very good partnership with parents to encourage reading both at home and school. The booklet incorporates guidance, for parents, about the letter sounds, names of letters and key words to be learnt to assist the children’s reading, and forms a useful dialogue between teacher and parents. In the reception class, higher attaining children read confidently from early reading books and know most of the Fellside Community Primary - 20 initial letter sounds. Most average attaining pupils know a range of words, such as ‘miss’, ‘my’ and ‘at’, though read rather hesitantly. Lower attaining pupils know the names of the characters in the reading books and use clues from pictures to make sense of the text.

p.19

Communication, language and literacy

35. In the reception class, the teacher worked very well with a small group of lower attaining children to sequence a story using pictures, whilst higher attaining children used cards with words to make sentences to tell a simple story; they then copied the words into their writing books carefully. The children were given opportunities to write letters and to address envelopes to friends and to post them at the local post office. They waited eagerly for the letters to be delivered the next day through the post.

p.20

Mathematical development

36. The children in the nursery were very interested in sorting into pairs a splendid range of socks supplied by the teacher. The very good resources helped the children to gain a better understanding of the language of size, such as ’big’ and ‘little’. The teacher’s challenging questions extended learning very well. The children worked very well, either on their own or in small groups, and showed great excitement when they found a matching pair. In the reception class, the children consolidated the ordering of numbers when they counted up from zero to twenty and back with the teacher. The learning was linked very effectively to a class theme about the post office and this gave relevance to the learning. Individual children tapped out the house number from a card and this enabled the teacher to check children’s recognition of numbers effectively.

p.20

Knowledge and understanding of the world

37. In a very well planned lesson in the reception class, the outdoor area was used very effectively to help extend the children’s previous learning in the classroom about bubbles and the post office. The children blew bubbles and observed them in the strong wind, and they used the sand tray to draw a map of their journey to the post office. In the computer suite, the teaching assistant instructed a group of children very well to enable them to produce different shapes and then to use the tool bar to fill them in with different colours. The teaching assistant was very encouraging, circulating around the group to check all children’s progress and providing, where necessary, additional help. In both the outdoor area and the computer suite, the teachers’ management of children’s behaviour was of a high standard and the children responded very positively. In the nursery, the teaching assistant helped the children very effectively to express

p.20

Knowledge and understanding of the world

their views about the taste of porridge that they had made. The teaching challenged the children to record their findings on a pictogram.

p.20

Physical development

38. The teaching seen, in the very good outdoor area adjacent to the nursery, enabled the younger children to have plenty of different opportunities to assist their physical development, such as by riding bikes and scooters. The teaching assistant ensured a well-ordered atmosphere was maintained and assisted the children to make their own choices, although she did not interact with the children to develop their play further. In a physical education lesson, in the hall, the children from the reception class worked very hard and achieved very well because of the teacher’s very good methods of ensuring high standards of work and behaviour. Most children could follow very well a sequence of movements, including clapping and moving different parts of their bodies. The movements were incorporated with music, ‘Please Mr Postman’, to link to the class theme for the week. The teacher gave very good feedback of individuals’ performance

p.20

Physical development

and made suggestions of how they could improve. Fellside Community Primary - 21

p.20

Creative Development

39. In the nursery, members of staff develop a wide range of activities to develop children’s skills in this area of learning; for example, the teacher demonstrated printing techniques, using textured materials and paints. The children were very interested and made their own prints, using a variety of colours. In a very good music lesson, in the reception class, the teacher’s very good rapport with the children gave individuals the confidence to sing a solo. All children selected, from a wide range of instruments that would make a sound to represent the elements: rain, thunder, and sunshine. The teaching introduced new language to the children, such as ‘vibrate’. Children, learning English as an additional language, were involved actively and the teacher checked their understanding of the new language. The very good skills of the teacher in accompanying the children with a guitar helped them to learn how to sing a rap. The children

p.21

Creative Development

were very well behaved and very well motivated by this activity and this enhanced the development of musical skills, as well as enjoyment of music.

p.21

ENGLISH

The provision for English is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A very successful approach to developing writing skills, from entry into the nursery to Year 6, enables pupils to improve their skills systematically. • Explicitly planned and identified opportunities for writing at greater length, in subjects other than English, help pupils to practise their skills in other ways. • Stimulating and imaginative tasks provide opportunities for discussion and support the development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills very well. • Assessments of pupils’ work are carried out thoroughly and help pupils to know what they need to learn next to improve their work. • Good dialogue between home and school helps parents to support their child’s development of reading skills effectively. • The leadership and management of the subject are very good and contribute to the well above average standards reached by pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6.

p.21

Commentary

40. Standards, by the end of Years 2 and 6, are well above the national average. Pupils’ achievements are very good throughout the school. Improvements, since the last inspection, are good. Imaginative and stimulating lessons provide many opportunities for discussion and development of vocabulary. Members of staff are well aware of the links between speaking, reading and writing. As a result, pupils develop confidence in speaking and listening because teachers ask questions skilfully and give pupils clues to respond correctly if they need a little support. Very good support for pupils with special educational needs enables them to join in group sessions and they feel that their contribution is valued. Pupils are encouraged to listen to others, to take turns in speaking and to think things through before expressing an opinion. Pupils enjoy opportunities to talk with their ‘discussion partner’ and they focus on these

p.21

Commentary

discussions very well. This helps develop their confidence rapidly and also their ability to present a viewpoint. Pupils glow when asked to explain a process or activity to a visitor. Teachers’ high expectations ensure that pupils have many opportunities to increase their vocabulary and understanding of new words and phrases, to a high level. When pupils participate in drama activities, they speak clearly and confidently, aware that they have to ensure the audience listens and appreciates what they have to say. Fellside Community Primary - 22 41. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils’ reading standards are high because teachers promote reading for pleasure, as well as skills in reading for information. Pupils know how to tackle unknown words and build up words by sounds of letters or syllables. These skills have been learnt from an early age and parents help their child through the early stages of reading very

p.21

Commentary

effectively. There is a very good emphasis on sharing books and reading together. Teachers, parents and pupils work very well together to build good attitudes towards reading. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good specific help in letter and sound recognition and have simple books to read with the teacher to reinforce their skills. Pupils discuss their books with each other and know how to use books to find out information for their topics. Younger pupils know how to use an index, glossary or contents page. Older pupils confidently select books with the information they need and use them purposefully. Teachers inspire pupils to write moving prayers and poems. Pupils like to read them expressively, stressing the exciting range of vocabulary they used.

p.22

Commentary

42. The school has promoted writing very well through a series of initiatives. Writing skills are developed well from nursery age, and pupils learn to write sentences, with spaces, capital letters and full stops at a very early stage. This develops quickly into story writing and writing for a wide range of purposes. There is planned use of literacy in other subjects so pupils write at length; for example, about the Egyptians or the Great Fire of London. They have an expectation of writing good stories; ‘It takes a lot of effort, but you feel proud when you have finished,’ commented pupils in Year 6. Boys and girls are inspired to work well on creative, imaginative, writing because they are offered a wealth of interesting topics. Their breadth of reading is reflected very well in their writing. Pupils take pride in writing up both experiments in science and evaluations in design and technology because they express themselves clearly and

p.22

Commentary

logically. They use the computer competently to word process their work in unusual fonts and styles. Teachers use assessments very well in writing. Pupils are very aware of their targets and how they could move up to another level in their work. Teachers mark their work thoughtfully and there are some good examples of teachers entering into dialogue with pupils about extending their work further.

p.22

Commentary

43. Teaching and learning are very good, in all year groups, because teachers make learning fun. There are stimulating introductions to lessons, with good use made of the whiteboards and projectors. These give a strong visual focus and pupils listen very well to teachers whilst watching the board. Pupils settle quickly to tasks because they know teachers expect this, and because they want to learn. Teachers transmit their own enthusiasm for literacy and language when they read stories and this enthuses pupils. They know pupils well and ensure that there are suitable tasks for all pupils, including those who have particular talents or special needs, in literacy, and there is always a level of challenge in the work.

p.22

Commentary

44. The experienced co-ordinator leads initiatives, and manages literacy very well. She has been very involved in the improvements in writing and the links between home and school, all of which have significant impact on the raising of standards.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

45. This is a significant strength in literacy. The school has made a deliberate effort to provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to practise their language skills in other subjects. This is particularly true of writing. There is a wide range of purposes for writing that pupils experience: report writing in science and geography, personal writing in history, poetry about the destruction of the rainforest in geography, notes and problem solving in mathematics. Pupils also plan presentations on the computer. Drama is an important part of pupils’ personal and social development and is used well in history and performances. Fellside Community Primary - 23

p.22

MATHEMATICS

The provision for mathematics is very good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make very good progress in their learning because the quality of teaching is very good and their behaviour and attitudes to work are very positive. • Teachers check pupils’ progress very well and pupils have a good understanding of how they can improve because the marking of work is helpful and thorough. • The leadership and management are very good. • More opportunities could be planned to develop mathematical skills in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

46. Standards, by the end of both Years 2 and 6, are well above average. Improvements, since the last inspection, are good. Pupils achieve very well in all classes because of the consistently high quality of teaching. All lessons seen were very good and particularly strong features were the high standard of pupils’ behaviour and their interest in their work. Typical examples of the high standards of teaching, throughout the school, were seen in Years 2 and 6. In Year 2, the teacher shared with the pupils what was to be learnt so all knew the objective of the lesson. Pupils were keen to learn because of the teacher’s very good, encouraging, relationships with them. Work was planned to challenge pupils at each level of attainment. The teacher’s very good knowledge of how to extend pupils’ understanding of multiplication helped all to achieve highly. Simple resources, such as grocery items, assisted pupils to understand sets of

p.23

Commentary

numbers; for example, a packet of 12 crumpets illustrated that the produce was in arrays of 4 and the total could be calculated by addition of 4+4+4 or by multiplication of 3 x 4. In a very well planned lesson, in Year 6, the teaching developed pupils’ learning in calculating percentages very well. The fast pace of effective questioning, based on the teacher’s clear understanding of pupils’ levels of attainment, kept pupils working particularly well so they achieved highly. Pupils’ good understanding of times tables assisted the accuracy of their answers. Pupils understood that the teacher expected high standards of work and behaviour; as a result, pupils were industrious and consolidated their learning very well through plenty of practice, in a pleasant working atmosphere.

p.23

Commentary

47. The checking of pupils’ progress is very well thought out. Their progress is monitored very effectively using a simple computer spreadsheet. The results of commercial tests back up the teachers’ assessments, enabling both teachers and management to identify individual and groups of pupils’ progress efficiently. The marking of pupils’ work is thorough and shows pupils clearly how they can improve; for example, written comments on work, such as ‘with more practice you will be able to quarter numbers,’ give clear, positive direction to pupils.

p.23

Commentary

48. The subject is led and managed very well. Consistency of pupils’ very good learning has been achieved through rigorous observation, improvements in teaching and the careful examination of pupils’ work to identify common weaknesses. The recent work on a whole-school approach to mental and written calculations is an example of the leadership’s commitment to continual striving to improve standards further.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

49. Mathematical skills are used satisfactorily, on balance, in other subjects. Results of investigations in science are presented well in bar charts, pie charts and line graphs. In geography, sound use was made of bar charts during a traffic survey in Year 1. Spreadsheets were built up in an information and communication technology project. Teachers’ planning, however, identifies rarely opportunities either to exploit the potential for further practice of mathematical skills or the use of mathematics to aid learning in other subjects. Fellside Community Primary - 24

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is very good and pupils have very good attitudes to their work so that they achieve very well. • Skills of scientific enquiry are planned and taught very effectively so that pupils make very good progress as they move through the school. • The leadership and management of the subject are very good, although there is insufficient use of information communication technology in science to support learning. • The very effective use of assessment enables teachers to plan challenging work.

p.24

Commentary

50. By the ends of Years 2 and 6, attainment is well above average. Achievement is very good, throughout the school, because teaching is very good. Pupils are interested in the subject and have very good attitudes to learning. Improvements, since the last inspection, are good. Pupils gain good scientific understanding because teachers have a very good knowledge of the subject, which enables them to explain tasks clearly and pose challenging questions; for example, this helped pupils, in Year 2, to conduct fair tests on the rate of ice melting in different locations. Pupils build securely on previous work because the lesson planning is very thorough and the teaching very systematic so that, by Year 6, they discuss questions which can be tested scientifically and plan and devise their own open-ended investigations into the germination of seeds. Relationships are very good. This helps pupils to collaborate very well in

p.24

Commentary

their tasks and to give them confidence to answer questions and suggest ways of devising investigations because they know that their ideas are valued and respected. The school's very high expectations of behaviour ensure that materials and equipment are handled sensibly and safely.

p.24

Commentary

51. Pupils with special educational needs are provided for very well because activities are well suited to their abilities and they and lower attaining pupils are well supported by teaching assistants. This enables them to achieve very well. Teachers have high expectations so that pupils present their work neatly and accurately and use scientific vocabulary and relevant detail in their accounts of investigations. Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 produced very clear explanations of how water is needed by plants. Lower ability pupils' work was less clear and their explanations less detailed. Teachers mark pupils' work regularly and provide supportive and helpful comments. This helped higher ability pupils in Year 6 to produce very clear descriptions of habitats and life cycles of plants and animals. Although the explanations and descriptions of lower ability pupils were less clear and detailed they showed a sound

p.24

Commentary

understanding of processes such as germination.

p.24

Commentary

52. The use of assessment is a very important feature in the high standards reached by the pupils. Standards are monitored very effectively by careful analysis of test results in order to identify strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum; this led, for example, to a focus on pupils' skills in the evaluation of data in order to draw conclusions and helped to raise standards. Teachers make good use of pupils' mathematical skills in scientific work in order to deepen their understanding; for example, in Year 2, pupils used tally charts and block graphs to show their favourite foods. By Year 6, they measured time and temperature accurately in work on insulation and presented their results clearly in line graphs. Although some use is made of information and communication technology, in science it is used insufficiently to support work and present the results of investigations. The subject is very well led and managed. The co-

p.24

Commentary

ordinator works hard to support colleagues. She checks planning and work regularly in order to make improvements and organises resources efficiently. She has a very good subject Fellside Community Primary - 25 knowledge and a very clear understanding on how the subject is to develop in order to maintain and raise the current high standards.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for information and communication technology is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is good; however, frequent computer breakdowns limit further improvements in standards. • Teachers have a good understanding of pupils’ attainment but the recording of this information is unsatisfactory. • The curriculum is based soundly on national guidance but resources for the control and monitoring aspects of the subject are too few, limiting pupils’ opportunities to use information and communication technology to assist learning in other subjects.

p.25

Commentary

53. Standards, by the end of Year 6, are above average; this is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6 because of good teaching. It was not possible to make a judgement on standards or the quality of teaching, by the end of Year 2, as too few lessons were seen. The quality of teaching is good overall and, in individual lessons, it is sometimes very good or excellent. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and plan lessons well; however, frequent breakdowns of equipment mean that pupils have to share computers, which reduces their opportunities to practise new skills. Often computers ‘lock’ and pupils lose the work they have done; for example, most pupils in Year 6 created exciting multimedia presentations for younger pupils to illustrate parts of a plant but one group became frustrated when their computer ‘crashed’ resulting in all their work being lost. The leadership of

p.25

Commentary

the school has identified the current problems with the computer hardware as a priority for the school and has obtained funding and planned for the building of a new computer suite in the near future.

p.25

Commentary

54. The leadership of the subject is good and the management of the subject is satisfactory. Improvements, since the last inspection, are good. Teachers and teaching assistants have a satisfactory understanding of how well individual pupils are progressing; however, pupils’ attainments are not recorded succinctly. The school improvement plan identifies this, rightly, as an area for development.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

55. The curriculum is planned, appropriately, to use information and communication technology to assist learning in other subjects; for example, pupils in Year 5 used a spreadsheet to investigate different options for menus for a party, with a total spending limit of £50. Pupils in Year 6 entered data into the computers to produce pie charts during a geographical study about litter. The school has unsatisfactory resources to develop pupils’ use of computers to control and monitor equipment in design and technology and science. This aspect of the curriculum is dealt with, mainly, during a residential visit in Year 6.

p.25

HUMANITIES

Work was sampled in geography and history, with only one lesson seen in geography and two in history. It is, therefore, not possible to form an overall judgement about provision in these subjects. Religious education is reported upon in full. Fellside Community Primary - 26 56. In geography , standards seen in pupils’ work and in the lesson observed indicate pupils’ performance is above expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils have good understanding of a range of maps. In Year 4, pupils find out about Mali for a comparison with Britain. Work is matched carefully to pupils’ abilities to ensure that the learning and enquiry skills of all pupils are developed well as they move through the school. In the lesson seen in Year 2, stimulating and challenging teaching helped pupils to achieve highly and to develop a great enthusiasm for their work.

p.25

HUMANITIES

57. In history , examination of pupils’ work and the lessons seen indicate standards are above expectations by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. In Year 2, they explain events about the Great Fire, in detail, in diaries. In the lesson seen in Year 5, the teacher’s very good knowledge and thorough planning helped pupils to achieve highly. In a lesson in Year 3, pupils talked enthusiastically about the people in the pictures they painted for their Egyptian topic. The teacher’s great enthusiasm for the subject was transmitted to the pupils.

p.26

Religious Education

Provision in religious education is very good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is very good and, by the time they leave the school, they attain standards well above average. • The quality of teaching is very good and teachers are especially skilled in their use of questions to develop pupils’ answers and challenge their thinking. • The use of literacy skills and opportunities for discussion are included very well in lessons and assessments.

p.26

Commentary

58. Standards are well above average at the end of both Years 2 and 6. Improvements, since the last inspection, are very good. Pupils achieve at a high level, in Years 1 to 6, because teaching is very good throughout the school. Pupils in Year 2 have a good understanding of the purpose of celebrations and festivals. They know how important the Torah is to Jews and gained an important insight into the life of a Jewish family and their customs from the visit of a Jewish headteacher. Pupils realised the differences between Jewish celebrations and those of Christianity. Pupils in Year 4 are fascinated by accounts about Lourdes and Fatima. They enjoy discussing symbols associated with various pilgrimages around the world and, because they learn about the miracles in a sensitive way, they understand that some people believe in them and others do not. In a most challenging discussion, pupils, in Year 6, discuss the qualities

p.26

Commentary

needed for leadership and why God chose Moses to be a leader. In this very good example of positive links between personal and social education and religious education, pupils’ thinking skills are developed very well.

p.26

Commentary

59. Teaching and learning is very good because pupils are constantly challenged to offer opinions and respond to questions. Teachers plan very thoughtfully to ensure pupils learn about events in Christianity and other faiths and appreciate what is important to each group. They ask pupils questions that require a lot of thought and help them to develop a greater awareness of life. Use of literacy, information and communication technology and art is planned carefully to assist learning; for example, pupils look for cards for Eid on the Internet before making and writing their own cards.

p.26

Commentary

60. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator has only recently taken over responsibility for religious education and has clear ideas about future developments in the subject. There are good resources, including videos and information and communication technology programs, to support the subject. High quality displays around the school are an Fellside Community Primary - 27 outstanding feature of the subject. These have a strong spiritual quality and reflect the appreciation of beauty and respect for others evident in the inclusive atmosphere. Fellside Community Primary - 28

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

No complete lessons were seen in physical education or design and technology. One lesson was seen in art and design and two in music. It is therefore not possible to make firm judgements about provision in these subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

61. In art and design, teachers ensure that pupils experience a wide range of techniques and media. Thorough planning enables pupils to build carefully on previous work so that, as they move through the school they respond imaginatively to stimuli and challenges and increase their understanding and skill in the use of the visual and tactile elements; for example, pupils in Year 2 have drawn very impressive, closely observed, pictures in the round using soft pastels. Older pupils, in the art club, have painted well-finished observations of flowers and produced very attractive designs after the style of Rennie Mackintosh. Year 2 pupils made good use of digital cameras to create compositional studies after the styles of established artists and, in Year 3, pupils used computer programs to produce pictures and create patterns. In the one lesson seen in Year 5, pupils made thorough investigations into different approaches to show

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

62. Art and design is used effectively to illustrate other subjects of the curriculum, such as religious education, history, literature and geography. This helps to develop skills in art and to increase understanding of the other subjects; for example, pupils, in Year 3, have produced attractively decorated ancient Egyptian collars and, in Year 5, well proportioned sketches have helped to evoke feelings in English writing about "The Highwayman". Throughout the school, the many attractive displays of work in art and in other subjects help to enrich the life of the school and are indicative of the high standards expected.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

63. In design and technology, planning is thorough. Pupils make good use of a wide range of materials, tools and techniques to produce above average standards in their models and artefacts. As part of a local education authority scheme, Year 5 pupils have created impressive three-dimensional wooden models of dinosaurs, which enhance the school grounds and buildings. As part of a homework project involving parents, pupils planned, designed and made well-constructed model weight-bearing bridges from paper and sticky tape.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

64. In music, the school has a strong tradition of instrumental music. Pupils are offered a wide range of instruments and the co-ordinator and peripatetic teachers work hard to ensure that they reach high standards. Pupils have opportunities to join choirs, where they sing, tunefully and harmoniously, and to participate in performances in which the whole school is involved. Pupils extend their skills and share music making with other schools, as in their work on Georgian music. In the lessons seen, pupils in Years 2 and 4 achieved well.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

65. In physical education, the school makes good use of its links with the local secondary school and its extra-curricular provision to extend opportunities for pupils to experience a wide range of sports; these include basketball, football, cricket, athletics, tennis, rugby, and hockey. Pupils take part in competitive sport. A team from the school was very successful at a local swimming gala and members of a hockey team won a fair play trophy. Pupils begin swimming lessons in Year 4, and most pupils are successful in learning to swim; many achieving highly.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

66. Insufficient opportunities were available to judge the provision in this area of learning; however, two lessons were seen. The school has a strong personal, social and health education and citizenship programme to extend personal development. In the very well planned personal and social education lessons, pupils, in Year 1, recognised likes and dislikes, and shared opinions on things that matter to them. In Year 6, pupils learned to make well-informed decisions concerning issues such as alcohol abuse, and a discussion of the qualities required for leadership linked citizenship and religious education very effectively. In attractive displays, Fellside Community Primary - 29 pupils are reminded that they have rights and responsibilities and learn about appropriate ways to treat others. Fellside Community Primary - 30

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 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 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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