Kingsley Primary School

KINGSLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd – 5 th November 2003

p.1

KINGSLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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.

p.1

KINGSLEY 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. Kingsley Primary School i

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 477

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Taybrooke Avenue Hartlepool Postcode: TS25 5JR

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01429 273102 Fax number: 01429 427098

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs S G Hanson

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th April 1998

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Kingsley Primary School is a large primary school serving Hartlepool. It is a Beacon School that has won a number of awards, including the Basic Skills Quality Mark in 1998, the Activemark in 2001 and the Schools' Achievement award in 2002. It serves an area of some socio-economic disadvantage and attainment on entry to the Nursery is below that expected nationally. Almost all pupils are of white European backgrounds; a small number of pupils are from Caribbean, Asian and Chinese backgrounds. The school caters for a large number of pupils with special educational needs (SEN), including pupils on the autistic spectrum, those with moderate learning difficulties and some with physical disabilities. Few pupils either join or leave the school other than at the usual times. Kingsley Primary School ii

p.3

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1311 Barry Wood Lay inspector 14851 Graham Laws Team inspector English Geography History Religious education 27477 Jo Mitchell Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology 8420 Val Roberts Team inspector Foundation Stage Special educational needs Art and design Design and technology Music Physical education

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

VT Education Consultants Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD

p.4

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). Kingsley Primary School iii

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 3

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 7

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

p.5

Kingsley Primary School provides a very good standard of education and very good value

for money. Pupils achieve very well because of very good teaching based on a good curriculum. The school has a very good ethos, generated through the headteacher’s excellent leadership and his clarity of vision which is shared by all of the school community. Pupils are extremely happy to be here and respond well to the excellent environment in which they find themselves. All pupils, regardless of capability or needs, are fully part of the school and all needs are met outstandingly well.

p.6

Kingsley Primary School provides a very good standard of education and very good value

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

p.6

Kingsley Primary School provides a very good standard of education and very good value

• The outstanding clarity of vision of the headteacher, supported by other key staff and rigorous self assessment, has resulted in a school in which: • The positive ethos of the school is overwhelming. • Teaching is very good. • Achievement is very good. • Provision for special educational needs (SEN) and the inclusion of all in the school are excellent. • Pastoral care for pupils is excellent. • The prospectus and other key documents for parents do not reflect the school’s very good ethos. • The provision for pupils to understand their place in today’s multi-cultural Britain is underdeveloped.

p.6

Kingsley Primary School provides a very good standard of education and very good value

The school has made very good progress since its last inspection. Achievement and teaching are much improved. The key issues have been thoroughly addressed – progress in English and in standards of presentation is very much better, and the proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in science is much higher. Registrations are carried out statutorily.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A A* A A Mathematics A* A* A* A* Science A* A* A* A* Key: A* - very good; 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.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement in the school is very good. A grade of A* in the table above means the school was in the top five per cent nationally. Children enter the Nursery with attainment that is below that expected nationally, but attain the expected standards in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development by the time they enter Year 1. These standards indicate good achievement. Even with several months to go before the end of the year, standards in Year 2 are above expectations in reading, writing, mathematics and science, and standards in Year 6 are well above expectations in English and mathematics, and above expectations in science. Pupils with SEN and those who are gifted or talented achieve very well. These judgements reflect very good achievement in Years 1 to 6 for all pupils.

p.6

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are progressing very well. Pupils show very good attitudes and behaviour and have satisfactory attendance.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching is very good. Teaching and learning are good in Nursery and Reception and very good in Years 1 to 6. Teachers use very good assessment information very well to plan lessons that will challenge all pupils beyond their comfort zone. Lessons proceed at a brisk pace, aided by the very good relationships throughout the school. Teachers really value pupils’ contributions to lessons, and use questioning very well to ensure all pupils can contribute. As a result, pupils work very hard and very productively. Pupils are trusted to work, and rise to this trust, working independently and collaboratively very well.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum offered by the school is good and provides good opportunities for enrichment. Provision for pupils with SEN is excellent. The imaginative use and design of the accommodation provides an excellent environment for learning. The provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is first rate, providing very good support and guidance to pupils. The partnership with parents is very good.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are very good overall. The headteacher provides excellent personal leadership, with an outstanding clarity of vision shared by all in the school community. He is supported very well by senior staff. The school is managed very well, with clear goals set, and progress towards them is rigorously monitored. Financial management is first rate. The governing body offers good support to the school, understanding its strengths and weaknesses well.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils agree that the school is excellent. Pupils enjoy the challenge in lessons and the very good relationships. Parents’ responses to the questionnaire and at the meeting prior to the inspection were overwhelmingly positive, with the phrase, ’it’s brilliant’ regularly repeated.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school is highly successful, but it recognises that there is always room for improvement. In this context, the most important areas for improvement are:

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Review the prospectus and other key documents for parents, to ensure they reflect the school’s very positive ethos. • Ensure that teachers’ planning includes more opportunities for pupils to understand life in multi- cultural Britain. Kingsley Primary School 3

p.7

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils achieve well in Nursery and Reception and very well in Years 1 to 6. Standards are as expected by the end of Reception, above expectations in Year 2 and well above expectations in Year 6.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• From a low baseline, pupils consistently attain high standards in the core subjects of English and mathematics – this represents very good achievement. • Pupils with SEN achieve very well. • Gifted and talented pupils achieve very well.

p.8

Commentary

1. In the 2003 National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 2, the school’s results were well above average in reading and above average in mathematics. Writing standards were very high, that is, in the top five per cent nationally. If the school is compared only to those with a similar intake, then the school is in the top five per cent nationally for reading and writing, and standards are well above average in mathematics. Standards have been improving year-on-year. There are no tests in the other core subject of science, but teachers’ own assessments indicate that standards are above average overall, with high numbers gaining the higher Level 3. The table below summarises the test results. The average points score used as a measure takes account of all pupils’ performance. One ‘point’ is roughly equivalent to the progress expected in a term, with the expected Level 2 being represented by fifteen points and the higher Level 3 by 21 points. For example, the table shows that,

p.8

Commentary

in 2003, pupils in Kingsley were over two and a half terms ahead of the national average in writing.

p.8

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

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.4 (16.8) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 17.3 (17.1) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.2 (16.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 59 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.8

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

2. In the 2003 National Curriculum tests for pupils in Year 6, standards were even better. Standards overall were well above average in English and science, but very high, that is, in the top five per cent nationally, in mathematics. When compared only to schools with a similar intake, then the school is in the top five per cent nationally in all three subjects. High standards have been maintained in the results for English and mathematics, though not quite so securely in science, up to 2002. This has resulted in the school making considerable changes to the science curriculum to ensure that, for example, the skills of enquiry and practical science are taught just as rigorously as everything else. In the table, the expected Level 4 is represented by 27 points, whilst the higher Level 5 is represented by 33 points.

p.8

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

Standards in: School results National results English 29.3 (31) 26.8 (27) Mathematics 30.7 (31.3) 26.8 (26.7) Science 31.2 (31.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 65 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Kingsley Primary School 4 3. However, test results can tell only part of the story. They refer only to a few subjects in two year groups last summer. In addition, they can give no clues about pupils’ achievement, that is, whether pupils are doing as well as they ought. Inspection evidence can fill some of the gaps.

p.8

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

4. Children enter the Nursery with attainment that is below that expected nationally. Following good teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes, they attain the recommended Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. In order to meet the expected levels from their low baseline, these children have learned well, settling quickly into the routines of school life and responding eagerly to the expectations of their teachers and other adults. They make good progress and consequently achieve well.

p.9

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

5. The school’s consistent expectations continue throughout Years 1 and 2. Pupils enjoy very good teaching here and make further strides in learning. The inspection took place in early November, with six months still to go before the National Curriculum tests in the summer, but already standards in Year 2 are above what would normally be expected at this time in English, mathematics and science. Standards are in line with expectations in the other subjects of the curriculum, representing very good achievement in them.

p.9

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

6. Very good teaching and learning continue throughout the juniors, and standards continue to rise. Even this early in the year, standards in English and mathematics are well above expectations in Year 6, and are above expectations in science. Science is lagging behind slightly, as the new scheme of work that focuses more strongly on experimental and investigative science is still bedding in. Standards are in line with expectations in other subjects, although a secure judgement was not possible in information and communication technology (ICT) because of difficulties with hardware preventing pupils from being able to demonstrate their skills. The continued very good progress to a position where overall standards are well above expectations indicates that pupils continue to achieve very well.

p.9

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

7. The school gives a high priority to ensuring that all pupils are challenged at the right levels for them. Individual education plans and targeted support enable pupils with a special educational need to make very good progress and achieve very well. Many achieve the nationally expected standards in tests. Similarly, gifted and talented pupils are identified in every class and teachers take care to ensure they, too, are challenged well so that they achieve very well throughout the school. Kingsley Primary School 5

p.9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. Their personal development is good overall, and is greatly supported by their very good moral and social development and good spiritual development. Pupil’s cultural development is broadly satisfactory. Pupils’ attendance at school is satisfactory, but their punctuality is unsatisfactory.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in the classroom consistently improve to very good levels as they progress through the school; this greatly assists their interest and concentration. • Pupils’ very good behaviour around the school makes an essential contribution to its smooth running and sense of purpose. • Pupils are very proud of their school and totally trust the headteacher and staff. • Pupils build very good relationships with each other that enable them to work and play together with real enjoyment. • The school’s very good moral and social education positively shapes the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. • Despite the school’s best efforts, the attendance and punctuality of a minority of pupils is unsatisfactory, which affects their progress. • Teachers do not systematically plan spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities into their lesson plans, so as to further enliven their teaching.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Pupils’ multi-cultural education does not sufficiently equip them for life in modern Britain.

p.10

Commentary

8. The school makes very determined efforts to focus all parents on the importance of their children attending school, and many parents comply. The headteacher is aware that holidays taken during term time are at a high level and that attendance levels will fall if the school does not chase certain parents more consistently. The outreach worker and the attendance co-ordinator work closely with the Education Social Worker to improve attendance, and this close co-operation is a significant factor in the school’s high average attendance. Punctuality is an ongoing problem for the school, but it reasons that it is better to have pupils arrive late at school than to not attend at all.

p.10

Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

p.10

Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.9 School data 0.0 National data 5.2 National data 0.2 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.10

Commentary

9. The school’s culture of very high expectations is communicated to all pupils, and they quickly develop an understanding of the requirements of the headteacher and the staff. Children in the Nursery soon understand the routines and show increasing confidence, and by the end of Reception they develop good attitudes and behaviour. Pupils further consolidate these good attitudes and behaviour between ages five and seven. They show consistent progress between seven and eleven years of age and develop very good attitudes and behaviour. By the age of eleven, they are totally enthusiastic and are capable of excellent responses, co-operation and commitment. All pupils listen well to their teachers, concentrate when working alone and are co-operative when working in pairs or groups. Pupils with SEN or challenging behaviour have little effect on the orderly learning in classrooms and, in older classes, are indistinguishable in attitudes and behaviour from other pupils.

p.10

Commentary

The school has a ‘no-exclusions’ policy, and is always determined to succeed with children with problems where other schools have failed. The school wants to see the best in each child: their extremely positive responses can sometimes surprise even the headteacher and staff.

p.10

Commentary

10. Around the school, pupils behave very well and are polite to adults. They relax and play safely together without fear of bullying or harassment. They value each other’s differences and Kingsley Primary School 6 contributions both in the classroom and in the many clubs and activities. They show obvious respect for their environment of which they are justifiably proud. Pupils are given meaningful responsibilities and older pupils are eager in assembly to lead the reciting of the Lord's Prayer or to act in one of the headteacher’s daily playlets.

p.10

Commentary

11. Very good personal, social and health education in the classroom backs the well-developed provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. However, teaching across all curriculum subjects would be given greater flair by developing more planned opportunities for spiritual and cultural education. The school is strong in making pupils aware of their feelings and emotions when playing games or working together. Collective worship meets statutory requirements and pupils learn about, and have respect for, the celebrations and beliefs of other faiths. All pupils know the difference between right and wrong, and are taught to share and be fair with each other. The school’s ethos is very strong in valuing the individual and developing each pupil’s confidence and self-esteem, within the context of friendship and teamwork. The school is essential in the local community, and pupils have pride in their own cultural roots and traditions as well as appreciating

p.11

Commentary

art, music and the theatre. However, opportunities for pupils to learn about life in modern Britain through multicultural education are limited.

p.11

Commentary

12. Many children do not have the advantage of pre-school education prior to their entry to the Nursery. Nevertheless, their progress in achieving the Early Learning Goals in personal, social and emotional development is good, as most pupils enter Year 1 with standards in line with the national average. Kingsley Primary School 7

p.11

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching and learning are very good, taking place in an atmosphere of mutual respect. There is a good curriculum and excellent provision for pupils with special educational needs. The school is outstanding in its care for pupils’ well-being, health and safety. It provides very good support and advice for pupils and involves them in its work very well. Links with parents are very good; links with the community and with other schools and colleges are good.

p.12

Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good in the Nursery and Reception, and very good in Years 1 to 6. Very effective assessment procedures are used very well to support future learning.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Teaching takes place within a stimulating atmosphere of mutual respect between staff and pupils, to which pupils respond very well. • The school’s outstanding accommodation is used very well to motivate and challenge pupils. • Lessons are rigorously planned to ensure all pupils are challenged beyond their comfort zone, ensuring progress and achievement are of a high order. • Teachers really value pupils’ contributions in lessons. • Pupils work independently very well. • Some lessons are too long and lose some pace.

p.12

Commentary

13. Teaching in the school reflects the school’s very good ethos. Teachers really respect their pupils and listen to what they have to say; pupils reciprocate. The trust placed in pupils pays dividends as they make very good use of the many facilities available to extend their own learning, for example, through private research or the use of the many quiet study areas and listening bays. Pupils and teachers alike are inspired by the high quality environment, and this has a most positive effect on both teaching and learning.

p.12

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 44 lessons

p.12

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 0 (0%) 9 (20%) 21 (48%) 14 (32%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 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.

p.12

Commentary

14. The school makes clear its very high expectations of pupils' attitudes, behaviour and work rate. Pupils respond to this so that, as they get older, they get better at working productively and with application. This reflects the steady rise in standards observed in the school, from below average on entry to the Nursery to well above expectations in Year 6. Teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the curriculum and the needs of young learners. This is combined with the results of very rigorous, though unobtrusive, assessment to ensure that lessons are planned particularly effectively. As a result, all pupils are challenged beyond their comfort zone, make better progress than might be expected and achieve very well. Teachers use questioning particularly skilfully to ensure all pupils are included in the lesson and less confident pupils can contribute too. Within lessons, the atmosphere is supportive so that pupils do not fear making mistakes and join in with

p.12

Commentary

gusto. Teachers make very good use of the accommodation and resources to enthuse pupils, for example, when pupils from Years 1 and 2 use the ‘literacy bus’ for independent work, or older pupils use the study carrels for the same purpose. Teaching assistants Kingsley Primary School 8 make a very good contribution to learning, especially for children in Nursery and Reception, and pupils in Years 1 and 2. This is particularly effective when pupils are taught in small groups away from the main classroom. Most lessons maintain a brisk pace, but occasionally lessons are too long and the pace becomes more steady.

p.12

Commentary

15. Teaching in the subjects of the curriculum is very good in English and mathematics, and good in science, design and technology, and physical education. Too few lessons were seen in art and design, history and geography for a secure judgement to be made about teaching and learning. The effective teamwork and thorough teaching methods teachers employ across the school work well with children with SEN, and their inclusion is an essential part of the learning for all pupils. Work is well matched to targets in individual education plans and statements. Teachers assess pupils with SEN carefully across the school and targets in individual education plans are systematically monitored. They use finely graded systems, which will indicate not only where learning is faltering but also where attitudes of pupils may be hindering their learning. Action is prompt and as a result many pupils achieve as well as their classmates when termly assessments take place.

p.13

The curriculum

The curriculum is good overall and provides well for all pupils. The wide range of additional opportunities for learning outside the school day is good. The accommodation is excellent and resources are very good.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The excellent accommodation and very good resources provide a rich environment for learning. • The curriculum has a strong emphasis on early literacy skills, and links to other areas of the curriculum are built into planning. • The curriculum is enriched with a wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities. • Support for pupils with SEN is excellent.

p.13

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice Excellent accommodation stimulates learning and supports the school’s extremely positive ethos The accommodation is excellent. As soon as a visitor enters the school and is greeted by a quietly trickling fountain surrounded by plants, it is obvious that this is no ordinary school building. As one passes through the corridors and comes across comfortable sofas in a listening centre or enters a reading area of the library, with more sofas and table lights, one realises that pupils are learning in an environment that they will enjoy and wish to care for. Classrooms are spacious and furniture comfortable, with attention to detail. Displays are of the highest quality, so that not only do pupils have luxurious surroundings, they are highly stimulating too. What six- year old child will not want to read while ‘sailing in the boat’ or write while ‘riding in the bus’? Numerous small

p.13

Commentary

teaching areas are imaginative and of the highest quality. Outside areas are equally exciting. The youngest children have areas that are natural extensions to the classroom and older children have park-like gardens where they can enjoy packed lunches. The main south facing field has imaginative outside tables and benches with pitched roofs for picnic lunches in the summer.

p.13

Commentary

16. The school’s mission statement for the curriculum is to provide a rich, broad and balanced curriculum. The structure of the timetable ensures that subjects other than English and mathematics are taught in the morning to provide a better balance. The early emphasis on literacy skills enables pupils to access all areas of the curriculum and, by Year 6, pupils have developed study skills and happily talk about ‘doing research’ into mountains or Ancient Egyptians. Additional research often takes place outside lessons and is not regarded as work by the pupils. Medium term planning is comprehensive and literacy skills are taught and developed effectively through other subjects. Kingsley Primary School 9 17. Although links with mathematics are not so strongly documented as literacy, mathematical skills are used well in science and geography. The school has the potential to use ICT widely across

p.13

Commentary

the curriculum to support other subjects but current problems with hardware are frustrating this progress.

p.14

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice The provision for pupils with SEN is excellent. The school seeks high quality provision at all levels. Teamwork is very much a part of this spirit. Team leaders collect information about all pupils and finely analyse where they need support and tuition. They then make the best match of work and personnel to needs, including, if necessary, importing outside expertise. All staff feel strongly about the progress of all pupils and, to this end, teachers regularly evaluate pupils’ performance, discuss their progress with assistants, and modify their work to ensure good progress. Consequently, achievement is very good for the majority of pupils.

p.14

Commentary

Teachers also value personal and social development highly, and monitor progress very well. Teaching assistants consistently encourage children with unpredictable behaviour, and distance themselves sensitively from those pupils with physical disabilities who are growing in independence. The particular endeavours of pupils who have wheeled support are impressive. Pupils know that their views will be respected and confidently negotiate with teachers when some obligations such as homework cannot be fulfilled.

p.14

Commentary

There is very good liaison with parents, who are fully aware of the progress their children are making. When seeing a video clip of his child’s progress, a father remarked –‘You have given me back my son’.

p.14

Commentary

18. The wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities provides good opportunities for extended learning including sport and music for all older pupils. The composition and variety of clubs is flexible so that the needs of changing interests are catered for. Outside visits, whether a walking visit to local shops or churches or a longer full day trip, are used well to support learning. Photographs of the residential visit to an outdoor activity centre illustrate the value of these experiences for the Year 6 pupils.

p.14

Care, guidance and support

The school’s care and welfare of pupils is outstanding. It provides them with very good support and advice, and the involvement of pupils in its work and development is highly effective.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The outstanding care for pupils ensures that they feel secure and can do their best. • The headteacher and staff have an exceptional knowledge of their pupils and offer them sensitive and individual pastoral care. • Pupils with SEN receive excellent support. • Pupils are carefully and individually monitored so that they can realise their full potential. • Pupils are soon made to feel welcome in the school and make good progress. • The school makes very determined efforts to listen to pupils and value their views as part of the school family.

p.14

Commentary

19. The school has improved all aspects of the support, guidance and welfare agenda since the last inspection. Policies and procedures are rigorously defined and thoroughly implemented by diligent and caring staff, who are very mindful of the disadvantaged community that they serve. The headteacher has a strong sense of mission to assist the parents and pupils and the wider community to overcome their problems and release their full potential. He is extremely skilled in negotiating external resources into the school for the benefit of pupils, especially those with specific needs. The school is welcoming to external professional agencies and receives good and well- focused support. Kingsley Primary School 10 20. Child protection procedures conform to local statutory guidelines. Staff training is up to date and the school is very vigilant to risks to children. The headteacher, governors and site supervisor

p.14

Commentary

undertake regular audits of the school premises and the school undertakes risk assessments for many activities.

p.15

Commentary

21. Pupils’ first experience of the school’s culture of high expectations is through the very good behaviour procedures. These are not oppressive, have few rewards and are high on praise and expectation. Staff act as very good role models, and the positive impact on all pupils, including those with behavioural problems, is evident and progressive during a pupil’s stay in the school. Procedures to maintain pupil’s attendance are operated by dedicated staff, who are demanding of pupils and parents and want to achieve an above national average performance level each year.

p.15

Commentary

22. The headteacher and staff give the highest priority to the pastoral care of all pupils. Their philosophy is simple - ‘give pupils quality and you will get quality back.’ The headteacher spends a large amount of his time in the company of his pupils, which can often extend even to Saturdays. Pupils feel totally secure that they can trust their teachers and other adults to listen with a sympathetic ear to their problems and anxieties. Many pupils talk easily about their happiness in the school and the fun of learning in a safe environment where they have firm friends.

p.15

Commentary

23. The arrangements for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are very good. Teachers identify pupils with SEN and they develop very good individual education plans with pupils and parents. The excellent provision is greatly respected by parents, who feel totally supported. The tracking of pupils’ personal development is detailed and recorded on central files. There is good feedback and discussion of issues between the teachers and the headteacher at internal staff meetings, where strategies are debated and structured to the individual pupil.

p.15

Commentary

24. The induction of pupils new to the school is good. A significant number of pupils join the school because they have had problems at other schools. They are quickly integrated into the school family and through non-threatening ‘tender loving care’ are treated as mature individuals, which helps them to go forward in their school life without baggage from the past. This quality has been recognised by the local education authority and they use the school for children who have been taken into care or are under the threat of exclusion from other schools. Parents are very appreciative of the school’s efforts in giving their child a successful fresh start.

p.15

Commentary

25. Older pupils are well aware of their individual academic targets and feel that they can influence their performance. However, pupils would benefit from agreeing individual non-academic targets with their teachers for personal development. The school has a good record of consulting with pupils on wider school issues that affect them. Pupils have uniquely stated that they prefer not to have a school council, as they do not feel it would offer a sufficiently democratic process. They prefer to question their teachers on whole-school issues through stimulating open assemblies. Kingsley Primary School 11

p.15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Parents have an exceptional level of satisfaction with the school and the education it provides. The partnership between the school and home is very good. Partnerships with other schools and the community are good and are essential for the care and development of all pupils.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Parents have an outstanding level of respect and admiration for the integrity of the headteacher and staff and their vision for their school. • The very good partnership with parents makes a highly effective contribution to their children’s learning and happiness at school. • The headteacher and staff work very hard to be accessible to all parents and reduce their anxieties and problems. • The school has very good relationships with other primary and secondary schools and fulfils its duties as a Beacon School very well. • All pupils benefit greatly from the school’s good relationship with the local community. • The school’s prospectus and governors’ report to parents do not effectively represent the school’s essential vitality. • The annual reports to parents are too limited in encouraging a dialogue with parents and pupils.

p.16

Commentary

26. The headteacher and staff give the highest priority to developing good relationships with all parents. Their care of parents, especially those with problems, has now resulted in an exceptional level of parental satisfaction. Parents have total confidence in all aspects of the school, particularly the way in which the headteacher and staff are approachable at either end of the school day and the way in which the headteacher does not shrink from confronting and dealing with their anxieties and problems. They feel that their role as a parent is valued and understood, and they gave the inspector the repeated endorsement, ‘it's brilliant’.

p.16

Commentary

27. Overall, the information for parents is satisfactory, but is conspicuous by not having the same level of quality and high expectations as other aspects of school life. The school’s prospectus is satisfactory and the annual governors’ report to parents is good, but neither document generates real interest, or represents the essential personality of the school, to the reader. They are formal in style and would cause problems to parents with limited reading ability. Annual reports to parents are sound statements of what children can do in all National Curriculum subjects and are recognisable to parents. However, they do not contain any mention of past or future year targets, and there is no encouragement for parents to give written feedback. Pupils do not contribute to their own reports through a self-appraisal section.

p.16

Commentary

28. Parents show an increased and exceptional level of satisfaction with pupils' homework, and the headteacher constantly strives to support parents to help their children at home. There is a substantial number of parent helpers in the school and the parent teacher association is energetic in fund raising. The parents’ forum engages well with parents to discuss real issues. For example, the travel plan produced with the help of parents is impressive.

p.16

Commentary

29. The headteacher has a strong mission to engage the community in the school. He is particularly skilful in gaining the co-operation of local contractors to assist the school with projects that add to its stimulating ethos. Good links with the community and a wide range of visits and visitors promote a good enrichment of the curriculum. They support pupils’ personal development effectively as well as widen the experiences of pupils from their disadvantaged community and give them opportunities to learn about others less fortunate than themselves. Kingsley Primary School 12 30. The school has gained great benefit from its status as a Beacon School and has fulfilled its duties to other schools with professional diligence. The headteacher’s unique style is applauded by other headteachers, and he in turn imparts his skills and knowledge to others with a sense of duty

p.16

Commentary

and enthusiastic commitment. There is an improving relationship being established with the local secondary school and staff are jointly learning to work together on projects. The transfer of the outreach worker to the school from the secondary school should improve pupils' experience of the process of transfer and reduce the anxieties of those parents of children with behavioural difficulties. Kingsley Primary School 13

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are very good overall. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership through exceptional clarity of vision. Management of the school is very good, and financial management is outstanding. The governing body fulfils its role well.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The headteacher’s exceptional clarity of vision is shared by all staff, resulting in a school with very high aspirations and a sense of mission. • The vision is converted into strategic planning exceptionally well. • Everyone in the school community is committed to further improvement. • The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s work is second to none. • Best values principles are exhaustively followed in setting priorities, gaining grants, decision- making and spending money. • The control of the school’s finances is first rate. • Some members of the governing body are overdependent on the headteacher and chair of governors.

p.18

Commentary

Example of outstanding practice An inclusive school with high expectations Kingsley Primary School has a vision for its pupils: it wants them to be the best, and it will not tolerate social disadvantage impeding their potential. The headteacher repeats that ‘if you give pupils quality then you get quality back’. His drive and energy have produced a stunning experience for all pupils. Resources are innovative in design and include, amongst many, a literacy bus and maths wall. The school genuinely welcomes pupils with SEN and challenging behaviour problems, especially if they have had difficulties at other schools. Its culture of high expectations for all aspects of school life, coupled to staff’s ability to build very good relationships and systematically care for their pupils, allows all pupils to flourish and achieve the highest standards. Pupils are very enthusiastic for their school and often attend on a Saturday. All pupils feel totally included in activities and

p.18

Commentary

they are tolerant, for example, when stating that, ‘X just needs a little extra help sometimes. He can’t help it when he loses his temper.’ The parents have an outstanding level of respect and admiration for the integrity of the headteacher and staff, and the vision for their school, and simply state ‘it's brilliant.’

p.18

Commentary

31. The school is so good because of the clarity of vision of the headteacher, shared by all other staff. All staff genuinely like children and want the very best for them, and this desire is reflected in the way the buildings have been transformed into a place where learning is exciting and fun, and everyone respects everyone else. However, this is underpinned by rigorous management and a desire for continuous improvement.

p.18

Commentary

32. The members of the governing body share the vision and support the headteacher wholeheartedly. The chair of governors is involved very well in the school’s work and she and the headteacher complement one another well in a formidable team. Governors receive detailed reports about the school’s work and understand its strengths and weaknesses well, but not all are able to spend as much time in school as the chair, due to their other commitments. This means that many governors have come to rely on the professional expertise of the headteacher to inform any decision- making.

p.18

Commentary

33. The school has a very effective leadership structure. Delegation is real and effective. For example, the deputy headteacher has the responsibility for monitoring teaching and pupils’ work. This is carried out diligently and the resulting written reports are frank and incisive, setting targets for development based on evidence and her own extensive experience in schools. This process is helping to maintain high standards of teaching throughout the school. Line management is clear and also well understood, so that staff work very well in teams. Kingsley Primary School 14 34. The whole school is committed wholeheartedly to inclusion, ensuring that each and every pupil receives the very best experience that is possible. This is shared by pupils, who readily accept others who are different, be it physically or with behavioural difficulties. Pupils demonstrate a very

p.18

Commentary

mature attitude in this area, and this is driven by the particularly good role models provided by staff and the high expectations in the school.

p.19

Commentary

35. The previous inspection found that management systems in the school were complex but well understood by staff operating them. This is still the case. Nevertheless, staff agree that systems have grown through need, and they do operate slickly. The school development plan is bulky, but full of data and analysis and a real tool to drive improvement. It is based firmly and rigorously in the school’s excellent self-evaluation and clearly reflects the school’s goals, supporting them very effectively. It is a working document, understood and referred to daily by staff. Another string in the bow of outstanding self-evaluation is the excellent use of performance management in the school. The school embraced the principles of this as a method of really driving school improvement. It is carried out rigorously and the benefits are clear: Staff know their targets, they know why they are important to the improvement of the whole school and can clearly see the links with whole school

p.19

Commentary

priorities. One outcome of this rigour in self evaluation is that staff’s professional development has a high profile and is very well catered for. New staff follow a very good induction programme, quickly understanding and taking on board the school’s values. The school makes a very good contribution to the training of future teachers.

p.19

Commentary

36. The headteacher, supported by the bursar and administrative staff, drives a hard bargain. His complex systems enable him to keep his finger on the pulse and be aware of exactly how every penny is being spent. The principles of best value are second nature. He is able to negotiate deals to everyone’s advantage, for example, in obtaining the custom made shelves, boat and literacy bus from a local craftsman. However, he will not settle for second best – it is this trait, more than any other, that has made the school environment so very exciting and achievement so high.

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,187,074.00 Balance from previous year 97,601.00 Total expenditure 1,093,876.00 Balance carried forward to the next 93,199.00 Expenditure per pupil 2,312.63 Kingsley Primary School 15

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The good improvement since the last inspection in teaching and accommodation has significantly contributed to the good achievement of all children. Children enter Nursery in September and January each year, and at this time their attainment is low compared to that nationally. However, by the time they leave Reception, most children reach the expected levels in all areas of learning and achieve well. The excellent provision for SEN across the school is equally provided in Nursery and Reception. Learning needs are identified very early and well-qualified and committed adults address these needs very successfully. As a result, children with SEN make progress equal to that of their peers. Excellent accommodation for both Nursery and Reception provides the best of opportunities for teachers to plan activities that will enable children to achieve well. All adults contribute to the very careful assessments of all children to ensure that this happens. Children benefit greatly from the

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

very good levels of care that are taken on their behalf, and the very good commitment of the co- ordinator for early years to high standards is commendable.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Children become familiar with important routines at an early stage. • Good teamwork ensures strong support for children who need direction, particularly those with special educational needs. • Teachers focus well on increasing children’s independence, which is valued by parents and carers.

p.20

Commentary

37. On entry into Nursery, few children have the personal and social skills expected for their age. However, within a short time they are on course to achieve expected levels in this area of learning. They find their name card to register their arrival and are keen to show parents and carers their work. Parents comment very positively on the changes in their children. A parent referred to his child as having ‘come on leaps and bounds’ since joining the school. Children are engrossed in minutes with jigsaws, construction toys, painting, sand and water play. When they hear music being played they readily take off overalls and join their groups for registration and other activities. Staff work as an effective team to introduce children, sensitively but thoroughly, to good social conduct. With a few exceptions, children know what is expected of them throughout the day. Relationships are very good

p.20

Commentary

overall. Children talk to each other in a very friendly manner and help with giving out snacks and milk. There is very good care and support for those children whose behaviour is unpredictable. Support staff are consistent in their approach to their needs and diligently record information which will support children’s learning. Subsequently, these children are fully included in activities as well as accepted well by other children in the class.

p.20

Commentary

38. On entry to Reception children know expected routines well. They wash their hands after toilet visits without direction and change quickly for lessons in the hall. On the way to the hall, they walk in an orderly manner and respond to their teacher’s signals promptly. In the classroom, they listen carefully to their teacher and expect to work to their best ability. They readily play together in role- play areas, such as kitchen and bedroom corners, and share small toys well. Children co-operate well when sharing the computer and quickly tidy up toys when it is time to change to another activity. Kingsley Primary School 16

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision for communication, language and literacy is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Teaching is very good and is carefully directed towards developing children’s reading and writing skills. As a result, learning is very good. • Teachers’ methods are sharply focussed towards embedding new learning.

p.21

Commentary

39. Children are well on course to achieve expected levels. Nursery children quickly settle to listen attentively to stories and rhymes connected, for example, to Bonfire Night. They recited their lantern rhyme well and were captivated by the lighting of the lantern – the teacher was warned to ‘be careful’. Equally, they are absorbed by well-told stories and are eager to choose a book to take home. In these lessons, support assistants are particularly successful in managing the behaviour of children who find concentration difficult. They ensure that children are able to participate in lessons well, gradually settle and share books with teachers and friends.

p.21

Commentary

40. The Reception team introduces a modified literacy hour gradually so that children recognise links between reading and writing. A very good lesson in Reception began with children sitting well and ‘ready for Literacy’. Children were asked to put their thumbs up or down when selecting sound cards. As interest grew, much enthusiasm was generated as simple words were constructed. All children in the group joyfully participated and it was impressive to see how well children ordered their cards for their audience. Throughout, a child with SEN was very well focussed and fully included in the activity. Listening skills were tested when children guessed the correct ending to a rhyme connected with the picture book. The well-recited rhyme was checked for rhythm and ‘best performance’ was looked for. Wholly engaged in the big picture book, children were more than ready to talk about what they could see. The teacher progressively encouraged clear statements from the

p.21

Commentary

children and consistently maintained interest. Consequently, most children wrote a short but recognisable sentence independently.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Imaginative teaching methods lead to good achievement. • Teachers prepare children well in the use of mathematical vocabulary.

p.21

Commentary

41. Teaching and learning are good and consequently children are on track to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the end of Reception. Teaching staff in the Nursery incorporate counting skills continuously in well-planned activities for this area of learning. For example, when Archie the puppet was ready to open the ‘Magic Box’, the children counted to ten each time before shouting ‘Abracadabra’. Children were amazed as the small cylinder they saw go into the box emerged as a taller one and soon began to use the word ‘taller’ as each magic trick was performed and their confidence in counting grew. Their use of vocabulary developed well as they compared ‘fireworks’ selected from a bag – some children wanted to use 'bigger', but, with afterthought, used 'taller' correctly. Similarly, in Reception, children were eager to identify missing numbers from a number line and recognise the day’s special number of seven. By the end of the activity, most were secure

p.21

Commentary

Kingsley Primary School 17 in counting and ordering numbers to seven. Resources and games are used well to introduce children to the idea of plus and minus as well as the use of these signs. When working on related activities, above average children recalled that four and three make seven. Throughout, children behave well and their very good attitudes contribute to their success in learning.

p.22

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Children achieve well as skills are developed systematically over time. • Teachers plan well to provide a wide range of activities for children to understand the world about them.

p.22

Commentary

42. Few lessons were observed in this wide area of learning, but planning and work on display shows that the school offers a wide range of opportunities to help children make sense of the world. Nursery children make leaf rubbings as part of their topic about autumnal colours. They explore different areas of the school and its uses. They meet important figures in their school world to understand how the school works. Children are tuned into safety issues, for example, when lighting the pumpkin, and they wear their hard hats when playing with large construction toys. In Reception, this knowledge is extended. Children develop a wider perception of the world through local walks and begin to understand what a town means to them. They celebrate festivals such as Harvest as well as those of other faiths, such as the Jewish Sukkoth. Good questioning encourages children to talk confidently of the number of members they have in their family and what relation they are to

p.22

Commentary

them. Teachers encourage children to observe carefully and, when looking at pictures of babies in families, children work hard to explain what their feelings are. In lessons such as these, children learn to listen and reflect on other children’s different situations. Teachers plan worthwhile opportunities for children to work with tape recorders, listening centres and technological equipment such as computers and roamers. Their planning also includes visits to the computer suite in the main school.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for physical development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The range of climbing apparatus and wheeled toys is very good. • Stimulating activities develop children’s skills for writing, drawing and painting. • Well-organised lessons perfect children’s physical skills. • Good links are made with other areas of learning.

p.22

Commentary

43. Most children meet the expected levels by the time they leave Reception. The outdoor area, particularly for Nursery children, is very good. Children use this with enthusiasm, climbing adventurously and exploring movement on the frames with very good support from assistants. They ride wheeled toys with zest. Nursery children practise their throwing skills with bean bags and use their counting skills to knock down numbered skittles and replace them in the correct order. There is a wealth of resources for Nursery children to develop manipulative skills as soon as they arrive in school. Equally, Reception children have high quality equipment to explore in similar activities. For Kingsley Primary School 18 indoor lessons, Reception children change quickly for their age and are ready to warm up for their throwing and catching activities. The teacher’s good demonstrations encourage children to perform

p.22

Commentary

well. By the end of a lesson observed, they could skip, stop, throw the ball and catch it. She encouraged children to count the number of catches and challenged them to go beyond ten. Children are well practised to perform well, as they observe the performance of other children. The well-rounded planning of hall sessions ensures that children’s physical skills develop well.

p.23

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The very good range of resources and materials provides a wealth of opportunities for children’ creative development. • Teachers' planning for creative development could be purposefully extended.

p.23

Commentary

44. There was too little evidence to make a firm judgement on teaching and standards. However, work on display showed standards in line with expectations. The excellent accommodation and purpose-built features in the Nursery provide many opportunities for children to use their senses, have new experiences and explore materials. Children use paint and collage materials well, supported by members of staff who work to develop children’s skills. This is closely related to individual targets, as adults help children to describe what they are doing and making. Teachers are in the early stages of developing the potential of all the role play areas of Nursery and Reception and have yet to exploit fully the learning opportunities which arise from children’s role play. There is scope for assessing and monitoring the outcomes of such activities, particularly in Reception. Kingsley Primary School 19

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Teachers plan precisely to challenge all pupils. • Assessment is rigorous. • Very good leadership is rooted in thorough monitoring. • Achievement is very good, particularly in the development of creative writing. • Pupils have an over-riding desire to learn and improve.

p.24

Commentary

45. Standards in reading and writing have improved significantly in recent years. Results in National Curriculum tests endorse this, but they are only part of the story. Many pupils enter Kingsley with depressed levels of attainment, yet by the time they leave the infants most are working at higher levels than expected. By the age of eleven, the standards of most pupils are well above average. Boys and girls of all abilities make rapid and consistent progress. The enlightened support provided for pupils with learning difficulties, particularly in Years 1 and 2, enables them to make substantial gains. Teaching assistants provide excellent value for money.

p.24

Commentary

46. There is a distinctive ‘house style’ at Kingsley. This emanates from the senior managers who demand and monitor standards with painstaking attention to detail. Teachers do not try to ‘perform’ or ‘put on a show.’ Regular review of their own planning – often on a daily basis – ensures that activities are tailored to meet the needs of the wide range of ability in all classes. Pupils know that they are valued and they really want to learn. The resulting partnership between them and their teachers enables lessons to proceed at an ideal pace in an atmosphere of purposeful calm. This generates ambitious use of language and often produces work of rare sophistication as pupils mature.

p.24

Commentary

47. Speaking and listening skills were rated highly in the previous inspection report, and remain so. The regular use of ‘listening partners’ encourages pupils to explore and debate issues. They value different viewpoints and begin to substantiate their own with clarity. Drama lessons are well structured. The improvement from year to year is clear and substantial.

p.24

Commentary

48. Reading levels improve at a rate well above the national average. This is particularly noticeable in the case of pupils with SEN who receive precise tuition, tailored to their individual programmes. They come on in leaps and bounds, particularly when taught separately in small groups or as individuals. The highly imaginative accommodation in the infant department is used particularly well. The reading bus, boat and booths provide exciting areas in which pupils work productively. The ‘Reading Roundabout’ initiative is well structured and resourced and promotes independence. Nevertheless, some pupils do confine much of their reading to texts from reading schemes. They would benefit from exposure to a greater variety of styles and authors. Reading diaries are generally completed comprehensively. The school’s Reading Club regularly attracts lots of pupils in Years 3 and 4.

p.24

Commentary

49. The quality of extended writing is the most impressive feature in English. From an early age, pupils are persuaded to think carefully about expression. The development of their descriptive vocabulary is formidable. They know they have to make their writing come alive. By Year 2, many can retell convincingly stories such as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. Most are using joined writing by Year 3. Spelling is a constant source of frustration for some pupils, but this does not inhibit them from choosing powerful verbs or persuasive descriptions. They use a dictionary and a thesaurus as a Kingsley Primary School 20 matter of course. ‘Story plans’ provide the structure, and regular drafting and redrafting polishes their prose and poems. A typical description from a higher attaining pupil asserts: ‘Pirouetting snowflakes danced in the light breeze before merging into the blanket of snow beneath them.’ Many

p.24

Commentary

able pupils have produced stunning stories, divided into chapters, such as ‘The Strange Secret of Wild Wood.’

p.25

Commentary

50. Teachers plan and mark meticulously. Individual targets are set – and addressed. High expectations and challenge are promoted in all lessons. Co-operation is introduced incisively through the use of ‘editing partners’ and independence developed within well-defined writing structures. Teachers use technical language unequivocally and questioning skills are well honed. Pupils are immersed in all aspects of language to help them communicate effectively. There are a number of computer programs in use to support learning, although this is not a significant feature of provision.

p.25

Commentary

51. Enlightened leadership has forged the exacting principles that permeate all aspects of planning and assessment. Management also has an eye to the future, as younger members of staff are being trained ‘in house’ to continue the practice that is now firmly established. Provision is enhanced by theatre visits and visiting authors. The poet Wes Magee has had a profound influence on many pupils.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

52. All subject areas contribute fully to the diverse use of language. Speaking and listening is promoted through discussion – particularly in religious education and ‘circle time’. Instructional writing in science is carefully planned. Some very good examples of cross-curricular influences are evident in the work on robots in the infants. The newly refurbished library also provides a stimulating focus for research and independent study. The school responds positively to events such as World Book Day and National Literacy Day.

p.25

Language and literacy across the curriculum

53. Since the previous inspection there has been substantial improvement in all areas.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Standards are well above average. • Teaching is very thorough. • The use of assessment to raise standards is very good. • The leadership of the subject is very good.

p.25

Commentary

54. Over the past few years the standards that pupils achieve in mathematics have steadily risen so that they are now above national expectations in Year 2 and well above expectations in Year 6. When compared with similar schools, the standards that pupils reach by the time they leave the school are very high. When children start in the Nursery, their level of knowledge and understanding is below that which is expected for their age. The rate of achievement steadily increases as pupils pass through the school, which results in the high standards reached when they leave.

p.25

Commentary

55. Teachers plan their work very well and make sure that pupils know what they are expected to learn in any particular lesson. At the end of each lesson, pupils as well as teachers decide if they need to spend more time on any particular area of the lesson. Teachers therefore make absolutely Kingsley Primary School 21 sure that pupils will always have a good understanding of any concept before they develop these ideas further. Lessons are very thorough and clearly focused on what pupils need to learn and are therefore very effective. However, the ‘fun’ element of mathematics is sometimes missing. Pupils are therefore denied the opportunity of developing a real fascination for the subject.

p.25

Commentary

56. Apart from the very good day-to-day assessment, which is well used, the results of formal assessment tests are thoroughly analysed. The results of this analysis are very well used in future planning and strategies. For example, pupils in Year 2 are taught in groups based on ability for a short period after Christmas so that all pupils can be challenged to reach their full potential.

p.26

Commentary

57. The leadership of the subject is very good. The co-ordinators have a vision for the development of the subject and are eager to pass this enthusiasm and passion on to the pupils. Now that high standards have been achieved, both co-ordinators are enthusiastic about introducing the ‘magic’ the subject lacks. Their challenge is to do this while still maintaining standards that all teachers and pupils have worked hard to achieve.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

58. The range of work that pupils are given in each successive year covers the National Curriculum and teachers are good at forging links between different areas of the curriculum. The use of mathematical skills is evident in science and geography, and through planning in design and technology.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• Standards exceed expectations and achievement is good. • Teaching is good throughout the school. • The subject is led very well by the very knowledgeable co-ordinator. • Not all teachers are yet fully confident in the renewed emphasis on experimental and investigative science.

p.26

Commentary

59. Standards in National Curriculum tests in science have been high in recent years, although they fell slightly in 2002. The school has set in train a number of initiatives to ensure that standards remain high. These include a renewed emphasis on experimental and investigative science and more rigorous planning to allow this emphasis to be realised in lessons. Longer term planning has been adjusted to take account of government guidance. This is very much a work in progress, and not all staff are thoroughly confident in the use of ‘process targets’ in planning for all lessons. Nevertheless, teaching is good in science, pupils enjoy the lessons and standards are already above what would be expected at this time of the year throughout the school.

p.26

Commentary

60. Pupils in Year 2 understand the concept of forces that can push, pull or change an object’s shape. They know vocabulary like ‘friction’ and ‘gravity’. They are aware of electricity and its uses to make light, heat or sound. By Year 6, pupils are learning about the body and its systems: for example, they have a detailed knowledge of the circulatory system and the functions of the skeleton. The most capable have carried out independent research in the school’s ‘Reading Roundabout’ sessions and learned about joints in an impressive piece of cross-curricular work.

p.26

Commentary

61. Teaching and learning in science are both good. However, not all aspects of the renewed emphasis on experimental science are yet securely in place in every lesson, so that, for example, pupils investigating whether solids would dissolve had little hand in designing their experiment. Kingsley Primary School 22 Nevertheless, teachers have a solid understanding of the subject, supported very well by the co- ordinator, who is a science specialist. Lessons are planned well in general, so that the ‘process’ and ‘content’ targets are clearly in evidence. Planning takes careful note of previous assessments so that pupils are challenged at the right level for them and they learn well and achieve well. The positive ethos of the school is also evident in science lessons so that lessons are fun and relationships are relaxed. As a result, teachers and other staff do not need to spend time

p.26

Commentary

maintaining order and the pace of learning is brisk. Gifted and talented pupils are identified for further challenge; pupils with SEN are catered for well in planning and by support in class.

p.27

Commentary

62. The co-ordinator leads very well. She is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and has a vision of the subject as one in which pupils learn by doing in an exciting way, acting as real scientists. Her monitoring role is well advanced to ensure that this happens, and includes discussions with pupils and scrutiny of planning. These activities result in rigorous written feedback to staff to ensure that the subject continues to improve.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The resources in terms of both hardware and software are good. • Leadership of the subject is strong. • Information and communication technology is used well to support subjects across the curriculum.

p.27

Commentary

63. The school has kept pace with national developments and higher expectations for the subject since the last inspection. However the recent upgrading of the computers in the computer suite and the connecting of all classroom computers to the network are causing technical problems. These should be short lived. During the inspection however, computers could not be relied on to work at any given time so that staff always had to have fallback plans. This means that judgements on teaching, learning and standards cannot be relied upon because of the unreliability of hardware.

p.27

Commentary

64. The leadership of the subject is strong. The co-ordinator has clear plans for the development of the subject and is successful in keeping up with ever changing advances in hardware, carefully evaluating the cost effectiveness of new products. Plans are monitored regularly so that staff are well supported by detailed recommendations. Integrated tasks are planned as a means of assessment at the end of each unit, ensuring progression.

p.27

Information and communication technology (ICT) across the curriculum

65. Discussions with Year 6 pupils illustrated where they used ICT to support their learning in other areas of the curriculum. They talked enthusiastically about using the Internet for research and saw that this was complementary to using books and other sources. Pupils felt that games, which helped with learning spelling and gave practice with numbers, were effective and enjoyable. They also felt that writing stories on the computer had obvious advantages for editing and spell checking but that personal letters would always be best hand-written. There are plans for multimedia presentations to support geography later in the year. Kingsley Primary School 23

p.27

HUMANITIES

No lessons were observed in either history or geography. These subjects were not inspected in detail. Work seen and discussions with pupils indicate that standards are at the expected level throughout the school – as they were in the previous inspection report. It is not possible to make a secure judgement about the quality of teaching in either subject. Documentation shows that planning and assessment procedures are thorough.

p.28

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The subject makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual and moral development. • Well-planned schemes of work, in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus, provide a sound basis for understanding different faiths. • Classroom displays are of very good quality. • In lessons, insufficient time is devoted to reflection.

p.28

Commentary

66. It was only possible to observe two lessons, both of which were satisfactory. Neither was taught by the regular class teacher. Judgements are based on these lessons, scrutiny of pupils’ work and displays and discussions with pupils, particularly in Year 6.

p.28

Commentary

67. As in the previous inspection report, standards are broadly average. In Years 1 and 2, pupils can make simple observations about ‘Our Special World’ and retell Bible stories such as ‘David and Goliath’. Important elements of the Torah are recorded faithfully. Throughout Years 3 to 6, they study a range of religions, including Islam and Judaism. There is a strong emphasis on classroom debate. Pupils talk eagerly about discussions they have conducted throughout the school on issues such as ‘respect’, ‘right and wrong’ and ‘Creation’. The range of writing is quite narrow until Year 5 when pupils create individual prayers and explore the purposes of pilgrimage. In Year 6 there are good examples of independent thinking in pupils’ study of the Ten Commandments.

p.28

Commentary

68. Older pupils are able to recall stories such as ‘The Good Samaritan’ and ‘The Prodigal Son’ with good attention to detail, and relate with affection their dramatic reconstruction of Bible stories in lessons.

p.28

Commentary

69. In the observed lessons, teaching was methodical, relying on the transfer of information rather than the promotion of interpretation. In Year 2, the symbolism of ‘light’ was conveyed with conviction and in Year 6, the work of Dr Barnardo and Mother Theresa was presented sensitively.

p.28

Commentary

70. Every classroom has a very good display of topics covered in religious education. Most contain good quality writing produced by pupils. Their writing becomes progressively more interpretative as they mature.

p.28

Commentary

71. There has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection. Kingsley Primary School 24

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Music was inspected in detail; the other subjects of art and design, design and technology and physical education were not. No lessons could be observed in art and design, and only one lesson was seen in design and technology. Consequently, secure judgements cannot be made about teaching and learning in these subjects. Nevertheless, other observations show that standards in art and design, design and technology and physical education are in line with expectations and that achievement is good. Teaching and learning in physical education are good. The lesson seen in design and technology was in the juniors and this, together with other evidence shows that teaching in the juniors is good. Leadership and management are good in art and design, design and technology and physical education.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• A new scheme is improving teaching of the subject, supported by high quality resources. • There are good opportunities for pupils to participate in extra-curricular activities. • Leadership of the subject is well focussed and enthusiastic.

p.29

Commentary

72. Whilst few lessons were observed, it is clear that music is celebrated across the school. The implementation of a new music programme has effectively sustained pupils’ attainment at expected levels and increased teachers’ confidence in teaching music. Young musicians have the benefit of instrumental tuition and the well-arranged resource area for music outlines the positive profile music has in the school.

p.29

Commentary

73. Since the last inspection, pupils are singing and performing more. Their confidence in singing together is evident in whole school assemblies. The implementation of a new scheme has had a positive effect on teaching and has resulted in improvement in pupils’ musical skills. Standards overall are in line with expectations throughout the school, and achievement is good. In the few lessons inspected, younger pupils made good progress in the handling of musical instruments and became familiar with the idea of ‘reading’ music when listening for dynamics and tempo. Older pupils began to learn how to make their own compositions using simple notation, and developed ideas on how to create a composition with ‘weak’ and ‘strong‘ notes. They enjoyed listening to Kaherva music and then trying to model their compositions in the same style. When singing ‘Down by the riverside’, their singing was joyful and rhythmic. Pupils’ evaluation is an important part of

p.29

Commentary

lessons and teachers regularly assess the progress of pupils in music. Teaching and learning are good, overall. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management and is very keen for music to enrich pupils' school life. She has the support of several staff who run their own recorder class as well as encourage pupils to join clubs such as the trumpet club. One pupil, proud to be a member, looked forward to being ‘promoted’ at some time to larger brass instruments. There is a choir, and visits to other school bands are arranged. Kingsley Primary School 25

p.29

Personal, social and health education

Only two lessons, both in the infants, could be observed. In both, teaching and learning were good because the lessons were rigorously planned and based on the very good curriculum for this important area. The clear emphasis on pupils' personal, social and health education in the school is a major factor in the extremely positive atmosphere in the school and the ethos of work and enjoyment. Kingsley Primary School 26

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 2 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 1 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 1 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.31

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.31