Hankham Primary School

Hankham Primary School

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 24 th June 2004

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Hankham Primary School

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

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Hankham Primary School

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Hankham Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of children: 4 – 11 years Gender of children: Mixed Number on roll: 145

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hankham Road Hankham Pevensey East Sussex Postcode: BN24 5AY

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01323 763265 Fax number: 01323 763265

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Ivan Birch

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 25 th January 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school serves a rural community just outside the town of Eastbourne and has 145 children on roll. Each of the five classes has children from two year groups, as follows: reception and year 1; year 1 and 2; year 3 and 4; year 4 and 5; year 5 and 6. Very few children are from ethnic minority backgrounds and none has English as an additional language. When they enter the reception class, children’s attainment is typical for their age. About a fifth of the children have special educational needs, which is a little above the national average. One child has a statement of special educational need, which is about average. About two per cent of children are eligible for free school meals, which is well below average and indicates an area where most parents are in employment. However, mobility of children is above average, and significant numbers come from beyond the local area. The school received the school achievement award in 2002.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

7230 Rob Crompton Lead inspector The Foundation Stage Science Information and communication technology Music Physical education 13874 Jane Chesterfield Lay inspector 16492 Bob Lever Team inspector English Art and design Design and technology Special educational needs 24678 Averil Bowyer Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Wessex Education Limited 9 Greenacres Puddletown Dorchester DT2 8GF

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY CHILDREN 8

Children’s attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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 a satisfactory school with a number of good features. By year 2, standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are above average. Children are making steady progress through years 3 to 6, but standards in English and mathematics are below average. However, effective teaching is leading to improvements. Children are well cared for and enjoy the rich variety of experiences. They develop positive attitudes and behave well. The headteacher provides good leadership and is a powerful influence on the positive ethos that permeates the school. Governors support the school well. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Standards in English and mathematics are below average by year 6 but good teaching and learning are leading to improvement lower down the school • The headteacher’s strong leadership and the close partnership with parents, the community and other schools add much to the positive ethos • Very good relationships through the school underpin children’s positive attitudes and good behaviour • Very good curriculum enrichment opportunities contribute to children’s personal development • Children with special educational needs are well supported by teaching assistants but work is not always modified to meet their needs • Information from test results is not used effectively to set targets for raising standards • The time given to subject co-ordinators is not used effectively enough • Work is not always well matched to the needs of different ability groups

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory. Standards have varied from year to year but are similar now to those at that time. The quality of teaching is better and curriculum planning has improved but the work set in lessons does not always take into account the different levels of attainment in the class. Co-ordinators now have opportunities to keep an eye on their subjects but their role in driving up standards is not given enough emphasis. Good headway has been made in provision for information and communication technology (ICT).

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English C D D D mathematics B C E D science B D D D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of children eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement through the school is satisfactory . As children start school, their attainment is broadly typical of the age group. They make steady progress and most achieve the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception. The rate of progress increases in years 1 and 2 and children reach good standards. Results in national tests in year 6 are affected by the high level of pupil mobility and by the number of children with special educational needs. There has been a decline in performance of year 6 children over the past two years. The inspection found that standards in English and mathematics remain below average, although the achievement of children who have been at the school from year 3 to year 6 is broadly satisfactory. Standards in science have improved and are now average. Standards in ICT, religious education and art and design are in line with those expected by year 6. Hankham Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Good provision for children’s personal development results in good relationships. Children have positive attitudes to school and behave well because of the effective support for their spiritual, moral and social development. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory. Attendance levels are slightly above average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good . Teaching and learning are good. Where the best teaching occurs teachers make lessons interesting and motivate children through their dynamic approach. Lessons move at a brisk pace and expectations are high. As a result, children are keen and work hard. These positive factors are less evident in other year groups where teaching is generally satisfactory and occasionally good. In some lessons, the work set is not matched closely enough to children’s prior attainment and this limits their achievement. Teachers across the school are well supported by teaching assistants who make a significant contribution to many lessons. They provide good support in helping children who have special educational needs. The curriculum is good and children benefit from an interesting and enjoyable variety of experiences. A significant strength is the way that links are made between subjects. There is a good partnership with parents

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

and the local community. Children are well cared for, supported and guided.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The headteacher leads the school well and governance is good. Most subject leaders set a good example in their teaching but their role is not sufficiently developed for them to make a real difference to standards. Performance data is collected but is not used effectively enough to set targets for improvement. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very pleased with the school. They are particularly happy with the quality of the written information they receive and with the opportunities for informal contact with the headteacher and staff. The inspection found that some of the information for parents, such as the topics to be taught each term, is very good indeed. Reports to parents about their children’s progress are generally good but there is some inconsistency across the school. Pupils are very positive about the school and enjoy the many and varied activities.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in English and mathematics • Ensure that work is closely matched to children’s prior attainment • Further develop the role of subject co-ordinators so they give more emphasis to raising standards • Analyse performance data to identify trends and to set individual and year group targets. Hankham Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement is satisfactory. Children in the reception class are making steady progress and reaching at least the levels expected in all areas of learning. Children are achieving well in years 1 and 2 and standards are above average. The rate of progress varies in years 3 to 6 but is satisfactory overall. Standards achieved by the current year 6 in English and mathematics are below average. There are no significant differences in the achievement of boys and girls. Children with special educational needs make steady progress. More able children meet their potential.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are making good progress in years 1 and 2 and reaching good standards in English, mathematics and science • Standards are improving because children in years 3 to 5 are achieving well but progress in slower in year 6

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Commentary

1. With only twenty or so children in each year group, comparisons with national statistics are not straightforward. Each child represents five per cent of the cohort and can make a significant difference to the comparative tables, where the results of two or three children can move the school from below to above national averages. Because of the different characteristics of each year group - for example, the percentage of children with special educational needs - the school’s performance against other schools has varied widely from year to year. However, the standards reached by children in year 2 in successive years have improved more quickly than those nationally. The inspection found that children are doing well in years 1 and 2 because of the consistently effective teaching. Children speak and listen well and standards in reading are currently well above average. Attainment in writing has increased significantly because of the

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Commentary

school’s efforts and most children are now reaching the levels expected. Children are doing well in mathematics and science and achieving good standards. Standards in ICT are at the levels expected. It was not possible to judge standards in other subjects.

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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 15.5 (16.2) 15.7 (15.8) writing 13.8 (13.3) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.6 (15.6) 16.3 (16.5) There were 20 children in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Results of national tests in year 6 have also been variable over recent years. When compared to those of similar schools, results have been below average. When other factors are taken into account, the picture is not so bleak. The last two year’s cohorts have a high proportion of children with special educational needs and many children had not spent long in the school. The profile of the current year 6 group is similar. When children’s progress from year 2 to year 6 is analysed (known as the ‘value added’), those who have spent the whole of the junior years at the school have built steadily on their previous attainment. Hankham Primary School - 9 3. Although the composition of the year 3/4 and 4/5 classes is very mixed in terms of prior attainment, children are achieving well because of the good quality of teaching. The rate of achievement slows in the year 5/6 class. To some extent, this is due to an influx of new pupils.

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Commentary

However, work is not always matched closely enough to children’s abilities so some children find the work too difficult. Attainment in science, ICT, religious education and art and design is in line with expectations. It was not possible to judge standards in other subjects.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.0 (26.5) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 25.4 (26.5) 26.8 (26.7) science 27.8 (28.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 23 children in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Children’s attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Children’s attitudes, behaviour and personal development are good. The school’s provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good provision for personal development helps children to become confident and socially mature • The very good relationships that underpin school life contribute to children’s positive attitudes and behaviour

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Commentary

4. Children’s spiritual, moral and social development is supported well. Assemblies make a very good contribution to children’s spiritual development. Children are encouraged to reflect on issues and make a personal response. For example, the headteacher created a strong sense of wonder as he talked about the numerous children who had passed through the school in its one hundred and twenty-five-year history. During a class assembly in year 4/5, children showed a good awareness of global issues as they discussed the need to conserve water. Members of the school council approach their work maturely and with increasing confidence. Residential visits play an important part in children’s personal development, particularly the French exchange, which involves meeting new people and coping with unfamiliar social situations.

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Commentary

5. Children develop a good sense of their own cultural heritage. The Victorian week which took place during the inspection is a prime example of the school’s successful approach. Children have good opportunities to take part in traditional festivals such as May Day and to attend local folk dancing events. They are well aware of the contribution that civilisations such as the Egyptians and the Greeks have made to art and science. Recently they learned how dancing is used as a form of worship in the Hindu faith. Children are less aware of the diversity of cultures within the United Kingdom, but the school has plans to link with a school in Lambeth in order to enhance children’s understanding.

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Commentary

6. The friendly atmosphere is immediately obvious to anyone visiting the school. Everyone who contributes to the life of the school is valued and relationships are very good. Children’s social development is enhanced simply by being part of everyday school life and seeing how adults and children get on with each other. Children are frequently asked to co-operate with one another in lessons. Good opportunities to participate in residential trips and other visits help them to become independent and self-reliant. Hankham Primary School - 10 7. When teachers capture their interest and provide stimulating activities, children behave very well. Outside, children have a very good range of activities and this helps to channel their energy constructively. Children are confident and mature when talking to adults, reflecting the success of the school in developing positive attitudes.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.0 School data 0.2 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

There have been no exclusions in the last school year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. Good teaching is underpinned by a well-planned curriculum, with many additional opportunities for children to learn. Children are well cared for, guided and supported. There is a strong partnership with parents.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall. Lessons are consistently effective in the year 1/2, 3/4 and 4/5 classes with some very good teaching in English, mathematics and science. Assessment is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Challenging teaching means children are eager to learn • Teaching assistants provide good support, although their time could be used more effectively during some lessons • Children with special educational needs are supported well individually but in some lessons work is not carefully matched to children’s abilities

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Commentary

8. Teachers are good at encouraging children to do their best. They achieve this by devising imaginative inroads to learning. This approach was evident as children in the year 3/4 class chipped away at the ‘Egyptian bricks’ the teacher had made from plaster of Paris. Their faces were pictures of delight as they gently tapped and brushed to reveal ‘ancient objects’, such as scarabs and amulets. During a later literacy lesson, children reacted equally positively as the teacher captured their interest through a dramatic reading of Howard Carter’s diary. Practical work features strongly in many lessons, During a mathematics lesson in the year 4/5 class, children converted imperial measures used in Victorian times to the current decimal system. Dressed in Victorian costume, they converted pints served in an old pub into litres and old money into new. As ‘drapers’, they measured in yards, feet and inches and rose to the challenge of

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Commentary

changing these into metric units. These approaches bring learning to life and lead to good achievement.

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Commentary

9. Teaching assistants play an important part in many lessons. For example, in a year 4/5 science lesson, the teaching assistant successfully led one group as they explored crystallisation, which meant the teacher could ask probing questions of the other children. During a year 5/6 mathematics lesson, three teaching assistants significantly reduced the adult/teacher ratio and provided good support. In some lessons, the considerable skills of the teaching assistants are Hankham Primary School - 11 not used to full effect. During introductions and summaries, they encourage children to participate but are not often asked to introduce work to a small group and to review it with them afterwards.

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Commentary

10. Pupils with special educational needs do well when receiving extra support and when tasks are appropriately matched to their needs. There are, however, times when the work takes little account of their identified difficulties. Teachers are aware of the targets set out in individual education plans but they do not always take account of these when planning for lessons across the curriculum. As a result, some children find the work too difficult and lose interest. Similarly, there is room for more able children to be given more challenging work, particularly in English and mathematics.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 22 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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The Curriculum

Curriculum provision is good. There are very good opportunities for enrichment. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is well planned • Children enjoy a wide range of additional activities • Good use is made of the indoor and outdoor accommodation

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Commentary

11. The curriculum has improved satisfactorily since the last inspection. There is a clear structure for planning and there is more precision about how the needs of the different ages will be met. A two-year programme avoids repetition and ensures there are no omissions in classes of mixed aged children. Every effort is made to ensure that work is enjoyable and relevant. For example, children were thoroughly absorbed while studying a range of subjects from the perspective of the Victorian age during the school’s 125 th Anniversary celebrations. Plans also show opportunities for pupils to use and apply their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in most other subjects.

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Commentary

12. The school provides children with very good opportunities to take part in additional activities and clubs after school. These include a range of sports as well as chess and environmental clubs. These make a very good contribution to the development of children’s physical and creative skills. A well-planned programme of visits in the immediate locality and to other places of interest also adds to the enrichment of the curriculum and keep children interested and motivated. There are residential visits for year 4 to Guestling Youth Hostel and a French exchange visit is organised for years 5 and 6. Children spend half an hour or so learning French each week. This is very popular with parents but some older children have little enthusiasm during lessons.

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Commentary

13. Teachers make good use of the space available and create lively and stimulating displays. Indoors, physical education is constrained by the small hall and there is little room for practical work. The school does well in overcoming these disadvantages but teachers cannot support children’s learning through direct experiences as often as they would like. The hard surfaces and field provide good spaces for sports and games. Teachers take advantage of the attractive Hankham Primary School - 12 outdoor area with its abundance of trees, scrubs and plants. The school pond and natural area are used frequently to study the habitats of different creatures.

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Care, guidance and support

Care, support and involvement of children are all good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pastoral care is well organised • Children’s ideas and opinions matter

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Commentary

14. Children are well looked after throughout the day and as a result they feel settled and ready to learn. The school organises its limited outdoor space sensibly and supervision is well managed. The ‘zoning’ of the playground for different activities operates successfully, ensuring that no particular groups dominate the area available. Teaching assistants double up as midday supervisors and this provides consistency and continuity of care for the children. First aid arrangements are good. Staff are well aware of children’s pastoral needs and how to meet them. Procedures for academic assessment are still being refined, although children are becoming more aware of their individual targets for improvement.

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Commentary

15. The school council for the junior aged children works well. Staff use the meetings as a forum for gathering children’s views and children use them as an opportunity to volunteer to take on extra responsibility. At the meeting held during the inspection, staff were impressed to hear how the representatives thought they could improve lunchtime arrangements, and how they wanted to volunteer to help organise the infant children’s games. The council saw further consultation with their classmates and with the headteacher as their next step forward on this.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents, the community and other schools are all good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Much of the information provided for parents is very good • The school is open and friendly for parents • Links with local schools and organisations open up new experiences for children

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Commentary

16. The school’s website is excellent, and offers parents easy access to a wealth of information, from school policies to Internet links for help with homework. Weekly newsletters and termly curriculum letters are very good, because they keep parents fully up to date with what is happening at the school and what their children are doing. Parents are very pleased with the school; part of the reason for this is because they feel so well included in what is going on. Consequently, they are able to support their children with their learning. Reports to parents about their children’s progress are good, because they are very personal and paint an accurate picture of each individual child. Most are written in plain English, make clear how well children are doing and indicate how they can improve. However, some are less clear about the standards children are reaching and too vague about the next steps.

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Commentary

17. Parents are also happy that the staff are readily available to talk to them at the beginning and end of each day. Relationships between the school and parents are good. The teaching staff, office staff and headteacher are very willing to handle any concerns or suggestions that parents may have. The school intends to start involving parents in its development planning process, so that their views are regularly considered on a more formal basis. Hankham Primary School - 13 18. The school makes the most of its situation by linking up with other local organisations. Children have the chance to take part in local tournaments and festivals, visit neighbouring farms and garden centres, get together with children from other small schools, and use the facilities offered by a nearby secondary school. Because the school makes the effort to get out into the community, the children are able to enjoy experiences they might not otherwise

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Commentary

have had. Activities, such as the folk dancing festival during the inspection week, add an extra dimension both to their learning and to their personal development.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory overall. The headteacher leads the school well and the governance of the school is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a good vision for the school • Performance data is not used effectively to set targets for raising standards • The role of subject leaders is not sufficiently developed for them to make a real difference • Governors support the school well • Financial management is good and helps the school achieve educational priorities

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Commentary

19. The headteacher shows a strong sense of direction and clear vision for the school in many aspects of its work. This results in a school with a good ethos and which cares well for its pupils. Children behave well and enjoy good relationships in a well-ordered community. The next step is to concentrate on the raising of academic standards by the time children leave the school. Staff work well as a team and share a desire for improvement.

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Commentary

20. The school reviews its performance in consultation with local authority advisers and has good systems for gathering data. The use of this is not sufficiently focused to monitor overall performance or to evaluate the impact of new initiatives. The school improvement plan clearly indicates what needs to be done and who is responsible. Actions are costed, but the evaluations of success are often not expressed in terms of improvement in standards and achievement.

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Commentary

21. Since the last inspection, subject leaders have taken on more responsibility in identifying areas for development and holding a budget to support these. They have time to visit classes and to check children’s work but they do not do this frequently enough. As a result, effective methods are not always shared and weaknesses go unnoticed. The school recognises the need to ensure that more emphasis is given to the co-ordinators’ role in raising standards and further training is planned. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) is experienced and skilled. She gives good support to colleagues and writes good individual education plans in consultation with them. She has identified the need for teachers to match work more frequently to children’s specific targets. This has not been followed up consistenlty and is a weakness in the otherwise effective management of the provision.

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Commentary

22. There is a businesslike relationship between governors and senior staff in leading the school. Governors have a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses and are supportive. They receive sound information and are prepared to take difficult decisions, for example, the decision not to appoint a deputy headteacher following the retirement of the current post-holder. The school administrator provides very good support, which enables the school day to run smoothly. Finances are managed efficiently and effectively. Hankham Primary School - 14

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 338,921 Balance from previous year 13,884 Total expenditure 327,548 Balance carried forward to the next 11,373 Expenditure per pupil 2,291 Hankham Primary School - 15

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

23. Twenty reception children are taught in the same class as ten of the younger year 1 children. Provision for the reception children is satisfactory with some good features. Individual profiles are meticulously maintained. They contain informative written comments and digital photographs illustrating aspects of children’s development through the year. These records indicate that children make steady progress though the year and reach or exceed the levels expected in all aspects of learning. Attainment in mathematics is above average and children develop a good knowledge and understanding of the world. These standards were reflected in the work seen. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and sometimes good. Lessons are well planned and plenty of appropriate practical activities are provided. The teaching assistant provides good support but could be deployed more effectively at times. During lesson introductions, she is

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

asked to help individual children to sustain their attention rather than to play a more active role in explaining tasks to groups of children. As a result, the pace of lessons can be slowed as the teachers explain everything to everybody.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

24. Children with special educational needs are well supported. This was exemplified when the teacher (also the special educational needs co-ordinator) created a bespoke word bank to enable a child to complete a word-processing task on the computer and provided one-to-one support and encouragement. In literacy and numeracy lessons, separate tasks are set for different groups and this helps children with special educational needs to make good progress.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All staff provide good role models for children • Lessons are well planned to take account of children’s different abilities • Children’s listening skills are not well established • Teachers enthuse children about mathematics and standards are good • Practical activities effectively support children’s learning • Children develop good computer skills

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Main strengths and weaknesses

25. Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory . Adults develop warm relationships with children. Most children are eager to try out new things and they are confident when meeting new adults. During practical activities, they generally share and take turns. Most are on course to achieve the levels expected.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26. Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory. The fact that reception children sometimes work alongside those in year 1 means that the more confident children are well challenged. Through practical activities, such as making letter shapes from play dough, together with frequent reference to letter sounds as teachers read, most children successfully link sounds to letters. They identify words that rhyme and many can identify the beginning, middle and end sounds of three letter words. Although children understand that they should take turns in speaking, particularly during class discussions, many find this difficult. Teachers are not consistent in waiting for children’s undivided attention before they address the class. As a result, some lessons are unduly noisy.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

27. Provision in mathematical development is good. Discussions with children about the many mathematical displays around the classroom indicated that their mathematical development is good by the end of reception. They eagerly showed how they could count to ten and beyond. Their lively rendition of ‘One Man went to Mow’ provided evidence of their ability to count Hankham Primary School - 16 backwards. During group activities, some higher attaining children used tallying to record groups of five, indicating a good grasp of number. Discussion about the shape pictures they had created using a computer program showed that children know the names of two-dimensional shapes and can name some of their properties, such as the number of sides on a triangle. During a successful numeracy lesson, children delighted in spotting where a teddy bear had ‘counted wrongly’. Some children confidently added 20 and 3, showing a good understanding of tens and

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Main strengths and weaknesses

units. Others combined coins to make different amounts, while the teaching assistant took a group on a ‘treasure hunt’ searching for coins. Children achieved well during this lesson because of the imaginative approach and the different levels of challenge in the tasks, which enabled all to move forward.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

28. Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good . Children’s knowledge and understanding develops well as they work on the same topics as are studied by year 1. For example, children had good opportunities to share what they had found out during a whole class discussion about pond life. They made a good attempt at describing what they had observed, showing an interest in the creatures they had seen. Many knew some of their names and recognised the differences between land and water creatures, indicating that they exceeded the expected standards in this area of learning. Children use the computer with confidence. They ‘drag and drop’ to move objects around the screen – for example, when creating a three- dimensional townscape of buildings and roads. Their wrapping paper designs using the ‘tile’ tool in a painting program also indicate good ICT skills.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

29. It was not possible to observe children during lessons in the hall promoting physical development but when using pencils and scissors and when building with construction kits, children’s manipulative skills were as expected for their age. Displays in and around the classroom indicated that children have a reasonable range of opportunities for creative development and achieve the expected levels. The outdoor area has good facilities for physical and creative activities.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching and learning means that children are making good progress in most year groups • Children enjoy the subject and work hard • There is good individual support for children with special educational needs.

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Commentary

30. There has been a significant improvement in performance by year 2, where reading standards are high and writing is more broadly in line with national averages. Children’s stories are well structured and more able children use a range of imaginative words. Their writing is joined and legible and most accurately use speech marks. Standards in year 6 are below average because of the proportion of children working below the levels expected in reading and writing. To some extent, this is due to the number of children with special educational needs but some children could be achieving more. Work from years 3 to 5 shows an improvement coming through and children are achieving well. For example, children in year 5 use their skills in persuasive writing to good effect and are very enthusiastic. Many are on track to achieve above average standards by the end of year 6. There has been a real drive to improve writing standards and this is evident in

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Commentary

most classes. For the oldest children, however, work is not always well matched to their needs. Setting the same tasks means that some children are not sufficiently challenged and less Hankham Primary School - 17 confident children struggle to complete the work. As a result, progress has been satisfactory rather than good. 31. Teachers manage lessons well and insist on good behaviour. Children are attentive and concentrate well on their tasks. They enjoy their work and behave well. Marking of work is good. It encourages children and tells them what they need to do to improve. Teaching assistants provide effective support, which helps pupils to achieve well in learning basic skills. The quality of teaching is very good in the year 3/4 and year 4/5 classes where children are enthused and work very well. In the younger of these classes pupils explored the main issues of a story by considering a dilemma and were very keen to participate. Children in the older classes were

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Commentary

similarly engrossed in preparing arguments supporting each side of controversial issues. They have good understanding of formal and informal styles of writing. Both these lessons fitted in well to the Victorian theme as year 3/4 linked the work of the explorer Howard Carter to their topic on the Ancient Egyptians while year 4/5 prepared for a debate on the proposed rail link to Eastbourne.

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Commentary

32. The subject is soundly managed by an experienced co-ordinator. Planning and pupils’ work are monitored but increased emphasis needs to be given to sharing the successful methods of the more effective teaching. The use of computers is developing appropriately and children combine text and pictures to good effect in their English work.

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Language and Literacy across the curriculum

33. There are good opportunities to develop literacy across the curriculum. Opportunities to develop speaking and listening are evident in most subjects. Teachers give time for talking to partners and group discussions. There are good examples of extended writing in religious education and history. In science, children write up their findings from investigations clearly. Children extend their technical vocabulary in science and ICT.

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MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall teaching and learning are good • The subject is well monitored and performance data analysed but it is not used effectively to raise standards • Marking is not used consistently to tell children how to improve

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Commentary

34. Achievement varies across classes but is satisfactory overall. Children achieve well in years 1 and 2 and reach good standards. They develop a good grasp of number and use this to solve everyday problems involving addition and subtraction. Many take pride in their knowledge of quick methods of calculation – for example, how to add 9 by adding 10 and subtracting 1. Children describe shapes using the correct mathematical terms such as faces and edges. The effective teaching in years 3/4 and 4/5 is leading to improved standards. In year 6, children make steady progress but the proportion of children reaching the expected levels is below average. Children with special educational needs achieve well because adults give them good support in lessons.

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Commentary

35. Teaching in mathematics is good overall with some examples of very good teaching. Teachers make good use of opportunities to develop understanding of mathematical language. Where teaching is most effective, lessons are well balanced and structured with a good level of challenge and pace, which ensures no time is wasted. In the best lessons, children are encouraged to explain how they worked out problems and given help to improve. Where the Hankham Primary School - 18 teaching is satisfactory, the level of challenge in the work is not well matched to children’s different abilities and the resulting inattentiveness is not addressed quickly or effectively enough.

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Commentary

36. Teaching has been monitored and recent test results have been analysed. In some classes, this information is used to set individual targets but this is not yet consistent throughout the school. As a result, children are not aware of what they need to do to improve. Some teachers use assessment information to guide marking and feedback to children but this is not always the case. Work is usually marked with a tick and a positive comment but teachers do not indicate how children can improve. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory Monitoring of lessons and children’s work has identified strengths and weaknesses but these need to be followed up more to ensure that successful methods are adopted across the school.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

37. Good use is made of children’s numeracy skills across the curriculum. In science they measure and record the results of experiments. In history, year 6 pupils investigate the symmetry of Tudor rose gardens and year 4’s study of time is related to Egyptian water clocks and sand clocks.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A strong emphasis on practical work helps children’s understanding • Good links with other subjects help children’s learning

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Commentary

38. The subject is managed well. Progress since the last inspection has been good; the curriculum is more exciting and children are more positive about the subject. The quality of teaching and learning is good. In all the lessons observed, there was a buzz of excitement as children set about practical tasks. Children in year 2 showed good levels of attainment as they discussed their pond-dipping activities. They had a good knowledge and understanding of where certain creatures could be located and why, and used the correct scientific terms, such as nymph, lava, predators, amphibians and habitat. Their understanding was skilfully developed by the teacher’s questioning and her careful explanations. For example, she posed challenging questions about ‘breathing underwater’. Highly effective questioning was also a feature of a lesson in year 3/4. As children observed woodlice, the teacher set challenging targets and maintained a brisk pace.

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Commentary

Effectively prompted by the teacher, children worked collaboratively to devise a fair test to explore which kind of habitat the woodlice preferred. The notion of a fair test was taken further in the year 4/5 class, where children were exploring factors affecting evaporation. They responded very maturely and were keen to discuss and offer ideas. The teacher’s excellent management skills ensured a strong focus on learning. Very well supported by the teaching assistant, she created a very purposeful atmosphere. Invited by the teacher to ‘write one new thing you have learned today’, children demonstrated an above average grasp of the scientific principles underpinning their investigations.

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Commentary

39. No lessons were observed in the year 5/6 class. Work in books and discussion with children indicated that standards are broadly in line with those expected by the end of year 6. Most aspects of science are covered well. Children use diagrams, tables and charts effectively to report their findings.

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Commentary

40. Science lessons frequently provide opportunities for children to enhance their skills across the curriculum. The consistent use of the correct scientific vocabulary and an insistence that children answer questions in complete sentences contribute to their speaking skills. They are Hankham Primary School - 19 encouraged to record results systematically using headings and bullet points and this helps to improve their presentation skills. Independent study is promoted well in most classes with a strong emphasis on children thinking things through for themselves. Older children’s mathematical skills are called upon as they record numerical data to two-decimal points and construct continuous variable graphs – such as changes in temperature over time.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Although some direct teaching of ICT was observed, not enough was seen to evaluate the overall provision. Other evidence indicated that the provision is well organised.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

41. The subject co-ordinator, in partnership with the specialist teaching assistant, has led developments well and there has been good improvement since the last inspection. Standards reached by year 2 and year 6 are now broadly in line with expectations. Resources have improved and there is now enough software to fully implement the national curriculum. The positive impact of these improvements on children’s learning and achievement is evident from the wide range of work undertaken. This is particularly apparent in the use of ICT to communicate information. Building on the early word-processing skills learnt in years 1 and 2, children go on to mix text and pictures to create well-designed fliers and newsletters. Later they use their skills well to create multimedia presentations, such as those recently made for younger children, telling the story of Rama and Sita. From working with a programmable floor robot in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

years 1 and 2, older children progress to devising more complicated sequences of commands, for example, to simulate traffic light sequences. Children in years 5 and 6 have a good grasp of how sensors can be attached to a computer to record changes in temperature, light and sound.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

42. All aspects of the subject are covered well except work on databases which is a little patchy. Although young children are introduced to simple graphs, this aspect of the subject is not so well developed later on. Children in years 5 and 6 work with reasonable competence on spreadsheets but their understanding of other types of database is limited. This is because this topic is not covered in sufficient depth during the middle years.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

43. Most ICT activities are directly related to work in other subjects. Children are introduced to many aspects of ICT in the context of their on-going studies rather than in isolation. This helps them to see how ICT can be a powerful tool for learning and to see the point of developing good computer skills. For example, during their work on pond life, year 1 and 2 children were taught how to use bullet points when word-processing and saw how quickly the computer could sort information. ‘We found it much quicker to use the computer’ proclaimed a notice under a display of hand- drawn and computer-generated graphs. Children in years 3 and 4 were fascinated as they learned to use a CD ROM to find out about life in ancient Egypt. Staff explained carefully how to navigate the system and children were quickly using the resource independently. Work in mathematics on averages was clearly enhanced as year 5 and 6 children used a spreadsheet to

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

calculate the mean height of the class and to explore the ‘golden ratio’.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

44. An easily accessible computer-based assessment system has recently been introduced. Although only a small amount of data has been entered so far, it has much potential for tracking individual progress and for keeping an eye on the achievement of different groups, such as boys and girls.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

45. Good use is made of ICT across the curriculum, as the above examples illustrate.

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HUMANITIES

Hankham Primary School - 20 46. It is not possible to make a secure judgement on provision and standards in history or geography as no lessons were observed. Work in history is regularly used as a focus for the literacy hour. Year 6, for example, write reports about the sinking of the Mary Rose.

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HUMANITIES

47. National planning guidelines are carefully adapted to meet the school’s needs. Good use is made of visitors to the school to bring history to life. As the school hall was turned into a Victorian classroom for the day, all children were able to experience a science lesson as Victorian pupils. There was a moment of ‘wonder’ when they saw the steam come from the model steam engine. Children were able to express how they felt and compare the experience to present day.

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HUMANITIES

48. In the year 3/4 class, children were able to become ‘real’ archaeologists as they searched for Egyptian artefacts that the teacher had hidden in home-made bricks. The children were highly motivated and researched the artefacts they found, finding out as much as they could about them. Other children were finding artefacts using metal detectors and the two methods were then compared. Children had a great sense of purpose and were most enthusiastic about the lesson. Residential and day field trips are also valuable in providing first hand experiences for pupils.

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HUMANITIES

49. One lesson of religious education was seen during the inspection so it is not possible to judge the overall quality of teaching and learning. Children’s work indicates that attainment is in line with that expected by year 6 but it was not possible to judge the standards achieved by year 2. Examples of written work in year 2 show how children learn what it means to be a Christian. They learn about celebrations in Christianity and Judaism. In years 3 and 4 they are introduced to the world religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. They also find out about the different religions in their neighbourhood. They are able to explain why Easter is important to Christians. When talking to pupils in year 6, they were able to discuss the special books from the major world religions and identify some of the likenesses in the stories of creation. There are positive links with the local church. Children learn about the key features of a church from their visits. The co-ordinator

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HUMANITIES

is extending the range of visits to other places of worship, including a synagogue and a mosque. Links across the curriculum are developing well, especially with music, dance and art.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

50. No lessons were seen in art and design and only one in design and technology. One lesson in physical education was seen but two others were curtailed by inclement weather. One lesson was observed in music. Some previous work was available in art, but the practical nature of these subjects meant that there was too little evidence for a full evaluation of provision or of children’s achievements.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

51. Work in art and design indicates that standards are broadly in line with expectations and that all aspects are covered. Art supports other subjects well - for example, in a year 4/5 class there are good observational drawings of Victorian artefacts. The subject is well managed and the co- ordinator has carried out a useful audit of staff strengths and needs.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

52. There was insufficient work in design and technology to judge standards or achievement. In the lesson observed in the year 5/6 class, teaching and learning were good. The task of scaling up a picture using grids supported mathematics well. Other tasks included an investigation into joining techniques for card and an evaluation of methods. Another group worked successfully with textiles, demonstrating appropriate skills for their age.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

53. In physical education , the school offers many opportunities both in lessons and through extra curricular activities. Long term planning shows all areas of the curriculum are appropriately covered, including swimming. All children are able to swim 25 metres before leaving school. Involvement with other local small schools provides additional opportunities. Children join in tennis tournaments held at Eastbourne and tennis coaching is provided in years 3 to 5. The school has just been awarded the Activemark Gold for sport in recognition of the range of opportunities offered. Very good opportunities for children during lunchtimes help children to Hankham Primary School - 21 further develop their games skills. Children take part with great enthusiasm in the wide variety of activities offered. Resources for physical education are good although a pole in the middle of the school hall severely restricts some activities, particularly racquet sports. Teachers and children

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

are well aware of safety issues and of the need to warm up and cool down after a lesson.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

54. A recently acquired programme for teaching, including lesson plans and pre-recorded accompaniments, provides a sound structure for music teaching across the school. Although not seen during the inspection, photographic evidence of musical productions and visiting musicians and dancers suggests that music plays an important part in school life. In the year 2 lesson observed, children had good ideas for providing a musical accompaniment to a story and were keen to take the part of conductor. Singing in the whole-school assembly was tuneful and expressive, and children were introduced to the ‘composer of the week’ – in this case Debussy, in keeping with the Victorian theme.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

55. The co-ordinator has put a lot of time and effort into devising a comprehensive programme for personal, social, heath education and citizenship. Central guidelines have been carefully adapted to take account of the mixed age classes. The dangers of smoking and the use of other drugs feature strongly in the programme for years 3 to 6. Plans for sex and relationships education are sensibly split into specific age groups for years 5 and 6. It was not possible to observe lessons in these topics in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme. However, observation of a meeting of the school council indicated that children have a good grounding in citizenship. Hankham Primary School - 22

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Children’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Children’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 4 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Children’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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