Hullavington CofE Primary and Nursery School

HULLAVINGTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 – 12 November 2003

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HULLAVINGTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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HULLAVINGTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 117

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Street Hullavington Chippenham Wiltshire Postcode: SN14 6EF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01666 837604 Fax number: 01666 837604

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Rev. Andrew Evans

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is smaller than the average size and serves the village of Hullavington and the nearby military base. About 50 per cent of the pupils are from service families and these pupils will not remain in the school for the whole of their primary education. Above average numbers of pupils join or leave the school during the school year. The school roll fluctuates and the number of pupils in any one-year group is unpredictable. The number of pupils entitled to free schools meals is below the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is also below average, but a higher than usual number of pupils have Aspergers Syndrome. The proportion of pupils from families with English as an additional language, at 4.7 per cent, is higher than in most schools and 13 pupils are at an early stage of English acquisition. The children’s attainment on entry to the school is similar to that of others of their age, although an increasing number have speech and

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

language difficulties. The school received Government Achievement Awards in 2000, 2001 and 2002 for improved results in national tests. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25074 Joyce Cox Lead inspector English Science History Geography Physical education Religious education English as an additional language Foundation Stage 19338 Graham Ellis Lay inspector 26945 Sylvia Gatehouse Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology Music Information and communication technology

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Cambridge Education Associates. Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school that is successful in including all pupils in every aspect of school life. Year 2 and Year 6 pupils attain above average standards in English, science, art and music and Year 2 pupils also attain above average standards in mathematics. All pupils achieve well as a result of the good teaching and the very good way in which newcomers settle quickly and are welcomed into the school. The headteacher has only been at the school for eight weeks but has a clear vision for future improvements and provides sound leadership. The school shows good capacity for a bright future and provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Pupils’ overall standards of attainment are above average. • The quality of teaching is good and pupils make good progress. • Pupils from service families are very successfully integrated into the school. • Good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development ensures that pupils have very good attitudes to learning and behave well. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • There is insufficient monitoring and evaluating of the school’s work by the headteacher, governing body and subject co-ordinators. • Standards are just below national expectations in information and communication technology. • Assessment information is not used to track pupils’ progress and in some subjects there is no assessment. • There is no separate outdoor play area and insufficient support staff for children in the Foundation Stage.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection. Most issues raised in the last report have been effectively tackled and the attainment and achievement of the older pupils have improved considerably. Dynamic and skilful management after the last inspection focused the school on the correct range of measures to improve. The current leadership is poised and determined to build on the previous hard work and successful strategies put in place to improve the school even further.

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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 B A A* A Mathematics C C A* A* Science D A* A A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Year 6 results

Pupils achieve standards that are above average. Their achievement is good.

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Year 6 results

The reception children are attaining standards similar to others of their age and their achievement is satisfactory. The infant pupils attain above average standards in English, mathematics, science, art and music. Standards in Information and communication technology are just below average. Junior pupils achieve above average standards in English, science, art and music and below average standards in information and communication technology. In national tests in 2003 Year 6 pupils attained very high results in English and mathematics, being in the top five per cent of all schools in Hullavington CofE Primary School - 7 England. They also achieved very well when compared to pupils in similar schools. The 2003 Year 6 were a particularly able group of pupils and the school is aware that the attainment of the current Year 6 is not as high as that of the 2002 Year 6 pupils. Infant and junior pupils achieve well because of good teaching. Pupils with special educational

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Year 6 results

needs and most of the pupils who learn to speak English as an additional language show good achievement. Children in the reception/Year 1 class whose home language is not English do not achieve as well as they might because there is no additional language support available for them due to lack of funding.

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The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social and cultural

development. In particular, all staff have high expectations for pupils’ work and behaviour which ensures that pupils have very good attitudes and behave well. Attendance is above the national average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. Improved curriculum planning throughout the school and staff changes in the Year 5/6 class have raised pupils’ attainment and achievement. Teaching is good overall and ensures that pupils’ learning is good. Pupils are motivated, enthusiastic and work hard for their teachers. Teaching is consistently good and sometimes very good in English, mathematics and science. It is also of a high standard in art and music. Very good relationships and high expectations of work and behaviour ensure that pupils have very good attitudes, behave well, work hard and look forward to their lessons. The presentation of their work by some older pupils is an area for improvement. Pupils say they like their teachers because they make lessons fun and interesting. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and give careful explanations and instructions to keep all pupils on track in lessons. They are skilled at

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

encouraging pupils to communicate and successfully extend pupils’ thinking through the use of pertinent and challenging questions. Teaching assistants are experienced, hard working and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. This is particularly true in the case of pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language. Apart from in English there is very little assessment of pupils’ work to identify strengths and target areas for improvement. There is limited tracking of pupils’ achievement.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Very good relationships are the foundation of strong pastoral support for all pupils and ensure that all are treated fairly and that newcomers settle quickly into the school. Good support, advice and guidance are provided to all pupils. Pupils are confident that adults there will help them. The good links, which the school has with the pre-school playgroups make sure that reception children settle in well. The school has a good partnership with parents and links with the community are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

There is sound leadership and management of the school. The new headteacher has only been at the school for eight weeks but has already begun to build on the strong sense of teamwork in the school. He has produced a detailed analysis of the pupils’ test results to highlight strengths and weaknesses in order to inform classroom practice and further improve pupils’ performance. He is ably supported by the deputy headteacher, who has been at the school for several years. The deputy headteacher makes a significant personal contribution to the school and together with the previous headteacher introduced many improvements following a period of considerable turbulence after the last inspection. The leadership team is aware of the need to monitor and evaluate all aspects of the school’s work and to produce a new improvement plan. The governors manage the school efficiently, are supportive and committed but do not monitor the

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

work of the school with sufficient rigour. Subject co-ordinators are keen and enthusiastic but have no time to look at teaching and learning in their subjects or to evaluate the curriculum. School funds are targeted carefully where they are most needed and spending is monitored informally through reports to the finance committee. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 8 PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Parents are happy with the school. They feel that teaching is good and their children are making good progress. Parents from military backgrounds appreciate the way in which the school ensures that their children settle quickly and happily into the school. All parents like the new accommodation and the fact that headteacher and the teachers are in the playground to talk to them before and after school. Pupils like their school very much. They recognise many strengths and enjoy having lots of friends. They feel they are learning a lot, as lessons are interesting and fun. If problems arise they know exactly what to do and are confident in the school’s ability to sort things out quickly. They correctly identify some low-grade accommodation. (The junior toilets.)

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school has made many improvements since the last inspection. The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in information and communication technology. • Establish systems to enable the headteacher, governing body and co-ordinators to monitor and evaluate the work of the school. • Assess pupils’ work thoroughly and use assessment information to inform planning and target setting and to monitor pupils’ achievement. • Provide a secure outdoor play area and additional staffing for children in the Foundation Stage. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils achieve standards that are above those found nationally. Children in the reception make sound progress and achieve satisfactorily. Their attainment and achievement improve when there is additional staffing in their classroom. At times the teacher has to teach a large class of reception/Year 1 pupils with no support, which limits children’s achievement. Infant and junior pupils make good progress and their achievement is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Year 6 pupils attained well above average results in national tests in 2003. • Standards attained by the current Year 6 pupils are above average in English, science, art and music. • Year 2 pupils attain above average standards in English, mathematics, science, art and music. • Children who speak English as an additional language make good progress in the infants and juniors and satisfactory progress in the reception/Year1 class. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because of good teaching and support. • Standards are below expectations in information and communication technology.

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Foundation Stage

1. The children enter the school with attainment similar to that of others of their age. They make sound progress overall but their achievement is improved when there is additional staffing. Children in the reception and Year 1 class at an early stage of learning English receive no additional support, which means that they do not always achieve as well as they might. Most children are on course to reach the level expected in all the areas of learning apart from communication, language and literacy by the end of their time in the class. Their time in the reception class provides a secure foundation for their future learning in the school. Their achievement in aspects of their physical development is impeded by the lack of a secure outdoor play area.

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Key Stage 1

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

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.0 (17.3) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 14.3 (15.8) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 15.0 (16.8) 16.3 (16.5) There were 15 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 1

2. The 2003 Year 2 national test results show a decline from the previous above-average scores in reading and writing in 2002. This is because there were more pupils with special educational needs taking the tests, who achieved well but did not reach national expectations. Since the last inspection, Year 2 pupils’ test results have fluctuated due to the large numbers of pupils from service families joining or leaving the school during the year, and the increase in the number of pupils from service families who speak English as an additional language. Most of the pupils from Nepal and Fiji speak very little English when they join the school. 3. The achievement of the current Year 2 pupils is good due to the good and on many occasions very good teaching they receive. They attain above average standards in English, Hullavington CofE Primary School - 10 mathematics and science, art and music and reach the expected levels in all the other

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Key Stage 1

subjects inspected apart from information and communication technology. No judgements could be made in geography, history and design technology.

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Key Stage 2

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

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 30.5 (28.7) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 30.9 (27.4) 26.8 (26.7) Science 31.2 (31.3) 28.6 (28.3) There were 17 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Key Stage 2

4. The Year 6 2003 national test results are very impressive as pupils achieved well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. In English and mathematics the school’s results were in the top five per cent of all schools in England. Pupils also achieve very well when compared to those from similar schools. The test results have been improving rapidly since the last inspection when standards were judged to be below average and pupils made unsatisfactory progress in writing, mathematics, science, information communication technology and religious education. These considerable improvements are due to changes in staffing, improvements in teaching methods and curriculum planning which were implemented by the previous headteacher.

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Key Stage 2

5. The recently appointed headteacher is building on these significant improvements by making better use of performance statistics and assessments to identify where developments and improvements are necessary, for instance, when setting accurate targets for Year 6 pupils to achieve in national tests. The need to track pupils’ progress is obviously vital with the high level of pupil mobility in the school.

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Key Stage 2

6. The current Year 6 pupils attain above average standards in English, science, art and music and average standards in all the other subjects, apart from information and communication technology. Pupils attain average standards in mathematics, as there are a number of pupils with special educational needs who although they attain well are not expected to attain the national average in mathematics. However the very good teaching in Year 5/6 means that the current Year 6 will meet the realistic targets. Pupils’ achievement is good. Infant and junior pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve as well as the other pupils because they receive good support from teachers, support assistants and the English as an additional language teacher.

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Key Stage 2

7. Standards are below national expectations in information and communication technology but they are rising rapidly due to enthusiastic teaching and recently improved provision in terms of accommodation and resources. Pupils’ achievement is good in information and communication technology lessons because they are very motivated and inspired by their teachers. They want to do well and work hard to improve their skills.

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Key Stage 2

8. The school is a warm and welcoming community in which pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their work. Most pupils with special educational needs achieve good standards especially in English, science, art and music. Parents feel that all pupils achieve high standards. Parents from military backgrounds appreciate the fact that the school has a strong focus on reading and that their children learn to read quickly and fluently, which accelerates their attainment and achievement in all subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Hullavington CofE Primary School - 11 Pupils have very good attitudes. They behave well and the school has high expectations that they should. The school makes good provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is above the national average.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Main strengths. There are no weaknesses. • Pupils have very good attitudes to their work and are interested in their activities. • Relationships are very good. • Pupils are confident and have good self-esteem. • Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. • Attendance is good.

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consistently reinforced by all staff, resulting in the creation and maintenance of a very

positive learning environment. Behaviour by the majority of pupils is good in lessons.

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behaviour by a very small minority of pupils is handled well by staff. Rewards and

sanctions are understood and appreciated by both pupils and parents.

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both within their class and for the whole school; for example, the older children look

after the younger ones as ‘Playground Friends’.

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both within their class and for the whole school; for example, the older children look

11. In lessons, pupils are focused on their work, pay attention to their teachers and enthusiastically join in activities and discussions. The school successfully promotes their self-esteem and sense of achievement, for example, in the weekly ‘golden assemblies,’ in which personal as well as academic achievements are celebrated. As a result, they are keen to talk about their work and achievements, are self-assured and express themselves openly and confidently. They are engaged in their learning and maintain good levels of concentration, working well in groups and assisting each other’s learning.

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positive foundation to pupils’ learning. Pupils are encouraged to explore their own

and others’ feelings and concerns in an atmosphere that appreciates their opinions. Pupils feel valued by teachers and other adults and they reciprocate accordingly.

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behave very well and have very good attitudes towards their work, their teachers and

helpers, and other children in their class and on the playground.

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different ethnic and cultural backgrounds mix well together, appreciating

unquestioningly the positive benefits from this diversity with a total lack of tension.

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There is good promotion of pupils’ cultural development, for example the Nepalese

cooking and cultural days. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 12

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wide range of good quality activities so that pupils are keen to attend school and most

have good attendance records. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 13

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002/3

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.5 School data 0.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

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 85 0 0 White – Irish 1 0 0 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 11 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 2 0 0 Information not obtained 16 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education. Teaching is satisfactory in the reception class and good overall in the infants and the juniors.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good overall and ensures that pupils’ learning is good. Changes of staff, improved leadership, vastly improved accommodation and curriculum planning have all raised the quality of teaching and learning. Some monitoring of teaching and learning has taken place in literacy, which needs to be extended to other subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have very good subject knowledge across the curriculum. • Teachers’ good relationships and high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. • Good procedures to assess children in the Foundation Stage and English. • Assessment procedures require improvement in other subjects.

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Commentary

15. Improved leadership and management following the turbulent aftermath of the previous inspection initiated a reassessment of the curriculum and teachers’ planning. These initiatives together with staff changes have led to improvements in teaching and learning. Although overall teaching is good, including the teaching of English and mathematics, a significant number of lessons had considerable strengths and were leading to very good learning. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 14 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 31 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 14 (45%) 10 (32%) 6 (20%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 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.

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Commentary

16. The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall but it is good when the teacher has additional support to teach a large class of reception children and Year 1 pupils.

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Commentary

17. Infant and junior teachers have very good knowledge of all subjects and have established good relationships with pupils, which ensure that pupils have very good attitudes to learning, enjoy their work and apply themselves well. In many of the literacy lessons the quality of teaching was very good and as a result pupils’ learning and achievement were very good. Teaching is good in mathematics but work sampling reveals that there is some overuse of worksheets. The quality of teaching is good in science as teachers make science lessons practical and interesting, which skilfully engages pupils’ interest. Teachers effectively create a purposeful ethos by using very good behaviour management strategies, which means that pupils are well behaved and lessons can proceed with good pace.

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Commentary

18. Teachers’ skilful questioning engages, interests and involves all pupils so that they are keen and eager to absorb new facts. Pupils are encouraged to give reasoned answers to questions as teachers are not content to accept one word answers and say ‘Explain exactly what you mean or tell me more information please?’ Teachers also ensure that pupils have many opportunities to practise their writing skills in other subjects.

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Commentary

19. Classroom organisation is good and teachers make good use of resources to help pupils to learn. This is particularly apparent in lessons in the school’s computer suite. Here many lessons are enriched by teachers’ growing confidence with the computers and the smart board, which was only installed in July 2003. As a result, pupils are learning a good range of new skills, which they confidently apply in all subjects.

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Commentary

20. Lessons are planned well for different ages and pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language receive good support. Assessment information is used to target areas for improvement in English but this is not the case in other subjects. Pupils’ attainment and achievement is not tracked with sufficient rigour.

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The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. It enriches pupils’ learning by a satisfactory range of activities, including sports, the arts, visits and visitors. The satisfactory accommodation and resources meet the needs of the curriculum.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• English, science, art, music and pupils’ personal and social development are strengths. • Curriculum planning has improved significantly since the last inspection. • Improvements to the accommodation have increased opportunities in many subjects, such as physical education and information and communication technology (ICT). • The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • There is no separate outdoor play area for children in the Foundation Stage. • The further development of ICT is hindered by the lack of hardware.

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Commentary

21. The school provides a range of subjects matching the needs and interests of pupils. It responds sensitively to the various needs of pupils with special needs and those from Hullavington CofE Primary School - 15 overseas with English as an additional language. All statutory requirements are met. Planning has improved since the last inspection, making time for pupils’ personal and social development. However, the biggest impact has been made by the new classrooms for Years 3 to 6, an area for ICT, and a hall, facilitating physical education, drama and music, and promoting the ethos of the school in providing space for whole-school assemblies. However, the curriculum is restricted for reception children by lack of a fenced outdoor area, and in ICT by the need for server and printers.

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Commentary

22. Art and music are strengths. The quality and range of experiences in these subjects are unusually high. For example, in a highly acclaimed production of ‘The Emerald Crown’, music and art were successfully combined, involving all pupils, illustrating clearly the school’s strong stance on equal opportunities and educational inclusion. Regular concerts in the church and hall are much appreciated by parents, as was the Artweek in 2000.

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Commentary

23. Teachers plan very good links between subjects. For example, between science and music, when pupils study the properties of sounds produced by woodwind instruments or bottles filled with water.

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Commentary

24. Since the last inspection, curriculum planning has improved significantly and now takes into account the different ages and needs of pupils within classes, which, due to budgetary constraints, now span two year groups. Teachers plan for individual needs and aptitudes. For example, in mathematics, some very able pupils are well provided for because they are regularly taught alongside older pupils in another class. Similarly, pupils with special educational needs are sensitively supported for some lessons to help them make greater progress, particularly in English and mathematics. A particularly strong feature of the school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs is the daily session to improve gross motor skills. These are extremely well organised and managed by three classroom assistants, who assist pupils to develop their physical education through a wide range of increasingly

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Commentary

demanding activities that the pupils very much enjoy.

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Commentary

25. The school has a significant number of transient pupils for whom English is an additional language. A part-time specialist teacher provides good support for pupils from Year 3 to Year 6, but similar support for younger pupils is not available from the local education authority.

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Commentary

26. The curriculum is enriched through a range of suitable activities many of which are extra- curricular and are entirely related to pupils’ learning in the classroom. For instance, pupils in Years 5 and 6 enjoy a residential visit that particularly enhances their experience of ICT.

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Commentary

27. The accommodation has improved considerably since the last inspection. The attractive new hall enables assemblies and physical education lessons to take place. Resources are satisfactory. There is no separate outdoor area for children in the Foundation Stage, which restricts their physical development and the lack of full-time adult support means children do not always receive sufficient support.

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils receive good support, advice and guidance for their personal development. Induction is very good and the involvement of pupils in the school’s work and development is good. Care and welfare are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff have good knowledge of pupils and their individual needs. • Pupils are provided with good support, advice and guidance for their personal development. • Induction arrangements are very good. • Arrangements for seeking, valuing and acting on pupils’ views are good. • There are good procedures for care and health, but because of inadequate staffing supervision is not always satisfactory. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 16

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Commentary

28. Pupils are happy in school. They feel part of a caring community, in which they are confident, trust the staff and are aware how they can obtain help. Teachers and other staff know them well. Their personal development is informally but effectively monitored, so that staff can quickly recognise their needs and thereby provide good standards of pastoral support and care. Staff act quickly to assist any pupil who is concerned or in need of support. The significant turnover of pupils from military families means that the school is continually receiving new pupils into all year groups. In order to ensure the smooth transfer of pupils, the school works quickly to ensure appropriate assessment and transfer information. As a result, children settle in quickly to their new school and the overall induction arrangements are very good.

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Commentary

29. There are good policies and procedures relating to health and welfare, first aid and child protection. There is good co-ordination with outside agencies so that further support may be provided in appropriate cases. There are regular and systematic risk assessments by staff and governors with outside professional support from the local authority. The supervision of pupils is generally good. These positive arrangements reflect the school’s strong commitment to care and welfare. However, at certain times there is an insufficient number of staff to ensure satisfactory supervision in the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

30. The school’s overall arrangements for involving pupils in the work and development of the school are good. There is an openness in which pupils’ views are valued and they are encouraged to contribute to the running of the school. They are encouraged to fully express themselves in lessons and are involved in the setting of targets. The school council is an important part of this process with representatives from Years 2 to 6 and the chair and secretarial functions carried out by pupils. It is important not only for those elected, who gain valuable experience at the frequent meetings in organisation and representation, but for all pupils as regular feedback sessions are also held in classes. Currently, members are considering a survey of all pupils’ opinions on new playground equipment.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has good and effective relationships with parents. Links with other schools are satisfactory and links with the community are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have very positive views of the school. • The good relationships between parents and the school ensure strong parental support. • Parents feel involved in the school’s work, are well informed about its activities and are appreciative of its achievements. • The school has good links with the community.

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Commentary

31. Parents hold the school in high regard and provide good general and financial support. They feel the school is accessible, that they are welcomed and that members of staff are approachable. There are a number of parents who regularly provide direct assistance in school with class activities such as reading.

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Commentary

32. The school communicates frequently with parents and as a result, the overwhelming majority are productively engaged with the school’s educational direction and are better able to support their children, for example, with homework. There are frequent, well-produced, attractive and informative newsletters. Each term the school provides detailed curriculum information for all classes, including information on how parents can contribute to their children’s learning. Both the prospectus and the annual governors’ report are well produced and informative. The school has also arranged curriculum-related meetings for parents, for example, on literacy and numeracy. These meetings are valued by parents and are well supported. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 17 33. Parents are kept fully informed of their children’s progress through the consultation meetings with staff and informal contact throughout the year. The pupils’ annual reports vary, but are

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Commentary

satisfactory overall. Comments in subject areas concentrate on individual pupils’ knowledge and abilities. They are not directly related to National Curriculum levels for all years and do not contain attendance information. Where reports are better, they include full information in English and mathematics and, although not including specific individual targets, they provide guidance on areas for development, giving practical guidance for parents. The general comments are detailed and show good knowledge of the children. Space is provided for comments by both parents and children.

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Commentary

34. The school has established good links with the community. There is an effective range of visits to the community and local visitors to the school. The school field is used for village events and provides a resource for the local football club. Playground equipment for the local community is provided in the school grounds. There are good links with the local church and with the military camp, at which a significant number of pupils’ families are based. There is a useful commercial link with Dyson, which sponsored younger pupils’ visit to the Bristol science adventure centre.

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Commentary

35. The school has satisfactory arrangements for the transfer of pupils to secondary education and good links with pre-school playgroups.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school is sound. The recently appointed headteacher has a clear vision for the future of the school. The management is sound as is the overall leadership by the senior management and subject co-ordinators. The governance of the school is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The governors, head and staff share a very strong commitment to including all pupils. • The link between long-term planning and a rigorous analysis of how well the school is doing could be better. • The literacy co-ordinator provides good leadership but most subject co-ordinators have no opportunities to monitor and evaluate their subjects. • Administrative staff provide good support for the school.

p.17

Commentary

36. The governors, head and senior staff share a very strong commitment to including all pupils, whatever their ability, race, gender or background in the whole life of the school and set policies to reflect that commitment so that the school is a happy and harmonious community.

p.17

Commentary

37. Governors ensure that all statutory policies are in place. Governors are very supportive and they are developing an understanding of how well the school is doing in the national tests and how the results compare with those of other schools. As yet they do not seek explanations from the head and staff on the reasons for the school’s performance in order to work with staff to identify priorities for development.

p.17

Commentary

38. The new headteacher has a clear vision for the future of the school and a real desire to improve it even further. He is beginning to share this vision effectively with all staff, and with governors. He has begun a rigorous analysis of the pupils’ test results to identify areas for improvement, which is intended to feed into the next school improvement plan. This means that the school will have a much more accurate view of standards and how well pupils are achieving. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 18 39. The parents think the school is well led and managed. The head and deputy understand their roles and responsibilities, complement each other’s strengths and know what impact their role is having on school improvement. The deputy provided considerable support to the previous headteachers after the last inspection and for a period of time led the school herself.

p.17

Commentary

40. Systems for appraisal and performance management are in place and have made a positive contribution to improving the school. These now require extending to include shared targets for developing co-ordinators’ roles and to improve assessment systems. Co-ordinators have not had opportunity to oversee their subjects. They have not observed lessons or devised action plans to bring about improvements. The literacy co-ordinator has monitored and evaluated literacy teaching and learning and identified the need to improve pupils’ handwriting. This has resulted in additional handwriting lessons in all classes, which has improved pupils’ handwriting, although the presentation of work by some older pupils requires further improvement. The co-ordinator for special educational needs has established good systems including individual education plans throughout the school. These are very well maintained by

p.18

Commentary

class teachers and teaching assistants. The co-ordinator has no time to monitor the effectiveness of the special needs provision.

p.18

Commentary

41. The headteacher has plans to improve the link between long-term planning and a rigorous analysis of the school’s performance by a process of gathering evidence involving everyone. This is intended to result in a new school improvement plan, well focused on raising standards and the quality of provision in the school.

p.18

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.18

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 291,942 Balance from previous year 23,636 Total expenditure 301,607 Balance carried forward to the next 13,971 Expenditure per pupil 2,302

p.18

Financial information

42. The staff and governors manage the school budget effectively. They are adept at dealing with reductions and increases in the amount the school has to spend because of the fluctuating nature of its population. The governors ensure that money allocated for pupils with special needs is used appropriately for its intended purposes and as a consequence those pupils are well supported and achieving well. School funds are wisely targeted where they are most needed, for instance in providing more books. The school administration staff provide good support for the school. The office runs smoothly and efficiently. With the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff, the school has moved forward rapidly since the last inspection. The school provides good value for money and is in a good position with a newly appointed headteacher to bring about even more improvements.

p.18

EXAMPLES OF OUTSTANDING PRACTICE

An excellent recorder lesson for Years 3 and 4, including pupils who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, taught by the class teacher who is not the music co-ordinator.

p.18

EXAMPLES OF OUTSTANDING PRACTICE

The expertise of the teacher coupled with prompt assessment enabled her to move pupils’ learning forwards confidently at a rapid pace. There was full inclusion of every pupil including those with special needs and those who speak English as an additional language because of different tasks skilfully matched to pupils’ skills and abilities. Challenging tasks were set which included reading standard notation and homework was set to successfully build on work covered in the lesson. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 19

p.18

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE.

p.19

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. At the time of the inspection there were 13 reception children who were placed in a mixed reception and Year 1 class. The school admits children into the reception class once a year in September. Provision is improved when there are additional adults in the reception class but on some occasions the teacher has to manage a large class of reception and Year 1 pupils with no support. On some occasions the planned work is aimed at Year 1 pupils and is too hard for the reception children. All children achieve satisfactorily and the curriculum is appropriately planned to provide a range of interesting and relevant activities. Children who speak English as an additional language receive no support from the specialist teacher, which restricts their language development. On entry children’s attainment is similar to that of others of their age, although an increasing number of children have speech and language

p.19

SUBJECTS AND COURSES

difficulties. Most of the children achieve the expected levels in all areas apart from communication, language and literacy by the end of the reception year.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is satisfactory.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good induction procedures ensure that pupils settle quickly into school. • Children are encouraged to be independent. • Some children experience difficulty in concentrating.

p.19

Commentary

43. Well-organised induction procedures allow children to settle quickly into the class. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. A few children have underdeveloped social skills and find selecting and concentrating on their activities hard. This is particularly true in the afternoons when the teacher has no additional support. Children are encouraged to share and take turns and put up their hands when answering a question. Children are expected to clear up after themselves, which the majority do without much prompting. There are trusting relationships between children and adults, which helps children to feel secure and increasingly confident.

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children who speak English as a additional language receive no additional support. • Writing is promoted well. • Good emphasis on the recognition of sounds to help children learn to read and write.

p.19

Commentary

44. Early indications are that not all of the children will meet the expectations in this area of learning. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and satisfactory opportunities are provided for children to speak and listen. The teacher develops children’s vocabulary through probing questions and consistent insistence that children listen to the contributions of others. However, when there is no additional support and the teacher is focusing on the Year 1 pupils, the reception children are left to their own devices and their work, play and language development become unstructured and they make limited progress. This is particularly true of those children with special educational needs and those who speak English as a additional language. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 20 45. Examination of current planning and children’s work done last year indicates that there is a good emphasis on the recognition of sounds to help children learn to read and write.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A wide range of activities is planned to support learning, which ensures that children achieve well.

p.20

Commentary

46. Teaching and learning are good in this area. A range of enjoyable and interesting activities is planned to promote children’s mathematical understanding. Most children are working at levels expected for their age. Children can count to five, and examination of work from last year shows that they make good progress with the most able children understanding numbers to ten and simple addition. Number songs and rhymes such as ‘Ten fat sausages’ are used well to sustain children’s interest and concentration.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A range of interesting activities is planned to promote learning in this area. • Children achieve well and most are working at levels expected for their age. • On some occasions the science work is planned for the Year 1 pupils and is too hard for the reception children.

p.20

Commentary

47. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. Most are working at levels expected for their age. A good range of interesting activities such as ‘Welly Walks’ is planned to stimulate children’s curiosity and enhance their understanding. Children have good opportunities to use the computer. In a science lesson about sound the lesson content was too difficult for the reception children, which restricted achievement; this illustrates the need for additional adult support to provide the appropriate curriculum for the reception children.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is unsatisfactory.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is no separate outdoor play area for the reception children. • Children have access to a new hall for structured physical education lessons.

p.20

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and children are on line to meet the expected goals by the end of the year. Pupils achieved satisfactorily in a physical education lesson in the hall when they stepped, hopped and clapped in time to music. Although there are bikes and tricycles for children to ride on outside there is still no separate outdoor area, which was identified in the last inspection. This is unsatisfactory. Children develop their manipulative skills satisfactorily by handling dough, scissors and paintbrushes. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 21

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A range of interesting activities is planned to promote learning in this area. • Good resources are used to inspire the children.

p.21

Commentary

49. Teaching and learning are good in this area and children achieve well. They achieve the expected standards by the end of the reception year. In a creative development lesson children achieved well as they were provided with interesting pictures of Aboriginal art, which they used to create their own colourful pictures using felt pens, pastels and paint. Information and communication technology was used effectively in this lesson.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved considerably since the last inspection. • The quality of teaching and learning is good and pupils achieve well. • The presentation of older pupils’ work is sometimes untidy. • The co-ordinator provides good leadership.

p.21

Commentary

50. Standards in English have risen because of the school’s focus on improvement in this subject. This is evident in national test results over the last few years. There have been some variations year by year because of the make up of particular year groups and because of the well above average number of pupils joining or leaving the school. The unvalidated test results in 2003 show that standards in Year 2 were below average in reading and writing and very high in Year 6.

p.21

Commentary

51. The current Year 2 pupils attain above average standards in reading and writing. In Year 6 standards are above average in reading and speaking and listening and average in writing. This represents good progress from average attainment on entry to the school.

p.21

Commentary

52. The inspection found that pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, achieve well in the infants and juniors. This is because pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are well supported. The specialist language teacher works very effectively with pupils in Years 3 to 6 to ensure that they understand specific vocabulary in all subjects, which improves their comprehension and raises their attainment.

p.21

Commentary

53. Standards in speaking and listening are above average because teachers take every opportunity to encourage pupils to express their thoughts and opinions. Most pupils speak confidently and clearly articulate their thoughts in all subjects. Older pupils have a real fascination in learning new words and show a mature use of vocabulary by using phrases such as ‘God’s technicolour torch’ and ‘an artist’s palette’ to describe a rainbow. Teachers ensure that pupils understand new or unfamiliar vocabulary, which helps pupils to extend their vocabulary. They also encourage pupils to talk together to clarify new learning. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are confident to express thoughts and ideas because they know teachers and pupils will listen them to sensitively. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 22 54. Pupils achieve well in reading. They enjoy books and standards are above average at the end

p.21

Commentary

of Years 2 and 6. There are many opportunities during the day for pupils to engage in group, paired and silent reading and teachers provide very good role models with their own love of literature and expressive reading. Pupils are clear about the strategies they need to improve their reading and attempt new books with confidence and enthusiasm. Books in the classrooms are organised and displayed well; the newly created library is rather small and only suitable for group work, but older pupils know how to select information books.

p.22

Commentary

55. The school has worked hard and successfully to improve standards in writing, which are above average in Year 2 and average in Year 6. The 2002 Year 6 pupils attained very high results in national tests and work sampling revealed an impressive range of high quality work. Standards have risen because of improved lesson planning, in-service training and increased opportunities for pupils to write in a range of different genres. The co-ordinator has looked carefully at the test results to identify areas for improvement, which resulted in all teachers focusing on pupils’ handwriting skills. This has raised standards of handwriting throughout the school. One area for future improvement is the presentation of work by the Year 5 and 6 pupils, which is sometimes untidy.

p.22

Commentary

56. In many of the literacy lessons the quality of teaching was very good and as a result pupils’ learning and achievement were very good. Teachers are confident and have very good subject knowledge, which ensures that pupils develop their literacy skills through exciting and interesting activities. Pupils are enthusiastic, motivated and productive during literacy lessons. Good use was made of information and communication technology to introduce literacy lessons, which immediately captured the pupils’ interest. Teachers are very skilled at challenging pupils to improve their English work and to make their writing interesting. For instance, a teacher says ‘Can you improve on that sentence please by using adjectives and adverbs?’

p.22

Commentary

57. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and has a very clear plan for future developments in English. She has had some time to monitor work in classrooms and has devised a useful tracking system to record pupils’ attainment and achievement in English.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

58. There are very good opportunities for pupils to use their language and literacy skills in other subjects. Teachers are skilled at devising interesting and unusual ways to link subjects together.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The consistently very good quality of teaching in lessons • The use of mathematics in other subjects of the curriculum • The effective management and good contribution of support staff • Pupils’ very positive attitudes and good behaviour in lessons • There is a heavy use of worksheets up to Year 4 • Assessment does not include systems for setting targets and tracking progress • The subject leader has not been released to monitor standards

p.22

Commentary

59. Since the last inspection, the school has worked hard to raise standards and has achieved significant success. Standards in mathematics have been steadily rising since the last inspection. For example, the trend in the school’s National Curriculum points for mathematics was above the national trend between 1996 and 2002. However, due to the variation in size Hullavington CofE Primary School - 23 and nature of groups of pupils in Years 2 and 6, test results fluctuate. For instance, in 2003, results in Year 2 were affected by the admission and inclusion of four pupils for whom English is an additional language. Standards established during the inspection, derived from lessons observations, discussions and scrutiny of previous work, indicate that pupils in Year 2 are reaching levels of attainment that are above the national average, and that pupils in Year 6 are reaching levels that are in line with the national average due to a number of pupils with special

p.22

Commentary

60. Other improvements include the successful implementation of the national strategy and planning, which now includes different tasks for pupils of differing ages and abilities, including those with special needs and those of high ability, within each class.

p.23

Commentary

61. Standards being reached during the inspection are in line with the national average in Years 3 to 6. These are likely to rise as the year progresses and are also likely to rise due to ‘booster’ classes later. By the age of eleven higher attaining pupils can work out calculations in their heads and all pupils are developing an understanding of fractions. Standards in Year 2 are above the national average due to particularly high expectations by the teacher and very good support by two classroom assistants. Pupils have a good knowledge of place values to 100 and higher attaining pupils can solve problems to 1,000. They know some of the properties of two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and are learning to measure accurately.

p.23

Commentary

62. Most pupils’ achievement in lessons throughout the school is very good. They strive to reach the lesson goals and work hard to fulfil their teachers’ expectations. The scrutiny of work however, indicates that older pupils do not always achieve as well as they might over time. For example, the presentation of their work is inconsistent and tasks are not always completed. Up to Year 4, much work is completed on worksheets, sometimes limiting progress, and preventing pupils from recording their own calculations, as well as denying them the chance to develop good presentational skills.

p.23

Commentary

63. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers are confident, make lessons interesting and are adept at securing pupils’ attention. They devise engaging strategies to sustain concentration and promote effort. For example, Year 1 pupils enjoyed the challenge of estimating how many strings of spaghetti were on a plate because they found it fun disentangling the long strings. Older pupils enjoyed the mystery of identifying two-dimensional shapes concealed in a bag.

p.23

Commentary

64. Pupils’ progress in lessons matches the quality of teaching. Lessons are well paced and have a strong sense of purpose so pupils are kept on task. Teachers’ management and organisational skills are of a high standard so not a moment is wasted, and assistants are efficiently deployed, providing very valuable support and guidance to pupils. Staff use time well, moving from group to group, assessing pupils’ work and keeping them ‘on their toes’. Pupils say they enjoy lessons, and both boys and girls have very positive attitudes towards mathematics.

p.23

Commentary

65. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress especially when they receive attention and support from assistants to complete their tasks. Pupils for whom English is an additional language make good progress when they are taught by a visiting specialist teacher. For example, a Year 3 pupil showed very good progress when she wrote and read out to the class her own number story involving division.

p.23

Commentary

66. The subject leader, in liaison with other staff, is presently considering computerised systems of assessing pupils’ attainment and forecasting future performance. The school recognises that this is a matter of some urgency in order to set targets for individual pupils as well as year groups, and to track progress towards achieving them. The subject leader has not had enough opportunities to monitor formally the standards of teaching and learning in mathematics. Consequently she has not been able to evaluate the quality of day-to-day assessment such as marking, pupils’ presentation of work, or to review the use of worksheets.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

Hullavington CofE Primary School - 24 67. Throughout the school, teachers make very good use of pupils’ developing mathematical skills as they make opportunities for pupils to use mathematical vocabulary in many subjects. Pupils in Year 1 expressed the definition of estimating as ‘It’s when you make a sensible guess’, and Year 6 pupils use words like bisect, vertices and obtuse confidently. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 use their reading and writing skills well when investigating number problems and deciding which mathematical method to use. The use of information and communication technology (ICT) is beginning to feature in pupils’ mathematical experiences. For instance, pupils record previously collected data as graphs and bar charts, and older pupils have special opportunities during their residential study week to use a wide range of ICT programs. They found it particularly interesting to have their pulse rate plotted whilst abseiling.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average at the end of Years 2 and 6. • Pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching. • There is good emphasis on the use of specific technical language. • Assessment does not include systems for setting targets and tracking progress. • The co-ordinator has not monitored science lessons.

p.24

Commentary

68. Good improvement has been made since the last inspection when standards in science at the end of Year 6 were judged to be below average. The results of the unvalidated 2003 national test show that pupils attained well above average in science. Planning has been improved and this, coupled with staff changes, has raised pupils’ attainment and achievement. Pupils demonstrate good knowledge across the curriculum and older pupils are skilled at planning and undertaking investigations. Lessons are planned very well to give pupils many opportunities to discuss their ideas ands apply their knowledge.

p.24

Commentary

69. Teachers throughout the school capture pupils’ interest in science by providing practical, enjoyable activities in lessons so that pupils are very keen to learn, behave well, and talk very enthusiastically about the science work they do. Teachers expect older pupils to plan and conduct their own tests and experiments so that they develop good investigation skills.

p.24

Commentary

70. Teachers are confident in their own knowledge of science so that they give pupils accurate factual information and use correct scientific terminology so that pupils expand their own knowledge and understanding and vocabulary. Teachers encourage group and collaborative work so that pupils learn good social skills, get on very well together and work very responsibly in lessons. Teaching and support staff work very hard to ensure that pupils with special needs and those whose home language is not English are well supported, take a full part in lessons and achieve well.

p.24

Commentary

71. The co-ordinator provides satisfactory leadership. He is developing some good systems for checking how well pupils are doing but these are relatively new and the information they provide is not being used effectively enough yet to set individual targets and tell pupils and their parents, precisely what they need to learn next. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 25

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is satisfactory.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are just below national expectations. • Accommodation has been improved to provide an area for ICT. • There are only two laptops amongst six teachers.

p.25

Commentary

72. Standards are just below national expectations in all four strands of ICT but the gap is closing fast due to enthusiastic teaching and recently improved provision in terms of accommodation and resources. Pupils’ achievement is good in lessons because they are very motivated and inspired by their teachers. They want to do well and willingly persevere. Their concentration levels are high.

p.25

Commentary

73. The quality of teaching is good. It is very good in Year 4. Teachers make good use of the ‘smart board’ to demonstrate to pupils what their tasks will be. They use specific vocabulary confidently, and recapitulate explanations and instructions carefully to ensure pupils’ understanding. Pupils make good progress in lessons because they concentrate and stay on task well. They use the mouse and keyboard with proper care, and when necessary work together well in pairs at one computer. All pupils enjoy using computers, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. Occasionally they become frustrated when printers do not produce their work promptly but teachers provide secondary activities to prevent any waste of time.

p.25

Commentary

74. The subject co-ordinator has established a new portfolio of pupils’ work across all the strands of the curriculum. She has introduced individual pupils’ folders to contain samples of their work together with good, manageable assessment records, which detail their progress. She has not yet had the chance to support colleagues on a systematic basis or to monitor the quality of teaching and learning.

p.25

Commentary

75. Although the school has taken significant steps to improve its provision for ICT, and these are proving successful, further development is severely hindered by the hardware. The lack of a server is a serious deficiency. For example, staff spend lunchtimes and a lot of time before school loading each computer separately. This is not an efficient use of their time. Although a technician visits school once a week, computers sometimes break down inexplicably. This disrupts pupils’ work causing a break in continuity, which is beyond the teacher’s control.

p.25

Commentary

76. The school has two laptops for six teaching staff. Two is not enough to enable staff to practise their skills as much as they would like. The school is poised to build on its recent improvements in ICT provision. There is a shared determination and capacity to succeed amongst staff, and pupils are keen to learn and try their hardest in their lessons to improve their performance. Year 5 and 6 pupils enjoy very much their residential week at a centre, which promotes studies in ICT.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

77. Teachers make good use of ICT to enrich other subjects. For instance, ICT contributes significantly to pupils’ learning in design and technology, literacy, art and science. Pupils use their skills of click and drag, and copy and paste, to complete tasks such as planning how to make a sandwich or designing a cover for a science folder. Particularly striking is the way pupils access and retrieve information to support their studies of artists’ work such as Kandinsky and Seurat. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 26

p.25

HUMANITIES

78. In humanities two history lessons were seen and no lessons were seen in geography. It is not therefore possible to form an overall judgement about provision in this curriculum area. There is every indication from pupils’ work that standards are broadly average. Year 5 and 6 pupils achieved very well during a lesson about Boudicca. As a result of the very good teaching they learnt how to consider the reliability of historical evidence. In this lesson the teacher made very good use of pupils’ homework to provide information in response to pupils’ questions about Boudicca.

p.26

Religious education

The provision in religious education is satisfactory, an improvement since the last inspection.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good quality teaching and learning. • Pupils’ positive attitudes, responses and good behaviour in lessons. • The school has adapted the syllabus to include Hinduism to use the knowledge of some of its pupils for whom English is an additional language. • There are no assessment procedures and no monitoring of teaching and learning.

p.26

Commentary

79. Improvements since the last inspection are better teaching of religious education in all classes and the implementation of the local agreed syllabus. By Year 6 most pupils achieved the expected standards, a significant improvement since the last inspection. They have a secure knowledge of a range of religions and begin to recognise similarities and differences.

p.26

Commentary

80. Teachers have a sound knowledge of religious education, which results in pupils having a clear understanding of different world religions. The school has adapted the syllabus to include a study of Buddhism, which successfully utilises the knowledge of the pupils for whom English is an additional language. Skilful teaching helps pupils to consider and understand some subtle but important concepts such as that of the Trinity. Good use is made of pupils’ literacy skills to record their religious education work.

p.26

Commentary

81. Behaviour in lessons is good and pupils listen attentively to adults. Pupils of all abilities show respect for each other’s point of view. Teachers are very good at encouraging all pupils to communicate their thoughts. Year 1 and 2 pupils have good ideas of what things are precious to them. They are inspired and fascinated when their teacher shares her box of special things with them.

p.26

Commentary

82. The co-ordinator provides satisfactory leadership. She is keen and enthusiastic and would welcome the opportunity to monitor teaching and learning to have a clear picture of standards across the school. Procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and achievement are an area for improvement.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

No lessons were seen in design technology so it is not possible to make any judgements in this curriculum area.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy art, have very positive attitudes towards it and behave well • Very good systematic teaching of skills throughout the school • Art is recognised as a subject in its own right Hullavington CofE Primary School - 27 • The subject leader has not conducted formal monitoring of teaching and learning

p.26

Commentary

83. Art is a strength of the school’s provision. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection but evidence from this and from scrutiny of work, displays, photographs and discussions, indicates that standards throughout the school are above those expected for pupils of this age, and that pupils’ levels of achievement are good.

p.27

Commentary

84. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers and their assistants are enthusiastic and inspire their pupils to do their best through planning very interesting lessons using a wide range of media such as paint, charcoal, pencil, thread, wax and clay. Teachers plan arresting activities that capture attention, and they deploy experienced and skilful classroom assistants very effectively. For instance, Year 3 pupils are fully absorbed in using clay to make tiles, which they emboss with various tools to represent flowers. Others work with concentration in pairs to design and complete a mosaic picture using coloured paper. They behave very well showing respect and courtesy, responding positively to the assistant’s expert guidance and constructive assessment. Pupils say they like art very much.

p.27

Commentary

85. Pupils’ sketchbooks indicate thorough and systematic teaching of drawing skills, as well as studies in colour, texture and pattern. For instance, Year 2 pupils investigate the different ways of using pencil to achieve different effects, but older pupils, building on this experience, use a range of pencils ranging from 1B to 6B to distinguish the very special effects these produce.

p.27

Commentary

86. Studies of the work of artists such as Kandinsky, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Seurat inspire pupils to produce work in a similar style. For example, Year 2 pupils use their knowledge and understanding of Cubism to paint portraits of each other, and pupils in Years 3 and 4 successfully emulate the style of Kandinsky in their own delightful and wholly convincing reproductions, some of which have made good use of ICT.

p.27

Commentary

87. Good links with other subjects are abundantly evident. Religious education, geography, science, English and history all benefit from pupils’ artistic skills. For example, portraits of Roman soldiers sporting three-dimensional, silver-foil armour-plating, and carefully observed pencil drawings of hyacinth bulbs and their delicate roots enhance work in history and science.

p.27

Commentary

88. Most notable, however, is the link with music and drama, in the recent production of The Emerald Crown , when pupils excelled themselves in making three-dimensional animal masks and tropical birds, and in designing beautiful posters and programmes. The improved accommodation has released a temporary building now used very efficiently as a workshop. This is a valuable resource as classrooms are not sufficiently spacious to accommodate large-scale artwork safely, such as batik .

p.27

Commentary

89. The subject leader provides satisfactory leadership. She has considerable responsibilities but she remains whole-heartedly passionate about art. She led a very successful Artweek in 2000, and future plans include a visit from a Nepalese artist. Formal liaison with her colleagues about standards in art has so far been limited due to lack of opportunity.

p.27

Music

Music is a strength of the school’s provision . Provision for music is good.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy music and work very hard in lessons • The quality of pupils’ singing is very high • All pupils take part in concerts and performances • All pupils in Year 2 and Years 3/4 have lessons in playing the recorder • The composing element of the curriculum is hindered by a lack of suitable recording devices • The subject leader has not had the opportunity to monitor standards throughout the school Hullavington CofE Primary School - 28

p.27

Commentary

90. Standards in music are above those expected nationally. The quality of pupils’ singing is very good. They sing with conviction, successfully holding their own line in two parts. They sing rhythmically and in tune, with very clear enunciation and obvious pleasure. Pupils’ recorder playing is very good in Years 3 and 4 and satisfactory in Year 2. Older pupils are reading standard notation confidently, recognising notes and rests properly. They finger carefully, producing a warm and round sound. Year 2 pupils are only just beginning to learn but already have mastered the correct position for their left and right hands and, following graphic notation, play different tunes using the notes G, A and B. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and show interest and pleasure in their learning.

p.28

Commentary

91. Pupils’ achievement is good. They work hard in lessons, concentrating well. Listening skills are very well promoted when pupils are expected to listen to each other performing. They show their appreciation of each other’s efforts by spontaneously bursting into applause. In assemblies, music is played as pupils enter and leave the hall. They listen attentively, especially to their own performance of their summer production.

p.28

Commentary

92. Composing and evaluating skills are limited by the lack of suitable recording equipment in classrooms, for example tape recorders or CD players. Similarly, listening opportunities are being missed in day-to-day activities because teachers have no equipment to hand. The quality of teaching is good. It is excellent in Years 3 and 4. Lessons have very clear purposes, are very well paced and fun. The teacher makes her very high expectations explicit, and, because of her encouraging manner, pupils are ready to strive for the highest standards. They respond eagerly to her challenges. In Year 2, pupils try hard and concentrate well because the teacher runs the lesson at a good pace and her explanations are very clear.

p.28

Commentary

93. Very good guitar tuition is provided through the local education authority’s peripatetic music service. Pupils play very well with sensitivity. Their progress is driven forwards at a fast rate because the teacher conducts prompt assessments, which inform the next steps pupils are to take. A strong feature of music is the regular contribution to the community at Christmas and Easter in the local church and in the school hall. The school’s summer production of The Emerald Crown involved all pupils, and other subjects such as art, drama and literacy. The content of the musical also enhanced pupils’ knowledge and understanding of environmental and cultural issues. The co-ordinator provides satisfactory leadership. She has considerable musical expertise and plays the piano for school assemblies. She has had no opportunity to monitor teaching and learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new school hall has considerably improved the accommodation for physical education. • Standards in swimming are good as almost all the Year 6 pupils can swim 25 metres. • The co-ordinator’s overview of strengths and areas for development is limited by a lack of systematic monitoring and evaluation.

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Commentary

94. Since the last inspection the building of a new hall has addressed concerns and provided a very good and well equipped facility for indoor physical education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Year 1 and 2 pupils move vigorously in a gymnastics lesson but are careful to avoid bumping into one another. It is evident that they have learnt how to put out large apparatus carefully and sensibly. The teacher makes good use of pupils as demonstrators to explain particular balancing techniques and pupils are well behaved whilst waiting for their turn Hullavington CofE Primary School - 29 on the apparatus. They attain average standards. Year 5 and 6 pupils learn to improve their passing skills as a result of very clear instructions and encouragement by the teacher.

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Commentary

95. Standards in swimming are good and most of the Year 6 pupils can swim 25 metres. Pupils benefit from weekly sessions at the nearby swimming baths. Leadership is satisfactory but there are no planned opportunities for monitoring.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school sees pupils’ personal development as an important part of its work. • Good programme for personal, social and health education, which includes work on diet, health, sex and personal safety.

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Commentary

96. Personal, social and health education is well provided for in weekly lessons in all classes. These lessons are planned well so that pupils can express their thoughts and feelings. The school is a racially harmonious community in which all pupils are given equal status. This does not come about by chance but because of the good role models provided by all staff. Hullavington CofE Primary School - 30

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PART D SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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