Mellor Community Primary School

MELLOR COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Acting headteachers: Mrs Anne Hernandez & Ms Karen Hammond

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MELLOR COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 6th-9th October 2003

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MELLOR COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Mellor Community 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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MELLOR COMMUNITY 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. Mellor Community Primary School 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 484

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Clarke Street Leicester Postcode: LE4 7QN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0116 2661377 Fax number: 0116 2611946

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Polly Henderson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 March 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Mellor Primary School serves an urban area of north Leicester and draws almost all of its children from the immediate locality. The school is much larger than most other primary schools with 509 pupils on roll. This includes the 51 children who attend the nursery part-time. Twenty-five per cent of the pupils have an entitlement to free school meals, which is above the national average. The school has a mainly Asian population and most pupils come from homes where Gujarati is the first language. Attainment on entry to the nursery is lower than average, although there is a wide spread of ability. Twenty per cent of the pupils are on the school’s list for special educational needs, mainly because they find it harder to learn than usual. This is close to the national average. Six pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need, which is below average for the size of school.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

For all of 2003 the school has been managed by the two assistant headteachers because the headteacher has been absent through ill health after one term in post. Prior to that she was the acting headteacher for five terms.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Mellor was awarded “Investors in People” in 2000 and earned a School Achievement Award in 2002. The school has recently taken over the management of a community arts centre called Cross Corners, which is approximately eight minutes walk from the school. Mellor Community Primary School 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21190 Keith Edwards Lead inspector English as an additional language Music 19692 Bob Folks Lay inspector 23453 Carole Cressey Team inspector Foundation Stage, science, art and design, design and technology 29703 Ray Barton Team Inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, geography and history 17686 George Simpson Team inspector English, physical education, religious education and special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Coach House 132 Whitaker Road Derby DE23 6AP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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.oftsed.gov.uk). Mellor Community Primary School 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Mellor Community Primary School provides a key focus for the whole of the community. It is a highly respected institution that successfully integrates pupils from many different backgrounds and cultures. A significant strength of the school is the positive ethos in which each pupil is valued as an individual. The pastoral care is good. In spite the difficulties presented by the absence of the headteacher, the school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection and continues to provide a satisfactory standard of education . Most of the key issues have been dealt with. The overall quality of leadership, management and teaching is satisfactory and the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils make good progress in Years 3 to 6 but in Years 1 and 2 their progress in literacy, numeracy and science is not quick enough because there is a lack of rigour in the teaching • The promotion of racial harmony is excellent and pupils’ personal qualities are developed effectively by the school • The school has excellent links with the community • Pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language achieve well • The school provides very well for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development • Standards of behaviour are good and the pupils have positive attitudes to school • In the Foundation Stage the children settle well but do not have enough opportunities for outdoor learning and for creative development

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English D D A A* mathematics A C B A science A D A A* 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

These results represent a significant success for the school. However, early indications are that the results in 2003 are not as good. Standards in this year’s Year 2 are below average and in Year 6 broadly average in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Nevertheless, the pupils make steady progress in Years 1 and 2 and good progress in Years 4 to 6 where the quality of teaching is stronger. Progress is mixed in Year 3. The pupils make the most progress in Year 6 where the quality of teaching is very good. Overall, pupils achieve satisfactorily.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The pupils have good attitudes towards school and standards of behaviour are good. Because the provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good, the pupils grow to become mature, confident and responsible by the time they reach Year 6. The pupils enjoy coming to school and punctuality is good. Mellor Community Primary School 7

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. The teachers plan interesting tasks that motivate the pupils. In most of the classes in Years 3 to 6, and particularly in Year 6, there is a good level of challenge in lessons that are often modified for different groups of pupils so that all achieve well. Very good use is made of the classroom assistants to give those pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language the help they need. Consequently, the pupils apply themselves well and work hard. The teaching in the Years 1 and 2 lacks rigour, particularly in the teaching of basic skills. Consequently, many pupils do not achieve as well as they might.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is broad and interesting and enhanced by a range of visits and visitors to the school but in the Foundation Stage the children do not have sufficient outdoor resources to enrich their learning. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is effective. The care, guidance and support of the pupils are all good. The school very effectively ensures the care, welfare, health and safety of the pupils. They have very good relationships with their teachers who monitor their progress carefully. The teachers know the pupils very well, listen to them and welcome their comments and ideas. Partnerships with parents and the community are an outstanding strength of the school. Parents support their children well. The school and the pupils benefit from the close links with the community and the strength of the initiatives to give the school a broad outlook.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school has been well led and managed during the absence of the headteacher. There is a strong sense of teamwork and the senior management team has a clear grasp of what needs to be done to raise standards further. The governors provide satisfactory support and have a renewed sense of purpose. However, the school development plan is unwieldy and the school is running a deficit budget.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with the school and think highly of it. The pupils enjoy school and feel they are valued and well supported.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in literacy, numeracy and science in Years 1 and 2 • Raise standards in music • Improve the quality of teaching in the lower part of the school • Resolve the budget deficit • Improve the provision in the Foundation Stage Mellor Community Primary School 8

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards in Year 6 are broadly average in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The results of National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 show a clear upward trend in mathematics • In reading and writing, standards have improved since the last inspection but are below average and the pupils are not yet attaining the standards they should be. • Standards in science are too low in the infant classes • Standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 have improved significantly since the last inspection and results in the 2002 national tests were well above average overall. • In the 2002 national tests the pupils achieved standards in English and science that were very high in comparison to pupils in similar schools • In information and communication technology the pupils attain good skill levels but do not have sufficient opportunities to use and enhance them right across the curriculum. • Music is an area of weakness • By the end of the Foundation Stage, although most of pupils are unlikely to reach the goals set for

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Main strengths and weaknesses

them in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development, the children achieve satisfactorily overall.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards in: School results National results Reading 13.3 (13.8) 15.8 (15.7)

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

There were 72 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards in: School results National results English 28.8 (26.4 ) 27.0 (27.0) Mathematics 28.2 (26.2 ) 26.7 (26.6) Science 30.5 (28.1) 28.3 (28.3) There were 61 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. The above table does not fully reflect the current situation in the school. Inspection evidence shows that standards in Year 6 are broadly in line with expectations in English, mathematics and science, but vary in other years. However, the school did not match the achievements of the 2002 cohort in English, mathematics and science in the 2003 end of Year 6 National Curriculum tests (SATs). There are very good reasons why this was the case: • the headteacher was taken ill and it was unclear whether or not she would return Mellor Community Primary School 9 • the cohort of pupils included a significant proportion of pupils with special educational needs and a significant proportion with behavioural difficulties

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Commentary

2. Current standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average. The pupils’ progress in some classes is limited by the lack of rigour in the use of assessment data when planning lessons. Furthermore, the quality of teaching in Years 1 to 2, although satisfactory, does not consistently build on the pupils’ achievements in the Foundation Stage. In Year 3 the quality of teaching varies in the different classes between satisfactory and good. Consequently, by the time that they reach Years 4, 5 and 6, the pupils have much ground to make up to reach their potential.

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Commentary

3. Information and communication technology is used satisfactorily to support learning in subjects such as mathematics and science. The school’s good resources are used effectively so that the pupils gain sound skill levels but opportunities to apply these skills across the full breadth of the National Curriculum are not yet fully developed. As a result some pupils are not achieving the higher levels of which they are capable. In the humanities the teachers in the junior classes use stimulating resources to captivate the pupils’ interest and encourage them to ask questions and seek answers. The pupils achieve well in history, geography and religious education in Years 3 to 6 and standards are in line with expectations.

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Commentary

4. In Years 1 and 2, pupils who are learning English as an additional language (EAL) make satisfactory progress; they make good progress in Years 4 to 6 as a result of the better teaching, particularly in Year 6. The differences in the rate of progress are similar to those of the other pupils. In Years 1 to 6, the pupils with special educational needs are identified early and are very well supported both within classes and when they work away from the class in small groups. The quality of the work of classroom assistants who are working with pupils who are learning English as an additional language and special educational needs pupils is very good and their work strongly helps the pupils to learn.

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Commentary

5. There is no significant variation between the achievements of boys and girls or pupils who speak English as an additional language; the pupils make the same level of progress as other pupils in their class. However, there are significant differences between the achievements and attainments of pupils in different classes and this reflects the quality of teaching. There is scope for the school to do more to improve standards through the careful use of assessment information when planning lessons. Although there are systems for tracking the progress that pupils make, this information is not used sufficiently well by the teachers to ensure that pupils of all abilities are given work to help them make the step-by-step progress that they need.

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Commentary

6. While there are still areas where the pupils’ achievements can be improved and standards raised further, notably in reading and writing, the school’s improvement strategy is beginning to take effect. There is a clear commitment to further improvement. The acting headteachers and the teaching team have made effective use of opportunities for professional development and staff training, performance management, data analysis, monitoring and evaluation to support improvement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils enjoy coming to school and overall attendance was above the national average. Their attitudes towards school are positive Pupils are receptive to the very good moral and social values promoted by the school; their behaviour and overall personal development are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Punctuality at the school is good. • Pupils’ attitudes are very good at the Foundation Stage and are good in the rest of the school. • Pupils have a good involvement in the life of the school. • Pupils’ behaviour in the Foundation Stage is very good and is good in the rest of the school. Mellor Community Primary School 10 • The school has some very good initiatives for dealing with difficult pupils. • Relationships within the school are very good. • Racial harmony within the school is excellent. • Social and cultural development is very good and spiritual and moral development is good. • The range of artists and the variety of composers covered in art and music is insufficient.

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Commentary

7. The pupils have good attitudes to learning and take a full part in the numerous activities available. Attitudes are very good in the Foundation Stage. In lessons, the pupils are keen to please the teachers. They concentrate for long periods of time and contribute readily to the lessons. The only exceptions to this are in the small minority of unsatisfactory lessons when the pupils are not on task as they should be. The pupils work well in groups and pairs during lessons.

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Commentary

8. Behaviour in and around the school is good. It is particularly good in the Foundation Stage. Pupils and staff have very good relationships and the promotion of racial harmony and the resultant harmonious atmosphere are excellent. At lunchtimes and playtimes, pupils’ behaviour is always good. The lunchtime supervisors are particularly successful in maintaining an orderly atmosphere in the dining hall and managing the behaviour of the pupils well in the playground. There is little evidence of harassment or bullying and the school has very good procedures for dealing with it, which it applies efficiently and effectively. The Positive People Group contributes considerably to the quality of behaviour in the school. There is a low level of exclusions in the school.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 55 1 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 3 Mixed – White and Asian 9 1 Mixed – any other mixed background 20 Asian or Asian British – Indian 341 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 20 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 15 Black or Black British – Caribbean 9 Black or Black British – African 2 Any other ethnic group 20 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

9. Pupils are willing to take responsibility and deal with it in a mature and responsible manner. Good examples of this are the School Council and the Key Stage 2 Mediation Group.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

10. Pupils’ social and cultural development is very good. The school is a very harmonious place and the pupils from a wide range of cultures and backgrounds mix very well. They know their local community extremely well and have links with places of worship of all denominations and learn to know about the lives and cultures of many places around the world, as represented by the pupils’ themselves. Assemblies are held for all the religions followed by the pupils and their families. All the Mellor Community Primary School 11 feasts and festivals for these religions are celebrated in the school. This feature would be excellent if art and music covered a wider range of artists and composers.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

11. Spiritual and moral development is good. The pupils are taught right from wrong from an early age and this is reinforced throughout the school. Many teachers encourage the pupils to talk about their feelings and put themselves in the place of others to realise the effect of their actions on others. This development of their self-knowledge and spiritual awareness is good overall.

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Attendance in 2002-2003 (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 1.7 School data 1.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance in 2002-2003 (%)

12. Attendance is satisfactory. The pupils enjoy coming to school and punctuality is good. Unauthorised absences are higher than the national average. The systems for monitoring and promoting attendance are satisfactory. All statutory requirements are met.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. This highly inclusive school provides well for those pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs. Teaching and learning are most effective in Years 4 and 6.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching and learning in Years 3 to 6 is good. In particular, the quality of teaching in Year 6 is very good. • The school makes very good use of teaching assistants and other support • The school is successful in ensuring good standards of behaviour • There are weaknesses in the use of assessment data to inform the planning of lessons • Marking is inconsistent • Some lessons, particularly in Years 1 and 2, lack pace and challenge

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Commentary

13. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory with good teaching being a consistent feature in one reception class. Although most children make good progress in learning to speak English, the teaching is not consistently challenging to ensure that children achieve as well as they can in all aspects of their learning. Lesson plans and schemes provide an adequate framework for learning but learning intentions are often too general and do not provide a sharp enough focus on what children are expected to learn from the tasks and activities provided. As a result staff miss opportunities to extend children’s learning, particularly in those tasks which children have chosen for themselves.

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Commentary

14. Assessment and recording of children’s progress towards the learning goals have only recently been introduced. Staff use the nationally agreed Early Years profile and are introducing an LEA system of recording children’s progress in each area of learning. Assessment is not yet an effective tool to identify what children know and understand or to inform teachers’ planning to help them accelerate children’s progress. Records are not used well enough to provide challenging activities for children as they move through nursery into the reception class to enable them to achieve well. Mellor Community Primary School 12 15. The overall quality of teaching and learning in the infant classes is satisfactory. A particular strength of the teaching is the quality of the teamwork with the other adults who support in class. The behaviour of the pupils is managed well. The teachers are successful in teaching those pupils who

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Commentary

are learning English as an additional language. The overall quality of teaching in literacy and numeracy is satisfactory. However, the teachers provide too few opportunities for the pupils to record their work and the teaching of reading lacks rigour. Assessment information is not used consistently to prepare work for the different ability groups within each class and a minority of lessons lack pace. This is a particular characteristic of the teaching in Year 2, where three lessons were unsatisfactory. Furthermore, not enough use is made of information and communication technology to support learning.

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Commentary

16. The quality of teaching in Years 3 to 6 is good overall as it builds successfully on the pupils’ earlier achievements and enables them to make good progress in English, mathematics and science. However, this is not consistently the case in Year 3, where lessons vary from poor to very good between the three classes. The emphasis that each teacher gives to the pupils’ personal and social development is a strength; this focus raises the pupils’ confidence and self-esteem and nurtures a very positive attitude towards learning. Appropriate attention is paid to the pupils’ previous attainment when planning work in English, mathematics and science for the pupils of different abilities. Clear plans enable these lessons to run smoothly. Assessment information is used to plan work according to the pupils’ ability in literacy and numeracy lessons. There is often an appropriate variation in the work set for the particular range of ability within other subjects. Furthermore, the

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Commentary

feedback to pupils is good and in the best examples, particularly in Year 6, the pupils are told what they need to do to improve their work or to achieve a higher mark.

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Commentary

17. Pupils with special educational needs are included in all activities and achieve well. The good management of these pupils contributes to their good progress. It is firm, encouraging, but, nevertheless, demanding. The pupils are valued as individuals and the staff work towards building the pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. The pupils’ specific needs are assessed well and programmes of work are planned accordingly to meet them. This particularly applies to those pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need. Assessments are undertaken regularly and systematically to ensure that these pupils make good progress. Support staff, working under the direction of the class teacher, understand their role in supporting pupils in each lesson. They work well together to plan and evaluate activities that enable pupils to succeed and achieve their targets.

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Commentary

18. The support for those pupils who are learning English as an additional language is good. The staff know the needs of these pupils well and plan appropriate programmes for learning. They have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve and of how they should behave. The high expectations and encouragement given ensure that the pupils try their hardest and they consequently achieve well. The quality of interactions between the pupils and the adults is consistently of a high standard. In particular, they explain to the pupils the necessary technical vocabulary to enable the pupils to take full part in lessons such as science. However, on those occasions when the pupils are withdrawn in small groups, the sessions are too long for the younger pupils to sustain their concentration.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 50 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

12 (24 %) 13 (26 %) 21 (42 %) 3 (6 %) 1 (2 %)

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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.

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Commentary

19. The very good lessons were mainly observed in Years 4 to 6 and particularly in Year 6. Almost all of the unsatisfactory lessons were in Year 2. Mellor Community Primary School 13 Mellor Community Primary School 14

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The curriculum

The quality of the curriculum is satisfactory overall. The provision for extra-curricular activities is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school makes good use of cross-curricular links to support learning • Out-of-school activities are well planned • The school’s provision for the for the pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good • There are weaknesses in planning in the Foundation Stage

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Main strengths and weaknesses

20. The school’s values and principles are apparent throughout the school. It places considerable emphasis on nurturing high quality personal and social skills and this has very positive effect on pupils’ attitudes and their eagerness to learn.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

21. All subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are taught and the curriculum is well balanced and broad. The curriculum in the juniors is particularly well planned and considerable effort goes into bringing the teaching and learning alive for pupils by relating it to their own experiences, backgrounds and cultures. Links with other subjects add interest and enrichment to pupils’ learning. For example, pupils’ creativity is enhanced as they write their own haiku poems and then interpret them through paintings. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory overall but planning does not always provide for sufficiently challenging learning experiences to stimulate children’s imagination and ensure progression as they move from the nursery to the reception classes.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

22. There is a very clear commitment to inclusion and this is obvious in the thoughtful way the school is organised and the successful way PSHE is promoted. Considerable effort goes into ensuring that all pupils receive the support they need to access the curriculum. Support staff are deployed prudently to ensure that those pupils whose need is greatest receive the most support. Those pupils who are least motivated are supported through a range of strategies that include homework clubs and peer support. Through its recruitment policy the school ensures there are positive role models for all pupils. Home languages, culture and religions are recognised and respected. For example, all pupils have the opportunity to worship their own faith. The school does not shy away from exposing pupils to challenging issues surrounding their diverse backgrounds. They are learning to understand the considerable contribution their families have made to the

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Main strengths and weaknesses

success of their community and city. The issues of racism and prejudice are considered in relation to the present day challenges of asylum seekers and refugees. Through PSHE and other subjects in the curriculum pupils learn to respect and value the contribution of black and Asian musicians, writers, philosophers, leaders and Pupils learn about the impact of early immigration. The school is very successful in encompassing pupils’ backgrounds and provides thought provoking, challenging experiences which are very effective in promoting pupils’ self esteem resulting a very harmonious and vibrant ethos.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

23. A good range of clubs enriches the statutory curriculum and enhances personal and social skills. Clubs include football, basketball, gardening, guitar, community languages, and dance. All are very well attended and for many there are waiting lists. All staff give very generously of their time to extend pupils’ interests and skills. The use of well-planned visits to museums, historical sites, exhibitions, art galleries, theatres extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding well and play an important part in developing an eagerness to learn.

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Care, guidance and support

The school effectively ensures the care, welfare, health and safety of the pupils. The pupils have very good relationships with their teachers who monitor their progress carefully. Mellor Community Primary School 15

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• A good induction programme ensures pupils settle well and quickly into the nursery • The teachers know the pupils very well and track their personal development carefully. • There are very good opportunities for the pupils to contribute their views about the development of the school .

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Commentary

24. The school provides good care, welfare and health and safety for the pupils. The provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is good. The school is very good at seeking, valuing and acting upon pupils’ views.

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Commentary

25. The school has good procedures for child protection and these are sensitively and efficiently applied. Health and safety procedures are also good and governors take a full part in the responsibilities and procedures. The school has a number of qualified first-aiders and many more staff who have attended the “Emergency at Work” course. This enables them to have a comprehensive rota system of welfare support.

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Commentary

26. There is a good range of support available from outside specialist agencies. These include the educational psychologist, a range of therapists, the school nurse, the behaviour support service, etc. Once a year, the school arranges an Inter-Agency meeting with these agencies to plan the level of support needed and the training of staff to identify the most effective way of using these outside resources. Inter-Agency meetings are also arranged for individual pupils with multiple impairments.

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Commentary

27. Pupils’ views are sought through the School Council system. Weekly meetings are held to discuss a range of issues, which the pupils have raised or to consider matters suggested by the school. This works very well.

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Commentary

28. The school cares for pupils with special educational needs well and this caring attitude is reflected in the positive ethos of the school. Pupils know they are well cared for and this has a positive impact on their learning.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

There are very effective links with parents, the vast majority of whom think highly of the school. Excellent relationships with the local community provide an extra dimension to children’s experiences of the wider world.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s involvement in its local community is outstanding and plays a key role in the harmonious relationships that prevail • The quality of information provided for parents is good. • Parents are strongly encouraged to engage in their child’s education through a range of exciting initiatives • The annual reports to parents on pupils’ progress give a clear indication of the level at which each child is working and they set clear targets for improvement

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Commentary

29. The parents who attended the pre-inspection parents’ meeting were very positive about the school. Their only adverse comments were about the lack of opportunity for the pupils to learn to play an instrument and the quality of music in the school. Inspectors agree that the music provision could be better. The questionnaires also indicated a positive view of the school with only minor Mellor Community Primary School 16 areas of slight disagreement. These were about harassment in the school, how parents are encouraged to help at home, how well informed they are and how approachable the school is.

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Commentary

30. Although there are occasional instances of harassment, these are dealt with efficiently and effectively. The school provides a wide range of courses for parents such as “Literacy across the Curriculum” and “Keeping up with the kids – Numeracy”. The parents receive a wide range of information about the school and the pupils’ annual reports are of a high standard. The school does all that it can to encourage the involvement of parents and members of the community to extend the partnership .

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Commentary

31. The school has excellent links with the community on a daily basis. This is a great strength of the school and helps considerably to broaden the pupils’ knowledge of their own locality and of the world at large.

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Commentary

32. Links with other schools are satisfactory and help to smooth the transition process. The Link Club does valuable work with pupils who may have difficulty in the secondary school for a variety of reasons. Pupils from the secondary school also attend and can provide that valuable link that can make all the difference. The staff at the secondary school maintain this link for the pupils for as long as it is necessary.

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Example of outstanding practice

The school has excellent links with the community.

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Example of outstanding practice

The school has looked for opportunities both for the community to become involved in the life of the school and to extend the boundaries of the school out into the community. They have developed this to such an extent that each term there is a timetable of community activities held in the school on virtually a daily basis. A key feature of this system is the role of a Family Liaison Officer who also acts as a link with the parents and organisations with which they are part. These include religious organisations, community associations and various other parts of the community who may not have any connections at all. A very good example of this last category is the Somali Women’s Group. These are women who have come into the country with little English in many cases and no contact with the community itself. However, they bring with them special skills that are put to good use, at the same time as integrating the women into the school and the

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Example of outstanding practice

community. The latest and most impressive initiative in which the school is involved is the Cross Corner Project. This is a multi-agency project involving the school, the local authority, and three community associations and is part of a single regeneration project for the area. The building has a dance studio, will have a computer suite and other facilities. There are attractive gardens outside and a Victorian Museum is part of the complex, which the school is able to use. Already the school has used the building for an Art Exhibition and for silk painting and the community, through the school, has started holding courses there.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school has been well led and managed by the assistant headteachers during the absence of the headteacher. The senior management team has a clear grasp of what needs to be done to continue to raise standards and is working hard to develop the roles of the curriculum co-ordinators.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s commitment to inclusion, equality and concern for the needs of individuals are very good • The senior management team has a clear focus on raising standards and has a clear agenda for raising achievement. However, the school development plan in its present form is too unwieldy to be an effective tool for school improvement • Mistakes have been made in the financial management of the school and a deficit is projected for the end of the current financial year. Mellor Community Primary School 17 • The provision for special educational needs and for those pupils who are learning English as an additional language is well managed.

p.16

Commentary

33. The quality of leadership and management is satisfactory overall. The acting headteachers set a very good example in terms of the quality of the relationships they have established with teachers (or staff), the pupils and their parents and they provide very good role models. The school has a commitment to develop the pupils’ individual talents and to ensure equal opportunities for all pupils. In practice, the work of the school reflects its aims well on the pastoral side but is less effective in terms of academic success in Years 1 and 2. The school is successful in meeting its aims, which focus on the value placed on each individual child and the high level of racial harmony. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds are happy to come to school; this is reflected in the positive response of the parents in the questionnaire and at the meeting prior to the inspection. The school has a very good reputation within the community.

p.17

Commentary

34. There has been a significant change of staff since the last inspection and a prolonged period of uncertainty about the leadership. Consequently, the monitoring of teaching has lacked consistency. A few of the subject co-ordinators are new to their role but more importantly the main focus of their role has been on provision rather than on raising standards. Consequently, they have not been involved in the evaluation of teaching and learning in their subject in a planned and systematic way. Furthermore, there has been a lack of rigour in the use of assessment data to ensure that the pupils are suitably challenged in the work set for them and in the guidance provided by the marking. This has resulted in pockets of underachievement in the lower half of the school. There is a shared commitment to improve standards but the leadership has not fully addressed the focus required by the last inspection to strengthen the leadership and management by developing

p.17

Commentary

the roles and responsibilities of the subject co-ordinators. However, with the recent resignation of the headteacher and the prospect of greater staff stability, the climate for improvements in this area is much more positive. The areas for improvement identified in the school development plan are appropriate although the document in its current form does not clearly prioritise the steps to be taken to raise standards in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy.

p.17

Commentary

35. In spite of the difficulties in the leadership and management of the school over the last three years, standards have risen at a greater rate than the national trend since the last inspection. Although results in the 2003 tests were not as high as in previous years, the management has a clear explanation of the underlying reasons. The current management team has a clear agenda for raising standards and most of the issues of the last inspection have been resolved. For example, the school’s assessment procedures, schemes of work and the provision for those pupils with special educational needs have improved. Standards in information and communication technology are much better as the result of a substantial investment in new resources and training. However, there remain weaknesses in standards of presentation spelling and basic skills of reading and writing.

p.17

Commentary

36. The management and provision for those pupils who are learning English as an additional language is good. The provision is based on very secure relationships between the home and the school and sensitive support in the classroom. The needs of the pupils are carefully assessed and their progress in language acquisition is tracked carefully as the pupils move through the school. The provision for those pupils with special educational needs is well organised and managed. The new Code of Practice is fully in place and the school policy meets all of its requirements. The co- ordinator ensures that individual education plans are relevant to the needs of the pupils and guide lesson planning. Teaching assistants are efficiently and effectively used to support pupils with special educational needs. Where external support is required, this is used appropriately and the pupils’ needs are taken fully into account.

p.17

Commentary

37. The governing body is beginning to re-establish itself after a period of instability that mirrored the leadership of the school. It is very supportive of the acting headteachers and has taken positive steps to eradicate the uncertainties concerning the future management of the school. The Mellor Community Primary School 18 governors fulfil their statutory duties. The committee structure is well established although much of the work is left to a hard working nucleus who visit the school regularly and know staff and pupils well. They have a clear understanding of pastoral, staffing and premises issues but are less well informed about the curriculum and standards. The governors are highly successful in ensuring an atmosphere of racial harmony. However, the governing body's role as a critical friend to the school is underdeveloped, as the climate has been so uncertain.

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,353,965 Balance from previous year 53,021 Total expenditure 1,349,070 Balance carried forward to the next 48,126

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

38. Mistakes have been made in managing the school’s budget in the current financial year. The school cannot afford its current staffing levels and the errors in setting the budget have only recently come to light. This means that the school will be overspent before the end of the financial year. The school has bought in additional bursary assistance to support the monitoring of expenditure. However, because of the school’s many strengths and because the pupils achieve satisfactory standards, the school provides satisfactory value for money. Mellor Community Primary School 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

39. The overall attainment levels of most children starting school in the nursery are just below those expected nationally. Most children learn English as an additional language and start in the nursery with a restricted knowledge of English. In their home languages, they are articulate and confident speakers who display an eagerness to learn.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. The school provides an suitable range of experiences for the children to help them learn. There is a strong emphasis on developing children’s language skills and activities are focussed well on providing children with a range of experiences to promote their learning in the six areas of learning.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. Teaching overall is satisfactory. Good teaching is a consistent feature in one reception class. Although most children make good progress in learning to speak English, the teaching is not consistently challenging to ensure that children achieve as well as they can in all aspects of their learning. Lesson plans and schemes provide an adequate framework for learning but learning intentions are often too general and do not provide a sharp enough focus on what children are expected to learn from the tasks and activities provided. As a result, staff miss opportunities to extend children’s learning, particularly in those which children have chosen for themselves.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. Assessment and recording of children’s progress towards the learning goals have only recently been introduced. Staff are using the Foundation Stage Profile and are introducing an LEA system of recording children’s progress in each area of learning. The school is not making effective use of assessment to identify what children know and understand or to inform teachers planning to help them accelerate children’s progress. Records are not used as effectively as they could be to provide more challenging activities for children as they move through nursery into the reception class to enable children to achieve well.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. The co-coordinator is relatively new to the role and to teaching in the Foundation Stage. Links between the nursery and reception classes are not strong enough. The teachers are working closely with the LEA and are in the process of receiving training in the Foundation Stage curriculum to improve their skills and confidence.

p.19

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good and children achieve well • Relationships between staff, children and the home are very good • The children have good levels of independence and work well with each other

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

44. Children enjoy coming to school and are eager and enthusiastic learners who are likely to achieve the early learning goals by the end of reception. Children are taught to be polite and kind to each other and reflect on their feelings, actions and experiences. Staff provide good role models on how to solve simple conflicts and children are very indignant if their friends do not follow the class rules on sharing and turn taking and co-operating. Relationships between the staff and children’s families are a particular strength. Parents are encouraged to use their very many skills to enrich children’s learning and to help younger children settle well into the routines of school life. For example a significant number of parents helped staff and children prepare for Diwali through making sweets, and creating mendhi patterns. This provides a very good link with home and school and develops children’s respect for the diverse cultural backgrounds represented.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

Mellor Community Primary School 20 Communication, language and literacy .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

Provision in communication, language and literacy is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons help the children to develop their speaking and listening and early reading and writing skills • The use of bilingual staff • Insufficient opportunities for children to develop and use literacy skills independently in activities they choose for themselves limit their achievement

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

45. Where lessons have clear learning intentions, such as group times in the nursery and the literacy lesson in the reception class, children’s achievement is satisfactory and often good. There is a clear emphasis on teaching children to listen carefully and develop new vocabulary. The bilingual skills of the teaching and support staff are used very effectively to develop children’s confidence in their home language and English. In the nursery and reception classes, staff plan time well to engage children in conversations throughout the day, particularly in tasks directed by adults. In a good lesson in the reception class children learned a considerable amount of new vocabulary as they listened to the story of about a giant watermelon. New vocabulary was explained and children were taught to use it as they cut up and tasted a real watermelon. In lessons that are less focused adults miss opportunities to extend children’s language and too readily accept one-word answers or

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

gestures as responses. Staff systematically introduce children to letter names and initial sounds and older children are becoming confident in recognising individual sounds accurately. However, these skills are taught in isolation and seldom referred to in other activities, such as when children are sharing books with adults. Children have an appropriate range of activities to promote their writing skills. They are taught to make marks on paper as they work independently in the writing corners or in the role-play. On a regular basis children practise writing their names and copy and trace patterns to develop their confidence and skills in pencil control. However, children are not taught to using their emerging skills and knowledge of sounds and letters in tasks such as recording record family and school events. As a result, children who learn at a faster rate do not achieve as well as they should

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

and their progress in learning to read and write is slower than it should be.

p.20

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is satisfactory .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are good in developing the children’s early mathematical skills • A lack of well planned opportunities to use and develop these skills in other areas of learning limits children’s learning

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

46. In nursery and reception classes, formal activities, number rhymes and games are used appropriately to develop mathematical understanding. Elements of the National Numeracy Strategy are implemented in the reception classes and children respond well to the mental and oral part of the lessons. Older children count confidently to 20 as they check the number of children present but staff miss opportunities to extend their understanding of the language of addition and subtraction. In good lessons teaching is lively and resources, interactions and activities are effective in developing children’s recognition of two and three-dimensional shapes. Children eagerly explore the playground for different shapes and photographs provide a valuable resource to be used later to reinforce their learning. Learning is rapid in such lessons and children quickly acquire the correct mathematical vocabulary to describe the attributes of given shapes. In other lessons, a lack of effective planning

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

results in teachers missing opportunities to teach children to explore and consider and use number, size, shape, measures and position when playing with construction kits, small world toys or emptying and filling containers in the sand and water play. Mellor Community Primary School 21

p.20

development

47. Insufficient evidence was gained to make an overall judgement on teaching and learning in these areas of learning. Children start school in the nursery with the physical and creative development expected for their ages. Younger children develop sound scientific skills as they observe the changes that occur when water is added to flour to make dough for their diva lamps. Children work independently with a suitable range of construction toys discovering how things are made and move. However, planning does not provide sufficiently challenging learning experiences to stimulate children’s imagination and ensure progression as they move from the nursery to the reception classes, particularly in those tasks children choose for themselves Staff do not interact sufficiently to extend children’s learning. An appropriate range of materials helps children develop their skills of cutting, folding and sticking. Children are becoming competent users of information and

p.21

development

communication technology as they operate tape recorders and different computer programs to support their progress in mathematics and literacy.

p.21

development

48. A range of role-play situations is provided in the nursery and reception classes and children enjoy taking on the roles of family members, health workers, customers and shopkeepers. However, these activities are not always well resourced and do not stimulate children’s imagination sufficiently well. Adults miss opportunities to interact with children in these situations and there is a lack of purpose and focus on developing and extending children’s ideas and language. Sand and water are available for children to explore on a regular basis but the activities do not enhance children’s learning sufficiently well.

p.21

development

49. Children experience an appropriate range of activities to develop their skills in handling tools, construction toys and malleable materials but there is often a lack of attention on improving these skills and activities for older children lack sufficient challenge. The reception classes have planned time in the school hall for physical education. Outdoor play for both reception and nursery provides children with opportunities to develop good control over their bodies as they run, jump, skip, and hop. However, because of weaknesses in planning, children’s natural exuberance and energy is not always directed well and play is often lacking in focus. Most of these sessions are recreational and the outdoor provision is not used as an extension to the classroom to provide valuable opportunities for children to gain the benefits of working in the fresh air. Resources for outdoor play are unsatisfactory

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The co-ordinator provides good leadership • The use of literacy skills across the curriculum is good. • There are well-planned opportunities for the development of speaking and listening. • The teaching of reading lacks rigour in the early years in the school. • The quality of presentation of the pupils’ work is variable and unsatisfactory overall

p.21

Commentary

50. The school has successfully addressed the key issues raised in the previous inspection. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented successfully, with a related improvement in planning, which more closely matches the needs of differing levels of ability. Assessment practices give detailed information about pupils’ progress, which is used to set targets for development. Targets are not used consistently throughout the school, so the rate of progress varies. The school Mellor Community Primary School 22 has rightly identified the need to raise standards in reading in the infants and, to this end the guided reading sessions are treated separately from the literacy hour throughout the school. However, these sessions are not yet rigorous, or focused, enough in the younger classes, where progress is too slow.

p.21

Commentary

51. The overall quality of teaching in English is satisfactory, but inconsistent. Very good teaching occurs in Year 4 and above, but especially in Year 6, resulting in accelerated progress. Teachers are increasingly using new technology well in their lessons. One very good lesson in Year 4 successfully included whole class teaching, using an interactive white-board, and laptop computers in group work. Teaching assistants provide very good support for pupils with special educational needs or English as a second language, which enables them to make good progress.

p.22

Commentary

52. Good opportunities are planned to develop speaking and listening skills. These include the effective use of simultaneous translation when necessary. Teachers give pupils time to organise their thoughts, and use ‘talking partners’ well. Sometimes pupils lack a secure knowledge of appropriate vocabulary, so, although they know what they want to say, they struggle to find the correct word.

p.22

Commentary

53. Most pupils enjoy reading and, although the younger pupils are hesitant when discussing text, by the age of 11, higher attaining pupils are confident and use the correct terminology, such as setting, character and plot. Good use is made of imaginative resources in lessons, for example, when Year 6 pupils learn the format, language and structure of advertisements.

p.22

Commentary

54. There is a thorough development of writing skills throughout the school and pupils learn a good range of styles, such as narrative, character studies and persuasive writing. The quality of presentation varies and ranges from very good to unsatisfactory. Pupils’ successes are celebrated in teachers’ marking, which increases self-esteem, but teacher expectations are not always high enough, so that pupils do not always give of their best. Marking does not always relate to pupils’ targets, so that pupils are not aware of how they can improve.

p.22

Commentary

55. The co-ordinator has worked very hard to develop the subject. She has a secure knowledge and understanding and is a very good teacher. She has introduced a number of strategies, designed to raise standards. Regular assessments take place and much data is amassed, which is used to target improvements in teaching and learning. Monitoring practices are extensive, but do not yet ensure that there is a consistency of approach or a consistent application of new developments. Resources are good and are well organised.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

56. There are good, well planned links with other subjects. Pupils have many opportunities to practise and use their speaking, reading and writing skills. The literacy hour is also efficiently used to develop learning in other subjects, for instance, researching text to learn about the Ancient Egyptians. There is a plentiful supply of books in classrooms and these are very well organised and accessible. Access to the school library is limited, so independent research is difficult.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching is very good in Year 6 • The teachers make good use of support assistants • The role of the subject leader in raising standards across the school is not yet well developed Mellor Community Primary School 23

p.22

Commentary

57. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good and very good teaching being seen towards the end of Year 6. This is reflected in the standards achieved by the pupils, which begin to rises more quickly through Years 4 to 6. Although the standards of pupils’ work in measures and data handling are satisfactory, too little emphasis is sometimes given to practical work that would extend, enhance and enliven the pupils’ learning. The pupils’ presentation of their work is not consistent across the school, but where the teaching is generally good the presentation of work improves.

p.23

Commentary

58. In one good lesson the teacher had clear expectations of behaviour and standards of work required. These together with very good classroom relationships allowed him to motivate the pupils within a friendly yet productive atmosphere. Through his clear questioning about strategies and his use of every-day language he was able to explain the concepts of perimeter and area and their calculation. This learning was also made more fun as the teacher; the support assistant and the pupils demonstrated a routine of hand actions and phrases to show what these concepts meant.

p.23

Commentary

59. When teaching is less successful the pupils are often not challenged sufficiently or become confused when what is being taught is not clear to them. In some less successful lessons the teacher does not have complete enough control over the behaviour of the pupils and as a result too much teaching and learning time is lost. The quality of teachers’ marking is not consistent across the school and much of it lacks information that would help the pupils improve their work.

p.23

Commentary

60. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to the learning of the pupils, particularly those with special educational needs. Their work is usually well planned and directed by the teachers and the assistants use a variety of strategies to help the pupils understand their work. They place a good emphasis on practical learning and language so that the progress the pupils make is often good.

p.23

Commentary

61. The role of the subject leader is not yet well developed. The monitoring and development of teaching are at an early stage. The standards of work achieved by different groups of pupils is not monitored fully enough to give clear information about what aspects of teaching and learning need to be improved.

p.23

Numeracy across the curriculum

62. There are some examples of pupils applying their mathematical knowledge in subjects such as design and technology and science. However there are not enough planned opportunities for the pupils to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills across subjects. The improvement made since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well and standards are broadly average • Pupils are particularly skilful in investigating scientific processes. • The subject is effectively led and managed • Standards in Year 2 are well below those expected nationally Mellor Community Primary School 24

p.23

Commentary

63. Pupils in Year 2 do not achieve as well as they should and standards are not high enough. Between Years 3 and 5 better progress is made and, in Year 6, progress is accelerated and pupils achieve well with a significant number reaching the expected level for their ages. 64. The subject manager is a skilled practitioner and strong manager. Her role in implementing a well-planned scheme of work which systematically build on pupils skills understanding and knowledge has improved teaching and learning very effectively in Years 3 to 6. The subject manager is very aware of the shortcomings in the infants and has worked alongside teachers to improve their expertise and confidence. Both the co-ordinator and senior managers know there is still some considerable work to be done to improve teaching and learning for younger pupils to enable them to reach the levels of which they are capable.

p.24

Commentary

65. Teaching overall is good in Years 3 to 6 and unsatisfactory in Years 1 and 2. In the four lessons seen in the juniors the teaching was never less than good and in Year 4 and 6 it was very good. Teachers interpret the scheme effectively and planning clearly identifies learning outcomes and appropriate levels of challenge for pupils who learn at different rates. Lessons are very well managed and include a variety of stimulating and challenging investigations and experiments leading to good levels of attainment in scientific enquiry. Support staff are used wisely, for example, to provide additional help for pupils who learn at a slower rate or more able pupils who are learning English as an additional language and need scientific vocabulary explained.

p.24

Commentary

66. In most lessons staff expertise and enthusiasm motivate pupils to reach the highest standards they can and they achieve well. In the best lessons, pupils approach practical tasks with enthusiasm and enjoyment and have a secure understanding of how to conduct an investigation. Older pupils share ideas and have lively discussions with each other and their teachers to confidently express their own ideas about finding solutions to problems such how to separate solids and liquids. Pupils use their literacy and mathematical skills well across in the subject as they tabulate information or write up their experiments in their own words. In Year 6 pupils are actively involved in assessing their own learning. Mind maps, which indicate how much pupils know and understand about a topic and interactive displays enable pupils to check how much they are learning during a particular topic and provide teachers with a very useful indicators of the progress pupils are

p.24

Commentary

making in new learning. Information and communication technology is used well to add interest and challenge to learning. For example, in a highly effective Year 6 lesson, some pupils used a CD-ROM to find out about the molecular structure of solids dissolving in warm water, while others carried out their own experiments. 67. In the infants, of the two lessons seen one was unsatisfactory and one was satisfactory. In Year 2, where teaching was unsatisfactory, the teaching lacked effective strategies to manage pupils’ behaviour, tasks were not well executed and led to pupils being confused about their learning. The more able pupils were not sufficiently challenged and quickly became bored and distracted and pupils with special educational needs drifted from task to task wit h little help or support from staff. Although information is collected on the levels pupils reach insufficient use is made of this by

p.24

Commentary

teachers to inform planning and to more accurately pinpoint the needs of individual and groups of pupils in order to improve their levels of attainment. 68. Across the subject, insufficient emphasis is placed on the basic skills of spelling, punctuation and grammar and this adversely affects the standards pupils are reaching in English.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject leader has a good understanding of how to improve standards • The school has good resources Mellor Community Primary School 25 • The development of teachers’ knowledge and expertise is good • Assessment procedures are not yet firmly established • The place of ICT in other subjects is improving well but is not yet firmly established

p.24

Commentary

69. Standards attained in Year 6 are in line with national expectations. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with some lessons being of a good or better quality. The development of the teachers’ expertise and knowledge in this subject has been good and was seen in the lessons observed during this inspection.

p.25

Commentary

70. In one very good lesson, on the evaluation of multi-media presentations, the teacher had high expectations of the work the pupils were going to produce. She gave a clear context for the further development of the work, so that the pupils knew where their learning was taking them. The teacher’s explanations and instructions were clear, and when she found misunderstandings these were dealt with quickly. This meant that the pupils were kept busy and involved in their work. These factors together with the teacher’s own enthusiasm, high praise levels, very good discipline and relationships and very good subject knowledge created a successful positive learning environment.

p.25

Commentary

71. When teaching is less successful, the explanations and instructions to the pupils are not clear or rushed and the pupils are left to struggle as they start their work. In these lessons some pupils who are not sure what is expected of them spend too much time not working and so they do not achieve satisfactorily.

p.25

Commentary

72. The school has a good number of computers for the number of pupils and most other resources are readily available. The school is however lacking in its printing facilities, especially those that could be used alongside the school’s new laptops, which, though new, are being well used.

p.25

Commentary

73. The subject leader presents a very good teaching model and her pupils are enthusiastic about the subject. She has a clear and appropriate vision of how standards in ICT should be raised and how its use in other subjects will be achieved. The monitoring of teaching and learning standards is at an early stage of development as are the assessment procedures for this subject. The improvement made since the last inspection has been good. Standards in information and communication technology are now satisfactory.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

74. The use of ICT in other subjects is satisfactory and there is evidence of its use across the school and across most subject areas. For example, the pupils use a digital camera in physical education to record examples of good balance and poise. However, its use in other subjects has not yet been fully established as a normal tool in learning and too often the pupils have no concrete evidence of its use in their books or work folders.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

§ Teaching is mainly good, but occasionally unimaginative. § The new syllabus has been well integrated into planning. Mellor Community Primary School 26 § The school does much to promote tolerance, understanding, racial harmony and self- esteem. § Lessons are sometimes adversely affected by intrusive background noise.

p.25

Commentary

75. Standards in Years 2 and 6 are in line with the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. The school has made sound progress since the last inspection. The school has acted promptly in its integration of the new syllabus into its planning system, which has resulted in lessons with clearer learning objectives. Pupils learn about Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Judaism. A strength in the subject is the open and confident manner in which pupils share information about their own religions with their peers. This increases their knowledge of the range of faiths studied, as well as promoting tolerance and understanding. The dignity and courtesy displayed by the oldest pupils, when engaged in discussion, are striking.

p.26

Commentary

76. The quality of teaching and learning is mainly good and results in imaginative lessons, using a combination of traditional artefacts, new technology and group work. This combination inspires pupils to talk openly and frankly, share their ideas and reflect on their experiences. When studying a particular faith, teachers make good use of pupils of that faith, who are taught to expand on their greater knowledge. This creates a very good ethos for learning. When a lesson is located badly on the timetable, intrusive noise from neighbouring classes spoils the atmosphere for learning. This impact is greater, when the lesson is unimaginative and pupils find it difficult to listen.

p.26

Commentary

77. The school’s personal and social education curriculum makes a positive contribution to pupils’ self-esteem, tolerance and understanding of the complexities of faith and cultures, by posing challenging questions and helping pupils to identify with the feelings and beliefs of others. This is well supported by school assemblies, which encourage learning in faith groups, as well as in sharing each other’s celebrations and festivals. Pupils who do not belong to a particular faith are given the opportunity to discuss their ideas together, as well as learning from other pupils and their teachers.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are a good range of visits to enhance the curriculum • A good range of literacy skills are used • The role of the subject leader in raising the standard of teaching and learning across the school is not well developed • Too little progress has been made towards higher levels of mapping skills • Assessment procedures are not consistently used

p.26

Commentary

78. Standards in Year 6 are in line with national expectations. The pupils talk confidently about their past and present work in these subjects and show a satisfactory understanding of most elements of the curriculum. Mapping skills are not well developed and by the time pupils are in Year 6 they have had little experience of Ordnance Survey or similar styles of maps. They do know about simple co-ordinates, ‘map keys’ and their use. Year 6 pupils talk enthusiastically about their work and about their past visits especially to Castleton, where they obviously enjoyed interviewing visitors and residents using their questionnaires.

p.26

Commentary

79. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with some lessons being of a good or better quality. When the teaching is good or better the teacher’s classroom management is good and the pupils are actively engaged in learning experiences suitable for their ages. For example, in a good Mellor Community Primary School 27 history lesson in Year 4, the pupils researched the life of Romans and Celts using reference books, information sheets and computer based information.

p.26

Commentary

80. Both subjects add well to the range of pupils’ literacy experiences. Research skills are enhanced through the use of books, information sheets, CD-ROMs and the Internet. The pupils are often taught to write accounts in their own words and in different styles such as letters, postcards and leaflets.

p.27

Commentary

81. The subject leader has not had the opportunity to monitor teaching directly. Although she does see samples of teachers planning she does not monitor the standard of pupils’ work. This means that she does not have a clear idea of the standards achieved by the pupils. The improvement made since the last inspection has been satisfactory.

p.27

Strengths and weaknesses

• Skills and knowledge are built on progressively • Pupils’ own cultural backgrounds are valued through art

p.27

Strengths and weaknesses

82. The school provides pupils with a wide range of experiences to develop their skills, techniques and knowledge and understanding of art and design and design technology. Standards meet expectations in both key stages and are similar to those reported in the last inspection.

p.27

Strengths and weaknesses

83. The art lesson seen in Year 4 was good and the one in Year 6 was very good. The design and technology lesson was satisfactory. In both lessons in art and design tasks were challenging and built well on pupils’ previous skills and knowledge. In Year 6 pupils use different methods materials and skills to produce their own montages. Learning moved on at a fast rate as pupils collaborated exceptionally well discussing the relative artistic merits of each other’s work and making informed choices using criteria such as the quality of the perspective or the detail in the sketch.

p.27

Strengths and weaknesses

84. In both subjects there is an appropriate balance between developing pupils’ skills and techniques and the provision of opportunities for pupils to experiment and work in a wide variety of media. Visits, artefacts, nature and literature are used very effectively to promote pupils’ interest in art and design and to provide a focus for their work. Links with other subjects stimulate pupils’ interest and help pupils understand both subjects in the context of an historical period such as the Tudors or Egyptians or a geographical location such Africa. Pupils’ own cultural backgrounds are reflected well in the art displays around the school and Black and Asian artists are valued and given prominence and respect.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

§ A good range of experiences is included in the curriculum. § Facilities and resources are good. § There is little competitive sport.

p.27

Commentary

Mellor Community Primary School 28 85. Standards in physical education meet national expectations in Years 2 and 6. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. All the required elements of the National Curriculum are included in the planned programme of lessons. Good use is made of national guidelines in the preparation of these plans. Three lessons were observed. In these, the pupils in Years 1 and 2 show a satisfactory sense of rhythm as they learn Garba dancing in preparation for the celebration of Navratri. Year 6 pupils also display a sound sense of balance, co-ordination and control as they match and mirror each other’s movements. Records show that most pupils learn to swim the required distance.

p.28

Commentary

86. Teaching is satisfactory, with good teaching occurring in Year 6. A notable feature of the Year 6 lesson is the emphasis placed on quality of movement, which results in improved performance. The co-ordinator is relatively inexperienced, but has successfully introduced initiatives, such as Kwik cricket. He has a good sense of purpose for future developments. These include competitive sport through a local schools’ initiative. The school halls and playing fields provide good venues for learning, and are backed up by adequate resources.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are too few opportunities for the pupils to learn to play musical instruments or to sing together • There are too few opportunities for the pupils to listen to and appreciate a wide range of musical genre

p.28

Commentary

87. The provision for music is unsatisfactory as the school presents the pupils with too few opportunities to develop their skills in performance and to appreciate the richness of different musical genre. For example, the school does not make the most of those occasions when the pupils gather together for a whole school assembly; this limits the opportunity for the children to sing together and to appreciate different styles of music. Furthermore, although there are recorder and guitar clubs, there are too few opportunities for most of the children to learn to play a musical instrument. The room dedicated as a music room in the junior department is too small to accommodate a full class of pupils for their music lessons. Standards are not as good as those reported in the last inspection. Mellor Community Primary School 29

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 4 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 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 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 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 1 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 8 The leadership of other key staff 4 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). No judgement made (8)

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