Forestdale Primary School

Forestdale Primary School

Dates of inspection: 10 – 13 November 2003

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Forestdale Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Forestdale Primary School – Page 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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Forestdale 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. Forestdale Primary School – Page 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: 187

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Pixton Way Croydon Postcode: CR0 9JE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8657 0924 Fax number: 020 8657 2515

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr R Passfield

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 – 27 November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Forestdale Primary School is situated in the London Borough of Croydon. It provides education for pupils aged 4 to 11. Seventeen per cent of the pupils are from different ethnic backgrounds. The school has a slightly higher than average number of pupils who are at the early stages of learning English. The school roll has fallen since the previous inspection, and currently there are 187 pupils on roll, of these, 26 per cent have special educational needs, a figure that is higher than average. The number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The number of pupils who enter the school at times other than the normal admission dates, is higher than average. Attainment on entry is average. Forestdale Primary School – Page 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

16493 Mr N Sherman Lead inspector Mathematics The Foundation Stage Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education Art and design. 19798 Mrs J O’Keefe Lay inspector 19897 Mr A Evans Team inspector Science History and geography Special educational needs. 21103 Mrs V Ives Team inspector English Religious education Music English as an additional language.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

PBM Brookbridge & Bedford 13A Market Place Uttoxeter Staffordshire ST14 8HY

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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.oftsed.gov.uk). Forestdale Primary School – Page 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school is effective and provides the pupils with a good quality of education. By the time they leave the school, pupils have achieved well in English, mathematics and science. Overall, teaching is good, although it is strongest in the Foundation Stage and Years 3 to 6. The school is well led and managed and this has brought about much improvement since the previous inspection. The school gives good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher provides a clear sense of purpose. • Pupils achieve well in reading and writing in Years 1 and 2, and in English, mathematics and science in Years 3 to 6. • The curriculum is well planned and suitably enriched by an interesting range of extra-curricular activities. • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and there is excellent racial harmony among the different ethnic groups. • The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. • All pupils, including those with special educational needs, and those who join the school at different times, are well cared for, and are fully included in all that the school provides. • While links with parents are satisfactory with some good features, there is a need to ensure that they are consulted with more regularity. • The school has not developed ways of effectively monitoring pupils’ progress in some

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

subjects. The school has made good progress since its previous inspection in 1998. Pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests, particularly at Key Stage 2, has improved. Improvements to how the school is led and managed, have contributed well to the strengthening of teaching, assessment of pupils’ progress and to curriculum planning.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Pupils achieve well in the Foundation Stage and in Years 3 to 6. Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. Standards are above average in English, mathematics and science by Year 6.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

English C A* C C mathematics C A B B science D A C C Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Pupils enter the reception class, (the Foundation Stage), with average levels of attainment. They reach expected standards in all areas of learning by the time that they enter Year 1, and in some aspects reach standards which are higher than expected. The pupils achieve well, and make good progress in settling into the school and in developing their basic skills. In Years 1 and 2, pupils achieve satisfactorily. By the end of Year 2, pupils reach standards which are above average in reading and writing, and which are average in mathematics. By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards which are above average in English, mathematics and science. Pupils reach standards in music which are above those found normally amongst 11-year-olds. There is good achievement Forestdale Primary School – Page 7 by pupils in religious education. The school has been successful in improving the provision made for

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

information and communication technology (ICT) since the previous inspection, and standards are in line with national expectations. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress as they move through the school. This reflects the school’s strong commitment to supporting the pupils concerned. Those who are learning to become more confident in their use of English make good progress. The higher than average number of pupils who join the school at different times also make good progress. Boys and girls attain equally well in national tests.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Progress in personal development is good and pupils are given good scope to develop initiative. Pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is very good. The school is very effective in promoting pupils’ understanding of their heritage and country of origin. Attendance matches the national average. The pupils’ behaviour is very good.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching is good overall. The teaching of English, mathematics and science is good. As they move through Years 3 to 6, pupils make good gains in their learning of basic skills and apply these well in their learning of other subjects. The teaching of ICT is satisfactory and is rapidly improving because of the increased use that the school is making of the newly refurbished computer suite. Pupils with special educational needs, and those who are at the early stages of increasing their confidence in using English, are taught well. Teachers make good use of agreed procedures to track how these pupils are progressing in English, mathematics and science. However, the school has yet to develop robust procedures to monitor pupils’ academic progress in art and design, history, geography and music.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The curriculum is good. The teaching of all subjects is well planned and cross-curricular links between subjects are made effectively. A good range of educational visits, and the extra-curricular life of the school, enrich pupils’ learning well. The pupils are well cared for. Links with the community are good. The school is aware of the need to enhance the ways in which it consults with parents.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

There is good leadership and management of the school. A key feature of this is the way in which the school has sought to improve many aspects of its work since the last inspection. The headteacher has a good understanding of the school’s strengths, and what requires improvement. She has been very successful in developing a strong team spirit among the staff. Monitoring systems, which gauge the impact of teaching on learning, have been effectively developed since the previous inspection. Subject co-ordinators are effective in their evaluation of teaching and learning. The school budget is efficiently managed. Governors effectively fulfil their responsibilities.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Parents support the school well and many support their children in their learning at home. Parents are provided with regular information about day-to-day events. The school is aware of the need to strengthen the ways in which it consults with parents on matters of shared interest. Pupils are positive about their experience of the school. They believe the staff to be supportive, kind and ‘always ready to listen’. Many participate in the good range of extra-curricular activities that are provided for them.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

• develop assessment procedures in those subjects where they are currently lacking; • develop more effective ways to consult with parents. Forestdale Primary School – Page 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards are above average in reading and writing at the end of Year 2. In mathematics and science, they are average. At the end of Year 6, standards are above average in English, mathematics and science. Standards in religious education and information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with expectations at the end of both key stages. Pupils’ achievement is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 3 to 6. This reflects the good teaching that the pupils receive.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage reach high standards in their creative development and in their personal, social and emotional development. • Standards in reading and writing are above average at the end of Year 2. • Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average by the end of Year 6. • Standards in music are above expectations by the end of Year 6. • Pupils with special educational needs, and the few pupils with English as an additional language, make good progress as they move from class to class. • Good progress has been made since the last inspection in raising standards, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

1. Achievement for the pupils in the Foundation Stage is good. Pupils enter the school with skills which match national expectations. Good teaching enables them to make good progress in many areas of their learning. By the time they enter Year 1, they have been well prepared to follow the requirements of the National Curriculum. By the end of the Foundation Stage, they reach standards that are above the expectations of the Early Learning Goals in their creative and personal, social and emotional development. In all other areas of learning, they reach standards which are in line with expectations.

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

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.3 (16.0) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.6 (14.5) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.5 (16.7) 16.3 (16.5) There were 22 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

2. In the 2003 national tests, pupils in Year 2 attained standards in reading that were below average. In writing, standards were above average. In mathematics, standards were average. When compared with similar schools, standards were below average in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. Compared with the results for 2002, they show an improvement in writing, but a fall in reading. Inspection findings indicate that pupils reach standards that are average in reading and above Forestdale Primary School – Page 9 average in writing. In mathematics, standards are average. The difference between inspection findings and the test results for 2003 in reading is due to the difference between the two year groups. Pupils achieve well in reading and writing compared to their level of ability when they first enter the school. The school has focused its attention on raising standards in reading and writing in Years 1 and 2, and the work undertaken is

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

starting to impact well on quality of work that the pupils now produce. Standards in all other subjects are as expected by Year 2 and pupils achieve satisfactorily.

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

Standards in: School results National results English 27.2 (30.3) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.6 (29.4) 26.8 (26.7) science 29.1 (30.3) 28.6 (28.3) There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

3. The results of the 2003 National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 6 were not as high as those for 2002. However, this reflects the attainment of the 2002 Year 6 group of pupils who were recognised by the school as being a generally above average group of pupils. The results of the 2003 tests indicated that pupils reached standards that were average in English and science and above average in mathematics. When compared with similar schools, the results were average in English and science and above average in mathematics. The findings of the inspection indicate that standards are above national expectations in all three subjects. This reflects the continued improvements that have been made in teaching, the increased effectiveness of the management of the school in using assessment data to plan improvements and, in English in particular, the strong attention paid by the school to developing the pupils’ skills in writing. Inspection evidence

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

indicates that pupils make good progress as they move from class to class. The current group of Year 6 pupils are on course to reach the targets set for them in the 2004 tests.

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

4. Achievement is good in Years 3 to 6. The national test results mask the overall achievement of the pupils as they include the results of pupils who have joined the school at different times during Years 3 to 6. When the results of the pupils who have stayed at the school are evaluated, they indicate that they achieve well. In English, pupils are confident speakers who voice their opinions ably when taking part in discussions or answering questions. Pupils read widely and expressively, and have a good understanding of the sorts of texts that different children’s authors write. Pupils are equally confident writers and make good progress in their understanding of how writing should be varied to suit the needs of different audiences. Standards of presentation and spelling are good. The school is giving pupils greater access to the improved computer facilities. This is broadening their understanding of how computers can support them in

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

their day-to-day literacy work. The very good attitudes that pupils have to learning, ensure that they make equally good progress in mathematics and science.

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

5. Pupils reach standards in ICT that are in line with expectations. Evidence from the inspection indicates that as pupils are given more frequent opportunities to use the computer suite, the overall pace of progress is starting to improve. Standards in religious education are line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a secure understanding of different faiths and how different faith groups practise their faith on a day-to- day basis. Standards in music are above expectations and pupils achieve well by the end of Year 6. They have many opportunities to play a range of different musical instruments and these experiences result in good standards. Forestdale Primary School – Page 10 6. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs make good progress in many areas of learning. The school is effective in ensuring that the pupils concerned are

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

included in the full range of learning opportunities offered to others. They are taught and supported well, and as a result, they make similar progress to their classmates. The few pupils who are at the early stages of learning English also make good progress. The school is rigorous in ensuring that pupils who join the school at different times of the academic year are assessed in order to gauge their level of ability. This enables them to be given work that matches their abilities, enabling them to make good progress.

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

7. The school’s National Curriculum test data indicates that boys achieve as well as girls. Improvements in identifying the needs of higher-attaining pupils, and in ensuring that teaching is effective, enable these pupils to make good progress. Overall, since the last inspection, the school has been successful in raising the pupils’ achievements, particularly in Years 3 to 6.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to their work and behave very well around the school. There is outstanding racial harmony. Attendance is satisfactory. The personal development of pupils is very well supported. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils demonstrate very good attitudes to the school and are very keen to learn. • Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. • Good provision is made for the spiritual development of pupils. • The moral, social and cultural development of pupils is very effective. • Punctuality is good and attendance is satisfactory.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.2 School data 0.3 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

8. Pupils’ attendance levels are similar to those in other schools and most arrive punctually in the mornings. Pupils are very enthusiastic about school and their work and very keen to learn. In lessons they concentrate very well, try their best and listen well to each other and to teachers. Many participate well in extra-curricular activities. Pupils talk positively about what the school provides for them and they believe that the adults who support them are fair, but push them to work hard.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions Forestdale Primary School – Page 11 White – British 148 8 0 White - Irish 2 0 0 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 2 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 9 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Indian 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Black or Black British - Caribbean 3 0 0 Black or Black British - African 10 0 0 Any other ethnic group 2 0 0 Parent/pupil preferred not to say 2 0 0

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

9. Pupils treat each other with kindness and respect. Pupils are friendly and courteous to visitors and speak confidently about their work. Lunchtimes are pleasant and relaxed occasions, and at playtimes, pupils mix together very well. They work well together in small groups and in pairs during lessons and share resources sensibly.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

10. Overall, the personal development of pupils is very good. They are mature and thoughtful and, due to the strong ethos of the school, their moral and social development is very good. They clearly understand the difference between right and wrong and take responsibility for their actions. Pupils are encouraged very effectively to be appreciative of both their own and other cultures. The pupils’ spiritual development is fostered well through assemblies and the religious education programme.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided is good overall. Teaching and learning are good in the Foundation Stage and Years 3 to 6, and are satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Assessment is effective in English, mathematics and science, and the school makes good use of the information gained to plan pupils’ subsequent learning. Assessment arrangements in a few other subjects are not fully developed. The curriculum is good. Accommodation, while satisfactory overall, is more limited for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Pupils are provided with a good standard of care. Links with parents are satisfactory overall with some good features.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Teaching and learning are good as is the assessment of the pupils’ work.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

• Improvements in monitoring have resulted in better quality teaching since the previous inspection. • The teaching of basic skills in English and mathematics is effective. Forestdale Primary School – Page 12 • Pupils with particular needs, including those with special educational needs, those at the early stages of learning English, and those who have joined the school at different times, are well supported in lessons and consequently, they achieve well. • Some teaching in Years 1 and 2 lacks pace and this restricts pupils’ learning in some lessons. • Good use is made of homework to extend learning.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 29 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

11. At the last inspection teaching was judged to be satisfactory. Since then the management of the school has effectively developed procedures to monitor teaching and the impact it has on learning. As a result, teaching has significantly improved. Of the lessons seen during the inspection, teaching was good or better in over three-quarters.

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Commentary

12. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is frequently good. Since the previous inspection, the school has successfully implemented the national guidance given to schools to help plan learning for pupils of this age. The teacher has a good understanding of the needs of young children. She is successful in ensuring a good balance between teacher-directed activities and independent learning. The classroom is well organised and this ensures that lessons proceed at a brisk pace. The teacher and support staff manage the pupils well and they settle successfully into the school as a result.

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Commentary

13. The teaching of basic skills is successful, enabling the pupils to develop confidence, and to use them to enhance learning. Teachers place emphasis on developing the pupils’ skills in reading for pleasure and in developing their intrinsic love of reading. The pupils are given regular opportunities to develop their handwriting and spelling skills, and these are suitably reinforced by practising their skills in other subjects.

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Commentary

14. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and understanding, and use this to good effect. For example, in one religious education lesson, the teacher clearly explained how Muslims practise their faith, and compared and contrasted their beliefs to other faiths. The pupils were curious, listened intently, and learned much. Other characteristics of effective teaching included the good use of practical equipment to reinforce learning, and the provision of work that the pupils found interesting and stimulating. The pupils responded by working hard and producing work that is a true reflection of their capabilities.

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Commentary

15. There is some good teaching in Years 1 and 2, particularly in English, and the pupils make good progress as a result. The pupils are managed well and the pupils are sufficiently motivated. However, in some lessons, introductions can be too long and the pupils’ interest begins to decline. In addition, explanations of what the pupils are expected to do are not always clear and result in misunderstandings. Forestdale Primary School – Page 13 16. Pupils with particular learning needs are taught well. For example, pupils with special educational needs have detailed and clear individual education plans. These highlight well the pupils’ individual targets and what action should be taken to enable the pupils to achieve them. The few pupils who are at an early stage of learning English are given good support in lessons and this boosts their confidence. Overall, teaching is effective in ensuring that all pupils are fully included in all that is planned for them.

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Commentary

17. The school has improved the use that is made of homework to reinforce and extend pupils’ learning. This is given at different points of the week, for pupils in all classes, and for various subjects. Many of the pupils complete this well and the use of homework makes a valuable contribution to their learning.

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Commentary

18. The school has made good progress since the last inspection in improving the range of procedures used to assess the pupils’ progress, and in the way that this information is used to plan pupils’ subsequent learning. Pupils are assessed when they start at the school, and their progress is regularly monitored. As they move through into the junior classes, their progress is monitored more regularly through a range of different tests at different times of the year. Senior managers and co-ordinators look at the information carefully to check whether the pupils are making expected progress. If some pupils’ progress begins to falter, additional support is provided. Teachers are careful to ensure that the assessment information is used to plan pupils’ subsequent learning. Some arrangements are in place to assess pupils’ progress in other subjects that include ICT and religious education. The school is aware of the need to implement arrangements for

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Commentary

other subjects so that a fuller picture of the pupils’ progress can be ascertained.

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The curriculum

Overall, the curriculum is good . There is a good range of extra-curricular activities. The accommodation is satisfactory overall, but the space in the Year 1 and 2 classrooms is too restrictive to support fully some aspects of the pupils’ learning. Resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good opportunities for enrichment and a wide range of additional activities take place before school, during lunchtime and after school. • There is good involvement by the pupils in competitive sport and local music festivals. • The restrictive nature of accommodation for pupils in Years 1 and 2 hinders some aspects of their learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

19. The school provides a good curriculum with very good opportunities for enrichment, including participation in local music festivals, sports competitions and visits to places of interest that suitably support the subjects. Requirements for the National Curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education are fully met. The curriculum for pupils in the Foundation Stage has been effectively developed since the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

20. The curriculum is creatively enriched by the provision of a good range of learning opportunities that take place before school, during lunchtime and after school. These include a good number of sports clubs, drama, recorder, country dancing, choir and Internet clubs, many of which are ably run by teaching assistants. They are all keenly attended. Annual residential visits are provided for all pupils from Years 5 and 6. These give them access to outdoor adventure activities; day trips are organised during these visits to places of educational interest. These residential trips help to develop their self-awareness and ability to respond to Forestdale Primary School – Page 14 the needs of others. Visitors to school are used to enhance the curriculum, and include theatre groups, local ministers, the Salvation Army, librarian, musicians and grandparents, who talk about their past experiences during history lessons.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

21. The curriculum is further enriched with the expertise of a number of music specialists who teach the trumpet, trombone, and violin effectively. The ICT curriculum has improved since the time of the last inspection. This is mainly due to the introduction of more computers in the classrooms and a new computer suite in which pupils gain a wider range of experiences. Staff have received training and have become more confident in using them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

22. Planning and the implementation of the curriculum are thoroughly monitored by the headteacher and all the subject leaders. Detailed action plans are produced which identify further areas for improvement. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. The school has recently achieved an ‘Active Mark’ for its contribution to, and participation in, sport.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

23. The quality of the school’s accommodation is satisfactory overall. While some classes are housed in mobile classrooms, there have been good improvements made to the accommodation since the previous inspection that have benefited Years 3 to 6 pupils in particular. The restricted accommodation for the pupils in Years 1 and 2 makes it difficult for the teachers to allow the pupils opportunities to explore their own lines of enquiry in subjects such as science. Plans are already in place to improve the outside play area for Foundation Stage pupils. Overall, there are adequate resources to support teaching and learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

The school takes good care of its pupils and effectively ensures their general well-being. Good procedures are in place for child protection and health and safety overall. Pupils are able to air their views about the school through the school council.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff know pupils well and have a very caring approach. • Very good personal support is provided for pupils. • Good arrangements are in place for the induction of new pupils. • The school council works well and gives the pupils a say in how the school is run.

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Commentary

24. Staff have a very caring approach to the pupils and get to know them well as individuals. This ensures their general well-being. Effective procedures are in place to ensure health and safety, and regular checks and risk assessments take place.

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Commentary

25. Good procedures are in place for dealing with child protection issues. The headteacher is the person designated to deal with any concerns and she does this with great care and sensitivity. Staff are aware of the necessary procedures and receive regular training in this area. There are effective arrangements for ensuring that new pupils get to know the school and are made welcome when they first arrive. As a result, they settle in quickly and happily into life at the school and achieve well.

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Commentary

26. Through careful monitoring staff ensure that they know how well each pupil is progressing. Pupils are able to speak confidently about how well they are doing and know what their targets for future improvement are. There are very good relationships between staff and Forestdale Primary School – Page 15 pupils, and as a result, pupils feel safe and well supported at the school. Pupils are confident that adults will listen to them. The school council works well and enables pupils to air concerns and make suggestions for improving the school and its facilities.

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Commentary

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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Commentary

Overall the school has satisfactory links with its parents with some good features. Parents appreciate what the school provides for their children and give effective support in a number of ways. However, their views are not sought frequently enough. Good community links support the work of the school. The school links well with other schools in the area.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are provided with useful information on the progress of their children, although their views are not regularly sought. • The school brochure does not reflect the strong ethos of the school.

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Commentary

27. Parents are very supportive of the school and are happy with most aspects of its work. Parents appreciate what the staff provide for their children and argue that the school has made good progress since its previous inspection. Parents receive good information on their children’s progress through regular meetings and annual reports. They also receive useful and clear information on what their children will be learning each term, and good general information through well presented newsletters and the governor’s annual report. The school’s brochure, by contrast, is less attractively presented and does not fully reflect the welcoming ethos of the school. Balancing these strengths is the fact that the school is not sufficiently proactive in seeking parents’ views or consulting with them on wider school issues. Many parents, both in the pre-inspection meeting, and in the questionnaires returned prior to the inspection, expressed the view that they would like to

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Commentary

be consulted more frequently about issues that affect them directly.

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Commentary

28. Parents are supportive of both the school’s work and their children’s learning. The parent-teacher association is very active and well organised with frequent fund-raising and social events arranged. These events are well supported by parents and the community and help to raise funds for extra resources for pupils. Good links exist with the local community. Both the local vicar and the Salvation Army regularly attend assemblies at the school. Good use is made of the local area for educational visits. The school works well with other schools in the area and is an active member of a local cluster group of primary schools. These links provide effective support for the school’s work and assist in the smooth transfer of pupils to secondary school.

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Commentary

Overall, the leadership and management of the school are good. The governance of the school is effective.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides good leadership and is highly successful in developing a strong team spirit among staff and is ably supported by the senior management team. Forestdale Primary School – Page 16 • Governors are effective in performing their role as a critical friend. • Subject leadership and management are good. • The school has made good progress since the last inspection. • The school provides good value for money.

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Commentary

29. At the time of the last inspection, the leadership and management of the school were judged to be satisfactory. They are now good. The school made has made effective use of the judgements contained within the last report as a way to tackle the identified shortcomings, and has focused on improving the overall quality of education provided for the pupils. The leadership and management by the headteacher are good . She has a clear idea of what the school does well and what still needs to be achieved in order to further improve the level of pupils’ achievements. The headteacher has a clear vision that is shared by all, and a strong commitment to raising standards. She has created a strong team to work alongside her. The senior management team meet regularly. Many aspects of the school are discussed at these meetings which determine how well the school is progressing towards the targets set in the school improvement plan. From

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Commentary

these meetings, short-term action points are agreed and shared with the staff. As a result, a culture where provision is critically and effectively evaluated has developed. This helps to provide a school climate where success is valued, but when mistakes are made, lessons are learned.

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Commentary

30. The headteacher makes a positive difference to the climate of the school and has a clear influence on the thorough monitoring of teaching, learning and the curriculum. The leadership and management of other key staff are good. There is a clear understanding of the needs of the pupils and of required improvements. Initiatives which are designed to raise standards are implemented effectively. The headteacher and co-ordinators are rigorous in monitoring and evaluating subject performance, and in challenging teachers to focus their planning and teaching on the highest expectations. Co-ordinators of all subjects, except design and technology, art and geography have been given specific release times to observe lessons. The results of these observations are shared with staff and they are often provided with clear guidance on how to improve the quality of their teaching. These monitoring procedures include effective use of the performance

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Commentary

management arrangements for staff. This is now suitably established and is playing a positive part in raising standards . Co-ordinators new to the post are well supported in the development of their management skills, and all staff have regular access to relevant and up-to-date training to boost their skills. This has recently included visits to schools that hold Beacon status. The findings from such visits are shared amongst all staff and are used well to improve overall provision within the school.

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Commentary

31. The school’s strategic plan for the 2003-2004 school year is detailed and gives a clear overview of where the school is heading. The school’s aims, including a strong and firm commitment towards inclusion, are firmly embedded within the plan. The plan appropriately identifies priorities for improvement, such as the development of story writing. The targets for attainment in English and mathematics, which have been agreed with the local education authority, underpin the plan. The school has a set of policies which clearly outline how the day-to-day arrangements for the management of the school are to be secured. These policies include one that gives a clear overview of the school’s rationale towards promoting racial equality. The aims within this policy underpin the school’s work well and help to promote the excellent racial harmony within the school. Forestdale Primary School – Page 17 32. Governors have a good understanding of the nature of the school and its strengths and

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Commentary

weaknesses. At the same time they are supportive and challenging. The chair of governors is kept well informed by the headteacher of school issues through their regular meetings. The governor responsible for financial management makes a good contribution to strategic financial planning, and other governors who oversee provision in other areas, such as special educational needs, undertake their duties well. There is good co-ordination of special educational needs provision, despite the fact that the co- ordinator has little non-contact time in which to deal with the administrative side of this provision. The co-ordinator liaises closely with class teachers in the review of pupils’ individual education plans, and with relevant outside agencies. The local education authority recognises that the school’s accommodation is unsuitable for pupils with severe mobility problems.

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Commentary

33. The school has made good progress in dealing with the key issues from the last inspection. School finances are well managed. Although the school has a higher than average contingency figure in its budget, this has been carefully accrued in order to manage the recent dip in pupil numbers. Governors have monitored this situation very carefully and are clear on what action may be needed to ensure that the school’s future expenditure continues to match its income. The school makes sensible spending decisions and reviews the benefits appropriately. The finance governor uses his expertise profitably for the good of the school, and is ably supported by the office staff. Despite financial pressures, school development has continued apace. Improvements made to the school’s provision for ICT bear testimony to this. The school uses its funds well for those pupils identified as having special educational needs,

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Commentary

and those who need support to boost their confidence in using English. Given the high levels of achievement in Years 3 to 6, and the good quality of education provided for the pupils, the school gives good value for money.

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Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 617 345 Balance from previous year 53 401 Total expenditure 621 939 Balance carried forward to the next 48 807

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Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Expenditure per pupil 3 326 Forestdale Primary School – Page 18

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. The overall provision for pupils in the Foundation Stage is good . Much development has taken place over the past two years, which has led to good improvements in provision. Teaching is effective in many areas of the pupils’ learning, especially in improving many aspects of how learning is planned and assessed. Pupils enter the school with broadly average levels of ability. They settle well into the school and start to achieve well in a number of areas of their learning. There are shortcomings in the provision for larger apparatus in outside play, although during the inspection building work was being undertaken aimed at improving provision greatly.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and reach standards which are higher than expected. • Staff have high expectations of how they expect the pupils to behave. • Relationships between the pupils are very good. • Teaching ensures that the pupils are given every encouragement to work out things for themselves.

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Commentary

35. The pupils make good progress in this area of their learning. By the time they enter Year 1, they reach standards that are above the expectations of the Early Learning Goals. Teaching is good and contributes well to good levels of achievement. A key feature of the teaching is that it encourages the pupils to work things out for themselves. As a result, the pupils often persevere with what they are asked to complete and make good progress in developing their sense of independence. Teachers have high expectations of how they expect the pupils to behave. They are taught to respect the views of others and to play sensibly with one another. Pupils quickly learn the day-to-day routines of the classroom and develop positive relationships with one another.

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Commentary

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of assessment information in planning pupils’ learning. • Frequent opportunities are provided for pupils to develop confidence as speakers and listeners. • The classroom environment is effective in promoting an early interest in books. • Activities designed to develop early writing skills are well matched to the pupils’ levels of attainment.

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Commentary

Forestdale Primary School – Page 19 36. A strong emphasis is placed on developing the pupils’ confidence and early skills in communication, language and literacy development. Pupils are assessed on entry to the reception class and the information is used effectively to plan their learning. Their progress is assessed regularly and individual support is targeted to those with particular needs. The classroom is attractively organised and provides a rich learning environment. Books and other resources, such as commercial tapes, are used well to raise the status of reading. Effective use is made of a wide range of literature to promote speaking, listening and early writing skills. Books such as Elmer the Elephant or the Jolly Postman are used creatively to provide, for example, a ‘post office’ in the classroom where the pupils ‘write’ letters and postcards and ‘post’ them to their friends. Such work

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Commentary

helps to develop an early understanding that writing has a purpose. By the end of the year, pupils form letters correctly and know that they are put together to make words. Higher-attaining pupils write simple statements, such as expressing a preference, or writing simple pieces of news from their day-to-day experiences at home. Many enjoy listening to stories and expressing simple opinions as to why they like a story. By the end of the Foundation Stage, the pupils reach the expected goals in this area of learning.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of practical equipment to support learning of mathematical ideas. • Teaching is good and the pupils make satisfactory gains in their understanding of number, shape and space. • Good use is made of other areas of learning to support the pupils’ mathematical knowledge.

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Commentary

37. Teaching is good, and is characterised by effective organisation of the classroom and resources. Sand and water play is readily available and is used well to consolidate the pupils’ understanding of terms such as ‘full’, ‘empty’, or ‘nearly full’. Good use is made of other areas of learning to support the pupils’ progress in mathematics. They sing songs such as ‘Five Speckled Frogs’ to develop their early understanding of subtraction and how a number is reduced if one is taken away. Pupils are given good opportunities to practise writing numbers and by the end of the reception year, they confidently write the numbers 1 to 10 in the correct order. They can identify and give simple explanations of two-dimensional shapes, such as a square or a triangle. By the end of the reception year, the pupils achieve the expectations of the Early Learning Goals.

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Commentary

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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Commentary

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

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Commentary

• Children have good opportunities to develop early understanding of different faiths. • Computers and other related ICT equipment are used well to support learning. • Good use is made of the local area to develop the pupils’ understanding of the world in which they live. Forestdale Primary School – Page 20

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Commentary

38. Teaching is good and pupils make good progress in developing a general understanding of the world around them. They are successfully introduced to an early understanding of the beliefs of different religions. They make good use of computers and other related ICT equipment to support their learning, and devise simple, yet creative, pictures using different colour patterns. By the end of the reception year, the pupils are able to move around the different layers of simple programs and use a mouse to good effect. In addition, they have regular access to tape recorders in order to listen to familiar stories

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Commentary

39. Good use is made of the area close to the school to develop the pupils’ understanding of their immediate environment. For example, as part of a theme on food they visit various shops near the school to explore the range of products. By the end of reception year the pupils reach the expected goals in this area of learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Challenging activities are provided to develop some aspects of physical development. • Good use is made of the school hall to provide pupils with opportunities to develop their skills. • There are too few opportunities to develop skills through the use of larger outdoor apparatus.

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Commentary

40. The pupils are provided with sufficient opportunities to develop their fine motor skills. For example, when making simple models they learn to use scissors, glue, and sellotape. However, some pupils need individual support to enable them to use such equipment effectively. They use simple construction equipment effectively. Good use is made of the school hall to develop certain aspects of the pupils’ physical development, such as when making creative use of space and following instructions by running and hopping without colliding with other pupils. The quality of teaching is good overall, but the pupils’ progress in physical development is limited by the lack of larger outdoor play equipment. During the inspection, work was underway in creating such an area, and once completed, this resource offers rich potential to develop further the pupils’ physical skills. Overall, the level of pupils’

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Commentary

achievement is satisfactory, and they are on course to reach the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1.

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Commentary

Provision in creative development is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• When planning learning, the teacher identifies good links with other curricular areas. • Pupils work hard and reach standards which are higher than expected by the time they enter Year 1. • Good use is made of structured play to support the pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

Forestdale Primary School – Page 21 41. Teaching is good, and is characterised by the provision of rich and varied opportunities to develop pupils’ creative skills. Good use is made of other curricular areas to support the pupils’ creative development. Literature is used well in this respect. Books such as Elmer the Elephant not only provide the pupils with a source of amusement, and an early introduction into finding out about other living creatures, but also with good opportunities to develop their understanding of colour and pattern. They make masks of Elmer using a range of recycled materials and simple elephant models from plastic milk bottles. They also take part in imaginative structured play which is often linked effectively with other areas of learning. The pupils eagerly enter into the role-play situations set up for them, and often become totally immersed in the characters they have become. Such work also has a positive impact on their

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Commentary

personal, social and emotional development as they learn to take turns, listen to one another, and to use and share equipment in a fair and equitable way. The pupils are given frequent opportunities to learn simple songs and tunes. They progress well in this area of learning and by the time they enter Year 1, they have achieved standards beyond the Early Learning Goals.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, and pupils achieve well. • There is good leadership and management of the subject and there is effective monitoring of teaching and learning. • Overall, teaching is good across the school. • Lessons are well planned with clear aims that are shared with the pupils. • Very good termly writing assessments provide a clear record of the pupils’ progress. • Assessment information is used effectively to set targets and move pupils on to the next level of attainment. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to the subject.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

42. The 2003 test results show that at the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment in reading was below the national average. In writing, standards were above average. This picture of attainment is similar when the results are compared with similar schools. The test results for pupils in Year 6, indicated that standards in English were average, as they were when compared with similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates that standards have improved in Year 2, and are above national expectations in both reading and writing. Inspection findings indicate that the current Year 6 pupils are on course to reach standards higher than the national average. The increased attention that the school has given to the development of writing, over the past year, and the natural swing in attainment between different groups of pupils, helps to explain why inspection findings are different from the results of the 2003 National Curriculum tests.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

Standards have risen steadily since the last inspection. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, English as an additional language, and those who join the school at different times of the year, achieve well. There is no difference in the attainment of girls and boys.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

43. The vast majority of the teaching and learning is good, and pupils make good progress in the development of their literacy skills as they move from class to class. In many classes, the pupils are given good opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills. As a result, they develop good levels of confidence in expressing a point of view, and older Forestdale Primary School – Page 22 Year 6 pupils back up their opinions with reasoned and well thought out opinions. Reading, and the attractive display of books, feature highly in all classrooms. Good opportunities are provided for the pupils to develop a wide range of favourite authors, as well as developing their skills in using non-fiction materials, both of which support their general reading development. In many classes, pupils enthuse about reading. In addition, many parents support the school in listening to their children read at home. This

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

further helps to promote a culture where reading is valued, both as a tool for learning, and as a pleasurable activity in its own right.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

44. In writing, pupils across the school make equally good gains in their learning. Pupils are provided with worthwhile opportunities, such as to develop ideas in constructing personification poems. One pupil in Year 5/6 wrote: “ the snow nibbled my fingers. The wind howled at my face. The frost stamped on my toes.” Another pupil successfully interwove dialogue, action and description by writing: ‘ “What’s this?” exclaimed Saphie excitedly. She was holding an oddly shaped key.’ Pupils in Year 4 effectively learn how to produce news stories in the style of a nursery rhyme. One news headline said, ‘Famous Egg Dude Finally Splits.’ By the time the pupils leave the school, they are able to use writing well to support their learning and most of what pupils produce is neat, and well structured. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of neat presentation.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

45. The teaching of English is much improved since the previous inspection, when teaching was judged to be satisfactory. Lessons are well planned and take good account of the needs of all pupils. Lesson objectives are effectively shared with the pupils and remain displayed for them to refer to throughout the lesson. They therefore know what they have to do, and can evaluate their understanding by the end of the lesson. The good teaching has a positive impact on the pupils’ learning and how well they achieve. Good questioning skills probe the pupils’ understanding and provide practical opportunities for them to talk about their work. For example, pupils in Year 3 respond well to the atmosphere set by a lit candle to stimulate descriptive words, such as “glowing, flickering and bright” . Good interaction with pupils by all adults and the clear instructions given, mean that they know what is expected of them and they respond very positively.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

46. The subject is well led and efficiently managed. This is also a good improvement since the last inspection. There are effective monitoring procedures to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. For example, lesson observations, sampling of the pupils’ work, and the quality of the teachers’ marking, have provided the co-ordinator with an accurate picture of the good progress made by the pupils. In addition, careful analysis of test results contributes to the action plan and generates priorities for improvement. For example, story writing has become a whole-school focus.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

47. Assessment procedures are well developed; for example, writing is assessed every term. This gives a very clear picture of the pupils’ good progress in writing over a period of time. Pieces of writing are thoroughly annotated and evaluated. Informed assessments are written to show the pupils what they need to do to improve their work, and to move on to the next level of attainment. Writing targets are set, recorded, agreed with the pupils and are sent home to parents. This information gives parents a good idea of what they can do to help their children improve their writing. Forestdale Primary School – Page 23 Language and literacy across the curriculum

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

48. Language and literacy are appropriately developed across the curriculum. The pupils have opportunities to link ICT, design and technology, history and religious education to record facts, to word-process, to experiment and to use descriptive writing. An example of this was seen in Year 5/6 work in history. Pupils researched information about the Victorian era and produced neat, well-organised writing in which they took the role of a Victorian child. Pupils in Year 2 used the word processor to rearrange sentences into the correct order to create the instructions for making a cup of tea, while pupils in Year 3 wrote about the improvements they would make to their sandwiches. Good links to literacy were made in religious education when pupils in Year 5/6 collected information about Islam and wrote a non-chronological report using a variety of language features.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Good progress has been made since the previous inspection. • Pupils in Years 3 to 6, including those with special educational needs, achieve well. • The teaching in Years 3 to 6 is good; however, teaching in Years 1 and 2, while satisfactory, is not as effective. • Year 6 pupils, who have a particular ability in mathematics, are given additional tuition which is of a good quality. • The school effectively ensures that the pupils’ mathematical skills are developed in other subjects. • There is effective leadership and management of the subject.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

49. At the end of Year 2, standards are in line with national expectations. At the end of Years 3 to 6, standards are above national expectations. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2 and good progress in Years 3 to 6. The findings of the inspection reflect the standards attained in the national tests for 2003. In Years 3 to 6, good progress has been made since the previous inspection in raising standards. Improvements in teaching, and the devising of effective links between mathematics and other subjects of the curriculum, have contributed well to raising standards in the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

50. In Years 1 and 2, pupils have a satisfactory understanding of the relationship between addition, subtraction, multiplication and addition. They recognise odd and even numbers, and have a satisfactory understanding of the concept of money and time. Pupils solve simple problems which involve these concepts. Pupils use a ruler ably to measure lines and they have a satisfactory understanding that estimating the length can help them solve the problem they are tackling. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a good understanding of the four rules of number. They are confident in working out problems using the different skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, using both their mental agility, and more tried and tested pencil and paper methods. Pupils have a good understanding of the relationship between decimals, fractions, percentages and ratio and use this information well when solving problems involving measurement and capacity. Pupils’

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

understanding of how to read and construct graphs, including conversion graphs, is also well developed. Forestdale Primary School – Page 24 51. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6. In Years 3 to 6, teachers have good subject knowledge and understanding, and use this to plan work that the pupils find interesting, stimulating and challenging. Pupils respond well and are often highly motivated to solve the problems they are given. In addition, a learning support assistant, who has a strong interest in mathematics, teaches higher-attaining pupils as a separate group on two sessions per week. The teaching and guidance that these pupils receive ensures that they make good progress. Strengths within the teaching include the good use of equipment to support the pupils’ learning. However, these good features are balanced by some weaker use of time in lessons. Introductions

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

to lessons can be too long and pupils, who have sat for quite a long period of time, can become restless. These overlong introductions also mean that the pupils have less time to finish their work, and the amount of work they produce is not as much as it could be.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

52. There is effective leadership and management of the subject. Since the last inspection, there has been significant improvement in how the school assesses the pupils’ progress in mathematics as they move from class to class. The leadership of the school has made good use of this detailed information to plan improvements. At the classroom level, teachers make equally good use of the information to plan pupils’ learning and this has ensured that one of the main issues from the last inspection, that of ensuring effectively planned learning for higher-attaining pupils, has been suitably tackled.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

53. The school is effective in ensuring that the pupils’ skills in mathematics are developed, and applied in other areas of the curriculum. The school’s newly relocated computer suite is used well by teachers to support pupils’ learning of mathematics. The older pupils in the school explore software such as spreadsheets to support their learning of how to present numerical data in different ways. Science is another subject which teachers use to enable the pupils to present their work in the form of tables and charts.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

• Standards by Year 6 have improved since the previous inspection and are now above average. • Pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching, which has improved since the previous inspection. • Leadership and management of the subject are good. • More use could be made of ICT to enhance learning in science in day-to-day lessons.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

54. By the end of Year 2, standards match national expectations and very much reflect the teachers’ assessment of pupils in 2003. By the end of Year 6, inspection findings indicate that standards are above national expectations. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, and in comparison with the 2003 National Curriculum test results, which were average. The difference between inspection findings and the National Curriculum test results is due to the difference between different groups of pupils. In Years 3 to 6, pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching. Pupils with special Forestdale Primary School – Page 25 educational needs make good progress, and higher-attaining pupils in Year 6 achieve particularly well. There is no significant difference in attainment between boys and girls.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

55. By the end of Year 2, the pupils are able to look carefully for living creatures in the school grounds and to use reference books, in order to find out more about them. The pupils name and locate the major parts of the human body and understand how people change as they grow older. They carry our practical investigations into topics such as the ways in which materials can be changed. By the end of Years 3 to 6, the pupils have a good understanding of the scientific skills of prediction, fair testing, careful observation and recording, as they investigate friction, air resistance, magnetism, healthy plant growth and other topics. The pupils make good use of their literacy skills when writing accounts of their investigations, and this is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. They use their mathematical skills well to record findings graphically. The pupils understand the need for a balanced diet as part of a healthy lifestyle and they are well

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Mathematics across the curriculum

56. Teaching and learning are generally good. The teachers are secure in their subject knowledge and they have high expectations of the pupils. They ensure that all pupils are fully included in learning. Teachers plan their lessons well, although the planning does not always include more challenge for higher-attaining pupils in classes other than in the upper part of the school. This restricts opportunities for these pupils to achieve even better than they do. There is a strong focus on developing the pupils’ practical scientific skills and on extending their use of scientific vocabulary. For example, in a Year 6 lesson this helped the pupils in their understanding of terms such as ‘voltage’ and ‘component’, as they learnt how symbols are used conventionally in diagrams of electrical circuits. The teachers provide opportunities for the pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills during practical work, but ICT is not used widely to enhance learning. The teachers set

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

regular homework for the older pupils, in order to consolidate and extend learning. They mark pupils’ work positively, often with helpful comments as to how the pupils might improve their work.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

57. The co-ordinator manages the subject well. She checks the quality of planning and teaching, offering colleagues useful feedback on their practice. She recognises the need to extend the use of ICT in science. There are good procedures for assessing the pupils’ attainment and progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

There is satisfactory provision for ICT.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

• There has been much recent improvement in ICT and standards are in line with expectations. • Pupils are curious about ICT work and use the school’s equipment to good effect. • There is effective planning of learning in other subjects to extend pupils’ ICT skills, although there are missed opportunities in some lessons for pupils to use ICT. • Pupils have a weak understanding of how to construct multi-media presentations. • There is good leadership and management of the subject. • The organisation of teaching in the computer suite is not always effective. Forestdale Primary School – Page 26 Commentary

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

58. Pupils’ achievements, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, are satisfactory. Recent developments in the subject have helped to improve provision greatly. These have included the re-siting of the school’s computer suite and improving still further the level of staff expertise in how best to incorporate the use of the computer suite to support pupils in their learning. However, this work has yet to feed through to having an impact on raising standards. 59. In Years 1 and 2, teaching is effective in providing pupils with good opportunities to develop their skills in loading programs, and to use the features within them to good purpose. For example, Year 2 pupils, create poems and then use the software’s facilities, such as the alignment tools, to make their work visibly more enhancing. In Years 3 to 6, the pupils capably use software, such as spreadsheets, in support of their

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

numeracy work and have a good understanding of how programs such as these can enhance their learning. Teachers make good use of the Internet to support pupils’ learning. Pupils know what is meant by a web-site and those in Years 3 to 6 use this knowledge well to help them to develop their research skills. A weaker feature in older pupils’ achievement includes their understanding of how to construct and use multi-media presentations.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

60. The quality of teaching is satisfactory with some good features. Recent training has resulted in all staff having a secure awareness of how to use computers and how to plan work that is effective in developing pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for ICT. When working in the suite, for example, the pupils are highly interested in what computers can do and they use the school’s equipment and resources with respect. In some lessons, teachers make good use of the classroom-based computers to complement the pupils’ learning. However, in others, there are missed opportunities to incorporate the equipment to extend the pupils’ learning. Lessons in the computer suite are not always organised sufficiently to enable the pupils to have the maximum time on a machine.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

61. The co-ordinator has worked hard to raise the profile of the subject and to reorganise the computer suite. Assessment procedures have been recently developed and once fully implemented they will give a fuller picture of what pupils can do in the subject so that the teachers can plan the pupils’ subsequent learning.

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HUMANITIES

62. In geography and history , the pupils’ work was sampled because no lessons were observed. It is therefore not possible to make an overall judgement about the quality of provision in these subjects. Evidence from discussions with the pupils and from an evaluation of pupils’ work in topic folders, and on display, indicates that standards are in line with expectations at the end of both key stages. Pupils explore a range of different historical and geographical themes which are successful in developing their learning about the events of the past, famous people and inventions, and how geographical conditions impact on the day-to-day lives of people in different countries.

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HUMANITIES

Provision in religious education is good . Forestdale Primary School – Page 27

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Visits to places of worship enhance the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of differences in cultures. • Very good use is made of visitors and speakers to enhance the programme of work. • Good use is made of other subjects to plan the pupils’ learning. • There is very good teaching overall. • The school has not ensured that its procedures to monitor and track the pupils’ progress are consistently implemented.

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Commentary

63. Pupils reach standards that are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus by Year 2 and Year 6. Only three lessons were seen and the overall quality of teaching in these was very good. Further evidence has been gleaned from the analysis of available work and displays, and from discussions with pupils and the subject leader. This indicates that there is good provision, and pupils of all ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs, and English as an additional language, get good opportunities to explore the customs and beliefs of a wide variety of different faiths. The school has made good progress since the last inspection in raising the profile of religious education across the school. 64. Very good teaching has a very positive impact on the pupils’ learning by promoting their thinking skills. For example, skilful questioning in Years 5 and 6, effectively probes the

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Commentary

pupils’ knowledge and they understand many features of the Muslim faith, its culture and traditions. The teachers’ secure knowledge and understanding of the subject and their clear exposition ensures that the pupils learn a great deal and are able to compare the differences and similarities in world faiths. For example, the tashbi beads of the Muslims are compared with the rosary beads which are held in high regard by those who are Roman Catholics. There are positive links to art and design as the pupils have looked at the design, colour and pattern of Islamic prayer mats and designed their own. ‘Hot seating’ was a good feature of a lesson observed in Year 3. Initially the ‘hot seat’ was modelled by the class teacher, which stimulated interest and eager participation by the pupils. This strategy effectively promoted the pupils’ speaking and listening skills and heightened their empathy of the meaning of trust in people, as was illustrated in the Bible

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Commentary

story of Jesus calming the storm. 65. Visiting specialists such as a Salvation Army representative, greatly enhance the programme of work. Very good teaching in Year 2, and the sensitive selection of resources, skilfully create not only awe and wonder in the lesson about caring for God’s creation and the environment, but also effectively fosters the pupils’ understanding about everyone’s responsibilities in the world. Pupils showed an understanding of how God feels when his creation is spoiled. For example, ‘I feel sad,’ and, ‘We could mend something instead of throwing it away,’ or ‘We can recycle bottles’. The lesson observed made an effective contribution to the pupils’ personal and social development.

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Commentary

66. The planning of visits to places of worship significantly enhances the locally agreed syllabus. For example, in discussions pupils explained that they have explored Islam, Sikhism and Christianity, and had visited a local temple when exploring Buddhism. In addition, they have visited a Mosque, a Cathedral and the local Anglican Church. Parents identify that the wide range of visits enhances the subject, and effectively promote positive attitudes in their children towards others of different faiths and backgrounds. This positive picture has improved since the last inspection and the quality of leadership and management of the subject is good. Forestdale Primary School – Page 28 However, the school has not ensured that the procedures that have been developed to monitor the pupils’ progress in the subject are consistently implemented across the school. As a result, different teachers do not always have a clear idea of the exact stage of the pupils’

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. The inspection focused on the teaching of art and design, and music, as the school is particularly proud of the work that the pupils produce in these subjects. Insufficient work was seen in physical education and design and technology to make a secure judgement about the provision made by the school. However, discussions with the pupils indicate that the school provides them with a suitable mix of physical education activities that they enjoy. Pupils get sufficient opportunities to participate in a range of sporting activities against other schools, and the varied extra-curricular activities also contribute well to the quality of the curriculum offered to the pupils in physical education.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Provision in art and design is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of the art from other cultures to support pupils’ learning. • Teachers make effective use of the local environment to extend learning. • Teachers successfully identify links with other subjects to support the pupils’ learning of art. • Insufficient use is made of sketchbooks. • The school has not developed effective ways in which pupils’ progress in the subject is monitored.

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Commentary

68. By the end of both Year 2, and Year 6, pupils reach standards that are in line with national expectations. Pupils of all ages and abilities, including those with special educational needs, English as an additional language, and those who join the school at different times, achieve satisfactorily. Art and design is currently a focus for the school as it is in the process of applying for the ‘Artsmark’, a scheme where a school’s work in promoting higher standards in the subject is nationally recognised. As a result, the profile of the subject is being successfully raised.

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Commentary

69. By the end of end Year 2, pupils are developing sufficient skills in looking closely at objects and drawing them as accurately as they can. The local environment around the school is used well by teachers to provide the pupils with sufficient stimulus to extend their drawing skills. As a result, the pupils draw homes and buildings with increased attention to detail. In Years 3 to 6, these drawing skills are sufficiently extended as the pupils look at natural objects such as trees, their stems and leaves and refine their drawing skills to a higher level. As a result, pupils understand how shading and texture can add to the quality of their work. Pupils have a secure understanding of the works of other artists and are able to explain their preferences of one artist to another. Good use is made of different subjects in extending pupils’ learning in this area of their artwork. For example, Year 6 pupils have looked at the work of William Morris as part of their

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Commentary

exploration of the theme of ‘pattern’. This work is linked well to the pupils’ history work on the Victorians and they successfully learn about the importance of Morris’s work on the decoration of Victorian homes. Forestdale Primary School – Page 29 70. The quality of teaching is satisfactory with some good features. Teachers are knowledgeable and have high levels of personal interest in the subject which impacts well on the pupils’ positive interest in the subject. Teachers encourage the pupils to work hard, and they respond by producing artwork that is a fair reflection of their abilities. Effective links with other subjects help to promote pupils’ interest in the subject and by exploring Islamic art. Pupils not only develop their understanding of the Muslim faith, but successfully extend their learning of how different patterns are represented through Islamic artwork. Shortcomings in teaching include the use made of sketchbooks to

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Commentary

support pupils’ learning. While the pupils do use these, the work they contain is often limited, and the potential to use sketchbooks as a means of developing the pupils’ understanding of the preparatory stages needed to produce high quality pieces of artwork, is missed.

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Commentary

71. There is satisfactory leadership and management of the subject. Pupils’ work is attractively displayed in and around the school and this ensures that the subject has high status. The school has not developed effective ways to monitor the pupils’ progress in the subject as they move from class to class. As a result, this makes it difficult for teachers to know the progress made by pupils, so that they can plan precisely what steps are necessary to build on what the pupils know, can do, and understand, about art and design.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is much good teaching in the subject. • Good opportunities are provided for pupils to learn to play musical instruments. • Strong leadership and management of the subject contribute well to the good levels of achievement by pupils. • There are good opportunities for musical enrichment. • There are no formal assessment procedures.

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Commentary

72. Only two lessons were observed, and these were in both the Year 5/6 classes. Standards were above national expectations. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, English as an additional language, and who join the school at different times, make good progress as they move through each of the classes.

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Commentary

73. Overall, the quality of teaching is good . This is an improvement since the last inspection when teaching and progress were judged to be satisfactory. The work of the co-ordinator has been effective in raising the quality of teaching since the last inspection and his guidance and support has proved effective. Good teaching ensures that the pupils are suitably challenged and that their understanding is well developed by the successful introduction of subject terminology, such as what is meant by dynamics, pitch, scales, notation, sharps and flats. Stimulating teaching ensures that pupils listen attentively, are well behaved, and persevere at the tasks set. For example, pupils in Year 5/6 effectively work in groups to compose a rhythm pattern based on the pupils’ birthday codes. They all concentrate well, perform eagerly, and provide positive comments as they evaluate Forestdale Primary School – Page 30

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Commentary

what they have learned. In Year 2, pupils made good use of untuned percussion instruments to accompany an imaginary treasure island story which was skilfully performed during a class assembly. This made a good link with geography and English by effectively reinforcing the pupils’ understanding of different kinds of weather, and by using instruments to provide sound effects to describe the jungle, a storm, a waterfall and insects. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject and make good use of time and musical resources.

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Commentary

74. There are good opportunities for musical enrichment. There are many opportunities for the pupils to learn to play musical instruments such as the trumpet, violin and trombone through effective tuition from visiting music specialists. In addition, there is a successful recorder club that takes place at lunchtime. There is a choir club that is open to all the pupils in the junior classes, which performs at a number of concerts both in school and in the local community and participates in the Croydon Schools’ music festival. All pupils are given opportunities to perform publicly through concerts and celebrations of religious festivals. Good use is made of a range of instruments, such as to support the reading of a psalm from the Bible in assembly. The music that is played as the pupils come into assembly effectively reinforces their understanding of famous composers, such as Mozart.

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Commentary

75. The subject is skilfully led and efficiently managed. All teachers have received appropriate training in order to implement the newly introduced Croydon music scheme; they have gained in confidence and understanding. Although elements for assessment are identified in the new scheme, they are underdeveloped in practice. Overall, there has been good improvement in all areas since the last inspection.

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Commentary

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

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Commentary

76. No lessons were seen in this area and so no judgements are made about overall provision. However, the school has worked hard to promote this subject. The programme for personal, social and health education is good: all classes have a regular weekly lesson, in which the pupils’ development is well supported by a published scheme of work. There are effective opportunities for the pupils to take responsibility and be part of the discussion making processes. For example, the school council successfully involves representatives from all the classes in the school, who are elected every six months. These representatives discuss such subjects as the playground, litter, water fountains and more equipment. Governors have attended some meetings, after which the council successfully received more equipment.

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Commentary

77. Integration of the programme to develop the pupils’ understanding of citizenship is at an early stage. Pupils in Year 5/6 classes have explored the role of the police in society and debated and discussed the role of the police, and how a good citizen should aid and support them in their work. There has been significant success in maintaining good behaviour and fostering positive attitudes to work. The school’s work on this aspect of the curriculum has been good in establishing the basis of a good work ethic on which the teachers can build. Forestdale Primary School – Page 31

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

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

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The leadership and management of the school 3

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 Forestdale Primary School – Page 32 The effectiveness of management 3

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The leadership and management of the school 3

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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