Hipswell Church of England Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th – 26 th November 2003

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SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 2 Crown copyright 2004

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SCHOOL

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

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SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 161

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hipswell Village Catterick Garrison

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01748 832513 Fax number: 01748 835415

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs R Pratt

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 14 th September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Hipswell is a smaller than average voluntary controlled Church of England primary school. At the time of the inspection there were 145 full-time pupils and 16 attending the nursery part-time. The school serves the village of Hipswell and the garrison of Catterick. Pupils in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2 are taught in single age classes whilst pupils in Years 3 to 6 are taught in mixed- age classes. The number of pupils who qualify for free school meals is below average; the number of pupils with special educational needs, mostly with moderate learning difficulties, is about average and two of them have statements. Currently no pupils have English as an additional language. Attainment on entry to the nursery is broadly average although the very high percentage of pupils joining or leaving at times other than the beginning or end of their primary schooling means that this judgement can only be applied to a small percentage of pupils currently in school. Many of the pupils

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

who join or leave the school do so at very short notice as service families are posted to other locations. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

1553 Mr. D. Ford Lead inspector Science Design and technology Physical education 11468 Mrs. J. Menes Lay inspector 32647 Ms. J. Bell Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Citizenship Religious education 31622 Mrs. L. Richardson Team inspector Foundation Stage Information and communication technology History Music 22667 Mrs. A. Firth Team Inspector English Art and Design Geography

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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). Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 13

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 32

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school that provides well for a highly mobile pupil population. The school makes excellent provision for the inclusion of all ages and abilities of pupils. Good teaching, leadership and planning ensure that pupils progress well and achieve average standards. It gives satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• an extremely supportive ethos which very effectively meets the needs of all pupils; • good teaching provided through a strong team approach; • excellent provision for pupils with special educational needs; • standards in writing and information and communication technology, which are lower than they should be; • very good provision for children in the Foundation Stage; • good standards in spoken language and numeracy; • some learning activities require too little effort from pupils.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection. Standards in mathematics have improved, curriculum planning is now systematic and effective, the building has been considerably extended and the issues around the head teacher’s workload have been effectively resolved. There are still weaknesses in information and communication technology but the newly developed computer suite will address these. Teaching has improved since the last inspection although, in a minority of lessons, there is still a need to increase further the levels of challenge for pupils.

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Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D D E E* Mathematics B B D E Science D B E E 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 pupils who qualify for free school meals.

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Year 6 results

Attainment as measured by the national tests in 2003 was well below average in English and science and below average in mathematics. When compared with similar schools, standards were well below average in all subjects. However, the results of national tests do not give a true picture of standards in this school. This is because of the small year group sizes and the fact that the pupil population changes dramatically within year groups due to the extremely high percentage of children from service families. Thus, for example, in 2003 significantly less than half of the pupils tested had been in the school for more than three years.

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Year 6 results

Children make good progress from their broadly average starting points on joining the school. By

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the end of the Foundation Stage most children achieve the early learning goals expected

for their age and many exceed them in spoken language and personal, social and emotional development . In the infant classes pupils make satisfactory progress and by the end of Year 2 standards are above average in speaking and listening, average in mathematics and reading but Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 8 below average in writing and information and communication technology . There is a similar picture across the junior classes and by the time that pupils leave school standards are average in mathematics , English (although below average in writing) and science, and are below average in information and communication technology. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above average in speaking and listening, religious education and the understanding of historical skills. They are average in all other subject areas. Pupils’ personal development is good. Social and moral development is very good, reflected in good behaviour and very positive relationships.

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the end of the Foundation Stage most children achieve the early learning goals expected

Cultural and spiritual development is satisfactory and attendance is well above national averages.

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the end of the Foundation Stage most children achieve the early learning goals expected

Achievement is satisfactory overall; children in the Foundation Stage achieve well due to the high quality teaching, careful planning and the good adult-pupil ratios. Pupils of all ages with special educational needs achieve well because their needs are clearly identified and carefully planned for by teachers and support staff working closely together.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides good quality education. Teaching is good with lessons well planned, managed and organised. It is characterised by a most effective team approach with teachers and pupil support assistants working very well together. Staff make good use of questioning to support learning but some tasks for pupils are unexciting, and they lack clear indications of how much work needs to be produced in a specific time. Effective assessment and target setting support teaching, and the positive climate created in classes supports pupils well in their learning. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is very effective and they learn well.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is good and is well planned to a systematic structure that ensures that lessons effectively build on prior work. Teachers make effective links between subjects but there is no systematic structure to support the consolidation of literacy and numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum. The school runs a satisfactory range of clubs and activities after school hours and homework is effectively used to support pupils’ learning. Partnerships with parents and the community are very good and there is a very effective partnership with the garrison welfare staff that helps to ensure that new pupils quickly feel part of the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The head teacher, senior staff and governors provide good leadership and management. Governors have developed very good systems to ensure that they are able to hold the head to account and to maintain an accurate overview of strengths and weaknesses. The inclusive nature of the school reflects the head teacher’s commitment and his detailed knowledge of the context of the school. There are good self-review systems that are well managed by the deputy head teacher and which involve all staff. This approach ensures that the school improvement plan is a relevant, costed and focused document that properly underpins school development and helps to ensure that the school gives satisfactory value for money.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils of all ages really like this school. They like their teachers, enjoy their lessons and get on extremely well with each other. In many cases they are able to say from experience of a number of schools that this is the best school that they have attended because it is the friendliest. Parents’ views are also positive. They confirm that their children like school; they feel that they make good progress and that the teaching is good. A small minority have some concerns about communication, involvement in the life of the school and levels of homework but these were not borne out by the evidence of the inspection. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 9

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school should build on its current strengths and work to:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Improve standards in writing through ensuring a systematic approach to the development of pupils’ knowledge of letter sounds and a planned programme to consolidate writing skills in other subjects; • Improve standards in information and communication technology through a systematic teaching programme of information and communication technology skills once the new computer suite is fully in use; • Ensure that all learning activities are planned to extend pupils' knowledge and skills and are demanding in terms of the pace and quantity of work required. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and by the end of the reception year attain the early learning goals expected for their age in all areas of learning; many exceed them in spoken language and in their personal and social development. Across the rest of the school standards

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are generally in line with national expectations although they are lower than this in writing

and information and communication technology . Achievement across the school is satisfactory. Pupils make sound progress on building on their starting points on entry to the school. This achievement is not always reflected in final outcomes due to the exceptionally high levels of pupil mobility with around 60 per cent of the school population changing in a single academic year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the end of the Foundation Stage most children achieve the early learning goals expected for their age and many exceed them in spoken language and personal, social and emotional development. • Standards in writing are below the national age-related expectations for pupils in the infant and junior classes. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well. • Standards in information and communication technology are below national age-related expectations. • Pupils achieve well in speaking and listening and in their acquisition of historical skills.

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Commentary

1. The tables below provide an analysis of results from the statutory assessments carried out in 2003. However, the extremely mobile nature of the pupil population of Hipswell School, some six times the national average, means that these results do not reflect the true picture of standards in the school. Thus, of the pupils who took the tests for eleven year olds last year, only 35 per cent had been in the school for more than three years and 30 per cent had joined the school less than one year before the tests were taken.

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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 15.9 (14.5) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 14.0 (14.0) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 16.8 (16.6) 16.3 (16.5) There were 21 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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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 25.0 (26.1) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 26.4 (27.9) 26.8 (26.4) Science 27.3 (29.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were 20 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 11 2. Children enter the school with a wide range of pre-school experiences although overall attainment on entry is average. Children make good progress across the Foundation Stage; they achieve well and a large majority of them are on course to meet all the nationally defined early learning goals. In addition, a significant number of pupils will exceed the goals in spoken language and in personal, social and emotional development. Children with special educational needs achieve well. They participate in all areas of learning and make good progress.

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Commentary

3. The current standards achieved by pupils in Year 2 are at least in line with national expectations in all curriculum areas except writing and information and communication technology. They are better than expected in speaking and listening, religious education and in the development of historical skills. The picture is similar in Year 6 where pupils achieve standards that are also in line with national expectations in mathematics, science and reading. They are below expectations in writing and information and communication technology. In all other subjects standards achieved are average except in and speaking and listening, religious education and the skills associated with history where they are higher.

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Commentary

4. In this school the standards achieved in national tests at the end of each stage of education only tell part of the story. Most pupils join and leave (often more than once) at various times throughout their primary years. These disruptions naturally interrupt pupils’ progress and many never have their achievements at Hipswell measured by the national tests.

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Commentary

5. All pupils in the school build successfully on what they have already learned. They are set appropriate individual targets based on effective assessment systems and they make satisfactory progress towards them. Pupils’ progress is well supported by good planning in all subjects and by very effective deployment of staff in well-organised teams. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well, building steadily on their existing skills and knowledge. This progress results from the detailed and effective systems in place to identify their needs and to plan programmes of work. The good achievement in the Foundation Stage is due to careful planning and good quality teaching by well-managed teams of teachers and support staff. The high ratio of adults to children also makes an important contribution to the levels of achievement. Across the rest of the school pupils build on this good start, again due to careful

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Commentary

planning and the effective use of teams. However, teaching can vary from unsatisfactory to excellent and this, together with the disruption to many pupils’ education caused by family movement, results in satisfactory levels of achievement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values, behaviour and personal development are good. Social and moral development is very good; spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attendance and punctuality are good. • Pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and social skills are very well developed. • Relationships at the school are very good. • Pupils behave well. • The school provides insufficient opportunities to celebrate the cultural diversity evident in society. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 12

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.1 School data 1.3 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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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 159 1 0 White – any other White background 1 Mixed – White and Black African 1 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

6. Attendance at the school is above the national average with effective monitoring systems being operated by the administrative staff. Unauthorised absence is above the national average and the school operates an effective telephone tracking system to try to address this. The figure reflects the number of service families who take holiday during term time as a result of Forces leave arrangements. Pupils are generally punctual and there have been no exclusions in this academic year.

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Exclusions

7. Pupils display very well developed social skills and are confident enough to fully engage unknown adults in conversation about their learning. This is a notable feature of all year groups. Pupils show perseverance during classroom sessions and are able to work together co- operatively in a variety of groupings.

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Exclusions

8. Relationships between pupils and their peers and between pupils and teachers are good, demonstrating mutual respect. In a Year 3/4 lesson observed, pupils were sensitively paired to aid the learning of less able pupils and the pupils demonstrated both empathy and patience.

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Exclusions

9. Rare incidents of bullying are dealt with quickly and appropriately by school staff, and in discussions with pupils this was rated highly. Behaviour generally around the school is good, with pupils responding well to the school’s high expectations in this area. During a school assembly all pupils came into the hall in an orderly manner and were sensible enough to take part in a paired Braille activity using their hands. There was one fixed-term exclusion in the last academic year

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Exclusions

10. Pupils’ self-knowledge and awareness of the values and beliefs of others are good with the wide range of religious education work evident in pupils’ books demonstrating this. Their understanding of right and wrong is good and pupils are aware of different communities, for example, their school, the Armed Forces and North Yorkshire, and their role within them. There is little emphasis on the cultural traditions of others and the cultural diversity that exists in society. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 13 11. Many children in the Foundation Stage are on course to exceed the early learning goals expected in their personal, social and emotional development. This reflects the good teaching in this area of learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. Teaching is good and the good planning provides a broad, balanced and well-structured curriculum. It is supported by very good care and support for pupils and very good links with parents.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall throughout the school. Teaching is well planned, managed and organised to provide a very positive climate for learning to which pupils respond enthusiastically. However, sometimes the activities provided for them require too little effort.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers and pupil support assistants work very well in integrated teams to create a very positive atmosphere that encourages learning. • Lessons are well organised and managed. • Lessons are thoroughly planned with clear aims for what pupils will learn. • Marking is thorough and supportive and gives pupils very clear pointers for improvement. • Sometimes the activities provided for pupils to work on require too little effort or are allowed to proceed at too leisurely a pace. • Teachers’ subject knowledge is good. • Teachers use question and answer sessions very well to recap on previous learning and to allow pupils to explore ideas. • There are too few opportunities, across the curriculum, for pupils to write at length.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Commentary

2 (6%) 6 (17%) 12 (34%) 14 (40%) 1 (3%) 0 0

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

12. The quality of teaching is good overall across the school. There has been a considerable increase in the proportion of very good and excellent teaching since the last inspection and there are examples of such lessons in the Foundation Stage and in the infant and junior classes. The improvements in teaching have resulted from a structured approach to planning and a systematic programme of lesson observation and evaluation carried out by subject leaders. The parents and pupils agree that teaching is good throughout the school and effectively promotes learning.

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Commentary

13. In the Foundation Stage teaching is good. This good quality teaching ensures that children make a very successful start to their school life. The teachers and pupil support assistants work very well together to provide a broad range of stimulating learning experiences for the children. In the nursery, sessions are extremely well planned, based on very detailed knowledge of the background and needs of individual children. Activities are carefully structured and Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 14 supported to encourage all children to participate actively, and staff input is precise and focused on the carefully identified key aims for children’s learning. This teaching prepares children well for their reception year where once again careful planning and a well-structured team approach ensure that teaching enables children of all abilities to build on their previous learning.

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Commentary

14. Across the rest of the school the overall quality of teaching and learning is good. Lessons are carefully planned and well organised. Classroom management is good with clear routines. Staff know their pupils very well and have developed very good relationships with them, ensuring that all are effectively included in lessons. All of these positive aspects combine to provide a very stimulating classroom climate to which pupils respond with an enthusiasm for learning.

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Commentary

15. Teachers are confident in their knowledge of the various subjects of the curriculum and ensure that they use the specific language for each subject. They use question and answer sessions very well to introduce lessons, review previous learning and test understanding. Pupils are clearly introduced to the aims for what they will learn and activities are planned to meet them. In the best lessons, particularly in Years 2 and 6, these activities are designed to capture the imagination of pupils and to encourage them to learn in a variety of ways. This often involves pupils using all their senses and making use of books, information sheets and the Internet. In these lessons pupils are very clear about what is to be achieved and how much time they have to complete their tasks. Staff encourage a brisk pace of work and have high expectations of the end product. Pupils respond well to these approaches, working with effort and enthusiasm and

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Commentary

making significant gains in understanding. However, occasionally in lessons with year groups other than Years 2 and 6, the central part of the session was characterised by tasks that were not particularly exciting, often focused on the completion of worksheets, and with little or no sense of a meaningful deadline by which an agreed amount of work should be produced. This can sometimes mean that, whilst groups working directly with staff make good progress, some pupils in other groups have a tendency to ‘drift’ and therefore achieve less.

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Commentary

16. Teachers and support staff work very well with pupils to promote good behaviour and positive relationships at all levels. They encourage pupils to describe their views and feelings and ensure that they feel secure in their learning. Teachers are very familiar with the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy and plan lessons accordingly. Overall, teaching of numeracy skills is good and teaching of literacy skills is satisfactory although in both aspects of the curriculum there is limited planned reinforcement of skills and concepts in other subjects. There is little direct teaching of information and communication technology skills and this is reflected in standards that are below national expectations by the time that pupils leave the school. Science teaching is good. Lessons provide a mixture of practical, investigative activities and acquisition of knowledge and there are good examples of lessons with the Year 6 pupils

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Commentary

that effectively challenge them to test their ideas through quite sophisticated scientific experiments.

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Commentary

17. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils throughout the school are very well supported to ensure that they can take part in lessons. Their individual education plans provide clear guidance for teachers. Classroom support assistants work very well in partnership with teachers to implement the targets within those plans, in the context of each particular lesson.

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Commentary

18. The school has an effective, structured approach to assessment, based on judgements of the quality of ongoing work as well as nationally devised tests. Individual targets are established for pupils and these inform class targets in key subject areas such as English and mathematics. Marking of work is an integral part of this process and is of a very high quality consistently across the school. It is very supportive and provides very clear information for pupils about the quality of work and how they should improve. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 15

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Whole-school curriculum planning is good and supports continuity and progression. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well planned and integrated into lessons; individual education plans are excellent working documents. • Provision for personal, social, health education and citizenship is good. • The provision for the nursery and reception classes is good. • The curriculum is fully inclusive; pupils new to the school are given good support. • Planning in mathematics is very good. • There is no systematic planning to consolidate skills taught in literacy and numeracy in other subjects.

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Commentary

19. The whole-school curriculum is well planned on a two-year cycle to meet the needs of the full range of pupils and the needs of those taught in classes containing more than one year group. Nationally developed guidance is used well to teach numeracy skills in mathematics lessons and to aid the transition of Year 6 pupils. Subject co-ordinators have worked hard to develop good termly plans to a common format that are very helpful to teachers in producing their daily plans.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum is very inclusive; pupils new to the school are given good support as they begin to make friends and acclimatise to the new school environment. Their educational needs are assessed over a period of weeks. Pupils with significant learning needs are fully integrated into the school, and careful planning and staff training ensure that their needs are fully catered for. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is good. It is carefully planned to meet the nationally defined early learning goals and ensures that children's play activities are effectively managed to develop their learning.

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Commentary

21. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is excellent. The co-ordinator for special educational needs skilfully supports class teachers and support assistants. As a result all staff use teaching methods that engage all pupils’ senses and this ensures that those with special educational needs are actively engaged in their learning and make good progress. Learning plans are thorough working documents that are regularly shared with parents. The plans show clear targets and provide opportunities for input from the individual pupils.

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Commentary

22. There is good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. The police liaison officer supports the school and delivers a drugs awareness programme. This involves pupils in role-play exercises and they are able to show that they have a good understanding of the strategies needed to resolve conflict. This project usefully develops pupils’ social skills, relationships and confidence. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 also develop their social skills during an annual residential outdoor educational visit to Askrigg.

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Commentary

23. Planning for mathematics is very good. Teachers have adopted planning systems and structures suggested by the National Numeracy Strategy and these are taught to good effect. Teachers use a good range of resources to make the lessons lively and interesting. Teaching assistants have access to the plans and are able to offer good support to pupils experiencing difficulties.

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Commentary

24. Since the last inspection the school has improved the quality of the accommodation with an extension to the building, now used to teach Year 2 children. A computer suite is almost ready for completion. The use of this facility will significantly enhance opportunities for improved Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 16 teaching and learning in information and communication technology. Space is used well but the limited amount of shared space and the relatively isolated position of the Year 4/5 class make the management of the full range of extra support programmes difficult, which can limit the impact of the planned work. The library area, which is small and cramped, is used by staff for small group work. This hinders access to the library books by other pupils in the school. The space for outdoor play provision in the nursery is good.

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Commentary

25. Although the school plans carefully to cover all aspects of the curriculum and to ensure continuity and progression, it has not yet identified how writing skills taught in English can be systematically consolidated in other areas of the curriculum.

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Care, guidance and support

The school makes very good provision for the care and protection of pupils. Staff know pupils very well and understand the problems many of them face with frequent changes of school. They have very good systems to monitor pupils' achievements and so can provide very good support and guidance to help them to overcome difficulties and to make progress. The involvement of pupils in the school's work and development is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Governors are fully involved in the provision of very good procedures for pupils' health and safety. • The school provides very well for the induction and support of pupils who may have moved schools several times. • Staff use assessment information and their knowledge of pupils to provide very good academic and personal support and guidance. • The fence to the nursery playground is not high enough to ensure security of pupils.

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Commentary

26. The school takes very good care of pupils and works hard to provide very effective procedures for their health and safety. Governors on the health and safety committee take an active role in monitoring the implementation of the policy and the condition of the building and grounds. The emphasis is on consultation, to devise workable routines and documents that give helpful guidance to staff and cover all aspects of school life. Despite this, inspectors considered the fence to the nursery playground to be too low to provide sufficient security for pupils.

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Commentary

27. Arrangements for the induction of pupils to school are very good. Children settle quickly into nursery and reception. Transfer arrangements for nursery children into school are good. They have regular opportunity within the taught week to work with the reception class staff and children in planned activities. Teachers are able to meet regularly and review pupil progress; as a result they know their pupils well in advance of formal transfer. The very high proportion of pupils from forces' families, who join the school during the year in groups or individually, are made very welcome, quickly make friends and settle down. The head teacher has a very good understanding of army life and organisation in the local garrison, and makes very good use of links with army welfare and education services to prepare for and support new arrivals.

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Commentary

28. Teachers use their knowledge of pupils' achievement very well to help them make progress. Pupils find the marking in books helpful and understand what they need to do to improve. Staff develop very good relationships with pupils and observe them carefully, so that they can monitor their personal development and provide support at an early stage. Pupils feel they can go to members of staff with problems and receive a sympathetic response.

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Commentary

29. Staff are often aware of pupils' views and value their ideas; for example, older pupils contribute suggestions for events such as the Christmas Concert. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 17

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The school has developed a very effective partnership with parents, and the army and

civilian communities, to support pupils' welfare and personal development. Communication and links with parents are very good. Links with the community are good overall, as are links with other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school works hard to build and maintain a friendly and constructive partnership with parents in the education of their children. • Parents are very supportive of the school. • There is very good liaison with the army communities and schools within the garrison area to support pupils’ education and welfare.

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Commentary

30. The head teacher and staff have developed a strong partnership with parents through consistently making them welcome in school, giving immediate attention to their concerns and working with them to support their children's education and welfare. The school keeps parents well informed on their children's progress. The school provides very good support for parents through its understanding of the problems faced by forces' families such as frequent moves and long separations, and through links with the army welfare services.

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Commentary

31. Parental support for the school is very strong. Parents particularly value the friendliness and approachability of staff and their understanding and support. Many of them attend school events and services in the church and some offer to help in a variety of ways.

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Commentary

32. The head teacher is aware of the different communities served by the school, the village of Hipswell, the semi-permanent garrison community, the transient garrison community and the individual forces' units. He works closely with the Army Families and Welfare Service and units' family welfare officers to share information and resolve problems faced by pupils and their families. The school is able to make good use of resources provided by the army such as sports coaches, use of the athletics stadium and the loan of large tents for the Summer Fair. There are close links with the church; the vicar is very involved in the school through the governing body and assemblies, and the school makes good use of the church for services and for religious education. People from the village are made welcome at school events and classes often make visits in the community to support the curriculum.

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Commentary

33. The school has good links with other schools and shares a site with the Community College. Pupils have the opportunity to become familiar with the college before transfer and curriculum links are developing. An important feature is the Education Forum at Catterick Garrison, which includes all the schools that serve the garrison. This has fostered co-operation and communication between the schools and a co-ordinated service for forces families.

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The head teacher, together with his management team and the governing body, provides

effective leadership through straightforward improvement planning and a well-founded team approach to school development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a well-developed and carefully planned approach to self-evaluation that underpins the school improvement plan. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 18 • All involved in the school are committed to the same priorities. • There is a comprehensive approach to monitoring and evaluation that thoroughly involves staff and governors. • The head teacher provides a clear vision for the school that reflects his clear understanding of its special circumstances and his commitment to inclusion. • The improvement planning highlights the need to improve performance in English, but results in this subject are still below national expectations.

p.17

Commentary

34. The school is led and managed effectively. School development is based on a detailed approach to self-evaluation that involves all members of staff at appropriate levels. The governing body also plays a key role in this approach, which ensures that everybody involved in the school has a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses and, therefore, of how priorities for improvement have been derived.

p.18

Commentary

35. The school’s approach to self-evaluation is founded securely on the systematic evaluation of performance data and monitoring of teaching quality. All the outcomes are shared with staff and governors and this enables relevant questions to be raised as part of the improvement planning process. The head teacher provides a clear vision for the school, which is firmly based on his detailed and informed knowledge of the context of the school and the very particular needs of the highly mobile pupil population.

p.18

Commentary

36. The management of the school is good. There is a systematic approach to school processes and procedures. There is an effective, structured approach to the curriculum, which supports teachers in their planning. Professional development is carefully planned and linked to personal needs as well as to the identified school priorities. Staff are deployed effectively and work well together in a variety of teams, characterised by clarity of role and mutual professional respect. The administrative team is very efficient and provides good support to the classroom staff ensuring the maximum focus on teaching and learning.

p.18

Commentary

37. There are effective systems of financial management and planning with funding clearly targeted to improvement priorities. The governing body works hard to apply the principles of best value to ensure that it gets the best goods and services for the pupils. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.18

Commentary

38. Governors are active participants in the management of the school. They are increasingly able to pinpoint specific areas for further development and they are encouraged to question the management team over all aspects of school life. This healthy challenging relationship is founded firmly on a shared commitment to the welfare of all pupils in an extremely inclusive environment. Since the last inspection the school has developed a much more systematic approach to management and school improvement. The deputy head teacher provides very effective support to the head in designing and implementing management systems and this approach has helped to involve all staff in the development of the school improvement plan. These developments in leadership, management and governance have underpinned significant improvement in the school although attainment in English is still below national averages.

p.18

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.18

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 480,554 Balance from previous year 4,729 Total expenditure 466,815 Balance carried forward to next year 18,468 Expenditure per pupil 2,762 Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 19 Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 20

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

39. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good and has improved since the last inspection . Good arrangements are made for children in the separate nursery building to work with reception class children and teachers, and reception class children take part in regular whole-school activities so their transfer to Year 1 is smooth. The achievement of all children is good because the teaching is good overall and often excellent in the nursery. Teamwork is excellent. The curriculum is very well planned and the assessment of children’s capabilities is very thorough, ensuring that activities meet their needs well. All staff provide very good role models and have high expectations of children, which means that behaviour, awareness of others and concentration are very good. Accommodation in the nursery is just adequate but space is used very well. The outdoor play facilities have been significantly

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

improved. Although all outdoor work is very well supervised the school is aware of the need to review issues relating to a low section of the perimeter fence.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good with an excellent team approach involving teachers and support assistants. • Children have very high levels of self-confidence and very good attitudes. • All children achieve well. • Teachers know children well and have high expectations within a very supportive atmosphere. • Children’s independence and sense of responsibility are very well developed.

p.20

Commentary

40. Children make excellent progress in their personal, social and emotional development throughout their time in the Foundation Stage. By the end of the reception year, standards in this area of learning are above those expected for children of this age. This is a result of the very positive and supportive atmosphere provided, the very high and clear expectations of the staff, and the interesting activities provided. Staff have excellent relationships with children; they speak to them very positively, expect the best of them and praise their contributions openly and genuinely. Staff know children extremely well and carefully direct questions to individuals so they can all contribute in the group. This increases children’s confidence and a good example of this was seen in the reception class when the teacher asked questions of individuals about the pets they had at home, encouraging them to talk freely about a subject with which they were

p.20

Commentary

41. Children are generally very independent learners throughout the Foundation Stage. This is because staff provide a very well structured environment where routines are very well known. Resources are available for all children, including those with significant special needs, to use as they need them and staff are skilful in providing opportunities for children to take part in all activities.

p.20

Commentary

42. Many examples were seen in the Foundation Stage of children’s very good relationships with each other; they work and play together very well, share equipment and are aware of the needs of others. This is because staff provide examples of excellent relationships between themselves and with children. There is planned development of this awareness through, for Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 21 example, the shared nursery and reception class religious education lesson where children learned about favourite pastimes of the staff and talked about their own.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have very good questioning skills and provide interesting activities so children have many opportunities to develop their spoken language. • Some opportunities are missed to use a wide range of techniques to develop children’s early reading skills.

p.21

Commentary

43. Children are on course to meet expectations in this area of learning, with more than half set to exceed them for spoken language. This includes several of the boys who are very confident and keen to contribute, often giving extended answers. Examples of this were seen in the nursery where a boy playing in the role-play area spoke about phoning the doctor for an “appointment for an injection for his poorly tummy", and during an introductory session about the work of vets when reception class children described their pets. In early reading activities children talk confidently about the content of their books; some of them are keen to share their knowledge through extended sentences and phrases such as “That’s a bumble bee and it goes from flower to flower getting pollen and that makes new flowers”. Children have these well- developed skills because staff ask open questions that encourage extended answers in whole-

p.21

Commentary

class sessions and they set up very interesting role-play activities where children enjoy using the new vocabulary they have learned. Children confidently used words such as ‘appointment’, ‘medicine’ and ‘operation’ in the well set up ‘Vet's surgery’ in the reception class. This role-play based work had an especially good effect in the nursery because a parent who is also a nurse spent time with children providing good examples of the use of equipment and specific language.

p.21

Commentary

44. Teaching in the nursery and reception class is good. Staff encourage all children to develop early literacy skills, particularly in writing where they have observed that boys in particular are less keen to be involved. In the reception class, however, girls often take a more active part in group activities on letter sounds than boys. Sometimes staff miss opportunities to engage the boys more in this type of work.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff provide a wide range of activities supported by good resources that capture children’s interest and encourage them to learn. • The high adult to children ratio and very good understanding of children’s capabilities mean that adults are on hand to help them develop their mathematical understanding.

p.21

Commentary

45. The majority of children are on course to reach the expectations in this area of learning by the time they reach the end of reception, with several set to exceed them. This is because there is very good teaching, which helps children build on their past knowledge through interesting activities with resources that help them to learn through all their senses. Good examples of this were a shape-matching game in the reception class and a jumping and counting game in the Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 22 nursery. Children were helped to achieve very well in these sessions; in the reception class they had good knowledge of a range of shapes including diamonds and ovals, they could count accurately and confidently to ten and could write the figure ’7’. Children also develop their mathematical understanding through simple number songs and rhymes and by the end of their time in the reception class have a sound grasp of mathematical language including ‘above’,

p.21

Commentary

46. Staff have a very good understanding of children’s capabilities and are very good at interesting children at all ability levels in their work. This is particularly the case with children who have special educational needs, which are supported very effectively so they can learn in whole- class sessions and small group activities, with work planned at the right level. A good example of this was seen in the reception class when the assistant’s support enabled two children with special educational needs to achieve well, as they developed understanding of capacity through sand and water play. Other adults, including a small number of volunteer parent helpers, add to the support for children and this means that there are enough adults to be able to build on opportunities that arise as children play and work.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan a wide range of very interesting activities that make children curious and help them learn through all their senses. • Teachers’ planning is very tightly focused on the key aspects of learning, which helps children understand well. • The very good levels of support for children mean that they achieve well.

p.22

Commentary

47. In both classes in the Foundation Stage teachers plan activities that interest children and promote their curiosity. They also provide lots of opportunities for children to contribute their own ideas, which are built on and used well to help to expand the knowledge of all. The generally high levels of interest and the children’s well-developed spoken language skills mean that most children are on course to the levels expected by the end of the reception year. A minority will exceed them. In the nursery a mixed-ability group of children achieved very well in an activity led by the teacher when she helped them to use magnifying glasses to observe the features of cut fruit. This was particularly effective because the teacher had a very clear focus for the activity, she chose some less familiar fruit such as pomegranate, and she had excellent knowledge of the different capabilities of the children. This approach resulted in very high

p.22

Commentary

achievement. Children use information and communication technology regularly in the Foundation Stage. In the reception class, many are able to use independently the programs set up for them and manage equipment such as the mouse, earphones and volume controls well. In the nursery very good guidance and questioning from the assistant helped children to develop mouse skills so they were able to ‘click and drag’ objects in a mathematics game.

p.22

Commentary

48. Teaching is good across the Foundation Stage. Activities are well planned and resourced. Staff take care to ensure that all children, including those with significant special educational needs, can participate and as a result children enjoy their work and make sound progress. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 23

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for outdoor play in the nursery is good because the staff make creative use of the limited, sloping space and ensure that children have access to the facilities very frequently. • Planning is well focused so children’s learning is good.

p.23

Commentary

49. Children's physical development is satisfactory and by the end of the reception year most children will have attained the nationally defined early learning goals.

p.23

Commentary

50. Provision for outdoor play in the nursery has improved significantly since the last inspection. There is still a very limited amount of space for children to play and develop their physical skills; however, staff plan very carefully so that children use different parts of the area to have daily opportunities to play with big equipment such as bikes. Other play equipment such as the large wooden playhouse and the building blocks are also always available so that children can be involved in a range of activities until it is their turn. The sloping lower yard is used well for physical games that do not need equipment such as jumping and skipping. Very good levels of supervision ensure that children are safe. As a result, children develop a good range of physical skills. They move with control, all can use small-wheeled toys such as tricycles, most can jump and skip and more able children can hop.

p.23

Commentary

51. Teaching is good in the nursery and the reception class. Outdoor play, physical education, movement to music and small equipment activities are well planned and managed to support children in developing their physical skills and confidence in their control of their bodies. Teachers and support staff work closely together to ensure that children are properly supported but allowed space and time to experiment with new skills. Children have frequent planned opportunities to develop their ability to manipulate small equipment such as crayons and paint brushes and the majority do so with good control; for example, in the reception class middle ability children showed good dexterity, accurately cutting out labels for an animal picture.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is very good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is often of very high quality, which results in children making very good progress. • Activities are varied, enjoyable and challenging so children sustain their interest and achievement is good.

p.23

Commentary

52. Achievement in creative development is satisfactory. By the end of the reception year children will reach the nationally defined standards in the early learning goals. Activities in this area of learning cover the curriculum in a varied and interesting way that results in children being keen to take part and learning well. For example, in the nursery an exceptionally good music and listening activity prompted an excellent response from the children in the way they followed the teacher’s example to change their singing. Their ability to sing a complicated, tongue-twisting song was very impressive and beyond what would be expected of children of this age. They knew the names of a drum, guiro and triangle and were delighted by the teacher’s Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 24 demonstration of the features of a triangle, listening very carefully as its sound faded away. Children in the reception class are helped to develop their creativity in a wide variety of ways,

p.23

Commentary

including through role-play and painting in the classroom, moving to music in gymnastics in the hall, and learning to keep in time with the beat in the whole-school hymn practice. The teacher’s high expectations and encouraging approach ensure that the quality of children’s responses is often very good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in writing are below national expectations. • Although reading standards are satisfactory pupils insufficiently apply their knowledge of letter sounds to help them when reading. • Pupils’ use of spoken English is good. • Marking is good. • There are limited opportunities to develop writing skills in other areas of the curriculum. • The subject co-ordinator provides very good leadership.

p.24

Commentary

53. Standards in national tests vary considerably from year to year. Last year they were low. However, because of the transient nature of the school population these results do not give a reliable picture of pupil performance.

p.24

Commentary

54. The achievement of pupils currently in school is satisfactory overall and pupils with special educational needs achieve well. There is no consistent pattern of differences between the achievement girls and boys. Pupils with special educational needs do well because work is well planned and matched to their specific needs. They are given very good support by highly trained and committed support staff. In all year groups there is a wide range of ability.

p.24

Commentary

55. Overall standards in speaking and listening are above national expectation throughout the school. Most pupils speak confidently and enthusiastically. They are keen to engage in conversation with adults new to the school and are interested to find out about them. Even the youngest children displayed curiosity and asked inspectors, “Why are you writing?” Many of the pupils have a good spoken vocabulary, and they understand spoken questions and instructions. Consequently they are able to answer questions without the aid of extensive prompting by the teacher. This helps maintain the pace of lessons particularly for introductions. Teachers work hard to reinforce correct speech, and accurately use a good range of technical terms within lessons.

p.24

Commentary

56. Pupils achieve more highly in reading than in writing, though not all pupils have positive attitudes to reading, with some indicating that they “only read when we have to”. The school has a structured approach to the teaching of reading. Pupils are taught in guided groups throughout the school. The pupils in Year 4 are able to offer simple views about a story such as, “I think it was funny” and “I really enjoy Lord of the Rings”. Pupils in the infant classes also answer simple questions, often referring to the pictures for clues. However, pupils throughout the infants and juniors are less able to apply their understanding of letter sounds when meeting an unfamiliar word. This is slowing progress. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 were keen to name their favourite authors. for example Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling and J.R. Tolkein. Reading books are organised neatly into levels; however, the books in the library area are not always kept ordered,

p.24

Commentary

with one of the pupils commenting that, “… the system gets messed up and you can’t find a Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 25 book”. The library area is very small and has to be used by teaching assistants working with small groups of pupils; this hinders access by others.

p.24

Commentary

57. Teachers and support staff continue to work hard to improve standards in writing. They have sought external support, revised planning and improved target setting. However, so far standards remain below average by the end of Years 2 and 6, and therefore writing rightly remains an area targeted by them for improvement.

p.25

Commentary

58. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although there was good teaching in lessons in Years 2 and 6. In most lessons teachers identify in their planning what pupils are to learn, and teach the lessons effectively using appropriate resources. Lessons are taught in an orderly environment where pupils behave well; however, they are not always challenged to produce work of sufficient length or quality, and work in writing too often relies on the completion of worksheets rather than encouraging pupils to extend their writing. In the best lessons in Years 2 and 6, work started briskly, and there was clear focus on how to improve writing and very good whole-class discussion. Positive wholehearted relationships based on mutual respect and commitment to learning ensured that all pupils achieved well. All lessons were supported by effective teamwork and this particularly helped the achievement of pupils with special educational needs.

p.25

Commentary

59. The subject co-ordinator is skilled. She has worked hard to make changes and recognises that there are still improvements to be made. The co-ordinator is monitoring progress and using data in order to identify the areas of weakness and make plans for improvements. Test results in English have fluctuated since the last inspection due to the small year groups and the high degree of mobility. However, planning has improved and levels achieved in lessons have been maintained.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

60. Pupils insufficiently use their literacy skills in other subjects. The school has not specifically identified how writing skills taught in English can be consolidated in other areas of the curriculum, in order to provide opportunities for extended writing that pupils see as relevant activities.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well because of the good teaching and learning. • There is a strong and coherent approach to developing pupils’ numeracy skills. • Teachers have good subject knowledge.

p.25

Commentary

61. Standards in mathematics in both Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with national averages. The higher standards compared with the previous inspection are as a direct result of the better quality of teaching, with particular emphasis on numeracy. The school has worked hard to achieve this. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported by the class teachers and pupil support assistants; they achieve well and are very well integrated into all activities. Boys and girls are making similar progress.

p.25

Commentary

62. In a large percentage of lessons, pupils are responsive, enthusiastic and engaged as a result of the effective teaching. In the best lessons, tasks are correctly matched to the range of ability and pupils are properly challenged. Teachers’ clear expectations and accurate emphasis of key points result in pupils grasping important concepts. In an excellent lesson observed in Year 2 Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 26 the teacher used a range of effective approaches to teaching the ten times tables to actively engage all pupils. These approaches engaged all the pupils’ senses, including touch, and made learning fun and memorable.

p.25

Commentary

63. Use of the specialist language of mathematics across the school is good, with opportunities taken to use and reinforce new vocabulary, and key words displayed prominently in all classes.

p.26

Commentary

64. Pace in lessons is good, keeping pupils engaged and enthusiastic. There is a suitable mix of whole-class, group and individual work, although occasionally introductions to lessons are too long, causing some restlessness. All teachers use a range of information and communication technology to deepen understanding and help pupils to consolidate their learning. This encourages cross-curricular links.

p.26

Commentary

65. As a result of the good teaching and learning in mathematics, pupils achieve well and have a positive attitude to the subject, as strong focus has been placed on numeracy since the previous inspection and this is improving standards in numeracy throughout the school.

p.26

Commentary

66. All teachers have good subject knowledge including a thorough grasp of the National Numeracy Strategy. They plan systematically to ensure appropriate coverage of the curriculum and as a result opportunities are provided for the practice and development of skills from Year 1 to Year 6. Key objectives are highlighted and explained to all pupils so that they understand the purpose of each lesson and how it fits into the big picture.

p.26

Commentary

67. Teaching takes account of pupils’ prior learning, and very good marking of pupils’ work includes positive comments and suggestions for further development. For example, this supports pupils’ understanding of their own learning and allows them to consider their future learning. In a very good Year 5/6 lesson pupils were given the opportunity for personal reflection – to consider and explain why they had found the task easy or difficult.

p.26

Commentary

68. Assessment is an important feature in the raising of standards in mathematics because the co- ordinator monitors achievement effectively by analysing test results in order to find areas of strength and weakness within the curriculum. So far this has not been developed sufficiently to identify specific areas of challenge for all ability groups although work is well planned for pupils with special educational needs.

p.26

Commentary

69. Although lessons included a range of different activities, in some lessons not all pupils were extended by the tasks provided and as a result learning was less successful. In the best lessons pupils were provided with a range of activities that carefully matched their needs. For example, in a very good Year 4/5 lesson on the application of addition and subtraction facts, pupils of all abilities were provided with tasks which challenged them all, including the most able who checked their calculations on the calculator using the reverse calculation to the original sum.

p.26

Commentary

70. Mathematics is well led and managed with the co-ordinator being well supported by the local education authority’s strategy consultant and the Garrison Cluster Group, allowing her to plan more effectively for the teaching of the subject.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

71. There are opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills and understanding in other subject areas. For example, pupils make good use of their knowledge of graphs in analysing the outcomes of science investigations. However, such opportunities are identified by individual teachers and are not part of a systematic plan. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 27

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a systematic approach to the coverage of the subject. • There are good opportunities for pupils to develop their investigative skills. • Provision is effectively monitored by the co-ordinator supported by the deputy head teacher. • Pupils can discuss scientific ideas with confidence

p.27

Commentary

72. Overall, pupils’ achievement in science is satisfactory. Across Years 1 and 2, pupils achieve average standards and by the end of Year 6, standards in scientific knowledge and understanding remain average. However, the school’s approach to science puts considerable emphasis on investigative work and standards in this aspect of science are above average. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 develop sound understanding of living things, can identify forces and are able to categorise materials. They are experienced in performing simple experiments and they have a good understanding of the essential elements of a fair test. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 build successfully on these foundations. By the end of Year 6 they can design and carry out more sophisticated investigations. They understand about variables and the need to control them and they can use appropriate equipment including information and communication technology to support their work. Pupils are able to describe their work and its outcomes orally

p.27

Commentary

and in writing and they make good use of graphs to analyse and display their findings. The levels achieved in science, particularly in the investigative aspects, show that provision has improved since the last inspection.

p.27

Commentary

73. Teaching in science is good. Teachers know their subject well and plan lessons carefully. They define clear aims for learning and are very aware of the need to use correct scientific language in their lessons. They ensure a good balance of practical activities and theory and use question and answer sessions well to encourage new thinking in their pupils. Resources are sufficient and used well to support investigations and arouse pupils’ interest. Thus in one Year 6 lesson excellent use was made of computerised temperature sensing equipment to support experiments on the impact of exercise on the human body.

p.27

Commentary

74. Group working is used well in science lessons. Pupils are encouraged to work together and they respond very positively. They discuss ideas and modify their initial thinking and demonstrate good ability to organise themselves to undertake different tasks within the group. There is very effective support for pupils with special educational needs as individuals and within group activities. This ensures that they obtain maximum benefit from lessons and make good progress.

p.27

Commentary

75. The co-ordinator has recently taken over the role but she liaises very effectively with the previous post holder. She is developing good knowledge of the subject and has worked hard with the deputy head teacher to develop an effective action plan for further developments in the subject, based on a detailed self-review. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 28

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for Information and Communication Technology is currently unsatisfactory.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources for information and communication technology are inadequate. • Standards in information and communication technology are too low and too little time is spent in the direct teaching of skills. • There is good teamwork involving the subject leader, deputy head and head teacher. • Information and communication technology is used effectively across the curriculum.

p.28

Commentary

76. Standards attained by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are below national expectations, which is a similar picture to that at the time of the previous inspection. This is directly linked to the current inadequacy of resources, which means that there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop and master basic skills across all aspects of the subject. The new computer suite that will be in use next term will remedy this. By the end of their time at the school most pupils are competent users of word-processing programs and are able to compile tables and graphs successfully as a means of recording and analysing their work. Although there was one lesson when pupils used an electronic thermometer, there are too few opportunities for pupils to learn how to use a good range of information and communication technology tools such as digital cameras, control and measuring equipment and simulation programs.

p.28

Commentary

77. The leadership and management of information and communication technology is good because of the teamwork of the subject leader, deputy head and head teacher. This means that there is good knowledge of subject requirements, recognition of the shortfall in provision and a shared commitment to making it an appropriately high priority in the school improvement plan. As a result good progress is being made, the new computer suite is almost complete and appropriate staff training has been arranged. The subject leader is currently revising the curriculum plans for information and communication technology to include a clear emphasis on what pupils are expected to be able to do at each level and this will improve standards.

p.28

Commentary

78. There are currently no timetabled lessons for information and communication technology because of the lack of sufficient suitable equipment so very little direct teaching was observed during the inspection. In classrooms teachers have displayed useful guidance materials that enable the higher ability pupils to use information and communication technology independently in their work. All teachers use information and communication technology effectively to support their teaching, for example in planning, to make resources, and for display. This provides a good example for pupils in the way it demonstrates a range of uses of information and communication technology.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

79. Despite the lack of sufficient time and resources there is a commitment to providing as many opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology as possible. This is reflected in its use to support pupils’ learning in the majority of lessons. A range of appropriate software is used well by teachers and pupils apply their knowledge successfully in lessons. For example, in Year 5/6 science pupils used an electronic thermometer to provide information and graphs to show their findings. This was a particularly effective use of information and communication technology because the strong impact of information presented in this way helped pupils to realise that mistakes had been made in their investigation, prompting them to check their results. In another lesson, Year 4/5 pupils combined text and graphs to make eye- catching posters about the proper use of medicines. The school’s procedures for the use of the

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 29 Internet ensure that pupils’ access is carefully managed to ensure their safety. It was used well by older pupils as they researched information about historical figures.

p.29

History, Geography and Religious education

80. The school’s curriculum cycle is designed so that geography and history are taught in alternate half terms. During the inspection teaching was observed in geography and religious education, although only two lessons were observed in each subject. No history lessons were seen. Judgements on provision are based on the teaching seen, supported by scrutiny of work, discussions with pupils and analysis of curriculum plans.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Work is well planned to support continuity and progression. • Pupils have good understanding of history and the associated research skills.

p.29

Commentary

81. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards in history overall. Their knowledge of historical facts is in line with national expectations but their historical skills are higher. This is demonstrated in their ability to research, weigh evidence and understand that there may be more than one interpretation of historical facts. For example, Year 2 pupils know where the Great Fire of London started and noted several reasons for it spreading quickly. Historical skills are well developed because the curriculum is interesting and encourages pupils to build on their knowledge by reasoning and by research to find things out for themselves. A good example of this was seen in a Year 5/6 English lesson based on developing research skills where pupils were given a very well structured approach to increasing their knowledge about historical figures that they had chosen to study. This particularly good approach engages pupils of all

p.29

Commentary

abilities and, coupled with good marking by teachers, means that pupils' progress is good overall.

p.29

Commentary

82. A further good feature of provision for this subject is the planning and organisation. Pupils cover the same topic in classes in the infants and juniors, which means they benefit from the shared expertise of teachers and their own work on display in the hall, and the progression in skills is clear. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress. The co-ordinator is well informed and has a clear view of strengths and weaknesses in the subject. This ensures that all staff are clear about what has to be taught and the best ways to teach.

p.29

Geography

Provision for geography is satisfactory.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is well planned and organised. • Teachers have good subject knowledge. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 30

p.29

Commentary

83. Standards in geography are in line with national expectations for pupils in Years 2 and 6. The subject is well planned to meet the needs of the school’s mixed-age class organisation. Teaching is satisfactory and pupils make sound progress. Pupils’ understanding of key geographical concepts is satisfactory and they are confident in their use of maps.

p.30

Commentary

84. Pupils in Year 4 understand and can recall a range of types of settlement and how they came to be named. They use Ordnance Survey maps well to distinguish different types of settlement and recognise the differences between ‘linear’ and ‘nuclear’ villages. Pupils use information and communication technology to record their work although sometimes such recording is slow. Pupils in Year 5 are able to identify how water is used in the home and they know the amounts of water available in different parts of the world. They can make reasonable estimates of how much water is used for various domestic activities and can suggest ways to use less water. Although pupils have good levels of confidence and are able to explain clearly what they are doing, they are less secure when talking about specific geographical aspects of the water cycle.

p.30

Commentary

85. Pupils make good progress through good use of questioning techniques that encourage responses from both boys and girls. Teachers manage group work well and as a result pupils behave well and concentration is good for all groups of pupils. Teacher knowledge, effective resourcing for the lesson and sensible use of information and communication technology ensure that pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make satisfactory progress. The use of homework also effectively supports learning. However, sometimes planned activities in lessons do not make the best use of pupils’ time because they insufficiently challenge pupils to build on existing geographical knowledge.

p.30

Commentary

86. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator who effectively monitors provision to ensure that the curriculum is covered appropriately and that teachers understand the best approaches to the subject.

p.30

Religious education

Provision for religious education is good.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good coverage of the syllabus taught in the local authority’s schools across the school. • Work is well planned and builds systematically on previous knowledge and understanding.

p.30

Commentary

87. The school follows the syllabus that has been agreed for North Yorkshire schools within a well- planned curriculum framework.

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Commentary

88. Standards are at least in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus at the end of Year 2 and higher than expectations by the end of Year 6. This represents an improvement since the last inspection. Work planned identifies a broad range of experiences and during the inspection an effective lesson on the symbolism of light was followed by an interesting visit to the local church. The curriculum plan provides for progression within and across key stages and contributes effectively to the school’s citizenship programme.

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Commentary

89. Teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the syllabus and in lessons pupils’ work is well presented and carefully completed. Teachers use questioning well to probe pupils’ understanding and promote new thinking. By the end of Year 2, pupils know about the main Christian festivals and are aware of some aspects of other world religions. They understand Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 31 about simple moral codes and can retell well-known Bible stories. By the end of Year 6 pupils have a good understanding of the unique nature of individuals, and of key aspects of Christianity and other important religions, and are able to discuss quite complex moral issues. Provision in the subject is well supported by the school’s good links with the local church, and the co- ordinator, who is recently appointed, effectively oversees teachers’ planning to ensure adequate coverage.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• These subjects are carefully planned to ensure that all aspects are covered. • Teachers have good knowledge of art and design. • Provision for swimming is very good and makes excellent use of available time. • Assessment in music is underdeveloped. • Food technology work is good.

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Commentary

90. This inspection was chiefly focused on the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, and information and communication technology and therefore only a small number of lessons were observed in the creative, aesthetic, practical and physical subjects. Evidence gathered from these few lessons, discussions with staff and pupils, the scrutiny of pupils’ books and displays, and the examination of planning, indicates clearly that the school plans well to ensure that these important aspects of the curriculum are systematically and effectively covered. Pupils attain at levels in line with national averages. Standards in swimming are better than average.

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Commentary

91. Teaching in these subjects is at least satisfactory and the teaching of swimming is very good. Lessons are well planned and intended learning is made clear to pupils. Good use is made of demonstration and staff work well together in teams.

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Commentary

92. In a whole-school singing lesson, teachers provided very good examples for pupils, resulting in good quality singing from pupils who were clearly enjoying the lesson. Teachers extended the activity to develop pupils’ sense of rhythm, asking them to sustain a beat by finger clicking accompanied by a small number of pupils playing un-tuned percussion. Visiting musicians, weekly specialist instrument lessons for a small number of pupils and after-school recorder clubs add to what is provided for all pupils. However, there are insufficient opportunities to develop pupils’ appreciation of a wide range of music, for example at the beginning and end of assemblies. Subject leadership is satisfactory. Monitoring procedures effectively identified a lack of staff confidence, which hindered the teaching of the composition element of the curriculum; recent whole-staff training is addressing this issue. Currently, however,

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Commentary

assessment in all aspects of music is underdeveloped.

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Commentary

93. No art and design lessons were observed during the inspection; however, artwork around the school includes good examples of the exploration of tone using different mediums and tools. It shows how pupils can use tone to create different moods and some of this work is of high quality. The range of work on display and in photographic portfolios demonstrates a good range of art and design experiences, with pupils producing work of at least satisfactory quality. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 32 94. The curriculum for physical education is well designed to cover all aspects of the subject. Lessons are well planned and organised with opportunities for pupils to develop a wide range of physical skills. Pupils respond well to the experiences provided and are keen to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. They develop their gymnastic ability, and learn the techniques associated with team games such as football, netball and cricket, and by the end of

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Commentary

Year 6 the majority are competent and confident swimmers.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

95. Provision for personal, social, health education and citizenship is good and pupils achieve well . The school sees pupils’ personal development as a priority and it underpins work in the rest of the curriculum. The new co-ordinator has a sound grasp of the subject and has made progress in developing a comprehensive planning document that includes separate lessons. The subject is also well integrated into other areas of the curriculum including religious education and the school takes part in an effective drugs awareness programme aimed at pupils in Years 5 and 6. This programme is run effectively by the Military Police. Within the school generally, pupils’ responsibility and independence are very well developed because of the carefully established routines and high expectations in evidence. The school places much emphasis on health and safety and teachers use every available opportunity to highlight this.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

For example, in a Year 1 design and technology lesson, the teacher led a discussion on healthy eating and emphasised the need to wash fruit and hands before eating.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

96. As part of the programme for personal and social education pupils are helped to develop good understanding of roles and responsibilities in school and the wider world. The school sensitively puts much of this work into the context of a forces school, helping pupils to support one another, particularly when new pupils join the school. By the end of Year 6 pupils are confident and responsible members of the school society. They are keen to express their views and discuss issues associated with school. Staff listen carefully to their views and plan to develop a more formal school council as part of the overall school approach to developing pupils as citizens. Hipswell Church of England Primary School - 33

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 1 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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