John Clifford Primary School

JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 28 th November 2003

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 John Clifford 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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JOHN CLIFFORD 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. John Clifford Primary School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 279

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

School address: Nether Street Beeston Nottingham Postcode: NG9 2AT

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0115 9258057 Fax number: 0115 9258057

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr G Heath

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 th May 1999

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

This large sized school is in an area that is of average economic circumstances. There is above average mobility in some years and the school roll has fallen as more students move into the area. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly average. English is not the first language for 12 per cent of pupils, with 13 languages spoken in the school and with 14 pupils receiving additional language support. Thirty three pupils are on the school's register of special educational need, which is below average, with two pupils having a Statement Of Special Educational Need. The attainment of children on entry to the school is generally average. A School Achievement Award was received in 2001 and the school is involved in three leadership projects. John Clifford Primary School - 4 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

21750 Mrs S E Hall Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education English as an additional language 19335 Mrs S Dixon Lay inspector 32135 Mrs S James Team inspector English Geography History Religious education Special educational needs 31807 Mr D Carpenter Team inspector Science Citizenship Foundation Stage

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

The inspection contractor was: Altecq Education Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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JOHN CLIFFORD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). John Clifford 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 13

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 school that provides a satisfactory standard of education , with several good features and where there has been considerable improvement in the last two years. Standards are average for the age of the pupils and achievement is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are good. Leadership is good overall with the headteacher giving a very effective steer to school improvement. Management is good and the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The headteacher leads the school very effectively. • Despite the continuing efforts of the staff to gain additional external funding there is not enough support for pupils with significant special educational needs. • The quality of teaching is good overall and it is very good in the Nursery. • Standards in information and communication technology are below average. • Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to their learning. • The monitoring of the work of the school does not involve subject co-ordinators sufficiently. • Governance of the school is good. • Levels of attendance are below average and several pupils arrive late for school.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the previous inspection was initially slow but has gathered momentum in the last two years since the appointment of the new headteacher. There has been satisfactory improvement overall. This includes developing a management structure with more clearly defined responsibilities, advancing the roles of the senior staff in monitoring teaching and the management of the curriculum. The school now has better record keeping systems, uses day-to-day assessment more effectively when planning lessons and ensures consistency of curriculum provision between classes and year groups. The school has also made satisfactory improvement in all nine other minor areas identified by the last inspection.

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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

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Year 6 results

English D E C A Mathematics C D D C Science B D C 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

Achievement is satisfactory overall . The standards reached are largely in line with what is expected for the age of the pupils throughout the school. Whilst standards are average they John Clifford Primary School - 7 are improving in many areas. All groups of pupils, including boys and girls, those who speak English as an additional language and most of those with special educational needs make similar progress and achieve what they are capable of. However, where pupils with significant special needs do not receive the support they require they do not do as well as they could.

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Year 6 results

Achievement in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall but it is much better in the Nursery than in the reception class. Children attain what is expected of them in all areas of learning by the end of the reception year. In Years 1 and 2 and from Years 3 to 6 pupils' achievement is satisfactory overall. Standards of attainment are average in speaking and listening, reading, writing and mathematics. In science attainment is above average because the pupils enjoy the practical element of finding things out. However, standards in information and communication technology are below average throughout the school because there have been gaps in pupils' learning partly due to previously unreliable computers.

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Year 6 results

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This includes a good range of activities which extend the pupils' understanding of the wide range of cultures in the school community.

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Year 6 results

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good. Pupils behave well and there are good relationships between pupils and with adults. Attendance is below average and several pupils arrive late for school, which disrupts their learning and that of other pupils and the start of lessons.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of teaching and learning is good throughout the school and is very good in the Nursery. Children do well in the Nursery because teaching is lively, imaginative and challenging and this moves the children’s learning on rapidly. Throughout the school teachers manage pupils well and encourage them to do their best. Because pupils feel happy in school they try hard and learn well. The subject knowledge of the new co-ordinator for information and communication technology is being used very effectively to raise the confidence and skills of other staff, which is having a positive impact on learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Assessment procedures are satisfactory overall and have improved considerably in the last two years. They are good in English, mathematics and science. Here information is used well to track progress and to inform future planning and to organise what support is available for pupils.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of the curriculum is satisfactory overall and is very good in the Nursery. Curriculum planning is at least satisfactory in all subjects, although the provision for music is limited and not all areas of the curriculum are planned in sufficient depth.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The care of pupils is satisfactory. Pupils are valued and their contributions to lessons and school life are appreciated. There are strengths and weaknesses in the provision for pupils with special educational needs. Whilst the quality of support for pupils is good, where pupils with significant special educational needs do not receive additional support they are not able to take an active part in lessons and this affects their learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The links with parents and the local community are satisfactory. Parents think well of the school but believe more could be done to inform and involve them in their child’s learning. John Clifford Primary School - 8

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The quality of leadership and management is good overall. The headteacher

provides very good leadership ; he has a clear vision for school improvement based upon the need to raise standards even further. His lead in developing improved assessment procedures has been effective in identifying what progress has been made and where further improvements are still required.

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The quality of leadership and management is good overall. The headteacher

The management of the school is smooth and efficient. Finances are managed well and the school has been active, although largely unsuccessful, in seeking funding to provide more support for pupils with special educational needs.

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The quality of leadership and management is good overall. The headteacher

The governance of the school is good . The chair and vice-chair of the relatively new governing body are knowledgeable and provide good leadership of the group. They are keen to enable less experienced governors to develop their roles further.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are pleased with the quality of education provided for their children and think that standards have improved in the last two years. Pupil questionnaires and discussions indicate they like school and feel happy and secure but would like more lessons in music, art and drama.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Provide sufficient support for pupils with significant special educational needs. • Raise standards in information and communication technology. • Extend the opportunities to monitor and evaluate the work of the school. • Raise the levels of attendance and the punctuality of pupils. John Clifford Primary School - 9

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Nursery achieve well in all areas of their learning. • Achievement in science throughout the school is good. • Pupils do not achieve as well as they could in information and communication technology.

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Commentary

1. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve satisfactorily overall. In the Nursery achievement is very good. Children make a very good start to their education in the Nursery where teaching is very effective. Children achieve satisfactorily in the reception class although, as parents note, this class is not as well resourced, exciting or effective as the Nursery. Most children are reasonably confident for their age, and get on well together. Although their speaking and listening skills are variable they are generally average. By the time they enter Year 1 they achieve what is expected of them in their personal and social development, in communication, language and literacy, in their mathematical development, their knowledge and understanding of the world and their creative development. They exceed the goals in their physical development.

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Year 2 results

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results Reading 14.5 ( 14.9) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 15.6 (14.8) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 16.5 (16.1) 16.3 (16.5) There were 34 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Year 2 results

2. In the national tests of 2003 standards at the age of seven were well below national averages in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. When compared to schools with similar numbers of pupils entitled to free school meals standards were below average in reading but well above the average of these schools in writing and mathematics. The difference in standards in reading and writing is unusual. The school believes the anomalies occurred because considerable time and effort was put into supporting pupils writing at the expense of time spent on reading. The school has recently adjusted their focus in these areas.

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Year 2 results

3. At the end of Year 2 standards are now average in reading, writing, and mathematics and largely similar to those at the time of the previous inspection. Standards in science are above average. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are below expectations. Overall achievement in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. The quality of teaching is now good and this is partly due to recent changes in staff. As a result, pupils learn well and most are currently making good progress. However, the impact of this is yet to be realised in the national test results. John Clifford Primary School - 10

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Year 6 results

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

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Year 6 results

Standards in: School results National results

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Year 6 results

English 27.1 (25.4) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 26.3 (25.8) 26.8 (26.7) Science 29.1 (27.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 49 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Year 6 results

4. In the 2003 tests for pupils aged eleven standards were average in English and science but below average in mathematics when compared to schools nationally. When attainment is compared to schools with similar numbers of pupils entitled to free school meals standards were well above average in English and science and average in mathematics. Currently standards are average in English and mathematics whilst being above average in science but below average in ICT.

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Year 6 results

5. Standards have shown year-on-year variation at least in part because of the high levels of mobility in some year groups. The school has information to show that in some years only 25 per cent of pupils start and finish their education in this school. However, recent changes in staff are having a positive impact upon learning although this has yet to be reflected in national test results.

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Year 6 results

6. Throughout the school pupils read with reasonable skill but sometimes without enthusiasm. There is a lack of good quality reading materials to interest the pupils who identify that they often go to the local library if they want something to read. Pupils write quite well and some write imaginatively although the presentation of their work is variable. In mathematics there are strengths in pupils' understanding and use of numbers although some are not as skilled in using their knowledge to solve open- ended mathematical problems.

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Year 6 results

7. Pupils throughout the school do well in science. They enjoy the practical side of activities and take careful note of what they observe when carrying out investigative tasks. Pupils do not achieve as well as they could in ICT because there are gaps in their learning created over a period when the quality and reliability of computers was not very good. For some time the computer suite was out of use, and teachers' skills and confidence were not at a high level so pupils did not make the progress that they were capable of. This has had a negative impact on learning, although recent staff changes and the appointment of a new co-ordinator for the subject are having a very positive impact on learning.

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Year 6 results

8. Standards in religious education, history and geography are average throughout the school. It is not possible to make secure judgements in other subjects including art and design, design and technology, music and physical education as few lessons were observed in these subjects. Parents are concerned that pupils do not receive regular music teaching and that standards are not as good as they could be. Inspectors share their concerns but due to timetabling constraints were unable to observe sufficient lessons to make secure judgements.

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Year 6 results

9. When pupils with special educational needs receive appropriate support both individually and in small groups they make good progress and achieve well. For example, in a Year 5 class one group suggested and recorded some imaginative ideas John Clifford Primary School - 11 for a poem about clouds and were proud to read aloud to the rest of the class the poem they had written. However, examples were also seen of pupils with significant special needs under-achieving because they did not have the additional support that they need to help them take an active part in the lessons. Pupils speaking English as an additional language make similar progress to their classmates and achieve as well as others do.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance is below the national average and punctuality is unsatisfactory. Behaviour and attitudes to school are good overall and very good for pupils in the Nursery. Good provision is made for pupils’ personal development, including their moral, social and cultural development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of behaviour and pupils' positive attitudes to their work have been sustained since the previous inspection. • The development of the Class Councils and the manner in which the school listens to the views of all pupils. • The ethos of the school and the very good relationships between adults and children. • Attendance and punctuality has an insufficiently high profile in the school.

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Commentary

10. Children in the Nursery behave very well in class and have a very good relationship with the adults who teach and care for them. Older pupils show a good sense of what is expected of them as models for the rest of the school in their respect and tolerance for others. The number of exclusions has been relatively high but this was largely due to a group of pupils who have now left the school and is no indication that standards of behaviour have deteriorated overall.

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Commentary

11. The school had no School Council at the time of the previous inspection and is now moving forward towards this through establishing Class Councils. Pupils are confident that they can express their feelings and that they will be listened to by members of staff. Pupils of all ages share the responsibilities of being part of the school community and they have a good sense of right and wrong. Older pupils make it clear in discussion that they feel they will leave school as mature individuals, well prepared for their move into secondary education.

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Commentary

12. The school places emphasis on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all pupils. Pupils have a good understanding of the impact of their actions on others and they develop a strong sense of self-esteem as they progress through the school. Older pupils have a very mature relationship with their teachers and this contributes to their feelings of self-esteem. Beginning in the Nursery, pupils are taught to respect and celebrate the religious, social and cultural traditions of all those in our multi-cultural community. All pupils take pleasure in the festivals of the major faith groups and enjoy sharing the experiences that are part of such celebrations. Pupils’ spiritual understanding is less well developed except in the Nursery where a sense of awe and wonder is a significant part of the children’s experience. John Clifford Primary School - 12

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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: 5.1 School data : 1.1 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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Attendance

13. The pupils are happy at school, and, for the most part, they arrive on time, although there is a significant number who are late. These pupils sometimes miss the start of lessons and as a result do not fully understand the content of the lesson. Overall the level of attendance is unsatisfactory. For a small number of pupils attendance is a serious concern. Too many pupils spend too much time away from school on holiday. This has a detrimental affect upon their learning. The school monitors attendance and punctuality closely and provides clear messages for parents but in the school as a whole attendance and punctuality do not have a high enough profile.

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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

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Exclusions

White – British 246 14 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 5 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 4 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 4 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 6 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 25 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 6 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 5 0 0

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Exclusions

Black or Black British – Caribbean 3 0 0 Black or Black British – African 1 0 0 Chinese 4 0 0 Any other ethnic group 2 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 0 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. John Clifford Primary School - 13 John Clifford Primary School - 14

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is good. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. Curriculum provision is satisfactory , as is the quality of care and links with the community .

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is good.

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Teaching and learning

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 47 lessons

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Teaching and learning

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Teaching and learning

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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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and support staff work very well together in the Nursery. • The setting arrangements for older pupils are effective. • The high level of pupil mobility affects learning. • Teachers manage pupils well. • There are improved assessment arrangements especially in English, mathematics and science.

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Commentary

14. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good and has improved since the previous inspection. This is in part at least due to changes in staffing, although such improvements have not yet had time to impact on national test results. There is now no teaching that is unsatisfactory. Teaching and learning are very good in the Nursery where there is a strong and experienced team of teaching and support staff who are enthusiastic and imaginative in their teaching. Here the use of teaching assistants is particularly effective and ensures the youngest children are well supported both in their academic and personal development. This ensures that children get off to a good start in their education. However, the very effective organisation and planning is not continued in the reception class, which works in a less effective manner.

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Commentary

15. Overall staff have good understanding of the different subjects and ages that they teach. The expectations of what pupils can achieve especially in the core subjects have improved since the previous inspection. Teaching in English, mathematics and science is good and staff make good use of national guidance and assessment information to support their planning. The setting arrangements for older pupils in English and mathematics are effective in ensuring a suitable level of challenge is provided. Planning is good overall and identifies linked activities for groups of pupils of different abilities. Staff have worked hard to increase their confidence in teaching and using new information and communication technology facilities and acknowledge that the quality of their teaching of information and communication technology is rapidly improving. However, as yet, staff do not make enough use of classroom computers to support

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Commentary

learning across the curriculum. John Clifford Primary School - 15 16. The management of pupils is good and the insistence of good standards of behaviour ensures lessons are conducted in a calm and productive manner. The use of time is generally good within lessons although several teachers talk for too long at the expense of giving pupils enough time to carry out the tasks that are set for them. This is most noticeable in Year 6 where pupils identify that they do not have enough time to complete their work. Whilst homework is used well in some classes this is not consistent across the school. The guidance that pupils receive through the marking of their work is inconsistent in its quality and usefulness.

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Commentary

17. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good overall and most teachers encourage them to play a full part in lessons. Very occasionally, however, they leave communication with these pupils to their support assistants so that they are not as fully involved as they could be. Support assistants are well trained, knowledgeable and provide good support. However, they need to develop more strategies for dealing with pupils with challenging behaviour. There is some inconsistency in the effectiveness with which teachers modify activities to match the needs of pupils of different abilities. The quality of Individual Education Plans for pupils with special educational needs is very good for those with a Statement Of Special Educational Need or on School Action Plus, but is more variable for those on School Action.

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Commentary

18. Overall pupils learn well. They acquire new knowledge and skills across the range of subjects although in music learning is restricted by the lack of opportunities to develop skills in all the required areas of the music curriculum. Pupils of different abilities generally learn well. However, the quality of learning for some pupils with significant special educational needs is hindered by a lack of close support. Pupils have a good desire to learn and are often able to understand how their current work builds on what they have previously learned. However, the high levels of mobility in some year groups affect pupils' learning. School data show that in almost all year groups at least half the pupils move into or out of the school other than at the normal time of starting or leaving and in some years this is almost three quarters of the pupils.

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Commentary

19. The school has not yet produced a register of pupils identified as gifted and talented and makes no separate provision for such pupils. Those pupils speaking English as an additional language make good overall progress although there is not a lot of additional support for them on a day-to-day basis.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory overall and very good in the Nursery. Opportunities for enrichment of pupils’ learning are good and accommodation and resources are good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for the majority of pupils with special educational needs is good. • Resources need improving for religious education and for the reception class. • The music curriculum is not well planned to provide progression in pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum has remained satisfactory overall since the time of the previous inspection. Provision in the Nursery has improved and is now very good. The curriculum for the reception class is only satisfactory at the present time and this is due John Clifford Primary School - 16 mainly to instability in staffing and lack of adequate resources. All subjects of the National Curriculum are taught regularly for an appropriate amount of time but there is limited continuity in planning in music where the opportunities for pupils to compose and expand their musical horizons are limited.

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Commentary

21. The National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy have been implemented well throughout the school and adaptations are made to meet the needs of all groups of pupils. This has a positive impact on learning. Some classes are taught as mixed age groups with some setting for core subjects amongst older pupils. Information and communication technology is now being taught regularly throughout the school but more needs to be done to raise standards in this area of learning through its expansion into all areas of the curriculum. The computer suite has recently been re- equipped to a high standard and now provides a significant resource for learning in all subjects.

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Commentary

22. The quality of teachers’ planning ensures that each age group has access to a curriculum linked to their age and ability. The school organises human and other resources for pupils with special educational needs effectively, within the limits of the external funding that it receives. When they receive the support that they need pupils have full access to the same curriculum as other pupils. Occasionally, however, when pupils with significant special educational needs do not have an assistant to support them, they are not fully included in the work of the class. This has a negative impact upon their learning.

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Commentary

23. The range of extra-curricular activities offered by the school, including participation in musical events, sporting competitions and residential visits are good and have a positive effect on pupils’ achievement and personal development. Provision for citizenship, personal, social and health education is good overall. The school has a strong ethos of inclusion and works hard within the constraints it faces to ensure equality of access for all. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory and enables them to make good progress in line with that made by their classmates although there is not a lot of additional support for them during lessons. The school makes no separate curricular provision for pupils who are gifted and talented.

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Commentary

24. Staff are well qualified and good use is made of their expertise and that of teaching assistants and other support staff. All adults in the school community make a significant contribution to the school and to extra-curricular activities.

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Commentary

25. Accommodation remains good overall. The availability of two halls and the areas known as ‘The Den’ and ‘The Beehive’ where specialist help can be given to pupils with special educational needs or in moments of stress are a significant asset. Accommodation in the Nursery is good. At the present time there is no access to the first floor for pupils using wheelchairs. In the past the school has moved classes from the first to the ground floor to meet the needs of pupils unable to gain access to the upper story. Resources for learning are satisfactory overall and are good in the Nursery. Resources for Religious Education and those in the reception class are unsatisfactory at present.

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Care, guidance and support

The school makes satisfactory provision for the care and support of pupils. The personal and academic guidance offered to pupils is also satisfactory. The school takes satisfactory account of pupils' views. John Clifford Primary School - 17 Main strengths and weaknesses.

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Care, guidance and support

• Some pupils with significant special educational needs do not receive enough support to enable them to take an active part in all lessons. • Children in the Nursery benefit from good induction arrangements. • Pupils feel they are well supported and that there is always someone to go to if they have any concerns.

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Commentary

26. The school offers its pupils a happy and harmonious environment. Pupils are respected and treated with sensitivity. Children in the Nursery benefit from good support when they begin school. Pupils throughout the school are well supported by the good relationships that exist. However, pupils with significant special educational needs do not always receive sufficient support in all lessons and when this is not available they are not fully included in all activities. The health and safety arrangements are satisfactory overall, as are those surrounding child protection procedures. Lunchtimes are well supervised and pupils feel that this is a happy time of the day. The school has been made aware of a small number of health and safety issues.

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Commentary

27. The personal and academic support and guidance offered to pupils is satisfactory. Whilst pupils do have some well understood targets for improvement in English this is not yet extended to the other subjects of the curriculum. Older pupils with special educational needs are involved in discussions about their progress and contribute to the contents of their Individual Education Plans.

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Commentary

28. The school's arrangements for seeking and acting on pupils' views are satisfactory. The school does not canvas pupils' opinions across the school but has introduced a class council system. There are plans to introduce a whole school council and pupils would welcome this. However, pupils do feel that there is always someone they can go to if they have any worries and that their ideas are usually listened to and acted on.

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The school has satisfactory links with parents and the community. Links with schools

• The information provided for parents is satisfactory but parents would like more information about their children’s learning. They are unhappy with the annual progress reports. • The support for the transition of pupils from Year 6 to secondary school is good.

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Commentary

29. Parents are pleased that their children are happy at school and that they are expected to work hard. They find the school to be approachable and consider the induction arrangements to be good. They have expressed a wish for more information about their children’s learning and how they might provide better support at home.

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Commentary

30. The information provided for parents about school life is satisfactory. Parents are invited to school performances but have too few opportunities to gain insight into their John Clifford Primary School - 18 children’s learning or to take part in the celebration of their work. Parents usually support homework when it is set but this aspect of the school's partnership with parents is not fully developed. Written progress reports are inconsistent in their quality and usefulness. They do not always identify a pupil’s strengths and areas of difficulty and do not always provide guidance on areas for improvement. There is insufficient information about the National Curriculum level at which a pupil is working. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in discussions about their progress, contribute to reviews of their achievements and are well informed about ways in which they can support their children at home.

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Commentary

31. The school's links with the community and its partnership with other schools are good. The local community is supportive. Visits to places of interest provide a good resource to support and enrich learning. Links with other schools provide good arrangements for the transfer of those moving to secondary school. Pupils benefit from good links between the staff in Year 6 and those in secondary schools as this eases the transition to their new school. The school takes part in inter-school events. Meetings with staff from other schools provide professional support.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management of the school is good overall. The leadership of the headteacher is very good, the governance and management of the school are good and the leadership of other key staff is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a very clear sense of purpose and is successful in developing leadership qualities in key members of staff in order to plan for improvement. • The chair and vice-chair provide good leadership of the newly formed governing body and work in close partnership with the headteacher to the benefit of the school. • Co-ordinators of several subjects do not monitor and evaluate planning, teaching and learning as regularly as they could and the Foundation Stage leader does not have enough opportunities to share good practice. • The school is very committed to inclusion and supports pupils with special needs as effectively as it can within the very limited external funding.

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COMMENTARY

32. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the school and through involvement in leadership initiatives, support to colleagues and judicious appointments has helped improve the quality of teaching. He places a high priority on developing the confidence, skills and leadership potential of all members of staff and deploys them effectively. He gains first-hand evidence of teaching, standards and pupils’ progress. Information gained is used to set targets for improvement for both staff and pupils. These are clearly linked to priorities identified in the School Improvement Plan. In-service courses, and the expertise offered by Local Education Authority advisory staff, are effectively focused on the induction of new staff, and continuing professional development of experienced teachers. These developments and initiatives are starting to have a positive impact on the standards achieved by the pupils.

p.18

COMMENTARY

33. The chair and vice-chair of governors keep in close touch with the school’s work, and have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They support and challenge the headteacher, when appropriate. Good procedures have been John Clifford Primary School - 19 established for all governors to become much more directly involved in monitoring and reporting on progress in areas for development identified in the school improvement plan. The governing body has been instrumental in making key appointments, which have helped to shape the vision and direction of the school.

p.18

COMMENTARY

34. Co-ordinators of English and mathematics scrutinise teachers’ planning, examine pupils’ work and observe teaching alongside the headteacher, although this is not always on a regular basis. Through this they are able to identify areas for development. The roles of co-ordinators in several other subjects and for Key Stage 1 have not yet been fully developed. They have a less secure grasp of what needs to be done in the areas for which they are responsible. The co-ordinator for the Foundation Stage manages the nursery provision very well and her role needs to be further developed to improve the provision for the children in the reception class.

p.19

COMMENTARY

35. Members of staff are invited to contribute to the school improvement plan, which means that there is shared ownership of it. It includes clear and appropriate priorities linked to areas for development identified by the school and that are suitably costed. However, there is an ambitious number of areas for development to be tackled simultaneously. This means that it could be difficult for governors and members of staff to monitor progress both sufficiently and thoroughly within the timescales proposed.

p.19

COMMENTARY

36. The special educational needs co-ordinator, together with the senior teaching assistant, are effective in liaising with staff and in establishing good provision for pupils with special educational needs. The school has an inclusive atmosphere and positively welcomes pupils with special educational needs, some of whom have significant and quite challenging needs. It is generous in its funding to help and support these pupils but there is a shortfall in external funding which means that their needs are not always met and they are not, therefore, always fully included.

p.19

COMMENTARY

37. Sound approaches to the financial management of the school have enabled it to allocate substantial amounts of money to key areas such as the new information and communication technology suite, literacy development and major expenditure on buildings maintenance. This has a positive impact upon provision in these areas. The school substantially supplements the funding for pupils with special educational needs from its own resources in order to offer the current quality of provision. However, this provision is not enough for some pupils with significant special needs, who at times have no additional support in classes. The school has, at times, had to work with a deficit budget, although careful management has now brought it into a surplus. The governing body has had to take difficult decisions regarding priorities for expenditure but has managed to do so according to the principles of best value. The school provides

p.19

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 785 113 Balance from previous year 57,827 Total expenditure 780,065 Balance carried forward to the next 62,875 Expenditure per pupil 2,334 John Clifford Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The quality of provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall and very good in the Nursery.

p.20

Overall strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning in the Nursery is very good. • The quality of teamwork and planning is very good in the Nursery. • Assessment is used effectively to monitor and track the progress of all pupils.

p.20

Overall aspects of provision

38. The majority of children enter the Nursery class with knowledge and skills that are average but which cover the full range of attainment. The Nursery teacher is the Foundation Stage co-ordinator and provides very good leadership and management for the whole stage. The quality of the teamwork in the Nursery and the quality of planning ensure a good quality of education for the children. Children with special educational needs and those for who English is an additional language make the same good progress as their classmates.

p.20

Overall aspects of provision

39. In the reception class the present supply teacher has brought a welcome stability for the current term. Planning and teaching are fully in line with the nationally recognised Early Learning Goals. The quality of teaching is good overall and very good in the Nursery. Teachers and teaching assistants have a very good knowledge and understanding of the needs of children in the Foundation Stage and lessons are well organised. Assessment is effective and good records of progress and achievement are kept. Children in both classes have full access to the facilities of the main school and also to a secure play area with a good range of large and small apparatus and a covered area for use during inclement weather. The quality of accommodation in the purpose-built Nursery is good and is satisfactory in the reception class.

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision for personal social and emotional development is good overall and very good in the Nursery.

p.20

Strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is very strong in this area especially in the Nursery. • Children quickly become members of the whole school community. • Children show a good sense of initiative and personal responsibility.

p.20

Commentary

40. The very good quality of teaching in the Nursery ensures that children make very good progress in this area of their development. Progress is slower in the reception class but children achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. John Clifford Primary School - 21 41. From the beginning children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions and are able to express themselves clearly and without embarrassment. Adults take account of their views and support them in taking initiatives for themselves. As a result children are sensible, tolerant towards each other and enthusiastic about learning. A very good range of role-play activities, especially in the Nursery, enhances both social development and creativity and there is a strong sense of community amongst the children. Children in the reception class do not always behave or socialise as well as their classmates in the Nursery which is partly due to temporary staffing changes.

p.20

Communication, language and literacy

Provision for communication, language and literacy is good overall and very good in the Nursery.

p.21

Strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching builds effectively on existing language skills. • Children are enthusiastic learners in this area of activity. • Early reading and writing skills are developing rapidly. • There has been some decline in listening skills in the reception class.

p.21

Commentary

42. The very good teaching in the Nursery ensures that children make rapid progress and achieve well. Very effective use is made of the children’s existing language skills and the knowledge that they can make their own contribution fires the imagination and enthusiasm of the vast majority. Adults constantly engage children in conversation. This is a major factor in building confidence in speaking and listening and children are keen to broaden their skills into the areas of reading and writing. Throughout the day children communicate with adults and with each other with confidence and have a very good vocabulary when expressing their feelings and emotions.

p.21

Commentary

43. Early reading and writing skills are emerging well and children recognise many of the key words and captions around their classroom. Spoken language is developed very effectively through the comprehensive range of role-play activities and the acting out of popular stories as they are read to the children. Good links are made to mathematical development, for example, through the frequent use of counting and number rhymes. Some children in the reception class are reluctant to sit and listen to each other although they listen attentively to their teacher.

p.21

Mathematical development

Provision for mathematical development is very good in the Nursery and satisfactory in the reception class.

p.21

Strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Nursery investigate numbers with great enthusiasm. • There is a lack of resources and apparatus in the reception class.

p.21

Commentary

44. Children enter school with standards slightly below those expected for their age group. The very good quality teaching in the Nursery ensures that all children make rapid John Clifford Primary School - 22 progress and achieve very well in this area. Progress slows in the reception class where the quality of teaching and of resources is not as high as it is in the Nursery. Children achieve the Early Learning Goals for this area of their development by the time they enter Year 1.

p.21

Commentary

45. Children in the Nursery experience a broad range of activities and show great enthusiasm for exploring mathematical concepts in their sand and water play. Counting individually and in unison is a frequent activity much enjoyed by the children who also take pride in being able to write numbers after they have counted up to them. Throughout the day teachers use incidental opportunities well for example during registration and snack time for increasing children’s experience of numbers.

p.22

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good overall and very good in the Nursery.

p.22

Strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching makes very effective use of the children’s desire to explore and explain the world around them. • Very good opportunities are provided in the Nursery for pupils to find out about and use their senses.

p.22

Commentary

46. Children enter the Nursery with standards below those expected for their age. The very good quality of the teaching in the Nursery ensures that children make rapid progress and achieve well. They achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. Teachers plan for and provide a broad range of experiences, especially for children in the Nursery.

p.22

Commentary

47. Well organised activities for sensory play with sand, water, peat and wet clay enable the children to explore the characteristics of materials in a variety of contexts. Investigative skills are encouraged in all areas of activity and children frequently have to answer “what if” type questions to solve problems. Good links are made with other areas of learning through activities such as the study of light and dark, which allows the children to explore ideas through language and number.

p.22

Physical Development

Provision for physical development is good overall.

p.22

Strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good overall. • Resources for outdoor play are good.

p.22

Commentary

48. Children enter school with standards in line with those expected for their age. Good quality teaching ensures that they make good progress and achieve well. The vast majority achieve beyond the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. John Clifford Primary School - 23 49. Very good use is made of the secure outdoor play area for the development of physical skills. Children use apparatus well and with due regard for their own safety and the safety of others. They run, climb and use apparatus in a skilful manner and are equally good when moving around the more restricted space in their classroom. In creative activities they show well-developed skills in cutting, pasting and painting. They handle small items of equipment such as construction toys well.

p.22

Creative Development

Provision for creative development is satisfactory overall and very good in the Nursery.

p.23

Strengths and weaknesses

• The use of role-play in the Nursery. • Very good use of resources, especially in the Nursery. • Use of the outdoor play area to foster creative play.

p.23

Commentary

50. Children enter the Nursery with standards below those expected for their age. Very good teaching in the Nursery ensures that all children make rapid progress and achieve well. Provision for creative development is currently satisfactory in the reception class and children achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. In the Nursery in particular children enjoy a very good range of singing, dancing and art activities.

p.23

Commentary

51. The vast majority of children approach their learning with great enthusiasm. Creative role-play and associated language activities are especially prominent in the Nursery and children co-operate with each other very well, developing their social skills at the same time. Use of the outdoor play area is very creative and, for the children, extends their creativity into the outdoor classroom in a seamless manner.

p.23

ENGLISH

The overall provision for English is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have an enthusiastic attitude to writing. • The quality and range of books has, until recently, been poor and therefore has not inspired an enthusiasm for reading. • Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are not yet developed consistently throughout the school. • Planning for the use of language and literacy across other curriculum subjects is not yet in place.

p.23

Commentary

52. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6 standards in English are average. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those speaking English as an additional John Clifford Primary School - 24 language achieve satisfactorily. High levels of pupil mobility have a negative affect upon learning but recent staff changes are having a positive affect. Throughout the school most pupils listen attentively in lessons both to their teachers and to their peers. In a Year 5 class, pupils working in twos and threes enthusiastically discussed ideas for a poem about a storm and produced some imaginative work. Sometimes, however, teachers talk for too long to the whole class so that interest begins to wane and pupils are not given enough opportunities to explore and contribute their own ideas. Staff rarely use the idea of ‘Talking Partners’ to encourage pupils to discuss ideas and report back to others.

p.23

Commentary

53. In most classes adults read with pupils to effectively develop their reading skills. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 read with increasing fluency and confidently express their opinions about characters and events. They try to apply their knowledge of letters and sounds when they come to a word they do not know, but they do not always use the full range of strategies available to them, such as working out the sense of a sentence by rereading or reading ahead. Occasionally pupils struggle to read books that are too difficult for them and some books are old and unattractive. In Years 3 to 6 most pupils become competent readers and higher attaining pupils have positive attitudes to reading. They read a range of materials and use dictionaries and thesauruses effectively. However, the purpose served by some reading materials, such as catalogues, is not clear and some books are dated, unappealing and in urgent need of

p.24

Commentary

replacement. Although they know how to use the library classification system to find books on a particular topic, there are infrequent opportunities for them to engage in independent research. Pupils read regularly at home and there is a good partnership with parents through reading diaries.

p.24

Commentary

54. In Years 1 to 6 pupils write in a good range of narrative and non-narrative forms but standards of handwriting and presentation are inconsistent. By Year 2, average and higher attaining pupils write at increasing length using a widening vocabulary and sustain ideas well. Lower attaining pupils make good progress and are confident in expressing ideas and write a reasonable amount. Through regular handwriting practice they develop a neat, joined style but this is not consistently carried over to other work. Punctuation is developed well. By the end of Year 6 pupils plan, draft and revise their work well. A very good development is the way in which pupils act as editors for one another’s work and often make perceptive comments about strengths and weaknesses. One pupil wrote of another’s poem, for example, “went over the top with making it rhyme.” Pupils write increasingly complex pieces using a range of

p.24

Commentary

punctuation but they rarely compose their work on the computer and little of their finished work is word-processed. Spelling is of a satisfactory standard and their handwriting is legible but much of it is in pencil.

p.24

Commentary

55. The quality of teaching in English lessons is good overall. There has been a marked improvement in the quality and consistency of teaching since the last inspection. The National Literacy Strategy is firmly embedded in the school’s practice. For example, teachers often incidentally reinforce pupils’ knowledge of grammar during discussions of texts. The introduction of individual pupil targets for writing is a positive development but the quality of marking varies. Some teachers’ comments are related to their targets; others offer praise but comments are less focused on individual targets for improvement.

p.24

Commentary

56. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The literacy team and the headteacher have worked intensively with the Local Education Authority’s literacy consultant to achieve an improvement in standards between 2002 and 2003. The co- John Clifford Primary School - 25 ordinator keeps track of progress and standards in a variety of ways in order to analyse strengths and weaknesses in the subject. John Clifford Primary School - 26

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

57. Although there are good examples of pupils using their speaking and listening and literacy skills in other subjects such as history, teachers do not systematically plan for their use. The school has identified this as an area for development in the near future.

p.26

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good. • Pupils are generally confident in their understanding and use of numbers. • Assessment procedures are good, as is the use of information to track the progress made.

p.26

Commentary

58. Standards in mathematics are average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 as they were at the time of the previous inspection. However, since that time standards achieved in national tests have been very variable and not shown consistent year-by-year improvement. The high level of mobility in some year groups can explain some of this variation. Pupils who take national tests in Year 6 are often not the same ones who took the test in this school in Year 2. Pupils generally have secure understanding of numbers and shapes but are not as confident in using and applying mathematics through open-ended problem solving activities.

p.26

Commentary

59. Overall achievement is satisfactory. The achievement of the girls matches that of the boys. Pupils speaking English as an additional language make similar progress to all others. When receiving support those pupils with identified special educational needs make good overall progress. However, as seen in Year 1 when no additional support is provided pupils with significant special educational needs learn little or nothing in lessons because they are not able to remain focused on the identified tasks without adult help.

p.26

Commentary

60. In Year 2 pupils are able to use number lines with confidence and know how many units they need to add to a given number of tens. In Year 6 higher attaining pupils are confident in working out percentages, decimals and fractions. In work on shape, space and measures pupils have reasonable understanding of the properties of shapes so that by Year 6 lower attaining pupils identify a range of shapes and know how many sides are parallel or adjacent. In Years 3 to 6 pupils have satisfactory skills in handling data. There are recently developed good links with information and communication technology so older pupils can use such information in a spreadsheet format. While there are appropriate opportunities to use and apply mathematics through problem solving quite a lot of the activities are teacher led and there is only limited scope for pupils to carry out open-ended mathematical investigations.

p.26

Commentary

61. The school has implemented the National Numeracy Strategy well and this provides a secure base for planning. Teaching and learning are good and have improved since the previous inspection. Assessment in mathematics is now good and information gained is used well to track the progress pupils make. Teachers now have good expectations of what the pupils can achieve. They generally set work that is appropriate to the pupils John Clifford Primary School - 27 understanding and which moves their learning on well. Good arrangements are made for the setting of older pupils in ability groups and the school is confident if the current good rate of progress is maintained that standards are set to rise further. However, whilst teaching is good occasionally teachers talk for too long and overly control lessons which restricts the opportunities for pupils to solve a range of open-ended problems.

p.26

Commentary

62. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator makes good use of assessment information to track overall progress and has some but not enough opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching and learning. This limits her ability to know if for instance all pupils, including those with special educational needs are making the progress they are capable of.

p.27

Mathematics across the curriculum

63. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is satisfactory. There are suitable opportunities in design and technology when measuring paper patterns and materials to make slippers and in information and communication technology when using databases. However, these activities are often incidental and not always purposefully planned in terms of developing cross-curricular skills.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since the previous inspection. • Teaching is good overall with very good features especially in Years 3 to 6. • Standards are very high in comparison with similar schools. • Marking is inconsistent and the presentation of work is variable.

p.27

Commentary

64. Standards in Years 1 and 2 are above average for pupils of this age. A substantial proportion of pupils, including those with special educational needs and those speaking English as an additional language now achieve well. Standards have improved since the time of the previous inspection and have recovered from a decline in recent years. Teacher assessments in Years 1 and 2 in 2003 indicate the vast majority of pupils achieved at least the standard expected.

p.27

Commentary

65. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above those seen nationally and in the 2003 national tests were well above average when compared with similar schools. There have been some fluctuations in recent years, partly due to the mobility of pupils, but standards have generally risen since the previous inspection. Pupils are now achieving well and are responding to the good and very good teaching observed during the course of the inspection. Some particularly good teaching was seen in Year 5 and Year 6 where pupils were engaged in high quality investigative activities. Teachers' planning is very good in Years 3 to 6 and open-ended investigations figure prominently in pupils’ learning.

p.27

Commentary

66. Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their learning in science and respond especially well to the opportunities for carrying out investigations of, for example, simple circuits. The work sample provided by the school shows that pupils in parallel classes are following the same programme and the evidence indicates good quality joint John Clifford Primary School - 28 planning. Marking is not always consistent but does contain useful written comments that assist pupils to improve their work. Pupils presentation skills are variable and not always good enough. Pupils’ vocabulary is developed well in science. The use of information and communication technology to record and handle data is also used effectively.

p.27

Commentary

67. Teaching in science is good overall. As a result of the quality of the teaching pupils make good progress and achieve well in science.

p.28

Commentary

68. Leadership and management of the subject are good, assessment is very effective and teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject. The assessment carried out by teachers now enables tracking of the progress made by individual pupils and has helped in counteracting the effects of the high levels of pupil mobility in Years 3 to 6. Resources for science are good overall and are very well used by teachers and pupils. A notable feature of the lessons observed was the care taken by pupils when using the resources available to them.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The newly appointed subject co-ordinator has brought about considerable improvement in the subject recently. • Standards are below average and pupils do not achieve what they are capable of. • There have been gaps in pupils learning over time caused by the unreliability of previous computer hardware. • Classroom computers are not used well enough to support learning on a day-to-day basis.

p.28

Commentary

69. Standards in ICT are below average for the age of the pupils across the school. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those speaking English as an additional language do not achieve what they are capable of because there is a deficit in their learning, caused at least in part by the unreliability of previous computer hardware. Over some period of time pupils were not getting enough access to computers to move their learning on in a consistent manner.

p.28

Commentary

70. The school has very recently set up a new computer suite with new hardware and software, which is of good quality and exciting for the pupils to use. The school is also making good use of an inter-active whiteboard to inform and motivate both staff and pupils. This is reflected in a good Year 6 lesson when, following the teacher demonstration, pupils made good progress in using a database to find information on the sale of concert tickets. Staff are aware that some areas of the information and communication technology curriculum including aspects of control and the use of electronic mail have been weak but these are clearly identified in future planning.

p.28

Commentary

71. Teaching in the subject is satisfactory overall and was good in several lessons. Teachers acknowledge their level of skill and confidence in using new resources is mixed. Due to the very good informal support offered by the new subject co-ordinator their competence is rapidly improving and some are excited by the skills they are John Clifford Primary School - 29 learning and using. However, classroom computers are not used on a regular enough basis to extend what is taught in the computer suite. The bank of computers in the Key Stage 2 library is not yet up and running to support learning. Leadership of the subject is good overall and is very good in the manner in which the co-ordinator has been supporting colleagues. However, he does not have enough opportunities to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning which makes it difficult to identify how to raise standards further.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

72. The use of information and communication technology to support learning across the curriculum is satisfactory overall. There is some good individual use of computers to support work, including databases, but not enough use is made of classroom computers to support learning across the curriculum

p.29

HUMANITIES

The provision for history, geography and religious education is satisfactory.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The co-ordinators have limited first-hand knowledge of standards of teaching and learning. • Pupils enjoy history but their skills of historical enquiry are under-developed. • Pupils' understanding of changes and comparisons with other countries is not secure. • Pupils develop a good understanding of key aspects of the world’s major faiths. There are good links with work in Personal Social and Health Education and Citizenship.

p.29

Commentary

73. In history standards are in line with those expected. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, as is the quality of teaching and learning. In Years 1 and 2 pupils are developing a sound understanding of differences between the past and the present from sources of information such as videos and pictures. They know a number of details about the lives of significant people in the past. In the best lessons teachers give pupils the opportunity to use their observational skills to make deductions about the past and to communicate their understanding in a variety of ways, including role-play. In Years 3 to 6 pupils talk knowledgeably about aspects of life in the periods studied. Higher attaining pupils make comparisons between periods such as the Ancient Egyptians and Aztecs and suggest ways in which we can find out about the past. Teachers communicate their own enthusiasm for the subject to pupils and attractive

p.29

Commentary

displays reinforce and extend pupils’ understanding. In some classes pupils are encouraged to retrieve information themselves from texts prepared by the teacher, but in others there is an imbalance between teachers imparting information and pupils finding out for themselves.

p.29

Commentary

74. In geography standards are in line with those expected and pupils achieve satisfactorily. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Through the ‘Barnaby Bear’ project, pupils in Years 1 and 2 are developing an awareness of the wider world. They are beginning to identify human and physical features of localities such as transport and countryside. In Years 3 and 4 pupils build on this knowledge and write short pieces describing the characteristics of the local area and investigate patterns of people’s work. However, John Clifford Primary School - 30 some pupils are uncertain where the countries of the British Isles are on a map. By Year 6 pupils use their geographical skills of observation to ask questions about other places in the world depicted in photographs but have insecure recall of key points of comparison. They also have a limited understanding of how and why places change and how people’s actions affect the environment.

p.29

Commentary

75. In religious education standards are in line with those expected and achievement is satisfactory, as is the quality of teaching and learning. The school pays appropriate attention to raising pupils’ awareness of different faiths. Pupils in Year 2 discuss and write about special Christian celebrations such as Christmas and Easter. They also learn about celebrations in other religions and cultures such as Eid, Diwali and Chinese New Year. By Year 6, pupils think carefully about some of the rules for living which affect themselves and others and understand that all religions have rules. They express thoughtful views on topics such as community and conflict. They show good understanding of the importance of a sense of belonging and respect the beliefs of others. The standard of presentation of some of their work could be better.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. No lessons were seen in art and design, music or physical education and only part of two lessons in design and technology were observed. It is not therefore possible to make secure judgements about standards, teaching and learning in these subjects. However, inspectors spoke to co-ordinators about their work and to pupils about what they had learnt in these subjects and looked at samples of pupils' recent work and displays of work around the school.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. Samples of recent work and displays indicate that work in art and design is appropriate for the age of the pupils. Provision is satisfactory and similar to that in the previous inspection. Work is attractively displayed in the school hall and adds value to the work of the pupils and raises their self esteem.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. The two lessons observed in design and technology indicated that pupils were gaining suitable experiences to make and evaluate a range of articles. Provision is satisfactory and is similar to that found by the previous inspection. However, in recent work for instance making slippers and in other activities the design element is weaker than other aspects. Pupils are directed to follow a specific design given by teachers, which limits their creativity. There is currently no co-ordinator in post and this does little to advance the development of the subject.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. No lessons were observed in music . However, discussion with pupils backs up parental concerns that music is not taught on a regular enough basis for pupils to make enough progress in the subject. Some elements of the curriculum such as musical composition and performance are not taught progressively. Whilst there is some regular and suitable work in singing especially leading up to major school performances this is not enough to ensure all pupils make the progress they are capable of overall. Provision is unsatisfactory and has deteriorated since the previous inspection.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. No lessons were observed in physical education . But, discussion with pupils and the co-ordinator indicate that provision is satisfactory and all elements of the curriculum are covered. Pupils also enjoy a good range of extra-curricular sports activities that support the curriculum well. John Clifford Primary School - 31 81. In all of these subjects the role of the subject co-ordinator is limited. Staff are enthusiastic about areas for which they hold responsibility but sometimes do little more than manage resources. They have limited opportunity to monitor planning, teaching and learning and to check whether the full curriculum is taught for instance in music or if standards are appropriate for the age of the pupils. This does little to advance provision across the range of subjects.

p.30

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for personal, social and health education is good overall.

p.31

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

82. Whilst this is not yet a main area of provision in the teaching timetable of the school staff are now beginning to incorporate education for citizenship into lessons. Each class now has a Class Council and these are seen as a stage prior to the establishment of a full School Council in the near future. In discussion pupils show an enthusiasm for membership of the Councils and for the issues being discussed. Lesson observations indicate that younger pupils are currently occupied by breaches of school or class rules. Older pupils are already beginning to broaden the scope of the discussions to incorporate some of the social and moral dilemmas of the wider world. In discussions and observations teachers played a significant part in encouraging independence of attitude and thinking and pupils respond positively to this. John Clifford Primary School - 32

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.32

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 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 3

p.32

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).

p.32