Fountains Church of England Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6 th – 8 th October 2003

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SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Fountains Church of England Primary School - 2 Crown copyright 2003

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SCHOOL

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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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. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 104

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Grantley Ripon Postcode: HG4 3PJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01765 620631 Fax number: 01765 620631

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr. T. Collins

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Fountains Church of England Primary School is smaller than most primary schools and provides an education for 105 girls and boys between the ages of four and eleven years. The school serves three villages and the surrounding rural community. Most parents and carers are in employment and the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. Overall, the children’s attainment on entry to the school is average. However, within each year group there are a small number of children representing a wide range of ability. Eleven per cent of pupils have special educational needs of which two per cent have statements of special educational needs. These percentages are lower than those found nationally. No pupils speak English as an additional language. Most of the teachers have recently been appointed to the school. The school has recently gained the Basic Skills Award, Special Educational Needs Quality Mark and the Schools Curriculum

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Award. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

28772 Mrs. B. Hudson Lead inspector Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses Teaching and learning English English as an additional language 11368 Mrs. K. Lee Lay inspector Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community 21458 Mr. P. Smith Team inspector Leadership and management Mathematics Information and communication technology Art Music Physical education Foundation Stage Special educational needs 1550 Mr. M. Pinch Team inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities The curriculum Science Design and technology Geography History

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

peakschoolhaus ltd BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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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 contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Fountains Church of England Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 27

Fountains Church of England Primary School - 6 Fountains Church of England Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school where the leadership of the headteacher ensures that pupils achieve high standards through the good teaching. The school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Very good leadership and management of the headteacher and governors provide a clear direction for school improvement. • Pupils work hard, are very well behaved and have very good support from a caring staff team. • The very good teaching in Years 3 to 6 ensures pupils achieve high standards. • Children in the reception class are provided with an excellent range of interesting activities to stimulate their learning. • The curriculum provides pupils with many interesting opportunities to learn. • The teachers are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the effectiveness of the school through their subject leader responsibilities.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good improvements since the last inspection. It has made good progress in information and communication technology (ICT), the main weakness in the previous inspection, where standards are now in line with the national average and rising. Standards have improved in English, mathematics, science, history and geography and also in the reception class. The teaching is better in Years 3 to 6 and the staff have a very clear focus on raising standards for all pupils.

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Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English B A* D E Mathematics A B E E Science B A* C D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average A* - the schools results were within the top five per cent of similar schools in the country Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Year 6 results

Within each year group there is a small number of pupils with a very wide range of abilities, resulting in significant variation in results year on year as can be seen from the above table. Inspection findings found children make a good start in the reception and achieve well. Their attainment is above average by the end of reception in all areas of learning. In Years 1 and 2 pupils make satisfactory progress and by the end of Year 2 standards are above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. Pupils make good progress and by the end of Year 6

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standards are well above average in English and science, and above average in

mathematics. In 2002 a higher proportion of pupils who took the tests had significant special educational needs. This resulted in standards being lower than in previous years. In history and geography standards are well above average and in music, design and technology and physical education they are above average. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength , resulting in very good behaviour, attitudes to work and respect for the feelings of others. Good attendance and punctuality ensure that pupils make the most of their time at school. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 8

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education is good. It is characterised by good teaching and learning and very good curricular opportunities. The good teaching in reception ensures that children settle quickly into school, develop their independence and make good progress in all areas of learning. In Years 1 and 2 the satisfactory teaching enables pupils to continue to make sound progress. The very good teaching in Years 3 to 6 ensures that pupils achieve high standards. Assessment procedures are very good for English and mathematics and in the other subjects they are satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is well planned. The teachers make very good links between different subjects and plan for pupils to apply their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills across all subjects. The school offers many after-school clubs, which are well attended by pupils, and provide additional learning opportunities. There is a very good partnership with parents and good links with the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the headteacher and governors are very good. The headteacher leads very well and has a clear focus on improving the standards of all pupils and ensuring high quality teaching and learning. However, teachers, as yet, are not sufficiently involved in evaluating the quality of provision in the subjects for which they are responsible. Very good management ensures that the school runs smoothly.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents’ views are positive. Parents are particularly pleased with the care pupils receive, the amount of work they are expected to do and the good range of interesting activities for their children to pursue. Some are concerned about the number of staff changes and the variability in the quality of teaching. The inspection findings show that teaching overall is good and that the comprehensive induction programme for new teachers to the school has had a positive impact on improving the quality of their teaching and the pupils’ learning. Pupils enjoy coming to their school. They are happy, enjoy their lessons and working with their friends, and feel that the adults working in the school will help them if they get stuck or become worried.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school should build upon the headteacher’s rigorous approach to improving the standards pupils achieve through high quality of teaching and learning by:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Developing the role and competence of the teachers so that they can effectively monitor, evaluate and accurately inform staff and governors about successes and about what can be improved in their subject responsibilities.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The headteacher has already identified this as an area for development in the school’s improvement plan. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ achievement is good. It is very good in Years 5 and 6, good in reception, Years 3 and 4, and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Standards in English and science are well above average and in mathematics standards are above average . The new headteacher has introduced a focused approach to improving standards for all pupils and this is having a very positive outcome on the work seen in the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well above average standards in English, science, history and geography by the end of Year 6. • Higher attaining pupils achieve well in Years 5 and 6. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well. • The headteacher’s focused approach to improving standards for all pupils is having a positive impact on the work seen in school. • Teachers are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the effectiveness of the school through their subject responsibilities.

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Commentary

1. Each year group is comprised of a small number of pupils with a very wide range of abilities, which can result in significant variations in the standards the school attains year on year. Standards, however, by the end of Year 6 are usually above average in English, mathematics and science. The school now tracks individual pupil progress in English and mathematics. The headteacher has used this information very well to support teachers in making improvements to their teaching and as a result all pupils are achieving better. In English, pupils achieve well and make very good progress in Years 5 and 6. Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is satisfactory and improving, as seen during the inspection by the better standards in the pupils’ present work. Higher attaining boys and girls are challenged and make satisfactory progress from reception to Year 4 and make good progress in Years 5 and 6. Pupils with special

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Commentary

educational needs make good progress throughout the school. Standards in ICT have improved since the last inspection and throughout the school they match the standards achieved by pupils of a similar age nationally.

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Foundation Stage

2. A small number of children with a very wide range of abilities attend the reception class. Taking all of the children’s abilities into consideration their attainment overall on entry to the school is average. Children achieve well in reception and nearly all exceed what they are expected to learn by the time they leave. This is an improvement on the last inspection. Consistently good and sometimes very good teaching, very positive relationships and an excellent range of activities to stimulate and consolidate learning are the major contributory factors to the children’s good achievements. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 10 Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage

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Foundation Stage

Standards in relation to the early learning goals by the end of reception in: Personal, social and emotional development Very good Communication, language and literacy Good Mathematical development Good Knowledge and understanding of the world Good Physical development Good Creative development Good Inspectors make judgements in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor.

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Key Stage 1

3. The small number of pupils, with a wide range of ability in each year group, means that care needs to be taken when comparing one set of results with another. Currently standards in Year 2 are above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. In history and geography they are above national expectations and in all other subjects they match the standards expected by pupils of a similar age. Since the last inspection standards have improved in English, history and geography, and pupils achieve well because they are encouraged to apply their very good speaking and listening skills to their reading and writing tasks. In all other subjects, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

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Key Stage 1

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results Reading 16.6 (14.3) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 15.6 (13.0) 14.4 (14.3) Mathematics 17.3 (15.2) 16.5 (16.2) There were 14 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 2

4. Pupils’ achievement is good in all subjects except ICT and art where it is satisfactory and science where it is very good. Standards in English are well above the national average because of teachers’ high expectations and the consistent approach to standards in reading and writing across all subjects. In science standards are well above average because teachers develop very good investigation skills in the pupils. In mathematics standards are above average and improving because of the very good teaching. In history and geography standards are well above average, in music, design and technology and physical education they are above average, and in art and ICT they are average.

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Key Stage 2

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 25.5 (31.4) 27.0 (27.0) Mathematics 25.5 (28.1) 26.7 (26.6) Science 28.5 (31.4) 28.3 (28.3) There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Fountains Church of England Primary School - 11 5. Standards in 2002 were lower than normal for the school because a high proportion of the pupils who took the national tests had significant special educational needs. However, these pupils made good progress to gain the standard they achieved.

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Key Stage 2

6. The new headteacher is very focused on improving standards for all pupils and this she has done through rigorous use of assessment data to identify strengths and weaknesses and sharing information and expectations with staff. This is already having a positive impact on the quality of teaching and standards in English, mathematics and science. The headteacher is developing the teachers’ subject responsibilities so that all subjects can be fully evaluated to raise standards further.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

This is a strength of the school. Pupils like school and are keen to attend. They have very good attitudes and behaviour is very good. Pupils have a good understanding of cultural diversity; they have strong community links, work well together and form very positive relationships. Overall, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good .

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Main strength and weaknesses

• Pupils like school and attendance is good. • Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are very good. • Pupils relate very well to each other and to adults. • Overall, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • A small minority of younger pupils become distracted in lessons where opportunities for participation are low.

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Commentary

7. The very good attitudes and values that pupils demonstrate are a strength of the school. They like school and enjoy the time they spend together and attendance is good.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.8 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

8. Pupils’ positive attitudes to their work have a direct effect on the high standards that they achieve and the good progress they make. Relationships in the school are very good and all adults who work in the school provide good role models from which pupils learn. In lessons, teaching staff praise and encourage pupils in their learning, which enables them to develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Pupils have come to expect a high level of participation in their learning and, when this is not present such as in Years 1 and 2, a small minority of pupils become distracted. However, pupils’ behaviour is very good overall, both in lessons and in shared areas of the school. Adults manage pupils well through well-understood routines and high expectations. This engenders a relaxed, caring climate, which positively supports pupils’ learning. There have been no exclusions. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 12

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 105 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

9. Pupils relate very well to each other. They mix comfortably with their peers of either gender and of all ages. In lessons, pupils work very effectively in groups on common tasks with consideration and independence. Pupils accept responsibility as a matter of course and carry out tasks and match the expectations of adults with confidence. Adults listen to pupils carefully and respond to what they have to say. Pupils are given opportunities to explore their own qualities and those of others through the personal, social and emotional experience offered by the school.

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Exclusions

10. Overall, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Since the last inspection, the school has enhanced opportunities for pupils’ spiritual development through creating time for reflection and examining more closely feelings and emotions. Spiritual development is also encouraged within pupils’ cultural development in art, music and dance. Pupils gain appreciation of cultural traditions from local visits and visitors and more widely, from the increased contacts which the school makes with people across the world. Pupils know what is right and what they should do. Even the youngest pupils are developing a moral awareness of what is fair and right. The school provides many good opportunities for social development through pupils working together in teams towards a common goal.

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Exclusions

11. Pupils are considerate and well mannered; they have respect for their school environment and for each other. They attend a caring, safe and secure school and this has a very positive influence on the quality of their learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education underpinned by good teaching, a very good curriculum, very good care and support for pupils, a very good partnership with parents and good links with the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good . It is good in the reception, satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and very good in Years 3 to 6. Pupils have a very good understanding of how they can improve.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers manage the wide range of ability in each class by ensuring the work set for pupils matches their ability. • Planning for lessons is very good because it focuses on what the pupils are to learn. • Excellent use is made of the teaching assistants to support pupils’ learning. • In the reception class an excellent range of activities are provided to stimulate the children’s learning. • Pupils know what they do well and how they can improve their work. • In Years 1 and 2 a small minority of pupils occasionally become distracted and this reduces their pace of learning. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 13

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 26 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 12 10 4 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons. 12. The quality of teaching and learning is good . Since the last inspection teaching has improved in Years 3 to 6 where it is now very good. It has remained good in reception and, although still satisfactory, has declined in Years 1 and 2 mainly because a small minority of pupils occasionally become distracted where opportunities for participation in the lesson are low, and this reduces the rate at which they learn. This is most noticeable in the mental mathematics part of the numeracy lessons.

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Commentary

13. Four new teachers have been appointed to the school in the last academic year, the newest arriving in September 2003. The headteacher has very high expectations of quality teaching and learning. By evaluating the work of teachers and teaching assistants and providing clear guidance as to how they can improve she is helping the staff improve.

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Commentary

14. Teaching throughout the school is characterised by a very clear focus upon what the pupils are to learn. In reception the staff focus on providing an excellent range of indoor and outdoor activities so as to develop children’s language skills. Children use the activities well and develop their imaginative and problem-solving skills. In the rest of the school, most teachers help pupils to concentrate by brisk introductions to lessons building upon previous work and explaining what they are to learn within the lesson, although this is weaker, albeit still satisfactory, in Years 1 and 2. Pupils’ work is carefully set so that differing ability groups are appropriately challenged, as seen in a Year 3/4 science lesson where the lower ability group were asked to label their diagram, whereas the more able children were writing up an investigation. Teachers provide well thought out activities for pupils with special education

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Commentary

needs, enabling them to make good progress from reception to Year 6. Higher attaining pupils in Years 5 and 6 make good progress because the tasks set are more challenging. Teachers provide pupils with opportunities to practise and develop their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in other subjects by insisting that their work is of a consistently high standard.

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Commentary

15. The teaching assistants make an excellent contribution to supporting pupils’ learning. Teachers make excellent use of these high quality staff by ensuring that they are well informed about what they have to do and which pupils they are to support within the lesson.

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Commentary

16. The school’s procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics are very good and are satisfactory in the other subjects. Rigorous tracking of every child’s progress in English and mathematics enables teachers to set challenging targets for improvement. The pupils know these very well and work hard to achieve them. In reception, through careful daily assessment, the staff provide each child with worthwhile and purposeful tasks to complete. Assessment in the other subjects is less rigorous and as yet, does not inform teachers of the strengths and weaknesses in provision in these subjects.

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The curriculum

The quality of the curriculum is very good. The implementation of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy is very effective. Opportunities for enrichment of the curriculum for learning beyond the school day are also very good. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A broad, well-balanced curriculum provides pupils with rich learning experiences. • The school provides very good provision for learning outside the school day. • Teachers use links across and between subjects to enhance pupils’ learning opportunities. • The curriculum provides very good opportunities for multi-cultural development. • There is good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. • Indoor accommodation is barely adequate and this restricts some learning opportunities.

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Commentary

17. The quality of the school’s curriculum is very good and meets statutory requirements. It also provides well for learning outside the school day. There is rightly a dominance of literacy and numeracy in daily lessons that is carefully balanced by a broad range of other subjects and activities. There are very good learning opportunities for pupils to extend their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills and use them in other subjects of the curriculum.

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Commentary

18. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have been implemented effectively and this has contributed to the high standards achieved in English and mathematics. The school is now well placed to further extend the strong connections that have been made between subjects to enhance pupils’ learning. The school makes good provision for pupils who have special educational needs. The curriculum for children in the reception class is very good and addresses their individual learning effectively.

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Commentary

19. The curriculum is enriched by numerous school visits and visitors to the school, and opportunities for learning outside the school day are very good. Alongside a range of sporting activities, such as badminton, basketball, cricket and football, pupils enjoy cultural pursuits which include Irish dancing, membership of a steel band and library and French clubs. Opportunities for pupils to develop multi-cultural insights have been developed since the last inspection and these are now a strength of the school. Through an event to support local hospices, pupils have learned how the Yanomamo people of the Amazon live and have made contact with other cultures through art, music and foreign contacts. These events, together with visits such as that which Years 1 and 2 pupils made to Whitby, are effectively incorporated into lessons and so support their learning.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum is very well planned and there are clear links between subjects. Pupils make artefacts in design and technology that enhance their understanding of historical events such as exploration in sailing ships. More routinely, teachers ensure that they plan the use of literacy, numeracy and ICT into other subjects to support deeper understanding and effective learning. Successful outcomes of a science lesson designed to explore the amount of air in soil was dependent on accurate measuring techniques learned in mathematics. This contributes significantly to the development of pupils’ ability to learn independently and develop investigative skills.

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Commentary

21. Pupils’ achieve well in their personal, social and health education because they are given many opportunities to share ideas and discuss issues. This takes place both during designated lessons and less directly through learning outside the school day.

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Commentary

22. Indoor accommodation in the school is barely adequate but good use is made of the space available. The quality of resources is very good and these make a significant contribution to the quality of education provided by the school. The prefabricated classroom that stands alone inhibits good access to shared facilities by Year 1 and 2 pupils. Teaching spaces provide a rich and stimulating environment and outdoors areas are well maintained. In reception, the very good outdoor facilities are well used by the children to explore and learn. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 15

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Care, guidance and support

The school promotes a happy, caring environment that ensures very good support and guidance for all pupils. The school involves pupils well in its work and development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good care and support for all pupils help them to achieve high standards. • Teachers share with pupils how well they are doing and how to improve their work.

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Commentary

23. The school has a very caring atmosphere that helps pupils to learn well and achieve good standards. There are very good relationships between pupils and with all adults. Parents agree that their children are happy in school and know that they are well cared for. The school has careful procedures to ensure the welfare of pupils. Most pupils like being at school and are confident that they will get help if they are stuck or worried about anything. The school makes excellent use of the teaching assistants in lessons to give very good support for all pupils. There are excellent induction arrangements for children entering the school that enable them to settle very quickly into school routines. Excellent co-operation between the playgroup and the reception class benefits the youngest children. Teachers ensure that other children in their class support, very effectively, pupils new to the school.

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Commentary

24. The school ensures that pupils have very good knowledge of their own learning. Most class teachers know their pupils very well and give individual guidance and very good encouragement in lessons. This enables most pupils to achieve well. Pupils know their own targets and also their group and class targets. They spoke about teachers highlighting them in their books and discussing with them when the targets have been reached. They are also very sure that teachers show them how to make their work better. Older pupils talked about their class teacher giving ‘tips’ to help them improve and often returning to previous work such as in mathematics “…so we don’t forget”.

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The school promotes a very good partnership with parents and good links with the

community and other schools . This all works well to benefit pupils’ learning and personal development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s links with parents, the community and other schools support pupils’ learning and extend their experiences. • The school keeps parents very well informed of its work and of their children’s progress.

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Commentary

25. There are very good links with parents, who are supportive of the school’s work and are very pleased with the care and support that their children receive. Most parents feel that the school is approachable if they have a concern. The school has recently surveyed parents’ views about homework through a questionnaire and have adopted some of their ideas into the new policy. The ‘Friends of Fountains’ group actively fundraise and their work contributes to the very good resources to support pupils’ learning. Together pupils, staff and ‘Friends of Fountains’ have contributed their favourite jokes and published a book ‘Are you Joking?’ in aid of the Anaphylaxis Campaign. Parents are very pleased with the way that the school reaches out into the community. For example, the school supports the Lunch Club for elderly residents fortnightly. Older pupils serve the ladies very politely and the ladies enjoy the chance to have a

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Commentary

social occasion. There are excellent links with the playgroup to ease the transfer of children Fountains Church of England Primary School - 16 into the reception class. The school takes many opportunities to join with other schools to extend pupils’ knowledge and experience. This enables them to compete, often very successfully, in sporting events with other small schools. Pupils spoke very enthusiastically about taking part in the musical production, Yanomamo , with many other schools in the Harrogate International Centre. The school is also able to extend and improve its work by collaborating with a group of local small schools. This group organises courses for all staffs, such as updating their first aid training. The group also shares the purchase and storage of some resources, for example the clay work made by pupils in Years 5 and 6 is fired in a neighbouring school’s kiln.

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Commentary

26. The school provides parents with a very good range of information that keeps them up to date with events and matters of importance. The newsletters ‘Fountains News’ and the annual report of the governing body are very informative and well produced, using the expertise of a parent. The school also puts all its information, such as the prospectus, on its website and the secretary will e-mail letters to parents if they wish. Parents’ meetings to discuss pupils’ progress are well attended and include a ‘Meet the teacher’ evening for parents whose children have moved classes. Pupils’ annual reports clearly inform parents about what their children do well and what they need to improve in all subjects of the curriculum.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management by the headteacher and governors are very good; however, teachers are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the effectiveness of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good leadership and management by the headteacher and governors provide a clear direction for school improvement. • The approach to financial management and resources helps the school achieve its objectives. • The headteacher, staff and governors are committed to running a school where everyone is valued. • Teachers are not sufficiently involved in monitoring the effectiveness of the school through their subject leader responsibilities.

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Commentary

27. The headteacher leads and manages the school in a very supportive, efficient and effective way with a clear focus on raising standards. A well-constructed improvement plan provides direction for the school and administrative systems enable teachers to concentrate on their main task of teaching their classes.

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Commentary

28. The governors and headteacher work effectively together. Governors have a good knowledge of the school through regular visits into classes, and reports from the headteacher and the local education authority (LEA). The headteacher and chair of governors have a very good working relationship, meeting regularly to monitor the school’s performance. The interests and skills of individual governors are recognised and used to support teachers, particularly in areas such as literacy, numeracy and special educational needs. Governors make a significant contribution to determining the direction of the school by helping shape the school improvement plan and supporting the headteacher by questioning and presenting various options. They take an active part in making key decisions involving school finance, staffing and performance management, and together the headteacher and governors are highly committed to the school.

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Commentary

29. Finances are managed effectively. The headteacher and governing body plan and monitor the school’s finances rigorously to ensure that the school’s priorities are met. For example, the purchase of laptop computers and installation of a wireless network has improved the standards in ICT that were unsatisfactory in the previous inspection. The school maintains a Fountains Church of England Primary School - 17 relatively high number of teaching assistants as part of the drive to improve standards and this initiative is beginning to take effect. The budget currently has a surplus in excess of the LEA’s recommended limit but governors have produced a useful budget surplus policy which identifies how and where school balances will be used. The school secretary plays an important role in this process, ensuring that the school accounts are up to date and information is always available when required.

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Commentary

30. The headteacher has created a good team spirit which explains why this is a happy school. Pupils and staff work effectively together in the knowledge that each individual is valued. Pupils are consulted on the life of the school, and in lessons are confident to voice their opinions. Good induction procedures for new staff ensure that they settle quickly and soon learn how things work. They are fully supported in their professional development to enable them to meet their potential.

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Commentary

31. The headteacher provides a clear direction for school improvement based upon careful analysis of the school’s performance. Lessons are routinely monitored and standards are compared with those in similar schools. Most of this work is carried out by the headteacher because of the many staff changes over recent years. The time has come for newly appointed teachers to begin to take a more active role in assessing the school’s performance and planning for its continued improvement.

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 277377 Balance from previous year 54208 Total expenditure 287503 Balance carried forward to the next 44082 Expenditure per pupil 2738 Fountains Church of England Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in reception is very good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are provided with an excellent range of interesting activities enabling them to achieve well. • Children concentrate well, work co-operatively, show respect and are tolerant of each other. • Staff promote children’s thinking, prediction and reasoning skills through carefully formulated questions.

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Commentary

32. The reception class has a small number of pupils with a very wide range of ability. Most children begin by attending the morning playgroup in the Children’s Centre, which is on the same site as the school. When they are four years old they attend school in the afternoons until they are nearly five, when they join the reception class full time.

p.18

Commentary

33. Children in the reception class achieve well because of the good quality teaching and the excellent range of activities to stimulate their learning. As a result of the very good teaching in mathematical development and the good teaching in all other areas of learning, the standards most children achieve by the end of the reception year are higher than is expected nationally of children of this age. The teacher and teaching assistant carefully plan lessons so that each child is provided with worthwhile and purposeful tasks to complete. At times, the teaching focuses too much on individual work rather than working with small groups of children. Teaching has improved since the last inspection and this explains the higher standards children are now achieving.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.

p.18

Commentary

34. Children quickly settle into school because of the very good induction procedures. Staff make clear how they expect children should behave and most are able to work and play sensibly at individual tasks and with other children. The children’s ability to organise themselves was very evident in the ‘Polar Bear’s Cave’ where children helped each other to fasten costumes and organise resources. Staff encourage children to make decisions and sustain an activity until it is completed. For example, when the children were asked to construct a boat, they were asked to decide whether wood, cardboard or plastic would be a good construction material. They were encouraged to complete their model before engaging in another task, so developing their concentration skills.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy skills is very good.

p.18

Commentary

35. Most children are achieving higher than the expected standards in speaking and listening and achieve the expected standard in reading and writing. Children’s speaking and listening skills are very well developed because staff provide children with an excellent range of activities, Fountains Church of England Primary School - 19 and expect them to engage in conversations with adults and peers and to answer questions with more than one word. In one session, children’s misconceptions that ‘ice came from the sky’ and that ‘ice only melts in water’ were carefully explored through a range of practical experiences and well-formulated questions. Children’s reading and writing skills are satisfactorily developed through direct teaching and the use of appropriate computer programs. The focus on speaking and listening, reading and writing prepares them well for the literacy strategy in Year 1.

p.18

Commentary

36. The good teaching is characterised by a good understanding of the needs of young children and realistic expectations of what they can achieve. Children are able to improve their reading and writing skills by consolidating their previous learning, such as words learned by heart and recognising letter sounds from symbols.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is very good.

p.19

Commentary

37. Teaching and learning are very good. Children achieve very well and most are achieving higher than expected standards. The high standards are a result of the adults taking every opportunity to develop children’s mathematical language and skills. A model boat building activity provided a good example because the adults used the opportunity to develop children’s recognition of three-dimensional shapes.

p.19

Commentary

38. The very good teaching engages children in a variety of ‘fun’ activities. The use of very good resources, including a puppet called Gulliver, encourages all children to join in whole-class activities such as counting. The careful use of questions and simple problems for the children to solve, such as finding and counting Gulliver’s eggs, motivates them to learn. The extension activity, a ‘one more than, one less than’ 0 to 9 stepping game, helped children practise their learning.

p.19

It was not possible to make an overall judgement on the provision or standards in all aspects

of knowledge and understanding but the work seen was very good . Children were developing a very good understanding of the properties of ice and which animals live in cold countries. Children are confident in using a computer and handle the mouse well.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good.

p.19

Commentary

39. Most children achieve very good physical skills. The outside play provision is excellent and is used very well to promote children’s physical development as well as their thinking and reasoning skills. For example, three children co-operated to find a way of getting water from the water butt to the aqueduct. They achieved this by filling the watering can, discovering that using the wheelbarrow was not a good option as it “wobbled” and eventually carrying the can together to the aqueduct. The children have good manipulation skills when handling pencils, paintbrushes and scissors, and tools for gardening and woodwork. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 20

p.19

It was not possible to make an overall judgement of provision or standards but the work

seen was satisfactory . The children have many opportunities to create pictures and models, which helps them to develop their thinking and problem-solving skills, and also their ability to use a variety of tools such as scissors. Children’s speaking, listening and imaginative skills are developed because they have access to a pretend ‘fish and chip shop’ and a ‘Polar Bear’s Cave’. No music or dance was observed.

p.20

ENGLISH

The overall provision for English is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good and standards are high because of the good quality teaching. • Higher attaining boys and girls make very good progress in Years 5 and 6. • Teaching assistants provide excellent support to pupils. • Pupils know how to improve their work because the teachers use assessment well to set them challenging targets. • Teachers provide good opportunities to develop pupils language and literacy skills across the whole curriculum.

p.20

Commentary

40. Standards are above average by Year 2 and well above average in Year 6 in all aspects of English. Pupil achievement is good because the teachers set appropriate work for the different ability groups in their classes. The higher attaining pupils in Years 5 and 6 make very good progress because they are set challenging work. Teachers and teaching assistants make very good use of the guided reading and writing sessions by reminding pupils about what they have learned and then supporting them in what they need to learn next. This focused approach, where instructions are precisely given, helps pupils, particularly those with special educational needs, to concentrate and extend their skills.

p.20

Commentary

41. Teachers set pupils challenging targets to improve their work. Pupils know these targets and use them successfully to improve their work. Pupils concentrate on the area for improvement and teachers ensure that good progress is being made when marking their work. All teachers mark work regularly, celebrating the pupils’ achievements and providing them with good feedback on where they can improve their work.

p.20

Commentary

42. The quality of teaching is good. Since the last inspection teaching has remained good in Years 1 and 2 and very good in Years 3 to 6. This very good teaching is characterised by teachers having a very clear understanding of what pupils are expected to achieve. Teachers therefore set pupils challenging work to do within a realistic time scale, resulting in high levels of motivation to complete a task efficiently. Within each lesson, teachers share and reinforce what the pupils are expected to learn and this helps them to concentrate. Teaching assistants also adopt this very focused approach, which, along with the good teaching of reading and writing throughout the school, enables pupils to achieve well and attain high standards.

p.20

Commentary

43. The headteacher has completed an analysis of test data, and monitored and evaluated the quality of teaching and learning in English. She has used the information to provide high quality feedback to teachers and teaching assistants on their strengths and clear guidance on where they can improve and this is helping to raise standards further. The leadership and management are to be transferred to the newly appointed teacher with responsibility for English. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 21

p.20

Language and literacy across the curriculum

44. Teachers use the curriculum very well to promote speaking and listening, reading and writing skills in all subjects. Teachers and teaching assistants are very good at extending pupils’ spoken language by asking them to use subject-specific vocabulary, to clarify ideas and to answer questions. The school provides pupils with opportunities to speak in formal situations such as assemblies and concerts and informally in lessons when working with a partner. Pupils are provided with interesting texts to read and are often asked to write at length in subjects such as science, history and geography. The integration of language and literacy skills in all subjects is a particular strength in Years 3 to 6. It is the teachers’ insistence on consistent high standards across all subjects that is contributing to the good achievement pupils make.

p.21

MATHEMATICS

The school makes good provision for mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have a sound understanding of their own learning and recognise areas where they might experience difficulties. • Throughout the school there is a good emphasis on teaching pupils different methods of calculation. • Excellent support from teaching assistants contributes to pupils making good progress in lessons. • Very good leadership by the headteacher is ensuring that pupils’ achievement is improving. • In Years 1 and 2 some pupils are not sufficiently involved in the mental mathematics activities at the beginning of lessons.

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Commentary

45. Standards in mathematics in Year 2 are average and pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. In Years 3 to 6 standards are above average and pupils’ achievement is good. This is due to a high proportion of good teaching.

p.21

Commentary

46. Standards in mathematics are improving because teaching is good and pupils are encouraged to talk about areas in mathematics that they find difficult. Pupils are set individual targets and teachers mark work with these in mind so that pupils have a very clear understanding of what they need to do to improve. In Years 5 and 6, pupils are also set ‘learn by heart targets’ to help them with basic calculations. In one lesson, a Year 6 pupil clearly explained to the teacher why she thought she might have difficulties with a particular set of ‘sums’ and having talked it through with the teacher, confidently set about her work. In all lessons teachers begin by helping pupils understand what they are to learn and periodically check on pupils’ understanding as the lesson progresses.

p.21

Commentary

47. Pupils are regularly given opportunities to solve problems, drawing upon their mathematical skills to think creatively and logically. There is a good emphasis upon helping pupils develop suitable methods of calculation that improve their speed and accuracy. Throughout the school, pupils confidently explain to their class their approach to problem solving. From reception, where children find a missing number under the puppet’s foot, to Year 6 where they explain the equivalence of decimals, percentages and fractions, pupils are developing a good logical approach to their work.

p.21

Commentary

48. Overall, the teaching of mathematics is good. Teachers and teaching assistants work very effectively together to ensure that pupils at different levels of attainment are suitably supported and challenged. The result is that in Years 3 to 6 pupils stay on task and make good progress against the targets they are set. In Years 1 and 2 some pupils are allowed to move off task Fountains Church of England Primary School - 22 during the mental mathematics activities at the beginning of the lesson because the teacher directs too many questions to individual pupils, resulting in satisfactory teaching.

p.21

Commentary

49. The headteacher provides good leadership. She has a very good understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy and that explains why pupils make good progress in her class. Lessons have a very good pace and through skilful questioning and well-constructed explanations, she leads pupils on a mathematical journey, making links between what they already know and can do with the new things to learn in that lesson. The headteacher provides a good model for the less experienced teachers on the staff. She has given demonstration lessons and support with planning, assessment and evaluation, and this has clearly helped staff in raising standards,

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

50. Teachers make good links between mathematics and other subjects such as art, design, music, history and science. This is often done through the use of computer databases and spreadsheets where pupils collect a variety of data and present it graphically and analyse the results. In art, for example, pupils applied the knowledge about two-dimensional shapes and symmetry to plan designs to decorate their pottery.

p.22

SCIENCE

The overall quality of provision for science is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards at the end of Year 6 are well above average. • There are good opportunities for older pupils to learn independently. • Development of sound and accurate methods of investigation helps pupils achieve high standards. • Pupils enjoy working together on investigations and acquire good enquiry skills. • There is a lack of opportunity for younger pupils to investigate for themselves.

p.22

Commentary

51. Pupils’ achievement in science is satisfactory and standards are average in Years 1 and 2. By the end of Year 6, achievement is very good and standards are well above average. The standards achieved by the pupils in Years 3 to 6 have improved since the last inspection whilst those of pupils in Years1 and 2 have remained the same as those expected of pupils this age. The analysis of test results has led to a strong focus being placed on the development of investigative work and older pupils carry this out very well. They work independently and accurately and acquire good enquiry skills supported by a wide knowledge, which results in a very good understanding of scientific concepts. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are set challenging tasks and are encouraged to design and solve their own experiments. They were invited to prove that air exists and designed a range of simple experiments based on sound hypotheses. From

p.22

Commentary

these, they were able to draw conclusions based on secure knowledge and very good understanding. In their experimental work, pupils are very aware of the importance of fair testing, accurate measurements and the usefulness of repeating experiments to check outcomes. They are very good at recording their findings and often use ICT to store and analyse their results. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make a slower start in acquiring science skills. They are beginning to understand ideas such as fair testing and are invited to form hypotheses. However, they are not always given sufficient opportunity to experiment for themselves or record their own outcomes of investigations and this leads to satisfactory skill development.

p.22

Commentary

52. Teaching in science is always at least satisfactory and in Years 3 to 6 it is very good. In the best lessons, teachers plan interesting investigations with practical activities from which pupils Fountains Church of England Primary School - 23 learn very effectively and develop good science skills. Where there is less first hand experience, pupils learn and develop skills more slowly. Pupils like science and work is presented to them in meaningful and practical contexts, such as those arising from a visit to the seaside at Whitby or a request for help in solving a problem by pupils in another school. Pupils work effectively in small mixed ability groups on their investigations with good outcomes. This enables all pupils to share in success and achieve at their own level. Pupils discuss ideas together and challenge each other. Those with special educational needs are sensitively supported by teaching assistants and are guided to tasks within group work which

p.22

Commentary

best meet their needs. Examples of very good practice are used as a resource to support the professional development of new teachers to the school.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Through good access to computers, ICT is well used across the curriculum. • Management of ICT is good. • Enthusiasm and confidence of pupils to use laptop and PC computers are high. • Software is not always well matched to the tasks pupils are set.

p.23

Commentary

53. Throughout the school, attainment matches the standards attained by pupils of similar ages nationally. However, standards are rising because the subject is well managed and pupils use computers with enthusiasm. Pupils are very eager to work on the new laptop computers and some of the higher attaining pupils have the skill and confidence to coach younger pupils. The school has recently installed a new and well-resourced computer network that gives access to computers everywhere in the school and this is providing more opportunities for pupils to use ICT across the curriculum. A high proportion of pupils have access to computers at home and this contributes to their good skills in areas such as word-processing, and saving and retrieving work. The subject is in a very good position to move forward.

p.23

Commentary

54. The management of ICT is good and supports teaching and learning across the school. The good teaching in Years 5 and 6 ensures computers are used to extend pupils’ ICT skills and to support their learning in other subjects. Teachers plan ICT opportunities into their lessons so that pupils can apply their ICT skills in a range of different situations. For example, in a design lesson, pupils used their laptop computer to produce plans of their proposals for developing the school grounds. During the lesson, pupils confidently used ‘drop-down’ menus to select drawing tools and techniques to produce imaginative drawings. They added text to their drawing by creating ‘text-boxes’ and re-sizing them to fit into the plans. Pupils achieve well because they are taught the basic skills and given opportunities to apply them outside the ICT lesson. Where teaching and learning are only satisfactory it is mainly due to less effective use

p.23

Commentary

of the technology that results in too many pupils losing interest.

p.23

Commentary

55. The school is developing a very useful electronic portfolio that contains samples of pupils’ work and this is allowing teachers to make accurate assessments of pupils’ attainment and progress. Staff and pupils confidently use the Internet to search for resources and the older pupils send homework to and from home via e-mail.

p.23

Commentary

56. The school is developing a useful range of software to support subjects across the curriculum but occasionally they are not used to best effect. For example, the use of Microsoft Word restricted the pace of learning for lower attaining pupils who struggled with word-processing in Year 2 and limited the range of options for higher attaining pupils producing complex drawings in Year 6. To improve ICT further the school must improve teachers’ knowledge of software Fountains Church of England Primary School - 24 programs so that the most appropriate one can be used for the tasks pupils have been set to complete.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

57. The school makes good use of ICT across the curriculum and all teachers plan ICT opportunities into their lessons. Pupils throughout the school achieve well because they are given many opportunities to use the Internet to research information as well as applying their skills in all subjects of the curriculum. ICT is well used in music to enable pupils to have a record of their compositions.

p.24

History, geography and religious education

Provision in history and geography is very good. It was not possible to inspect religious education on this inspection.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average throughout the school. • Good use is made of visits and resources to support pupils’ learning. • Older pupils use their literacy skills well. • Teachers responsible for these subjects are not sufficiently involved in evaluating the quality of provision.

p.24

Commentary

58. Pupils’ achievement is good and standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and, by the end of Year 6, standards are well above average and achievement is very good. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress with the able support of teaching assistants.

p.24

Commentary

59. During the time of the inspection, no specific history or geography lessons were seen in Years 1 and 2. However, it is evident from their work that they study a wide range of topics and make good progress. As a result of their recent visit to Whitby, pupils demonstrate in their work a good understanding of the seaside environment. They have made clear historical comparisons between past and present bathing habits and dress and have undertaken experiments based on making sandcastles in science. Their writing, drawings and models clearly show a good detailed understanding in terms of the history and geography of the experience. Pupils are also able to make comparisons with their own time and environment and suggest reasons for the differences. Their work indicates that they have made a good beginning in developing skills in making and interpreting maps. In Years 3 to 6, pupils build on and develop the good start

p.24

Commentary

made earlier. There is very good use of literacy skills to support their written work in their study of the Victorians, the Countryside Day and comparisons between a city and a village in India. Pupils continue to develop their map work and other history and geography skills to a very good level. They understand and can use timelines to sequence artefacts and events and can locate sites accurately using grid references.

p.24

Commentary

60. Teaching of history and geography is good overall. Topics are well supported by careful and imaginative planning and good use of resources. Good use is made of other subjects such as literacy, science and music to extend and broaden pupils’ learning. Pupils’ work clearly indicates that skills particular to history and geography are well addressed and developed. The development of map work across the school is particularly good. Pupils enjoy their work in the humanities and record their experiences and findings well. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 25 61. The quality of resources provided by the school to support history and geography is very good. Resources include visits, artefacts, maps and pictures and equipment such as digital cameras. These have a significant and positive effect on pupils’ progress in learning.

p.24

Commentary

62. The headteacher is developing a system for assessing and evaluating the quality of history and geography in the school. To date there is insufficient detail to inform teachers of the strengths and weaknesses in provision in these subjects.

p.25

Art, music, design and technology and physical education

The school provides a good range of opportunities for pupils to develop their creative skills.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A very good range of in-school and out-of-school activities provided by staff and other experts enhances pupils’ creative and personal development. • Opportunities for pupils to partake in after-school clubs for music and physical education enrich the curriculum and their learning opportunities. • Teachers plan effectively to provide links across other subjects. • Resources are very good, well used and enhanced by those provided by this school’s links with the other small schools in the area. • Teachers responsible for these subjects are not sufficiently involved in evaluating the quality of the provision.

p.25

Commentary

63. Art, music, design and technology and physical education were not a major focus of this inspection. Very few lessons were observed; however, evidence was gathered from discussions with pupils, staff and parents, the work in pupils’ books and on computer discs for musical compositions, and from displays in and around the school. The evidence shows that pupils experience all aspects required in the National Curriculum for these subjects and overall pupils achieve standards above those attained by pupils of a similar age nationally.

p.25

Commentary

64. The school provides a very good range of opportunities to develop pupils’ creative skills within the school day and beyond. A very good example of this is the school’s involvement with Harrogate’s International Show. Pupils were involved in learning about the Amazon rainforest, making masks and artefacts and working with other schools to perform a musical production called Yanomamo . This work enhances pupils’ performance skills, their confidence and also their understanding of other cultures. A countryside project provided pupils with the opportunity to work on large three-dimensional sculptures with an artist who took pupils’ designs and helped them make large outdoor sculptures of a goat, horse and peacock. These wonderful sculptures stand in the school ground and the pupils are very proud of them. Outside of school time the school provides a very good range of after-school clubs, which are well attended and

p.25

Commentary

enrich the curriculum. The choir and steel band perform at many village fairs, most recently Sawley Fair. The football, cricket, cross-country and orienteering teams compete in events with other small schools around the area and frequently return triumphant! Pupils are very proud of their achievements.

p.25

Commentary

65. Teachers make very appropriate links across subjects. This is particularly apparent in design and technology where pupils design and make items such as Ferris wheels, musical instruments and models of Tudor ships that are linked with topics being studied in other subjects. Items that pupils make are thoughtfully designed and carefully produced. Pupils have acquired good skills in using a wide range of tools and materials. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 26 66. The school’s resources are very good. Teachers, teaching assistants and peripatetic music teachers make a very valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning. To further enhance facilities the school works closely with other small schools in the area to secure funding for special projects. This funding provides opportunities for schools to share resources and training to enrich the curriculum for their pupils. For example, the pottery Year 5 and 6 pupils were

p.25

Commentary

working on was to be fired in a kiln purchased by the group of schools.

p.26

Commentary

67. The school’s system for evaluating the quality of provision has only recently been established and at present, the school has insufficient evidence about the quality of provision to highlight the strengths and areas for development.

p.26

Commentary

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP.

p.26

Commentary

68. Provision for personal, social and health education is good and pupils achieve well. The school sees pupils’ personal development as an important part of their work. They provide many good opportunities for pupils to share ideas and issues, within lessons by working with partners and also as part of a whole class discussion. The programme for personal, social and health education is good and includes work on health, sex, drugs and personal safety.

p.26

Commentary

69. Pupils have the confidence to share their ideas with staff. Staff consider these carefully and explain why some of their ideas are accepted and others are rejected. Fountains Church of England Primary School - 27

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the head teacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27