Godshill Primary School

GODSHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th to 26 th May 2004

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GODSHILL PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Godshill Primary - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 to 9 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 119 School address: School Road Godshill Ventnor Isle of Wight Postcode: PO38 3HJ Telephone number: 01983 840246 Fax number: 01983 840246 Appropriate authority: The governing body, Godshill Primary School Name of chair of governors: R J Westmore, OBE Date of previous inspection: June 1998.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Godshill Primary School is smaller than most other schools of the same type. There are 12 more pupils compared with when the school was last inspected. The school has nine pupils on its register of special educational needs, which is well below the level of the national average. One of the pupils has a statement of special educational need which is about the national average. At below four per cent, the number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The school has 61 boys and 58 girls on roll although some years have a significant imbalance in the numbers of boys and girls. Very few of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and none speaks English as an additional language. Both of these features are lower than in most schools. During the last school year, eight pupils entered the school other than at the usual time of first admission and 13 left it at a time which was not the normal leaving or transfer time for most pupils.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This rate of mobility is high. In the last two years, one teacher left the school and was replaced. This is a low rate of turnover. Pupils enter the school at below average levels of attainment. The school was awarded Beacon status in 2001 and a Schools Achievement Award in 2002. It holds a number of other awards including the Basic Skills Quality Mark, Activemark and the Artsmark (Silver).

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 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. Godshill Primary - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

15917 Bob Cross Lead inspector Science, geography, information and communication technology, physical education, English as an additional language. 9446 Helen Griffiths Lay inspector 19142 Audrey Quinnell Team inspector Mathematics, history, religious education, personal, social, health education and citizenship, special educational needs. 27644 John Tate Team inspector English, art and design, design and technology, music, Foundation Stage.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Phoenix Educational Consultants “Thule” 60 Joy Lane Whitstable Kent

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Godshill Primary - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 8

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an excellent school. All pupils do very well and reach very high standards in both their academic work and personal development. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher results in all concerned with the school working together in an exemplary manner for the benefit of the pupils. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. The school gives very good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils enter this school at below average standards and leave it at well above average levels. • The excellent leadership of the headteacher and the very good support she receives from all members of staff are the keys to the school’s success. • The quality of teaching and learning is consistently very good. • Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour are excellent. • The school’s very wide curriculum stimulates the pupils’ learning and gives them excellent equality of opportunity. • The care, guidance and support pupils receive are very good. • The school provides excellent support and advice for other schools. • The strength of relationships with parents and the community supports the pupils’ learning very well. • The school is well governed but the governors are very dependent on the headteacher. • The school’s library facilities are an area for development.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made a very good improvement since it was last inspected. The good quality of education provided by the school has been at least maintained in all aspects of its work. In a significant number of areas, for example, the standards reached by the pupils, their attitudes and behaviour and curricular provision, there has been further improvement on the previous high standards. The four key issues for action from the previous inspection have been well addressed. This is particularly the case in the way that data are now used to set targets to raise standards.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 reading A* A* A* A* writing A* A* A* A mathematics A* A A* A Key: A* - in the top five per cent in the country; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is very good throughout the school. In Year R, children are on course to significantly exceed the goals they are expected to reach by the end of Reception in all areas of learning from a below average starting point. In Year 2, standards are well above average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. In Year 4, standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science. The all round strength of the standards reached by the pupils is shown by the fact that in Years 2 and 4, standards are also well above average in information and communication technology (ICT), art and design and physical education (PE). Pupils of all abilities do equally well. Those with special educational needs (SEN) progress so well that most reach broadly average standards. Special provision is made for pupils who are gifted and talented to enable them to make the most of their abilities. Godshill Primary - 5

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Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are excellent. Provision for their spiritual, moral, social and

cultural development is very good. All pupils are very confident and have high self-esteem because they know that the school values all that they have to offer. Pupils know the school rules well and are very well aware of how they should behave. Attendance is above the national average and punctuality is good.

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The quality of education provided by the school is excellent. The quality of teaching and

learning is consistently very good. Teachers have very high expectations of the pupils. As a result, the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are excellent and standards are high. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher leads to a consistently effective focus on high standards and the all round development of the pupils. Curricular provision, the care and support given to the pupils and relationships with parents and the community are all very good. The school’s ethos is excellent.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. The leadership of the headteacher is outstanding as is that of several other co-ordinators, for example, those responsible for the Foundation Stage, literacy and science. The strength of this leadership has resulted in a very clear and effective vision for the school being successfully communicated to all associated with it. As a result, staff, pupils, parents and governors are fully and effectively committed to ensuring that all pupils reach their full potential in all aspects of their development. The success of this team effort is evident, for example, in the high academic standards reached by the pupils, their attitudes to their work, the quality of teaching and the support given by parents. The governance of the school is good. The governors know the school’s strengths well and support the headteacher and staff fully. They have ensured that all statutory requirements are met. However, they do not formally evaluate

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents overwhelmingly support the school. They feel that it motivates them to support their children’s learning. Support by pupils is equally strong especially in terms of the teaching they receive.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Evaluate and develop aspects of governance. • Improve the school’s library facilities. Godshill Primary - 6

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

In all subjects where judgements were possible, standards were well above average. Achievement for all groups of pupils is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils do very well. • Standards are consistently high.

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Commentary

1. All pupils make very good progress in this school and, overall, reach well above average standards. Children enter Reception at below average levels of attainment and leave it with most children exceeding the goals they are expected to have reached. This is an improvement on the findings of the school’s last inspection.

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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 19.3 (19.3) 15.9 (15.8) writing 17.5 (17.4) 14.8 (14.4) mathematics 18.8 (18.7) 16.4 (16.5) There were19 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Standards in the end of Year 2 national tests and assessments, compared with all schools and with similar schools, have been consistently high in all subjects for some years. The findings of the inspection are that, in Years 2 and 4, standards are well above average in speaking, listening, reading, writing, English, mathematics, science, ICT, art and design and PE. All of these judgements in both year groups represent an improvement in standards since the school was last inspected.

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Commentary

3. Throughout the school, pupils who have SEN make very good progress and most achieve broadly average standards. This is due to the very good provision and support provided for them. Gifted and talented pupils are very well supported in the school and by attendance at provision made by the Local Education Authority.

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Commentary

4. The high standards, very good achievement and improvements since the school’s last inspection all reflect the headteacher’s determination that all pupils will do as well as they can in all aspects of their development. The school’s use of assessment information has improved significantly since it was last inspected and is now very well used to ensure that all pupils are given work which is challenging but attainable. This information is also very well used to make sure that the pupils know how to improve. They like this and try hard, which, allied to the very good quality of teaching in the school, results in very good achievement and well above average standards.

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Commentary

5. The pupils’ literacy, numeracy and ICT skills are used very well to assist their learning in other subjects. Good examples of the use of these skills are evident in all areas of the curriculum. In addition, the wide ranging curriculum is organised so that basic skills are developed in an interesting way. Additionally, the strong links made with other subjects also promote high standards. Pupils like this and respond in an outstanding manner with the full support of their parents. Godshill Primary - 7

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are excellent. Their attendance and punctuality are good. Their moral, social, spiritual and cultural development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very eager to learn, concentrate very well and join in all activities with enthusiasm. • Their behaviour is excellent in lessons, assemblies and around the school. • Relationships between pupils and among pupils and adults are excellent. • Pupils are very willing to take responsibility. They are confident, mature, highly articulate and very supportive of one another. • Pupils show excellent respect for one another’s feelings and beliefs. • The attendance rate is above the national average.

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Commentary

6. At all stages, pupils enjoy school and all it has to offer. Children in the Reception class settle quickly into school routines and interact very well with older pupils. Pupils show excellent concentration and want to do well. They are highly articulate and mature and are very independent in their approach to learning. They listen very well to the views of others, co-operate very well and are very trustworthy. Pupils take pride in their work and treat their environment with great respect: for example, all pupils are given an area of the school to look after and the gardens are beautifully cared for. In discussion, pupils particularly valued the friendliness of the school and the help they received from their teachers. They also enjoyed the challenge of their lessons: one pupil said, “If it’s too easy, it’s boring.” All pupils talk with courtesy and openness to adults and are able to express their views

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Commentary

with thoughtfulness and maturity in class discussions.

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Commentary

7. Attitudes towards learning in Reception are excellent. Children are very willing to learn and do so with enthusiasm. Behaviour is likewise excellent and children display a level of tolerance and co- operation seldom seen in Reception classes.

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Commentary

8. Behaviour is excellent throughout the school in lessons, assemblies and playtimes, because pupils respond so well to teachers’ and other adults’ high expectations of them. This reflects the views of the parents who responded to the questionnaire. Pupils fully understand the difference between right and wrong. When asked about behaviour in the school, several pupils expressed concern that others did not say “please” and “thank you” enough. This appeared to be the worst misbehaviour they could recollect. No bullying or harassment was observed during the inspection and pupils knew what they should do if it should occur.

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Commentary

9. Pupils are very enterprising and respond very well to the many very good opportunities for taking responsibility. Relationships between pupils and adults and among the pupils themselves are excellent. For example, in a Year 4 English lesson on writing collaborative stories, the excellent interaction between the teacher and pupils contributed very well to pupils’ learning. Pupils are very keen to take part in school activities.

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Commentary

10. The family ethos and the social and moral development of the pupils are very good. Pupils behave with great consideration for others and have a very well-developed sense of how their behaviour might affect others. The school council, class councils and the buddy system make a very good contribution to the life of the school: for example, the noise and tidiness monitors system came into being at their suggestion. In discussions, pupils particularly liked the way that other pupils welcomed newcomers and all felt confident that they could ask for help at any time from any adult in the school. All staff are good role models, presenting a calm and thoughtful approach to life and the school and discussing issues with pupils during the school day. The personal, social, health and Godshill Primary - 8 citizenship education programme (PHSCE) makes a very good contribution to pupils’ moral and social development .

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Commentary

11. Attendance and punctuality are good. This is an improvement on the finding of the last report. The highly efficient administrative officer and the headteacher monitor attendance effectively and are well supported by the educational welfare service. There is no unauthorised absence. There have been no exclusions for many years.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.5 School data : 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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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 82 0 0 White – Irish 1 0 0 White – any other White background 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 6 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

12. Provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is very good. Pupils have very good opportunities to reflect on their own beliefs and the beliefs of others through religious education and during collective worship. For example, in an assembly presented by the Archdeacon, pupils were obviously excited and uplifted by his imaginative talk on the first Pentecost. Prayers are said before lunch and at the end of the day. The memorial garden to a former pupil offers a quiet area for reflection for pupils. All pupils show very good self-knowledge in discussions. There are very good links with the local church. Pupils have very good opportunities to study their own community through the many visits and activities provided for them. For example, pupils exhibit their work at Quay Arts and the church. Their work with artists in residence is of a high quality and is displayed around the school and pupils take part in a multicultural Arts Week. The school has had links via email with a

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Exclusions

school in a multiethnic area and already has links with schools in Malawi and Anguilla.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is excellent. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher leads to a consistently effective focus on high standards and the all round development of the pupils. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning is consistently very good, the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are excellent and standards are high. Curricular provision, the care and support given to the pupils and relationships with parents and the community are all very good. The school’s ethos is excellent. Godshill Primary - 9

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Teaching and learning

Teaching, learning and assessment are all very good throughout the school except in the Foundation Stage where assessment is excellent.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers expect the pupils to do well and they respond fully. • The work set for the pupils is challenging and they enjoy it. • Teachers’ planning is excellent. • All pupils receive outstanding equality of opportunity.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

1 12 12 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

13. Throughout the school, the quality of teaching and learning is consistently very good. The strongest teaching is in Years R, 2 and 4. However, there are no weak links in teaching and learning in this school, so that pupils always build well on their previous progress as they move through the school. All teachers have very high expectations of the pupils and they rise to meet them. This is the basis of the high standards that the pupils achieve and reflects the outstanding nature of the headteacher’s leadership. The school’s assessment procedures represent its most improved aspect since it was last inspected.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

14. The children make a flying start in Reception. Particular strengths of the teaching in Year R include highly detailed planning, meticulous assessment and record-keeping, high expectations and an insistence on high standards of behaviour. The teacher works very well with the teaching assistants and there is a fine team spirit. The work set for the children is very challenging and is carefully related to individual needs. The children respond by working very hard. They develop excellent attitudes to their work and their behaviour is excellent. All children, including those with SEN, benefit from working in such a stimulating and exciting environment. They build a strong platform for the later stages of their education.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

15. The strengths in teaching and learning found in Year R are also evident in Years 1 to 4 and, as a result, pupils continue to make very good progress. Assessment information is used very well so that, for example, teachers provide very well for pupils who have SEN. Clear, short achievable targets are set for these pupils and the work is adapted very well to their needs. This ensures that they make very good progress. Pupils who are gifted and talented are fully recognised and attend special sessions organised by the Local Education Authority which meet their needs as well as strong provision in the school. Pupils of all abilities in Years 1 to 4 benefit from the teachers’ high levels of subject expertise particularly in science and ICT.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

16. An English lesson in Year 4 where the pupils wrote a story collaboratively illustrated the strengths of the teaching throughout the school. The lesson began with a challenging and dynamic opening session in which the pupils wrote everything they could think about to describe the sky and then a pizza. The pupils worked with absolute concentration and the lesson moved on to writing a Godshill Primary - 10 sentence about a pizza. The teacher then recapitulated previous work about writing the opening of a story and reminded the pupils about the objective of the lesson, their own targets and the need for correct punctuation. The pupils were given a wide range of very good examples to help them to improve their writing and the teacher’s use of a wide vocabulary encouraged them to enhance their work. Pupils of all abilities were well supported and produced bright and interesting work which used a wide range of vocabulary and fully met the lesson’s objectives. Very high expectations and

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

challenging work which was well matched to the pupils’ abilities enabled them to make very good progress and to reach very high standards.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

17. The way teachers plan and organise the curriculum is a particular strength of the teaching and learning. Teaching is organised so that the specific skills relevant to each subject or area of development are fully developed. In addition, however, strong links are fostered with other areas of the curriculum so that the pupils’ work is always interesting and broadly based. As a result, the pupils’ skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT are very well applied in all subjects. The use of these subjects and others, such as art and design and design and technology (DT) was very evident in a topic on Captain Cook that Year 2 had recently undertaken. ICT is used both as a teaching aid such as when a projector is used to support the presentation of a lesson, and to assist the pupils’ development in a subject area. The teacher responsible for ICT often supports the teaching of the initial input in a subject in the classroom alongside the class teacher and then takes pupils to the

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

computer suite to continue their work in the subject using ICT. Curricular planning also ensures that the pupils’ personal development is given the same successful focus as their academic work.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in25 lessons

18. Pupils say that they enjoy the way they are taught. They do not feel under pressure to do well in tests but, rather, enjoy success. This reflects the quality of teaching they receive. Pupils want to do well and say that they find that easy work does not motivate them. They are given targets for improvement and teachers mark their work with comments that tell them how to make it better. The pupils find this information helpful and make good use of it. As a result, for example, many Year 4 pupils are working successfully at levels which are average for Year 6 pupils. Parents support and reflect the views of their children. They say that the school’s approach to their children’s learning stimulates them to provide a greater level of support than they might otherwise regard as necessary. The overall result of everyone working together in this way is full equality of opportunity for the pupils.

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The curriculum

The school’s curricular provision, the opportunities for the enrichment of the curriculum it provides and its accommodation and resources are all very good in Years 1 to 4. In the Foundation Stage, curricular provision is excellent. Resources and accommodation are good in the Foundation Stage.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s very wide curricular provision gives its pupils excellent equality of opportunity. • Pupils with SEN are very well provided for. • Pupils are prepared for the later stages of education very well. • Curricular provision has been enhanced by the innovative approach to planning. • The school provides its pupils with a very wide range of extra-curricular activities. • Staffing and accommodation promote good progress. • Library provision has weaknesses.

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Commentary

19. The findings of this inspection are that the curriculum fulfils statutory requirements. A broad and balanced curriculum has been established which meets the needs of all pupils very well indeed. The full provision is available, including RE, collective worship and ICT. In the Foundation Stage, children receive an excellent range of learning opportunities. These judgements represent an improvement on those made at the last inspection.

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Commentary

20. Equality of access and opportunity in the school is excellent. An analysis of pupils’ work reveals that they are all achieving standards which are much better than might be expected. Gifted and Godshill Primary - 11 talented pupils and also those with SEN are very well catered for. The school ethos is very strong and takes into account the needs of all pupils, regardless of disability or cultural and religious belief.

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Commentary

21. Pupils are very well prepared for transfer between one phase of education and another. On entry to the school, standards are below average but, at the end of Reception, most children meet the Early Learning Goals and are working within the National Curriculum. Judgements from this inspection confirm the high standards achieved in the end of Year 2 national tests and assessments and at Year 4 where a significant number of pupils are working at Year 6 standards in English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum has been imaginatively designed to broaden the scope of the subjects without losing high standards in basic skills. The freedom to plan in this way has enhanced the curriculum and enabled teachers to set challenging work in every subject and allowed pupils to reach their potential.

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Commentary

23. Provision for pupils who have SEN is very good. Most of these pupils achieve broadly average standards, due to the very good support they receive. Individual education plans (IEPs) are precise and achievable targets are set, which promote effective learning. The targets are regularly reviewed and new targets are set, which enable pupils to make very good progress. Pupils are involved well in setting their new targets.

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Commentary

24. The school offers its pupils a very wide range of extra-curricular clubs. These embrace, for example, sporting activities, the arts and computing. The pupils enjoy these activities and support them in large numbers. Sporting opportunities include football, cricket and general PE. In the arts, pupils, for example, are able to attend ballet dancing, music and creativity clubs. Other activities include science, mathematics, history and French. The clubs are largely organised by teachers but are also organised by parents, professional coaches and the caretaker. The curriculum is also enhanced by a good range of educational visits and visitors to the school. Visits include Carisbrooke Castle, local botanical gardens and a coastal centre. The village of Godshill is also used as a source to support the pupils’ studies. Visitors include an artist in residence, local clergy, the Rotary Club (which brought in survival tents and water purification equipment) and a mobile laboratory in

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Commentary

addition to representatives of the public services. Extra-curricular provision is kept interesting and relevant by frequent changes of activity.

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Commentary

25. The school’s staffing in terms of teachers and support staff is very good and assists the teaching of the curriculum very well. The good number of well qualified teachers and teaching assistants enable the school to organise classes in a way that supports the needs of pupils very well. The school has identified more able pupils in mathematics and provides them with a very good curriculum, which extends their learning well. Analysis of their work shows that these pupils receive work, which is challenging and sufficiently demanding for their individual needs, which enables them to achieve very high attainment.

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Commentary

26. The accommodation provides pupils with a good, clean, learning environment. The colourful and attractive displays enhance the indoor accommodation well. The computer suite is a good facility, which is enabling pupils to extend their ICT skills well. The outdoor accommodation has a good size playing field, a large, attractive playground and a new pond. These enable the school to provide a good range of sporting activities and environmental studies. A very attractive, sensory garden, where pupils can sit quietly, is in memory of a former pupil. The outdoor semi-circular open-air theatre is an innovative addition to the curriculum and pupils are able to take part in drama activities.

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Commentary

27. The school has a good range of resources, which support the curriculum well. The school supplements the range of books for different areas of the curriculum by borrowing books from the local library services. The school acknowledges that the library is relatively small and is attempting to overcome this by enlarging the class libraries. It is planning to purchase a wider range of books later in the year. However, this is still in the planning stage and pupils are restricted to using a more limited range of books until the new ones are purchased. Godshill Primary - 12

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good. The provision of support, advice and guidance based on the monitoring of pupils’ achievement is very good. The involvement of pupils through seeking and acting on their views is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The induction arrangements for pupils in Reception are very good. • There are very effective procedures for health and safety, child protection and first aid. • All adults know pupils very well and provide very good levels of care. • There are very good systems for monitoring pupils’ academic standards and progress. • Arrangements for monitoring pupils’ personal development are very effective. • The involvement of pupils in the school’s work is very good.

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Commentary

28. There are very good arrangements for children when they start at the school, which are enhanced by the very good relationships with the local pre-school. The arrangements include preliminary visits to the school by both children and parents. These visits enable teachers to gather information about the children and, as a result, children settle in very quickly and make good progress. Children in Reception benefit from being in a happy and caring working environment in which they feel valued and secure. The Reception unit is self-contained and there is a secure outdoor area for children to work in. All members of staff build good, trusting relationships with children.

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Commentary

29. The school has very good health and safety procedures. Emergency procedures are very thorough. Risk assessments are carried out regularly and additional assessments are carried out for trips and visits. Security is good. The level of supervision at playtimes is very high and supervisors are proactive in their play with children. The headteacher is the designated person for child protection and for pupils in public care and procedures are very effective. All staff have been recently trained. Teaching and non-teaching staff compiled the new policy and procedures together with the headteacher. All are very aware of child protection issues and maintain logs of concerns. Links with local social services are satisfactory. Arrangements for the administration of first aid and for monitoring pupils’ medical conditions are very good and all staff have been trained in first aid. They have also been trained, together with other staff on the island, in pupil restraint and “Loving Touch”.

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Commentary

30. There is a very strong bond of trust between pupils and all adults who work in the school. All pupils who responded to the inspection questionnaire felt there was at least one adult to whom they could turn for advice. Adults know the pupils very well and monitor their personal development very effectively through class files, the monitoring of celebration assembly stickers and reports. Academic monitoring is used very well to inform pupils’ reports. Very good tracking systems are used to check on pupils’ progress so that pupils really understand what they have to do to improve. Pupils’ views are sought consistently through class councils, the school council,’ circle time’, assemblies and PHSCE. Pupils in their questionnaire felt confident that their views could be heard and acted upon.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents and the community are very good. Links with other schools are excellent.

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Strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have very positive views of the school. • The school provides parents with good information. Godshill Primary - 13 • Excellent links with the local pre-school and with other local schools provide many benefits for the pupils. • The school has very good links with its local community.

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Commentary

31. In a high return to the questionnaire, parents and carers expressed very positive views on all aspects of the work of the school. They were particularly impressed with the quality of the leadership of the headteacher and of the teaching. At the meeting, parents commented that they felt really encouraged to be part of the school.

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Commentary

32. Information provided for parents is good. Details about the work pupils are to cover are provided each term and home/school books are used very well as a means of dialogue between school and parents. Regular, lively newsletters keep parents well informed of events and teachers are always available for informal consultation at the end of the day. The school prospectus and governors’ Annual Report are attractive, clearly written and informative. Written annual reports are good: they provide diagnostic and thorough information on children’s progress, set targets and offer parents and pupils the opportunity to comment. The home/school agreement has been signed by all parents and the school web site is updated regularly. Parents appreciate the regular questionnaires, which help them to be involved in the life of the school: for example, homework timetables and books were introduced as a direct result of a questionnaire. Pupils and parents alike appreciate the “I’ve done

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Commentary

well today – ask me why” stickers given to pupils, which help parents to appreciate their children’s successes. Parents support the school very well through attendance at performances and consultation meetings.

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Commentary

33. The school has developed very good links with the nearby middle school: for example, teachers from Year 5 visit on several occasions to talk to pupils on academic and pastoral issues and the link is maintained through to Year 6. As part of its Beacon status, the school has made very good links with other local primary schools, disseminating good practice in teaching as well as in leadership and management. Teachers in training from several colleges regularly use the school for teaching practice. The headteacher is involved through a Local Education Authority initiative in supporting schools in Anguilla.

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Commentary

34. Parents support the school very well through the PTA, which has raised good sums to support trips and visits and to buy educational resources playground equipment. Very good numbers of parents help in school on a regular basis. The school has very good links with the local community: children take part in the Rotary Club Mini-Enterprise Award and visit the elderly and the Sunshine Club. Pupils’ work is displayed in local businesses and a local company has sponsored pupils’ football equipment. Links with parents of Reception children are very good. This has a positive effect and enables the teacher to work closely with parents in the best interests of each child. Parents are well informed about developments in school and about the best ways in which they can be of help. This help is forthcoming in a variety of ways, not least in the support given to reading and other areas of the curriculum.

p.14

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. The leadership of the headteacher is excellent. The leadership of the Foundation Stage is excellent. Other staff with management responsibilities provide very good leadership. The management of the Foundation Stage is excellent. Governance is good.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• All staff are fully and effectively committed to maintaining and improving the quality of education offered to the pupils. • Self evaluation and the analysis of data are rigorous and effective. • The school provides a considerable amount of support for other schools. Godshill Primary - 14 • The governing body is very supportive and has a good understanding of the school’s strengths but it is too dependent on the headteacher.

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Commentary

35. The headteacher communicates a clear vision for the school to the staff, pupils, parents and governors. Central to this vision is a determination that all pupils will reach their full potential in all aspects of their development. As a result, all connected with the school are fully and effectively committed to this objective and support the headteacher very well. The strengths and successes of this team spirit, which is evident amongst all staff, are shown, for example, in the high academic standards reached by the pupils, their attitudes to their work, the quality of teaching and the support given by parents. The quality of leadership and management in Reception is excellent. The teacher is vastly experienced and has a clear vision of the way forward. Every detail is checked to ensure the best possible experience is provided and children flourish under the care and attention. The SEN co-ordinator provides very good leadership. She has a very good understanding how to

p.15

Commentary

provide the most appropriate curriculum for pupils who have learning difficulties, so that their individual needs are met well. Whenever necessary, she ensures that the appropriate outside agencies are involved to assess their individual needs.

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Commentary

36. Self evaluation in this school is rigorous and realistic. The school’s strengths are recognised and celebrated. In the self evaluation given to the inspection team, all areas of the school were rated as very good or excellent except for accommodation and resources which were considered to be good. These judgements matched those of the inspection very closely. Nevertheless, in spite of the high quality of the education provided by the school, its self evaluation also identified areas which could be improved still further. Similarly, although the pupils reach very high standards, assessment data are carefully analysed and any aspects of the pupils’ work which, it is felt, could be even better are addressed. This is one of the major reasons for the school’s success. There is no complacency. The headteacher and all members of the staff are fully and effectively committed to doing their best for all of the pupils. This is clearly expressed in the school’s aims and is very

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Commentary

carefully detailed in the school improvement plan.

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Commentary

37. As part of its Beacon school status, the school supports other schools in their development and improvement. This involves, for example, the provision of in service training, visits to the school by other teachers and visits to other schools by the staff of Godshill School. Areas supported include leadership, literacy, numeracy, ICT and PE.

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Commentary

38. The school’s financial reserves are significantly higher than recommended levels. This is largely because the reserves include the additional funding it receives to finance its Beacon school support activities. They also include funds allocated for the development of the school’s library resources. In addition to providing support locally, the headteacher has also worked with schools in Anguilla in order to help them to improve. However, the school does not neglect the professional development needs of its own staff who benefit from a carefully structured programme which is successfully designed to address their needs. In addition teaching and learning are monitored carefully to keep their quality high and performance management addresses individual and school improvement.

p.15

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 378,065 Balance from previous year 46,940 Total expenditure 329,186 Balance carried forward to the next 48,879 Expenditure per pupil 3,106

p.15

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

39. The governors carry out their duties well. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses which they obtain from visits and reports from staff. The governors have a strong working relationship with the school and are fully committed to its success. They have ensured that the school meets all statutory requirements. Financial planning is well related to Godshill Primary - 15 educational priorities. Nevertheless, the governors are too dependent on the headteacher and are not, for example, involved at the earliest stages of long term improvement planning. Governors plan to meet their training needs. However, they do not evaluate how they carry out their functions rigorously and do not formally plan to improve their practice.

p.15

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Example of outstanding practice Outstanding leadership by the headteacher generates a very strong team spirit and results in an excellent all round education for the pupils. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher is based on the highest professional standards and a detailed knowledge of the school. These factors are allied to a total commitment to the success of the pupils in all aspects of their development. This dedication is communicated successfully to everyone associated with the school. Parents feel that they support their children’s learning more strongly because of the school’s enthusiasm. There is rigorous self evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses. If the school considers something could be improved, it is rigorously addressed in an effective school development plan which is known to everyone. Co-ordinators are encouraged to take responsibility for their subjects and rise to this challenge very well.

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Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Progress in implementing improvements is carefully checked. For example, data are analysed to ensure that standards are high and the quality of teaching and learning is rigorously monitored. However, pupils in this school do not feel under pressure. They enjoy doing well and benefit from a very strong and imaginative curriculum which embraces their academic and personal needs and provides a very wide range of extra-curricular activities. As a result, the pupils reach their potential. Furthermore, the school’s vision is successfully transmitted to other schools which it helps to develop and improve. Godshill Primary - 16

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Induction procedures for children starting school are very good. • Almost all the children achieve the Early Learning Goals before entering Year 1. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are excellent. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good. • The quality of assessment is excellent. • Equality of opportunity is excellent. • The breadth of curricular opportunities is excellent. • The leadership and effectiveness of management in Foundation are excellent.

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Commentary

40. Children are admitted to school in the September of the year in which they become five. Almost without exception, children attend full-time from the beginning. There are very good arrangements for introducing children to school. As a consequence, they are happy to leave their parents and quickly get used to the school routines. The teacher has created very good working links with the local nursery and parents feel welcome in the school. Children’s attainment when they start school spans the full range and is below average overall. This represents a fall in standards since the school was last inspected when standards were judged to be average on entry, with only a small proportion being below.

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Commentary

41. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall in all areas of learning. This results is well above average standards and very good achievement in all aspects of the children’s development. The curriculum is broad and balanced and pays due attention to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. The atmosphere is vibrant with every learning opportunity catered for. The outside area, although fairly small, is secure and enables children to develop their physical skills. In addition, it is very well used as an area in which to develop structured play and other activities. An enlargement of the teaching area is currently in hand which will improve provision further.

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Commentary

42. The management of the Foundation Stage is excellent. The teacher responsible has a clear overview of the provision and has created an excellent environment in which to educate children new to the school. The teacher and learning support assistants work effectively together to meet the needs of the children’s welfare. The children respond to this and their behaviour and attitudes towards school are excellent. The teacher’s system of record keeping is likewise excellent and gives an appraisal of each child’s progress in every aspect of his or her development. The overall provision was recognised as being a strength of the school at the time of the last inspection and it remains so.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children reach standards that are expected for their age in this area of the curriculum. • The high standards in behaviour and attitude set the tone for their later education. Godshill Primary - 17 43. Very good emphasis is given to children’s development in this area. Children are given effective help to establish the boundaries for acceptable behaviour through the very good relationships, which are very quickly established with staff. These help to promote children’s self-esteem and confidence. Children show respect for each other’s needs and views and this is promoted through ‘circle time’ and encouraging children to think about sharing. The behaviour of children is excellent and they respond willingly to requests to stop their activities and be ready to listen. Whilst being encouraged to make independent choices, such as choosing which activities to have for their morning activity lessons, there are also times when the teaching becomes more directed.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

Regardless, the children respond in a ready manner, and they are calm, considerate and very sensible when using equipment, playing together or seeing to their personal needs.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

44. On one occasion a child asked whether she could use the computer and was told to wait patiently until it was available, which she did without complaint. The boundaries for acceptable behaviour are very well established and never challenged, because of the very good relationships which are established with the staff. Children’s self-esteem and confidence are high and are constantly reflected in their attitude towards work and play. Children remain focused on their chosen or planned activity for considerable periods of time. Personal and social development is promoted well in all other areas of learning due to very good teaching. The majority of children are on course to achieve the goals they are expected to attain in this area by the end of Reception.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning is very good. • Most children achieve the goals they are expected to reach by the end of Reception before the end of the year. • Children enjoy their reading and make very good progress. • Children enjoy writing at every opportunity. • There is a clear structure to the process of handwriting.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

45. It was not possible to observe a literacy lesson during the inspection but an analysis of children’s work and discussions with the teacher confirm that the teaching and curriculum for speaking, listening, reading and writing are very good. The majority of children are confident speakers and many opportunities are given to them in the classroom to talk such as ‘circle time’ and when revising a story in a literacy lesson. It was very noticeable during the inspection that children always listened carefully and made useful contributions to class discussions. On one occasion they were asked what a memory was and a child replied that it was something that happened a long time ago. Children are prepared to do this and are not afraid to make a mistake or an incorrect response. All children enjoy listening to stories and know how to use books. An efficient system is in place for the teaching of reading and most are expected to reach the goals they are expected to reach by the end

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

of Reception before the end of the year.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

46. Phonics are well taught as the teacher uses a variety of methods to help children learn and remember sounds. There is reading material all around the children to stimulate their interest. The writing area is popular with all children. Good opportunities are given to enable to practise their skills in, for example, the structured play area which has been developed as a restaurant. The children working there had to write their own labels to denote who they were - the chef, the waiter or the customer. When asked what ‘waiter’ began with, the group all answered ‘w’ straight away. Handwriting is well introduced and taught. Pencils are held in the correct manner and children are forming most of their letters correctly. Very good teaching enables most children to write increasingly lengthy pieces of work incorporating simple regular words and attempts at the more complex ones. The children make very good progress from their below average starting point in all

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

aspects of this area, and the majority reach the goals they are expected to reach by the end of Reception entering Year 1. Godshill Primary - 18

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are very good and are linked to practical activities. • A very good variety of activities is provided to extend knowledge and experience. • Progress is very carefully monitored to ensure a firm foundation in the subject.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

47. Observation of one lesson and an analysis of children’s work indicate that most children achieve above average standards during their Reception year. Good opportunities are provided for children to develop their understanding of patterns and sequencing. Taken outside, the children were asked what a sequence might be. Their answers were accurate and prompt. The teacher introduced the repeating pattern, either marching, hopping or jumping and the children followed this without difficulty. Bags containing spoons and rings were given out and the children devised their own repeating patterns until, when asked, they could forecast what might come in the sequence two or three moves ahead. The teacher then gave out eight hoops between four children who knew exactly how many hoops each pair would receive. They then devised further repeating patterns using hoops and equipment. Throughout this lesson, the children worked together very well, confirming their personal

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

and social skills. An analysis of previous work confirmed why the children were so adept with sequencing. It had been introduced, with increasingly difficulty, over time.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

48. The direct teaching of mathematics is imaginative and is naturally linked to children’s play activities in the restaurant and elsewhere in the classroom. In creative activities, a child asked how she could find the centre of a rectangular piece of cloth. When folded twice and re-opened the child knew exactly where the centre was and subsequently repeated the process for herself. Adults participate well with the children in activities such as this and in more direct teaching in order to encourage children’s mathematical development. Almost every child can recognise and count numbers up to ten and most well beyond. The analysis of work to date indicated that most were working on National Curriculum activities.

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for developing children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are very good and provide many opportunities for children to develop their understanding of past and present. • Children are developing good skills in ICT. • They find out about other cultures.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

49. Observations of one lesson and classroom displays indicate that most children achieve above average standards during their Reception year. Good opportunities are provided for children to find out about their past and to compare it with the present. The teacher, with parental support, had collected items of clothing or something unusual from the past relating to each of the children in the class. She packed these in coloured paper, placed them in a box and wrapped them up as in a present. The children were thrilled with this. The teacher explained that they were to explore the packages as an archaeologist would explore the past, with the children identifying those things which belonged to them. They were fascinated by very small things such as baby shoes which they simply could not imagine having ever worn.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

50. In connection with Indian week, a visiting artist brought an Indian quilt into school. The children examined this and discussed the bead-work and colourful patterns. Children’s awareness of religious and cultural traditions is also appropriately enhanced through special events such as the Godshill Primary - 19 celebration of festivals.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

51. ICT is used to good effect and opportunities are available to use the computer in the classroom or to work in the computer suite. Children were observed completing sequencing exercises there, having been taught how to produce circles of different sizes and colours.

p.20

Physical development

Provision in physical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Physical control, such as holding pencils and using scissors, is developing very well. • The children can use the wheeled toys with increasing skill and control.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

52. It was not possible to see a physical development lesson during the inspection. However, observations of the children during the working day and playtimes confirmed that children are developing their skills very well indeed. The designated outdoor area is well used due to the wide range of physical activities provided for the children to experience on a daily basis. As a result, the children are reaching standards above those expected. Many children were seen to use the tricycles and other wheeled vehicles and they confidently steered round the printed circuits.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

53. Hand-eye co-ordination is developing very well indeed. Most children use pencils and paintbrushes with confidence and can cut an accurate shape out of a piece of paper. During the creative development lesson, children managed to fold material accurately and manipulate very small things, for example, sequins and beads, when making their designs. Although help was given with the gluing, they completed the activity themselves, often creating an intricate design. In mathematical activities, children could fit large and small shapes together making a large caterpillar on one occasion and a symmetrical mosaic on another.

p.20

Creative development

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is an extensive range of well planned activities which develop children’s interest and expertise in art. • Activities which provide an element of awe and wonder are planned into the work. • Children can explore their imagination through this aspect. • The outdoor area is used to good effect.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

54. A variety of activities was taking place during the inspection which coincided with a visit by the resident artist. In connection with this, children were designing a section of quilt based on an original from India. A very good selection of small objects such as beads, sequins and buttons were available and children used these to create their panels. The work involved deep concentration over a lengthy period of time but the results were exceptional. Elsewhere in the classroom, children were dropping coloured ink onto absorbent paper using a pipette and creating a variety of patterns. When this was first attempted there was a look of absolute awe and wonder on the faces of the children. Finally, a further group were bubble printing, blowing a paint solution up into bubbles with a straw and carefully pressing a sheet of paper down on the bubble before it burst. Once again, the results were

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

very rewarding. In the playground, the teacher had built a fire engine out of boxes. This was a centre of attention throughout the day with all the children anxious to act out imaginary situations. Godshill Primary - 20

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• In Year 2 and Year 4, standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are well above average. • Pupil’s achievement in Year 2 and Year 4 is very good. • The quality of teaching and learning in Year 2 and Year 4 is very good. • Pupils with SEN make very good progress. • Assessment procedures are very good. • Handwriting is very well developed as pupils progress through the school. • Good use of homework supports the English programme of work. • Language and literacy skills are very well used in other areas of the curriculum. • There is very good use of ICT in English.

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Commentary

55. Overall, standards in Year 2 and Year 4 are well above average. This represents very good achievement and is a further improvement on standards found when the school was last inspected. These judgements are based on the lessons observed during the inspection and also on the analysis of pupils’ work, discussions with pupils and teachers and on the examination of teachers’ records.

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Commentary

56. Standards in speaking and listening are well above average throughout the school. This is the result of a successful initiative by the school which illustrates how it identifies areas for improvement and implements them successfully. However, the school identified speaking and listening as an area for improvement because data derived on entry at five, over a number of years, clearly indicated below average standards. A decision was made to concentrate on improving standards in speaking and listening in the knowledge that this had to be done if standards were going to be improved in reading and writing, and in English overall. This has been a most successful initiative. In all the lesson observations, pupils listened attentively and made contributions to discussions without hesitation. Their command of language is broad and varied, reflecting the rich language programme on offer to them. An example of the quality of teaching was gained when talking with Year 2 pupils

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Commentary

who had visited the Endeavour replica sailing ship when it visited the Island. On returning to the school, the pupils had, first of all, re-enacted parts of Captain Cook’s expedition, using the outdoor stage and performed in front of their peers. This enabled them to vocalise their experiences and develop imaginary thoughts before actually transferring them onto paper. The quality of work produced subsequently reinforced the benefits of this type of approach.

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Commentary

57. By the end of Year 4, pupils are able to converse easily in a variety of situations. In literacy lessons, there is a great deal of collaborative work and, in a further example, pupils were refining their story-writing skills by developing characters and the emerging plot. Very good teaching enabled all pupils, including those with SEN, to achieve very good progress, largely through their ability to listen carefully and discuss in detail.

p.21

Commentary

58. The outdoor stage is an excellent facility. It was in almost constant use throughout the inspection, particularly during playtimes, and is a perfect vehicle through which to encourage participation and develop verbal and performing skills.

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Commentary

59. Standards in reading are well above average in Years 2 and 4. Pupils read a variety of books at an appropriate level and display fluency, accuracy and understanding. There is a structured reading Godshill Primary - 21 programme, and pupils work their way through a suitable range of published schemes. All pupils are encouraged to read at home and this helps them to move forward. When judged to be ready, pupils read independently. They have a good grasp of the story-line and can predict the possible course of a story with accuracy. The use of guided reading is well focused and has helped raise standards of achievement. Research and referencing skills are suitably developed and pupils in Year 4 have developed the necessary skills for finding books and retrieving information.

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Commentary

60. Very good word recognition is apparent from an early age. In Year 1, as part of the India week, pupils were creating a poster to illustrate how to make a chapatti. Their understanding of difficult words, and their ability to use them, sequence events and read them back correctly, were very impressive. In connection with this work, a high attaining pupil used ICT to record his work under the title, ‘Monsoons come from July to September’. It was noticeable that, even at this age, pupils are happy to present their work to their peers and talk about it.

p.22

Commentary

61. Standards in writing are well above average in Year 2 and Year 4. The range and form of pupils’ writing are varied and pupils develop their ideas in detail. The quality of handwriting and presentation is very good throughout the school, confirming the effectiveness of the policy and its implementation. Pupils are proud and pleased with their work. In each of the year groups, pupils write for a wide range of purposes including stories, poems, plays and factual accounts. In Year 3, pupils with SEN were collecting suitable words and phrases in order to write poems and publish them using ICT. This lesson followed a trip on a steam train the previous week. Good teaching enabled pupils to generate a bank of vocabulary which helped them to express their thoughts and make good progress with their writing.

p.22

Commentary

62. In Year 4, pupils were writing a collaborative story. This was an intensive lesson which pupils responded to very well indeed. Sharing ideas, pupils and teacher gradually developed the theme of the story and moved the main character forward slowly and carefully rather than jumping from the introduction straight to the outcome. Even during this preliminary work, pupils were careful about presentation on the whiteboards and were precise with spellings and punctuation.

p.22

Commentary

63. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is never less than good and often very good, even excellent. In all the lessons, the work was challenging and interesting and held the attention of pupils throughout. Teachers have a thorough understanding of English and have developed the programme of work very well. It caters for the needs of all pupils and enables them to achieve standards which are well in advance of national expectations. The pace of lessons is never slow. In a Year 2 lesson linked to work on the Bengal Tiger, the pupils worked very hard to research words describing tigers before writing poems. Pupils concentrated very well and produced good results regardless of ability.

p.22

Commentary

64. The assessment of individual performance is particularly effective and enables teachers to monitor performance as pupils progress through the school. Pupils have a clear impression of what they can and cannot do and are aware of improvements which need to be made. Lesson plans are well written and informative and there is real depth and quality to the work. In almost every lesson observation, very good use was made of ICT, for example, in Year 1 when a small group of pupils used computers to match digital photographs to the sequence of events leading to the eating of a chapatti.

p.22

Commentary

65. The analysis of the pupils’ work confirmed the thorough nature of the marking. Comments for improvement are useful and are followed up, thus helping pupils to improve further.

p.22

Commentary

66. The subject co-ordinator, ably supported by a committed team of teachers, has been responsible for putting in place a programme which enables pupils to reach very high standards from below average achievement on entry to Year R. The emphasis on speaking and listening and all the various strategies to encourage confidence in the use of language are very well founded and result in a high quality of education. As the overall standards and quality of teaching have improved yet again since the last inspection, there has been a good improvement. Godshill Primary - 22

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

67. The development of literacy across the curriculum is very good. Speaking and listening skills are very well developed through all subjects. Teachers develop and consolidate aspects of literacy taught in English through lessons such as science, history and geography. ICT is very well used to support the subject and to extend pupils’ ability to research information and enhance their recording skills. Overall, opportunities to link subjects together are well structured and improve pupils’ writing skills.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make very good progress. • The consistently high quality of teaching and learning promotes above average standards. • All pupils are fully included in all aspects of work in the subject. • There are very good assessment procedures which are very well used to improve standards. • The leadership of the subject is excellent. • The targets set for pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 raise standards.

p.23

Commentary

68. Many pupils are achieving well above average standards of attainment. The standards reached by the school in the end of Year 2 national tests and assessments in 2003 match this judgement. Throughout the school, pupils’ achievement is very good.

p.23

Commentary

69. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Teachers provide challenging tasks, which are well suited to pupils’ needs. Pupils enjoy their mathematics lessons and positively respond to the tasks. Very good teaching in a Year 4 lesson inspired pupils to achieve very well. The teacher explained the learning intention of the lesson, which was to read the time from clocks, timetables and calendars and to use information from these to calculate the length of time and cost of a journey for a family of four from the Isle of Wight to an exhibition in London. One group of very high achievers were challenged to find the cheapest way to travel for the journey. After a brisk question and answer session, the teacher asked pupils to explain their ideas within their small groups. This enabled everyone to be involved and to feel confident. The lesson was very challenging for pupils of all abilities. Lower achieving pupils were provided with appropriate levels of support, which enabled

p.23

Commentary

them to take a full part in the lesson. Pupils used timetables for the ferries, trains and buses and could choose to get extra information from the Internet and by asking an expert (an adult in the class). Most pupils cooperated very well within their groups. They showed how well they could gather information and apply their mathematical knowledge to a practical situation. They were engrossed in their work and successfully completed their tasks.

p.23

Commentary

70. There are very good inclusion procedures, which ensure that pupils are supported very well. Pupils who have SEN are included fully in all activities and are provided with very good support , which enables them to make very good progress towards their own targets.

p.23

Commentary

71. There are very good procedures for assessment, which are used very well to plan future work and are effective in helping to raise standards. Marking is of a high standard, which enables pupils to know how they can improve their work and so achieve higher attainment. Pupils are given the most appropriate levels of work for them to achieve as well as they can. Specific, achievable targets help pupils to know the next steps in their learning in order to achieve higher attainment and to feel successful. Godshill Primary - 23 72. The co-ordinator provides excellent leadership. She has a clear sense of direction on how to continue to improve the standards of mathematics across the school. She is an excellent role model for other staff and monitors teaching and pupils’ work. Since the last inspection, the school has continued to improve upon the already high levels of attainment.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

73. Provision for developing pupils’ numeracy skills across the curriculum is very good. There are very good links with other subjects, such as time lines in history. Pupils used their mathematical skills well when they were able to choose equipment for the Craze of the week activities for the new activity outside area. From a given budget, they had to cost out the total expenditure and decide whether they could afford all the pieces of equipment. ICT is used well to reinforce mathematical skills.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils do very well in this subject. • Teachers have very high expectations of the pupils. • The teachers have in depth knowledge of the subject. • Pupils are confident and hardworking and have excellent attitudes. • The pupils’ English, mathematical and ICT skills are used very well. • The management of science is excellent. • Assessment procedures, the use of assessment information and the curriculum are very good.

p.24

Commentary

74. In Years 2 and 4, standards are well above average and achievement for pupils of all abilities is very good. This represents a considerable improvement since the school was last inspected. At that time, standards were judged to be average in Year 2 and above average in Year 4. The improvement is due to a better quality of teaching and learning. This is now judged to be very good rather than good in Years 1 to 4. The current judgement of standards in Year 2 reflects the school’s national end of Year 2 assessments by teachers made in 2003 very closely.

p.24

Commentary

75. When the school was inspected in 1998, the quality of investigative approach to the teaching of the subject was seen as its key strength. This is still a very important factor in the teaching of science in this school. For example, Year 1 pupils were observed testing material to see which were waterproof. Year 2 looked at materials viewed through a microscope to observe and describe patterns and predict what the material might be. Year 3, investigated how plants transport water from their roots. Conversations with Year 4 pupils showed a wide range of investigative work including the use of force meters and testing varied surfaces for friction.

p.24

Commentary

76. The teachers expect the pupils to do very well and have considerable expertise in science. This results in the pupils wanting to succeed, doing their best and behaving in an exemplary manner. These factors were very evident in a Year 2 science lesson which exemplified the quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 to 4. In this lesson, the pupils observed a range of magnified materials which were projected onto a screen. The teacher’s probing questions, confident use of a wide range of scientific vocabulary, detailed preparation and very effective use of resources resulted in the pupils being engrossed in their work and making very good progress.

p.24

Commentary

77. ICT is very well used in science as a teaching aid and to support the pupils’ learning, for example, through their use of it during their work on mini beasts. The pupils’ literacy skills are very Godshill Primary - 24 well developed in science particularly their scientific vocabulary and their abilities in writing are also extended well. Strong application of mathematical skills is evident in the way that pupils present their results using graphs and tally charts and in which they use exact measurements to gather evidence during their research.

p.24

Commentary

78. The subject has made a very good improvement since it was last inspected. This is because of the outstanding quality of its leadership. For example, although the use of writing in science was judged to be good by the inspection, the action plan for the improvement of the subject is seeking to make this even better. This illustrates very well the school’s very effective commitment to helping the pupils to do their very best. Very good assessment procedures also help the pupils to make very good progress. The pupils’ progress is rigorously checked and work is carefully matched to their individual needs. Marking of their work helps the pupils understand how to make it better and they value this and find it useful. Curricular provision is broad and is largely taught through ‘hands on’ work by the pupils. Good use is made of the school grounds, its pond and visits such as that to a local field study centre to enrich the curriculum. Links are made with a wide range of other subjects,

p.25

Commentary

including geography and history, in order to make the subject even more relevant and interesting to the pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils reach very good standards. • Curricular provision is broad. • Pupils are very confident when using ICT. • Resources are very well used. • The subject is very well managed by a very knowledgeable co-ordinator. • The subject is well used to support the pupils’ learning in other areas of the curriculum.

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Commentary

79. In Years 2 and 4, standards are well above average and pupils of all abilities achieve very well. When the school was inspected in 1998, standards were judged to be above average in these year groups. This improvement is because of stronger leadership by the very knowledgeable co- ordinator.

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Commentary

80. All aspects of the subject are taught and National Curriculum requirements are fully met. Observation of lessons, discussion with staff and pupils and analysis of the pupils’ work indicated broad and in depth teaching of the subject. Pupils in Years 1 to 4 were clearly able to present their ideas in varied ways including text and art work, give instructions to a robotic toy, and explore simulations at very good standards for their ages. In Years 3 and 4, pupils have also made use of the Internet for research and have sent and received E mail messages. They have also scanned pictures into a book of their own poetry and used power point to make presentations. Throughout the school, pupils have good basic skills such as understanding the main functions of the keyboard and the operation of a computer. Their keyboard skills are also well developed with many starting to use most of their fingers to operate the keyboard. The pupils are very confident in their use of ICT. They

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Commentary

are not afraid to try things out if they are unsure and take making mistakes as a natural way of learning. The pupils regard ICT as a day-to-day part of their schooling.

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Commentary

81. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 to 4 is very good. This was illustrated by a Year 1 lesson in which pupils coloured and added shapes to a template to make it symmetrical. They were designing an elephant blanket which made good links with, for example, English, mathematics, art and design and their topic work. The teacher had a calm manner and a strong knowledge of the subject. She gave clear instructions and explanations and had high expectations of the pupils’ achievement and behaviour. The pupils responded very well to the teacher’s well prepared and well Godshill Primary - 25 structured lesson. Relationships were first rate and the pupils worked hard with confidence and enjoyment. As a result, they made very good progress and all achieved the objectives of the lesson.

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Commentary

82. The school’s ICT suite is small, detached from the rest of the school and gets quite warm. Nevertheless, the school makes very good use of it. Classes are split so that some pupils work in their classroom and others are taken to the suite. This allows all pupils good access to computers. It also maximises the use of the ICT co-ordinator who does not have her own full time class commitment. The co-ordinator is able to help teachers with their in class ICT or other aspects of the lesson, before working with a group of pupils in the computer suite. The computer suite is also used for a thriving extra-curricular ICT club. Other computers and ICT resources in the school are also well used.

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Commentary

83. The leadership is now judged to be very good rather than good as it was at the time of the school’s last inspection. The higher standards found by the current inspection also represent a good improvement in ICT since the school was last inspected. Nevertheless, there is no complacency. Improvements planned by the school include more use of ICT in other subjects, further development of assessment procedures and better use of software supporting the pupils’ development of numeracy. All of these areas are judged to be stronger than usual by the findings of the inspection.

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ICT across the curriculum

84. The use of ICT to support the pupils’ learning in other subjects is very good. In depth examples of the subject’s use can be found in all other areas of the curriculum. These include word processing in English, graphs in mathematics, work on mini beasts in science, a range of art work, composing in music, making a training video in PE and recording the story of the Prodigal Son in RE. The digital camera is used in most subjects to record and analyse the pupils’ work.

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HUMANITIES

No evidence was gathered in history or geography and so no comments can be made about these subjects.

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HUMANITIES

85. In the one religious education (RE) lesson seen in Year 4 during the inspection, teaching and learning were good. The teacher enabled pupils to make good progress in their understanding of Pentecost. This very difficult concept was linked well to pupils’ previous learning, when they were in Year 2, that Pentecost is known as the birthday of the church and also to the Archdeacon’s assembly earlier that day. The teacher linked pupils’ own experiences of when they felt afraid or nervous to how the disciples may have felt when flames were leaping from their heads. Pupils realised that in the same way that their families or friends encourage them, so the disciples felt equipped to deal with difficult times through their trust in Jesus. The demonstration of a torch without a battery helped pupils to understand the need for a source of power. The teacher helped pupils to link this with the thought that the disciples were empowered through the spirit of God. In response to

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HUMANITIES

the teacher’s thought provoking suggestion to think how the disciples must have wondered how they were going to be able to go forward and spread the word of Jesus pupils composed some sensitive poetry and artwork, such as:

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HUMANITIES

Pentecost Flames flickering, Fellowships growing, Happiness flowing, Trust beginning, Courage showing, Encouragement helping, Equipping.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Godshill Primary - 26 No evidence was gathered about music during the inspection and so no comments can be made about the subject.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. In design and technology (DT), during the only lesson observed during the inspection, Year 1 pupils were making Indian twirling palm puppets. The teacher explained the cultural background to these artefacts and used pre-designed sheets to help pupils make them. Good teaching enabled the pupils to understand the fundamentals and to make the puppets according to the instructions. Pupils were adept using scissors, hole-punches and staplers and achieved a good result before the end of the lesson. The use of tools and the ability to assemble, join and combine materials and components was in advance of the skills normally associated with pupils of this age. There were several good examples of DT in other areas of the school. Year 4 had designed and made pop-up books and, with the help of a visiting artist, Year 2 had produced a large display of boats made from natural materials. The general standard of the work, overall, is significantly better than is usually

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Art and design

Provision in art and design is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good. • Very good curricular planning and strong leadership enable all aspects of the subject to be taught effectively. • The enjoyment, pleasure and stimulation derived from this work have spread throughout the curriculum. • Pupils with talent are given the opportunity to develop their skills.

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Commentary

87. Standards are well above average in Year 2 and Year 4. This judgement represents an improvement on the good standards reported at the last inspection. Pupils throughout the school are introduced to a wide variety of artistic activities which they clearly enjoy. Discussions with pupils confirm how popular art and design is. 88. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and promotes very good achievement. Strengths in teaching include very good and detailed planning and a very good understanding and knowledge of the subject. These qualities were evident in each of the three lessons observed. In Year 2, pupils were looking at pictures of the Indian tiger. Using these as the stimulus, the teacher then asked them to translate their ideas and impressions of the eye onto material in an abstract form. This was a very difficult task to attempt but one which the pupils accepted willingly, producing

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Commentary

some excellent results. A further group worked with ICT using Paintspa techniques to reproduce their own pictures based on Rousseau’s work, ‘Tropical Storm with Tiger’. Once again, pupils concentrated very well producing very good representations. 89. In Year 4, pupils were developing their own designs based on Indian prints which had been produced earlier. Using ICT, the pupils had formed their own ideas in symmetrical form and, in this lesson, were evaluating their product, choosing suitable materials with which to decorate it, and finally annotating their ideas onto the print itself. As in the Year 2 lesson, there was a significant challenge involved with this work but pupils accepted it willingly and worked very well indeed. They achieved results beyond those normally expected for pupils of this age. 90. The cross curricular nature of this work is impressive and allows pupils to develop skills in, for

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Commentary

example, ICT and mathematics. There was also a high degree of collaboration and independent thought.

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Commentary

91. The co-ordinator has very good knowledge of the subject and provides very good leadership and very good support for teachers. The displays round the school are of a high quality and obviously Godshill Primary - 27 help to stimulate the pupils and encourage them in their art work. The progression in the teaching of knowledge and skills is carefully monitored and expectations are high. A number of artists in residence are linked to the school and a good range of clubs linked with art and design are held.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make very good progress. • Standards in swimming are above average. • PE is very well led by an knowledgeable and enthusiastic co-ordinator. • Pupils in Years 2 and 4 apply their dancing skills very well. • Extra curricular provision and participation in competitive sports fixtures is very good. • ICT is well used to assist the teaching of the subject.

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Commentary

92. Standards in dance in Years 2 and 4 are well above average and pupils’ achievement is very good. In Year 1, pupils’ ball skills are average and achievement is satisfactory. These were the only aspects of the subject seen during the inspection. However, discussion with teachers and examination of the school’s records indicate that standards in swimming are above average. Significant numbers of pupils can swim at least 25 metres safely and unaided using a recognised swimming stroke by the time that they leave Year 4. Virtually all pupils are confident in the water before they leave the school. These judgements represents a very good improvement since the school was last inspected. This improvement is due to better quality co-ordination, which is now judged to be very good, and to the fact that the school has had a programme to develop PE for the past five years.

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Commentary

93. In Years 1 to 4, pupils are well aware of why they need to warm up before exercising and of the effects of exercise on their bodies. In Year 1, pupils showed a good understanding of the rules of the mini games they played but significant numbers could not throw accurately enough for a batsman to strike the ball easily. In Years 2 and 4, pupils incorporated movements learned in country dancing and techniques such as varying pace, height and direction well into dance sequences they created. However, in both years, pupils did not always make the best use of the space available and often bunched together too much.

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Commentary

94. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning in Years 1 to 4 is very good. This was illustrated in a Year 4 dance lesson in which the pupils created dance sequences linked to routes identified in a Mendhi pattern. The lesson began promptly in a very orderly manner and a very good discussion of a Mendhi pattern took place. The pupils identified route ways such as zigzag and horizontal. After an energetic warm up, the pupils worked in groups to plan their sequences. The teacher reminded them of previous movements they had used such as symmetrical and mirror dancing so that they could incorporate these movements into their sequences if they judged them to be suitable. The pupils had been given a very difficult challenge and, initially, found some difficulty in performing their sequences although they kept in time with the music well. However, with evaluation by their peers and the teacher, very good support from the teacher and more practice they had produced complex

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Commentary

and imaginative sequences by the end of the lesson. This represented very good progress. The pupils had built very well on their previous skills and similarly developed their technical vocabulary and imaginations. This was due to the teacher’s high expectations of them and careful planning of the lesson.

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Commentary

95. The development of the pupils’ PE is very well supported by a very good range of extra-curricular activities. Clubs include football, cricket and general PE and are very well supported by the pupils. Clubs are organised by teachers with the support of parents and some professional sports coaches. The school takes part successfully in a good range of competitive sporting fixtures with other Godshill Primary - 28 schools. It has recently done very well in a local football competition. Good links are made with other subjects, for example, healthy living links are made with science and the pupils helped to design the school’s adventure playground. There is very good use of ICT in PE. This ranges from using CD players to provide music for dancing to using a digital camera to record and assess the quality of the pupils’ work and making a video recording of the gymnastic club for training purposes.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Great emphasis is placed on the importance of pupils developing very good PSHCE skills.

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Commentary

96. Pupils reach well above average standards in PSHCE and their achievement is very good. PSHCE is given a high priority in the school and throughout the curriculum. It is taught as an explicit part of other subjects and is also seen as an integral part of everyday life. It pervades all aspects and creates a very positive ethos within the school. Pupils are encouraged to be confident, to have an optimistic attitude to life and feel that they can succeed. They are also given many opportunities to be aware of the needs of others, both in school and in the wider world. The success of this is reflected in the very good relationships between everyone in the school and in pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, which enable them to achieve very well in their work. Older pupils take turns to be playground buddies to anyone who is feeling lonely in the playground. They help to support the local Rotary Club’s Christmas Shoe Box Appeal and a Donkey Sanctuary.

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Commentary

97. All aspects of the curriculum for PSHCE are planned well. For example, work on healthy eating in DT and being active in PE lessons is linked very well to the national Healthy Schools initiative, which is given a high profile in the school. The school has the sports Active Mark and the Football Charter Mark. Pupils were involved very well in the school’s successful bid for money from the Learning through Landscapes lottery money. They helped to design the layout and wrote about why the school needed an outside activity area. Pupils are sensitively taught about relationships appropriate to the level of their age and stage of development. 98. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Pupils in Year 2 made very good progress in their learning of why tigers are an endangered species. This was linked very well to the importance of the preservation of red squirrels on the Isle of Wight. Pupils felt sufficiently at ease to be able to

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Commentary

share their thoughts and concerns. They listened well to others’ ideas and felt that animals and the environment should be protected. 99. Pupils share their views about the school during class council meetings and pupils from each year group are involved in decision making in the school council meetings. They decided that noise hinders learning and pupils in Year 4 act as noise monitors to ensure that pupils come into school quietly. They care for the school very well, which is obvious in the litter-free school environment. Each class has responsibility for a definite area of the school, such as the pond, the mini-beast area around the pond, the sensory garden and pots of flowers to enhance the entrance to the school. In discussions with pupils, they feel confident that they can discuss any problems with any adult in the school, as they will always be listened to, which shows that very good relationships are firmly

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Commentary

established. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and provides very good leadership. The improvement in the school’s provision for PSHCE since it was last inspected has been very good. Godshill Primary - 29 PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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Commentary

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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