Mawnan CofE VA Primary School

MAWNAN CE (VA) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Mawnan CE (VA) 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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MAWNAN CE (VA) 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. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 108

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Shute Hill Mawnan Smith Falmouth Cornwall Postcode: TR11 5HQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01326 250660 Fax number: 01326 250446

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Pauline Smith

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 to 29 April 1998

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Characteristics of the school

Mawnan Primary Church of England, Voluntary Aided School was established in 1834. It moved to its present site and buildings in 1972. At the time of the inspection there were 108 pupils on roll from Nursery to Year 6. The school serves the villages of Mawnan Smith, Durgan and Maenorth. About 25 per cent of the pupils come from outside the considered catchment area. Nearly all the pupils come from White British background and the school has no pupils with English as an additional language. About 16 per cent of the pupil population have special educational needs and this is in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. In 2003, the school received Healthy Schools and Schools Achievement awards. At the time of the inspection, the deputy headteacher was on long-term absence. Two temporary teachers covered her role as Foundation Stage teacher and a senior teacher was acting deputy headteacher.

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

22092 Derek Watts Lead inspector Foundation Stage Mathematics Information and communication technology Design and technology Science Special educational needs 9712 Jan Barber Lay inspector 3855 David Langton Team inspector English Art and design History Geography Music English as an additional language

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Limited Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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 inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Mawnan CE (VA) 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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OVERALL EVALUATION

Mawnan is a good school with very good features. Standards are generally above average and most pupils are achieving well owing to good teaching and a well-planned and implemented curriculum. Leadership and management are good overall, with the headteacher providing very good leadership. A very positive ethos for all pupils to learn has been created. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses: • Standards are generally above average by Year 2 and Year 6. • Provision for music is very good and standards are well above average by Year 6. • Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher provides very good leadership and is highly regarded by pupils, parents and staff. • Teaching and learning are good overall and pupils achieve well. • Pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics is not as good in Years 3 and 4 as in the rest of the school. • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and behave very well. • The school provides a good curriculum, which is enriched very well. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and pupils make good progress. • There are insufficient writing opportunities in Years 3 to 6. • The presentation of pupils’ written work is not as good as it could be. • The school has very good partnerships with parents, the community and other schools.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has generally maintained the above average standards and the good quality provision that were identified during the last inspection in April 1998. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are still very good. The weaknesses in ICT identified last time have been effectively addressed and the school now provides good opportunities to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different cultures. The governors ensure that all statutory requirements are fulfilled. However, there are still inconsistencies in the presentation of pupils’ work. The accommodation has improved since the last inspection, with classrooms being extended and a new entrance area being built. Overall, the school has made good improvements since the last inspection.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good overall. Attainment on entry to the Nursery varies from year to year but is broadly average. Children in Nursery and Reception achieve well in all areas of learning because of good teaching.

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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 C B A B mathematics D C A A science D C A D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The table shows that results in the national tests for Year 6 in 2003 were well above average in English, mathematics and science. This was a particularly high-attaining year group. Test results have steadily improved during the last three years. National test results for Year 2 in 2003 were well above average in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. Test results fluctuate, particularly in Year 2, because of variations in the composition of the year group. In the Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 7 current Year 2, standards are above average in speaking and listening, reading, writing, mathematics, science and music. In the current Year 6, standards are well above average in speaking and listening, above average in reading and average in writing. Standards are well above average in music and above average in mathematics, science and ICT. In Year 2 and Year 6, standards are above average in art and design and design and technology.

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Pupils’ personal development is very good and is promoted well by the very good provision

for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils enjoy school. They have very positive attitudes to learning and behave very well. Relationships among pupils and between adults and pupils are very good throughout the school. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. Teaching and learning are good. Teaching ranges from satisfactory to very good. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to develop speaking and listening skills and these are very good by Year 6. However, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to apply and develop their writing in Years 3 to 6. As a result, standards in writing are average, while they are above average in most other subjects. Pupils’ written presentation is inconsistent in Years 3 to 6, as expectation and guidance on this are not sufficiently clear. The teaching of English and mathematics is satisfactory in Years 3 and 4 and so pupils are not achieving as well as the rest of the school in these subjects. The teaching of music is very good and this results in high standards by Year 6. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and these pupils achieve well because of good teaching and effective support from teaching assistants. The school

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

provides a good curriculum throughout the school and extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors enrich this very well. Musical activities are particularly strong. Links with Penryn and Falmouth Community School enhance the curriculum and assist pupil transfer. Parents and the community contribute well to the curriculum.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher is enthusiastic and provides very good leadership. With staff, the headteacher has created a very positive school ethos and very good partnerships with parents and the community. Leadership and management in most areas of the school are good. The governing body is supportive and effective. Governors have a clear knowledge and understanding of the school’s performance.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents hold positive views about the school and support their children’s learning well. The school attracts over a quarter of its pupils from outside the considered catchment area. Pupils are very pleased with their school, particularly their headteacher. They participate well in the wide range of activities on offer and feel that they are given good opportunities to take responsibility.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise pupils’ achievement to good levels in Years 3 and 4 in English and mathematics. • Extend the range of writing opportunities in Years 3 to 6 in order to lift the profile of writing and raise standards from average to above average. • Improve the consistency of pupils’ written presentation and handwriting in Years 3 to 6. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Overall, standards are above average by Year 2 and Year 6. Most pupils, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs, are achieving well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average in English, mathematics and science in Year 2 and Year 6. • Standards in music are above average in Year 2 and well above average by Year 6. • Achievement in English and mathematics in Years 3 and 4 is satisfactory rather than good. • Standards are above average in art and design and in design and technology in Years 2 and 6. • There are insufficient opportunities for writing in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

1. Children’s attainment on entry to the Nursery is broadly average. Most children achieve well because they receive good teaching and are provided with a well-planned and implemented curriculum. Children are on course to exceed the expected Early Learning Goals by the end of Reception in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal, social and emotional development. Children are likely to meet the expected goals in knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development.

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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 17.1 (15.8) 15.7 (15.8) writing 15.2 (13.7) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.8 (15.0) 16.3 (16.5) There were 17 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. National Curriculum test results for Year 2 in 2003 were well above the national average in reading, above average in writing and average in mathematics. Results were above average overall. Parent volunteer helpers and parent booklets to encourage home help contribute to high standards in reading. Test results in Year 2 fluctuate from year to year. In 2001, results were well above average overall but then fell to below average overall in the following year. Fluctuations in results are due to small cohorts and variation in the composition of each year group. In Year 2, in 2003, one pupil represented nearly six per cent of the school’s results. Gender differences in results are generally in line with the national trends, with girls performing better than the boys in reading and writing but boys performing better than the girls in mathematics. Standards in the current Year 2 are above average in speaking and listening,

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Commentary

reading, writing and mathematics. All pupils are achieving well because they receive good teaching in Years 1 and 2.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results English 29.4 (27.7) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 29.7 (27.0) 26.8 (26.7) science 29.7 (29.3) 28.6 (28.3 ) Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 9 There were 20 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year 3. Results of the National Curriculum tests for Year 6 in 2003 were well above the national average in English and mathematics and above average in science. The school has identified the 2003 Year 6 as a high-attaining year group. Test data show that pupils achieved well in English from their prior attainment in Year 2 and very well in mathematics. However, achievement from Year 2 to Year 6 was barely satisfactory in science and the proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 was lower than in English and mathematics. The school has identified this and has made science a priority in its improvement planning. It has increased

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Commentary

investigative work and will monitor teaching. In the 2003 results, the boys performed better than the girls in English. This goes against the national trend but in previous years the girls have outperformed the boys in this subject.

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Commentary

4. Standards in the current Year 6 are well above average in speaking and listening. This is because the school provides good opportunities in a range of subjects for pupils to apply and develop language skills. Standards are above average in reading but average in writing. Standards are lower in writing than in other areas of English because pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to write at length in a range of styles and for different audiences. Standards are above average in mathematics by Year 6. Overall, pupils achieve well from Years 3 to 6 in English and mathematics but achievement is not consistently good. Achievement in Years 3 and 4 is satisfactory rather than good because teaching is satisfactory rather than good. In English and mathematics in these year groups, expectations, levels of challenge and the pace of lessons are not as high as in the rest of the school.

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Commentary

5. In science, standards are above average in Year 2 and in Year 6. All pupils are achieving well in science from their prior attainment because of the good teaching they receive. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are broadly average by Year 2 and above average by Year 6. Achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6. Pupils are using ICT satisfactorily to support their learning in other subjects with some good examples in mathematics.

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Commentary

6. Music is a clear strength at Mawnan. Standards are above average by Year 2 and well above average by Year 6. Pupils receive very good teaching by teachers at Mawnan and by visiting teachers. High proportions of pupils receive specialist instrumental tuition and play in the school band. Pupils have very good opportunities to perform in assemblies and in concerts. Standards in art and design and design and technology are above average in Year 2 and in Year 6. Throughout the school, pupils are achieving well in these subjects because they are given good opportunities to acquire and develop a range of appropriate skills.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because they are well taught and receive effective support from teaching assistants.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. Pupils’ attitudes to learning help them to make good progress because they enter lessons wanting to learn. The opportunities to promote spiritual, moral, cultural and social development are very good. The high quality provision in these aspects has been maintained since the last inspection. Punctuality is good and attendance is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. • Behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good overall, but when teaching is less than good in Years 3 and 4 some pupils no longer remain focused and behaviour falls to satisfactory levels. • Staff praise pupils and successfully build their self-esteem and confidence. • The school has high expectations of its pupils. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 10 • The provision for spiritual, moral, cultural and social development is very good overall.

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Commentary

8. Children enter the school on a part-time basis and move up to full-time schooling in Reception in the term prior to their fifth birthday. They settle happily into school and quickly learn essential routines and expectations of behaviour. They establish good relationships with each other and the adults with whom they come into contact. They respond positively in work and in play activities.

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Commentary

9. As pupils progress through the school they show very good attitudes towards their work and the people around them. They ask and answer questions appropriately from an early age and join in discussions, eagerly offering their own ideas and listening to those expressed by others. The pupils with special educational needs respond positively in lessons and are well supported.

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Commentary

10. Behaviour in classes and around the school is very good generally. When teaching is less than good, some pupils’ behaviour deteriorates to satisfactory levels. Pupils respond very well to the school’s caring ethos and there is much evidence that this leads to greater maturity in pupils as they move through the school. Pupils are keen to take responsibility and there are fourteen pupils on the Children’s Committee or School Council, with representation from Years 1 to 6. The ‘Special Friends’ initiative, where older pupils are paired with younger ones for joint activities both academic and social, contributes positively to the good relationships in the school. Lunchtime equipment monitors take it in turns to run the ‘‘Huff and Puff’’ initiative lending out play items. This is helpful in encouraging responsibility. Playtimes and lunchtime are pleasant and well supervised. There have been no exclusions in the year prior to the

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Commentary

inspection. The school has established a clear code of behaviour. Bullying is not perceived as an issue by parents, pupils or staff and incidents are dealt with promptly and effectively.

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Commentary

11. Provision for the spiritual development of pupils is very good. Religious education and assemblies play a major part in this, but spiritual development is also fostered in many other areas of the school. Teachers encourage pupils not only to express their own feelings, but also to consider and respect those of others. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own lives and to develop self-knowledge and spiritual awareness. Pupils have the opportunities to learn about the traditions of major world religions. This equips them to have respect for people of different faiths and traditions as well as to acquire a moral code for themselves.

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Commentary

12. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. Pupils are very clearly taught the difference between right and wrong in a variety of ways, including through stories, in assemblies and in discussions with teachers. This happens as soon as the pupils start school and all members of the staff expect pupils to behave well and responsibly and to be kind and understanding in their dealings with each other. These expectations are reinforced by praise and positive example. The strong behaviour policy and life skills policy incorporating personal and social education, drugs and sex education are conducive to very good provision in this area.

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Commentary

13. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good. Relationships between staff and pupils are very good and promote caring attitudes, together with courtesy and mutual respect. Social development is encouraged by the expectation that pupils will take responsibility for a variety of tasks within the classroom and around the school. These include tidying away equipment, acting as ‘Special Friends’ to younger pupils and assisting with lending out play equipment at lunchtime. Parents are invited to a Sharing Assembly at least once every half term and pupils are taught the responsibilities of living in a community. The school also helps to develop a caring attitude towards others through its support for various charities.

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Commentary

14. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. The school organises various educational visits and visitors to promote this. Within the curriculum, pupils gain an insight into their own cultural heritage in history, learn about other countries in geography and explore other Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 11 cultures in religious education, music and art and deisgn. Pupils raise funds for a school in Zambia in conjunction with the Church and are aware of the deprivations in Africa. A Japanese student has worked in the school recently and pupils have gained knowledge and understanding of education and life in Japan.

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Commentary

15. The level of attendance for the academic year 2002-2003 is in line with the national average at 94.1 per cent. The pupils are keen to come to school and unauthorised absence is minimal. The school follows up any concerns over attendance or lateness effectively. Parents are aware of their responsibilities in telephoning the school to explain that a pupil is absent and following this with a letter on their return. Pupils are punctual and the registers are completed in accordance with statutory requirements. The low level of unauthorised absence can be attributed to the support of the parents and the school’s good monitoring procedures.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.8 School data 0.1 National data 5.4 National data 0.4

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Commentary

The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year .

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Exclusions

There were no exclusions in the previous school year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided is good. Teaching and learning are good overall and the school offers a well-planned curriculum with very good enrichment opportunities.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall. The quality of assessment and its use are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching of music is very good and this contributes to the well above average standards by Year 6. • The teaching of English and mathematics in Years 3 and 4 is satisfactory rather than good. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in these subjects rather than well. • Opportunities for speaking and listening are good but there are insufficient opportunities for writing in Years 3 to 6. • Visiting teachers contribute very well to teaching and learning. • Pupils’ presentation of written work is inconsistent in Years 3 to 6.

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Commentary

16. Teaching and learning are good overall. During the inspection, 19 lessons were seen from Nursery to Year 6. The teaching in Nursery and Reception is good, with examples of very good teaching. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is good, with very good examples seen in English. In Years 3 to 6 teaching is also good overall, with examples of very good teaching in science, music and ICT. The teaching of English and mathematics in Years 3 and 4 is satisfactory rather than good. As a result, pupils’ achievement in these years is satisfactory in these subjects. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 12 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 19 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

17. Teachers have a good command of the areas of learning and all the subjects of the National Curriculum. The headteacher and visiting music teachers demonstrate considerable expertise in music and this accounts for the high standards in music and the very good provision. Lesson planning is generally effective, with clear learning objectives identified, and these are shared with the class so they know what they are to learn. In the best lessons, planning takes full account of the different levels of attainment and work is well matched to pupils’ attainment and needs. In some lessons, tasks are not sufficiently matched to needs so not all pupils are appropriately challenged, particularly the higher attainers. Teachers’ expectations and the level of challenge provided are generally good, although these are not as high in the teaching of English and mathematics in Years 3 and 4. As a result, the pupils in these years achieve

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Commentary

satisfactorily in these subjects. Achievement is good in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 5 and 6 where expectations and challenge are higher.

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Commentary

18. Teachers use a range of methods to promote pupils’ learning. Explanations and instructions are clear and informative and pupils make good gains in the acquisition of knowledge. Effective questioning is used to challenge pupils’ thinking and to check their understanding. The school is particularly effective in developing pupils’ language skills. There are good opportunities throughout the school for pupils to acquire and apply speaking and listening skills. As a result, standards in speaking and listening are well above average by Year 6. However, standards in writing are only average by Year 6. This is because there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to write in a variety of styles and for different purposes. Opportunities to develop pupils’ writing in subjects such as science, history and geography are often missed. Pupils are given good opportunities to work in pairs or in small groups in lessons such as

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Commentary

science, mathematics and ICT. As a result, pupils’ ability to work collaboratively is well developed. Pupils’ presentation of written work is inconsistent and too many pupils do not show sufficient care and pride in this area. Expectations and clear guidance on how pupils are expected to present their work are lacking.

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Commentary

19. Learning resources are used well throughout the school to promote pupils’ learning. The school has recently installed computer-linked whiteboards in each classroom. The school has experienced some technical problems with these but they are generally used well to enhance teachers’ presentation skills. For example, in a Year 1 and 2 mathematics lesson the teacher used this facility well to illustrate place value. In a science lesson with Years 3 and 4 the teacher gave a clear and attractive presentation on the development of the nature reserve.

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Commentary

20. Teaching assistants are experienced and effectively deployed and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. They are particularly effective in supporting pupils with special educational needs. This enables these pupils to have full access to the learning activities and they make good gains in their learning. A number of voluntary helpers make good contributions to classroom activities. Teachers are using the computer suite and whiteboards well to support teaching and learning, particularly in mathematics. However, the computers in the classroom were rarely used during the inspection.

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Commentary

21. The school has effective systems for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment, particularly in English and mathematics. Assessment information is generally used well to guide future planning and teaching. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 13

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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum for all age groups, which is very well enriched. The accommodation and resources are good overall, and used very well to support pupils’ learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good provision for participation in sports and the arts. • Provision for music is very good and this contributes to high standards. • The very good range of extra-curricular activities for pupils in Years 3–6 and the number of visits and visitors enhance the curriculum very well. • The good accommodation and resources are very well used to extend the curriculum through drama, and there is innovative use of the Carwinion Reserve. • Provision for special educational needs is good. • Writing and the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum and in classrooms are under-developed.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum for children in Nursery and Reception is good. All areas of learning are effectively planned and provided for. The curriculum for Years 1 to 6 has been carefully organised in two-yearly cycles to provide effectively for the three classes with two age groups. It is appropriately broad and well balanced. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and these pupils achieve as well as other pupils. Arrangements for the discussion and writing of Individual Education Plans are especially good. The provision made to challenge higher-attaining pupils is not always sufficient. Curricular provision has improved well since the previous inspection, especially in the creation of an ICT suite, addressing a weakness identified by the previous inspection, but the use of computers in other subjects, within the classroom, is less well developed. Provision to improve pupils’ writing is underdeveloped.

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Commentary

Provision for music is very good and this contributes to the high standards by Year 6. Over half of the pupils in Years 3–6 learn an instrument individually, and the school band is outstanding, especially for a school of this small size. It plays regularly in assemblies and outside the school in festivals, on local public occasions and for pensioners at Christmas.

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Commentary

23. The curriculum is very well enriched through a wide variety of clubs such as football, netball, French, recorders, canoeing, sailing, bowls, netball, tennis and basketball. Pupils participate very well in the activities and clubs on offer. For example, 22 pupils were observed in an after- school drama club, preparing for an Easter entertainment for parents. During the inspection players from Plymouth Raiders basketball team shared training skills with the whole school before coaching older pupils. Participation in sports and the arts is very good. School teams perform well in local and county tournaments, for example in tag rugby, where they represented Cornwall in a regional competition. There are strong links with the Penryn Partnership for sporting and musical activities. The timetabled use of drama and good cross- curricular links in science, art and geography through use of the school’s natural area site - the

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Commentary

Carwinion woodland reserve – including a presentation made at County Hall, encourage care and understanding of the environment and further enhance the quality of the curriculum. Visits and visitors are arranged for all classes, including a residential week for older pupils. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are taken to see two Shakespeare plays, art work is displayed in local galleries, at the Tate in St. Ives and in Newlyn, and visits are arranged to stately homes of historic interest, and places such as the Eden project. Pupils are involved in local activities such as the village bazaar, the Church and projects in well-known Cornish locations such as Glendurgan, Trebath and the Kerrier district.

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Commentary

24. The school is appropriately staffed, and good support is given by teaching assistants, who work very well with teachers, contributing positively to the raising of standards. Visiting teachers for dance and music offer high quality teaching and further enhance the school’s curriculum. The accommodation has improved considerably since the previous inspection. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 14 Classrooms for pupils in Years 3–6 have been enlarged, and an ICT suite of 11 computers established. Innovative planning enables the school to keep a library, in shelving units that can be transported elsewhere when the library area is required for drama and music productions. A separate resources room is well used for food technology lessons and for the many instrumental lessons organised by the school. Outside there is a good-sized field for athletics, physical activity apparatus, pond and environmental area, of which the school is justly proud.

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Commentary

Resources are good overall, including the recent installation of interactive whiteboards in classrooms, which enhance teachers’ presentation skills.

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Care, guidance and support

The pupils’ welfare, health and safety are very well catered for throughout the school. The school provides them with good support, advice and guidance and involves them well in its work and development. The high quality has been maintained in this area since the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The care given to pupils ensures they feel secure so that they can do their best. • The school carefully monitors how well pupils are doing. Monitoring resulting in target setting is good, but some reports do not contain the necessary detail. • Adults working in the school are very good role models for pupils.

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Commentary

25. The school is inclusive, with many very good features in the way pupils’ well-being, general care and safety are promoted in the school. Pupils are well supported by the ethos of the school and the very caring approaches of all staff. Close relationships between the staff and pupils are evident and pupils are well known to teachers and all other staff. Staff are very good role models for pupils.

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Commentary

26. The school provides very effective support, advice and guidance for all its pupils. This is informed by very good monitoring of their personal development, behaviour and attendance. Records of academic progress are good, including those for pupils with special educational needs, and enable progress to be monitored closely. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make satisfactory progress. Individual Education Plans help pupils to meet their targets and parents are involved in annual reviews. This good provision makes a strong contribution to the educational standards achieved. However, some school reports do not contain sufficient detail to enable individual pupils to improve in specific areas.

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Commentary

27. The caring staff and a wide range of sound policies enable pupils to receive very good support and guidance and to learn in a happy and safe environment. Teachers know their pupils very well and the school’s positive ethos enables teaching and learning to flourish. Pupils are consulted and their opinions valued. The School Council meets regularly and various items are discussed. Pupils were involved in choosing the colour schemes when one of the classrooms was refurbished. Procedures for monitoring discipline and promoting good behaviour are very good. The behaviour policy is effective and pupils understand and appreciate the standards of behaviour expected from them. The procedures for promoting good attendance are good and parents are aware of their responsibilities in this area.

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Commentary

28. The liaison between the school and the local playgroups and the gradual progression to full- time education at the school ensures a smooth transition with sharing of information about both social and academic matters. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 15 29. Procedures for child protection and health and safety checks are very good. The headteacher is the named person with the responsibility for child protection and is well trained and informed. Any incidents are dealt with under the County Inter-Agency Child Protection Procedures. Clear guidance exists for all staff and staff are aware of their responsibilities in this area.

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Commentary

30. The school provides a safe environment for all its pupils. There are sound and effective arrangements for health and safety. There are very good first aid and medical procedures, which are conducive to the well being of pupils in all situations. Procedures for dealing with accidents are well known to pupils and staff and all members of staff have undergone training in first aid.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Communications between parents and the school are very good and parents think highly of the school. The school has very good links with the local community. There are also very positive links with the local secondary school, ensuring a smooth transition when pupils transfer.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Procedures to ensure the satisfaction of parents are very good. • There are very good links with the local community. • The Parent–Teachers Association is very supportive • There is a very good partnership with the Penryn Colleague.

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Commentary

31. Parents’ views, as expressed both before and during the inspection and in response to the questionnaires, indicate that they are pleased with the school. The quality of information provided for parents through reports, weekly newsletters and other leaflets is very good. The newsletter is sponsored by a local business. Topics being studied by the pupils are listed in the newsletter each half term. Parents appreciate the useful information about the school and its activities provided in the prospectus and the many informative induction booklets issued to pupils who start in Reception. There is a comprehensive sharing of information and the school is justifiably proud of its relationship with parents and carers. The school emphasises the importance of working with parents and encouraging them to participate in their children’s education. The home-school notebooks are a useful way of involving parents in their children’s

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Commentary

work, as is the regular provision of homework. To ensure that parents are able to help their children at home the ‘Involvement in Maths for Parents, Children and Teachers’ scheme (IMPACT) is used to explore a wide range of activities. The parents are consulted about issues affecting the school and their opinions are taken into account. Any complaints are resolved promptly.

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Commentary

32. Effective induction procedures are carefully planned. The school forges particularly good links with the parents of pre-school children by inviting them into school regularly. Half-hourly sessions on a weekly basis prior to starting in the Nursery, where children listen to a story and parents may borrow books and other resources and meet other parents, are particularly helpful in ensuring that the children see the school as a familiar, friendly place.

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Commentary

33. The school has good links with a wide range of organisations in the local community. These include the local church, police and businesses. The links that have been established with parents and the community benefit the pupils and make a positive contribution to the pupils’ progress and standards of achievement.

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Commentary

34. The ‘‘Huff and Puff’’ healthy eating project and playtime initiative enhance the already thriving Penryn College partnership between the nine primary feeder schools and the secondary school. There is a ‘‘Huff and Puff’’ scheme that involves the secondary school giving a grant to pay for play equipment. To use this equipment pupils buy a key fob that can be exchanged for Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 16 the play items at lunchtime play and is given back on their return. Older pupils take responsibility for organising this each lunchtime.

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Commentary

35. There is a flourishing Parents and Teachers Association, which raises substantial sums of money for school projects. Recently they have raised money for computers and for carefully chosen, much-used outdoor play equipment for the playground. The PTA is currently raising funds to restore the decommissioned fishing boat that has been incorporated into the adventure playground. Several parents help in the classrooms on a regular basis, and the school has produced a useful handbook to support these parents. Others help occasionally for specific events, for example, school trips. The school organises several out of school clubs. The pupils are very enthusiastic and the clubs range from dance and drama to netball and sailing. The range of clubs available is a tribute to the commitment of the staff in such a small school.

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Commentary

36. Many pupils show a growing awareness of the needs of others - partly due to the school’s support for various charities. These include ‘Red Nose Day’ and ‘Children in Need’. Ongoing projects include a link with a school in Zambia; money is raised annually to supply equipment for this school in conjunction with the Church. Last year money was raised for this by sponsored cycle rides. Pupils also entertain the elderly in the local community with drama and music events.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by other staff. The school is well managed. The governance of the school is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very good leadership and direction and is highly regarded by pupils, parents and staff. • Most areas of the school are well led and managed. • The school has effective systems for monitoring and reviewing its performance. • Teamwork is strong and a positive ethos has been created. • The governors are supportive and effective.

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Commentary

37. The governors are effective and fulfil all statutory requirements. The governors are very supportive and provide appropriate challenge to the senior managers. The governing body is composed of members with a range of useful experience and expertise. This expertise is effectively used to benefit the school. For example, one governor has brought useful expertise as the governors explore Private Funding Initiatives. The ICT governor has made a significant contribution to the improvements in ICT. The governors have a regular programme of visits to the school, which includes working in the classroom. The governing body is well informed and has a clear knowledge and understanding about the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This enables the governors to make a significant contribution to the school’s direction and development. There is good teamwork between the governors and staff and the governors

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Commentary

work collaboratively with staff in development planning.

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Commentary

38. The headteacher provides very good leadership and educational direction. He is actively involved in teaching and learning, particularly the high quality music within the school, and is highly regarded by pupils, parents, governors and staff. Pupils talk about their headteacher with affection and respect. The headteacher has a clear vision and high aspirations for the school, which are shared with staff and governors. Part of the school’s vision, aims and mission is to develop the potential of all individuals, providing a high quality curriculum, creating a positive ethos based on Christian values and maintaining strong partnerships with parents Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 17 and the community. The aims and mission are very well reflected in the day-to-day life of the school.

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Commentary

39. The headteacher is well supported by an acting deputy headteacher. In a school of this size, subject responsibilities are shared among a few teachers. The leadership of music is very good. The leadership of English, mathematics, science, ICT, art and design and special educational needs is good. The effective subject leadership contributes to the good teaching and the above average standards attained.

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Commentary

40. Teamwork is good and the headteacher, with staff has created a very positive school ethos where all pupils are valued and are given good opportunities to achieve well academically and in their personal development.

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Commentary

41. The headteacher has been innovative and influential in providing a good curriculum, which is very well enriched with additional activities and projects. The very good musical provision, visiting teachers and the development of a nearby nature reserve are good examples of curriculum enhancement and innovation.

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Commentary

42. The management of the school is good. The school administrator is friendly and efficient. She provides very good support to the headteacher, who has a significant teaching commitment. The school has effective systems to monitor and review its performance. Teaching is observed on a regular basis by the headteacher, co-ordinators of English and mathematics and local education authority staff. National Curriculum test results are effectively analysed and the information is used well for future planning and target setting.

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Commentary

43. The school has had a settled teaching force since the last inspection, although the deputy headteacher was on long-term absence during the inspection. The deputy headteacher’s role as Foundation Stage leader and teacher, has been covered by two part-time temporary teachers. The mathematics co-ordinator has become acting deputy headteacher and is providing effective support to the headteacher. Overall, the deputy headteacher’s absence has been managed well, so teaching and learning have not been adversely affected.

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Commentary

44. Financial planning and management are good and effectively support the school’s educational priorities. The school makes effective use of specific grants available. The school and governors apply the principles of best value well. Overall, the school provides good value for money.

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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 290,290 Balance from previous year 24,174 Total expenditure 294,674 Balance carried forward to the next 19,790 Expenditure per pupil 2,754 Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Provision for children in Nursery and Reception is good. Four-year-olds attend the Nursery in the morning and they enter the Reception class on a full time basis, at the beginning of the term before they are five. Children’s attainment on entry to Nursery varies from year to year but is broadly average. All children achieve well because they receive good teaching. The curriculum is well planned with an interesting and stimulating range of activities provided. The nursery assistant is effectively deployed and makes a significant contribution to children’s learning. The accommodation and learning resources are good. The good achievement and provision have been maintained since the last inspection.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by the end of Reception. • Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. • Teachers and adults are very good role models for children. • Children relate well with their peers and with adults. • Children have very positive attitudes to learning.

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Commentary

46. Teaching in this area of learning is good. All children achieve well and by the end of Reception most will exceed the expected Early Learning Goals. The teachers and nursery assistant have created a very positive and attractive environment for children to learn in. Rooms are bright and well organised, with displays and items of interest which reflect the current work and inspire and motivate the children. Teachers, support staff and voluntary helpers are very good role models for children. They promote the qualities of careful listening, courtesy, kindness and co-operation very well. As a result, relationships among children and between adults and children are very good. Children are interested and enthusiastic about learning, they feel secure and most are confident. Effective induction procedures help to ensure that children settle in quickly.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by the end of Reception. • Teaching and learning are good. • Teachers and adults provide good opportunities to develop children’s speaking and listening skills. • The love of books is promoted very well.

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Commentary

47. Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well in this area of learning. A significant number will exceed the Early Learning Goals by the end of Reception. Teachers and the Nursery assistant create many opportunities to develop language skills. In all activities good Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 19 listening is promoted and children have good opportunities to talk and express themselves. For example, in a dance activity the teacher asked the children to think about some machines that went round and round. The children identified washing machines and spin dryers. In a mathematical activity, children acquired and used a range of vocabulary such as triangle, square and rectangle in exploring two-dimensional shapes.

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Commentary

48. The teaching of basic reading skills is effective. In one lesson seen, the teacher was particularly effective in developing children’s letter sounds. Large letter cards and attractive illustrations are used well to promote children’s learning. Children repeated the sounds clearly. Higher-attaining children identify items beginning with letters a, s, t, c and n. The school is particularly effective in promoting a love of books and has established a successful partnership with parents in this area. Parents provide good support in reading books to their children. Children talk about their favourite books. They talk confidently about some of the stories and say how they might end.

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Commentary

49. There are good opportunities provided for children to develop writing skills. Four-year-olds hold pencils and crayons correctly and are beginning to form simple letters. Higher-attaining children can write their names.

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Commentary

50. Children in Reception created vehicles using a computer program. They begin to write sentences about the vehicles they created. Most letters are correctly formed. Higher attainers are beginning to use capital letters and full stops.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by the end of Reception and children are achieving well. • Teaching and learning are good. • Children are provided with an interesting range of learning activities to promote mathematical knowledge and understanding.

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Commentary

51. Children achieve well in this area of learning because of the good teaching they receive. Higher-attaining four-year-olds place four different rectangles in order of size, count them and say which is the biggest and which is the smallest. In a good lesson, children were exploring two-dimensional shapes. These were concealed in a bag and selected by the teacher or individual children. Children were given good opportunities to describe and compare the shapes. With skilful questioning from the teacher, the children in Reception acquired new vocabulary and recognised a range of two-dimensional shapes, including square, triangle, circle and rectangle.

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Commentary

52. Most children in Reception can count to 20 and higher-attainers can fill in the missing numbers on a 1 to 20 number line. Higher-attaining children use cubes to solve addition problems to 10. Children in Nursery and Reception receive support with number work from Year 6 children. This arrangement provides responsibility for the older pupils and assists the younger ones in number skills and working with others. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 20

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good and children achieve well. • Children are offered a variety of learning opportunities in this area of learning.

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Commentary

53. Children achieve well in this area of learning and most are on course to reach the Early Learning Goals by the end of Reception. Teaching and learning are good and children are provided with a variety of learning opportunities in order to gain knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

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Commentary

54. Children in Nursery use computers to create pictures of vehicles using two-dimensional shapes. They make very good gains in basic skills as they click and drag shapes into position to create a lorry or car. In Reception, children explore levers such as scissors, pliers and a can opener. They make simple levers themselves using card and split pins. Children in Nursery and Reception have good opportunities to visit the nature reserve and observe and identify the flowers. They grow broad bean seeds and produce drawings showing the roots, stems and leaves.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A visiting specialist teacher makes a very good contribution to dance. • Accommodation and resources for outdoor play are good.

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Commentary

55. The wet weather during the inspection restricted the opportunities for outside play. The school has good outdoor play areas and a range of appropriate equipment to promote physical development. Most children are on course to reach the expected Early Learning Goals by the end of Reception. Children achieve well because of good teaching. In one lesson, a visiting Advanced Skills Teacher from Falmouth Community School provided high quality instruction. On the theme of machines and robots, children produced rhythmic and repetitive movements as they replicated the motion of different machines. The children were creative and showed good co-ordination and control. Children handle tools such as scissors competently when making simple levers of card.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have good opportunities to sing and work with paint. • Opportunities for role-play are less evident. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 21

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Commentary

56. Children are given good opportunities to choose different colours in painting and colouring. In one good activity, children used different paints and the wheels of toy vehicles to create attractive coloured patterns on sugar paper. Children in Reception produce clear drawings of different fruit. They choose suitable colours for these in crayon or paint. Children sing Nursery rhymes tunefully and participate fully in singing songs in assembly. Opportunities for role-play were less evident during the inspection.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved slightly since the previous inspection and are above average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Most pupils achieve well. • Standards in speaking and listening are well above average at the end of Year 6. • Provision for reading is good and pupils attain above average standards across the school. • Provision for writing is insufficient, with a lack of challenge for higher-attaining pupils in some classes. • The teaching of English is good overall, and very good in Years 1 and 2. • The presentation of written work and the quality of pupils’ handwriting are inconsistent. • Drama is used well to support the subject. • The subject is well led and managed.

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Commentary

57. Standards in English at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are above average. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, are achieving well. In the latest national tests for Year 6 pupils, pupils achieved well in reading and writing. Pupils seen during the inspection attained only satisfactory standards in writing. This is due to the difference in the cohort of pupils. However, these pupils are achieving well, with good “value added” from their below average levels of writing when tested at the end of Year 2. Similarly, the reading standards of these pupils, found to be average in 2000, are now above average, confirming their good achievement. Year 2 pupils attain above average standards in reading and writing, and these pupils are achieving well. The well above average levels of speaking and listening at the end of Year 6 are due to the many opportunities taken, such as during timetabled drama lessons and

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Commentary

in the school Committee, to encourage pupils to develop these skills. Those pupils addressed by inspectors were confident, articulate and informative speakers.

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Commentary

58. The school has made improvements in pupils’ writing through much in-service training, but improvement is still too little and too slow. Pupils are achieving well by the end of Year 2, where the writing booklets made by the teacher are very effective, and then again by the end of Year 6 but during Years 3 and 4 achievement is no more than satisfactory. This is due largely to the teaching lacking the challenge and high expectations of other classes, and the weaker management of pupils. Pupils who have become skilled in writing in a joined cursive hand have been allowed to revert to printing. There is seldom sufficient planned provision to stretch higher-attaining pupils. Additional lessons in writing are timetabled for Years 1 and 2 but not for Years 3–6. Year 1 and 2 pupils wrote imaginatively and at length when describing the characters of “The Pied Piper”. The mayor was seen as “bossy and posh. He tells lies.” The

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Commentary

piper was “bouncy, magical. He joyfully toots his pipe.” Across the school there is too little recorded written work in other subjects such as science, history and geography and opportunities are missed in these subjects to extend pupils’ writing skills. Standards in Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 22 punctuation and spelling are generally good. There is little focus on writing round the school, nor any examples of good practice or displays to encourage high standards of writing and presentation. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 do not record their work in exercise books.

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Commentary

59. The teaching of English ranges from satisfactory to very good and is good overall. Reading is well taught, and those pupils heard during the inspection were confident, generally fluent and expressive. Year 2 pupils are able to self-correct, and build words through sounding out syllables. Year 6 pupils are well able to access information from the library. Teaching assistants and parents give valuable support to the teaching and hearing of reading, and the system of ‘Special Friends’, where older pupils support younger ones in their reading, is very effective. In the best lesson seen separate work was set for each of the two year groups and appropriate challenges provided for groups of different attainment. Modern resources such as small whiteboards, a large interactive whiteboard for class viewing and the use of the school computer suite were all used effectively to produce very good teaching, learning and

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Commentary

achievement. Teachers make good use of their classroom assistants, who contribute very positively to pupils’ learning across the school.

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Commentary

60. The subject is currently well led in a caretaker capacity, by the acting deputy headteacher. Teaching has been monitored, assessment is well used to set future targets for pupils at individual and class levels, and appropriate training is given where there has been identified need. Since the previous inspection the accommodation and resources have been improved, and the library, though not generous in size, is well considered for the school’s needs, and its use well understood by pupils for accessing information. Resources generally are good, though more reference books are required for the library. The use of homework is inconsistent, and Year 6 pupils would benefit from an increase in workload to better prepare them for their next school. The use of ICT to support the subject, especially in classrooms, is underdeveloped.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

61. There is very good provision for developing pupils’ speaking and listening skills across the curriculum. Pupils discuss their work in all subjects notably in plenary sessions and in response to the effective open-ended questions posed by teachers. Subject vocabulary is introduced appropriately. There are reading areas in classrooms and pupils are encouraged to read at morning registration and at break times. Planned provision for writing in Years 3 to 6 is insufficient, however, and little writing was seen in science, history and geography. Across the school there is insufficient awareness of the importance of writing.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by Year 2 and Year 6. • Teaching is good overall and most pupils achieve well. • Pupils achieve less well in Years 3 and 4. • The subject is effectively led and managed.

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Commentary

62. Standards are above average by Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 and 2 because of the good teaching they receive. Pupils are achieving well in Year 6, from their prior attainment in Year 2. However, achievement is not consistently good from Years 3 to 6. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are not achieving as well as the rest of the school because teaching in Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 23 these years is satisfactory rather than good. The school has maintained the above average standards reported during the last inspection. 63. By Year 2, most pupils recognise odd and even numbers to 100. Higher attainers describe rules for identifying odd and even numbers. Most pupils can quickly add or subtract 10 from a given number between 10 and 90. Higher-attaining pupils use appropriate strategies for solving ‘more or less than’ problems. For example, they calculate that 79 is 50 more than 29.

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Commentary

By Year 6, most pupils use a range of number operations to solve number problems. They find the perimeter of simple shapes. Most pupils use graphing to convert litres to pints or kilograms to pounds. Higher-attaining pupils use and interpret coordinates in all four quadrants.

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Commentary

64. The quality of teaching is good overall and varies from satisfactory to very good. Teaching is good in Years 1 and 2 and sometimes very good. Teaching is good in Years 5 and 6 and satisfactory in Years 3 and 4. Lessons are generally well planned with clear learning objectives. These are effectively shared with the pupils so they know what they are to learn. Teachers’ explanations and instructions are clear and informative. In a very good lesson in the Year 1 and 2 class, the teacher used the computer-linked white board effectively to illustrate number patterns. The pupils were keen and attentive. Very good questioning was used by the teacher to challenge the pupils and to check their understanding. For the main tasks, the pupils were organised into groups of similar ability and activities were well matched to attainment and needs. Teaching assistants and a volunteer helper were effectively deployed

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Commentary

and made a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. All pupils were appropriately challenged and highly motivated. The lesson proceeded at a brisk pace and the pupils were productive and made very good gains in their knowledge and understanding of number patterns. Where teaching is satisfactory rather than good, the expectations of learning and behaviour are not as high. Work is not sufficiently well matched to pupils’ attainment. While pupils with special educational needs receive effective support by teaching assistants, higher-attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged and extended. The pace of the lesson is less brisk.

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Commentary

65. The subject is well led and managed by an experienced co-ordinator. The planning of the curriculum is effective and based appropriately on the National Numeracy Strategy and guidance from the local educational authority. Teaching is monitored on a regular basis and pupils’ work is viewed to monitor standards and coverage of the curriculum. The school has a clear understanding of standards and provision because of the effective monitoring and evaluation procedures. Learning resources are good and well used.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

66. Pupils use numeracy skills well in other subjects. For example, in science, pupils in Years 1 and 2 produce large pictograms to show their favourite foods. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 measure pulse rates and use graphs to present their results.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by Year 2 and Year 6. • The quality of teaching is good and most pupils achieve well. • Written presentation is inconsistent and opportunities for pupils to develop writing skills in science are insufficient. • The subject is well led and managed. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 24

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Commentary

67. Standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Throughout the school, pupils are achieving well owing to the good teaching they receive. The school has maintained the above average standards that were reported during the last inspection.

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Commentary

68. In Years 1 and 2, pupils tested a variety of foods. They described and discussed their observations in small groups. They recorded their results and could identify which foods were most popular. In Years 3 and 4 pupils were exploring different materials around the school. They identified what objects and items were made of. Higher-attaining pupils can explain why some materials are ideal for specific purposes. Opportunities for pupils to decide how to record their results were missed as they all completed the same teacher-produced chart. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 know the main organs of the body. Higher attainers describe the function of the heart and lungs. Pupils measure their pulse rate before and after exercise and record their results accurately. Pupils make predictions and most ensure that their tests are fair.

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Commentary

69. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school with some examples of very good teaching in Years 5 and 6. Lessons are well planned and teachers show a secure knowledge and understanding of the subject. In a very good lesson, the teacher used questioning and illustrations very well to increase pupils’ knowledge of circulation. Questioning challenged the pupils’ thinking and they had very good opportunities to express their ideas. They acquired new knowledge and vocabulary about the heart and the circulation system. They were then given good opportunities to investigate pulse rates and to interpret their findings. The lesson maintained a good pace and learning time was maximised. Teaching assistants and voluntary helpers are well deployed and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly during practical activities. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support from

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Commentary

teaching assistants; they have full access to the activities and make good progress. Pupils have good opportunities to work collaboratively during science investigations.

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Commentary

70. The study of pupils’ work shows inconsistencies in pupils’ written presentation, particularly in Years 3 to 6. While some work is very well presented, other examples show a lack of care and pride. There is some evidence of personal study in science, although, in the main, science is not being used sufficiently in Years 3 to 6 for pupils to apply and develop writing skills. The work-study also shows that pupils usually pursue the same tasks and these are not always well matched to the different levels of attainment in a class. In particular, there is insufficient extension work for higher attainers but the school is planning to address this issue.

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Commentary

71. The subject is well led and managed. The planning of the curriculum is appropriately based on national guidance. National Curriculum test results are effectively analysed and strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ learning are identified. This information is being used well to plan for improvements. The school’s nature reserve is used well to support the study of animals and plants in their natural habitats.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by Year 6. • Teaching is good overall. • Standards and provision have improved since the last inspection. • ICT is used well to support teaching and learning in mathematics. • The computers in classrooms are underused. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 25

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Commentary

72. In Year 2, standards are average and pupils are achieving satisfactorily. By Year 6, standards are above average and pupils are achieving well. Since the last inspection, standards in Year 6 have improved from average to above average.

p.25

Commentary

73. The quality of teaching is good overall but varies from very good to satisfactory. In a lesson seen for Years 1 and 2 the teacher used the computer-linked whiteboard well to demonstrate processes such as logging on, setting up a program, changing fonts and creating capitals. The pupils listened and watched well. The teacher used questioning effectively to check pupils’ understanding of procedures. They responded well. Pupils were then given sound opportunities to practise word processing skills in the computer suite. However, the large group of pupils in a small computer suite did impede pupils’ participation and their rate of learning.

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Commentary

74. In a very good lesson with a Year 5 group, pupils were using a control program. The teacher’s instructions and demonstrations were clear and informative. The pupils working in pairs used input and output devices to produce a flow diagram of instructions to control a set of pedestrian traffic lights. This was a challenging activity and tasks were well adapted to pupils’ differing abilities. The pupils responded very well and rose to the challenges with enthusiasm. The teaching assistant provided very good support for pupils with special educational needs and the teacher moved between pairs providing instruction, feedback and encouragement. The pupils made very good gains in acquiring and applying control skills. Teaching assistants are effective in supporting the ICT teaching units because they receive training by the co-ordinator beforehand.

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Commentary

75. The subject is well led and managed. ICT resources have improved significantly since the last inspection. The school set up an 11-station computer suite in 2000 and has increased the range of software. In particular, the school has invested in monitoring and control equipment and software. All teachers have laptops to assist planning and record-keeping. More recently, each classroom has been fitted with computer-linked white boards and these are used well for teacher demonstrations.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

76. The use of the computer suite to support teaching and learning in other subjects is satisfactory, with good examples, particularly in mathematics. Pupils in Year 3 use word processing to write poetry. Also, in Years 3 and 4 pupils produce bar graphs to show the height of different plants in the nature reserve. Pupils in Year 5 used spreadsheets and formulae to solve number problems. However, the computers in the classrooms are not consistently well used.

p.25

HUMANITIES

Religious education was inspected by the diocese. Geography and history have been sampled as no lessons were seen during the inspection.

p.25

GEOGRAPHY

77. No lessons were seen in geography but discussions were held with staff and pupils and pupils’ written work was reviewed. Standards are similar to those found at the previous inspection - average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, with pupils achieving satisfactorily across the school. Improvements since the last inspection have been satisfactory. Year 1 and 2 pupils consider how to make their locality safer, conducting a traffic census of their village and surveys of parking and the busiest traffic times and recording their findings in bar graphs Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 26 within a well prepared topic booklet. Written work in Years 3–6 is less well recorded and opportunities to develop pupils’ writing within the subject are underdeveloped. There is little focus on the subject in displays around the school.

p.25

HISTORY

78. No lessons could be seen in history but discussions were held with pupils and with staff, and pupils’ work was examined. Standards are average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and pupils are achieving satisfactorily across the school, maintaining the levels judged by the previous inspection. Improvement is satisfactory. Year 1 and 2 pupils study famous people such as Guy Fawkes and Florence Nightingale. Work is well recorded in booklets created by the teacher, encouraging pride in work. The subject is well supported by visitors and by visits such as that to Pendennis Castle to support work done by Years 5 and 6 on the Tudors. The subject is well planned with good cross-curricular links with other subjects but teachers do not always provide sufficiently for pupils of different abilities, especially in challenging higher- attaining pupils. Expectations of written work and of the quality of writing and presentation are

p.26

HISTORY

too low, partly because too much work is written on paper rather than being recorded in an exercise book. There is little evidence of the subject in displays around the school.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Music was inspected in full and is reported on below. Design and technology and art and design were sampled but physical education was not inspected.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average by Year 6. • The teaching of music is very good. • Leadership of the subject is very good. • The number of pupils receiving tuition in a musical instrument is quite exceptional for a school of this size. • The school band is outstanding. • Extra-curricular activities enrich the music curriculum well. • There is no regular choir.

p.26

Commentary

79. Standards in music are above average at the end of Year 2 and well above average at the end of Year 6, and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well across the school. This is due to the very good provision made for the subject and especially to the very good teaching in Years 3–6 by the subject co-ordinator and by the head of music from the local comprehensive school. The headteacher, himself an able musician, leads from the front, plays regularly for assemblies and with the band, and gives a very strong personal input to the subject. The school is fortunate to have so many teachers with good musical expertise, which is put to very good use.

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Commentary

80. Very good use is made of the county’s peripatetic music service and over half of all pupils in Years 3 to 6 learn an instrument, some achieving high levels for their age in Associated Board exams. Pupils were observed learning the flute and clarinet. Other instruments taught and played include the tuba, saxophone, keyboard, trumpet, French horn, drums, violin and guitar, as well as two groups of recorder pupils, as a club activity. Pupils play competently and with confidence. The extra musical knowledge of these pupils is used well in class lessons. Pupils Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 27 in Years 1 and 2 were seen learning to identify instruments of the orchestra, through listening to “Peter and the Wolf”, looking at pictures of instruments on their computer driven white board and considering why the composer used particular instruments for the characters. They quickly identified that the French horn identifying the wolf is “very, very sneaky music”, whereas

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Commentary

Peter’s music was “proud and happy”. Year 3 and 4 pupils showed great enthusiasm for their lesson on traditional singing games and dances, learning well through enjoyment. Year 5 and 6 pupils developed their understanding of rhythm and pulse, using ostinatos and rounds, progressively building polyrhythms, on their own, in pairs, and finally in fours, through clapping, stamping and slapping in the style of the professional group “Stomp”, and performing these in the round. These pupils have good command of musical vocabulary, such as ostinato, pentatonic , and can identify and explain crotchet, minim, semi-quaver , recognising the length of different notes. They understand how to change dynamics, volume, tempo and pitch.

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Commentary

81. The very good teaching observed resulted in challenging work set with high expectations of task and conduct, well supported by good subject knowledge and the teachers’ ability to play music. Teachers use stimulating and challenging questions. Lessons are conducted at a fast pace in clear progressive stages maintaining pupils’ rapt attention. Year 3 and 4 dances were very ably led by the teacher. In all of the lessons seen teachers managed pupils well, and the pupils’ very good attitudes contributed positively to their very good learning and achievement. Pupils learn very well through enjoyment of the subject.

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Commentary

82. The subject is very well led by the headteacher, whose personal interest has a pronounced effect on provision and standards. Music is an important part of the school’s ethos. The band plays regularly in assemblies and more widely in Falmouth, and at concerts as part of the Penryn partnership. The school has recorded its own CD of “Life is full of joy”, written by six of its pupils, and has video evidence of earlier performances such as “The Zap”, inspired by a poem of the same title. Singing in assemblies is of a high standard, tuneful and clear. Pupils show good awareness of holding on notes to the end of lines. On one occasion the whole school successfully sang a three part round with additional repeated harmonies. Overall, owing to the very skilled teaching introduced into Years 5 and 6, the increased number of pupils learning instruments, and the greater awareness shown of music from other cultures, such as

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Commentary

African drums, the school has made good improvement since the previous inspection. Choirs are created for particular occasions, such as singing for the elderly at Christmas, when creating the CD, accompanied by the band, and for local festivals, but there is no regular choir to lead assembly singing.

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ART AND DESIGN

83. Standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are above average, satisfactorily maintaining the standards identified by the previous inspection. Pupils achieve well across the school. A particular strength is the provision for group and whole-class work and there are many high quality displays round the school, such as the portrayal of winter in the style of Laura Knight, Breugel and other artists. Sketch books are well used across the school. Years 3 and 4 produce Egyptian tomb paintings, supporting their work in history. They have created a large collage of the woodland reserve and change this termly with scenes from each season of the year. Years 5 and 6 capture ‘Moving People’ well in their drawings of athletes, skaters and tennis players, showing good attention to detail in their observations. The school has its own kiln and there is good provision for clay and three-dimensional work, as seen in the rats being

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ART AND DESIGN

made by Year 1 and 2 pupils for their work on ‘The Pied Piper’. The subject is well led by an experienced and enthusiastic co-ordinator, who has good photographic evidence of the quality of pupils’ work. Pupils continue to visit and have work displayed in local galleries such as the Tate at St Ives and in Newlyn, which enhance the quality of their work. Examples of the work of recognised artists such as Rousseau, Van Gogh, Monet and Andy Goldsworthy feature around the school. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 28

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

84. The study of pupils’ work indicates that standards are above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Most pupils are achieving well in the development of designing, making and evaluating skills. In Year 2, pupils design and make hand puppets. They use materials such as cotton, felt, ribbon and feathers to produce individual and imaginative products. In Years 5 and 6, pupils design and make slippers, which are comfortable and fashionable. They produce clearly labelled sketches of their designs, select materials and plan a sequence of steps for the construction. Materials are carefully measured and cut and joining is through effective stitching. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 explored musical instruments and then designed and made their own. One pupil made an impressive French horn type instrument using a long coil of dishwasher hose and a large plastic funnel. Higher-attaining pupils used their musical

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

knowledge in the design and modification of their instruments. The above average standards and good achievement have been maintained since the last inspection.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

85. Only one PSHE lesson was seen so it is not possible to make an overall judgement about provision. However, consideration of planning and discussions with staff indicate that the school provides an interesting and appropriate range of activities, including work on drugs and sex education. Assemblies and extra-curricular activities make a good contribution to this area of the curriculum. The Carwinion woodland nature reserve is well used to develop pupils’ positive attitudes towards caring for the environment. PSHE lessons, ‘circle time’, together with themes from assemblies, such as Friendship, involving outside speakers strongly support the subject. There is a school committee enabling pupils to have a say in the running of their school, and which contributes to their personal development positively. Pupils accept responsibility for school duties willingly. The ‘Special Friends’ and ‘Impact’ initiatives encourage

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

very good relationships between older and younger pupils, and an awareness of the need for caring for one another. Mawnan CE (VA) Primary School - 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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