Kneesall CofE Primary School

Kneesall Church of England Primary School

Dates of inspection: 13 – 16 October 2003

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Kneesall Church of England Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Kneesall Church of England 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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Kneesall Church of England 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. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll; 91

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Kneesall Newark Notts. Postcode: NG22 0AB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01623 861069 Fax number: 01623 836956

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Ms J. Smith

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 14 th September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Information about the school and the inspection

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

• Kneesall is a small Church of England Voluntary Controlled primary school catering for 91 boys and girls between the ages of four and eleven years of age. • Most pupils, about 95 per cent, come from a white British background. • Other pupils have a range of different ethnic backgrounds. • No pupils are at an early stage of learning English. • The percentage of pupils with special educational needs, about 9 per cent, is below the national average. • No pupils have statements of special educational needs. • The percentage of pupils who have free school meals, about 3 per cent, is below the national average. • Pupils, on average, come from good socio-economic backgrounds. • Children’s attainment on entry is about average. • Two pupils left the school and seven arrived at times other than usual. • The school received a Schools’ Achievement Award in 2003. • The school has an Investors in People award. • A new headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

• At the time of the inspection, the school was recovering well from considerable turmoil resulting from difficulties encountered at the end of the previous term following the annulment of the school’s results in English in the national tests for Year 6 pupils. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23262 Mr P. Martin Lead inspector Foundation Stage, English as an additional language, mathematics, information and communication technology, geography, history and religious education 9428 Mrs J. Butler Lay inspector 24758 Mrs D. Townsend Team inspector special educational needs, English, science, art and design, design and technology, music, physical education, personal, health and social education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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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). Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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 30

Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good and improving school which provides good value for money. The school helps pupils to achieve well and reach good standards of attainment. The good quality of both teaching and learning makes a major contribution to the very good quality of education provided. Leadership and management are very good and are key features in helping the school to overcome recent difficulties and still maintain the quality of education provided.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Leadership and management are very good. • The quality of both teaching and learning are good throughout the school. • The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good • Standards achieved in English, mathematics and information and communication technology are good. • Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good and the school makes a very good contribution to pupils’ social and personal development • The school’s partnership with parents and with other local primary schools is very effective in enhancing the quality of education provided. • The school’s curriculum provides a good range of learning opportunities. • There are some gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding in mathematics. • Teachers’ marking does not always offer enough guidance to pupils about how they might improve their work. • Some older pupils do not take enough care about how they present their written work.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

There has been a good degree of improvement since the previous inspection. The key issues of that report have been successfully dealt with. There have been good improvements in standards in information and communication technology and in providing opportunities for enhancing pupils’ cultural development. At the time of the last inspection, value for money was judged to be “just satisfactory” whereas now it is good.

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Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 1 2002 English A B A* A* mathematics A A* A A* science B A C C Key: A* - very high in comparison, in the top 5 per cent of schools across the country; 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. There were 15 pupils in the year group. This is a relatively small number and care needs to be taken when using this data to make comparisons with other schools or years.

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Year 6 results

Achievement is good . Achievement in the Foundation Stage class is also good. Children attain the learning goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception and in many cases go beyond. Achievements and standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are good in the Key

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Year 6 results

1 National comparisons for 2003 were not available at the time of the inspection. Kneesall Church of England Primary School Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2). In Key Stage 2 (Years 3 to 6), standards and achievement are good in English and mathematics. Nonetheless, there are some gaps in older pupils’ knowledge in some aspects of mathematics. Standards in pupils’ personal, social and health education are good in Key Stage 1 and very good in Key Stage 2. Standards in art are good for pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6. By the end of Year 6, standards and achievement are above those expected from pupils of that age. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. No pupils at the school are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The few pupils from ethnic minority groups make similar progress to their classmates.

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Year 6 results

The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Pupils show a good level of maturity and responsibility. They very much enjoy being at school. This is reflected in their very good attitudes and behaviour.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good . The quality of teaching is good throughout the school and this leads to good learning, resulting in a good level of achievement. The school provides a good range of curricular opportunities which are enriched by very good opportunities for enrichment, including those provided by the work of the association of four local primary schools. The school has very good , mutually beneficial partnerships with parents. It has good links with the local community and very good links with the other schools in its group. These links greatly benefit the quality of education provided and have a positive effect on pupils’ achievement.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good .

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The headteacher provides very good, inspirational leadership and clarity of purpose and high expectations that are shared by other members of staff. This results in a very good ethos in which the children’s interests and their quality of learning are central to the school’s work and purpose. The governing body is very effective . Governors have a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and what the school needs to do to improve. The shared purpose and determination to succeed have been important factors in helping to overcome recent difficulties and begin to raise achievement still further.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are overwhelmingly pleased with the school and the quality of experiences provided for their children. Pupils are very happy with the school. They feel they are treated fairly, that teachers help them to learn and that they enjoy coming to school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve still further are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• identify and fill the gaps in older pupils’ knowledge and skills in mathematics; • ensure that teachers’ marking of pupils’ work provides information about how pupils can improve their work; • ensure that older pupils present their work in a neat and orderly way

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school has recognised the need for improvement in these areas and is already implementing strategies to improve them. Kneesall Church of England Primary School Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Boys and girls of all ability levels reach good standards of achievement. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well . Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils reach above average standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6, although there are some gaps in pupils’ learning in mathematics in Year 6. • Pupils reach above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science at the end of Year 2. • Children in the Foundation Stage make a good start to their learning. • Standards in information and communication technology are good at the end of Year 6. • Standards in art are good at the end of Years 2 and 6.

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Foundation Stage

1. Children in the Foundation Stage class make a good start to their learning. The quality of education they receive is good and they achieve well in the areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage. The children who benefit from a full year in the Foundation Stage class reach good standards in the early learning goals 2 .

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Key Stage 1

2. No table of national test results for pupils at the end of Year 2 in 2002 is included because only nine pupils took the tests. This means that comparisons between the school’s results and national results must be treated with caution. However, the results of the tests suggest that pupils’ performance was very high in relation to the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. All pupils reached the expected level in these subjects. The percentage reaching the higher level was much higher than nationally. Teachers judged that the proportion reaching the expected and higher levels in science was very high in comparison with all schools nationally. Inspection findings show that almost all pupils reach the standards expected in reading, writing, mathematics and science by the end of Year 2. In many cases, they attain above these standards. They achieve well because of the good quality of education they

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Key Stage 2

3. Results of the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 in 2002 (the latest year for which there are national comparative data) show that: • pupils’ performance in English was very high in comparison with all schools nationally and with similar schools;

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Key Stage 2

2 Early learning goals - these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the foundation stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication language and literacy, mathematical development, personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. There are many goals for each area of learning. In language and literacy, for example, pupils should be able to write their own names and other things such as labels and begin to write simple sentences. Kneesall Church of England Primary School • their performance was well above the national average and very high in comparison with similar schools in mathematics; • performance in science was similar to the national average and the average for similar schools in science; • boys and girls achieved equally well.

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Key Stage 2

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

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Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 30.2 (28.1) 27.0 (27.0) mathematics 29.8 (31.9) 26.7 (26.6) science 29.0 (29.7) 28.3 (28.3) There were 15 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Key Stage 2

4. The school's results for English in 2003 were annulled following an enquiry into possible tampering with the test papers. However, results in the national mathematics and science results suggest that a greater proportion of pupils than nationally reached the expected and higher levels. The school’s performance in the mathematics tests was very high when compared with all schools nationally and above average in science.

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Key Stage 2

5. By the end of Year 6, most pupils reach above average standards in English and mathematics. They speak and listen very well. However, there are some gaps in their knowledge and understanding of aspects of mathematics. Pupils have a good understanding of how to add, subtract, multiply and divide and when to use these processes in solving problems. However, their understanding of shape and space and data handling is weaker. Because of good teaching and a willingness to learn, pupils achieve well and reach above expected standards in information and communication technology by the end of Year 6.

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Key Stage 2

6. Pupils achieve well in art because of good provision in this subject and the standards they reach at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6 are above those expected nationally.

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Key Stage 2

7. Pupils with special educational needs also reach good standards of achievement in relation to their prior ability. There are very few pupils from ethnic minority groups. These pupils reach standards similar to their classmates. No pupils are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance is very good . Punctuality is good . Pupils have very good attitudes to school and most behave very well at all times. Personal development is very good . The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school helps all pupils, including those in the Foundation Stage class, to mature and accept responsibilities. • The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development and good provision for their spiritual and cultural development. • Pupils’ behaviour is very good. • Pupils enjoy the wide range of activities that the school provides. • Relationships are very good.

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Commentary

Kneesall Church of England Primary School 8. Pupils’ personal, social and academic development are at the heart of the school’s philosophy. Teachers plan, organise and teach a rich variety of activities which enthuse and motivate pupils very well, for example, having ‘theme weeks’ during which lessons and activities are based on a particular theme, such as food. Consequently, pupils’ quality of education is enhanced because pupils enjoy their lessons, as well as learning being carefully structured with good links between subjects.

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Commentary

9. The school provides a very good range of opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school promotes spirituality well through lessons and other activities. These include religious education, when pupils consider what it means to follow a particular faith, and personal, social and health education when pupils learn to be considerate and of the impact of their actions on other people. The school promotes pupils’ cultural development well. Pupils’ understanding of life in other countries and of the customs and traditions of other people, including religious and culinary traditions, developed well because of the week’s theme. This represents a good degree of improvement since the previous inspection when cultural development was unsatisfactory. The school’s provision for both moral and social development is very good. The school has introduced a successful

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Commentary

system of rewards and sanctions to encourage good behaviour. Teachers and other adults in school are good role models and pupils develop a good understanding of right and wrong. Teachers encourage the youngest children in school to work and play together through guidance and example. As a result, these children soon settle to school routines and learn to take part in lessons. The provision of a wide range of responsibilities, for example, participation in the school council, helps pupils to develop a good sense of what it means to work in a community. The school’s involvement in a joint initiative of four local schools, also provides very good opportunities for pupils to work and play with a wider group of children than they might otherwise meet. This extends their social experience well and helps to prepare them for the next stage of education.

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Commentary

10. Because of the school’s provision for their personal and social development, pupils become increasingly responsible and mature. They say that they enjoy coming to school and parents agree that this is very much the case. Consequently, pupils’ attendance is very good and well above the national average for primary schools. There is no unauthorised absence. Punctuality is good and has improved recently after being a focus of attention supported by the governors.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 3.9 School data: 0.0 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

There were no exclusions in the last school year. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good . The quality of teaching and learning, and of the curriculum are good . The school cares for, guides and supports pupils very well , and has very good partnerships with parents and partner schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching provided by the school is good throughout the school, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. This leads to a good quality of learning for all pupils. The use of assessment procedures to raise standards of attainment and improve pupils’ achievements is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good, leading to good quality of learning. • Teaching is good in English and mathematics. • Teachers have a good command of the subjects they teach. • They plan lessons that engage pupils’ interest and help them to achieve well in those lessons. • Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. • Teaching makes a good contribution to pupils’ social development. • Assessment procedures are not as well used in other subjects as they are in English and mathematics.

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Commentary

11. The school is successfully recovering from considerable turmoil resulting from staffing difficulties experienced at the end of last term. The headteacher, with the support of governors and other members of staff, has very successfully ensured that pupils’ quality of education has not suffered. This has been done by carefully selecting, managing and supporting temporary and trainee teachers, as well as ensuring that the high level of skills of the permanent members of staff has been used well. Thus, the leadership and management of teaching have a very good effect on the quality of both teaching and learning. During the week of the inspection, the school successfully based the teaching on the theme of ‘Food’ and activities and lessons were effectively planned to make this approach successful. The theme enabled teachers to introduce food and traditional dishes from different lands, thus enhancing pupils’

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor 1 7 16 4 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons

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Commentary

12. Teachers have a good understanding of the subjects they teach and match this understanding well to pupils’ interest and abilities as well as creating cross-curricular links so that pupils learn well. In an excellent lesson, the teacher taught a Year 5 and 6 class the features and uses of instructional text by asking pupils to follow a recipe for vegetable curry. Younger pupils in Years 3 and 4 learned about sharing in a good personal, social and health education lesson when they had to decide how to share sweets out in a fair way. During the lesson, they learned about fair trade goods. As a result of a well-planned geography lesson, pupils in the Year 1 and 2 class learned about foods from different countries, locating these countries on a world map, thus enhancing their mapping and literacy skills. Kneesall Church of England Primary School 13. Teachers plan lessons that ensure that pupils of different abilities and ages in the same class

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Commentary

learn at a good rate. In a Year 5 and 6 mathematics lesson, the teacher had planned different activities, relating to angle, for the different age groups so that pupils learned well in relation to their prior ability.

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Commentary

14. Pupils are enthusiastic about learning because of the interesting lessons and their own very positive attitudes. They work hard during lessons and show a good deal of perseverance in successfully completing their tasks, for example, when Year 1 and 2 examined and carefully painted the inside of different fruits. Pupils in a Year 3 and 4 science lesson looked carefully at their own and each other’s teeth to see how they were used when eating, and independently used their research skills well to find related information.

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Commentary

15. Because teachers plan and teach interesting lessons and pupils are very keen to learn, there are very few problems of misbehaviour. Pupils know that they are expected to behave well, and teachers deal with the very few instances of misbehaviour quickly and sensitively, with a minimum of fuss. This helps to ensure that pupils continue to learn throughout the lesson.

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Commentary

16. Teachers note carefully what progress pupils have made in particular lessons and soundly use this information to modify lessons to help all pupils to learn. The school has good procedures for measuring pupils’ overall performance in English and mathematics. The results of these assessments are soundly used to set learning targets for individuals and groups of pupils. However, assessment procedures are not used to the same effect in other subjects.

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The curriculum

The curriculum provides a good range of curricular opportunities. There are very good opportunities for enrichment. The quality of both accommodation and resources is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum offers a rich and broad range of very interesting, innovative learning opportunities, which enable all pupils to achieve well. • The joint schools initiative enhances pupils’ learning in the arts and sport. • Personal, social and health education is integrated very well into the curriculum. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The school’s grounds are spacious and used well. • The hall is too small for physical education.

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Commentary

17. The school is socially inclusive and provides a rich, well-planned, balanced and innovative curriculum. Innovative practice was very evident during inspection week because the whole curriculum for the week was based on the theme of food. This resulted in exciting and varied lessons which enthused pupils and greatly aided their quality of learning.

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Commentary

18. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. That for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils is good and this is an important factor in their good achievement. The breadth of learning opportunities in the arts and physical education is further enhanced by the school’s participation in the joint schools initiative. For example, pupils take part in the joint sports days, football and netball tournaments and swimming galas. Other activities include theatre visits, art workshops and residential visits to York and Hartington. A number of clubs greatly enhance pupils’ learning and contribute well to pupils’ social development.

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Commentary

19. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education, which is central to the ethos of the school resulting in very positive attitudes to all aspects of school Kneesall Church of England Primary School life. Pupils’ personal, social and health education is enhanced through work in subjects such as English, science and religious education. For example, in religious education, Years 5 and 6 pupils discussed what it meant to take part in a religious fast. In science, Year 3 and 4 pupils learned the importance of caring for teeth.

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Commentary

20. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and this helps them to make good progress in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils who have identified special needs take part in all the schools activities. Their specific needs are well attended to by the high quality support given.

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Commentary

21. The school has a good number of teachers and support staff to cover the curriculum. Teachers use classroom assistants and other adults well, for example volunteers and students. They support pupils with special educational needs and work with other groups so that all pupils benefit from lessons. Visiting teachers provide valuable additional support in the teaching of musical instruments and physical education. Resources are satisfactory and in some cases, for example in religious education and information and communication technology, are supplemented by purchases made by the joint schools initiative. Accommodation is satisfactory overall but the school makes good use of the space it has. The hall is too small for physical education lessons but the classrooms are of reasonable size. When required, the hall can be rapidly and usefully converted into a computer suite. This enhances pupils’ quality of learning in information and communication technology. The school

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Commentary

was awaiting the delivery of a new classroom for the Foundation Stage class. This will benefit the children in that class as well as taking some pressure of the rest of the accommodation. The school has good-sized grounds which are used well for physical education. The installation of outdoor climbing equipment benefits pupils’ physical development and the recent construction of a ‘spiritual garden’ means that pupils can benefit from a more tranquil atmosphere. At the time of the inspection, an outdoor stage was being built.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

The school’s provision for the care, welfare, health and safety of its pupils is very good . The level of support and guidance based on monitoring their progress is good . The school’s procedures for seeking and acting on pupils’ views are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff know pupils very well and respond to their individual needs. • There are good procedures to ensure the welfare, health and safety of pupils. • Pupils feel happy and secure and this provides the foundation for their learning. • They have good access to well-informed support, advice and guidance. • Induction arrangements for pupils into Class One are good, and pupils who join the school later on are supported well. • Preparations for the next stage of learning are good. • Pupils’ views on school improvement are sought regularly, and often acted upon.

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Commentary

22. Parents’ views fully support the findings that this is a very caring school, which pupils are very happy to attend. Pupils say they feel comfortable bringing any problems to teachers or support staff, and are confident that these problems will be resolved. All adults in school are diligent in their approach to health and safety procedures, and pupils are taught to work and play safely. Child protection procedures are in order and follow local area guidelines.

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Commentary

23. Parents also agree with the inspection finding that arrangements for helping children to settle into school life are good. For example, the school contacted a mother whose child had had a Kneesall Church of England Primary School nervous start on her first day of school to inform her that all was well. Pupils who join the school at other than the usual times are supported well and made to feel very welcome.

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Commentary

24. Very good, trusting relationships between pupils and adults underpin the largely informal but effective monitoring and guidance of their personal development. By a combination of good role models and high expectations, pupils are helped to become people who are good to know. Pupils’ academic progress is monitored more formally in English and mathematics, and pupils have personal targets which teachers review regularly. This year personal targets are also being introduced in science. Pupils are confident that help is available whenever they need it.

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Commentary

25. Children and their experiences are at the heart of all the school’s work. Their views are taken seriously and the school asks for their opinions regularly, both through the school council and as part of the development of the annual school improvement plan. Pupils are proud of the effects their ideas have had in improving the school grounds, and they feel and behave as though all the school’s facilities belong to them, taking pride in this and looking after their surroundings carefully. This has a very beneficial effect on their personal development. Together with their learning, this prepares them well for their secondary education and later life.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents. Links with the local community are good . There are very good links with other schools which have a positive enrichment effect on the curriculum.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school keeps parents very well informed. • The involvement of parents through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is very good. • Parents contribute very well to their children’s learning. • The work of the cluster of four local primary schools is a strength. • There are good links with the local community. • Good links with local secondary schools ensure a smooth transition for pupils.

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Commentary

26. Parents think very highly of the school and some travel considerable distances to bring their children here. The very good partnership between school and parents is mutually supportive with shared goals and very good communications. Parents are kept very well informed of forthcoming events and are reminded of the school’s activities each half-term. Parents find it very easy to get information on their children’s progress and feel confident that they would be quickly told of any problems.

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Commentary

27. The school seeks and values parents’ opinions, for example, when planning curriculum evenings and drawing up plans for school improvement. Parents say “This is a top class school for our children’’ and are happy to contribute their voluntary service both as helpers in lessons and in the major projects of grounds improvement. They also provide very good support for the school’s homework policy.

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Commentary

28. Teachers inform parents about how well pupils are progressing at termly meetings, and targets for improvement are shared. The quality of pupils’ annual progress reports is satisfactory and now meets legal requirements, a satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. However, there is room for improvement in the way pupils’ achievements can be judged against what is expected nationally for children of their age.

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Commentary

29. Good links with the local community help pupils to develop a good understanding of their place within it. Pupils enjoy a smooth transfer from the local playgroup, and members of the parish church and the village help to bring interest to assemblies and certain lessons. The school Kneesall Church of England Primary School holds services regularly in the parish church. Local people have also been a great help in the development of the school grounds to make them more attractive and so they enhance pupils’ quality of learning.

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Commentary

30. The excellent management of links between other local primary schools in the group provides the pupils with a wealth of opportunities that would otherwise be denied them in a small school. Amongst the wide range of benefits is the enrichment of the curriculum through shared experiences in drama, like the recent production of Macbeth . The group arranges a good programme of visiting artists, musicians and storytellers, which enriches pupils’ learning. Pupils make friends in other schools, thanks to the shared residential trips, and this helps them to settle more quickly in their secondary education. The work of the group benefits the staff, with shared professional development leading to greater awareness of good practice.

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Commentary

31. Good links with local secondary schools ensure a smooth transition for pupils. Students from local training colleges are welcomed and supported by the school, and their input gives the pupils a wider range of opportunities for learning.

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This example illustrates how the association (4KANDO) of four local primary schools to which

the school belongs provides wide-ranging benefits for the quality of education provided.

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This example illustrates how the association (4KANDO) of four local primary schools to which

The work of 4KANDO greatly benefits pupils’ quality of education through sharing expertise, experience, and in some cases, funding. For example, Year 6 pupils from the schools staged a production of Macbeth which would not have been possible otherwise. The schools join together to select sports teams that can hold their own against those from larger schools. They combine to take part in visits to places of educational interest, including residential trips. These activities mean that pupils meet and interact with a wider range of people than they might otherwise do. This greatly aids their social and personal development. Parents are very pleased that their children know some of those who are going to attend the same school, and pupils themselves greatly enjoy the activities they take part in. These are not the only benefits. Members of staff meet for training, curriculum development and looking at standards of work, so drawing on each other’s expertise. The schools

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This example illustrates how the association (4KANDO) of four local primary schools to which

buy some more expensive resources together, for example data logging equipment. In these ways, the association helps the school to reap the rewards of a larger organisation and still retain the close, caring family atmosphere of a small one.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are very good. The leadership by the headteacher and other senior staff is very good . Management throughout the school is very good . The governance of the school is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher is a highly effective leader and manager whose clear vision for the school is shared by colleagues. • The governing body, headteacher and staff all work together as a very effective team to raise standards achieved by all pupils. • The headteacher’s leadership of the curriculum is excellent. • The headteacher, governing body and senior staff are implementing the excellent planning for the school’s improvement successfully and with a joint determination. • The school’s finances are managed very wisely and are appropriately focused on the school’s priorities. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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Commentary

32. The headteacher has established a very clear aim for the work of the school. She has an accurate view of what needs to be done to raise the standards achieved by all pupils. All staff at the school share her excellent vision. The headteacher, senior teachers and the governing body have a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Together, they are a very effective team and have strived successfully to ensure that they can provide an improving quality of education for all pupils.

p.17

Commentary

33. The headteacher provides excellent leadership of the curriculum through the demonstration of her own teaching expertise and innovative practice. Her leadership motivates and inspires staff and pupils very well. Leadership of the curriculum by senior staff is very good and there are now effective systems for monitoring and evaluating the subjects they lead and the work that pupils do in them. This represents a sound degree of improvement since the previous inspection when such systems were yet to be implemented. These procedures have a positive impact on curriculum and lesson planning, particularly in English, science and mathematics. Co-ordinators are effective in their subject leadership role. They have a clear understanding of effective teaching and the national standards in their subjects.

p.17

Commentary

34. The governing body carries out its role very effectively. Governors are committed to their work. A useful committee structure helps the governing body to work efficiently. Governors are kept well informed by the subject co-ordinators and set challenging priorities for the future development of the school. They are fully involved in the school’s very good improvement plan and have established a secure process for linking the plan with setting the school’s budget. The plan itself is a very good document to guide the work of the school in improving teaching and learning. It is very much a shared document as the headteacher and governors take the views of parents and pupils when drawing it up.

p.17

Commentary

35. Staff performance management procedures are fully established within the school and these contribute well to the school’s development as well as the teachers’ own professional development. This has a positive impact on staff morale and the quality of teaching and learning in the school. There are very good procedures in place for supporting new and trainee teachers to the school. Staff work very well together to support visitors and new staff to the school. As a result, trainee teachers and students fully support the school in and out of school hours. New staff members have very good opportunities to observe good practice in other classes. Temporary staff are welcomed into school before starting ‘officially’. This is of mutual benefit to pupils and staff.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.17

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 252,152 Balance from previous year 6,056 Total expenditure 224,262 Balance carried forward to the next year 27,890 Expenditure per pupil 2,623

p.17

Commentary

36. There are very effective and efficient systems of financial control. The good use of computer systems by the administrative staff ensures that regular budgetary information is available so that the monitoring of spending is managed very well to ensure that agreed priorities are being met. Governors work hard to spend the school’s money wisely for the benefit of all pupils and check the effectiveness of spending by the school improvement plan. Most of the balance carried forward into this year has been put aside to improve accommodation by providing a classroom for the Foundation Stage class. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

At the time of the inspection, the school had just established a small Foundation Stage class. This comprises seven children who will be five years of age during this term and ten who are already four. The first group attends full time and the second group attends in the mornings only.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The quality of provision is good in the Foundation Stage, helping children to build a solid base for their future learning.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The stage is led and managed well . The good leadership and management of the class helps to ensure that: • teaching and learning in all areas of learning are good • children make good progress in each of the areas of learning , reaching, and in many cases going beyond, the goals for these areas • assessment is good . Teachers assess children’s capabilities shortly after they start in the class and use the information well to plan lessons and identify individual children’s needs.

p.18

Commentary

37. Children learn well in each area of learning on a daily and weekly basis. Teachers provide good opportunities for learning during which they introduce and explain activities. Consequently, teachers increase children’s understanding of the particular theme through direct involvement and questioning. There is good support from a trainee teacher. Teachers manage children well and help them to learn good routines and patterns of behaviour that contribute well to their learning and personal, social and emotional development. They keep good records of children’s day-to-day achievement and use the information well to ensure that all children’s learning matches their needs, leading to good standards of achievement. The school has made a satisfactory degree of improvement since the previous inspection. Good standards and teaching have been maintained. There is now a Foundation Stage policy and admissions

p.18

Commentary

procedures are clear. There is a safe outdoor play area for use when required. At the time of the inspection, the school was awaiting the installation of a sectional permanent classroom which will be for the use of the Foundation Stage class.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well and by the end of the year their personal, social and emotional development is above that expected. • Children come happily to school and are encouraged to behave well. • Children’s behaviour is good.

p.18

Commentary

38. Many children who start in the Foundation Stage class have had the benefit of attending a local playgroup and they bring sound social skills to school. Teachers develop these well by encouraging children to take part in class, smaller group and individual activities. For example, when listening to ‘ The Enormous Turnip’ , children take their turns to make comments. They Kneesall Church of England Primary School show a good degree of independence, for example, when putting on their coats for outdoor play. Children know and follow routines happily when changing from one activity to another. Teachers offer good models of social behaviour. During snack time, the teacher encourages friendly, social chit-chat and pupils respond well. Those children who have ‘helping’ roles enjoy the responsibility and do their jobs well. Teachers increase children’s confidence during music lessons when children are encouraged to perform in front of each other.

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children reach good standards in communication, language and literacy. • They have good opportunities to learn in different aspects because of good teaching.

p.19

Commentary

39. Teachers encourage children’s learning in communication, language and literacy well in a number of different ways, both formally and informally. Children identify a number of traditional tales and listened carefully to ‘ The Gingerbread Man’ , talking about the different characters in the story in a way that demonstrated careful listening. They know that text conveys meaning and handle books carefully as they ‘read’ other tales to cuddly toys in the reading corner. Children learn to listen to and discriminate between sounds as they follow a programme designed for this purpose. This sets a good base for learning to read. They offer sensible suggestions about what might happen in stories and soon learn refrains such as ‘Run, run, as fast as you can…’, reciting these with evident delight. Children use information and communication technology well when following the story on screen. They write postcards from

p.19

Commentary

the Gingerbread Man. A number of children write recognisable letters and a few their own names.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well and by the end of the year, their mathematical development is above that expected. • Children have good supervised and unsupervised opportunities to use equipment.

p.19

Commentary

40. Adults take every opportunity to develop pupils’ mathematical skills. Teachers play games that help to develop children’s understanding of number. In one game, children threw modified dice and counted the number of spots to decide how many cut-out gingerbread men to add or take away from a tray. In this way, they developed their number recognition and simple addition and subtraction skills. The teacher encourages the accurate use of comparative vocabulary such as longer, shorter and taller. In a very good lesson focusing on music, children learned a song that effectively promoted counting skills. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well and by the end of the year, their knowledge and understanding of the world is above that expected. • There are good links with other areas of learning.

p.20

Commentary

41. The good lessons that teachers plan provide a good range of opportunities for pupils to increase their knowledge and understanding of the world. Children make good use of information and communication technology when following the story of the Gingerbread Man. They use the mouse confidently to move from one part to another. Children test the rafts they make to see how well they float, thus learning to answer questions practically. In a very good lesson shared with Years 1 and 2, reception children carefully investigated their sense of taste when tasting different foods and describing their tastes. They learn well how to take a systematic approach to first hand investigation.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well and their physical development by the end of the year is above that expected. • Children have improving control when using small equipment such as pencils, glue spreaders and paintbrushes. • Children have good opportunities to practise control and co-ordination when running and playing with larger equipment.

p.20

Commentary

42. Teachers ensure that children have a good range of opportunities to use both small and large equipment. Children handle pencils with increasing control as they write postcards, and use paintbrushes to create pictures of the Gingerbread Man. They glue craft sticks together with reasonable success to take him across the river. They use play dough with a good degree of co-ordination to make their own gingerbread men and successfully copy letters in cornflour paste. They show a good degree of control when steering balls along given paths and have good opportunities to use the outdoor play equipment to develop co-ordination and balance.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well and by the end of the year, their creative development is above that expected. • There is good provision for musical development. • Children work together well in the role-play area. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

p.20

Commentary

43. Adults plan lessons and activities that provide good opportunities for children to develop creatively. A teacher taught a very good lesson in which children achieved well and increased their understanding of rhythm, melody, singing and performance. This lesson made a good contribution to children’s social skills. In the role-play area, children develop their speaking, creative and social skills well by dressing up as the Gingerbread Man and the Fox, acting out the story. Teachers include a good range of activities in their daily plans, for example, creating models of gingerbread men from play dough, or mixing colours to paint them.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of attainment in English are above average. • The good quality of teaching leads to good learning. • The very good provision of practical work enhances pupils’ language and literacy skills. • The new marking policy is having a positive impact on standards in writing. • The presentation of pupils’ work is an area for improvement • School and individual reading records lack detailed analysis of attainment and suggestions for improvement.

p.21

Commentary

44. By the age of seven, standards of attainment in reading, writing, speaking, and listening are above those expected nationally. By the age of eleven, standards of attainment in reading and writing are above average. Standards of attainment in speaking and listening are well above those expected nationally. Pupils achieve well in English.

p.21

Commentary

45. The quality of teaching is good overall, with some very good and excellent practice. Teachers provide very good opportunities for all pupils to further develop their speaking and listening skills. Teachers and classroom assistants use a high level of questioning skills, resulting in a good level of challenge, requiring pupils to think carefully and answer clearly. Consequently, by the age of seven, pupils’ speaking and listening skills are above average for their age. Pupils contribute well to discussions, listening to stories with interest and responding enthusiastically to the teachers’ questions. In Key Stage 2, the skills are further developed and by the age of eleven, most pupils share their ideas, insights and opinions with a high level of confidence and maturity. Their attainment is well above average for their age.

p.21

Commentary

46. By the age of seven, pupils have made good progress and most read above the expected standard for their age. The pupils read confidently and fluently, use expression to interest the listener and take note of punctuation. By the age of eleven, most pupils read above the expected standard for their age. Many read fluently with good understanding and appropriate expression. All pupils thoroughly enjoy reading and are very eager to talk about the books they have read. A pupil in Year 2 enthusiastically commented on her interest in reading, ” you get to learn different words and if I didn’t know the word it helps me with spelling as well”. Pupils love their new school library and make very good use of it. Their reading is well supported in other subjects when they read for information. This helps them develop an understanding of a variety of text effectively. Reading records confirm that adults hear children read at school and at

p.21

Commentary

home . This contributes well to pupils’ reading development. However, teachers’ reading records lack detailed comments to promote further progress in reading. Kneesall Church of England Primary School 47. Teachers teach writing well so that by the age of seven, many pupils write confidently, using basic punctuation appropriately. Teachers offer frequent opportunities for pupils to develop their writing at length and the basic skills are well taught so that they achieve well. With the continued high quality of teaching, pupils will, by the age of eleven, achieve standards in writing above that expected nationally. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ learning. In discussion, Year 6 pupils show a very good knowledge of their own learning and talk with very good understanding of a range of writing. They are comfortable with vocabulary and concepts such as idioms, anagrams, instructional text, and poetry and extended story writing. One Year

p.21

Commentary

6 pupil commented enthusiastically about teachers’ effective use of drama lessons as the stimulus for story writing. ”It’s easy to get an experience and easy to write when drama is the starting point”.

p.22

about the writing of instructional text by practical application

Innovative practice and thorough planning formed the basis of this outstanding English lesson with strong food technology links. From the start, the teacher’s high level of challenge and encouragement enabled pupils to attain very high standards in language, literacy and food technology. Throughout the lesson, pupils were completely engrossed in the preparation and cooking of their Indian food recipes. They demonstrated excellent social skills when supporting each other, particularly when working in groups, preparing food, writing recipes and menus, and finally serving the food to all pupils and adults present in the lesson. The practical nature of the lesson provided excellent opportunities for pupils to gain a greater understanding in the writing of instructional text and to extend their vocabulary through the recall and evaluation of the food made. The pupils commented on the ‘ exotic’ and ‘ delicious’ Indian

p.22

about the writing of instructional text by practical application

food they had made. The lesson made a very good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. Pupils are valued as individuals, have high self-esteem and considerable enthusiasm in their learning.

p.22

about the writing of instructional text by practical application

48. The subject is well led and managed. There has been satisfactory improvement in English since the last inspection The co-ordinator has a clear understanding of the strengths and weakness in the subject and has made useful plans to improve standards in writing, marking and presentation. These strategies make a positive impact on the standards of pupils work. Because of the new style of marking, pupils have a greater understanding of their achievements and how to make improvements in their work. The quality in presentation of pupils’ work is inconsistent. However, when work is marked well, using strategies as outlined in the school’s new marking policy the pupils’ presentation improves considerably. Teachers use information and communication technology well in teaching English. In Year 1 and 2, pupils successfully used the computer to place the sentences in the correct order when describing milk production.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

49. Language and literacy skills are used very effectively across the curriculum and make a most positive contribution to pupils’ learning in other subjects. In most lessons, teachers extend pupils’ speaking and listening skills. In religious education, for example, pupils write about the importance of friendship and accounts of their visit to Southwell Minster. In geography, pupils in Years 1 and 2 increase their confidence and competence using language of position, such as across, above, beyond and over. Year 3 and 4 pupils used the library well to find out more about teeth. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above national expectations in Year 2 and Year 6, particularly in using and applying mathematics and number. • There are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding of shape and space, and data handling. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils make good progress as a result. • Older pupils do not always organise and record their work neatly enough.

p.23

Commentary

50. Most pupils have a good understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They competently use their knowledge of place value to multiply and divide whole and decimal numbers by multiples of ten. They select the most suitable way of solving word problems and record their methods and results. However, older pupils do not always record their methods or results neatly enough and this sometimes adversely affects their learning. They recognise some number patterns and higher attaining pupils explain these well in general terms, explaining, for example, that odd numbers have a remainder of one when divided by two. However, pupils’ grasp of other aspects of mathematics is not so secure. For example, older pupils do not know enough of the vocabulary of circles such as circumference or diameter, and have difficulty in remembering the names and properties of triangles. They are unfamiliar

p.23

Commentary

51. The quality of teaching is good. This results in a good quality of learning for all pupils. In a good lesson for Year 1 and 2 pupils, the teacher made good use of resources in a lesson in which pupils made up sums of money to buy certain food items and work out correct change. As a result of the teacher’s effective questioning, pupils extended their thinking skills and achieved well in the lesson. The teacher ensured that individual and group work matched pupils’ abilities, so all pupils made good progress. In a sound lesson, the class teacher led a good introduction in which pupils reinforced their mental arithmetic skills well when finding number pairs to 180. The teacher developed the lesson well in teaching that the angles of a triangle added up to 180 degrees. However, a number of pupils were unsure about how to use a protractor and this slowed their learning.

p.23

Commentary

52. In all classes, pupils’ willingness to learn and take a full part in lessons has a positive impact on their learning. The subject is led and managed well. The subject co-ordinator ensures that information about pupils’ progress is collected and analysed. The information thus acquired is used well to set targets for pupils’ learning. There has been a sound degree of improvement since the last inspection.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

53. Mathematics is used satisfactorily in teaching and learning in other subjects. For example, Year 5 and 6 pupils measure quantities of different ingredients in an English lesson. Pupils use suitable measurements, such as metres and centimetres, when designing room layouts using information and communication technology. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good. • Attitudes and behaviour are very good overall. • Teachers develop scientific investigation skills well.

p.24

Commentary

54. Standards are above average by the age of seven and but average by the age of eleven. This is because the older pupils’ knowledge and understanding is limited. In Years 5 and 6, there was no pupils’ work available for the latter half of the last academic year. However, because of good teaching now, pupils are making good progress and attainment should reach average levels by the time pupils leave school at the age of eleven.

p.24

Commentary

55. The quality of teaching is good, so pupils learn well. The teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and use this knowledge to plan well-structured lessons. Teachers have good strategies for encouraging skills in science investigation. A key feature of the good quality teaching is the way in which teachers successfully develop pupils’ independent learning styles. This helps pupils to gain confidence and a greater knowledge of their own learning. In Years 5 and 6, the teacher challenged pupils by asking them to find out the best place to put food if they wanted it to go mouldy! Teachers use questioning well to develop pupils’ ideas and speaking and listening skills. The very good planning and imaginative ideas supported pupils’ knowledge and understanding of health, safety and standards in hygiene very well. For example, pupils in Year 1 and 2 all understood why they had to wash their hands before handling food. The pupils

p.24

Commentary

helped their blindfolded partners by giving them the different foods and so developing their sense of taste. This activity was very well planned and the activities matched pupil’s interests and abilities. Consequently, they all achieved well.

p.24

Commentary

56. Pupils are highly motivated because of the good level of teaching and they thoroughly enjoy the practical aspects of this subject. They behave very well and demonstrate interest and enthusiasm. This has a positive impact on their achievement.

p.24

Commentary

57. Leadership of science is satisfactory. The school has identified the need for greater emphasis on investigation in science and they are dealing with this well. Monitoring and evaluation of the subject are well planned and managed, which has a positive impact on the standards of investigation work in science. There has been a satisfactory degree of improvement since the previous inspection.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the time pupils reach the end of Year 6, standards of achievement are good. • The quality of teaching is good. • Pupils and teachers increasingly use information and communication technology to enhance teaching and learning in other subjects. • The school is creative in its use of accommodation for teaching information and communication technology skills. • There is no equipment suitable for whole class demonstrations. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

p.24

Commentary

58. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well and by the end of Year 6, standards are above those expected from pupils of this age. Boys and girls reach similar standards.

p.25

Commentary

59. Leadership and management of the subject are good and have resulted in a number of initiatives that have made a good improvement in provision since the last inspection. These include: • employing a specialist teacher for pupils in Years 3 to 6; • devising creative ways of using the school’s limited accommodation to provide a computer suite when needed; • using the world outside school as a teaching and learning resource.

p.25

Commentary

60. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 benefit from good teaching provided by a teacher with a good level of expertise in the subject and in teaching pupils of this age. As a result, they achieve well and reach good standards in the subject. The teacher ensures that pupils learn a wide range of skills, often applying them to other areas of the curriculum. During the inspection, pupils effectively consolidated their skills to prepare a presentation about food from different countries as part of the cross-curricular project running that week. In so doing, they demonstrated a good degree of competence in a range of skills for example, incorporating pictures they found on the Internet and digital photographs of the work they had been doing. They considered what made an effective and attractive presentation, carefully matching the colour of text to the background. Pupils thoughtfully ensured that the size of text matched its importance by, for

p.25

Commentary

example, ensuring that headline text was large enough. They were successful in applying a new skill learned in that lesson, that of recording their own sounds and including them in the show. Pupils’ very positive attitudes and determination to succeed helped them to persevere until they got the results they wanted. The teacher completed the lesson by demonstrating and leading a discussion about the presentations, encouraging pupils to evaluate their own and other’s work thoughtfully. Records and samples of work show that pupils are covering the requirements of the National Curriculum in sufficient depth.

p.25

Commentary

61. In Years 1 and 2, the teacher provided a sound demonstration of how to use certain tools in a drawing package to create a drawing of a pizza. Pupils enjoyed this and accomplished the task successfully. They use the technology successfully in other ways, for example, dragging stages in milk production into the correct order. This also enhances their reading skills.

p.25

Commentary

62. The school has enough computers and other equipment for the number of pupils but there is no room for a computer suite. However, the school has provided cabling and Internet access and transforms the hall into an effective computer suite when required with enough computers for pupils in a single year group to work individually. The school does not have a screen large enough for demonstrations of techniques to a whole class and this reduces the quality of learning.

p.25

Commentary

63. A recent initiative made a very good contribution to pupils’ understanding of the use of information and communication technology in the world outside school. Pupils, along with pupils from other schools in the 4KANDO group, visited a large furniture store and saw how the company used computers as part of the business as well as in modelling proposed layouts for different rooms, providing floor plans and images of what the finished room would look like.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

64. The school makes satisfactory use of information and communication technology in teaching and learning in other subjects. Year 5 and 6 pupils take digital pictures of bread at the start of an investigation into the conditions that promote mould. The same pupils have created presentations about their visit to a place of geographical interest and have produced plans of the layout of furniture in different rooms. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

p.25

HUMANITIES

The school’s provision for humanities (religious education, geography and history) is satisfactory . The team did not see enough geography or history lessons to make an overall judgement on teaching and learning. Judgements are based on a scrutiny of pupils’ work and discussion with teachers.

p.26

Geography and History

Provision in both geography and history is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Geography makes a positive contribution to pupils’ cultural development. • The school makes good use of visits to places of geographical and historical interest.

p.26

Commentary

65. Pupils reach the expected standards at the end of Year 2 and of Year 6 in history and geography. Year 2 pupils know that there are different continents and successfully locate these on world maps. They study the local area and successfully relate this to maps on display. They have an increasing understanding that customs and traditions in other countries may be different from those in this country. This makes a positive contribution to their cultural development. Year 3 and 4 pupils study local history, using probing questionnaires to get information from local residents. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 learn more about Jamaica in a lesson during which they learn about some of the fruits that grow there and write a travel report. In so doing, they research various facts following useful guidance from the teacher.

p.26

Commentary

66. Pupils have studied a satisfactory range of topics in history, soundly extending their knowledge of recent events and those from the more distant past. In geography, pupils learn to compare and contrast their own area with a contrasting area and about different features such as mountain ranges.

p.26

Commentary

67. The school makes good use of visits to places of geographical and historical interest. These visits, including residential visits, are frequently undertaken with pupils from other schools in the 4KANDO group. Thus, the visits make a positive contribution to pupils’ social development, as well as helping the schools to make good use of their financial resources.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils reach satisfactory standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • There has been a sound degree of improvement since the previous inspection. • There are some gaps in Year 6 pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different faiths. • The quality of teaching is now filling these gaps.

p.26

Commentary

68. Sound leadership and management have helped to overcome the weaknesses reported at the time of the previous inspection. There is now a subject policy and pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 reach the standards of achievement expected from the new locally agreed syllabus. There are now enough resources for teaching religious education and there is a good Kneesall Church of England Primary School range of books about major world faiths. However, an examination of pupils’ work last year, and discussions with Year 6 pupils reveal that pupils’ knowledge and understanding have only recently begun to reach the expected standards. Year 6 pupils are not sure whether it is Hinduism or Judaism that has a number of gods, or the names of places of worship in different religions.

p.26

Commentary

69. Judging from the examination of pupils’ previous work as well as the lessons seen, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, leading to a satisfactory quality of learning that is overcoming the gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Teachers plan lessons that develop pupils’ understanding of religious themes systematically. In Years 1 and 2, the teacher planned an effective lesson on the Seder Plate, as part of the week’s food theme. The teacher built well on pupils’ prior understanding of the events leading up to the Israelites flight from Egypt. She led a discussion which helped pupils to understand why the items on the plate were included, helping pupils to understand the idea of symbolism. In a good Year 5 and 6 lesson, the teacher continued to teach about Islam, looking at fasting as a central principle of that faith. Pupils demonstrated a good prior understanding of the other principles and the teacher, through careful questioning,

p.27

Commentary

encouraged pupils to think about why people fast and how they demonstrate their faith in this way. Pupils responded very well, accepting that there are differences in the way people show their faith. In this way, the subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Judgements in art and design are based on three lessons, discussions with subject co-ordinators and a scrutiny of work on display. No lessons focusing on design and technology were seen although there were close links between this and other lessons seen during the week. Nonetheless, there is not enough evidence to judge standards of achievement or teaching. Similarly, the team did not see enough physical education to make such judgements. In music, it was possible to observe only singing in assemblies, hymn practice and a choir rehearsal. It was not possible to judge standards of achievement or teaching at the end of Year 2 or Year 6 for music as a whole. However, it was possible to judge standards in singing.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in art are above those expected nationally by the end of Year 2 and of Year 6. • The quality of teaching is good. • The good displays around the school celebrate pupils’ achievements well. • The planning and teaching of art and design links well with design and technology. • The teaching of art and design successfully promotes pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different countries and cultures.

p.27

Commentary

70. The pupils in Year 6 now make good progress in art because of the good teaching. By the time pupils are seven and eleven years of age, standards are above those expected from pupils of those ages.

p.27

Commentary

71. Teachers plan effective lessons that help to ensure pupils extend their skills with a good variety of media. In a Year 1 and 2 lesson, the teacher provided a good range of different fruits for pupils to look at carefully before painting them. The teacher’s very good advice and guidance helped to foster pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. Pupils’ very good observational skills resulted in their keen attention to the detail of line, shape and colour. The teacher used information and Kneesall Church of England Primary School communication technology well so that pupils had very good opportunities to develop their design skills when using a paint program to create a picture of the fruit. Year 3 and 4 pupils successfully developed good design skills in packaging. They understand the importance of shape, colour and design of words in the marketing and sale of food items.

p.27

Commentary

72. In a very good lesson for Year 5 and 6 pupils, the teacher planned an effective lesson with a good range of different activities using a variety of media, such as clay, calico and wood. Pupils used these to good effect to create a range of artefacts with a Harvest theme, such as Kachina dolls. The teacher’s guidance and very good support from other adults helped all pupils, including those with special educational needs, to make very good progress in the lesson. The pupils had good relationships with each other, demonstrated by their ability to investigate and share ideas together, for example, when creating a Harvest Banner. They take a great deal of care and pride in their art and design work. Pupils thoughtfully evaluated their own and other’s work.

p.28

Commentary

73. In discussions, Year 6 pupils demonstrate considerable enthusiasm for art. They have a good knowledge of the work of different artists. Many pupils discuss famous artists, for example, Monet, Cézanne, Van Gogh and Dali, knowledgeably and make comparisons of the styles and techniques they use.

p.28

Commentary

74. The subject is well led and managed. This is demonstrated by the good quality of artwork in the school and the art and design displays which successfully celebrate pupils’ achievement. There has been a significant improvement in art since the last inspection when teaching was satisfactory and pupils did not have the same breadth and depth of understanding. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils’ cultural development.

p.28

Design and technology

There was not enough evidence to judge standards of achievement or teaching.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a stimulating variety of activities in design and technology. • The subject supports learning in English very well. • Aspects of food technology are taught well.

p.28

Commentary

75. Year 1 and 2 develop good skills in drawing and colour and use scissors, glue and coloured crayons very well when making moving pictures. The subject is used well in developing pupils’ reading and writing skills, for example, when following and writing recipes and menus in Year 5 and 6. The practical learning in the design and technology lessons enhances pupils speaking and listening skills well. The school successfully implements the food technology aspect of the design and technology curriculum. This was evident during inspection week because the theme for all curriculum lessons was food. All pupils learn about health and safety and standards in hygiene when handling and tasting the many different foods experienced in lessons.

p.28

Music

It is not possible to judge overall provision in music, but the quality of singing is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils sing well in assembly. Kneesall Church of England Primary School • The standard of singing in the school choir is above national expectations for pupils by the age of eleven. • The school promotes participation in music well by the provision of instrumental lessons in violins, guitars, clarinet, flute and brass instruments. • The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop performing skills in music.

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Commentary

76. Standards and achievement in singing are good. Pupils enjoy singing because it is taught well and songs are very well matched to their interest and ability levels. Pupils sing with very good attention to melody, rhythm, expression, diction and lyrics. Their sensitivity in singing promotes good spiritual and emotional development. The school provides good opportunities in assemblies for pupils to listen to music from different countries and cultures.

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Commentary

77. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their musical performing skills in singing and playing instruments in school and in the wider community and, as a result, the school choir has very good performing skills. The school is rightly proud of its success in singing competitions.

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Commentary

78. The subject is well led and managed. The co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge and expertise. This is used most effectively in class and extra-curricular lessons.

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Physical education

No full lessons were seen. However, the team saw a number of physical education activities taking place for pupils in Years 3 to 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school makes good use of outside agencies to provide teaching in tennis, football and gymnastics. • A good variety of extra-curricular activities supports learning in the subject. • The school’s participation in the joint schools initiative enhances the good learning opportunities in physical education. • The new outdoor play equipment enhances the school’s provision in physical education.

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Commentary

79. The school provides a good range of physical education activities. These include tennis and football from visiting coaches and the use of a neighbouring secondary school for gymnastics. This use of another school’s facilities helps to overcome the problems of teaching and learning gymnastics in a hall which is too small for this purpose. Pupils have good opportunities to develop their swimming and water safety skills. Their quality of education and opportunities to develop sporting prowess are greatly enhanced by the joint schools initiative. Pupils from the participating schools combine to form sports teams that can hold their own against teams from larger schools.

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Commentary

80. The subject is well managed. The co-ordinator has a good understanding of what needs to be taught. The planned curriculum meets the national requirements. The co-ordinator has a good vision for the further development of the subject. There are plans to develop an orienteering programme on the school grounds. This has the potential to develop pupils’ teamwork and map reading skills. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for personal, social and health education is a strength of the school. • Pupils achieve very well because of the very good teaching. • Pupils work very well together in groups and behaviour is very good.

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Commentary

81. Pupils’ personal, social and health education is a central priority of the school. The outcomes of the provision are evident throughout the school in pupils’ very positive attitudes to all aspects of school life. In all lessons, pupils demonstrate a kind and caring respect for each other and all adults. They value each other’s feelings and work well together.

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Commentary

82. One personal, social and health education lesson was observed during the inspection. The teacher organised a Year 3 and 4 lesson well, starting by providing opportunities for pupils to express their likes and dislikes. This helped the pupils to formulate and express their thoughts and to reflect on their own and other’s experiences. The pupils discussed the importance of sharing and demonstrated positive, reasonable and mature attitudes when working out the fairest way to share sweets between themselves. The good teaching enhanced pupils’ discussions and thoughts about positive moral values. All pupils were confident and contributed well to the discussions.

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Commentary

83. The science curriculum includes elements of how to keep healthy and eat well. The social development of pupils is very good as seen in the playground and around the school during lessons and lunchtimes. The new spiritual garden provides pupils with a very good area for quiet personal reflection. Kneesall Church of England Primary School

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 3 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 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 2

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The leadership and management of the school 2

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

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The leadership and management of the school 2

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

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