Glebefields Primary School

GLEBEFIELDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Glebefields Primary - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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GLEBEFIELDS 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. Glebefields Primary - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of The pupils: 3-11 Gender of The pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 358

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Sandgate Road Tipton West Midlands Postcode: DY4 0SX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0121 5562651 Fax number: 0121 5567172

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Father Tony Boyd-Williams

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 July 1988

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Glebefields Primary School is in an area of deprivation. The attainment of most pupils on entry to the school is very low. The school is larger than most other primary schools with 169 boys and 180 girls aged 3-11. Currently about 35 per cent of pupils are in receipt of free school meals and this is higher than most other schools. Eighty seven pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, a higher proportion than is usually found. The number of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs is well below average. The school has no pupils for whom English is not the mother tongue and the proportion of pupils from ethnic groups is low. Movement of pupils in and out of the school other than at the normal time of admission is below the national average. For the last nine years, the school has been awarded the Education Extra Certificate of Distinction for the quality of its out-of-school activities. The school is also a pilot school

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

for the Arts Council project on ‘Creativity.’ Glebefields Primary - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21398 T. Gill Lead inspector Art and design Music Special educational needs 13395 J. Illingworth Lay inspector 19028 V. Ward Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Foundation Stage 31838 M. Williams Team inspector English Religious education Information and communication technology 8864 P. Clifton Team inspector Science Citizenship Design and technology Physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY THE PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY THE PUPILS 9

The 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 A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a good school. Achievement overall is good, though improvements in teaching and achievement as a result of improved monitoring have yet to have an impact in Year 6. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good. The school provides good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

 The leadership by the management team and governors is good.  The good provision provided in the Foundation Stage leads to the children having a good start.  The impact of the effective action taken to improve attainment in Years 3-6 is clearly evident in Years 3-5, but standards in Year 6 are still not high enough.  The pupils’ understanding and skills in investigative science are underdeveloped.  Teaching in English and mathematics is good.  The use of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning in other subjects is underdeveloped.  Very good attitudes have been fostered in the pupils towards their work.  The leadership of the special needs co-ordinator is very good.  The pupils’ personal development is outstanding.  Standards in dance, as an aspect of physical education, are exceptional.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Overall, the school has made good improvement since the last inspection. Good progress has been made in improving pupils’ writing skills in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2, and in providing opportunities for extended writing and for the pupils to develop their speaking skills. There has been a good improvement in assessment overall. There has been a good improvement in the effectiveness of the governing body. Schemes of work are now in place for all subjects. The weaknesses in providing suitable challenge for the more able are being addressed satisfactorily. Accommodation has improved and continues to improve. In science not enough progress has been made in developing the pupils’ skills and understanding systematically in investigative science.

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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 English E E E E mathematics C D E C science E E E D 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

The pupils’ achievement is good overall. The standards of the children on entry to the nursery are very low. This is lower than was the case at the previous inspection. Although achievement is good in the Foundation Stage and despite good teaching, the levels reached by the majority of children will be well below what is expected for pupils of their age when they start Year 1. The good achievement of the current Year 2 means that although standards are below those expected nationally, the proportion of the pupils approaching the required standards has improved and their progress is good. The good achievement and progress continues in Years 3-5, and as a result, standards in Year 5 are Glebefields Primary - 7 broadly typical in English, mathematics and science. Inspection evidence indicates that standards of the current Year 6, where just under a third of the pupils have special educational needs, are better

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

than last year but still below the national average in English, mathematics and science. This is because although the satisfactory teaching has resulted in satisfactory achievement and progress, it has not provided the stimulation and challenge to take the pupils further. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good.

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

development, is excellent. The pupils’ behaviour and attitudes towards their work are very good. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

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

The quality of education is good . Teaching, learning and assessment are satisfactory overall. They are consistently good in the Foundation Stage and in mathematics and English in Years 1-6. Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory in investigative science but satisfactory in other aspects of science. There are strengths in teaching in other subjects, such as history, art, music, physical education and religious education. The teachers make very good use of the skills of teaching assistants, who make a very good contribution, especially, to the achievement of the pupils with special educational needs. Most pupils achieve well because of the good support they receive. Relationships between the pupils and the staff are very good across the school and this helps to create an atmosphere in which good learning can prosper. The curriculum is good and the excellent range of extra-curricular activities provide the pupils with very varied activities that enhance their self-esteem and confidence to

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

succeed. Care, guidance and support and also links with parents and the community are very good, and these all help to enhance the pupils’ learning.

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

The leadership and management of the school are good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and his commitment to the school is exceptional. He has a very good strategic view for the school’s development and has given subject leaders a greater role in improving and influencing their subjects. This is a very inclusive school and the school works hard to meet the needs of all its pupils. Good monitoring procedures enable the management team and the governors to have a very clear picture of how the different groups of pupils are achieving and if their achievement is good enough. Where action is needed, it is taken. The contribution of the governing body is good. The chair of governors is very well informed. He is a regular visitor to the school and has a very good, productive working relationship with the headteacher. The governors are involved and active partners in all aspects of school life. All statutory requirements are met.

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

PARENTS’ AND THE PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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

Parents have a high regard for the headteacher and the work of the school. They are highly satisfied with the school and this is reflected in the very good reputation the school has locally. The pupils say they enjoy being at school, feel safe at school and are confident that staff will deal with any problems they have promptly.

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

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

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

 Improve achievement in Year 6.  Raise standards in investigative science. Glebefields Primary - 8  Develop the use of ICT to support learning in other subjects. Glebefields Primary - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is good overall. It is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1-5 as a result of the generally challenging teaching that results in good learning and progress, but unsatisfactory in Year 6. Standards by the end of the Foundation Stage are well below average in most areas of learning. Currently, standards in Year 2 and Year 6 are below average in English, mathematics and science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Standards are improving.  Standards in investigative science are not high enough.  Standards in Year 6 are not high enough.  The achievement of the pupils with special educational needs is good.

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Commentary

1. When children enter the Foundation Stage their attainment is very low. The teaching is good and as a result, their achievement is good. However, despite this, children’s knowledge, understanding and skills are well below what is expected for the pupils of their age when they start Year 1 except in terms of their personal, social and emotional development, which is below what is expected.

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Commentary

2. The table below shows that results at the end of Year 2, where a third of the pupils had special educational needs, were below average in reading, writing and mathematics but that there had been an improvement in reading and writing over the previous year. In 2003, standards in writing were better than those in similar schools but not as good in reading and in mathematics. Standards in science were well below average, as the pupils’ understanding and skills had not been developed systematically through investigative work. Girls out-performed the boys last year. The boys’ and girls’ performance was below the performance of boys and girls nationally. An examination of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics for the current Year 2 pupils indicates that standards are below average but that pupils’ progress and achievement are good when compared with their attainment on entry.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 14.6 (13.9) 15.7 (15.8) writing 14.4 (13.7) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 14.7 (14.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 42 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. The Year 6 table below shows that the school’s results in the Year 6 national tests in 2003, when just under a third of the pupils had special educational needs, were well below the national average. When the numbers of pupils achieving level 4 and above were compared with similar schools they were average in mathematics and science but well below average in English. Also, the number of the pupils achieving the higher level, level 5, was not as good as similar schools, reflecting the number of pupils with special educational needs. Boys out-performed the girls at the school in all subjects but under- performed when compared with boys nationally. Glebefields Primary - 10 Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 23.9 (24.6) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 25.1 (25.8) 26.8 (26.7) Science 26.2 (28.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were 53 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Standards in the current Year 6 are better than last year but still below the national average in English, mathematics and science. This is because teaching, though satisfactory, has not provided the stimulation and challenge to take the pupils further. Standards are, however, improving in Years 3-5 and are, in Year 5, broadly typical in English, mathematics and science. In other subjects, pupils generally achieve well. Standards in Year 2 and Year 6 in art and design and physical education are above average, and they are average in religious education, history and geography. Standards in ICT are below average, but pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

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Commentary

5. The pupils with special educational needs achieve well and parents are very pleased with the standards they attain. The pupils improve their reading and writing skills particularly well, benefiting from the skilled support from the teachers and teaching assistants. Across the school, the more able pupils and the gifted and talented achieve well.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The pupils have very good attitudes to school and their behaviour is very good. Their personal development is excellent. Attendance is satisfactory and the incidence of unauthorised absence is low.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

 The pupils’ very positive attitudes to school enhance their progress and they are keen to take part in extra-curricular activities.  The school has excellent strategies to promote positive attitudes and behaviour.  Standards of behaviour are high and the school is an orderly community.  The pupils have very good relationships with one another and with adults in the school.  Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

6. The pupils are very well motivated and come to lessons expecting to learn. They listen attentively, take an interest in their work, and are eager to answer questions. The pupils show good independent learning skills in lessons. They settle down quickly and apply themselves well to individual and group tasks without being over-reliant on members of staff. The school’s ethos and high expectations promote positive attitudes in all its the pupils. They respond with enthusiasm and enjoyment to very good teaching, but they are also willing to learn and to work when the teaching is only satisfactory. Attitudes were never less than satisfactory in the lessons observed during the inspection. The pupils like being at school. The majority of them are punctual and do not miss lessons without good reason. Illness and other medical reasons account for the majority of absences. The school is very diligent in promoting attendance. It

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

monitors the pupils’ records closely, rewards those who attend regularly, and follows up instances of unexplained absence. Glebefields Primary - 11 7. The pupils are keen to learn outside ordinary lessons. They are enthusiastic about extra- curricular activities and are very appreciative of the excellent range of activities that the school offers them. The rate of participation in clubs and school productions is very high. Drama and dancing are very popular, but the pupils also give good support to academic activities such as booster classes.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

8. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good, and parents acknowledge that pupils are orderly, polite and self-disciplined. Instances of disruption, bullying and other forms of oppressive behaviour are very rare. The school deals very successfully with some potentially difficult pupils from troubled backgrounds. It recently had to exclude one pupil who had serious behavioural problems, but there had been no exclusions prior to this. The school has excellent arrangements for promoting good behaviour. It has a constructive approach to discipline that encourages the pupils to behave well by rewarding good achievement. Enrichment activities make an important contribution by giving the pupils wide-ranging opportunities to develop their skills and talents. Their successes in dance, drama and sport raise their self-esteem and promote positive attitudes to school.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

9. The quality of the pupils’ relationships is excellent. In lessons they listen to each other and show respect for other people’s views. When working in pairs or groups they share resources and collaborate effectively on the tasks that their teacher has set. The pupils are genuinely appreciative of their achievements of their peers. For example, they spontaneously applauded a pupil who demonstrated a high degree of skill and determination on the climbing wall.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

10. The pupils’ personal development is outstanding and the school’s overall provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. During their years in Glebefields School the pupils acquire a deeper understanding of their own beliefs and values and those of other people. They develop clear concepts of right and wrong, and learn about being considerate and responsible members of a community. Children enter the school with relatively limited social skills and leave it as mature and self-confident young people.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

11. The pupils’ spiritual awareness is promoted very effectively through assemblies, circle time and religious education lessons, which give the pupils very good opportunities to reflect on beliefs, feelings and their place in the world. Enrichment activities develop their appreciation of the creative arts. The high degree of skill that many the pupils show in dance, drama and music inspires feelings of wonder and respect. Provision for moral development is excellent. The school teaches the pupils the difference between right and wrong and clearly defines the boundaries of acceptable conduct. Members of staff act as good role models of courtesy, consideration and care for other people. Strategies for promoting the pupils’ social development are also excellent. There are extensive opportunities for the pupils to use their initiative and exercise responsibility in the daily life of the school. For example, older pupils can

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

serve as house captains, library assistants and prefects and pupils can be elected onto the school’s council. Extra-curricular activities make a major contribution to the pupils’ collaborative skills. Many of them require a high degree of mutual trust and the ability to work effectively as a team, as in the case of synchronised skipping routines. Others, such a public performances and trips abroad, are very effective in developing the pupils’ self-confidence and independence. The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ cultural development. It is extremely effective in widening their horizons and increasing their understanding of the European culture to which they belong. In addition to the National Curriculum and religious education, the pupils learn about their heritage through educational visits and extra-curricular dance, drama, and sport. The range of cultural activities is much greater than in most

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

primary schools. Provision for understanding of non-European, non-Christian cultures is not as extensively developed, but is nevertheless good. The pupils study other faiths in religious education lessons and visits mosques and temples. They know that there are communities in their local area that have different beliefs and are aware of the multi-cultural nature of modern Britain. Glebefields Primary - 12 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.3 School data 0.0 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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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. Most pupils achieve well because of the good support they receive. The curriculum is good and the excellent range of extra-curricular opportunities provides the pupils with very varied activities that enhance their self-esteem and confidence to succeed. Care, guidance and support and links with parents and the community are very good. Consequently, the school enjoys a very good reputation, parents are keen to get their children into the school and the school is over-subscribed.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching, learning and assessment are satisfactory overall. They are good in the Foundation Stage and in mathematics, English, art and design and history, but are unsatisfactory in investigative science.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 The pupils have a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage.  Limited challenge means that a significant minority of the pupils underachieves in Year 6.  The school’s action to address underachievement is clearly evident by Year 5.  Assessments and tracking support achievement well in English and mathematics but are underdeveloped in science.  The use of ICT to support learning in other subjects is underdeveloped.  Teaching assistants make a very good contribution especially to the achievement of the pupils with special educational needs.  Throughout the school very good relationships and high expectations of behaviour encourage the pupils to achieve well.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 54 lessons Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 4 (8%) 30 (56%) 17 (31%) 3 (5%) 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

12. Consistently good teaching in the Foundation Stage ensures that all the pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well in acquiring their early skills. Classrooms are structured to promote learning in all areas of the curriculum. Although the reception classroom remains small and limits easy movement, the teachers make good use of a well-equipped outdoor play facility to develop this aspect of learning. The teachers present good role models in Glebefields Primary - 13 speaking and listening and in social skills and this has a positive impact on children’s development.

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Commentary

13. The teachers generally plan well so that all the pupils, including those with special educational needs, are usually offered tasks that are suitably matched to their capabilities. Literacy is effectively supported across the curriculum through discussion and writing tasks. ICT is sometimes used well, as in art and design, but at other times available and functioning computers remain unused. In the better lessons there was a good blend of whole-class, group and individual work. Activities were pitched at different levels, often with regard to the pupils’ specific targets; good questioning probed further and there were extension tasks to keep the early finishers busy. In the small number of lessons where teaching was unsatisfactory, the teachers’ lack of subject knowledge meant that demands were too low and some opportunities to extend learning, especially through independent activities, were missed. In consequence the

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Commentary

pupils’ achievement was unsatisfactory. In many of the otherwise satisfactory lessons, tasks were not always matched well enough to ability, so that some of the higher attainers in particular did not always work to their potential. This helps to explain why achievement in Year 6 is not higher. The programme of lesson observations and evaluation of the pupils’ work by the school management is bringing about changes through staff training and deployment. The positive results of these actions can be seen by Year 5, where the pupils are now working at, or close to, national averages and achieving well.

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Commentary

14. Assessment that tracks progress and matches tasks to the needs of the pupils is good in English and mathematics. The outcomes of statutory and optional tests are analysed in detail, the results helping to show how teaching and learning may be better adapted to meet needs. The teachers record the National Curriculum levels each pupil is expected to reach each year and review these regularly. The pupils have their own personal targets to work towards to give them an understanding of what they need to do to improve. Assessment in science is underdeveloped because these practices are not followed so rigorously so that neither the teachers nor the pupils have a clear enough idea of what they can do. As a result, the weaknesses in the pupils’ skills of investigation and enquiry have not been adequately identified.

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Commentary

15. In the better lessons, objectives are clearly shared at the start and reviewed at the end so the pupils know how well they are doing. In most subjects, the teachers follow the statements of outcome provided in nationally recognised guidance. In ICT these outcomes are being expanded into checklists, which give the teachers and the pupils a clearer ongoing idea of progress. In religious education the school now uses a system of levels similar to those of the National Curriculum and linked to the locally agreed syllabus, a good improvement since the last inspection.

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Commentary

16. The school marking policy has only recently been agreed and is not followed rigorously. Day- to-day marking generally includes constructive comments to recognise success and also identify ways to improve. Across the school, the quality of this varies though: some comments are vague, offering general praise but not identifying strengths well enough so the pupils know what to build upon, or pointing out precise errors and how they may be avoided. This means that the pupils’ understanding of their own learning is not always as good as it could be. The best marking recognises what has been achieved and focuses clearly on the next steps the pupils need to take.

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Commentary

17. The teachers make very good use of the skills of teaching assistants, who are valued members of the team. They are usually very well briefed and sensitive in the support they offer so that the pupils with special needs are fully included in lessons. At times, the assistant may work for a Glebefields Primary - 14 short while with another group of the pupils so that the class teacher may spend time with the pupils who have special needs. This variety and sharing of expertise usually benefits everyone: in group activities it is sometimes hard to tell which are the less or more able pupils because everyone contributes so well. Trained volunteers also help the pupils read. This is especially valuable for those pupils unable to receive support at home.

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Commentary

18. The expectation of the teachers that the pupils work hard and behave with courtesy contributes strongly to good achievement. Even when work was not particularly engaging the pupils behaved well because the climate for learning had been well established in the school. The pupils generally work well independently and collaboratively, and keep their concentration because the teachers recognise their efforts through reward points, encouraging words or simply a smile. In consequence, the pupils know they are valued, their confidence grows, and they work well.

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Commentary

19. Since the last inspection there has been a good improvement in assessment overall but day-to- day marking varies unduly. The weaknesses in providing suitable challenge for all are being addressed satisfactorily. The development of literacy is generally supported in all subjects but the use of ICT is inconsistent. Improvements are satisfactory.

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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum with excellent features in its enrichment activities. Accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 The school promotes the pupils' personal, social and health education very well.  An excellent range of enrichment activities inspires and motivates the pupils to give of their best.  Provision for the pupils with special educational needs is very good.  There is well balanced provision in literacy and numeracy from the Foundation Stage and throughout the school, but provision for investigative science is unsatisfactory  Accommodation is good in most of the school but the classroom for reception children remains cramped.

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Commentary

20. The school places great emphasis on the pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) because they enter the school with very few skills. When they come to the school the pupils are unused to mixing and sharing with other people to the extent that good learning requires. The school takes pains to build their self-esteem and self-confidence as an essential foundation for achievement in all areas. There is a programme of discrete PSHE lessons and regular “circle times” where classes of all ages discuss freely issues of importance to themselves and to the school. A school council enables elected representatives from all classes to have a say in how the school runs. The outcomes in terms of attitudes, behaviour, and a developing sense of responsibility demonstrate the success of the provision.

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Commentary

21. The development of self-respect is greatly enhanced by enrichment activities. An extremely wide range of after-school clubs, including very good provision for sport, the many educational visits arranged by teachers, and the numerous and interesting visitors who come into school. help widen the pupils’ horizons. The school’s long-standing involvement in dance and skipping Glebefields Primary - 15 competitions and displays, both within the British Isles and in mainland Europe, have shown the pupils that it is possible to succeed and even excel given sufficient effort and commitment. The many awards gained have brought pride both to the school and to the community as a whole. The valuable fund-raising activities that in many cases have arisen from these competitions heighten the pupils' awareness of others' needs also.

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Commentary

22. There are very good arrangements to ensure that the pupils with special educational needs have access to the full curriculum, including extra-curricular activities. Resources to support the pupils with special educational needs are very good. Work is well matched to individual learning needs, and a range of extension and support materials is always available. Individual education programme targets are appropriately included in teachers’ planning. ICT is used well to support the pupils with special needs.

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Commentary

23. A good curriculum in the Foundation Stage includes appropriate emphasis on the development of children’s writing. Provision for the core subjects of English and mathematics is good throughout the school and in all subjects emphasis is placed on the development of the pupils’ communication skills. The science curriculum, however, is unbalanced because the development of skills and understanding is not developed systematically in investigative science.

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Commentary

24. ICT is used inconsistently across the curriculum. The situation is poised to improve by next term because the school is awaiting delivery of new leased hardware to improve resources in the ICT suite. The better existing hardware will be distributed to enhance provision in classrooms. More interactive whiteboards are on order to join the four already in place and staff will receive further training in their use prior to the new term.

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Commentary

25. Resources and accommodation are good. Most classrooms have satisfactory space for all activities. The reception class room is still cramped but outdoor provision in the Foundation Stage is now good, as are the areas for older pupils which now include a cycle track, climbing walls and facilities for abseiling. There has been a good response to issues raised at the last inspection.

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Care, guidance and support

The school looks after it the pupils very well. It is very effective in promoting their welfare, health and safety. Its procedures for monitoring of the pupils’ personal achievements and development are very good. Arrangements for consulting the pupils and involving them in decisions about the running of the school are very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 The school makes very good arrangements to ensure that it is a safe, secure and healthy environment for its pupils.  The pupils’ personal development is monitored very effectively, and they receive excellent personal support and guidance.  Personal and social education lessons and extra-curricular activities make a very valuable contribution to the pupils’ welfare.  The school values the pupils’ views and responds very sympathetically to them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Commentary Glebefields Primary - 16 26. Concern for the pupils’ well-being is inherent in the school’s ethos of valuing and caring for each child as an individual. Glebefields is a very friendly and supportive place. Its induction procedures ensure that newcomers feel welcome and settle in quickly. The pupils of all ages receive a high standard of care. As a result, they feel secure and are able to learn and make progress. The school has excellent strategies for promoting mutual support and raising self-esteem. Personal and social education lessons and the prefect and “buddying” systems encourage the pupils to be open about their worries and to help one another to overcome problems. There are numerous clubs and activities that enable children to develop their talents beyond the ordinary subjects of the curriculum. Their achievements in this area increase their self-confidence and enhance their enjoyment of all aspects of school life.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

27. The school provides high quality care that is tailored to meet individual needs. It is able to cope successfully with the pupils who have a wide range of problems. Only one child has ever required outside support for emotional and behavioural difficulties. Members of staff are dedicated to the pupils’ welfare and have a very good knowledge of children as individuals. They monitor their personal progress very effectively on an informal basis, and where necessary give appropriate guidance. The quality of day-to-day personal support is excellent. The pupils have very trusting relationships with members of staff. They feel able to go to them if they have problems, and are confident that they will receive effective help. The school has improved its formal provision for monitoring personal development since the last inspection. It has introduced a system of “records of achievement” that summarises each pupil’s successes,

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Main strengths and weaknesses

together with his or her targets for improvement.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

28. The school has very good arrangements for consulting the pupils and acting on their views. The school council acts as a formal line of communication between staff and the pupils, but most consultations are informal. They take place in circle time and in everyday conversations with the teachers. The headteacher takes an appropriate leading role in sounding out the pupils’ opinions. He is out and about the school at breaks and lunchtimes, listening to what children have to say. They are aware of this and appreciate it. They believe that members of staff value their ideas and take their concerns seriously. They feel that they are members of a community who have a share in the ownership of their school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

29. Glebefields makes very good arrangements to promote the health, safety and welfare of its pupils. The school shows its concern for their needs by providing breakfast, and supplying a choice of snacks at break time. Health and safety checks and risk assessments are rigorous. The school’s procedures meet the demands of its extensive programme of educational visits. Risk assessments cover all trips as well as in-school activities. Provision for child protection is very good. The designated member of staff has had up-to-date training in relevant issues and shares his expertise well with other members of the staff, who have a clear understanding of the school’s policy on child protection and are aware of the need to be vigilant.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents and the community, and this enriches the curriculum and enhances the pupils’ learning. Links with other schools are good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

 The school very successfully encourages parents to become involved in their children’s learning and the life of the school.  Parents strongly support all aspects of the school’s work.  Parents receive good information about their children’s progress and achievements.  There are very good arrangements for dealing with parents’ concerns and seeking out their ideas and views about school. Glebefields Primary - 17  The school uses the community very effectively as a resource for learning and makes a very good contribution to the life of the local area.

p.16

Commentary

30. Parents are highly satisfied with the school. They are happy with the quality of teaching and the progress that the pupils make. They have great confidence in the leadership and management of the school and feel that they have very good links with members of staff and governors. They are correct in their belief that Glebefields is providing their children with a good education.

p.17

Commentary

31. The school has developed a very strong partnership with parents, who give very good support to the pupils’ learning. It has very effective policies for engaging their support, starting with pre- school meetings and training sessions. Parents are made to feel welcome in school, and their contribution to the pupils’ education is valued. They attend consultation evenings in large numbers. Many of them act as volunteer helpers in lessons, and significant numbers are specially trained to take part in the 'Enabled' reading scheme. Parents’ involvement with learning at home is a strength. They are keen for their children to do homework and regularly help with tasks, for example by hearing reading. Parents also give very good support to extra- curricular activities. They are very proud of the high quality of school performances.

p.17

Commentary

32. The quality of information for parents is good and encourages them to support their children’s learning. The school newspaper is an asset. It is very well presented and includes many lively contributions from the pupils. Annual reports on the pupils’ progress are good overall. They are informative on what the pupils have studied and achieved in the core subjects of the curriculum. They identify strengths and weaknesses and include targets for improvement, although the quality of the latter is variable. English reports sometimes lapse into jargon. Trained parent helpers will understand the terminology, but other parents may be confused by it. Informal provision of information is very good. Parents feel comfortable about coming into school in the morning or at the end of the day to discuss their children’s progress with the teachers.

p.17

Commentary

33. The school has very good procedures for seeking out and acting on parents’ views. The headteacher has an excellent relationship with parents. He goes out of his way to meet and talk to them when they drop off or pick up their children from school. The chair of the governing body is also very approachable and is well known to parents. These informal contacts are well supported by formal procedures for consulting parents. The school uses written questionnaires to sound out their views. The headteacher analyses the results and responds to parents’ concerns.

p.17

Commentary

34. There are very good links with the local community. The school has an excellent partnership with the local Church of England parish. The vicar is chair of the governing body, and the relationship between the school and the community is mutually supportive. Local residents benefit from access to school performances, and local charities gain from the pupils’ fund- raising activities. The school uses the local community very effectively as a resource for learning. Visiting experts, such as a teacher of Indian dance, enrich its curriculum, and the local area acts as a venue for educational trips. Links with the wider community are also very good and enhance the pupils’ learning and personal development. For example, the pupils have taken part in drama performances and skipping displays all over England and in Europe. This has promoted their sense of pride in themselves and their school and given them belief in their

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Glebefields Primary - 18 Leadership and management are good. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and his commitment to the school is exceptional. The contribution of the governing body is good and all statutory requirements are fully met.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Good monitoring procedures are in place which enable the school to take any action necessary to ensure the pupils achieve as well as they can.  The school is committed to inclusion and puts its commitment fully into practice.  The governors are confident, well informed and are fully involved in strategic planning and policy making.  The governors closely monitor what goes on using both data and first-hand observations.

p.18

Commentary

35. The headteacher’s success in developing and maintaining the very good standards of behaviour, relationships and the very good attitudes of the pupils are a considerable achievement. He has a very clear vision of where he wants the school to go and the need for the pupils’ personal and academic development to be equally good. He has built up a good, dedicated team who are very well motivated and committed to doing the best they can for all the pupils. This is demonstrated by the way the school copes very well with the pupils who have been permanently excluded from other schools and by the very good support provide for the less able, who are not easily distinguishable in the classes. All the pupils are equally valued and their achievements celebrated whatever their ability.

p.18

Commentary

36. Good monitoring of the national test results enables the headteacher, the management team and governors to have a clear picture of how all the pupils are achieving and if their achievement is good enough. Following a disappointing trend in standards at the end of Year 6, effective action has been taken, such as lesson observations, staff training and redeployment. Assessment procedures have been strengthened but are still underdeveloped in science. The good results of these actions are evident in the pupils’ good achievement in Years 3–5.

p.18

Commentary

37. Since the last inspection, the overall leadership and management provided by co-ordinators has improved. Co-ordination, with the exception of science, has improved in terms of the impact it is having on achievement through ensuring work is being increasingly better matched to the needs of all the pupils. The leadership and management of music and personal, social and health education and citizenship are very good, and they are good in English and art and design . The leadership and management of the provision for the pupils with special educational needs are very good. The co- ordinator works very closely with the teachers to ensure that the pupils have the support they need to make very good progress. The governing body supports the provision very well and governors take a keen interest in the pupils’ achievements.

p.18

Commentary

38. There has been a good improvement in the effectiveness of the governing body. The governors now fulfil all their statutory responsibilities. They are involved and active partners in all aspects of school life and have a good cross-section of talent to draw on. The governors are now well informed. As a result, they have a better understanding of the performance of the school, and have a good appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of their school and the action needed, and being taken, to improve standards. The chair of governors is very well informed. He is a regular visitor to the school and has a very good, productive working relationship with the headteacher. Some of the other governors are also regular helpers in the school and this helps to inform the decisions they make. Financial management is prudent and imaginative ways have Glebefields Primary - 19 seen the school’s accommodation improved at minimal cost. The school provides good value

p.18

Commentary

39. The very low attainment of the pupils on entry to the school and the number of the pupils with special educational needs are significant barriers to improvement. However, the very good attitudes of the pupils and their eagerness to learn that the school has cultivated over the years, together with the very supportive parents, are considerable aids to improvement.

p.19

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 783,157 Balance from previous year 29,541 Total expenditure 816,706 Balance carried forward to the next -4,008 Expenditure per pupil 2,333

p.19

Commentary

The deficit at the end of the 2003 year was due to capital expenditure the school had not been reimbursed for. The school’s finances are now in balance. Glebefields Primary - 20

p.19

PART C: THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN AREAS OF LEARNING,

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

p.20

PART C: THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN AREAS OF LEARNING,

40. The abilities of the children when they start in the nursery are very low. This is lower than was the case at the previous inspection. The children achieve well in all areas of learning because of the good teaching. However, because of their very low starting points, standards are well below average with mainly only the higher attaining children achieving the expected goals by the end of the reception year, except in personal, social and emotional development, where the proportion is higher. Standards are therefore lower by the end of the reception year than was found previously. Assessment of the children’s achievement is carried out conscientiously in both the reception classes and is used well to track the children’s learning and to make sure that their individual needs are met. The transfer of information from nursery to the reception classes is satisfactory and is currently being reviewed to improve it. The accommodation in the nursery

p.20

PART C: THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN AREAS OF LEARNING,

is good. In the reception classes it is satisfactory overall, though lack of space hampers the range of activities which can be carried out. The school is resourceful in its use of corridors and outdoor areas and good plans are in place to extend the smaller classroom by next term.

p.20

PART C: THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN AREAS OF LEARNING,

41. The leadership and management of the co-ordinator are good. In the few months that she has been in post, she has developed a clear understanding of what needs to be developed in the Foundation Stage, in particular in relation to strengthening the links between the nursery and reception classes. This was an issue for development identified at the previous inspection. She acted as mentor to the teacher in the parallel reception class and has worked effectively to establish common practice between the two classes in planning, teaching and assessment procedures.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

 The very good relationships make a significant contribution to the children’s developing self- esteem and confidence, which in turn helps them to view themselves as successful learners.  The children develop a good understanding of how to behave and look after themselves.

p.20

Commentary

42. The teaching is good and promotes rapid and successful learning. All of the children achieve well, and some of them very well, so that by the end of the reception year about half of them achieve the expected goals. The children settle quickly and happily when they come into school because the staff make sure that they have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. In developing the children’s self-esteem, the teaching is very good. This is achieved by the skilled use of praise and encouragement and by the consistently high expectations of work and behaviour that are present through both years. Independence is strongly encouraged and the children show increasing skill as they move through the nursery and reception years. They quickly understand that the shaking of a tambourine means that it is time to tidy away and do so with increasing efficiency. The use of this signal is continued through both year groups and is

p.20

Commentary

one of the practices that helps to smooth the transition between nursery and reception. The children get out toys and apparatus, wash their hands and find their name card with increasing independence. The staff value all of the children’s efforts and this gives the children the Glebefields Primary - 21 confidence to try and helps them view themselves as successful learners. This has a significant impact on their attitudes to learning. The children are given increasing responsibility for jobs around their classrooms. Careful consideration is given to the distribution of jobs so that each child’s development is considered.

p.20

Commentary

43. The staff insist on good manners, courtesy and good behaviour, and constantly monitor the children, praising them where appropriate. On several occasions, children were heard saying ‘excuse me’ as they passed another child or ‘thank you’ as they were offered a carton of milk. When children misbehave, the staff take time to discuss their actions with them and to help them understand the impact of their misbehaviour on others. The children share bikes and equipment well, learning effectively how to take turns and co-operate as they move through the Foundation Stage.

p.21

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

 The children achieve well, but their low starting points mean that few children meet the expected goals in speaking, reading and writing.  The children listen attentively to stories, instructions, the staff and each other.

p.21

Commentary

44. The teaching and learning are good and enable the children to achieve well. The children start from a low point and by the time they reach the end of the reception year, only the most able reach the expected goals. However, in listening this proportion is much higher. The children have difficulty pronouncing words clearly, for example saying ‘fis’ for ‘fish’ and this remains the case for many children in the reception class. Although there is good progress between the nursery and reception years, speaking in sentences and holding a conversation is still too difficult for the majority of the children by the end of the reception year. Suitably high priority is given to improving speaking skills and the teachers are diligent in encouraging the children to speak in sentences, being very successful in giving them the confidence to try. Much effort has been given to the development of speaking skills, which was a key issue at the previous

p.21

Commentary

inspection. Plans are in place to add further impetus to this area in the next few months. The children listen intently to their teachers and follow instructions very well. They also listen carefully to each other as individual children attempt to tell the whole group about things they have been doing. In one observed lesson, children in a reception class listened carefully to the teacher’s description and demonstration of how to create a witch’s face. This enabled them to settle quickly to their task, with minimum adult assistance.

p.21

Commentary

45. In both the nursery and reception classes, staff model good reading by making stories interesting and books fun. Children in the nursery turn the pages of books singly, starting from the front. By the end of the reception year, the higher attaining children begin to read independently. The remainder recognise some initial sounds and a few words.

p.21

Commentary

46. A combination of teaching letter formation and opportunities for individual writing help the children to develop their skills. The staff successfully encourage the children to learn the importance of writing by, for example, suggesting that they write a label for a model they have made. Choices of writing materials, and opportunities for children to write, such as in the role- Glebefields Primary - 22 play area of the vet’s clinic, where they can write prescriptions or make appointments, help the children to understand the value of writing. The provision for writing has improved significantly since the previous inspection.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good . Glebefields Primary - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Skilful intervention by the staff during the children’s play and the integration of mathematics into the regular routines of the day help to reinforce mathematical understanding.  Interesting activities help the children to view mathematics positively.

p.23

Commentary

47. The children achieve well from their low attainment on entry because of the good teaching and learning. By the time they leave the reception classes, the higher attaining children reach the expected goals. In the nursery, the children compare different sizes of fish, but their understanding develops very slowly. Their poor speaking skills restrict their ability to express themselves and to explain their answers, and this hampers the consolidation of their learning. The children regularly use construction kits in nursery and reception and the staff are skilful in drawing their attention to patterns and shapes. The staff in both year groups make learning fun and use every opportunity to promote counting, including counting to larger numbers, such as how many children are present each morning. A soft toy with items in its pockets is used well to teach simple addition in reception. Similarly, activities such as a simple game of bingo, and the

p.23

Commentary

hiding of numerals in the sand tray, make mathematical understanding fun, and are planned to make sure that each child’s needs are met.

p.23

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Visits are used very well to enrich the children’s learning.  Children’s learning is enhanced through the use of computers.

p.23

Commentary

48. The teachers use a good range of activities to enrich the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world around them. As a result of the good teaching and learning, the children achieve well. The low attainment on entry means that less than half of the children are on course to achieve the expected goals by the end of the reception year. Walks in the local area help the children in both years to gain an understanding of their local environment, to observe the changing seasons and to explore their senses. Visits to the post office, a bakery and a farm all help to enrich the children’s understanding of the world around them. A visit by the nursery children to a local clinic, for example, helped them to understand about different people’s jobs. The children act out their interpretation of these jobs as they use the role-play area as a hospital. Activities such as planting flowers and seeds in the nursery and studying the life-cycle of the

p.23

Commentary

frog in reception help the children to understand aspects of growth. They also encourage observational skills and stimulate the children’s curiosity. Computers are used effectively to support different areas of learning in both the nursery and reception classes. The children gain satisfactory computer skills as they use a mouse to drag and drop pictures and letters.

p.23

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

Glebefields Primary - 24  The children have good opportunities to develop fine movements skills through a range of activities.  Opportunities to develop large movement skills are sometimes missed in the nursery.

p.24

Commentary

49. The good teaching and learning enable the children to achieve well. The low skills with which they enter the school means that less than half achieve the expected goals by the end of the reception year. The teachers provide many opportunities for them to develop their fine manipulative skills through handling paintbrushes, and using glue spreaders and scissors. The completion of jigsaws and the use of construction kits further enhance this process and these skills develop well through the two years. The teachers are fastidious in teaching the correct way to hold a pencil and this aids the children’s developing control. In the reception classes, children develop skills such as climbing, balancing and becoming aware of space and others through teaching outdoors and in the school hall. The nursery has its own enclosed outdoor area, which provides sufficient grass and hard play surfaces. At times, in this area, there is too little

p.24

Commentary

planned teaching and so opportunities to develop the skills of balance, control and co-ordination are reduced.

p.24

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

 The staff have high expectations of what the children will achieve.  Opportunities for creativity and imagination are sometimes restricted by too much teacher input to activities.

p.24

Commentary

50. The children start from a low base. They achieve well because of the good teaching and learning, but only the most able achieve the expected goals by the end of the reception year. The children enjoy singing and join in enthusiastically because the teachers make the lessons fun. In both nursery and reception, the children were keen to join in with songs and rhymes which were familiar to them. Children in the nursery made good progress in using percussion instruments to make ‘happy’, ‘sleepy’ and ‘angry’ noises. The teacher’s high expectations of their performance and encouragement were significant in the children’s achievement. By the end of the lesson, they understood and could make ‘sleepy’ sounds, which were quiet, and ‘angry’ sounds which were loud. The children have many opportunities to colour and draw, but sometimes opportunities for the use of imagination and creativity are restricted by over-direction from the

p.24

Commentary

staff and by the limited range of materials from which to choose. Good use is made of role-play areas in nursery and reception to develop the children’s language and social skills. The children benefit most when the staff intervene to model role-play for them, such as in helping them to learn what the receptionist at the vet’s clinic might say or what the nurse would do in the hospital. Glebefields Primary - 25

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Achievement is good on balance because teaching is usually well matched to the pupils’ needs, but it is less good in Year 6.  Assessments are thorough and help the teachers set suitably challenging tasks.  Some marking does not explain what pupils need to do next to improve.  Curriculum management is good because teaching and learning are regularly monitored. The development of literacy is emphasised well throughout the curriculum, helping to improve the pupils’ access to the vast majority of subjects.

p.25

Commentary

51. The 2003 National Curriculum test results were well below average and below those of similar schools. They did not reflect the picture in previous years of standards at least as good as those of similar schools because of an unusually high proportion of the pupils with special educational needs. The pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is very low, particularly in communication, language and literacy. Their standards are below average by Year 2, but this still represent good achievement thanks to good teaching. The work of the current Year 6 shows that standards have improved but remain below average because though the satisfactory teaching has resulted in satisfactory achievement and progress, it has not provided the stimulation and challenge to take the pupils further. In Years 3-5, however, there is an increasing proportion of the pupils moving towards the national average. The examination of written work, observation of lessons, reading

p.25

Commentary

sessions and conversations show that the pupils in the current Year 5 are working at levels broadly typical for their age. Given their starting point they are clearly achieving well.

p.25

Commentary

52. Key factors in the effectiveness of teaching and learning are the good quality and use of assessment. Statutory and optional test results are analysed to see where a sharper focus is needed so that all groups of pupils might achieve well. This has helped show, for example, the positive effects of the increased use of “boy friendly” materials prior to last year’s tests for Year 6, when boys performed better than girls. The school has looked closely at the strengths and weaknesses of boys and girls in the different strands of the subject in order to provide appropriate targets for individuals as well as groups. As a result, the current performances of boys and girls reflect more the national picture. Across the school, marking usually takes targets and individual education plans into account but some of the teachers concentrate on what the pupils have done rather than what they need to do next. This celebrates the pupils’ success but

p.25

Commentary

does not always move them on. The very good relationships between the teachers and the pupils mean that feedback in lessons is usually given and received constructively.

p.25

Commentary

53. Good curriculum leadership has ensured that in every class the pupils’ work has been examined and at least one lesson observed. As a result, the school is able to plan better to help staff develop their skills and also to match the teachers with classes to make the best use of particular expertise. The positive impact of this is gradually becoming apparent in the pupils’ achievement. Glebefields Primary - 26 54. Since the last inspection the pupils now enjoy the facility of both a fiction and a non-fiction library with a satisfactory, although not wide, range of books. This supports the development of the pupils’ research skills. The recruitment and training of volunteer helpers has contributed to improvements in reading. A concerted effort to raise standards in handwriting is bearing fruit: from Year 2 joined handwriting is usual. However, many of the pupils still do not use Standard English consistently despite the clear models offered by the teachers and the opportunities

p.25

Commentary

provided across the curriculum for pupils to speak for a variety of purposes. The pupils in Year 6 converse politely, listen carefully to what others say and make pertinent contributions themselves. They are rarely ambiguous but not always immediately clear to anyone unfamiliar with their dialect. The Year 5 pupils speak with greater clarity, testimony to the school’s actions to address sensitively the issues of accuracy and fluency. Improvement overall is good.

p.26

Language and literacy across the curriculum

55. The attention given to all aspects of literacy throughout the curriculum demonstrates a good response to issues raised at the last inspection. There are many opportunities for the pupils to write in different ways, both in note form and at length. Years 4 and 5 pupils, for example, wrote persuasive letters about improvements to the local area, making use of key geographical vocabulary. Correct terms also enhance Year 6 accounts of aspects of different religions. Discussion is a good feature of many lessons. The use for example of drama and “hot seating” in PSHE and history lessons, and of “talk partners” in music lessons, means that the development of literacy overall and speaking in particular is supported well.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Achievement is good for most of the pupils, but standards remain below average in Year 6.  Teaching is good and the teachers use a range of strategies to make learning interesting.  The pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and expect to work hard and to be successful.  Mathematics is used well in other subjects, but is not yet a systematic enough part of planning and teaching.

p.26

Commentary

56. The standards in mathematics are currently below average in Years 2 and 6. This shows a fall in standards since the previous inspection and is largely due to the high numbers of the pupils with special educational needs in relation to those capable of attaining higher levels, and the very low overall mathematical understanding of the children when they enter the school. Throughout the school, the pupils achieve well and by Year 5 attain standards that are much closer to those typical for their age. However, in the current Year 6, whilst achievement is good for many pupils, for a significant minority, it is only satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

57. Overall, the teaching is good and this contributes to the good achievement of most pupils. The teachers use a range of strategies to maintain the pupils’ interest and support their learning. In a lesson in Year 3, the mixture of mental and written strategies for calculation used by the teacher helped the pupils begin to understand methods of ‘adding on’ from a given number. The teaching of mathematical terminology is good. Words are displayed in classrooms and the teachers make sure that the pupils understand and use them correctly. In a lesson in Year 2, Glebefields Primary - 27 words such as ‘total’ and ‘altogether’ were displayed on the pupils’ tables to help them understand the mathematical problems they were working out. Individual work is suitably planned in most year groups to build on previous learning. This gives the pupils considerable challenge, whilst enabling them to succeed with effort. Where there is less planning for

p.26

Commentary

individual needs, as is sometimes the case in Year 6, some pupils are given tasks which are either too hard or too easy, and their achievement is only satisfactory.

p.27

Commentary

58. The very good relationships between the pupils and adults, and the high level of self-esteem fostered in the pupils by the staff, encourage them to work diligently and to expect to achieve well. A good example of this occurred in a Year 5 class where the pupils were calculating 50 percent of given amounts. The work was particularly challenging for the pupils with special needs, but they sustained their efforts throughout the lesson, trying hard to understand the process and to apply their calculation skills. They were supported well by the teaching assistant. All the teaching assistants are fully briefed about their roles and enable the pupils with special educational needs to achieve well by giving carefully targeted help.

p.27

Commentary

59. The leadership is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has an appropriate understanding of what needs to be done to raise standards in the subject and suitable plans are in place to bring this about.

p.27

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. Throughout the school there are adequate opportunities for the pupils to use and develop their knowledge and use of mathematics in other subjects. The measuring of paper to make picture frames in a design and technology lesson, and graphs to record the growth of plants in science, help the pupils to understand the practical uses of the skills they have learned. However, the teaching of mathematics across the curriculum is more incidental than a systematic part of the planning and teaching, and the co-ordinator is aware that this is an area for development.

p.27

SCIENCE

Provision in science is un satisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Improvement since the previous inspection has been limited because leadership and management of the subject are not good enough.  Planning and assessment at whole school level are underdeveloped.  Pupils’ skills and understanding in investigational science are not built upon systematically.  Relationships are very good and pupils concentrate well.

p.27

Commentary

61. In the 2003 tests taken by the pupils in Year 6, where the proportion of the pupils with special educational needs was high, results were well below average in comparison to all schools. Few of the pupils reached the higher levels of attainment expected. In comparison to similar schools, standards over the previous years have been at least average, except in 2003 where they were well below average. Overall, the pupils come into Year 1 with well below average standards and make satisfactory progress. Current standards in Year 2 and Year 6 are below average. However, there are some indications that standards are improving because standards in Year 5 are now broadly average. In investigative science, however, the pupils’ skills and understanding are not being developed systematically and their achievement in this aspect of science is unsatisfactory. Glebefields Primary - 28 62. Direction for the subject at whole school level has not been sufficiently robust as the leadership of the

p.27

Commentary

co-ordinator has been unsatisfactory. Although there has been some effective analysis of tests in Year 6 to identify the pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in order that teaching can be directed carefully, over the whole school, monitoring of the subject has not been effective enough in identifying strengths and weaknesses and taking action. The school has appropriate plans to improve information about how well the pupils are doing but this was identified in the previous inspection report and is an area which has not been sufficiently well addressed. In several classes, the teachers are planning effectively because they quickly find out what the pupils can do and adjust plans appropriately; however, the less experienced teachers are not as good at doing this. The use of ICT to support learning on a day-to-day basis is underdeveloped.

p.28

Commentary

63. Overall, teaching is satisfactory. The teachers expect and get high standards of behaviour and treat all the pupils fairly, and this results in good attitudes to learning. Planning covers all aspects of the subject and a suitable proportion of lessons are spent on practical and investigational work. In most teaching, the pupils are given practical tasks that support learning in those individual lessons, but which are often not developing the pupils’ skills in a systematic enough way. This is mainly because of a lack of detailed information on the pupils’ previous attainment that prevents teaching being precisely matched to the pupils’ learning needs. As a result, there are occasions where work is either too complex or insufficiently challenging and this inhibits the pupils’ learning and progress.

p.28

Commentary

64. The pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and are keen to do well. They answer questions and contribute enthusiastically during class and paired discussion. Both girls and boys co-operate well in class and they work hard. The pupils with special educational needs are frequently given additional support and make at least satisfactory and sometimes good progress. The climate for learning is very good as a result of the positive relationships throughout the school.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

 Major improvements have been and are being made in resources.  Assessment has improved well since the last inspection and is being further refined.  The use of ICT across the curriculum is inconsistent.

p.28

Commentary

65. When the pupils start Year 1 their attainment is generally below average and for some of the pupils it is well below average. By Year 2 and 6, standards remain below average, but this represents satisfactory achievement.

p.28

Commentary

66. In a lesson observed in Year 2 to find information by the use of key words, the pupils explored a CD-ROM. They were able to access and interrogate the resource effectively. Although they explored, they did not organise or classify their findings. They word-processed their findings satisfactorily. Displays confirm that the pupils regularly word-process satisfactorily. Errors in the use of upper-case text and excess spacing are common, but the message is generally clear. The pupils vary font, size and colour and are starting to import photographs as well as clip-art. A small group of Year 6 the pupils demonstrated a multi-media presentation. They produced and organised ideas within a program but had not combined material from different sources, for example, by importing material from elsewhere.

p.28

Commentary

67. Since the last inspection the school has improved its resources. The school management has decided to lease new hardware to replace machines currently in the ICT suite ready for summer Glebefields Primary - 29 2004. High-speed connection to the Internet is imminent. The better existing equipment will in turn be used to enhance provision in classrooms. More interactive whiteboards await delivery. The use of an interactive whiteboard in a Year 5 lesson on spreadsheets had a positive impact on standards because it allowed the pupils to see clearly and even demonstrate to others how to undertake the tasks. This also allowed a vision-impaired pupil to participate as fully as anyone else. All the pupils achieved well and reached standards broadly expected for their age.

p.28

Commentary

68. The school is developing a more focused system of assessment. Rather than rely on broad statements of outcome the teachers are starting to use more detailed checklists of skills. This means that both the teachers and the pupils can see at a glance how well they are doing and especially what the next steps should be. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall because some the teachers are less certain than others in how to move the pupils on. The new, detailed assessment system should help make this easier. This also shows that management overall is satisfactory because improvements to assessment, resourcing and relevant staff training are not complete and therefore not fully effective in raising standards.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. ICT is used regularly to support the pupils with special educational needs. This includes specific programmes introduced to help address particular difficulties. The outcomes show that this provision is effective. ICT was used well to support an art lesson for all groups in Year 4 and displays show that the pupils in Year 2 have enhanced their geography studies by producing simple tourist brochures. Correspondence via e-mail has helped some classes broaden their horizons by forging links with the pupils abroad. In some lessons computers were available, switched on but unused. Apart from examples of word-processing and the use of ICT in art and design there was little to suggest that the use of ICT in other subjects is a regular part of all the pupils’ learning.

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HUMANITIES

History and religious education were inspected in full and are reported in detail below. Geography was sampled.

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HUMANITIES

70. A satisfactory geography curriculum is in place and, from the work seen, the pupils’ standards are average. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when gaps in the pupils’ knowledge and understanding produced below average standards. In the lesson observed, the teaching, learning and achievement were good. The pupils collaborated well in deciding what most needed to be improved in their local area and in planning a letter to the local council to persuade them to make improvements. The teacher made good links with recent work in English about persuasive writing. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The coordinator has satisfactory knowledge of the curriculum and how resources are used to support it. She knows what needs to be done in the subject and has monitored work, but has not monitored teaching.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Glebefields Primary - 30  The teachers make good use of opportunities to develop speaking and writing skills through history.  Learning is enriched through educational visits, drama and discussion.

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Commentary

71. In Years 2 and 6, standards have risen since the previous inspection and are now average. The pupils’ achievement is good. The good teaching and learning identified in Years 3 to 6 at the previous inspection have been maintained. In Years 1 and 2, the teaching has improved and is now good.

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Commentary

72. The development of speaking and writing skills, whilst keeping a focus on learning in history, is achieved with considerable success. In a Year 1 class, discussion in pairs and as a whole group about holidays long ago was successful in enabling the pupils to identify similarities and differences between holidays then and now, whilst also encouraging the development of purposeful discussion. The pupils in Year 4 recorded under different headings information about changes in their local area. The teacher challenged the higher attaining pupils well by insisting that they produced more detailed sentences.

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Commentary

73. Educational visits are used regularly to enrich the pupils’ understanding of history. In a lesson in Year 4, the teacher made good use of information gleaned from a recent educational visit to a museum, during which the pupils had learned much about life in Victorian times. The recollection of this experience by the pupils stimulated much interest in the learning and motivated them to seek further information. They studied photographs and text books with enthusiasm to research more facts. The use of drama with a Year 2 class was successful in helping the pupils increase their understanding of what life was like in hospitals at the time of Florence Nightingale.

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Commentary

74. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has done much to increase and improve the resources and historical artefacts to support learning. She has also been instrumental in promoting the development of language skills in history lessons. She has a good awareness of how the curriculum is developing and has checked that there is sufficient coverage of the required subjects, but has not monitored teaching.

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Religious Education

Provision for religious education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 Good teaching enables pupils to understand how people in the Bible might have felt.  Assessment has improved since the last inspection.  Learning is enriched through visits and drama.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

75. Standards are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education and achievement is good. In a lesson in Year 4 about the biblical Exodus, the teaching was good. Through very good questioning and opportunities for a variety of activities including drama, the teacher made pupils think hard about how Israelites and Egyptians might have felt, and how they themselves might have reacted. This led to very good achievement as all groups of Glebefields Primary - 31 pupils expressed their views and higher attainers began to make tentative moral judgements. This balanced approach was not so evident in a lesson for Year 6 about Christian Baptism. Although the pupils showed that they had learned about some of the differing practices in churches and used religious terms correctly and the teacher asked probing questions about the factual aspects, pupils had little opportunity to reflect on their own beliefs and to consider what

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Main strengths and weaknesses

they might learn from religion. A sample of books from Year 6 included good information on the historical contributions of Muslim scholars to art and science, helping pupils to respect the achievements of other societies as well as enhancing their understanding of a range of subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

76. Lessons throughout the school cover the agreed syllabus adequately, following a two-yearly cycle. Good use is made of nationally recognised guidance to help provide a range of suitable tasks. The introduction of a revised system of assessment, including levels emulating those of the National Curriculum, represents a good improvement since the last inspection. This is being built into the planning to enable teachers to see how well pupils are moving forward. Very close links with the local church and good links with other places of worship including a gurdwara, mosque and synagogue enhance the pupils’ learning well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

77. Leadership is satisfactory. The co-ordinator has a suitable understanding of where the subject is and what needs to be done to ensure further improvement.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design was inspected in detail and is reported in full below. Design and technology, music and physical education were sampled.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. Only one lesson was observed in design and technology . In this lesson, Year 3 pupils designed torches using ideas from dismantling a range of different commercial models. There are good links with science because the pupils have been developing their understanding of electricity flow through circuits. The lesson supported the development of key vocabulary very well and the pupils’ achievement was good. In Year 4 the pupils plan and make pop-up cards based on a range of designs studied. Overall, lessons and samples of work seen indicate that standards are below average but that achievement is good.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement on music provision as only two lessons were seen. Singing in assemblies is good, and the singing of the large school choir is very good. A good range of instrumental tuition is available to support the more able. In a Year 6 lesson, the pupils showed a good level of skill in accompanying their own singing with instruments. They kept the beat well and came in on time. Initially some of the less able had difficulty in keeping the beat but good teaching and good support from the teaching assistant ensured the pupils eventually enjoyed success with all the pupils achieving well. The leadership and management of music are very good. The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable and has made a very good contribution to the development of music in the school. She has built up a very good range of quality resources to support the teaching and learning and to ensure that skills are

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

developed in a systematic and enjoyable way.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. Only one physical education lesson was seen. The pupils in gymnastics club and dance and skipping demonstrations involving older boys and girls provided further evidence. Based on this sample, standards are above average. The pupils in Year 1 co-operate very well in playing games and lessons have a good emphasis on skill development. The standard of dance in the school is exceptional with some particularly talented pupils taking part in solo and pair performances. Dance is a speciality of the school. The pupils can perform a wide variety of Glebefields Primary - 32 dances including Latin American, Disco, Clog and Morris. The dancing shows a very good awareness of rhythm and high levels of accuracy and control. The pupils take responsibility to organise and run aspects of the sessions and older pupils provide an excellent role model for younger ones. Boys make up a good proportion of the dancers. The skipping demonstration

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

indicated similarly high standards. The performances were athletic and showed very good levels of fitness. The pupils take great pride in their achievements and have well-developed presentational skills. Their performances done in full costume are clearly inspirational.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 The pupils achieve well because of good teaching.  A good range of well planned and resourced activities ensure that skills are appropriately developed.  The use of sketchbooks is inconsistent.  The use of art supports the pupils’ cultural development well.

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Commentary

81. There has been a good improvement in art and design since the last inspection and the weaknesses have been addressed; skills are now taught in a systematic way and this is evident in the improvement in standards. At the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are above average and the pupils achieve well. The pupils’ painting skills are good and their pictures are lively and generally carefully finished. They have good opportunities to record their first-hand observations in a variety of media, pastel, pencil and clay. In a Year 3 lesson, the pupils enjoyed learning as they made sketches of different textures in the school grounds to help them design their sculptures. The good teaching helped to keep the pupils focussed on the task by stressing the importance of shading and an accurate representation of the patterns. The pupils took a lot of care and achieved well. The pupils with special educational needs were well

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Commentary

supported and were able to take a full part in the lesson and achieve well. In a Year 4 lesson, a group of the pupils effectively used a computer program to create repetitive patterns. Some classes make good use of sketchbooks so that the pupils can record details and features to be used in later work, but this good use of the books is not universal.

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Commentary

82. Throughout the school, the pupils have access to a good range of quality resources that help to enhance the quality of learning. Use of visiting experts gives the pupils access to the knowledge and skills of professional artists. A good range of work based on the artwork of ancient cultures and more recent famous people, such as Gaudi, makes a good contribution to the pupils’ understanding of the achievements of other cultures.

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Commentary

83. Good leadership is provided by the co-ordinator. She has a good understanding of how to take the subject forward.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

 The pupils’ personal development is promoted very well through very good teaching. Glebefields Primary - 33  The use of lunch and play times to promote personal, social and health development is very good.  Leadership and management are very good.

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Commentary

84. The quality of teaching is very good and the pupils learn very well. The teachers make very good use of discussion and role play to establish the pupils’ understanding of their roles as active citizens, and in developing confidence and a sense of responsibility. Year 2 pupils have mature and responsible views about looking after their environment. Year 4 pupils reflect about their achievements and future goals. In Year 5, the pupils explore behaviour and consequences maturely and openly. In all lessons, the pupils co-operate with each other very well and respect each other’s contributions. Teaching assistants support the teachers well. The pupils with special educational needs are fully involved and contribute effectively.

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Commentary

85. School break and lunch times are memorable occasions because there are so many worthwhile activities going on, many run and organised by the pupils themselves. The pupils sell fruit, set out a large range of toys and games and take part in a wide range of activities. For example, the pupils of all ages practise dance routines, skipping tricks, circus skills and play football. There is supervised climbing on the school’s climbing wall and skateboarding. The pupils expend very large amounts of energy. Behaviour is very good. The pupils show concern for each other and play co-operatively.

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Commentary

86. The quality of the overall programme is a significant strength of the school and it meets the needs of the pupils very well. It is very well managed and firmly established. The headteacher plays a key role in developing and extending these opportunities and is a charismatic figure around the school, encouraging and supporting all the pupils. The in-school arrangements are supplemented by international visits. These are exceptional, and provide the pupils with very good opportunities to reflect on their achievements and develop self-esteem. There are good opportunities for community work. The programme for sex and drugs education is strongly delivered and the school provides very good support for individual pupils. Healthy eating is also promoted well through the school’s breakfast club. The school has maintained the high standards identified in the previous report. Glebefields Primary - 34

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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

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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 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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