Middleton Primary and Nursery School

MIDDLETON PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 4 th March 2004

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MIDDLETON PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

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

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MIDDLETON PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

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

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MIDDLETON PRIMARY AND NURSERY 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. Middleton Primary and Nursery 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: 373

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Harrow Road Wollaton Park Nottingham Nottinghamshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0115 9153261 Fax number: 0115 9153262

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr G McDermott

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a larger than average multi-ethnic primary school. There are 333 children in the main school and a further 70 children in the Nursery, nearly all of whom attend part-time. The full range of attainment is seen when children start at the school, but overall their attainment is below average.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

About 60 of the pupils are learning English as additional language and half of these pupils are at an early stage of English language acquisition. The proportion of children at the school who are learning English as an additional language has risen in recent years. A few children come from asylum- seeking families. An average number of pupils have special educational needs but none of the pupils has a statement of special educational need. Children come from a very wide range of backgrounds and there are an average number of children who are entitled to free school meals. Middleton Primary and Nursery 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

21227 Barbara Crane Lead inspector English Art and design Religious education 9974 Daljit Singh Lay inspector 32283 Denis Goodchild Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Physical education 16773 Raminder Arora Team inspector English as an additional language Foundation Stage Design and technology Music 30745 Pat Thorpe Team inspector Science History Geography Special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

peakschoolhaus Ltd BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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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.ofsted.gov.uk). Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 28

Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 6 Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school. Pupils’ achievement is good and most of them do very well to reach above average standards by the time they leave. The personal development of all pupils is very well nurtured and there is good quality teaching. The school is well led and managed. It gives good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Pupils throughout the school achieve very well in mathematics. • Good teaching and very good relationships mean that pupils want to learn. • Pupils’ personal development is very well promoted and there is a strong sense of community in which all pupils are included. • There is a rich and varied curriculum with plenty for pupils to take part in out of lessons. • Some of the older pupils who are learning English as an additional language are not doing quite as well as they should be. • Standards in writing should be higher by the time pupils leave.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

There has been good improvement since the last inspection. The management of the school has improved. Standards are higher now and the teaching is supported by guidance for all subjects. Provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is much better than it was. The school is now doing all that it is required to do.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes achieve well and most reach the goals set for their age by the time they start in Year 1 and exceed these in their personal, social and emotional development. Results for Year 6 pupils in 2003 were lower than usual, but were expected because this was a lower attaining year group and a much higher number of pupils than usual left or joined the school at times other than the usual points. Even so, results in English had fallen over two years, with weaker performance in writing than reading. Standards now are above average in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2 and average in science. In Year 6, standards are above average in mathematics, science, ICT, religious education, physical education and art and design. Standards are average in English overall, with good standards in reading, but standards in writing should be higher by the time pupils leave. Pupils with

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

special educational needs achieve well throughout the school. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language make good progress from the Nursery up to the end of Year 4 but only achieve satisfactorily in Years 5 and 6 because their needs are not as closely met.

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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 A C E E Mathematics A A B B Science B B D 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

Pupils’ personal development is very good ; this includes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils show a high level of maturity. They are polite and enthusiastically join in with whatever the school offers them and have plenty of ideas of their own. The school celebrates its cultural diversity and pupils from different backgrounds get on extremely well. Pupils’ behaviour is Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 8 very good and they show respect for the staff and each other. They enjoy taking responsibility for creating a harmonious community in which everyone helps each other. Older pupils say that their first responsibility is to set a good example for younger ones and they do so very well. Attendance is very good and pupils come to school punctually.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality education. Teaching and learning are good. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes get a firm foundation in basic skills because of good teaching and they develop good work habits and independence. All teachers set high standards for pupils’ behaviour and give them warm encouragement so that pupils are keen to learn and can do so without distraction. The teachers’ checks on how well pupils are doing in reading and mathematics are used very effectively to set targets for pupils but this is weaker in writing for pupils in Years 6. The support for pupils with special educational needs is good. There is good support for most pupils who are learning English as an additional language. However, when the level of direct support reduces for the older pupils, there is sometimes too little guidance given for teaching and this results in a slower rate of learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

There is a good, broad curriculum that is greatly enriched by additional activities as well as visits and visitors. The school takes good care of pupils and promotes their understanding of healthy living and the need to protect the environment very well. The school has a satisfactory partnership with parents but does not do all it could to involve them in its daily life.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides good leadership that sets the tone for the school. Her vision of building a community in which all pupils are included and valued as individuals is clearly reflected in the school’s work. The staff work very well as a team to achieve the school’s aims and those with major areas of responsibility provide good support for the school’s improvement. The governance of the school is good. Governors provide good support for the school; they know its strengths and weaknesses through checking on its provision and performance. All statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents mainly have positive views and particularly appreciate the school’s provision of activities outside normal lessons and in promoting children’s confidence and maturity. Some parents feel that the school does not sufficiently seek their views and inspection evidence supports this. Pupils are very positive about the school. They enjoy being there and are proud of their school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Improve the achievement of Year 5 and 6 pupils who are learning English as an additional language. • Improve standards in writing for pupils in Year 6. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is good throughout the school. Most pupils do very well so that standards are above average in most subjects by the time pupils leave the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well in mathematics. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. • Children exceed the expectations for their age in personal, social and emotional development by the time they start in Year 1. • Year 5 and 6 pupils who are learning English as an additional language do not do quite as well as they do in other years. • Year 6 pupils should be doing better in writing.

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Commentary

1. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes achieve well and most reach the goals set for their age by the time they start in Year 1. Most children exceed the goals in their personal, social and emotional development because teaching provides a secure and lively climate for learning and clear expectations of behaviour. In one literacy session, for example, the children’s confidence and sensible behaviour meant that they benefited from being able to work together with a partner, or in groups and so learned from each other as well as from the teaching.

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Commentary

2. Standards have improved since the last inspection. The trend in the school’s standards over time has kept up with the national trend and the school meets its targets. In most areas, the more able pupils are achieving well, which is also an improvement from the last inspection. The results for Year 6 pupils in 2003 were lower than usual, but this was a lower attaining year group and more pupils than usual left or joined the school at times other than the usual points. The school expected the lower results last year and it is clear that standards in the present Year 6 are higher.

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Commentary

3. Standards now are above average in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2 and average in science. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well. They get a good, solid foundation for basic skills that serves them well in their work in all subjects. Pupils read competently and express their ideas accurately in writing. They have a good facility with numbers and use their knowledge to solve problems well in mathematics. Pupils’ speaking and listening are well promoted and pupils who are learning English as an additional language get good support and make good progress.

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Commentary

4. In Year 6, standards are above average in mathematics, science, ICT, religious education, physical education and art and design. Pupils achieve very well in mathematics because they apply their skills and knowledge very effectively in finding different ways to solve problems, not just in mathematics lessons but in other subjects.

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Commentary

5. Standards are average in English overall, with good standards in reading, but standards in writing should be higher for Year 6 pupils. Many pupils in Year 6 have good ideas for writing, accurate spelling and neat handwriting, but do not write often enough for different purposes and this limits their achievement in organising their writing and further refining their skills in using language for different effects. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language only achieve satisfactorily in Years 5 and 6 because their needs are not as closely met as in previous year groups. This is because most of the direct support that was previously given is Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 10 withdrawn in these years and the teaching for these pupils does not always continue to build on what pupils need to improve.

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well throughout the school. This is because pupils’ difficulties are identified and teaching is well directed to meet the pupils’ needs. Teaching assistants work closely with the pupils and this support is effective because they know what it is they are working on to improve.

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

Standards in: School results National results Reading 16.0 (16.2) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 15.3 (15.4) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.3 (16.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 46 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

Standards in: School results National results English 25.5 (27.3) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.7 (28.7) 26.8 (26.7) Science 27.9 (29.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were 60 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, relationships and behaviour are very good . Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . Attendance is well above average and pupils are punctual.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils from all backgrounds get on very well together. • Pupils show a high level of maturity and have a well-developed sense of responsibility. • Attendance is very good and pupils enjoy school.

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Commentary

7. Pupils like coming to school and this is reflected in their very good level of attendance. They enjoy working and playing together. The headteacher’s influence is very evident in the school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development. The school celebrates the cultural diversity amongst pupils and relationships between pupils from different ethnic groups are very good throughout the school. The underlying messages, promoted consistently through the school, about the importance of living together harmoniously and respecting others, make a real impact and are reinforced through reflection, both in circle and story time and through social activities outside lessons. This contributes powerfully to pupils’ personal development, particularly their moral, spiritual and cultural development, all of which is very good.

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Commentary

8. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes learn to develop confidence and independence and form very good relationships with classmates. Older pupils have a very mature attitude to learning and are confident and highly motivated learners. In all classes, pupils are eager to enter into discussions and express their opinions confidently. They have a growing thirst for knowledge and strive to do their best. Pupils are very attentive in lessons and behave very well, Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 11 reflecting the high expectations of the staff. Pupils are polite, respectful, courteous, welcoming and very friendly and helpful to visitors. They know the rules for good behaviour at playtimes, and procedures to follow if they are bullied, or called anti-social names, including racist language. Their cheerful dispositions ensure they learn in a very harmonious environment.

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Commentary

9. Pupils invest their time wisely and take an active part in activities outside of lessons. They play different sports and extend their learning through the school clubs. Pupils playing netball in an after-school club, for example, observed the rules closely, enjoying the game and being competitive.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.0 School data 0.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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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 199 0 0 White – Irish 0 0 0 White – any other White background 4 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 13 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 5 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 23 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 53 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 4 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 7 0 0 Black or Black British – African 3 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 3 0 0 Chinese 3 0 0 Any other ethnic group 7 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 6 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 12

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality education . Teaching is good and there is a good curriculum with plenty of activities outside lessons. The school takes good care of its pupils and has satisfactory links with parents.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good . Assessment is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching gives warm encouragement to pupils and there are high expectations of behaviour. • Teaching of Reception and Nursery children supports their confidence and independence very well. • Teaching in mathematics is very good. • Year 6 pupils are not helped to understand what to improve in their writing. • Teaching in Years 5 and 6 is weaker for pupils who are learning English as an additional language.

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Commentary

10. Teaching and learning are good. There has been good improvement in teaching since the last inspection, particularly in providing more challenge for the higher ability pupils and in supporting pupils with special educational needs. Lessons are characterised by warm relationships, the use of humour to enliven learning and high expectations of behaviour. All of these factors combine to create a good climate for learning in which pupils work without distraction.

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Commentary

11. Pupils develop a good level of confidence because they nearly always experience success that is celebrated by adults and their classmates. All teachers ensure that pupils want to learn through giving them encouragement and praise. Pupils are keen to please adults and they concentrate well in lessons because of the lively activities and teachers’ good use of resources to stimulate interest. Teaching is often well paced, with different activities built in to the lesson, such as pupils talking to each other about their ideas before sharing them with the class, so that pupils are more involved. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported because all adults in classrooms know what the pupils need to work on next and how to help them.

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Commentary

12. Very good teaching in the Foundation Stage in the area of personal, social and emotional development means that children quickly develop confidence in trying out their ideas. Children settle down happily and feel secure because they know the routines and adults’ expectations of them. They show consideration and respect for each other because adults set a good example for them to follow. The supportive atmosphere means that each child feels very special. Teachers make sure that all children are given the chance to be the special ‘helping hands’ in the classrooms and this raises children’s self-esteem very effectively.

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Commentary

13. Teaching in mathematics is very good throughout the school. Teaching is challenging, with a strong emphasis on solving problems and developing pupils’ ability to think logically to find different ways of finding solutions. Teaching places a good emphasis on using the correct mathematical language and then lets pupils use this language in discussions. Assessments are used to set precise targets for pupils. These strengths result in pupils’ very rapid progress in learning in mathematics.

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Commentary

14. There are good systems for assessing how well pupils are doing. These are used well by teachers in the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 to 4 for setting targets for all pupils in literacy and numeracy and providing support for pupils who are learning English as an additional Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 13 language. However, the school’s systems for passing on information about these pupils’ specific needs are not sufficiently robust to ensure that teachers and support assistants in Years 5 and 6 get it in a form that is readily understood. This means that adults are not as clear about how to support these pupils and the review of pupils’ progress is more difficult.

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Commentary

15. Although there are precise assessments of pupils’ writing in other year groups, that are often very well used to set targets for individual pupils, this is not the case in Year 6. Pupils here do not have specific targets that help them know what they need to improve in writing and this restricts their progress.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 37 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

2 (5%) 12 (32 %) 12 (32%) 11 (30%) 0 0 0

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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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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum for all its pupils. There is a very good range of additional activities outside normal lessons. The accommodation and resources are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides very well for personal, social, health and citizenship education. • The provision for special educational needs is good. • A very good range of visits and activities outside normal lessons and frequent visitors to the school enrich the curriculum. • The well-developed school grounds provide a good environment for learning.

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Commentary

16. There has been good improvement in developing the curriculum since the last inspection. The children in the Nursery and Reception classes benefit from a good range of learning opportunities that develop their knowledge and understanding well across all the recommended areas of learning. Children take part in a wide range of planned and structured activities and experiences, which gives them a positive start to their education and prepares them well for the next stage.

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Commentary

17. The quality and range of learning opportunities are good throughout the school. Teaching clearly reflects the requirements of the National Curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Provision for mathematics and art and design is very good. Teachers’ planning overall is good and generally meets the needs of pupils. Opportunities to develop writing skills across the curriculum are not always taken and this has an adverse effect on Year 6 pupils’ progress. The use of mathematics across the curriculum is good and is having a positive effect on achievement. ICT is used effectively to support learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

18. The school provides very well for pupils’ personal, social and health education. There is good provision for sex education and learning about alcohol and drug abuse through visits from the nurse and from the ‘Life Education Van’. The school puts strong emphasis on the importance of eating healthily and taking sufficient exercise. Pupils enjoy taking part in the very wide range of conservation and recycling projects undertaken by the school.

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Commentary

19. There has been an improvement in provision for pupils with special educational needs and this is now good. Problems are usually identified early and pupils benefit from the good relationships Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 14 and inclusion that are evident throughout the school. The co-ordinator keeps careful records of pupils’ progress and all staff are involved in developing an appropriate curriculum for each pupil and support is organised well. Individual education programmes are reviewed regularly and are of good quality. Staff training is well planned so that school can better meet pupils’ specific needs; for example, the most recent training has focused on dyslexia.

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Commentary

20. The school has a very full programme of educational visits and visitors and ensures, through fund-raising and grants, that all pupils benefit from these. In addition, a good range of extra- curricular sporting activities, such as football and netball, are available during lunchtime and after the school day.

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Commentary

21. The number, qualifications and experience of teaching and support staff match the needs of the curriculum. The indoor accommodation is satisfactory and pupils benefit from a library and computer suite. The school is set in extensive grounds, which have been imaginatively developed to provide a good learning resource and the school places particular emphasis on conservation and caring for the environment. The Reception children, however, lack easy access to an outdoor play area.

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Care, guidance and support

The arrangements for the care, safety and welfare of pupils are good . Provision for support and guidance, based on monitoring, is good . The way in which the school involves pupils through seeking their views is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The work of the staff ensures good care and support, which form a very secure foundation for the very good relationships in the school. • The school provides very good help for pupils who find it difficult to play with others. • Pupils have restricted chances to share their ideas of how to improve the school.

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Commentary

22. The trusting relationships in the school provide pupils with a sense of belonging and security. They know who to turn to if they have problems. The quality of advice, support and guidance provided by teachers ensures pupils learn in a confident and motivated way. The staff listen to pupils’ concerns and work in a constructive and purposeful manner to resolve problems, as well as celebrating pupils’ achievements. This leads to a very supportive community in which pupils know they are valued and included. The headteacher is readily available to pupils and they often seek her guidance or support if they need to talk about problems.

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Commentary

23. The school has very good arrangements to help pupils who sometimes find it hard to get on with others. The well-trained support staff who work with these pupils plan enjoyable activities through which pupils learn how to play together and so become socially included.

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Commentary

24. The child protection arrangements are very effectively managed to ensure that all staff are well informed and appropriately trained and professional at all times. The school looks carefully at other aspects of how it can protect pupils’ safety and well-being and assesses risks conscientiously.

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Commentary

25. Pupils say that they are very happy with the quality of education they receive. They are consulted on some important issues; for example, conservation issues are regularly discussed and joint strategies for change explored and implemented. However, there are very few opportunities for pupils to make informed choices and decisions about other aspects of the school’s life and how they could influence what happens. There is no school council, for Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 15 example, and some pupils would welcome broader consultation in which they could play a more active part.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents are satisfactory . Links with other schools are good and there are very good links with the community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children in the Nursery are helped to settle in well. • Very good links between the school and the wider community enhance pupils’ learning. • The school has very limited systems for seeking parents’ views.

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Commentary

26. Children are well prepared for their start in the Nursery, with frequent visits beforehand. The staff forge good links with parents, who feel welcomed in school and receive good information about how they can help at home. This continues when children transfer into the Reception year, when parents are helped to understand what will change and how they can play a part in their children’s education. For older pupils, the school tries hard to accommodate parents through regular consultation evenings, school and community functions and workshops, as well as through the work of the Parents’ and Teachers’ Association, which is very well supported by many parents and staff. However, some parents feel that the school could do more to seek their views and consult them more frequently about its development. Inspection findings support this view.

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Commentary

27. The school values its wider community and sustains a secure partnership that ensures that teaching and learning are strengthened by its links. For example, there are very close ties with a local hospice and the city football ground. The school’s partnership is complemented by artists in residence and links with a church and with other places of worship such as a local mosque and gurdwara. The very effective involvement with the community enables the pupils to develop educationally, spiritually, socially and emotionally and to learn in a more informed and responsible manner. The school’s work with other schools enables it to promote care for the environment. It has won several awards for raising awareness of conservation issues and has become a central location for collection of materials, which are recycled and distributed around the world. Teachers provide expert advice to other schools on how to conserve unwanted items

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Commentary

and ensure the community supports needy causes. This enables teachers in both primary and secondary schools to work closely, planning and developing topics which support personal, social and health education and enabling pupils to care for the local and wider community in a more informed manner.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good . The headteacher’s leadership is good and she is well supported by key staff. The management and governance of school are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a clear vision for the pupils’ personal development that is shared by the staff and governors. • All staff are highly committed to the full inclusion of all pupils and show concern for individuals. • The school has not been quite as rigorous in keeping a watchful eye on provision for all pupils who are learning English as an additional language. • The school’s approach to financial management helps it to tackle its priorities very effectively. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 16

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Commentary

28. Good leadership and management by the headteacher have ensured that the school has improved well in important areas since the last inspection. There is now a comprehensive plan for the school’s development and key staff have a much clearer view of their roles and so carry out their responsibilities more effectively. The curriculum is better planned and there are effective checks on the quality of teaching and learning in most areas.

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Commentary

29. The headteacher provides a very clear vision for the school’s work in promoting pupils’ personal development and a racially harmonious school. She heads a team that is committed to the inclusion of all pupils and adults set a very good example for pupils to follow. The performance of teachers is checked and targets are set that reflect individual and school priorities.

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Commentary

30. Key staff provide good support. The new deputy head is providing a very good lead in even more rigorous analysis of data about pupils’ progress and is using findings to further sharpen planning for areas that need to improve, such as target setting for the older pupils in writing. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is well managed and results in pupils’ good progress. The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is managed well and ensures that children get off to a good start. Subjects are well led and managed, with a particularly strong picture in mathematics. Provision for pupils who are learning English as an additional language is managed satisfactorily. The school puts in more money to support these pupils than it receives through direct funding and this is successfully promoting most pupils’ good progress. In the later years, however, when the direct support for Year 5 and 6 pupils diminishes, the

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Commentary

school has not yet found an efficient way of guiding teaching so that there is the best possible support for these pupils. Some teachers and support assistants lack guidance about pupils’ precise needs and this sometimes limits pupils’ progress.

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Commentary

31. Governance is good. The governors are well aware of the school’s priorities, such as developing pupils’ writing, and this helps them to give good support to the school’s efforts to improve. They ensure that their approach to financial management helps the school to achieve fully its educational priorities. All statutory requirements are met.

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1003600 Balance from previous year 27900 Total expenditure 970200 Balance carried forward to the next 61300 Expenditure per pupil 2321 Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 17

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Overall provision in the Foundation Stage is good and so children achieve well. There has been good improvement since the last inspection, with a well-planned curriculum so that children’s learning builds smoothly between the Nursery and Reception classes. The good management of this stage of children’s education has been a significant factor in this. Teaching and learning are good, overall, and children’s confidence and enjoyment in learning is successfully nurtured, right from the start. Support for children who are learning English as an additional language is well planned so that they make good progress.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good relationships between both adults and children. • Children’s positive attitudes and independence are very well promoted.

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Commentary

32. Teaching and learning are very good and children achieve very well. Some of the children enter Nursery with immature personal and social skills. They settle down quickly and feel both happy and secure. Clear boundaries and the very good role models set by the adults, linked with the very good quality of teaching and learning, mean that children achieve very well. Most are on course to do better than expected by the end of the Reception year. Children are attentive and eager to learn. They enjoy coming to school and learn to conform to the high standards of behaviour expected by the staff because of gentle intervention that gets them back on track in a positive way. They know routines well, settle to tasks with a minimum of fuss and behave sensibly at all times. Children of different backgrounds work and play in harmony and show developing confidence in trying new activities. Children are purposefully engaged and show

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Commentary

consideration and respect for property and each other. Teachers create a supportive atmosphere where each child feels very special.

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The development of language skills effectively pervades all learning activities. • Children achieve well in relation to their prior attainment because of the good teaching of basic skills. • The home reading system is well established • Some chances are missed to support children’s speaking and listening during whole-class sessions.

p.17

Commentary

33. Children make good gains in learning because they are taught well. Teachers make continuous checks on children’s progress and have a very good understanding of individual strengths and Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 18 weaknesses. Their regular evaluations of planned work help build on what has already been achieved.

p.17

Commentary

34. Most children are well on course to achieve the early learning goals and some will have exceeded them by the end of the Reception year. The well-planned sessions provide interest, stimulation and challenge. There are plenty of opportunities for children to ‘write’ in play activities and they learn how to form letters correctly. The children take books home to share with parents and this builds a strong link between home and school because good communication is established about how well children are doing. The staff show that they value children’s efforts at communicating. In most lessons, children talk with interest about their experiences and develop new vocabulary quickly in all aspects of their work, for example when engaged in activities in the home-corner and dressing up, or working in the ‘Vet’s Surgery’. The development of language informs all activities in all areas of learning. Adults’ encouragement to

p.18

Commentary

develop talk at every step of learning ensures that all children achieve well. As a result, children with English as an additional language make good gains in the acquisition and use of English. These children also receive extra expertise support in learning the new language. However, there are times when support staff do not fully join in whole-class discussion sessions at the start of lessons to support children’s speaking and listening skills.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers provide good opportunities for children to use mathematics in a range of contexts. • Activities are lively and varied and so children are interested in learning but the environment for mathematical learning is not as bright and stimulating for some children.

p.18

Commentary

35. Children are taught well, achieve well and most are on course to reach the early learning goals by the start of Year 1. The available resources are used very well and this helps children to develop their mathematical understanding and vocabulary. Teachers plan well and use a good range of teaching methods. They make learning interesting; for example, in the Nursery children sort and name shapes and make shape mobiles. The use of number rhymes, games and songs is enjoyed by all and reinforces counting, recognition and understanding of numbers. Children are encouraged to apply what they know to practical problems, for example, counting the number of children at registration. Most children in Reception correctly identify and put into order numbers up to 20 and can identify numbers that are more than or less than other numbers. They recognise basic shapes and gain knowledge of capacity and weight from

p.18

Commentary

practical experiences with sand and water. Some more able children describe objects by position, shape, size, colour and quantity. Some older children demonstrate good knowledge and understanding of how to solve simple problems involving addition and subtraction, and use vocabulary such as “add one more” or “take one more away”, “how many altogether?” and “how many left?” There is effective adult involvement in children’s activities and useful timely assessments made of the individual children’s progress. Not all Reception children, however, benefit from the same bright and stimulating displays that prompt them to learn about numbers, shapes and the words associated with these. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 19

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are keen and eager to find out about the world around them. • Good teaching ensures that children achieve well and have good attitudes to learning.

p.19

Commentary

36. Children achieve well because both teaching and learning are good. Teachers plan activities that engage and sustain children’s interest. During the inspection week, the Nursery children were learning about objects made with different materials, such as wood and plastic. The Reception children explored and experimented with a variety of different musical instruments to know that sounds can be made in different ways. They were also observed learning successfully about animals from hot and cold countries. Most children could readily name animals and experimented with ice in their water trays. These activities were well led and children were fully focused on developing their knowledge, understanding and the use of related vocabulary. Children enjoy learning and remain totally absorbed in the range of activities inside and outside. The topic of ‘senses’ is very well developed to enhance children’s understanding of

p.19

Commentary

37. There is effective adult intervention in activities and encouragement for children to explore new ideas. The guidance given by the teachers and support staff is good, as children are encouraged to work independently to put their own ideas into practice, for example when playing in the ‘Middleton Vet’s’ corner and learning to take care of pets. Children thoroughly enjoy the experiences of working with sand, water and malleable materials. They use paint, mix different colours and name basic colours correctly. They use different materials, such as paper, card and textiles, to develop cutting, joining, folding and building skills and are encouraged to talk about their experiences. Children are progressing steadily in learning computer skills. Computers are well used and children get a good level of individual support. Most children are on course to achieve most of the early learning goals.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good outdoor play facilities for Nursery children. • Teaching is good and contributes to children making progress and achieving well. • Children handle tools with care and control and respond very positively to the good quality of teaching. • Reception children do not have their own appropriate outdoor facility.

p.19

Commentary

38. Children achieve well and most are on course to reach the early learning goals set for them in this area. Nursery children have good opportunities to develop their skills in the outdoor play areas. They are confident and well co-ordinated in the use of outdoor equipment. The available large and small outdoor resources are effectively used. Children move imaginatively, demonstrating good body control and awareness of space. In the main school hall, the Reception classes have a regular opportunity for movement with music and use the large climbing apparatus. These children do not, however, have direct access to an area where they can explore outdoor space and play imaginatively. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 20 39. Children enjoy physical education lessons and respond very positively to the praise and encouragement that they are given. Teachers ensure that good opportunities are provided for

p.19

Commentary

children to improve their techniques. The children love to act out stories and, when playing outside, they choose games which suit the space and the context. Children all have good attitudes and behave sensibly. All children make good progress in manipulating small objects and tools such as scissors.

p.20

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have positive attitudes to learning because they feel confident in expressing themselves creatively and know that what they do will be valued.

p.20

Commentary

40. Achievement is good. Most children are on course to reach the early learning goals. Teaching and learning are good. There is a range of interesting and stimulating learning settings. Children particularly enjoy their role-play in the well set-up imaginative areas and interact confidently. Children are given good opportunities to explore colour, texture, shape and form, through working with a wide range of materials to create collage or paint patterns. Nursery children were observed making very attractive flowers using twigs and tissue paper of assorted colours.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in reading and use their skills very well to support their learning in other subjects. • Pupils talk about their ideas using a wide vocabulary and listen very carefully to others. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 achieve well in all aspects of English. • Year 6 pupils write fluently, with accurate spelling and punctuation and imagination but they do not use these skills enough or know exactly what they need to do to improve. • Some Year 5 and 6 pupils who are learning English as an additional language do not make the best possible progress.

p.20

Commentary

41. Standards have improved since the previous inspection. Standards are above average in reading and writing in Year 2 and above average in reading in Year 6. Standards in writing are average in Year 6 and should be better. Standards in speaking are average in Years 2 and 6 but pupils’ listening is above average. Overall, there has been satisfactory improvement in the subject, but there is still work to be done in improving standards in writing for the oldest pupils. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, overall. Teaching and learning are good in Years 1 and 2. In Years 3 to 6, teaching has some good features but it is overall satisfactory because of some shortcomings in the teaching of writing and in meeting the needs of some pupils who are learning English as an additional language in Years 5 and 6. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they have clear targets to aim for in all year groups.

p.20

Commentary

42. Pupils throughout the school achieve well in reading. This is because the basic skills are well taught and teachers’ checks on how well pupils are doing are used well to move pupils on Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 21 effectively. The pupils read competently and enjoy a good range of stories and poetry as well as reading to gather information in different subjects. They show a good understanding of what they read and teaching harnesses this very well to probe and challenge pupils’ thinking. In a very good Year 2 lesson, for example, pupils identified the similar features in traditional Asian and European stories through the teacher’s searching questions that were pitched at just the right level for different abilities.

p.20

Commentary

43. The school’s initiative on improving how teaching involves pupils in speaking and listening is clearly reflected in lessons. Pupils in all classes are encouraged to talk about their ideas and to listen carefully to others. They mainly do this very well. Most pupils express their ideas freely and the quality of their listening is evident in the questions that they ask teachers and each other. In a Year 6 lesson, for example, pupils discussed what had influenced Macbeth’s change from being a hero to a villain and listened carefully to each other’s ideas. Strategies such as ‘talking partners’ are used very effectively and pupils enjoy sharing their ideas. Teachers use a very good vocabulary that is reflected in many pupils’ speaking. However, there are times when teachers do not check that the older pupils who are learning English as an additional language understand the new terms that are introduced.

p.21

Commentary

44. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 do well in all aspects of English because of good teaching. Their skills are built up steadily and the accurate use of assessment to set targets in reading and writing supports pupils’ good achievement. Pupils know what they need to do to improve and teaching follows up the targets that have been set well, in marking and in feedback to pupils in lessons.

p.21

Commentary

45. Overall achievement for pupils in the juniors is more limited, mainly because of the lack of target setting in writing for pupils in Year 6. In other years, pupils have targets that are mainly followed through and understood by pupils, but Year 6 pupils do not benefit from knowing exactly what they need to work on next. In addition, the overuse of worksheets in Year 6 prevents pupils from using what they know about adapting their writing to suit different purposes. While pupils’ overall achievement in writing is satisfactory, it should be better.

p.21

Commentary

46. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language achieve satisfactorily, but better in Years 1 and 2 than in the later years. This better achievement is because of well-planned support up to Year 4 and good communication between class teachers and support staff so that pupils are appropriately supported in both small groups and lessons. In Years 5 and 6, teachers and support staff are much less clear about how to support pupils’ specific needs and so progress slows for some pupils.

p.21

Commentary

47. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. There are two co-ordinators, one of whom focuses mainly on development in Years 3 to 6, and is presently absent from school. The remaining co-ordinator has a good grasp of what is working well and what needs to improve in Years 1 and 2 and has ensured that the school’s initiative in promoting speaking and listening has been followed through effectively.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. This is satisfactory overall, but better in Years 1 to 5 in using writing across the curriculum. Teaching in all years ensures that pupils use their speaking and listening and reading skills well in other subjects. Older pupils frequently use the library for research and all pupils use their reading very effectively when they scan menus and options on computer screens. Most teaching ensures that pupils use their writing skills in other subjects but there are times when worksheets restrict pupils’ opportunities to organise writing in different styles in Year 6. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 22

p.21

MATHEMATICS

The provision for mathematics is very good

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Challenging teaching helps all pupils achieve well. • Very good use is made of information from tests and assessments to decide how best to help pupils learn. • Practically based activities develop pupils’ problem-solving abilities well. • Very good use of computers develops pupils’ understanding of data analysis. • The subject manager sets a very good example in teaching.

p.22

Commentary

49. Standards in Year 2 and Year 6 are above average. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Teachers know their pupils well and use this knowledge to set work that matches their abilities. This helps all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in lessons.

p.22

Commentary

50. Teaching is very good and supports pupils’ rapid progress in learning. In a Year 2 lesson a range of well-matched activities and resources helped all pupils make good progress in their understanding of the value of digits. Higher attaining pupils were able to say and write three-digit numbers up to 1000. They also understood how the value of the digit changed relative to its position. Teaching assistants, through careful questioning, helped lower attaining pupils create and write numbers ten more than a given number.

p.22

Commentary

51. A strength of much of the teaching seen is the emphasis on solving problems, often through practical activities. These activities help to develop pupils’ thinking in logical steps. Year 3 and 4 pupils made good progress in data handling as they recorded data generated by tossing two coins or throwing dice. Teachers placed a good emphasis on using the correct language of ‘probability’ and provided opportunities for pupils to use this language in discussions. These lessons were lively and behaviour was good because teachers set high expectations and kept pupils busy.

p.22

Commentary

52. In an excellent Year 6 lesson challenging questioning and an insistence on precision in language developed pupils’ understanding of the attributes of two-dimensional shapes. This helped pupils learning English as an additional language to identify a kite as having adjacent sides equal. A range of activities then developed pupils’ understanding of the relationship between vulgar fractions, decimal fractions and percentages. The teacher and a volunteer adult gave very good guidance to the pupils as they ordered a set of fractions. Humour was evident in the context of very good relationships. Within this atmosphere pupils were confident and relaxed about making mistakes and enjoyed listening to one another’s strategies in creating equivalent fractions.

p.22

Commentary

53. Leadership and management are very good. The subject manager leads by example in her teaching and has a very good understanding of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses. Very good assessment procedures help the school to identify groups of pupils who need additional support and also effectively track individual pupils’ progress. This information is used well by teachers in planning lessons which meet the needs of pupils.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

54. Teaching makes good use of pupils’ mathematical skills in other subjects. There are many opportunities for pupils to discuss and explain their work. This makes a significant contribution to the development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills. All pupils have opportunity to use ICT Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 23 to process, represent and interpret numerical data generated in other subjects such as science. This also develops their writing skills as they create reports and questionnaires. In science, pupils have opportunity to use their measuring skills as they measure the growth rate of plants and volume of water in evaporation experiments. In art and history their work on symmetrical shapes and tessellations develops their spatial awareness.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make rapid gains in their knowledge and understanding of key facts. • Overuse of worksheets sometimes prevents more able children making gains in their independent learning. • Pupils use a wide range of scientific vocabulary.

p.23

Commentary

55. Pupils in Year 2 reach the expected standards for their age. These are similar to those found at the last inspection. Standards for pupils in Year 6 have improved and are now above average levels when compared to those nationally.

p.23

Commentary

56. Teaching and learning are good and have improved since the last inspection. Teachers now plan more guided experimental and investigative work for pupils. The good quality of teaching has played a major part in the good progress pupils make, along with a thorough analysis by the staff of what has worked well and what needs improvement. As a result, there is a more concerted effort to make sure that lessons involve practical experiences and that pupils are able to use the knowledge they have gained by making a hypothesis during experiments and discovering whether it is true. This provides challenge for pupils and encourages them to think for themselves. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, achieve well.

p.23

Commentary

57. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 use the good skills pupils develop in the Foundation Stage as a starting point to broaden and develop their knowledge and understanding of key scientific facts. Teachers plan lessons around experiences and objects that pupils are familiar with, such as the use of electricity and how a simple circuit works. Pupils use simple scientific language when discussing their ideas and recording their work.

p.23

Commentary

58. Through Years 3 to 6 these basic skills are developed well. All parts of the science curriculum are now covered in sufficient depth and teachers are rightly putting more emphasis on improving pupils’ investigative skills. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the work they are doing and are becoming increasingly familiar with a broad range of scientific terms. They are expected to structure their work and include all the elements of a fair test. However, as this work is often planned and recorded on worksheets, it sometimes restricts pupils, particularly the more able, from going one step further and making gains in their independent learning. For example, pupils are becoming skilled at explaining what happens and reaching accurate conclusions but do not often seek to find out why.

p.23

Commentary

59. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator monitors the school’s provision closely and checks the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Pupils are provided with a well-balanced curriculum and the standards pupils reach are steadily improving. Teachers make good use of the extensive, well-developed school grounds as a resource for scientific investigation and visits and visitors contribute positively to pupils’ learning. Written tests are undertaken by pupils at the end of each unit of work and the results of these tell teachers how well pupils are doing and what pupils need to concentrate on next. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 24 Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 25

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching and effective use of the ICT suite helps pupils make progress in the development of basic skills. • Pupils’ data handling and control skills are good. • ICT could be used more to support teaching and learning in the classroom. • Good leadership and management have improved provision.

p.25

Commentary

60. Standards by the end of Year 2 are in line with national averages and are above by the end of Year 6. This represents good progress and is an improvement on standards seen at the last inspection. All pupils achieve well and make good progress in their acquisition of basic ICT skills.

p.25

Commentary

61. Inspection evidence indicates that teaching is good. Clear instructions helped Year 2 pupils to negotiate their way through a control program. Using different tools they wrote a ‘program’ to direct a car around a track. They were able to edit mistakes whilst still saving the list of instructions. A teaching assistant gave good support to pupils with English as an additional language. This was because they were provided with the appropriate language to help them plot the route of a ‘turtle’. Very clear explanations and demonstration helped Year 5 pupils to create a database on a spreadsheet. Pupils quickly adapted to using the ‘autosum’ tool to total amounts and created a questionnaire by editing a word document.

p.25

Commentary

62. Year 6 pupils displayed a good knowledge and understanding of ICT and its application. They explained how ICT is used in banking, to control aeroplanes and in space research. They expressed a great enthusiasm for ICT lessons particularly those on control and data handling. They were particularly complimentary of the ICT suite and how it was “very good how one lesson builds on another lesson and we learn skills.”

p.25

Commentary

63. Leadership and management are good because they have ensured that all strands of ICT are addressed. There is now good provision in terms of resources and teachers make effective use of the ICT suite. This has been instrumental in pushing up standards, particularly in the data handling and control strands.

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

64. Overall, the use of ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory. Teachers’ planning, however, does not consistently show how computers can support teaching and learning in the classroom. ICT is used well to develop pupils’ mathematical skills. Control programs develop pupils’ understanding of shape, patterns and properties of position and movement. Data handling programs are used to create graphs in science and history.

p.25

HUMANITIES

Only one geography lesson was seen. It is not therefore possible to make firm overall judgements about provision or the quality of teaching in this subject. However, examination of pupils’ past work suggests that pupils reach average standards by Year 2 and Year 6. There are good links with other subjects such as science and art. The school has many links with schools across the world and pupils are soon able to locate where these places are on the world map. They exchange letters, raise money and sends gifts to pupils in these schools and in doing so make positive strides in their own spiritual, moral, cultural and social development. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is enriched by visits, role-play and the imaginative use of resources. • Pupils’ enthusiasm for history is high. • Good links are made to other subjects. • Overuse of worksheets sometimes limits pupils’ opportunities to seek information from other sources.

p.26

Commentary

65. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection and pupils reach average standards in Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils acquire a sound knowledge and understanding of different eras of history as they move through the school. Pupils in Year 1 and 2 are keen to know about famous people in the past. They are fascinated to hear about the life of people such as Amy Johnson and George Stevenson and how transport rapidly developed over the last century. Pupils practise their speaking and listening skills, as special heirlooms from home are described and discussed with the whole class.

p.26

Commentary

66. Teaching is good. Teachers plan interesting ways to present historical events as they would have appeared to people living at the time. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 enact a court scene during the time of the Roman occupation of Britain with Boudicca on trial. This approach brings history to life and challenges pupils to distinguish facts from opinions and to recognise that there are many points of view. Similarly, pupils in Year 6, looking at the 1970s as a time of recent great change, enjoyed dressing in original clothes of the period and hearing the experiences of their teacher at first hand.

p.26

Commentary

67. As well as these good links with drama there are good links with other areas of the curriculum such as ICT, art, geography and citizenship. The subject is well managed by the co-ordinator and the school is keen to see the subject develop. Teachers are working hard to improve pupils’ historical skills. The school makes good use of visits to museums and historical sites to support pupils’ learning. There are times when the overuse of worksheets prevents pupils from finding out information from different sources or practising their skills in writing.

p.26

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very clear about the distinctive features of different religions and have a good understanding of common principles. • There are a few missed opportunities for older pupils to write in the subject.

p.26

Commentary

68. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. Teaching and learning are good. Standards are average in Year 2 and above average by the time pupils leave the school. Pupils achieve well and teaching and learning are good. This is because pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that helps them to grasp the significant differences between religions as well as common underlying principles. Year 1 pupils understand that the Bible has important messages that are represented in stories that Jesus told. By the time they leave the school, Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 27 pupils know about the festivals and practices from Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism as well as Christianity.

p.26

Commentary

69. Year 6 pupils’ knowledge and understanding, however, extend beyond recall of facts about religious practice to thinking about how people’s beliefs help them to shape their lives. In discussing Buddhism, for example, pupils explain that meditation is important because it “clears the mind” but when they tried to meditate, they found it very hard to stop thinking and achieve a calm state of mind. Pupils understand that religious beliefs provide guidance for people’s lives that pupils compare to “rules that give you a better life”. In a high quality lesson with Year 6 pupils, teaching enabled pupils to explore their ideas about hope for the future through role-play, after considering the symbolism of sharing the bread and wine at the Last Supper. Although the subject is taught in a very lively way, there are some opportunities missed to extend pupils’ writing and consolidation of vocabulary through written work, particularly in

p.27

Commentary

70. The subject is well managed so that it supports pupils’ spiritual and cultural development very well.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

71. No lessons were seen in music or design and technology . No overall judgements about provision in these subjects can be made. Brief observations of pupils singing in assemblies and playing recorders indicate that they have a good sense of rhythm and enjoy performing together. Pupils have taken part in design and technology projects in both the school environment and the wider community as well as lessons on class-based projects. Pupils have been involved, for example, in designing different areas of the school grounds, such as play areas, the maze and the geological garden. As a millennium project, every pupil designed an individual tile for a large mural with a conservation theme that now decorates the school’s entrance.

p.27

Art and design

Provision for art and design is very good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have a very good knowledge of artists and different styles. • There is some very good collaborative work that promotes pupils’ personal development.

p.27

Commentary

72. There has been good improvement in standards since the last inspection. Only two short sessions of art and design were observed during the inspection but it is evident from talking to pupils and looking at their past work that teaching and learning are very good. Standards are above average and pupils achieve very well because of the range of interesting work and the opportunities they have to work together.

p.27

Commentary

73. Pupils’ skills and knowledge are built through imaginative projects. Year 1 pupils have used subtle tones when weaving panels with strips of fabric and paid good attention to different textures. Year 2 pupils’ representations of a storm at sea, based on work in religious education, show very good representation of form and use of colour. Year 3 and 4 pupils have drawn or painted chairs in the styles of many different artists, with great success in capturing the essence of each one. Year 6 pupils talk in detail about a range of artists from different times and cultures. They explain, for example, that Henry Moore was an “abstract sculptor and holes were a feature of his work”. They explain why there are no representations of people or animals in Islamic art. They know why they use sketchbooks and explain how they used these to try out Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 28 and refine their ideas for the banners they made with an artist in residence. Pupils often work

p.27

Commentary

together to create large pieces of art; these particular banners were based on the environments and cultures found in different continents. Pupils enjoy working together on these projects and say that they feel a real sense of pride in the finished product as a result.

p.28

Commentary

74. The subject has good leadership and management, with a firm focus on how the pupils’ spiritual, cultural and social development is supported by the subject.

p.28

Physical education

Provision in physical education is good.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching provides opportunities for pupils to work together. . • Music is used well within lessons and links are established with other subjects. • Evaluation could be used more to improve performance. • Good leadership and management have improved provision since the last inspection.

p.28

Commentary

75. Because of timetable constraints it was not possible to observe any teaching in Years 1 and 2. It is therefore not possible to make a judgement on teaching and learning in these years. However, documentation is in place to support teachers’ planning in these years. Three lesson observations and extra-curricular activities indicate that standards by the end of Year 6 are above the national average. This represents an improvement on the last inspection.

p.28

Commentary

76. Teaching is good. A well-organised and managed lesson provided an opportunity for Year 5 pupils to work collaboratively. Together they created a movement sequence based on a theme of a ‘professor’ creating toys out of clay. They made good progress, building on previous experiences, illustrating the character of the toy through their movements. Clear explanations helped Year 6 pupils, working in groups, to create a sequence of linked movements based on the theme of symmetry. Pupils demonstrated their work in both lessons and pupils’ speaking and listening skills were well developed as they evaluated their work. More use could have been made of these evaluations to improve individual performance. Music was used well in both lessons and pupils responded enthusiastically to the rhythm and the beat.

p.28

Commentary

77. All pupils have opportunity to learn water safety and the majority of pupils can swim 25 metres by the time they leave the school. There is a range of after-school clubs and inter-school competitions, which further develop pupil skills. This was seen in a well-attended netball club in which pupils showed good individual skills and teamwork.

p.28

Commentary

78. Leadership and management are good. The subject leader is enthusiastic and participates in training initiatives with local schools. This gives access to good practice, which is communicated to the staff. There is now documentation in place that supports teachers’ planning and makes sure that all elements of the subject are covered. This is an improvement on the last inspection.

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Only one specific lesson was seen in this area; however, the school’s efforts in developing pupils’ understanding of the importance of helping each other, taking responsibility and living together as a harmonious community underpin all activities and lessons. It is evident that the school very successfully promotes pupils’ personal development, reflected in their sense of responsibility for themselves, the community and their environment. There is a detailed scheme of work that makes the most of links to other subjects. In the lesson seen, Year 3 and 4 pupils were helped through very Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 29 good teaching to find ways of facing up to challenges and deciding on the best options to help them and others cope with difficult situations. Pupils considered, for example, how they could ease the path of a new pupil at the school and how what they did might make a difference to how well the pupil

p.28

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

settled down. Middleton Primary and Nursery School - 30

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.30

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

p.30

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 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

p.30

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.30