Long Toft Primary School

LONG TOFT PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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LONG TOFT 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. Long Toft 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; 371

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Road Stainforth South Yorkshire Postcode: DN7 5AB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01302 841246 Fax number: 01302 350695

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr F Turner

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: Not applicable

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Long Toft Primary School was established as a result of the amalgamation of Stainforth Infant and Junior Schools in September 2002. However, it was not until May 2003 that all pupils were housed on the same site. The school is situated approximately nine miles east of Doncaster in an area of great social deprivation and high unemployment. The school draws its pupils mainly from the local authority housing estate or housing association properties. Three hundred and ninety-two pupils age 3 to 11 (179 boys and 213 girls) attend the school. This figure includes 42 part-time nursery age children. One hundred and thirteen pupils are white British with four pupils of Asian origin. Information regarding ethnic background was not obtained for two hundred and seventy six pupils. There is only one pupil for whom English is not their first language and who are at an early stage of English language acquisition. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for school meals free of charge

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

(50.5 per cent) is well above the national average. The number of pupils having special educational needs including those with statements (13.7 per cent) broadly matches the national average. Assessments made of children when they first start at school in the nursery shows that, although the range of attainment is broad, most children have levels of attainment that are well below those expected for their age in communication language and literacy in mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development. Long Toft Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

8245 L A Furness Lead inspector 9649 J Smith Lay inspector 27677 D Davenport Team Inspector Foundation Stage English as an additional language English Religious Education 23751 J Fairclough Team inspector Art and Design Design and Technology Geography History 25574 J Fullen Team inspector Science Music Physical Education 33111 S Wilson Team inspector Special Educational Needs Mathematics Information and Communication Technology

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

113-115 High Street Uppermill Saddleworth OL3 6BD

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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.oftsed.gov.uk). Long Toft Primary School - 5

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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 A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school provides a satisfactory standard of education. Although the school cares very well for its pupils and there are very good procedures in place to check upon pupils’ welfare, health and safety, pupils’ progress and achievement are uneven as the quality of teaching varies from unsatisfactory to very good. However, the new leadership and management of the school are aware of the shortcomings and are beginning to rectify these weaknesses. At the present time, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 means that the progress and achievement of pupils is uneven, and unsatisfactory overall in these year groups. • The standards that pupils attain in English, mathematics and science are well below those expected for their age by Year 6. • The dynamic headteacher has the clarity of vision and the determination to make this new school an exciting and worthwhile place to be. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is very good. These pupils are very well supported by very able support staff. • The personal, social and emotional development of children in the Foundation Stage of Learning (nursery and reception) is very good. • Assessment information is not used as effectively as it should be to impact upon learning. Pupils

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

are not sufficiently involved in assessing their own learning and knowing how to improve the quality of their work. • Throughout the day, lessons are too frequently interrupted by pupils leaving for and returning from additional literacy, numeracy and enrichment activities. • The excellent accommodation provides a stimulating learning environment.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This school has not been inspected previously and was established in September 2002. Since then a great deal of work has been done to develop a shared understanding between the staff of the infant and junior schools of the working practices of this new school. All in the school are committed towards school improvement and as a result the school is well placed to move forward.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall, though it varies. It is good in Years 1 and 2, but unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6, due to differences in the quality of teaching. By Year 6, standards are well below those expected in English, mathematics and science and below those expected in information and communication technology (ICT), geography, history and religious education. In art and design, standards are above those expected for their age, and in design and technology, and physical education standards match those expected for the pupils’ age. In music , there was insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement on standards or achievement. In the Foundation Stage, although achievement is good the majority of children attain standards that are below the goals children are expected to reach by the end of reception. However, in personal, social and emotional development, the majority will be close to attaining the level expected for their age by the

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

time they enter Year 1, because of the very good provision.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English n/a n/a E* E* mathematics n/a n/a E* E* science n/a n/a E* E* Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Long Toft Primary School - 7 In Year 6, pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests was well below the national average in English, mathematics and science being in the bottom five percent of all schools nationally and of similar schools. In Year 2, pupils’ performance was well below the national average in reading, below the national average in mathematics but matched the national average in writing. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ performance was well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. In science, on the basis of teacher assessment, performance was below the national average, but well

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

above average in comparison with the results of similar schools. Pupils’ achievement by Year 2 is good.

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Pupils’ personal qualities are good and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development is good overall. Pupils’ attitudes towards school are good and their behaviour is satisfactory. Attendance rates are low and this negatively affects some pupils’ education.

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The quality of education is satisfactory. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall; it is

good from nursery to Year 2, but has shortcomings in Years 3 to 6. The unsatisfactory management of time and too much teacher talk led to unsatisfactory teaching in some lessons. The use of assessment information to inform future learning is inconsistent resulting in inconsistency in progress in Years 3 to 6. A particular strength is the way that the teaching assistants and support staff are deployed to support pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. In the Foundation Stage, the teachers and teaching assistants work effectively together and teaching is consistently good.

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The quality of education is satisfactory. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall; it is

The overall quality of the curriculum is satisfactory. However, a good programme of enrichment activities is in place to enhance curricular provision. The curriculum offered to children in the Foundation Stage is good and is well planned to meet the needs of all children. The school has very effective systems in place to check on the health, safety and well being of pupils. All staff are vigilant in ensuring that pupils are safe at all times.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher very clearly knows what needs to be done in order to raise standards and provides very good leadership. She has very successfully united all staff in working towards school improvement and has put into place good systems in order to do this. Although weaknesses in teaching are being rectified there has been insufficient time for these actions to impact sufficiently on the unsatisfactory teaching and pupils’ achievement. The governance of the school is good and the governing body support and challenge the leadership well.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The majority of parents have good opinions of the school and its work. Pupils are proud of their school. In talking to them they say that they particularly like the excellent new facilities, their kind teachers and the many clubs, visits and activities that are available to them.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are to: • Raise standards in English, mathematics and science. • Rectify the inconsistency in the quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6. • Ensure that assessment information is used effectively to inform the future learning of pupils and involve them more in knowing how to improve the quality of their work. • Improve the way that pupils are withdrawn from lessons for additional literacy, numeracy and enrichment activities. Long Toft Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is satisfactory overall. It is good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2, but unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6, because the quality of teaching and learning is variable, ranging from very good to unsatisfactory. Standards in English, mathematics and science by Year 6 are well below those expected for the pupils’ age. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make good progress in their learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement in English, mathematics and science by Year 6, is unsatisfactory, because of the uneven quality of teaching. • Children achieve well in the Foundation Stage because of the good quality of teaching and learning. • Although the standards that pupils attain by Year 2 are below those expected for their age in English, mathematics and science, their achievement is good because of good quality teaching and learning. • Standards in art and design are good throughout the school. • Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language achieve well because of the good support that they receive. • Pupils currently in Year 6 are attaining standards that are below those expected for their age in information and communication technology (ICT), geography, history and religious education.

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Commentary

1. Children start school in the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception) with poor skills in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development. Although they make good progress over the two years in the Foundation Stage, the majority of children attain standards that are below those that are expected by the end of reception in all six areas of learning. However, in personal, social and emotional development, the majority will be close to attaining the level expected for their age by the time they enter Year 1. Achievement is good because of the good teaching that they receive in the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

2. This good achievement is maintained in Years 1 and 2 and pupils make good progress. The table below shows pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests in 2003.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 14.6 (n/a) 15.7 (15.8)

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Commentary

There were 49 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

3. When compared with all schools, pupils’ performance was well below the national average in reading, matched the national average in writing and was below the national average in mathematics. In comparison with similar schools, however, their performance was well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Girls outperformed boys in the National Curriculum tests in reading, writing and mathematics in 2003. However, no significant Long Toft Primary School - 9 differences were noted in the attainment of boys and girls during the inspection. In science, on the basis of teacher assessment, performance was below the national average but well above average in comparison with the results of similar schools. Pupils currently in Year 2 are attaining standards that are below those expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics, but in science they are attaining standards that match those expected for their

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Commentary

4. In Year 6, pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests was well below the national average in English, mathematics and science being in the bottom five percent of all schools nationally. In relation to the average points score when they were in Year 2, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected levels in English, mathematics and science was well below that of similar schools, again being in the bottom five per cent of similar schools.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 23.3 (n/a) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 23.4 (n/a) 26.8 (26.7) science 25.3 (n/a) 28.6 (28.3) There were 60 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

5. Although there were some differences in the attainment of boys and girls, they were not significant, and none were noted during the inspection. The targets set for 2003 were not achieved in English or mathematics. The work seen of the current Year 6 pupils indicates that it is unlikely the challenging targets set for 2004 will be met in either subject. Pupils currently in Year 6 are attaining standards that are well below those expected for their age in English, mathematics and science. Achievement overall, is unsatisfactory because of the uneven quality of teaching throughout Key Stage 2.

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Commentary

6. In religious education, the standards attained by pupils in both Year 2 and Year 6 are below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Although teachers’ planning, shows that an appropriate range of topics have been covered, pupils in both year groups show that they have remembered very little of what has been taught and achievement is unsatisfactory. In geography, history and ICT, standards are below those expected for pupils in Year 2 and Year 6, but achievement is satisfactory. In art and design, standards are above those expected for their age and achievement is good. In design and technology, music and physical education standards match those expected for the pupils’ age and achievement is satisfactory .

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Commentary

7. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is as an additional language, is good throughout the school. Support staff play a significant role in supporting and meeting the needs of individual pupils and enabling them to achieve well in relation to their abilities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes are good and their behaviour is satisfactory . Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Although punctuality is satisfactory, attendance is well below the national average . Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are proud of their school and are keen to do well. Long Toft Primary School - 10 • Most pupils behave well but a minority sometimes misbehave and there were 15 fixed term exclusions in the last school year. • The school provides well for pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral and social development. Pupils’ cultural development is sound but pupils’ understanding of other cultures needs further development. • The school has good systems for monitoring and promoting attendance but too many parents fail to ensure the regular attendance of their children.

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Commentary

8. Pupils are proud of their new school. Most pupils are keen learners who want to do their best. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are valued and fully included in the life of the school. The support they are given encourages their active participation and boosts self-esteem. They respond well to the support that they receive and are enthusiastic. In the Foundation Stage children display very good behaviour and attitudes towards school because of the good teaching, the good learning environment and the very good care that they receive.

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Commentary

9. The low attendance rate is improving but many parents do not ensure regular attendance and this hinders their children’s progress and achievement. The school works hard to promote better attendance by contacting parents on the first day of an unexplained absence, by sending out regular reminders about the importance of good attendance and through the support of the education welfare officer and the attendance support assistant.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) 2002-2003

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.0 School data 0.8 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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Commentary

10. The school has high expectations of good behaviour. The majority of pupils behave well but in some lessons in Years 3 to 6, when teaching does not fully engage pupils’ interest, there is some misbehaviour. Fixed term exclusions are given for appropriate reasons and the majority in the last year were lunch time exclusions. The school is very committed to supporting pupils at risk of exclusion and uses a variety of good strategies, including the ‘Nest’, an area staffed by learning mentors, and a lunchtime gardening club, to help these pupils to control their behaviour.

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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 113 15 1 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 3 0 0 Black or Black British – African 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 276 0 0

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Exclusions

The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded . Long Toft Primary School - 11 11. Personal development is good and pupils are keen to take on responsibility. Pupils are proud of belonging to the school council and take their role seriously. Most pupils throughout the school feel a strong sense of responsibility for upholding the school and class rules because they have helped to create them through circle-time and the school council. Some older pupils talked about how they try to provide good models for the younger pupils. Many have volunteered to become ‘buddies’ in order to help others. Thoughtful job descriptions for ‘buddies’ have been drawn up by the council members. Pupils are generally friendly and caring to each other but there are a few incidents of bullying. The school takes these very seriously and deals with them very effectively. It is working hard to reduce the occurrence of

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Exclusions

groups of girls ‘falling out’ with each other by providing mentoring on friendship and caring for each other.

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Exclusions

12. Spiritual, moral and social development is good. The school works hard to raise pupils’ self esteem and to make them believe in the school motto “together we will be the best”. Assemblies and circle-time are used well to encourage respect for others. During one act of worship, singing by members of the choir provided an uplifting spiritual experience for all present. Pupils are given many good opportunities to appreciate their own culture. However, the school is aware that it needs to do more to develop pupils’ understanding of other cultures and beliefs, particularly because there are so few pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds and there have been some incidences of racist name-calling.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is satisfactory. The quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Curricular provision is satisfactory with a good programme of enrichment activities. Partnerships with parents are satisfactory and the school has very good systems in place to check on the health and safety and well being of pupils.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was satisfactory overall; it is good in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 and 2, but unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6. However, there was some evidence of good and very good teaching in these year groups of pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning is uneven in Years 3 to 6 and this is unsatisfactory. • Teaching and learning are good in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. • The support staff are deployed well to support pupils with special educational needs and those pupils with English as an additional language. • Assessment information is not used well enough in planning, and written marking does not satisfactorily inform pupils as to how they might improve their work.

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Commentary

13. As can be seen in the table below the majority of lessons were at least satisfactory with approximately a half of lessons good or very good. Most of this good and very good teaching was in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. An unacceptable amount of unsatisfactory teaching was observed in Years 3 to 6. In English, mathematics and science teaching and learning are mainly satisfactory but this is not good enough to raise standards in these subjects. In ICT, religious education, physical education and personal social and health education including citizenship, teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Although ICT is mainly satisfactory, some teachers have insecure subject knowledge in the teaching of this subject which the school has identified as an area of concern and has arranged appropriate Long Toft Primary School - 12 training. There was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on teaching and

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Commentary

learning in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, and music.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 47 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

14. In Years 1 and 2, teachers have good subject knowledge, are well organised, use the teaching assistants and support staff well in all parts of lessons to support the pupils and create good opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively in pairs or in small groups. This was seen in English and mathematics, for example. The good relationships between staff and pupils and the good use of praise raises pupils’ self esteem and promote good attitudes towards learning. Effective use of resources such as the interactive white board engages pupils’ interest and helps them to understand difficult concepts, for example, in a Year 5 mathematics lesson.

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Commentary

15. In other, less successful lessons in Years 3 to 6, some teachers do not use assessment information well enough to plan activities that build appropriately on pupils’ previous learning. This was seen in science, religious education and ICT, for example. Subject knowledge in literacy and numeracy is not secure and some teachers do not use effective strategies to promote pupils’ speaking skills. The pace of lessons is slow and pupils spend too much time listening to the teacher. Consequently, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. In mathematics, the oral, mental starter sessions are often not brisk enough and do not focus sufficiently on developing mental calculation strategies. The quality of teachers’ marking is not used sufficiently well to help pupils to improve their work and there are too few opportunities provided for pupils to use and develop their literacy and numeracy skills in other

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Commentary

16. The subject knowledge of the teachers of the children in the Foundation Stage is good, and staff have a good understanding of how these young children learn. The development of children’s personal, social and emotional skills permeates all areas of learning, and teaching and learning of these skills are good. The teachers and teaching assistants know all the children well, are sensitive to their individual needs and provide them with good levels of support. Work in all six areas of learning is regularly assessed and good records of progress are kept. This information is used well to inform teachers’ future planning and to track children’s progress closely.

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Commentary

17. The well planned support given to pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language in the classroom ensures that the teaching they receive is good. Support staff use good questioning techniques to enable pupils’ full participation and assess their understanding. Teachers and support staff work well together to ensure specific individual targets are taken into account. Pupils with behavioural problems are managed very well in accordance with their individual behaviour plans and supported well in the ‘Nest’. Withdrawal groups are used effectively across the school, to improve attainment in English and mathematics, and, to raise pupils’ self- esteem. The support staff, teaching assistants and learning mentors support pupils needing extra help well. However, the way this support is organised is unsatisfactory as pupils often miss valuable parts of other lessons and then

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Commentary

return back to lessons in the classroom unsure of what is expected of them.

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The curriculum

Long Toft Primary School - 13 The overall quality of the curriculum is satisfactory. However, a good programme of enrichment activities is in place to enhance curricular provision. The quality of the accommodation is excellent and resources are very good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is very good. • The provision for personal, social and health education is very good. • The provision for arts education is very good. • The school provides pupils with good preparation for their later stages of education. • The curriculum provided for children in the Foundation Stage is good. • Pupils are withdrawn from lessons for literacy, numeracy and enrichment activities far too often. • A significant number of pupils miss physical education lessons and this is unsatisfactory. • The accommodation is excellent and resources for learning are very good.

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Commentary

18. The curriculum is broad, balanced and meets statutory requirements. However, although the statutory curriculum is in place, a large number of pupils are withdrawn from lessons for a variety of purposes including English and mathematics help or additional music lessons. This is not satisfactory, as pupils are regularly missing valuable parts of other lessons. Also a large number of pupils do not take part in physical education lessons for various reasons, including not having their physical education kit in school. The school is aware that this is unsatisfactory and has plans in place to buy spare kit for pupils who do not have appropriate clothing to wear.

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Commentary

19. The curriculum planned for the Foundation Stage is good. It is securely based on national guidance and is well planned to meet the needs of all children. The varied range of well organised practical activities within an attractive environment has a positive impact on children’s learning. The curriculum is further enriched by a very good range of high quality resources and by visits out of school and visitors to the school.

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Commentary

20. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is very good. The special educational needs co-ordinator maintains all documentation relating to special educational needs in a highly effective manner. The curriculum very effectively meets the requirements set out for pupils who have a statement of special educational needs. Support staff provide very good support for pupils with emotional and behaviour problems ensuring that they are able to access the curriculum.

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Commentary

21. The curriculum includes a very effective programme for personal, social and health education including sex education, teaching about relationships, alcohol and drug misuse. The school is working appropriately towards the Healthy Schools’ award for promoting the physical and emotional well-being of pupils. Circle-time provides good opportunities for pupils to express their feelings and to develop their language and communication skills.

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Commentary

22. Extra-curricular opportunities are good. Pupils have access to a variety of clubs including an art, gardening, ICT and a study support club. Provision for arts education is very good and there are good links with the high school to develop the creative arts. Pupils are given a wide range of artistic experiences to help raise their self esteem. Raising aspirations in the community is a priority for the school and the planned extended school programme is intended to support this aim from January 2004. Many planned visits take place throughout the year and artists and musicians are invited into school to carry out workshops for pupils. Transition arrangements are also good. Year 6 pupils have visited their secondary school and the teachers from the high school visit the school regularly. Long Toft Primary School - 14 23. The accommodation is excellent. The original junior school building has been adapted very

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Commentary

well to provide an excellent environment for teaching and learning. Classrooms are spacious, bright and clean. Displays are attractive of a good quality and appropriately celebrate pupils’ work. Furniture is also of good quality and is well maintained and the school cleaning staff ensure high standards of cleanliness. Two specific areas, the ‘Zone’, and the ‘Nest’ are areas allocated for pupils with special educational needs including those with social and emotional problems. Garden areas provide a wealth of opportunities for enjoyment and study and staff used these areas well. Play areas have suitable surfaces and the school has extensive playing fields for outdoor activities.

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Commentary

24. Resources are very good and are used well by staff and pupils. The match of teaching staff to the curriculum is good with a very good number of support staff available to enhance pupils’ learning.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for the care, welfare, health and safety of all pupils is very good. The school provides good advice and guidance for pupils, based on the monitoring of their achievements and personal development. Pupils have good opportunities to be involved with the school by making suggestions and raising issues with staff.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good procedures in place to check upon pupils’ welfare, health and safety. • Induction arrangements for children in the Foundation Stage are very good. • Pupils have very trusting relationships with staff. • The use of assessment information to inform future learning is unsatisfactory. • The school seeks and acts upon the views of pupils well.

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Commentary

25. Pupils are very well cared for. The head teacher is a member of the local area Child Protection Committee and there are very effective child protection systems in place with very good liaison with outside agencies. Members of the senior management team usually attend case conferences and provide written reports when necessary. There is an ongoing programme of child protection training for all school staff. The school is very supportive of different groups of pupils and provides sensitively for pupils with special educational needs, English as an additional language and those in public care.

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Commentary

26. There are good health and safety monitoring arrangements which ensure that the building and equipment are safe. Day-to-day arrangements for health and safety are also good with regular reports made on health and safety issues which are reported to governors. There are good procedures for risk assessments covering a wide range of activities and these are well documented. The school promotes healthy living through its involvement in the Healthy Schools project and it extends the national fruit scheme to offer fruit to all its pupils. There is an organised ‘Health Day’ which covers drug awareness, puberty and other health related issues and this has become a model of good practice for the local education authority.

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Commentary

27. Children starting school in the Foundation Stage are very well supported with very good induction procedures in place. Before starting in the nursery, home visits are made and then children visit with their parents and on their own. There is a staggered entry at the beginning of the school year which takes into account the social and special needs of children. There are similar procedures at the start of reception and the school also holds a meeting for parents where expectations are shared. Pupils joining the school at other times have good Long Toft Primary School - 15 induction procedures with opportunities to visit the school and to share information thus enabling them to settle quickly into school life.

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Commentary

28. The head teacher and other staff in the school know the pupils very well as individuals and this means they are alert to any changing needs and staff can be quick to offer support where it is needed. The very good support staff provide a wealth of people for pupils to talk to. The schools involvement in the Behaviour Improvement Project (BIP) project and having a team of learning mentors in school has provided even greater opportunities within the ‘Nest’ to offer support and counselling to any pupils. Pupils who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties are very well supported throughout the school. Support staff run a breakfast club and ‘brain gym’ session where encouragement is given to ensure pupils begin their school day with positive attitudes and good self-esteem. The ‘buddy system’ where pupils support one another and the use of circle-time throughout the school offers further opportunities to

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Commentary

29. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are very well supported. The special educational needs co-ordinator has a detailed system of tracking pupils and monitoring their progress throughout the school. Individual educational plans have consistently clear targets in literacy and numeracy and for behaviour. There are good systems in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and review dates are clearly identified. A number of pupils with special educational needs have social service involvement and the school liaises very well with outside agencies to support these pupils. There is a good emphasis on early intervention, particularly for pupils with speech and language difficulties.

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Commentary

30. Although the school now has good assessment and tracking procedures in place with data being well analysed by the senior management, the resulting information is not used effectively enough by all staff to inform future learning activities. However, this is improving. Academic targets are set but pupils do not consistently refer to them in their work. The school has, however, spent much time developing support for pupils through their behaviour management strategy and time has been spent resolving individual problems in the hope of longer-term benefits.

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Commentary

31. Pupils are consulted well about their views. Questionnaires are given to pupils and there is an effective system to gain pupils’ views through the school council. Feedback to pupils is officially recorded at council meetings and explanations are given to groups and individuals as to how their concerns will be acted upon. Teachers and support staff are always willing to listen to children and welcome their comments and ideas. Pupils on the school council have brought forth issues such as improving playground facilities and they have been encouraged to be involved in the playgrounds’ planning and development.

p.15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents. Links with the community and with other schools are good.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have a good level of confidence in the school. • The school consults with parents well and is very responsive to their concerns. • Many parents provide insufficient support for their children’s learning at home. • The school is working hard to increase parental support. • Links with the community and with other schools make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

Long Toft Primary School - 16 32. The majority of parents have a good opinion of the school. This is reflected in the parents’ questionnaire which shows a good level of confidence in all aspects of the school’s work. Parents feel that the school is very approachable; it listens to their concerns and deals with problems effectively.

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Commentary

33. The school provides parents with satisfactory information. Newsletters are very readable and informative and the annual governors’ report is satisfactory. Annual school reports provide parents with good information about what their children can do in English and mathematics informing them of what children need to do to improve. Comments on other subjects mainly describe work covered. The school appropriately invites those parents of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, into the school to discuss and review the help that is available and to set plans for helping their children to make progress. The school is in the early stages of involvement in the BIP initiative, but there is evidence of good support strategies being put in place to support pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in the ‘Nest’.

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Commentary

34. The majority of parents support their children’s learning at home by hearing them read. However a substantial minority fail to do this and fail to ensure their children’s regular attendance at school; this hinders their children’s achievement. The school works hard to increase parental support and uses imaginative ways to do this. For example, parents enjoy coming to social events and class assemblies, so the school uses these as opportunities for communication and to provide them with information about the curriculum. The regular courses for parents held on subjects such as creative play are an effective means of increasing parent support, although the school would like to see more parents involved in them. Several parents who have been on courses now act as parent volunteers on a regular basis. They provide the school with useful help by hearing pupils read, particularly those who do not receive this support from home.

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Commentary

35. The school has a clear vision about how it will be able to extend opportunities to parents and the community as a result of its new status as a Full Service Extended School(FSES) and has carried out good research and consultation with the community in order to identify demand for services.

p.16

Commentary

36. Good links with the community and with other schools and colleges enrich pupils’ education. Pupils benefit from visits from professional musicians arranged by Doncaster Arts’ team and from help with basketball. There are many community visits and visitors. The school is also in the early stages of involvement in several community projects. Good links with local high schools help to ease transition and provide useful support for development of the curriculum.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are good. The leadership skills of the headteacher are very good and management systems are good. The governance of the school is good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has very good vision and a clear sense of purpose for the work of the school. • All staff are inspired by the headteacher and support school improvement strongly. • Good strategies to monitor and improve teaching are in place, but are not yet fully effective. • The good governing body is clear about its roles ands responsibilities and challenges and supports the leadership of the school well. • Financial management is good

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Commentary

Long Toft Primary School - 17 37. The leadership of the headteacher is very good and is clearly focused on securing school improvement by raising the quality of teaching and learning so that standards may improve and pupils may achieve to the best of their ability. Following her appointment as the headteacher of this new school in September 2003, a great deal of time was spent overseeing the rebuilding of the junior school building and ensuring that the staff and pupils working in this building experienced minimal disruption. Then from May 2003, when the staff and pupils from the infant and junior schools came together on one site, considerable time has been spent in uniting all staff and in encouraging them to work together as a team. She has been very successful in this work and all staff have a very strong commitment towards the success of Long Toft School. She also very quickly identified what was needed to bring

p.17

Commentary

about school improvement and the comprehensive school improvement plan clearly identifies these priorities and is a useful tool for school improvement. She is ably supported by the deputy headteacher.

p.17

Commentary

38. The school is organised well and financial management is good. Spending is carefully checked each month, by the school’s financial officer, the headteacher and the governors responsible for finance. Consideration of best value principles is satisfactory but the governors know that this aspect of their work needs improvement and have training planned for the very near future. Much of the large carry-over figure from March 2003 shown below has been used to purchase furniture and resources for the new school.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 775,313.06 Balance from previous year n/a Total expenditure 625,614.08 Balance carried forward to the next year 169,147.16

p.17

Commentary

39. The governing body is effective in the way it discharges its duties. Governors are very committed to supporting the work of the school and its staff. They have a good level of understanding about the school's strengths and areas for development drawn from their thorough monitoring of school systems and practices. Many governors visit the school and work closely with the pupils of the school. For example, governors manage the lunchtime gardening club which is aimed to support pupils with behavioural difficulties. Other governors work in classrooms. Governors with a responsibility, for example, for special educational needs are playing an increasingly important role in monitoring the school’s work. The governing body effectively ensures that it fulfils its statutory duties. There is a strong relationship between the headteacher and the governors. Governors set rigorous targets for her, and appraise her performance. They appreciate her work to date whilst providing a good

p.17

Commentary

level of challenge by asking why things are as they are.

p.17

Commentary

40. Monitoring and evaluation activities are good and the school knows well what is working effectively and what needs to be done to improve provision. The headteacher is very aware of the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 and has put into place systems and strategies, including training, in order to rectify these issues. For example, some staff from the junior school had not had training in the teaching of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, which she immediately rectified. She has reorganised staff also so that stronger teachers are working with others, helping them with their planning and providing models of good practice. Although these actions are beginning to take effect, they have not yet had sufficient time to impact on the unsatisfactory teaching and pupils’ achievement. A secure system of assessment and tracking pupils’ progress has been introduced so the school is now able to check upon pupils’ progress year-by-year. Again the

p.17

Commentary

use of assessment information has not had sufficient time to impact on pupils’ learning and Long Toft Primary School - 18 achievement. Performance management is being used appropriately to improve teacher performance.

p.17

Commentary

41. Subject leadership and management are good, overall. The headteacher has created staff teams to co-ordinate each subject so that the staff from the infant and junior schools have the opportunity to work together, share ideas and improve the overall provision in their subjects. The staff value these opportunities and state that they greatly benefit from working together. Good action plans are in place, which clearly identify strengths and areas for improvement. All action plans appropriately identify the need for assessment information to be used more effectively in classrooms.

p.18

Commentary

42. The leadership and management of special educational needs are very good. The provision is well organised and managed by the special educational needs’ co-ordinator and pupils are very well supported by the very able support staff. There are very good resources which have been developed for whole school use. The co-ordinator has provided useful training for both teachers and support staff and as a result, pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are fully included in school life and make good progress in their learning. Long Toft Primary School - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Children under five are taught in the Foundation Unit which consists of a nursery class currently with 42 part-time children and two reception classes catering for 48 children. Most children start school with levels of attainment that are well below those expected for their age, especially in personal, social and emotional development and speaking and listening skills. Children make good progress and achieve well in all areas of learning during their nursery and reception years because of the good teaching they receive. Although some will reach the nationally expected standards by the end of their reception year, the majority will be below the standards that children are expected to reach by the end of reception in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development. However, in personal, social and emotional

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

development, because of the very good provision, the majority will be close to attaining the level expected for their age by the end of the reception year.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

44. Children with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language achieve well because of the good support that they receive, enabling them to be fully included in all activities. The quality of teaching is good overall and the teaching assistants contribute well to the children’s achievement. All staff work together well, forming good relationships with the children and successfully creating a safe, secure environment. Work is well matched to the children’s needs and the staff focus appropriately on developing their individual abilities. Work in all six areas of learning is regularly assessed and good records of progress are kept. This information is used well to inform teachers’ future planning and to track children’s progress closely. The Foundation Stage is well led and managed.

p.19

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Provision for personal, social and emotional development is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Personal, social and emotional development is promoted very well in all other areas of learning. • Good teaching promotes very good attitudes to school and to learning. • Relationships are very good and adults are sensitive to the children’s needs. • Children work and play amicably together and behave very well.

p.19

Commentary

45. The provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development permeates all areas of learning, resulting in the children achieving very well. They are happy to come to school, settle quickly into school life, following the established class and school routines well. Children play amicably together and behave very well because of the very good relationships they form with each other and with adults. Both nursery and reception age children are Long Toft Primary School - 20 developing good personal skills and independence as they get changed for physical activities. The majority of children take turns, handle equipment and resources with care and take on small responsibilities as they act as class monitors and help tidy up after their activities. Teaching is good and fosters enjoyment in learning. The children in both the nursery and reception classes show good attitudes to lessons by listening attentively and following

p.19

Commentary

instructions carefully. The staff know all the children very well, are sensitive to their individual needs and use praise well to boost the children’s confidence .

p.20

Communication, Language and Literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Most children have poor speaking skills when they first start at school. • Good emphasis is placed on developing the children’s speaking and listening skills in all areas of learning. • A good range of well-planned activities are in place to promote communication, language and literacy skills. • The quality of teaching is good and the teaching assistants contribute well to the children’s achievement. • Some play activities need more structured adult intervention to develop the children’s language.

p.20

Commentary

46. Most children start in the nursery class with poor communication skills. Their vocabulary is very limited and many lack confidence when speaking to adults. However, good emphasis is placed on developing the children’s speaking and listening skills through a range of well- planned activities across all areas of learning. Teaching is good and the teaching assistants are deployed well to develop the children’s communication skills. Consequently children achieve well. For example, nursery age children are engaged well in circle-time activities as they talk about personal experiences and what they would like for Christmas. This is effectively developed in the reception classes, where the children act out their ideas about Christmas preparations. However, during free-choice play activities and outdoor play there is not always enough structured adult intervention to enhance the children’s imaginative and

p.20

Commentary

spoken language. Children of both nursery and reception age listen to stories with interest and enjoyment, follow the text correctly and know that words and pictures carry meaning. The reception age children have a satisfactory knowledge of some letter sounds and, through the teachers’ good use of repetition, recognise these sounds at the beginning of and within words. The more able children use this knowledge well to write the names of objects and to successfully build up simple words when writing independently. However, for the majority of the children writing and handwriting skills are at an early stage of development.

p.20

Mathematical Development

Provision for mathematical development is satisfactory.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good with a well-planned range of activities and resources available to engage the children’s interest. • Work is not always challenging enough for the more able children. • The children show good attitudes towards their work and behave very well. • The teaching assistants support the children’s learning effectively. Long Toft Primary School - 21

p.20

Commentary

47. Well-planned practical activities, such as the sequencing of patterns, sorting and counting objects and practical shape work all contribute well to the children’s mathematical development in the nursery and reception classes. The nursery age children are beginning to describe, order and sort objects by colour and size and use appropriate mathematical language such as ‘large’ and ‘small’ when working with Christmas decorations. Most of the children in the reception classes recognise and name accurately common regular shapes such as, circle, square and triangle, and sequence times during the day. Although not always sufficiently challenging for the more able children, the whole class sessions enable the majority of children to successfully recognise, order, count and add together objects up to 10. Independent activities are better matched to the children’s individual needs and they are beginning to record their number work appropriately. Teaching is good and children achieve

p.21

Commentary

well. The children join in number rhymes enthusiastically, show good attitudes to their work and behave very well. This, together with the good support that they receive from the teaching assistants, impacts positively on the children’s learning.

p.21

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Provision in this area of learning is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good and a good range of activities are available to stimulate the children’s curiosity. • Continuous provision supports the children’s independent learning well. • Very good resources, visits out of school and visitors to the school enhance and enrich this area of learning.

p.21

Commentary

48. The teachers plan a good range of practical activities which stimulate the children’s curiosity and enable them to achieve well. Well organised workshop areas and very good resources effectively support the continuous provision, which helps the children to develop their confidence in making choices for themselves and to organise their own time. Good links are made between the different areas of learning as, for example, the nursery age children explore different juices through colour, smell and taste and record their preferences on a block graph, whilst the reception age children explore the theme of “Ourselves” through their creative activities. The majority of the children in reception classes can use talking books and show appropriate ‘mouse’ control when using the computer. Visits out of, and visitors to, the school further enhance and enrich the children’s learning experiences. Teaching and learning

p.21

Physical Development

Provision for physical development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good resulting in children enjoying physical activities. • Resources are very good and good use is made of the soft play and outdoor areas.

p.21

Commentary

Long Toft Primary School - 22 49. The children develop their manipulative skills well through the good opportunities presented to them to use, for example, scissors, pencils and paintbrushes, cut shapes from playdoh and use small construction equipment. Teaching is good and the very well resourced outdoor area is used well on a daily basis to allow freedom of movement. The area provides good opportunities for the children to explore climbing and large play equipment in order to develop their co-ordination and balance. Both the nursery and reception age children are beginning to develop satisfactory ball skills by throwing and catching with appropriate control. The children enjoy these activities and show good levels of concentration for their age. Their achievement overall is good.

p.22

Creative Development

Provision for creative development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and children enjoy creative activities. • A good range of practical activities is provided which is appropriately linked to the other areas of learning.

p.22

Commentary

50. Teaching is good and the majority of children enjoy the good opportunities provided to draw, paint and make pictures and models from a variety of media. Their achievement is good. The children’s work is related well to other areas of learning, as for example, the nursery age children weigh out ingredients to make biscuits, whilst the reception age children paint pictures illustrating the Christmas story. Drama and circle-time activities are used well to develop the children’s speaking and listening skills, their imagination and to boost their confidence. However, at times during the continuous provision, there is not always enough structured adult intervention. The children explore sound using a variety of musical instruments, which they can name accurately and play properly. Most sing enthusiastically a range of simple songs and rhymes, joining in happily with the actions to accompany them. Long Toft Primary School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The standards attained by pupils currently in Year 2 are below those expected for their age, and in Year 6 standards are well below those expected. • Although the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall this is not good enough to raise standards in English. • There are too few opportunities for pupils to use their language and literacy skills in other subjects. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is very good. • The high priority given to improving reading skills is having a positive impact on standards in this aspect of English. • Assessment information is not used effectively enough to impact upon pupils’ learning. • Targeted literacy support is not organised effectively as pupils are withdrawn from lessons far too often.

p.23

Commentary

51. Although the standards of work of pupils currently in Year 2 are below those expected for pupils of this age, their achievement is good. However, the standards of work seen in Year 6 are well below those expected for the pupils’ age and achievement is unsatisfactory. This is because the quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 is uneven, ranging from unsatisfactory to very good. This is not consistent enough to improve standards in English. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is as an additional language is very good and they make good progress because of the very good support that they receive.

p.23

Commentary

52. Although in Years 3 to 6 pupils have opportunities to write for a range of purposes their insecure knowledge of basic grammar, spelling and punctuation rules, together with a limited vocabulary, inhibits their progress. Teachers’ marking is not used sufficiently well to help pupils to improve their work and there are too few opportunities provided for pupils to use and develop their language and literacy skills in other subjects. Speaking and listening skills throughout the school are generally poor and teachers do not always use appropriate strategies to tackle this issue satisfactorily. However, the recent high priority given to reading across the school has resulted in a good improvement in reading standards. All pupils in the school benefit from the very good reading resources and clear individual learning targets to develop their reading skills. As a result, most are able to read accurately from texts

p.23

Commentary

appropriate to their ability. Pupils’ handwriting skills and the presentation of their work are generally satisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

53. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall but unsatisfactory teaching is evident in Years 3 to 6. In the best lesson seen, in one of the Year 4 classes, the teacher’s interesting activities, very lively delivery and very good use of teaching assistants in drama fully engaged the pupils’ interest and enjoyment and motivated them very well during their independent tasks. Time was used very well, resulting in good pace and productivity in learning. Very precise questioning by all adults, effectively developed pupils’ speaking, listening and writing skills, as they learned how to conduct an interview and to take notes. The conclusion of the lesson linked very well to the learning intention, effectively consolidated learning and added further challenge to extend pupils’ ideas and vocabulary. As a result, pupils made good gains in their learning. In other, less successful lessons, teachers do not build appropriately on pupils’

p.23

Commentary

previous learning, learning intentions are unclear and work is not suitably matched to pupils’ Long Toft Primary School - 24 individual needs. As a result, they do not achieve as well as they should. In some lessons pupils spend too much time listening to the teacher. This slows down their progress and gives them insufficient time to develop their speaking and writing skills, which are areas that the school is trying to improve.

p.23

Commentary

54. Although the school has an appropriate strategy to target individual pupils who need help, the way that this is organised is unsatisfactory. Too often English lessons are disrupted by pupils leaving for additional support and then returning mid-way or towards the end of the lesson. These pupils then waste time as they are not always clear about what they should be doing. There are times also when pupils miss other lessons for targeted English support.

p.24

Commentary

55. Leadership is good and management is satisfactory. The co-ordinators work together well and have a clear understanding of the strengths and the areas for development. However, there has been insufficient time for their clear action plan to impact sufficiently on standards and achievement. However, they have been very successful in introducing structured systems to develop reading across the school, which are now beginning to impact positively on the standards pupils’ attain. The information from regular assessments is appropriately used to track pupils’ progress and to set individual targets to improve pupils’ learning. However, not all teachers use this information well and marking does not always inform pupils of why their work is good and how they might improve. Resources are very good and used well to support learning, but the libraries need to be used more effectively to develop pupils’ research skills.

p.24

Language and Literacy across the curriculum

Pupils do have some opportunities to use their literacy skills in other areas of the curriculum. For example, as they record scientific investigations or write poems linked to geography work. Information and communication technology appropriately supports literacy work, as pupils word process their work and add graphics. However, these opportunities are not planned for well enough in order to make a positive impact on standards in English.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics overall is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement of pupils in Years 3 to 6 is unsatisfactory overall because of the uneven quality of teaching. • Teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is good and pupils’ achievement is good. • Support for pupils with special educational needs and for those for whom English is as an additional language is very good. • Assessment information is not used effectively enough to help pupils understand how to improve. • Pupils are withdrawn from lessons for additional support far too often.

p.24

Commentary

56. Pupils currently in Year 2 are working at levels below those expected for their age and their achievement is good. By Year 6, standards are well below those expected for their age and achievement is unsatisfactory. This is mainly due to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language is very good and they make good progress because of the good support that they receive.

p.24

Commentary

57. The curriculum is broad with an appropriate balance of number, shape, space, measure and handling data activities. Teaching staff adhere to the National Numeracy Strategy and Long Toft Primary School - 25 curricular planning follows its suggested format. Planning for activities and preparation of lessons are usually good and learning intentions are consistently shared with pupils. There is targeted support for pupils with special educational needs through strategies such as ‘Springboard’ and additional booster classes. However, some withdrawals of pupils are inappropriate and pupils sometimes miss conclusions to mathematics lessons for enrichment activities such as additional music lessons, for example.

p.24

Commentary

58. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall but unsatisfactory teaching is evident in Years 3 to 6. Teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 are good and pupils make good progress. Pupils in these year groups mainly develop their knowledge and understanding of mathematics through practical activities and exploration and discussion. In one good lesson observed, pupils were able to count in 2s and 5s, although they were rather slow and lacked confidence in this counting activity. They could sort data, having undertaken a survey of the class’s favourite drinks. Most pupils understood tallying and were developing skills in making graphs and pictograms and using an axis. A good variety of activities in this lesson, including ICT, engaged the pupils’ interest well. The good classroom routines helped the pupils to become independent learners. At times, however, the pace of lessons is slow and pupils are

p.25

Commentary

59. In Years 3 to 6, the inconsistent quality of teaching and learning results in unsatisfactory achievement. Planning in lessons identifies activities for the differing abilities within the class and teaching assistants and support staff are deployed very well to help individuals and groups of pupils. In the good lessons the teachers have good subject knowledge and the planning clearly identifies the learning intentions and appropriate tasks to achieve these intentions. Effective use of resources, such as the electronically interactive white board, engages pupils’ interest and helps them to understand, for example, the consequence of multiplying decimal numbers by 10, 100 and 1000. The majority of pupils have good attitudes towards mathematics and particularly enjoy practical activities and the use of ICT. Teachers use praise very well to help pupils feel good about themselves and they have high

p.25

Commentary

expectations of behaviour. However, in some lessons too much time is spent on the teachers’ exposition and demonstration and therefore the pupils are not as productive as they should be. The oral and mental activities at the start of lessons are not brisk enough and do not fully focus on developing mental calculation strategies.

p.25

Commentary

60. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported during lessons by teaching assistants and learning mentors as they help keep pupils on task and clarify instructions instruction, thus helping them to make good progress in the lessons.

p.25

Commentary

61. Subject leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinators have a clear understanding of the need to raise attainment and improve pupils’ achievement. They have analysed assessment results to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and there is a good system for tracking pupils’ progress in place. However, this information is not yet used effectively to identify appropriate targets for pupils to help them improve their learning. The marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent and does not always help pupils understand how well they have done or what they need do to improve. The resources for mathematics are very good and there is a wide range of equipment in all classrooms. ICT is sometimes used to support the subject in some classes but this is not consistent.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

There is some evidence of pupils having the opportunity to use their numeracy skills in other subjects, for example, in design and technology and geography. However, the school does not plan systematically for pupils to use their skills in other curriculum areas and this is unsatisfactory. Long Toft Primary School - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils currently in Year 2 are attaining standards that are appropriate for their age and their achievement is good. • Pupils currently in Year 6 are attaining standards that are well below those expected for the pupils’ age and achievement is unsatisfactory. • Leadership and management are good. • Pupils’ attitudes are good, they enjoy practical science activities. • Assessment information is not used sufficiently well in Years 3 to 6 to inform teachers’ planning and plan activities for the more able pupils.

p.26

Commentary

62. Pupils currently in Year 2 are attaining standards that mainly match those expected for their age and achievement is good. However, progression from Year 3 to Year 6 is unsatisfactory as by Year 6, few pupils are attaining the levels expected for their age and there is limited evidence of higher attainment. Pupils are often engaged in activities, which take time, but do not raise achievement in science. For example, pupils spend time cutting and sticking, colouring or copying writing and do not have sufficient opportunities to investigate, collaborate, discuss findings or work independently. 63. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are well supported by teaching assistants and support staff and they make good progress and achieve well.

p.26

Commentary

64. Teaching and learning are mainly satisfactory with evidence of good teaching. In Years 1 and 2, teaching and learning are good and pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils talk enthusiastically and knowledgeably about a range of scientific topics, including healthy eating. They know about the effects of exercise on their bodies and explain correctly that the heart and lungs work harder to move blood around the body when exercising. Teaching is inconsistent in Years 3 to 6 and pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory. There are times when insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to learn through practical activities. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to plan their own investigations and spend too much time recording information. As many pupils have problems with writing, they do not make good enough progress in developing their scientific thinking. Information and communication technology is used appropriately in some classes, as was seen when Year 5 pupils used the

p.26

Commentary

Internet to find out about the phases of the moon. Coverage of the knowledge aspects of science is thorough but not enough attention is given to experimental and investigative science throughout the school, particularly in allowing pupils to plan their own investigations. For example, Year 6 pupils had to be shown how to record a systematic approach to an investigation, as they were unfamiliar with the necessary procedures.

p.26

Commentary

65. Leadership is good and management is satisfactory. The co-ordinators know what has to be done to raise standards and have comprehensive plans in place to do so. These plans however, have recently been implemented and have not had sufficient time to impact on standards and the quality of teaching and learning. Assessment information is not used sufficiently well to ensure that that the more able pupils are appropriately challenged and teachers do not always use knowledge of prior attainment to inform their future planning. The marking of work does not provide sufficient guidance to pupils about what they have done well and how they might improve their work. Resources are very good and are used well by staff and pupils. Long Toft Primary School - 27

p.26

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resource facilities are very good. • Leadership and management are good • ICT is not used consistently to support learning in other subjects.

p.27

Commentary

66. Pupils currently in Years 2 and 6 are attaining standards that are below those expected for their age. Achievement is satisfactory however, for the majority of pupils. Standards in ICT have been adversely affected by the amalgamation of the two schools in September 2002 as the ICT suite in the junior school was unable to be used during the extensive rebuilding work. It was not until June 2003 that the ICT resources in the new school were fully functional. Resources now are very good with a very good ICT suite available for use and ample computers, including laptops, available in classrooms. Interactive whiteboards are also used in some classrooms. 67. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. The ICT support assistant provides good support in the ICT suite, giving effective explanations and demonstrations that help pupils know what is expected of them. She uses good questioning techniques to assess pupils’ understanding.

p.27

Commentary

Pupils have very positive attitudes to ICT. During discussions they said that they enjoyed working with computers. Pupils are well behaved in the ICT suite because of the good use of positive reinforcements by teachers which promote good behaviour. 68. Some teachers are more confident than others in teaching ICT skills in the suite and using technology in their classrooms. In the best lessons, teachers are able to use the interactive white boards to engage pupils’ interest well. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils were encouraged to recognise good page design through a multi-media program and used animation techniques effectively to refine the quality of their presentations. In the less satisfactory lessons, teachers do not have the subject knowledge to support pupils in their tasks, the pace is slow and activities planned do not encourage pupils to improve their ICT skills. There is very little evidence of the use of assessment information to inform future

p.27

Commentary

planning or to respond to individual needs. However, good support is given to pupils with special educational needs during lessons in the ICT suite. 69. Leadership is good and management is satisfactory with the subject co-ordinators having identified areas for development within their action plan and there are good assessment and tracking systems now in place. However, there has been insufficient time for the action plan to impact on the standards and achievement of pupils. The curriculum offered is broad and balanced and curricular planning follows national guidelines. The co-ordinators set good examples for staff by using ICT effectively in their own classrooms and by being keen to help and support their colleagues. The co-ordinators know that areas such as the use of assessment information and the preparing of an ICT portfolio are key areas for improvement. Training needs for teachers and support staff have been also identified. There is an ICT club

p.27

Commentary

for pupils from Years 5 and 6 and this effectively enhances curricular provision.

p.27

Information and technology across the curriculum

70. Information and communication technology is not used sufficiently or effectively to support literacy and numeracy and therefore does not help to raise standards in these subjects. There was some evidence of the use of ICT in science, history and geography in some classrooms but this was not consistent throughout the school. Long Toft Primary School - 28

p.27

HUMANITIES

71. In humanities, work was sampled in geography and history as only two lessons were seen in geography and none in history. It is not possible, therefore, to make an overall judgement about provision in these subjects. Evidence from pupils’ work and from talking to them enables secure judgements to be made about standards in both subjects which by Years 2 and 6 are below those expected for their age but achievement is satisfactory.

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HUMANITIES

72. In geography by Year 2, pupils know how to use maps and can identify key geographical features. Recently they have studied Australia and they speak confidently about this country and how it differs from where they live. Year 6 pupils speak enthusiastically about their visit to the coast where they drew maps of the beach and learned about the physical and human features of a coastal environment. In history , Year 2 pupils know about timelines and know the differences between things that happened in the past and those that happened today. Year 6 pupils have some knowledge of different periods of history, for example Egyptian and Roman civilisations and they can talk accurately about features of Tudor times. Visits to museums play an important part of history provision, ensuring that pupils have first hand experiences to support their learning.

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HUMANITIES

73. Leadership and management of both subjects are satisfactory. The subject co-ordinators are aware of strengths and areas for development and have clear action plans in place to rectify the weaknesses. They know that the use of assessment information needs to be improved. They also recognise the need to develop a shared understanding between staff of agreed assessment outcomes so that teachers’ planning builds more effectively upon previous learning. Resources are good, although the use of ICT as a support for learning is under developed in some classes.

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Religious education

Provision for religious education is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by Year 2 and Year 6 are below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus . • Teaching is satisfactory overall, but some inconsistencies, particularly in Years 3 to 6, have a negative impact on standards and achievement. • Lessons are not always focused well enough on the learning intentions. • Conclusions to lessons in some instances consolidate pupils’ learning well. • There are too few opportunities for pupils in Years 3 to 6 to use and apply their language and literacy skills.

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Commentary

74. The standards attained by pupils in both Year 2 and Year 6 are below the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Teachers’ planning shows that an appropriate range of topics have been covered and visits out of school, such as to the local church, enhance curricular provision satisfactorily. However, discussions with pupils in Years 2 and 6 shows that they have remembered very little of what has been taught and their achievement is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

75. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Where it is good, pupils are well motivated by the teachers’ enthusiasm, by well planned activities which challenge their thinking and by the teachers’ good use of praise to boost their confidence and self esteem. The conclusions to lessons are used well to consolidate pupils’ learning. In less successful lessons, teachers do not focus well enough on the learning intentions, pupils are not always fully included in all parts of lessons, and behaviour is not managed well enough. As a result, pupils lose interest and make few gains in their learning. Suitable opportunities are provided in most lessons for Long Toft Primary School - 29 pupils to work collaboratively, but sometimes drama activities do not sufficiently enhance pupils’ speaking and listening skills because they are not well organised by the teacher. Also, for pupils in Years 3 to 6, there are too few opportunities for them to use their language and

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Commentary

literacy skills to record their work or to research information using ICT or the range of non- fiction books available to them.

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Commentary

76. Leadership and management are satisfactory, although the role of the co-ordinators needs to be developed further to check upon the quality of teaching and learning. The co-ordinators’ clear action plan focuses on the need to develop further the pupils’ speaking and listening skills and their awareness of living in a multi- cultural society. Assessment and recording systems are satisfactory, but assessment information is not used effectively in all classes to plan future work. Written marking does not clearly identify what pupils have done well and what they need to do to improve their work. Resources to support the curriculum are very good and are used well by staff and pupils.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. There was insufficient evidence to make judgements on teaching and learning in art and design , design and technology and music , and therefore, no judgements are made on provision in these subjects . However, these was sufficient evidence to make a secure judgement on standards which are above those expected for the pupils’ age in art and design and match those expected for their age in design and technology . In music, there was insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement on standards or achievement.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. In art and design, achievement is good. The school environment is effectively enhanced by displays of pupils’ work, which show that pupils have been offered a good range of activities and the use of a variety of different media. By Year 2, pupils draw using a variety of media, including pencil and felts. They produce drawings of good quality which are often linked to work in other curricular areas. For example, work in geography inspired pupils to produce good quality aboriginal art which showed a good understanding of colour, tone and texture. Good quality clay figures of the three kings for a Christmas display are evident and some good observational drawings of holly and ivy leaves are part of this display. This display showed a good understanding of the use of different tools and techniques. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 mix paint to produce a variety of tones and textures. They have produced large paintings

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

using colour mixing techniques and tone to illustrate work done in history about the Romans. Pupils in Year 5 have painted detailed pictures of the sun, moon and earth as part of a science topic on the solar system, another good curriculum link. Pupils’ social development is promoted well, as pupils say they have many opportunities to work together in pairs or in groups in this subject.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. In design and technology, achievement is satisfactory. Again there are good links made with other curriculum areas. For example, pupils in Year 1 have made candlesticks and Torahs as part of their work on Hanukkah and pupils in Year 6 have made hats as a result of work on Tudor England. Pupils can identify the appropriate tools and the materials necessary to make different products, for example a pencil holder in a Year 2 class. Occasionally, however, the work for the more able is insufficiently challenging as they are given the same techniques and materials to use as other pupils. Some unsatisfactory teaching was observed. This was because the pace of the lesson was too slow, the teacher spent too long talking to pupils without involving them and the tasks expected from pupils lacked challenge. Pupils consequently made poor progress. Pupils in the main however, enjoy design and technology and show enthusiasm when appropriately involved.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. Curricular planning shows that the school delivers a broad and balanced music curriculum and there is evidence of music being used effectively in physical education, including dance lessons, to promote good listening skills. Pupils have good attitudes towards this subject, as was seen during the acts of worship when pupils sang a variety of songs and hymns tunefully and enthusiastically. The singing of the school choir adds an appropriate spiritual dimension Long Toft Primary School - 30 to acts of worship. The peripatetic music service supports the school well, providing good instrumental tuition for the strings, brass and guitar. Visitors to the school, for example ‘rap’ artists also support pupils’ music development. The school choir and musicians perform in the local church and in the local community centre promoting good community links.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. Leadership is good and management is satisfactory. The subject co-ordinators have a clear view of standards in their subject and have good action plans in place to rectify weaknesses. Co-ordinators are aware that not all teachers use assessment information effectively enough to ensure that pupils’ learning is continuous throughout the school. As yet however, they have not had sufficient time to implement their action plans. The local secondary school is a community arts college and the school benefits from links with its staff and students. Working with the students from the school, a current project involved the painting of a large mural in a cloakroom area. The school provides a very rich and stimulating visual and tactile environment. The school has created several garden areas of different character, which stimulate an interest in colour, tone and texture in addition to being places for quiet reflection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The school has a very good range of resources for the teaching of these subjects which are organised well to meet the needs of the curriculum. Although there is some use of ICT, it is inconsistent.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision in physical education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good resources are available to support pupils’ learning. • Good teacher assessments, which are made at the end of each half term, help the subject co- ordinators to maintain a secure view on pupils’ progress. • The subject co-ordinators have a good action plan to rectify key areas for development. • The behaviour of a few pupils in lessons is poor and hinders their progress. • Pupils’ attitudes in general are good and they enjoy physical education activities.

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Commentary

82. Standards in physical education by Years 2 and 6 match those that are expected for their age and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Physical education makes a good contribution to social development encouraging pupils to work in pairs and groups. Good links are also made with other areas of the curriculum; for example, a dance lesson for Year 4 pupils was based on work done in literacy on the book ‘The Animals of Farthing Wood’.

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Commentary

83. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. In the lessons observed for pupils in Years 1 and 2, the teaching was good and pupils achieved well. In a good lesson, planning was secure showing learning intentions, key vocabulary and the main activities. There was a good warm up and a good link with health education when the teacher spent some time getting pupils to notice the changes in their bodies after exercise. Pupils were able to note the increase in heart rate, their breathing and the colour of their cheeks and explain the reasons for this. In the lessons observed for pupils in Years 3 to 6 the teaching was satisfactory overall. However, some unsatisfactory teaching was observed. In one lesson, the behaviour of a few pupils was poor and prevented other pupils from learning. This was because tasks were inappropriate, organisation was poor and time was not used well. In another lesson, too

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Commentary

many pupils were not taking part because they had not got the appropriate clothing to wear.

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Commentary

84. Provision is enhanced well by a good range of extra-curricular activities. A wide range of activities are planned including gymnastics, dance, team games and swimming. The range and quality of resources are very good. There are two halls available for gymnastic and dance lessons and large hard and grass outdoor areas. There is a very good range of small apparatus for use in games and gymnastics. These are well-organised and easily Long Toft Primary School - 31 accessible in two indoor and two outdoor stores. Good community links exist with the Doncaster Arts’ team working with the school promoting dance and drama activities. Good use has been made of a professional basketball coach in teaching basketball skills. A large sports hall in planned for 2005 as a part of the extended school provision.

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Commentary

85. The leadership is good and the effectiveness of management is satisfactory as there has been insufficient time for the co-ordinators to implement their good action plan. The curriculum is broad and balanced and is based on the local education authority guidelines. The subject co-ordinator has a clear view of the subject and half termly assessments help the co-ordinator to keep track of pupil progress.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is good

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school offers a good broad and balanced curriculum. • Leadership and management of the subject are good. • Resources are good. • Teaching is inconsistent in Years 3 to 6

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Commentary

86. Standards throughout the school are below those of pupils of a similar age. Achievement of pupils in Years 1 and 2 is good and it is satisfactory for those pupils in Years 3 to 6. Pupils are developing confidence and gaining an understanding of how to lead a healthy, safer life. They are beginning to develop good relationships and respect the differences between people.

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Commentary

87. The school works hard to offer a good broad and balanced curriculum. A variety of people who work in the community such as the police, road safety and health and safety officers come into school to talk to the pupils. Drugs’ awareness is planned with the school nurse and a special ‘Health Day’ is organised. The school is part of the local Healthy Schools’ initiative and is involved in the national fruit scheme. There is good use made of ‘circle-time’ throughout the school to help pupils express themselves and respect one another. Pupils say they enjoy ‘circle-time’ as it gives them the opportunity to express opinions and develop good relationships between each other. There is very good support given to pupils in ‘The Zone’ and ‘The Nest’ which is particularly effective in supporting those pupils who have social, emotional or behavioural needs. ‘Brain Gym’ (activities which encourage pupils’ thinking

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Commentary

skills) is used successfully to motivate pupils and support those with social and emotional needs.

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Commentary

88. Teaching and learning are good in Years 1 and 2 and satisfactory overall in Years 3 to 6. In the good lessons observed there were opportunities for speaking and listening and paired discussions. Pupils were able to learn through practical activities and good use of resources. In a good Year 2 lesson, a witch puppet was used effectively by the class teacher to tell a story, which helped the pupils to have a better understanding of how someone who is different might feel. In another lesson the teacher effectively built on previous work helping pupils to develop an understanding of teamwork. In a less satisfactory lesson, the work did not challenge the pupils and did not allow them to work independently or co-operatively. Pupils in this lesson were unable to make choices and use their own ideas, as too much time was spent listening to the teacher talk.

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Commentary

89. Leadership and management are good with identified areas for improvement in a comprehensive action plan. Since the two schools amalgamated, developing pupils’ Long Toft Primary School - 32 personal qualities has been high on the agenda. Resources are good and are used well. The co-ordinators have opportunities to support other staff, particularly those working in the ‘Nest’. The co-ordinators try hard to promote successfully a positive image for citizenship with structured programmes and through initiatives such as the school council and ‘buddy’ system. Long Toft Primary School - 33

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PART D: MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 8 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 6 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 6 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 4 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 1 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 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 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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