Kingsway Primary School

KINGSWAY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 5 th – 7 th July 2004

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KINGSWAY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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KINGSWAY PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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KINGSWAY 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. Kingsway Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 220 School address: Kingsway Kirkby-in-Ashfield Nottinghamshire Postcode: NG17 7FH Telephone number: 01623 408259 Fax number: 01623 408287 Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Andrew Gibbs Date of previous inspection: June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is an average sized primary school in an area of social deprivation close to the centre of Kirkby- in-Ashfield. The traditional employment in the coalmines has ceased with the recent closure of the nearby pits. There is a high proportion of single parent families in the area. Unemployment is high and much of the work in the area is unskilled and poorly paid. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school is well below average and lower than those found in the last inspection. Many pupils’ language skills are very poor. Very few pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds, and one speaks English as an additional language. Just over seven per cent of pupils have free school meals, which is fewer than in most schools and significantly less than was the case at the time of the last inspection. Not all parents who are eligible to claim free school meals do so. Around 22 per cent of pupils have special educational needs, mostly with moderate learning difficulties, which is higher

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

than normally found. None has a Statement of Special Educational Needs. There have been many staff changes recently with four teachers currently on maternity leave. The school gained the Investors in People Award last year. Kingsway Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20704 Terry Elston Lead inspector Mathematics Design and technology Physical education Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with English as an additional language 1112 Peter Oldfield Lay inspector 11816 Geoff Jones Team inspector Provision for children in the Foundation Stage Information and communication technology (ICT) Geography History Religious education 18703 Christine Canniff Team inspector English Science Art and design Music Modern foreign languages

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

BPS Business Centre Brake Lane, Boughton, Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the 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). Kingsway Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 13

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 28

Kingsway Primary School - 6 Kingsway Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school where, as the result of good leadership, management and teaching, pupils achieve well. Standards are well above average in English and mathematics by Year 6 and above average in science and information and communication technology (ICT). The good care and support make this a happy school where pupils behave very well and enjoy learning. There are good links with parents who speak highly of the provision for their children. The funds are managed very efficiently and the school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Standards by Year 6 have improved a lot this year; • The leadership and management are good and staff work very well as a team; • Standards in English by Year 2 are too low; • There are very productive links with other schools; • Attendance is unsatisfactory; • Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has done well since the last inspection, and has rectified the main weaknesses in assessment, the planning of the curriculum, provision for children in the Starter Class and accommodation. Class sizes are now manageable but some are still large. The teaching has improved, but while standards are much higher by Year 6 overall, they are not as good by Year 2 as a result of the lower levels of children’s skills coming into the school and the impact of the major staffing difficulties in the infant classes.

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Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English E C E E Mathematics E D C B Science E* D E E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; E* - very low and in the bottom five per cent nationally. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Year 6 results

In the 2003 national tests, the tracking of pupils’ progress through the school shows that they did well in mathematics and satisfactorily in English and science. Few pupils, however, attained the higher levels in either English or science and this lowered the school’s overall results. In the Year 2 national tests, pupils achieved satisfactorily given their poor skills on entry to the school but their results were well below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Year 6 results

Pupils’ achievements are good . Children in the Reception achieve satisfactorily but their skills and understanding are still well below those found nationally in most areas by the time they start Year 1. They make good progress in ICT, mathematics and in their personal, social, emotional and physical development, where the teaching is good.

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Year 6 results

By Year 2, pupils’ standards are similar to those in last year’s national tests in mathematics, but lower in reading and writing. Pupils make satisfactory progress, overall, but their achievements are not good enough in reading and writing where their standards are very low. Standards are below Kingsway Primary School - 8 average in science and average in ICT, where pupils achieve well. In religious education, standards are broadly in line with those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Insufficient evidence was available to make firm judgements on standards in other subjects.

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Year 6 results

The standards by Year 6 are much better than those seen in last year’s national tests in English, mathematics and science. The biggest improvement lies in the achievements of more able pupils, many of whom attain high standards. In English and mathematics, standards are well above average and in science and ICT they are above average. In religious education, standards are average. The good teaching of games skills in physical education helps to explain why the school is very successful in competitions against other schools in tennis, netball, cricket and football.

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Year 6 results

Pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily and make satisfactory progress as the result of regular practice in basic reading and number skills.

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Year 6 results

The development of pupils’ personal qualities is good . Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and is illustrated by their concern for the feelings of others and their very good behaviour and attitudes to work. Relationships are very good. Attendance is unsatisfactory. It is improving, but too many parents still take their children on holiday in term time. Most pupils are punctual but a few regularly come late and miss the important start to the school day.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education is good , and the standards attained by pupils in Year 6 show that they make good progress in Years 3 to 6. In the Starter Class and Reception, children make a sound start to school. They settle in quickly because of the good preparation for school and the Reception staff’s sound knowledge of the needs of young children. The teaching in the areas of mathematics, physical skills and personal and social development is good and children make good progress. In Years 1 and 2, where temporary teachers teach all classes, the teaching and learning are satisfactory. The teachers have benefited from the good planning to enable them to teach effectively, but these pupils have suffered most from the disruption in the staffing. The marking of their books shows many inconsistencies; it is often full of praise for their efforts but rarely says enough about how they can improve and this has slowed down their progress, especially in writing. Teachers

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

teach reading skills well but do not always give pupils sufficient practice in reading. In Years 3 to 6, the teaching is good and pupils learn quickly. Teachers are good at making lessons interesting and challenging so that pupils enjoy learning. The school has good assessment systems to show how well pupils are learning and what they need to do to improve. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. The curriculum is planned satisfactorily to provide teachers with a sound basis for their lessons. A good range of activities after school and at lunchtime enriches the curriculum. Good standards of care, guidance and support keep pupils safe and feeling secure. There is a good partnership with parents and the local community and very good links with other schools. The accommodation and resources are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management are good . The headteacher, supported very well by the acting deputy headteacher, leads well with a clear understanding of how to make improvements. The management is good. The school runs smoothly and staff work very well as a team. There are good systems to evaluate the teaching and set targets for further improvement. The governance is sound by a knowledgeable and hard-working governing body.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents’ views are very positive. They are pleased with their children’s progress, the good systems of care and support and the good teaching. The pupils are proud of their school and feel that they do well. Kingsway Primary School - 9

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards in English by Year 2; • Continue to improve attendance. Kingsway Primary School - 10

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils achieve well overall. By the time they leave, their standards are well above average in English and above average in mathematics, science and ICT.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by Year 6 in English, mathematics and science have risen sharply this year • Standards in English by Year 2 are too low • Pupils are confident users of ICT

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Key Stage 1

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

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Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results reading 12.7 (16.1) 15.7 (15.8) writing 13.2 (15.7) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 14.5 (17.4) 16.3 (16.5) There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 1

1. These results for Year 2 pupils show that standards were well below the national average in all three subjects. While these standards have fallen significantly since the last inspection, they represent satisfactory achievement, given children’s far lower levels of skills coming into the school than was the case in 1998.

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Key Stage 2

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

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 25.3 (26.6) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.5 (26.3) 26.8 (26.7) science 27.3 (27.6) 28.6 (28.3) There were 38 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 2

2. Year 6 pupils achieved well in mathematics. Their results were in line with the national average and represented good progress through the school. In science and English, their results were well below the national average. While overall achievement in these subjects was satisfactory, and the tracking of pupils’ progress from their entry to the school showed steady progress, the results were depressed by the shortage of pupils who attained the higher levels in either science or English. The overall upward trend in the school’s results is broadly in line with that found nationally and the school achieved its reasonably challenging targets last year in both English and mathematics. Kingsway Primary School - 11 3. This inspection finds that children in the Foundation Stage achieve satisfactorily. They enter the school with poor skills, overall, and very low levels of language compared with most children.

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Key Stage 2

They make steady progress but their skills and understanding are still well below those found nationally in most areas. Their achievements are good in mathematical skills and in their personal, social, emotional and physical development, where the teaching is good.

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Key Stage 2

4. By Year 2, standards are similar to those attained by pupils in last year’s national tests. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in mathematics and science and, while standards are well below average, they are making satisfactory progress. They struggle in English, however, where their standards are very low in reading, writing, speaking and listening and their achievements are not good enough. Most pupils speak hesitantly and are still finding it difficult to read unfamiliar words or write at any length. Standards are average in ICT where pupils achieve well because of the many opportunities teachers provide to use computers. In religious education, standards are broadly in line with those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Insufficient evidence was available to make firm judgements on standards in other subjects.

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Key Stage 2

5. The standards by Year 6 are much improved from last year’s tests and significantly higher than at the last inspection in English, mathematics, science and ICT. The biggest improvement lies in the achievements of more able pupils, many of whom attain high standards. Teachers focus well on giving them challenges to make the most of their skills and they respond enthusiastically. In English and mathematics, standards are well above average and show the benefits of the consistently good teaching in Years 3 to 6. In science, standards are above average, and have improved as a result of the good work done by the school to improve pupils’ experimental skills. In ICT, standards are above average. Teachers are successful at including computer work in many subjects and this gives pupils the skills and confidence to achieve well. In religious education, standards are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus.

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Key Stage 2

Not enough was seen of other subjects to judge standards, although the good teaching of games skills in physical education helps to explain why the school is very successful in competitions against other schools in tennis, cricket, netball and football.

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Key Stage 2

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily and parents are pleased with the standards they attain. Pupils improve their literacy and numeracy skills systematically as a result of well-informed teaching and effective use of computer programs designed to give them regular practice in basic reading and number skills.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to work are good and their behaviour is very good . Their personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. Attendance is unsatisfactory and some parents do not ensure their children arrive to school on time.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Relationships within the school community are very good and pupils get on well with each other and with all adults in the school • Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their work • Pupils behave very well in class, in the playground and around the school • Attendance is below the national average and some pupils do not arrive to school on time Kingsway Primary School - 12

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 220 1 0 Mixed – White and black Caribbean 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Indian 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

7. The school is very successful in promoting good behaviour. Pupils’ relationships with each other and with adults in the school are very good. These are evident in their willingness to listen to others and to work well together. Because of these strong relationships, behaviour is very good throughout the school and in lessons. Behaviour at playtimes is very good, and pupils enjoy the wide range of games equipment provided for them, which they share happily. Last year there was one exclusion.

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Exclusions

8. Pupils’ attitudes to work are very good. They enjoy school and delight in sharing their achievements with others. As they get older, pupils learn to work well independently and relish the challenges set in subjects such as English, mathematics, science and ICT, where their skills are particularly good.

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Exclusions

9. Older pupils working with others take their responsibilities very seriously, such as the ‘playground friends’ and those who accept the many jobs such as giving help answering the telephone at lunchtimes. These duties give pupils a good insight into the responsibilities of living in a community.

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Exclusions

10. Assemblies provide good opportunity to pupils for spiritual awareness and reflection. Pupils are respectful of the feelings, values and beliefs of others. Pupils respond well to the school’s strong moral code that teaches them clearly the difference between right and wrong. This is very evident by the lack of damage or graffiti to school property, and the calm way that pupils behave. The school teaches pupils satisfactorily about the richness of other cultures through religious education and geography lessons. However, there is little in the way of visits to other places of worship or displays around the school to show pupils how different people of different ethnic background live in Britain and the wider world.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.7 School data 0.3 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

11. The school promotes attendance very well, but attendance levels are still below the national average. Nevertheless, improvement has been made as most parents have listened to pleas not to take holidays in term time. A few parents still do not ensure that their children arrive at Kingsway Primary School - 13 school on time, and this interferes with a good start to the school day. The school has recently asked parents to indicate a reason for lateness in an attempt to improve this situation.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good . The teaching and learning are good, overall, and the school has good assessment systems to check on pupils’ progress and to set targets for improvement. The curriculum is satisfactory. The accommodation is good and there is a good range of resources to support the teaching and learning. The school’s care, support and guidance are good, as is the partnership with parents. Links with the community are good and those with other schools are very good.

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Teaching and learning

The overall good quality of teaching and learning results in good progress through the school. Assessment is good and the data is used well to raise standards.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The consistently good teaching in Years 3 to 6 mean that pupils achieve well • The planning of lessons is good, and much improved from that seen in the last inspection • The teaching in Year 6 is very good • In Years 1 and 2, not enough is done to make sure that pupils’ reading and writing progresses as well as it could • Assessment is good

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

12. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. During this inspection, there were temporary teachers in two of the classes in the juniors and in all three infant classes.

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Commentary

13. The teaching and learning for children in the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. Adults have a sound knowledge of the needs of very young children, who make steady progress. Staff are good at getting children to settle quickly and learn the routines. Activities are planned well and help children of all abilities to work at their own pace. There are very good relationships between the adults and children that create a busy working atmosphere. Adults generally manage children’s behaviour well by establishing clear rules to follow. Occasionally, however, especially in practical activities, some time is wasted as children’s excitement gets the better of them and they take a while to respond to the teachers’ instructions. The teaching in the areas of mathematical, physical and personal and social development is good and children make good progress. Some opportunities are lost to develop children’s speaking skills in sessions when

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Commentary

they show the class things that they have brought to school.

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Commentary

14. In Years 1 and 2, the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers build well on the work that pupils have done earlier and plan carefully to challenge all groups of ability. While there were some good lessons seen during the inspection, pupils’ work over the year shows that not all teachers taking these classes (and there have been four in a Year 1 class) have high enough expectations of pupils’ work. Teachers are good at giving pupils plenty of Kingsway Primary School - 14 encouragement and this makes them confident to answer questions in the knowledge that their contributions will be valued. This sometimes goes too far, though, and teachers’ marking of pupils’ work provides lots of encouragement but does not always say enough about how they could improve it. This is particularly the case in writing, when teachers praise work that is clearly not good enough for pupils’ abilities. The teaching of reading skills is satisfactory, but

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Commentary

pupils are not given enough opportunities to practise their reading individually or as a whole class. Some reading sessions are missed out altogether while others give only half the pupils the chance to read. These shortcomings mean that pupils do not make the rate of progress of which they are capable.

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Commentary

15. In Years 3 to 6, the teaching and learning are good and pupils make rapid progress. The high standards of the pupils in the current Year 6 show the effectiveness of the overall teaching. Teachers make a point of sharing the lesson’s aims with pupils at the start, and this works well. It helps pupils to focus on the task, gives them a secure knowledge of their own learning and helps teachers assess their progress at the end. Teachers are good at asking the right questions to make pupils think, and all are careful to pitch their questions so that each pupil can contribute to these sessions. Teachers’ planning has improved significantly since the last inspection. It provides all groups of pupils with challenging yet achievable work and they all do well as a result. More able pupils are very well provided for by teachers giving them many tasks that are demanding and open-ended. This is why so many attain high standards by Year 6 in

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Commentary

• mathematics, where pupils achieve very well when they investigate probability and create pie graphs of their results; • science, when they design their own complex experiments to see how muscles work; and • ICT when they use spreadsheets skilfully to design their own imaginary holiday.

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Commentary

16. The teaching and learning in Year 6 are very good. Here, the high quality of the relationships, fast pace to lessons and very high expectations mean that pupils progress very rapidly and enjoy their work.

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Commentary

17. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Pupils’ targets set by teachers are challenging but are sometimes too general to enable teachers to measure their progress towards them. The school uses a computerised teaching system effectively in English and mathematics for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils enjoy this work and make good progress with effective support from well-trained teaching assistants.

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Commentary

18. The school’s assessment systems are good. Regular tests give teachers accurate information on pupils’ attainment and progress and provide class teachers with a clear picture of where more work needs to be done. The school makes good use of detailed analyses of national test results to improve the teaching, and plug the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. When, for example, last year’s results showed that pupils’ investigations in mathematics and science were lowered by their difficulties in conducting their own investigations, more work was provided on these skills and this year’s group did much better.

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The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum, which meets statutory requirements. A broad range of visits and visitors extends pupils’ learning. The accommodation and resources for learning are good and are used well to make lessons interesting.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The planning for literacy and numeracy is very good in Years 3 to 6 • The school makes good use of visits and visitors to add interest to the curriculum Kingsway Primary School - 15 • Pupils enjoy a good range of activities after school • Pupils are prepared very well for the later stages of their education

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Commentary

19. The school provides a sound curriculum that gives pupils a satisfactory range of worthwhile learning experiences. The inclusion of Spanish to the curriculum for Year 6 pupils gives them a good opportunity to make an early start to learning another language and contributes well to their cultural development. The school’s very strong emphasis on the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills and the very good adaptation of the national strategies have been important factors in raising standards in English and mathematics in Years 3 to 6, but the high staff turnover in the infant classes has led to some inconsistencies in the way pupils are taught important reading and writing skills.

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Commentary

20. For the most part, adequate time is given to the other subjects, although teaching time for junior pupils falls a little short of the recommended minimum time. However, the detailed planning shows that pupils cover all areas of learning, and the school has worked hard at linking subjects together such as literacy, design and technology, history and ICT to give them added meaning. A good innovation has been the introduction of a computer-based program to improve pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. This is pitched at a level to meet the needs of pupils of all ability and they make good progress in these tasks.

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Commentary

21. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Pupils’ specific needs are identified early and their individual targets provide sound guidance to teachers when planning lessons. Parents speak highly of this provision and the way it gives their children equal opportunities to learn alongside other pupils.

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Commentary

22. The school gives pupils an interesting range of visits and visitors, which enriches the curriculum well and enhances pupils’ learning in many subjects including personal, social and health education. Teachers make good use of the local area to increase pupils’ interest and understanding of its historical and environmental features.

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Commentary

23. A good variety of after-school clubs, which include music and a wide range of sports, enhance the curriculum further. The school also makes good use of professional sports coaches, and pupils do very well in competitive sports against other schools as a result.

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Commentary

24. The school places a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ personal skills. In personal, social and health education lessons, pupils are given many good opportunities to talk about issues such as bullying and the importance of living healthily, and to share their thoughts and feelings about relationships. A particular strength is the preparation of Year 6 pupils for their move to secondary school. They gain much from a very good range of visits to the school that familiarise them with the buildings, staff and pupils. The pupils also take part in stimulating ‘workshops’ led by specialist teachers. They enjoy these challenges and have produced some work of high quality in subjects such as science, ICT and design and technology. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for this next step in their lives.

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Commentary

25. The accommodation is good and used well. The computer suite is organised very well and makes a good contribution to pupils’ standards in ICT. Resources are in good supply.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides a good standard of care and looks after all its pupils well. Pupils are secure and well cared for, and the strong relationships that exist help well in this regard. Pupils’ personal development is well understood and is very well supported by all staff. Kingsway Primary School - 16

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a good standard of care and has a high regard for pupils’ health and safety • There are good arrangements to help pupils new to the school settle happily

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Commentary

26. The school has good procedures in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all pupils, this includes the safety of pupils when accessing the internet. The site and equipment are checked regularly and any concerns are dealt with efficiently. Staff are well trained in first-aid procedures and minor injuries are carefully recorded and dealt with in a calm and sympathetic manner. Parents are advised promptly about injuries that are more serious, such as head injuries, and clear information is given to them. The diligent caretaker and his team look after the buildings very well, and pupils learn to respect the property and keep it tidy.

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Commentary

27. Child protection procedures are good. The school maintains good contact with a wide range of support authorities, such as the excellent D.A.R.E project (for drugs awareness in partnership with the police). Thus there are good systems in place to offer support and guidance to all pupils. Attendance is very well monitored. The strong relationships and trust between pupils and all adults in the school mean pupils feel happy there, and are fully aware that any concerns they may have will be dealt with well. Parents are pleased with the care given by the school. Some concerns of health and safety contained within the last inspection report have been dealt with effectively.

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Commentary

28. The procedures to help the youngest children settle easily into school life are good and parents are very pleased that their children look forward to school. Older pupils have a very good introduction to secondary school, where a very well established programme provides them with a good insight into its curriculum, staff and pupils.

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Commentary

29. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well. The staff work hard at ensuring that these pupils have equal opportunities to learn and are quick to see when they are struggling with the work.

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Commentary

30. A good initiative in the school is the Year 5 ‘buddies’ who have been appointed to help other children play or meet new friends. They are easily recognisable in their distinctive headgear and carry out their duties in a mature fashion.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a good partnership with parents and keeps them well informed about school life. There are good links with the community and very good links with other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good links with parents and the local community, both of which contribute much to the way pupils learn • There are very good arrangements for the transfer of pupils to, and very good links with, other schools

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Commentary

31. Links with parents are good. The school provides good information to parents through letters and half-termly newsletters. There are good opportunities for parents to discuss their children’s progress, and these occasions are well attended. Many parents are confident that the school does a very good job and bring their children safe in this knowledge. Kingsway Primary School - 17 32. Parents are very supportive of the school, and very pleased with the provision for their children. There was not a large return of parents’ questionnaires to the inspection team, but evidence gathered during the inspection period showed that parents are pleased with the work of the school and the provision for their children. Parents are happy with the homework that is set and most are keen to help their children read at home.

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Commentary

33. The school brochure contains much valuable information but the governors’ annual report has some omissions. The school values its partnership with parents highly, and makes good use of its own questionnaire to gather their views and improve the provision. There are good arrangements for parents of minority ethnic groups to comment on the school’s multi-cultural policies and practices. Parents value meetings about the curriculum, and were enthusiastic about the ‘virtual books’ project when it was shown to them.

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Commentary

34. There are very good links with other local schools that help to make the transfer to secondary school go smoothly. The school is an active member of the local group of schools who join together to discuss ways to improve the curriculum and develop systems to support groups such as vulnerable children and those with special educational needs. The school has good international links which involves teachers from different countries visiting the school and pupils exchanging letters to pen pals.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are both good and the governance is satisfactory . The many staff changes this year have slowed down improvement in Years 1 and 2 .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher and of other key staff is good • Very good teamwork amongst the staff helps the school improve • Highly effective financial management makes the most of the funds • Current staffing difficulties have affected the quality of the school’s educational provision in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 • The school’s self-evaluation of its work is good and the information is used effectively to make improvements

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Commentary

35. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the work of the school that is shared by all staff. Key members of staff provide highly effective support for others and set a good example by their own teaching. The very good relationships between staff mean that they are willing to take risks with school improvement and this has led to a creative approach to developing the curriculum. For example, pupils’ attainments are often assessed by means of tasks on computers rather than by testing or evaluation of past work and this system works well. Their skills in the use of ICT, for example, are judged by the success in set tasks such as constructing a letter and sending an email to the headteacher.

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Commentary

36. The close sense of teamwork amongst the school staff leads to a clear understanding of the school’s priorities for improvement. The headteacher sets a good example here by ‘putting herself on the line’ and having her teaching assessed by other teachers. The evaluation of the curriculum is good. All subject co-ordinators have a good amount of time allocated to observe lessons in their subject to identify strengths and weaknesses. Every teacher has several lessons observed annually and they value the extensive written feedback on the quality of the lesson together with targets for improvement. This helps to improve the teaching in the school year by year. To ensure consistency, all new teachers are provided with a very useful induction process. The deputy headteacher does this well and provides good training in implementing the school’s behaviour policy, writing reports to parents and planning the curriculum.

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Commentary

Kingsway Primary School - 18 37. Governance is satisfactory by a hard-working governing body. The governors’ finance and general committee has very good systems for monitoring the school’s finances. The budget is closely linked to the school improvement plan and the various initiatives are costed precisely. When there is insufficient money in the budget for high priority projects the headteacher is very good at raising the necessary money from charities and other organisations that award sums of money for specific developments. The school has done well to forge links with a local nursery to provide good quality nursery education on the school’s premises. In addition, to raise funds and develop the skills of the teachers further, the headteacher and staff provide consultancy work for other schools. The school was very successful in getting support for the new ICT suite, and by providing opportunities for members of the local community to use the

p.18

Commentary

facilities was able to offset much of the cost. This was very good value for money. Kingsway Primary School - 19

p.18

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.19

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 597428 Balance from previous year 25735 Total expenditure 577163 Balance carried forward to the next 46000 Expenditure per pupil 2623

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Financial information

38. The continual striving for improvement in teaching and learning has helped to raise standards significantly, and the high standards of pupils in the current Year 6 show the effectiveness of this process. The recent significant barrier to further improvement has been the high staff turnover in Reception and Years 1 and 2, but the school has managed this well by making good temporary appointments of staff.

p.19

Financial information

39. The school is managed well. Rigorous self-evaluation is undertaken and the results are used effectively to improve the work of the school. In addition to evaluating teaching and learning, pupils’ work and their national test results are analysed to identify areas that need to be improved. The school runs smoothly as a result of the very good administrative systems in place, and the highly efficient office staff make a big contribution to the day-to-day management.

p.19

Financial information

40. Performance management 1 is carried out thoroughly and the school sets challenging targets for teachers. The staff are well aware of the school’s performance compared with similar schools and have high expectations of what they can achieve. The school is keen to seek the views of others about its performance, and uses the local education authority and parents’ questionnaire well to see how it can do better.

p.19

Financial information

1 The system where senior staff meet with teachers annually to set targets for improvement. Kingsway Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory . Children achieve satisfactorily. When children are first admitted to the school their skills are well below average and, when they reach the end of the Foundation Stage, they are still well below average although they have shown improvement.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. The school has good systems to ensure that children make a smooth start to school. The teacher makes home visits before children first start school and these provide much useful information about their particular strengths and weaknesses. All parents are provided with a very useful introductory information pack that gives all essential information about the school, enabling them to ensure that their children settle in happily.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. The teaching and learning are satisfactory. Adults have a sound awareness of the needs of young children and are good at making lessons fun. They have good assessment systems that help plan work at the right level for all groups of children. Teachers’ management of the children is generally satisfactory but some time is lost in lessons when children continue to chatter when the teacher is talking.

p.20

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults make the rules clear, and children soon learn how to behave well

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Commentary

44. Children’s behaviour and attitudes to learning are good. As a result of the good teaching, children make good progress and nearly all are on course to reach the expected levels for their age by the end of Reception. Adults create a secure environment with well-established routines so children know what they have to do and what is expected of them. For example, children learn to sit quietly when the teacher is saying the names on the class register. Adults treat children with respect and provide good examples of how to behave with others. This has a very positive effect on the children’s own behaviour. The children learn to listen carefully, follow instructions and join in enthusiastically and safely during lessons. Gentle reminders and good use of praise encourage children to help one another. The class teacher and members of the support staff do much to encourage children to be independent. As a result children soon learn

p.20

Commentary

to choose activities independently and return items they have used to the place they came from without being told.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory but the children’s attainment is still well below average by the time they reach the end of Reception.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make a good start at learning the sounds of letters • Opportunities to extend children’s speaking skills are not always planned sufficiently well Kingsway Primary School - 21

p.20

Commentary

45. The teaching of reading and writing is satisfactory. Children make steady progress but many struggle to remember simple words and few meet the expected levels before Year 1. There is a good emphasis on teaching basic skills and many children use their knowledge of sounds when they read and write. Most know the initial sounds of common words and write their own name independently. A few identify rhyming words and use their knowledge of letter sounds to write simple regular words. However, very few children can write a sentence without adult support.

p.21

Commentary

46. Although some opportunities are provided for children to show and talk about items with the whole class, adults provide too few chances for the rest of the class to participate in discussions or ask questions. This prevents the further development of the children’s speaking skills. The classroom has a good area for role-play and, during the inspection, children gained much from listening to the story of the Three Bears and acting in the role of the characters in the ‘cottage’.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision for mathematical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make good progress in developing their mathematical skills because adults take every opportunity to count and talk about numbers • Adults provide good opportunities for children to learn and use mathematical language

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Commentary

47. Good teaching and learning enable children to achieve well, and most are working at expected levels by the end of Reception. Children enjoy mathematics because teachers think of lots of ways to make learning fun. Most children count to ten reliably, learning the sequence of numbers by saying them together. They practise counting small numbers of objects with the support of adults. They learn to count backwards and forwards by singing number rhymes, such as ‘Five Little Ducks went Swimming One Day.’ A few more able children accurately subtract small numbers from ten by counting out and removing the required number. Most say which number is one more or one less than a number up to ten.

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Commentary

48. Children are beginning to use mathematical language correctly because adults make a point of using this language when they talk to the children about their work. Children recognise squares, triangles and circles and delight in saying which lengths are longer or shorter. They are provided with good opportunities to develop mathematical ideas when, for example, they continue patterns, count the number of skittles knocked over and work out sums such as 3 + 2 = 5.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision for developing children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers provide a good range of opportunities to extend children’s knowledge and understanding of the world • Children make a good start at using computers Kingsway Primary School - 22

p.21

Commentary

49. Children have good opportunities to use a range of materials such as rakes, scissors and thread to experiment with digging, cutting and joining. They develop a sound grasp of how plants grow by planting sunflower seeds. They have only a sketchy knowledge of the human body and few could say where their heart was in a physical education lesson. Children have a sound knowledge of the local area and have produced a map, with adult support, of the journey undertaken by a character in a book. The children have easy access to computers and use programs well to reinforce work done in class. They use the mouse competently to draw shapes on the screen, delete images and change the colour and thickness of lines. The teaching is satisfactory. By the time they leave the Reception, children’s knowledge and understanding of the world are below average.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children develop satisfactorily as a result of a range of activities but the lack of a secure outside area for children to develop physical skills hampers their progress.

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Commentary

50. The teaching and learning are good and most children attain the expected levels by the end of Reception. There are good opportunities for children to develop skills such as cutting, manipulating materials and using tools such as paintbrushes, pencils, scissors and gardening tools. For example, a significant number of children showed reasonable control when they cut out masks for one of the Three Bears. Adults sometimes, however, give too much help, for example in threading wool through needles, and this hampers the development of children’s independence. Adults teach basic skills well and many children hold pencils correctly and form recognisable letters. They take big steps and jump satisfactorily during physical education lessons in the hall, but find it difficult to use the space adequately without bumping into each other when running. Adults provide good opportunities for children to use balls on the

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Commentary

playground to practise throwing, catching and rolling.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision for creative development is satisfactory .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The activities teachers give children for art are varied and linked well with other areas of the curriculum

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Commentary

51. Children make sound progress as a result of sound teaching but their skills are still below those expected by the end of Reception. Most sing tunefully, with a good sense of rhythm, and join in enthusiastically with the words of number rhyme songs. By doing so they consolidate their knowledge and understanding of numbers. They have produced exciting flower and plant paintings as well as a large group painting depicting the sun and rain. They enjoy using wax crayons to draw and create pictures, but their control is poor. In their best work, children drew plants that they had grown and named the different parts of a plant such as roots, leaves, stem and shoot. Kingsway Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by Year 6 are well above those found nationally, but standards by Year 2 are very low • The teaching and learning are good • Pupils do not have enough opportunities to read in Years 1 and 2 • The leadership and management of the subject are good

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Commentary

52. Standards by pupils in Year 2 in reading and writing are very low compared with those found nationally. Pupils make slow progress and few achieve well enough, even taking into account their very low standards coming into the school. Speaking and listening skills are below average. In lessons and in conversation pupils listen carefully, but most offer only brief answers. Their vocabulary is limited and few speak with expression. Pupils’ progress accelerates during their time in Years 3 to 6. As a result, standards in Year 6 are higher than at the last inspection and are above average in speaking and listening and well above average in reading and writing.

p.23

Commentary

53. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. Teachers have a good awareness of pupils’ reading difficulties, and provide good work to help them recognise the sounds of letters and build them into words. Teaching assistants provide effective support for these pupils to ensure they understand the work and answer questions in whole-class sessions.

p.23

Commentary

54. The teaching and learning are good, overall. They are good in Years 3 to 6 and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. However, the work in pupils’ books reveals significant differences in the quality of teaching between the junior classes where it is consistently good, and the infants where many changes in teachers have affected its overall effectiveness over the year.

p.23

Commentary

55. In Years 1 and 2, teachers teach basic reading skills effectively so that pupils learn how to work out unfamiliar words, but spend too little time on these skills. In one ‘reading’ session, for example, the teacher worked well with one group who made good progress reading their books and learning about letters at the start of words, but other groups were practising handwriting and read little. Another teacher missed out one reading session altogether, even though it was on the timetable. The teaching of writing skills is satisfactory, but teachers’ marking does not always point out where pupils need to improve, and this means pupils continue to make the same mistakes in spelling and punctuation. This is compounded by exuberant praise where work is not really good enough.

p.23

Commentary

56. In Years 3 to 6, teachers are good at improving pupils’ speaking and listening skills. They provide many good opportunities for pupils to review and discuss what they are learning, and their probing questions encourage pupils to develop their ideas and give reasons for their opinions. The good teaching of reading gives pupils the confidence to use books and the Internet for research, skimming text quickly to gain information. Teachers give lots of opportunities for pupils to write at length and much of their work is interesting to read because of the effort they put into choosing the best words to describe events.

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Commentary

57. The ‘virtual books’ project, where Year 5 pupils produce a ‘book’ on computers for Year 1 pupils, works well. The younger pupils enjoy reading the books and answering questions about them, while the Year 5 pupils gain much from writing for a particular audience. Kingsway Primary School - 24 58. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The school has a very good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ attainment gained by the rigorous analysis of national test results and the monitoring of pupils’ work. This has done much to raise standards in Years 3 to 6, where staff changes have not been as disrupting as has been the case in the infants.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

59. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to use their language and literacy skills in other subjects. In most classes, teachers give very good emphasis to the teaching of vocabulary needed to enable pupils to talk about their work. However, there are too few displays featuring vocabulary to support the work done in lessons, and the school misses these opportunities to reinforce the teaching. Teachers make good use of ICT to support the development of pupils’ reading, writing and speaking skills, and pupils gain much from using the ‘audio centres’, where they sit around a table listening to stories on an audiotape and answer questions about what they have listened to.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching and learning are good, and very good in Year 6, where pupils make very good progress • Standards by Year 6 have risen rapidly this year • The school uses assessment very well to see how to rectify pupils’ weaknesses • In Years 1 and 2, pupils make careless mistakes by not setting out their work accurately

p.24

Commentary

60. By Year 2, standards are well below average, and pupils achieve satisfactorily given their very weak mathematical skills coming into the school. Pupils make very good progress in Years 3 to 6, and by Year 6 standards are above average. These are higher standards than those reported in the last inspection and show the benefit of:

p.24

Commentary

• better use of assessment to identify pupils’ weaknesses; • improved teaching of problem-solving skills; and • more challenges being set for the most able pupils.

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Commentary

61. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress. Teaching assistants support these pupils effectively so that they are able to answer questions in whole- class sessions and complete the tasks in group work.

p.24

Commentary

62. The teaching and learning are good, overall, and teachers have a good understanding of the structure of the numeracy strategy. In Years 1 and 2, the teaching and learning are satisfactory. Many pupils struggle with basic numeracy skills and teachers use the first part of the lesson well to give them lots of practice in counting and writing numbers. Despite this, few pupils by Year 2 have a good ‘feel’ for number and many find even writing numbers in the squares difficult. Teachers’ extensive use of worksheets gives pupils too little practice at setting out their work neatly and this is why they continue to make mistakes by adding the wrong columns. Teachers are good at finding ways to make learning fun, and in one lesson pupils made good progress in adding sums of money by building a ‘bug’ from parts of the body costing different amounts. Teachers provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to work out problems, finding, for

p.24

Commentary

example, missing numbers in a sequence, and this helps them start to understand how Kingsway Primary School - 25 numbers work. Teachers generally manage pupils’ behaviour well but when they spend too long with one group, other pupils start to chatter and work slowly.

p.24

Commentary

63. In Years 3 to 6, teachers have put lots of work in developing pupils’ use and understanding of number, and this does much to improve pupils’ confidence with number. It means that, by Year 6, pupils are good at solving problems and finding different ways to do a sum. They quickly work out the best methods to use and are skilled at checking their answers to see if they are correct. Teachers make good use of ICT in mathematics. For example, they help pupils calculate the cost of a holiday using spreadsheets and show them how to use computer programs to produce pie graphs of the probability of pulling different coloured blocks from a bag. They use questions well, encouraging pupils to explain their thinking and share their methods with others. This works particularly well with more able pupils who gain much from developing their thoughts when talking to other pupils and questioning each other’s strategies.

p.25

Commentary

64. Systems for assessment are good. Pupils’ work is checked regularly by a good system of testing, and the school uses this information very well to rectify weak areas. In this way, for example, pupils’ weak problem-solving skills were identified and improved by more regular work on mathematical investigations.

p.25

Commentary

65. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The school has a good understanding of how to raise standards, and has done much to improve the provision recently by using a consistent approach to teaching basic calculations, evaluating the quality of teaching rigorously and improving the teaching and learning of problem-solving skills. The good structure of the numeracy hour that results from these improvements has been very helpful to new teachers and temporary staff when it comes to planning lessons.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

66. The school makes good use of mathematics in other subjects. In science and geography, pupils have good opportunities to handle and record data and use the computer to produce graphs. In design and technology, pupils measure their models carefully, and in ICT they use spreadsheets well to organise data and produce formulae to make calculations.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well to reach above average standards by Year 6 • Teachers plan interesting learning opportunities based on investigations that make work pleasurable and meaningful for pupils • Leadership promotes the subject effectively

p.25

Commentary

67. The current focus on scientific enquiry and investigation is having a positive effect on standards and achievement across Years 3 to 6. This is because science topics are taught well with activities that ensure that pupils are set challenging yet manageable work at the right level for their year group. Consequently, pupils achieve well. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above average and higher than at the time of the last inspection. Standards are well below those expected for pupils by the age of seven years and the latest, as yet unconfirmed, national test results show that these have declined since the time of the last inspection. However, pupils’ steady progress from their low standards on entry to the school shows that they achieve satisfactorily. Kingsway Primary School - 26 68. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Pupils enjoy their science lessons and behave well because teachers forge very good relationships with them and plan work that they

p.25

Commentary

find interesting. Activities such as the investigation of magnets in Year 3 captured pupils’ interest so they became absorbed in their experiments and achieved well. The challenging work set for older pupils means that, by Year 6, many plan their own experiments well and are confident explaining their methods when investigating different materials and what affects the distance travelled by cars down a slope. Teachers’ very good relationships with pupils give them the confidence to attempt difficult work. They listen and watch closely and they make thoughtful comments when explaining what they notice and understand. Teachers place good emphasis on pupils organising their work well and Year 6 pupils’ work is very neatly presented. The good links with literacy help to raise standards in science as well as in reading and writing.

p.26

Commentary

69. The teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 are satisfactory. Teachers provide lots of practical activities and work hard at developing pupils’ scientific language. In this way, pupils learn the skills to talk confidently about their work and most have a sound grasp of plants, animals, materials and forces by Year 2. Pupils’ work over the last year shows that teachers’ expectations are not always high enough to stretch more able pupils, and few attain the higher levels of which they are capable by Year 2. Pupils do not take enough care over the presentation of their work and much of it is scrappy.

p.26

Commentary

70. The leadership and management are good. Since the time of the last inspection the school has improved the planning of the curriculum to provide more opportunities for pupils to test and explain their observations. This has done much to raise standards, especially in Years 3 to 6. The recently introduced systems for checking on pupils’ progress provide useful information about what they know and can do. The successful action taken to improve standards has focused mainly on teaching and learning in the junior classes. An effective action plan is now in place to raise standards in the infants. However, current staffing difficulties have hampered progress in implementing the action in Years 1 and 2.

p.26

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school makes good use of the computer suite to teach ICT skills • The good quality of teaching enables pupils to acquire new skills effectively • Pupils’ progress is enhanced by the very high quality of equipment provided for their use

p.26

Commentary

71. Standards are average by Year 2 and above average by Year 6. Pupils achieve well throughout the school. The computer suite is arranged very effectively with computers around the perimeter of the room and a large conference table in the middle. This enables one group to prepare their work with teaching assistants while the other works on the computers with the teacher. This arrangement was used particularly well by a large group of pupils with special educational needs with half practising their hand movements to improve their handwriting whilst the other half used a computer program to develop reading skills.

p.26

Commentary

72. The teaching and learning are good. In Years 1 and 2, teachers teach the basic skills well so that, by Year 2, pupils are confident loading programs, operating the mouse and negotiating the keyboard. In Years 3 to 6, teachers build well on this good start and make sure that pupils’ skills are used and practised extensively in a wide range of subjects to reinforce the work done in lessons. In this way, pupils create spreadsheets to make mathematical calculations and compile graphs in geography to show rainfall in different countries. Teachers have good subject knowledge gained from effective training and this ensures that pupils are not stuck for long. They explain new work well and are confident demonstrating techniques on the large computer Kingsway Primary School - 27 screen so that pupils know exactly what to do. The very good relationships mean that pupils behave very well and make the most of their time in lessons.

p.26

Commentary

73. The school has done well with its funds to ensure that pupils are provided with equipment that is of the highest quality. Since the time of the last inspection, almost all of the computers used by pupils have been upgraded and all are now networked. The large whiteboard attached to a computer in the hall is very good for teaching large groups of pupils and teachers use it very effectively. All of these improvements have provided the means for pupils to make good progress and develop an enjoyment of the subject.

p.27

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74. ICT is used well across the curriculum to enhance pupils’ learning in different subjects. Pupils use the Internet extensively to search for information in the junior classes. For example, in a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils used large databases to search the Internet and found out useful information about the water cycle. Pupils use computers very effectively to investigate shapes and formulae in mathematics. Programs enabling pupils to work at their own level are used well to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Year 5 pupils use ICT to good effect in an exciting project to write books for younger pupils that are enhanced by music, animations and sound effects. Year 2 pupils have used the Internet effectively to locate seaside images and to research well-known artists.

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HUMANITIES

75. It was possible to observe only two lessons in geography and one each in religious education and history. These subjects were sampled, and evidence was gained from looking at displays and pupils’ work and talking to pupils and staff. In geography , pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieved well when they studied different countries visited by ‘Barnaby the Bear’. Their work showed a sound awareness of life in Spain, France and Sri Lanka. Older pupils have made good use of ICT as they researched topics such as volcanoes, mountain ranges and weather around the world. These stimulating resources gave them a good grasp of these physical features and how they affect humans. In history , Year 2 pupils have a basic knowledge of famous people of the past, including Florence Nightingale and Samuel Pepys, but their writing is sketchy. Older pupils’ historical understanding benefits from some good links with other subjects, and their

p.27

HUMANITIES

models of Saxon homes represent good achievement in both design and technology and history. As in geography, pupils have used the Internet to good effect to investigate the origin of place names dating back to Anglo-Saxon times.

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HUMANITIES

76. In religious education , pupils’ work shows that the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus are met. Useful visits to a local church have given pupils first-hand experience of Christian ceremonies such as christenings, baptisms and weddings. The school’s good resources and visits by people such as an African Christian and a local drama company give pupils a clear understanding of the main world religions and how different cultures worship. They write knowledgeably about Hindu temples and show a reasonable awareness of some Hindu beliefs. In their best work, Year 6 pupils wrote about the crucifixion of Jesus in great detail. Their work was written sensitively, and showed a good understanding of the complex events surrounding Jesus’ death.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. One physical education lesson was observed but none were seen in either art and design or design and technology. All of these subjects were sampled by looking at pupils’ work and teachers’ planning and discussing subjects with pupils and staff. In design and technology , pupils’ work is enhanced by good links with other subjects. In Year 2, for example, pupils have made some sturdy boxes to keep articles that are precious to them following work in religious education on the Jewish Torah. They have produced good designs before making winding Kingsway Primary School - 28 mechanisms using elastic bands. Their evaluations, such as those made following the building of a racing car, are honest and show that they have thought carefully about how well their models worked. By Year 6, pupils’ designs are good and show clearly the materials to be used how the models will be built. These pupils’ work benefits from very good links with the local

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

secondary school. They visit regularly and have excellent opportunities to use that school’s machinery to cut materials accurately and safely. Their ‘flipping toys’ were a good example of how they have mastered the equipment to cut and shape wood.

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. In art and design , pupils work confidently with a variety of materials. They show a good knowledge of the different styles and techniques of well-known artists, such as Henri Matisse, and talk knowledgeably about the art of different cultures, making good evaluations of the paintings as they put forward their own ideas and feelings. Year 2 pupils made interesting observations about Matisse’s portrait of Lydia Delectorskaya. One pupil wrote, “He painted the picture in half because there is an angry side and a happy side.” Some of the best work is in Year 3, where pupils’ portraits show a very good awareness of facial expressions. In music , teachers ensure that pupils have many opportunities to develop their skills across a wide range of musical activities. Pupils have good opportunities to see musical performances and take part in instrumental workshops. A good number extend their skills further by joining the choir or

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

learning to play the hand bells. The choir takes part in local community events such as the Mansfield Schools’ Music Festival. In physical education , pupils play games enthusiastically and benefit from the expertise of professional sports coaches. These give pupils the skills and games strategies to play well competitively and the school has enjoyed considerable success in football, cricket, netball and tennis matches against other schools.

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

79. Only one personal, social and health education lesson was seen during the inspection, but the evidence of planning and the use of visitors from outside the school, illustrated further in the paragraph about the curriculum, shows that provision is good. The subject is managed well and gives pupils a good understanding of the need to live healthily. Kingsway Primary School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29