Park Primary School

PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15–17 September 2003

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PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Park 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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PARK 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. Park Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4–11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 174

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Gloucester Road Aldershot Hampshire Postcode: GU11 3SL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01252 324159 Fax number: 01252 341727

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs S Hawkins

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28-29 November 2001

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Most pupils come from the immediate area that consists mainly of local authority housing. The school is under-subscribed with 174 pupils on roll. Numbers are much lower than in 2000 when there were 300 pupils. A major reason for the rapid decline in the number on roll is related to some parents choosing to send their children to other local schools. The number in Year 6 is very low, at 16 pupils, although in Years 4 and 5 class sizes exceed 30. The level of pupil mobility is high at 23 per cent with higher proportions leaving than entering at times other than the normal leaving or entry points. The area surrounding the school includes some significant social and economic disadvantage and this is reflected in the above average proportion of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals. This figure, now at 35 per cent, is higher than when the school was previously inspected in 2001, when it was 20 per cent. The proportion of pupils on the special educational

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

needs register, at 44 per cent, is well above average although the proportion with statements of educational need is low. There are few pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds and all pupils are fluent in English. Most children have had substantial pre-school education before entering Reception. Many have attended the local pre-school run by the Early Years Centre, which is on the same site as the school. Pupils' attainment on entry is below average overall, but ranges from well above average to low. The school's task is to provide for a very wide range of prior attainment on entry to the school. Park 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

19115 Eileen Chadwick Lead inspector Science Design technology Art Foundation stage Special educational needs 14347 Joan Lindsay Lay inspector 8534 David Price Team inspector History Music Physical education Mathematics 28200 Paul Stevens Team inspector English as an additional language English Religious education Citizenship Information and communication technology Geography

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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). Park Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s effectiveness and the value for money it provides are poor. The poor leadership and management of the school, combined with staff recruitment and retention difficulties, have prevented the school from improving. Five new permanent teachers were appointed this term. Several are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. However, longer serving class teachers are often underachieving because of the lack of support for developing their teaching. Too much teaching is unsatisfactory and standards, particularly in English and mathematics, are too low. The school does not provide a satisfactory education and is in need of special measures.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Children in Reception are being given a very good start to school. • The quality of teaching in Years 2 and 5 is often good. This helps pupils to learn. • Extra-curricular provision is good. This enhances pupils’ personal development. • Too much unsatisfactory teaching is leading to very low standards in English, mathematics and science and some pupils' unsatisfactory attitudes and behaviour. • The progress of pupils with special educational needs is poor due to ineffective provision. • The leadership and management are poor. This is preventing the school improving. • Governors work hard but do not challenge the school enough about its standards.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has declined significantly since its last inspection in November 2001 when it was taken out of special measures. The school has not successfully addressed any of its issues for improvement from the last inspection. These related to raising standards, improving the quality of teaching and improving subject managers' roles.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

In accordance with section 13(7) of the School Inspection Act 1996, I am of the opinion, and HMCI agrees, that special measures are required in relation to this school.

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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 E E* E* E Mathematics E E E* E* Science E* E* E* E* Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average, E* -very low. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils' overall achievement is poor . The table shows standards have been far too low in Year 6 for the last three years. In 2002, they were in the lowest five percent compared with all schools for all core subjects. Standards seen during the inspection were slightly better in mathematics but still very low in English and science. In Year 2 standards are well below average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Standards are below average in information and communication technology (ICT) and well below average in religious education throughout Years 1 to 6. Pupils' overall achievement is poor. By the end of Reception children are on course to reach their goals, including those in language and literacy, mathematics and personal and social development. Pupils with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils make poor progress in Years 1 to 6. Park Primary School - 7

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Pupils' personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are unsatisfactory . Pupils' attitudes to school and their overall behaviour are unsatisfactory. Pupils do not take enough responsibility for their own learning and a significant minority of boys show poor behaviour and interrupt the learning of others. Pupils' attendance is unsatisfactory. Too many parents take holidays during term time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education provided by the school is poor. Teaching is now very good in Reception. It is poor overall in Years 1 to 6 despite the good teaching in Years 2 and 5. The quality of teaching of reading and writing is often unsatisfactory or poor except in Reception and Years 2 and 5. The quality of teaching of numeracy is unsatisfactory. The quality of specialist teaching of the large number of pupils with special educational needs is poor in mathematics as well as literacy.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum provided is very good in Reception. It is poor overall in Years 1 to 6 because work is too easy or hard and not interesting. There are good child protection procedures. Pupils do not receive effective support and guidance for improving their achievement. The school has good links with the local secondary schools but does not develop its links with parents well enough.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are poor. The headteacher has not identified major priorities for improving pupils' achievement. The senior management team's roles and responsibilities are not well thought through. Subject co-ordinators' roles are poorly developed. Governors are very supportive but do not help to shape the school adequately. They do not hold the school to account for its standards and rely too much on the headteacher for their information.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

A significant number of parents and pupils are not satisfied. Many parents say the school atmosphere has improved in recent years but a significant minority are concerned that pupils’ behaviour is not good enough and there is too much bullying. Pupils think lessons are often dull.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards in reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, science, ICT and religious education. • Improve teaching where it is weak by improving teachers’ subject knowledge, the match of work to the needs of all pupils and class management skills where necessary. • Improve the quality of the provision for pupils with special educational needs so that pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy and have positive attitudes to school. • Improve the leadership of the school so that it can accurately identify its weaknesses and develop appropriate management systems for improving the school. • Improve the way governors find out how the school is performing, hold the school to account for the standards it achieves and prioritise the soundproofing of classrooms

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Ensure pupils are well prepared for living in a multicultural society. • Ensure the school prospectus includes details of national standards reached by Year 2 and Year 6 pupils and lets parents know of their right to withdraw their children from collective worship. Park Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement in the Foundation Stage is good but it is poor in Years 1 to 6. The current Year 2 pupils reached average standards on entry to the school but by Year 2 standards are well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. By Year 6 standards are very low in English and science and well below average in mathematics. There has been considerable staffing turbulence in the past which has undoubtedly had an adverse impact on pupils' achievement. However, the current very high proportion of unsatisfactory teaching means the decline is continuing.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In 2003, in Year 2 national tests there was a large drop in reading standards compared with the below average standards reached in 2002 when standards were above similar schools. • Standards in Year 2 in writing and mathematics have been consistently well below average since 2000. In 2003, there was a further drop in mathematics. • Assessments made by teachers for Year 2 pupils, in 2003, show that standards in science were very low.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.4(13.9 ) 15.8( 15.7)

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Main strengths and weaknesses

There were 40 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards for Year 6 pupils have been very low in English, mathematics and science for several years. There was little change in 2003 apart from a small improvement in mathematics. • Standards are even worse for girls than boys yet the school has identified far fewer girls than boys as having special educational needs and needing extra support.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Standards in: School results National results English 23.3(22.7 ) 27.00(27 ) Mathematics 21.6(23.4) 26.7(26.6) Science 24.7(23.7 ) 28.3(28.3) There were 37 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. By the end of Reception children are likely to reach the early learning goals in all areas of learning due to high quality teaching. Park Primary School - 9 2. At the last inspection the current Year 2 pupils were also expected to reach average standards by the end of Reception. However, standards for the current Year 2 pupils are well below average in reading, writing, mathematics, science, religious education and geography and below average in ICT. This shows that pupils' overall achievement has been poor since they left Reception. The good quality teaching observed in Year 2 in mathematics and science has not yet had the time to make an impact on standards.

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Commentary

3. By Year 6 standards in religious education are very low and well below average in geography. Pupils' achievement is poor. Provision has improved in ICT since the previous inspection but standards by Year 6 are below average as they were at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils do not use ICT well enough to help their learning in other subjects and their achievement is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

4. Pupils are also not making progress in applying literacy and numeracy skills to their other subjects. Many pupils have weak literacy and numeracy skills, which limits their learning in other subjects. Opportunities for writing across the curriculum are very narrow and there are too many worksheets. Literacy tasks across the curriculum are not well matched to pupils' prior attainment and this is poor for lower attaining pupils. Opportunities for all pupils to apply mathematics to science are very poor.

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Commentary

5. Inclusion in this school is poor. Through Years 1 to 6, pupils with special educational needs are making poor progress because of the lack of systematic provision of the right steps in reading and writing. There is limited extra specialist support for mathematics and pupils' Individual Education Plans rarely contain targets for mathematics. Two thirds of the pupils on the special education needs register are boys, many of whom have behavioural problems as well as literacy problems. Girls are left to struggle with little extra support. Many of pupils' special educational needs are the result of their earlier underachievement in literacy and numeracy. Too many pupils enter Year 3 not prepared for their junior education. Nearly a half of all pupils in the school are on the special educational needs register. Between one third and a half of pupils in each class in Years 1 to 6 have literacy learning difficulties. Many also have

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Commentary

behaviour problems. Pupils are poorly prepared for secondary education. In 2003 five out of ten Year 6 pupils did not reach the expected standard in English or in mathematics.

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Commentary

6. Pupils make poor progress in acquiring reading and writing in Year 1. Progress in literacy declines rapidly once pupils leave Reception because the teaching of reading and writing lack rigour and do not build well enough on the skills pupils achieved in Reception. In Year 3 the many pupils with low literacy skills are not are not being picked up fast enough and given the rigorous extra support they need. Pupils' progress is poor in class literacy lessons and also when they receive specialist help. Their learning is discontinuous from one lesson to the next because there is no systematic overall literacy programme for ensuring lower attaining pupils' learning is continuous.

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Commentary

7. There is a significant number of potentially higher attaining pupils in all year groups. Baseline assessment data in Reception indicates this proportion is between a quarter and a third in each year. Higher attaining pupils' achievement is poor because of a lack of challenge in too many lessons. A number of these pupils are on the special educational needs for misbehaviour and were observed to misbehave in lessons because of a lack of challenge.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils' attendance and the development of pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities are unsatisfactory . Park Primary School - 10

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.7 School data 0.2 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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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 179 5 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 3 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 3 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is some improvement in attendance from the well below average attendance in 2001/2, although attendance is still unsatisfactory. • Too many parents still take pupils out of school for holidays during term time. • The behaviour by a small minority of pupils is poor in some classes. • The behaviour policy does not set out clear enough rewards and sanctions. • A number of pupils lack confidence and self-esteem, often because of low literacy skills. • Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

8. In 2002/2003 there has been an improvement in the authorised absence figures. Unauthorised absence was lower than the national average and there was also a one per cent improvement in the school’s authorised absence figures. Improvements have been made and the school has satisfactory procedures for promoting attendance. However, more still needs to be done as over a third of all families removed their child or children at some point for a holiday. Pupils are generally punctual and there are appropriate systems to promote this.

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Commentary

9. The majority of children under-five settle into school quite quickly. However, pupils' attitudes to learning are not good enough in the rest of the school, especially in the juniors. Most pupils have positive attitudes and pupils usually work together co-operatively when asked to do so. However, a small number of pupils, mainly boys, show disaffected behaviour. Often these pupils have poor attainment in literacy although some boys are potentially higher attainers. Where poor behaviour was observed, it happened in class. It was often linked to unsatisfactory teaching and the need for a relevant curriculum and stronger behaviour and class management. Problems arise when a few pupils interrupt, show little respect for their teachers and disrupt the learning of others.

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Commentary

10. The school provides a calm, pleasant and orderly atmosphere in many instances. For example behaviour around the school is generally satisfactory and pupils move around in an orderly fashion. Pupils' playground behaviour was also observed to be satisfactory. The Park Primary School - 11 majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire believe that their children like coming to school. However, a very high number of parents- nearly a half of those who responded to the questionnaire- believed that their children were bullied or harassed and were dissatisfied with pupils' behaviour. When inspectors spoke with older pupils, they said that the frequency of bullying had now reduced since the last Year 6 had left although pupils of all ages expressed some concern about bullying.

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Commentary

11. The behaviour policies are not fully effective as all teachers do not consistently apply the same rewards and sanctions. The inspection was early in the academic year and class and school rules had not yet been fully established. Not all staff are well informed about how to promote positive behaviour or to how to deal with misbehaviour. The behaviour policy does not define specific standards and expectations clearly enough or detail the rewards and sanctions to be used. Teachers develop pupils’ understanding of how they should take responsibility for their own actions with different degrees of success. Teachers are not being given enough support in this.

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Commentary

12. Some teachers do not have sufficiently high expectations of what pupils can achieve and blame too much on the pupils' home circumstances. Some teachers over-direct activities and offer little challenge to the pupils or opportunities for them to make decisions about their own work. Many pupils are not confident when answering in class and are afraid of offering the wrong answer.

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Commentary

13. Pupils learn of the cultures of past and present civilisations. For example, pupils have an understanding of the ancient Egyptians, the Romans and Victorians. They study the cultures of other countries mainly through learning about various religious faiths. However, multicultural education is weak. Little is done for pupils to have direct experience of the richness of living in a culturally diverse society. Pupils are not prepared well enough for life in multiracial Britain.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is poor as there is too much unsatisfactory or poor teaching and the curriculum provided often lacks relevance and challenge for pupils.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality teaching of teaching is poor.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching in Reception is consistently very good whilst the quality of class teaching in Years 2 and 5 is often good. These teachers have good subject knowledge. • The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs in literacy and numeracy is poor throughout the school. • All class literacy lessons were unsatisfactory or poor except in Years 2 and 5. • The management of pupils is unsatisfactory in a high proportion of lessons in Years 4 and 6.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 5 (14%) 5 (14%) 15 (43%) 4 (12%) 5 (14%) 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. Park Primary School - 12 14. Whilst the overall quality of teaching is very good in Reception it is poor overall in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6. The poor quality of specialist teaching for pupils with special educational needs in literacy and numeracy is contributing to the overall judgement. The proportion of poor and unsatisfactory teaching at 26 per cent is very high. The proportion of good or better teaching at 31 per cent is low. Good or better teaching was mainly seen in the classes of teachers who have been recently appointed to the school. The support staff are skilled in managing pupils and motivating them but are not always being given the right level of work for helping pupils to learn, especially when they support lower attaining pupils in literacy. The

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Commentary

overall quality of teaching has declined since the previous inspection as there is a far higher proportion of teaching that is unsatisfactory or poor and less that is good.

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Commentary

15. In Reception, children are learning very well because the teacher and her assistant have high expectations that all the children can do well and the teacher is providing experiences to ensure this happens. The teaching of communication, language and literacy and numeracy is strong because the teacher steadily builds children's knowledge, skills and understanding over a period of time. There is very good teamwork between the class teacher and the teaching assistant who provides very effective support.

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Commentary

16. In the rest of the school the quality of teaching and learning varies too much. The good or very good teaching which promoted most learning was seen to have these qualities:

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Commentary

• Teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations. • Teachers bring lessons to life and make them relevant to pupils' daily lives. • Good quality practical resources are used well to interest the pupils. • Work is carefully matched to pupils' prior attainment, including for higher and lower attainers. • Teachers have good relationships with pupils and good class management. • They ensure lessons include a range of teaching and learning styles, including learning through doing and problem solving, as well as learning through watching, listening and practising. Many of these lessons have some practical activities.

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Commentary

17. Teaching and learning in English are often poor. Lessons in nearly all classes were unsatisfactory or poor. Once pupils leave Reception their progress in learning to read and write declines. The teaching of the basic literacy skills is weak in Year 1. The basic key words are not being rigorously taught to follow on from the standards achieved in Reception. In literacy lessons, not enough time is spent on teaching reading, phonics, spelling and writing. Phonics teaching is not matched well enough to pupils' prior attainment with particularly poor progress for higher attaining pupils.

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Commentary

18. In poor literacy lessons observed in Years 1 and 3, the teachers did not implement the literacy strategy correctly. In both lessons the skills of reading were poorly taught during shared text time and pupils were asked to write without appropriate instruction or support in writing or spelling. These teachers have previously taught different age ranges and have not received enough training, support and guidance. Although some literacy training is planned for October, this is not an adequate start to the school year. Not enough time is devoted to hearing pupils read in the infants and reading books for higher attaining pupils are not challenging enough in Year 1.

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Commentary

19. In the unsatisfactory lessons observed in English in Years 4 and 6, not enough challenge was provided for either lower or higher attaining pupils. Pupils misbehaved and class management was weak. The high turnover of many teachers or long-term sickness has meant that the pupils in these classes have had many teachers since being in the juniors and these classes are not yet settled. Class routines and behaviour management are inconsistent in these classes. Park Primary School - 13 20. Teaching and learning in mathematics is unsatisfactory. It is poor for pupils with special educational needs. One good lesson was seen in Year 2 and all other class lessons were satisfactory. However, discussions with pupils and examination of their work shows the quality of teaching over time has been unsatisfactory and has been adversely affected by many changes in teaching staff. Pupils have not been given a steady enough build up of knowledge

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Commentary

and skills. The current quality of class teaching in mathematics is not good enough to raise standards.

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Commentary

21. The quality of teaching and learning are poor for pupils with special educational needs. The ineffectiveness of the provision is demonstrated by the fact that, in every class from Year 2 to 6, one third to a half of all pupils have low or very low reading ages. Although there are satisfactory assessment systems for identifying pupils' lack of achievement in literacy, their use for planning literacy programmes is weak. The special educational needs co-ordinator does not steadily build pupils' phonics, spelling, reading and writing skills over time in her own specialist teaching. There is too much colouring and work is often too hard or easy. Teachers are not given detailed guidance about how best to teach the small steps in literacy and are left too much to their own devices.

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Commentary

22. The identification of pupils' learning difficulties in mathematics is poor. Assessment of pupils' prior attainment is weak. For example, in one poor mathematics lesson in Year 3, a group of lower attaining pupils was asked to change digital clock times to analogue times when pupils could not tell the o'clock times. Pupils' individual educational plans rarely have targets for mathematics. In literacy, criteria for success are very limited and do not relate to a structured programme for learning to read and write.

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Commentary

23. In an unsatisfactory science lesson in Year 6, pupils' learning was unsatisfactory when work was unchallenging and the level was far too low for potentially higher attaining pupils. In a poor Year 4 lesson in religious education the class management was unsatisfactory throughout and little learning took place.

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Commentary

24. Assessment systems are in place for the core subjects but their use is limited because the teachers' understanding of National Curriculum levels has not always been good enough. Assessment in the Foundation subjects is weak. There have been significant differences between teachers' assessments in reading, writing and mathematics in Years 2 and 6 compared to national test results and in science in Year 6. In many cases pupils reached higher standards in tests indicating teachers' expectations were too low. Homework is unsatisfactory. It is inconsistent and not used as a vehicle for raising standards. The use of ICT for enhancing pupils' learning in their subjects is very infrequent and, as a result, unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Extra-curricular activities are good and enrich the curriculum. • The good links between science and design and technology in Year 2 and in art and design and technology in Year 5 make effective use of curriculum time. • The curriculum is often not relevant to pupils and does not build well enough on pupils' previous learning. • There is poor provision for pupils to have equal opportunities for learning. • There is no long-term curriculum planning to help teachers to teach the small steps in reading, phonics, spelling, writing and numeracy for pupils with special educational needs. • Opportunities for pupils to develop practical enquiry skills in science are poor. Park Primary School - 14

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Commentary

25. The breadth of the curriculum is poor and does not fulfil statutory requirements. There is not enough progression in pupils' learning, especially in reading, writing, mathematics, science and religious education. Lessons are often not interesting or relevant to pupils. Provision for pupils with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils is particularly poor.

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Commentary

26. There is a thorough, planned programme for personal, social and health education. However, the quality of teaching is too variable and unsatisfactory overall. It is not successfully influencing pupils’ personal and social development. The overall poor curriculum provision is a major factor behind the low standards reached. The useful links the school makes with teachers at the secondary school, including in ICT, enhance curriculum provision.

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Commentary

27. The wide range of extra-curricular activities, including sports clubs and arts creative workshops and a residential course enhance pupils' personal development. The school also holds theatre and musical groups to enrich experiences and special days to interest pupils.

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Commentary

28. The school’s accommodation is bright but has weaknesses. Its main drawbacks are the small classrooms and noise intrusion from neighbouring teaching areas. Resources for the curriculum are satisfactory overall with good provision in English, ICT, religious and physical education. However there are some weaknesses in Reception and in science and design and technology.

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Care, guidance and support

The overall provision for care, guidance and support of pupils is unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good procedures for child protection. • Children in Reception are kept very safe and well cared for. • The school is well cared for by the caretaker and health and safety procedures are up to date. • The school does not make enough use of assessment information in order to raise achievement. • The school does not provide adequate support for those pupils who struggle. • The school does not provide effective monitoring and support for pupils' personal development.

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Commentary

29. The school is well aware of those pupils who have special circumstances, such as those in public care or those who have particular medical needs. Outside agencies are brought in to support and assist, where necessary, to train staff to cope with particular medical needs. The school has a suitable policy relating to pupils’ use of the Internet. This has been shared with parents.

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Commentary

30. The buildings and surroundings are kept very clean and in a good state of repair. At present, pupils are unable to use the playing field as there are holes appearing due to the prolonged dry weather. First aid procedures are good.

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Commentary

31. Some pupils say that some bullying still goes on. Most pupils are beginning to develop a trusting relationship with at least one adult in the school but the very high turnover of teachers in recent years has made this more difficult. However, the support staff have been more stable and are very approachable to pupils. Adults are caring and concerned for pupils’ Park Primary School - 15 welfare but the arrangements for providing support, advice and guidance for them as they progress through the school are unsatisfactory. This is because pupils’ progress in acquiring literacy, numeracy skills and good personal development is not monitored well enough. Steps are not being made to put this right where progress is not being made.

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Commentary

32. The induction arrangements for pupils are satisfactory. They are good in Reception. There are satisfactory arrangements in place to discover pupils’ views but the school has not acted strongly enough to take them into account. There is no school council or other formal forum for pupils to air their views on a regular basis.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Whilst links with other schools and the community are satisfactory those with parents are unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Many parents are not happy about major aspects of the school's work. • Not enough parents support their children's education.

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Commentary

33. Developing links with parents has not been a major priority in the school improvement plan. A high level of parental dissatisfaction was revealed by the inspection’s parental questionnaire. A lot of respondents had concerns about behaviour, their child being bullied and the school was not approachable. In addition a significant proportion felt they were not kept well enough informed about: their child’s progress; how the school took account of parents’ suggestions and concerns; the appropriateness and consistency of homework. The inspection findings agree with parental concerns.

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Commentary

34. Parents have the opportunity to meet with teacher formally each term. Annual written reports provide brief comments on pupils' progress but do not indicate subject strengths and weaknesses well enough, especially in the foundation subjects. In addition, because the school does not use National Curriculum levels in relation to English, mathematics and science, it is difficult for parents to judge how well their child is achieving.

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Commentary

35. The school’s prospectus omits a small number of statutorily required items. It does not include national comparisons for the Year 2 and Year 6 national tests nor state the parents’ right to withdraw their child from collective worship.

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Commentary

36. Parents receive regular newsletters and there is a parents’ information board in the reception area. The Parent Teacher Association is active and a small core of parents work very hard for the school and also as volunteer helpers. However, few parents attend curriculum events.

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Commentary

37. The school has satisfactory links with the community and pupils benefit from visits from, for example, local preachers, the police and fire brigade. Local sporting clubs have been very involved in coaching various groups of pupils in football, tennis and cricket. Some community use is made of the school premises, such as by the Brownies.

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Commentary

38. There are good systems in place for the transfer of pupils in Reception and in Year 6 at both ends of the school. Overall links with other schools are satisfactory. The school shares a site with the pre-school group and children have regular visits before they transfer. Similarly pupils moving to secondary school have several opportunities to get to know their new school before they move, through invitations to such events as the opening of the school’s Internet café and through sports’ coaching. Park Primary School - 16

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are poor. This applies to the leadership provided by the headteacher, senior staff and subject co-ordinators and the systems for managing the school. The governance of the school is unsatisfactory.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new Key Stage 1 and 2 co-ordinators (Years 1 and 2 and Years 3 to 6) have high expectations of pupils and are good role models in their teaching for other teachers. • The headteacher does not provide a clear direction for improving the school. • The senior managers have an uneven workload. The deputy headteacher has far too much to do whilst the special educational needs co-ordinator plays a minimum part. • The management of provision for pupils with special educational needs is poor. • Systems for developing subject managers' roles are weak. • The school has poor systems in place for evaluating and improving the impact of its own provision. • Governors are supportive and work hard for the school. However, they do not hold the school to account well enough for the standards it achieves in order to secure improvements.

p.16

Commentary

39. The leadership of the school has declined significantly since the last inspection when the leadership provided by the headteacher was strong. The headteacher has had a very significant impact on providing a more pleasant environment for learning and the school is clearly a much calmer place than when she took over. However, the improvements seen at the last inspection have not been maintained. The school is again in decline. The school has moved through many staffing crises which have led to low staff morale. Much staff absence and high turnover have exacerbated the difficulties. The leaders of the school have found themselves out of their depth when faced with pupils' chronic underachievement and some pupils' poor attitudes to learning.

p.16

Commentary

40. The school improvement plan is a weak tool for school improvement. However, the school has had support from the local education authority personnel in school improvement planning. The plan only identifies improving standards in speaking and listening, writing and ICT as key targets for improvement, despite the very poor standards in all core subjects. The plan does not focus on addressing the school's key issues from the last inspection. The inspection also shows that the considerable amount of training and time devoted to improving speaking, listening and writing have had little impact on standards or the quality of teaching by existing staff.

p.16

Commentary

41. A major weakness in the headteacher's leadership is lack of identification of the right priorities for raising standards. The headteacher does not provide a clear direction for raising standards and improving the school. Expectations are not high enough for all pupils to do well. The provision for equal opportunities is poor. School managers are too willing to attribute the school's underachievement, and the high proportion on the special educational needs register, to pupils' home circumstances. The school believes the very high staffing turnover stems mainly from the impact of special measures or the incompetence of certain teachers. However, turnover is linked with low morale of teachers and the lack of support for improving teachers' performance.

p.16

Commentary

42. There is a lack of rigorous management systems for enabling improvements. Systems for checking and improving the school's performance are weak. Monitoring of teaching and learning has been done mainly by the headteacher with some monitoring by the local education authority. Monitoring has not been frequent enough for each teacher. Recommendations from the local education authority have not been followed through with precision. The headteacher's Park Primary School - 17 monitoring of pupils' work has been superficial. It lacks subject rigour and does not give teachers enough subject guidance. For example, National Curriculum levels have not been used in this monitoring process. There has been little monitoring of teaching by other members of staff, apart from by the special educational needs co-ordinator who has mainly monitored pupils' behaviour.

p.16

Commentary

43. The school does not use the results of its detailed assessments as a management tool to analyse the progress that different groups are making in order to improve its own provision. The school is content with modest targets for each pupil and is not constantly questing for pupils' highest possible achievement, and ensuring its own provision makes this happen.

p.17

Commentary

44. The school's management structures have been improved this term with the appointment of new Key Stage 1 and 2 co-ordinators, although their exact roles have still to be determined. These two teachers set good examples for other teachers by their own high quality teaching and high expectations of the standards pupils can achieve in their work and behaviour. The deputy headteacher is very overworked as she has far too many responsibilities. Consequently she is not able to devote herself to anything in the necessary depth. At present, she is not setting a good enough example in the quality of her own teaching. The special educational needs co-ordinator, also a member of the senior management team, has few responsibilities. She is full time and does not have a class responsibility. She is setting a poor example by the quality of her own teaching.

p.17

Commentary

45. Management of the school's provision for special educational needs is poor. Thorough identification systems are in place for pupils lagging behind in literacy but not for mathematics. The information gained through English assessment is poorly used to measure the progress of different groups and to analyse and improve provision. Pupils' progress is not monitored adequately and teaching programmes are not evaluated for their effect in raising attainment. Teachers are left too much to their own devices when planning work for these pupils. There is no specific classroom monitoring of the literacy or numeracy teaching of pupils with special educational needs though they comprise nearly a half of the school. The learning support assistants provide valuable support when they are provided with the right level of work for pupils. Improving provision for pupils with special educational needs is not prioritised on the

p.17

Commentary

46. The lack of development of subject managers' roles has had a very adverse impact on the development of subjects and the quality of teaching. The school has not used the strength of key staff to full advantage. For example, one teacher has specialist knowledge in science but has never been involved in its co-ordination, despite the school's difficulties in retaining and appointing science co-ordinators. Although there were five new teaching appointments this term, there was no strategic plan in place for the immediate development of the subject co- ordinators' roles. Teachers were loosely grouped in teams of three. Each team was expected to be responsible for a core subject and several foundation subjects and was very unclear about what was expected of them. Whilst performance management procedures have been put in place these have not been effective in improving the quality of teaching. One reason for

p.17

Commentary

this has been the lack of identification of staff's subject needs.

p.17

Commentary

47. The chair of governors gives much practical and moral support. The governors' committee structures are securely in place. There is much good will and desire for the school to do well. Several governors work at the school and provide much help. Some governors are questioning but, as a whole group, they do not have a clear and united view of how they can best hold the school to account for its performance. Governors do not have a clear enough picture of why standards are remaining so low. The governing body relies too much on the reports of the headteacher to see how the school is performing. It is not taking an active enough part in helping to steer the direction the school takes, although some governors are very keen to do this. Park Primary School - 18 48. The school spends a large amount on special educational needs provision. This spending is not having a positive impact on raising standards. The special educational needs co-ordinator

p.17

Commentary

is an expensive resource but her time is not used wisely as she spends too much time watching literacy and numeracy whole class sessions and teaching very small groups. A high proportion of her time is also allocated to administration. Assistants are not being efficiently managed. Too much planning of their work is left up to individual class teachers who are not well supported by quality guidance from the special educational needs' co-ordinator.

p.18

Commentary

49. The very high turnover of teachers and the difficulties the school has faced with recruiting staff has been blamed too much on general recruitment difficulties in the area and the school's need for special measures. The school is not effective in evaluating and improving its own management structures to ensure teachers receive adequate support.

p.18

Commentary

50. In 2001/2 there was a large contingency reserve, 12 per cent, in the school's budget. Satisfactory plans are now in place to reduce this in the current academic year. The school spends significant amounts on staff training. However, staff training is not managed adequately as programmes are not properly followed through to ensure they have an impact on raising standards. Despite the large contingency fund, sound proofing the classrooms has not been completed and there are deficiencies in resources for Reception.

p.18

Commentary

51. The cost of running the school is high for each pupil. The governors keep thorough checks on the school budget but do not have rigorous procedures for monitoring the impact of spending on raising standards. An example is the high cost of provision for pupils with special educational needs. The school does not achieve best value because it does not constantly challenge itself to see whether spending decisions are effective in raising standards.

p.18

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March2003

p.18

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 589,019 Balance from previous year 51,724 Total expenditure 570,540 Balance carried forward to the next 70,203 Expenditure per pupil 2,570 Park Primary School - 19

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. Children enter Reception full time in the academic year in which they are five. They enter part time on a staggered entry basis until, by the second half of the autumn term, they are all in school full time. The overall attainment on entry of the children is below average. The management of provision for Reception is very good and already the teacher and her assistant work together as a very effective team, striving for the best for the children. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.19

Main strengths

• High expectations for all children to do well, regardless of their starting point. • Children are given a warm welcome and constant encouragement. This enables them to quickly and happily settle into school. • The learning environment is rich, stimulating and relevant and this encourages the children's love of learning. • School routines are well taught and the learning environment is very well organised.

p.19

Commentary

53. The children are on course to reach at least average standards. The quality of teaching is very good. The management of children and the relationships between adults and children are of a high quality. The teacher and her assistant carefully assess the children's personal development and plan experiences which will advance the children's ability to adjust to school routines and encourage their independence. These areas are underpinning all the work. Children are often quite independent. They select activities thoughtfully and co-operate with others by sharing and taking turns. From their earliest days in Reception, they have been confident enough to attend school assemblies. Children successfully learn through purposeful play, small focused group activities or through whole class sessions.

p.19

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.19

Main strengths

• Relevant, practical activities are used to underpin the development of speaking, listening, thinking, early reading and writing skills. • Children enjoy books because of the way adults bring books to life. • Phonics are gradually introduced through practical activity. • Assessment is very well used to match children's work to their previous learning.

p.19

Commentary

54. Children are on course to reach average standards. The quality of teaching is very good and carefully links all areas of communication, language and literacy. Each day, from the moment they enter Reception their world is filled with language that is developed through all areas of learning. Assessment is used very well to match work and play. The teacher enters into role- Park Primary School - 20 play and, assesses the children's speaking and thinking skills and adjusts her teaching to extend the children. Simple written signs around the classroom are well presented and used very well as a vehicle for reading. Singing and rhymes extend children's love of language and “Incy Wincy Spider” capitalises on children's interest in spiders in the school grounds. Children are beginning to identify first letter sounds - for example "s" for spider - as they make models of spiders and the letter "s". Children know that print carries meaning and can often

p.19

Commentary

identify simple words. They are being introduced to the main characters in the reading scheme. The skills for writing and pencil control are carefully introduced.

p.20

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.20

Main strengths

• Activities are practical and relevant to children's daily life. • Number songs engage the children's interest. • There is very careful planning for the steady build up of skills over a period of a week. • Assessment is being used very well to establish children's prior understanding.

p.20

Commentary

55. Children are on course to reach at least average standards by the end of Reception. The quality of teaching is very good. Children are provided with a wide range of activities for counting and matching and developing sound understanding of number. There are very good opportunities for children to learn mathematics through purposeful play activities, for example through the problem solving table and using shapes to make patterns. The teacher has already recognised that a minority has a good understanding of number.

p.20

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good overall.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good opportunities for children to use ICT as a natural tool for learning. • There are very good opportunities for children to find out about places of work in the community through role play. • Children are given very good opportunities to learn through exploratory activities. • There is not enough basic equipment such as magnifying glasses and simple microscopes.

p.20

Commentary

56. Children are on course to reach average standards. The quality of teaching is very good overall. Children have a sound understanding of the different jobs of the vet and receptionist through role-play in "The Vet’s" and are finding out how best to care for animals. Children use simple toy thermometers to take toy animals' temperatures. They are learning how to use the digital camera and understand the importance of ICT in everyday life. This area is very well planned so that children develop their inquisitiveness through high quality, first hand experience, such as making collections and comparing natural objects they have found in the school grounds. Park Primary School - 21

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities for imaginative movement through dramatic role play are very good. • Opportunities for developing practical skills are good. • Some resources are limited such as the outdoor play apparatus for climbing and scissors for children's use.

p.21

Commentary

57. Children are on course to reach average standards by the end of Reception. The quality of teaching is good overall. Activities are very well planned for the development of manual dexterity, although the limited range of scissors is restricting. Children often use chalk, crayons and paint brushes with proficiency and many have sound pencil control. They manipulate a good range of construction kits and malleable materials. Children are aware of space and can play “Follow My Leader” during an imaginative dance session when going on a "Bear Hunt". Planning for physical education is good. The outside area is well used although the limited space and lack of large apparatus prevent the children making more than satisfactory progress in this aspect.

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths

• Opportunities for imaginative role-play are excellent. • Opportunities for exploring colour, texture, shape and space in two and three dimensions are very good.

p.21

Commentary

58. Children are on course to reach average standards by the end of Reception. Teaching and learning are very good. Children can sing a range of songs from memory, sing tunefully and can move well in time to rhythms. During role-play at the vet’s they use their imagination, and with the very good support of the teacher and her assistant, they create simple story lines. In art and design they design and make shoe prints with some skill. They create models using a selection of materials which can be easily cut and joined including textiles. They design and build with construction kits. Skills are well taught and children are encouraged to express and develop their ideas through a wide range of media. Park Primary School - 22

p.21

ENGLISH

Provision for English is poor. It is unsatisfactory for average and higher attaining pupils and poor for pupils with special educational needs.

p.22

Main weaknesses

• Pupils' achievement is poor in Years 2 and 6 in reading and writing due to much weak teaching. • All lessons were unsatisfactory or poor except in Years 2 and 5 which were satisfactory. • Whilst the system for assessing pupils’ progress is thorough, its use for planning well- matched work is poor. • The systems for building on the skills learned by the end of Reception in reading, phonics and writing are poor. • Not enough time is spent on teaching younger pupils the skills of reading and writing during the literacy hour. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are unsatisfactory in a high proportion of lessons. • The leadership and management of the subject are ineffective.

p.22

Commentary

59. By Year 2 standards are well below average and pupils’ achievement is poor. Pupils’ speaking and listening are poor. Pupils’ reading is well below average. A small proportion read fairly fluently and expressively. However, about a third have limited reading skills. Nearly a half of Year 2 are on the special educational needs register and many of these have limited literacy skills. Lower attaining pupils cannot read the basic key words and have a poor understanding of how to use phonics and other strategies to work out new words. In writing, the more able are beginning to structure interesting stories with fairly accurate grammar, handwriting and spelling. However, too many pupils have barely begun to commit themselves to paper or write one or two simple sentences.

p.22

Commentary

60. Pupils in Year 6 attain very low standards and their achievement is poor. Pupils' speaking and listening skills are very poor. Pupils' speaking and listening are better in Year 5 because teaching is of a higher quality and there are good opportunities through practical work. By Year 6, and in every class in the juniors, the proportion reaching satisfactory standards is very low. Research skills are developing well for average and higher attaining pupils but pupils show little appreciation of literature. Standards of writing are very low. Only the more able pupils are beginning to structure stories in accurate English with a variety of punctuation. Most pupils tend to write a string of events with little sense of development of plot and characterisation. Handwriting is developing satisfactorily, although spelling is weak.

p.22

Commentary

61. The overall quality of teaching is poor, although satisfactory lessons were observed in Years 2 and 5. In Year 1, the teaching quality is lively, arouses pupils' interests and pays good attention to meaning. However, assessment is not rigorously used to match pupils' work. Teaching is not steadily building the necessary key words in reading for those who enter from Reception without having achieved these. The match of phonics work to prior attainment is poor for higher attaining pupils.

p.22

Commentary

62. In poor literacy lessons in Years 1 and 3 teachers spent very little time on teaching the skills of reading and writing during shared text time and, as a result, pupils learned little. There was little reading and writing support during group work. Pupils are not being heard to read often enough. Teachers are not keeping enough check on pupils' progress. Higher attainers mark time because their reading books are easy. Pupils' home-school reading diaries do not provide Park Primary School - 23 enough information to parents about the structure of the reading scheme, words to be learned or phonics to be mastered. This prevents them helping with homework. 63. In Years 3 to 6 teachers have the difficult task of matching work to the very wide range of prior attainment and teaching pupils whose reading ages range from high to very low. They are not effective in this. Handwriting is being taught well. However, lessons are often dull and do not

p.22

Commentary

maintain pupils' interest. Classroom management was unsatisfactory in lessons in Years 4 and 6. In both classes there was a lack of match for lower attaining pupils. In Year 4 work was hard during the introduction but too easy during group work.

p.23

Commentary

64. The impact of the special needs provision for raising standards in literacy is poor. Specialist teaching does not build the necessary steps and pupils are given too many colouring activities. Teachers are not given adequate guidance on how best to teach the small steps in reading and writing to pupils with low literacy skills

p.23

Commentary

65. Leadership and management of English are poor. Subject leaders have established meticulous systems for assessment but these are not successfully used to match work or evaluate how different groups are achieving. The use of ICT in English is unsatisfactory. Resources are now good but the curriculum is such that they are rarely used in a way that excites interest or matches pupils' learning needs. Provision and standards have declined since the last inspection.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

66. The development of speaking and listening skills is unsatisfactory overall. High quality lessons that have a strong practical content develop pupils' speaking skills most effectively. The development of reading and writing across the curriculum is poor. The range of writing is very narrow and reading and writing tasks are often too hard or easy for lower attaining pupils. Pupils' work from last year showed that far too many worksheets were used. In science, too often, pupils are simply asked to write about their work without the skills of writing being adequately taught.

p.23

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is unsatisfactory.

p.23

Main weaknesses

• Standards by the end Years 2 and 6 are well below the national average. • Pupils' achievement is poor. • Overall quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. • Leadership of the subject is poor.

p.23

Commentary

67. Standards are well below average in Years 2 and 6 because of the low proportions reaching average or above standards. The standards now being achieved are lower than those reported at the time of the last inspection. In Year 2 under two-thirds have a satisfactory understanding of how to add and subtract and count on in twos. There is little attainment at higher levels. Average and lower attaining pupils have difficulty applying their knowledge to problem solving.

p.23

Commentary

68. By Year 6, just over a half of the pupils can successfully add, subtract, multiply and divide three figure numbers, with higher attaining pupils working with four figure numbers. Lower attaining pupils need adult support with work involving three figure numbers. A number of average and below average attaining pupils have difficulty in problem solving because of their limited verbal and literacy skills. Park Primary School - 24 69. The quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. The current Year 6 pupils have had nine different teachers since Year 3. The lack of stability has contributed to the poor achievement. Scrutiny of pupils' previous work shows some teachers have had low expectations of pupils. Discussions with pupils and examination of their work shows the quality of teaching over time has been unsatisfactory as pupils have not been given a steady enough build up of knowledge

p.23

Commentary

and skills. Teaching and learning are poor for pupils with special educational needs. These pupils are often not adequately identified or provided with the right level of work. Pupils' numeracy needs are rarely identified and they are given limited extra support. The lack of effective support for low attaining pupils, throughout the school, is a major reason why standards are not being raised.

p.24

Commentary

70. A good lesson was seen in Year 2 when assessment was successfully used to provide well- matched work, including for higher attaining pupils. The good lesson planning had been adjusted from pupils' responses in the previous lesson. The teacher also maintained a good pace and managed her pupils well. However, weaknesses in satisfactory lessons included: minimal preparation for group work; the plenary session was too short to allow adequate time for evaluation; the absence of deadlines for completing work so pupils could have achieved more. ICT is not used well enough for supporting numeracy lessons and was rarely seen in mathematics during the whole inspection period.

p.24

Commentary

71. Leadership and management of the subject are poor. A team of teachers undertakes management of the subject, two of whom are new this term and a senior member of staff who has a great number of other responsibilities. The lack of sustained leadership has prevented a systematic focus on mathematics. The school follows the National Numeracy Strategy and has long and medium term planning which covers the requirements of the strategy. Assessment is in place but not all teachers use this to plan well-matched work or to evaluate pupils' progress. Results of national tests and assessments tests showed inaccuracies in assessments, for example in Year 2 when pupils reached higher standards in national tests than in assessments made by teachers.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

72. This is poor and limits pupils' achievement. It is particularly weak in science.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching in Year 2 is good and some good practical science was seen in Year 3. In these classes teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations in science. • The development of investigative science is poor overall. Too often, pupils are expected to learn science facts by completing worksheets. • The quality of teaching in Year 6 is unsatisfactory because of a lack of challenge. • Planning for Year 1 does not build on what the pupils learned in Reception.

p.24

Commentary

73. By Year 2 standards are well below average. Pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory. Most pupils attain poor standards in investigative science. Pupils describe simple properties of materials and can identify common materials such as glass, wood, metal and plastic. However, they do not suggest their own ideas for how to go about finding out answers. Their recording is simple and they do not use mathematics adequately. Pupils mainly reach one level below their age and none were observed to be reaching higher levels. Park Primary School - 25 74. By Year 6 standards are very low. Pupils' achievement is poor. Discussions with pupils and examination of pupils' previous work in Year 5 showed opportunities for pupils to learn through practical enquiry have been very poor. By Year 6 pupils do not understand important scientific procedures; for example how to make a fair test or how to systematically use mathematics for

p.24

Commentary

measuring and comparing results. Their prediction skills and skills in planning and making their own tests are very weak indeed. Their scientific knowledge and understanding are very limited. This is because pupils are given inappropriate tasks such as filling in worksheets or colouring activities. By Year 6 pupils have "switched off" from science and a significant minority are badly behaved.

p.25

Commentary

75. The overall quality of teaching is unsatisfactory in Years 1 to 6. Evidence from previous work and discussions with pupils shows there has been much unsatisfactory teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 although the quality of teaching in Year 2 is now good. The teacher made learning fun by providing mystery boxes of objects for groups so that pupils could identify the different properties of materials through their own practical enquiry. However, examination of the Year 1 provision shows that, because of school's curriculum planning, there is too much overlap in what is being taught between Reception and Year 1 causing pupils to make unsatisfactory progress. There are also not enough practical activities.

p.25

Commentary

76. In Year 3 the teacher provided well for pupils to learn about electrical circuits through practical enquiry. However, a weaker aspect of this lesson was the lack of instruction for recording work. The pupils' poor writing skills limit recording in science. In an unsatisfactory Year 6 lesson on healthy eating, the lesson did not have enough practical content and lacked challenge. Opportunities for pupils to learn were mainly through instruction, questioning, drawing and writing. The initial presentation was not backed by enough visual and practical resources and was dull. Discussions with pupils showed the introduction and previous work had been ineffective in helping many pupils to understand basic nutrition. Most of the lesson consisted of the pupils colouring in their chosen meal designs with little understanding. Pupils were sometimes reluctant to do their work and misbehaved, especially higher attaining boys.

p.25

Commentary

77. Subject management is poor. Currently three co-ordinators have been appointed for science, so that they can work as a subject team. However, their roles and responsibilities have not yet been defined and they are uncertain how they are expected to perform their roles. Monitoring of science is weak. The local education authority has monitored a limited number of lessons. The headteacher's monitoring a sample of pupils' work did not identify subject strengths and weaknesses. Progress since the last inspection has been poor. Standards are much lower than then and the development of the subject manager's role has been poor.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is unsatisfactory

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There have been improvements in resources since the last inspection. • Skills within ICT are now being systematically taught. • The ICT technician provides valuable support. • Standards are below average by the end of Years 2 and 6 and pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory. • The use of ICT for supporting other subjects is unsatisfactory.

p.25

Commentary

78. In Year 2, standards are below average. Pupils record some of their writing and change fonts and colours. They use the Internet to retrieve information, but do not yet organise and present it in their own way. Pupils program a floor robot to make a sequence of movements. They do not yet generate, amend and record communications in a wide variety of ways. Park Primary School - 26 79. In Year 6, standards are below average. Pupils successfully produce certificates and are beginning to make presentations using a variety of media. They use a control program to produce simple shapes. They have also used screen instructions to control a model lighthouse. Pupils have made little progress with spreadsheets, but have produced identification trees as well as bar and pie charts. This demonstrates some successful use of computers in mathematics. Pupils are not yet interrogating and interpreting information in

p.25

Commentary

80. Two lessons were seen during the inspection, both in junior classes. The school’s records of pupils’ work were accessed and all inspectors reported on the use of ICT in their subjects. The quality of teaching in the discrete lessons seen was satisfactory. However, because of the lack of use of ICT across the curriculum, the overall quality of teaching is unsatisfactory. In the lessons seen, teachers enabled pupils to develop independence in using programs and the Internet. Teachers organised pupils well so that they had good access to computers. However, the questions set were sometimes too closed to stimulate thinking. Pupils’ low literacy skills limited what they produced on computers.

p.26

Commentary

81. The school has increased its resources and these, together with recent training, is enabling teachers to provide a broader curriculum in ICT. Leadership and management of the subject are now satisfactory. Time is needed to raise standards to the level expected, but a start has been made through improvements in provision since the last inspection. However, standards are still below average as at the time of the previous inspection.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

82. The use of ICT to support pupils' learning in other subjects is unsatisfactory. ICT is rarely used for supporting English and mathematics lessons. In science, pupils have not systematically used data software for recording and analysing results from their practical work. The use of monitoring and control in science is particularly weak.

p.26

HUMANITIES

Three lessons were observed in religious education and one in geography. Pupils' previous work was examined and discussions were held with pupils to determine their understanding in both subjects. No lessons were seen in history and this subject was not inspected.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The resources available to pupils are good. • Standards by Years 2 and 6 are far too low. • Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are not always good enough. • The provision for pupils with special needs is poor. • Systems for assessment and subject evaluation are weak. • The quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

83. In Year 2, pupils’ standards of attainment are well below expectations. This represents poor achievement. They have a few ideas about the difference between right and wrong. Pupils have very little knowledge of the Bible and what is found in a Christian church. Pupils know little about the teachings of Jesus. They also find it difficult to ask questions related to religion. In Year 6, standards of attainment are very low and pupils' achievement is poor. Their Park Primary School - 27 knowledge and understanding has little further developed since Year 2. Moreover, their attitudes are immature. 84. The overall quality of teaching is unsatisfactory. It is far too variable, ranging from very good to poor. It is ineffective in establishing progression in learning and appropriate attitudes to learning. Teachers have satisfactory subject knowledge and there were two very good lessons during the inspection. In Year 1, for example, the teacher planned good practical links

p.26

Commentary

between religious education and art and music in celebration of autumn. She gave pupils good opportunities to display their knowledge and to be creative. In Year 4 a poor lesson was seen when the teacher failed to capture the pupils' interest and class management was weak. This prevented learning taking place. In Year 5 a very good lesson was seen when good practical resources were used to arouse the pupils' interest in Islam and the teacher's very good class management enabled all pupils to learn effectively. Examination of Year 6 pupils' previous work, when in Year 5, showed very low standards and poor progression in the skills to be covered. There is no evidence of the current use of ICT within religious education or in previous work

p.27

Commentary

85. Leadership and management of the subject are poor. Systems for assessment and its use are unsatisfactory. The challenge for able pupils is particularly poor. Religious education was not reported at the time of the previous inspection so comparisons cannot be made.

p.27

GEOGRAPHY

Provision for geography is unsatisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are too low in Years 2 and 6 • The management of the subject is unsatisfactory

p.27

Commentary

86. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding in Years 2 and 6 is well below average. Pupils in Year 2 have little awareness of their local environment, and cannot discuss and compare their own town and one in a contrasting locality. They have no knowledge about mapping or the weather. Pupils in Year 6 have negligibly more advanced understanding.

p.27

Commentary

87. There is not enough evidence to make an overall judgement on the quality of teaching. The lesson observed in Year 5 was excellent because of the way the teacher raised pupils' will to learn and used a range of teaching styles to meet the needs of different learners, including learning by watching and listening and learning through their own active problem solving. Pupils' interest in the globe and characteristics of mountain ranges was awakened from the start by the teacher's dramatic presentation, use of quality resources and excellent questioning. Even reluctant pupils volunteered prolonged answers. The pupils were eager to learn about some of the main ranges and highest mountains of the world and very willingly undertook their own research using books or the Internet. Pupils made great strides in developing their independent enquiry skills in this lesson. The lesson ended in a lively fashion

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Two lessons were seen in art, design and technology and also in physical education. Art and design and technology were being taught simultaneously in lessons seen. Work in art was discussed with pupils and discussions were also held with Year 2 pupils about their design and technology work. On the basis of this evidence it was not possible to make a judgement about the overall quality of provision for design and technology, art, physical education or music. Only one music lesson was seen in Year 5. Park Primary School - 28

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ART AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88. Standards in design and technology are average in Year 2 and pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Year 2 pupils can use their knowledge of puppets to design and make puppets with different faces. They suggest ideas well and make suitable plans for achieving their design. Pupils' ability to cut and shape materials is satisfactory, when working with textiles. Pupils are developing their ability to evaluate their work as they proceed through the design process.

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ART AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

89. By Year 6 standards are below average in art. Pupils' achievement is unsatisfactory. Pupils do not have a good enough understanding of the work of other artists and their ability to evaluate the work of others as well as their own work is below average. Pupils' drawing skills are quite variable. Though several are advanced, a minority are below or well below average. There is no evidence to show the pupils have developed their skills in using a wide range of media.

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ART AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

90. An overall judgement cannot be made on the quality of teaching. A good lesson was observed in Year 5. The teacher used time well when he cleverly designed a series of lessons so pupils' skills in design and technology and art were taught together. For example, the pupils were given a real reason to examine the fabric patterns of other artists when they were told their purpose was to design and make a printing block. Pupils' creativity and their practical skills were developed well. Pupils' results were pleasing and pupils were delighted with their end products. In Year 6 a satisfactory lesson was seen on evaluating containers. The teacher had a very good range of containers but the overriding purpose for the series of lessons, for pupils to design and make their own containers, was not made clear enough. Pupils extended their understanding of other products satisfactorily in this lesson.

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ART AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. The subject management of art and design and technology is weak. The subjects have not had proper co-ordination and, at the time of the inspection, there were no strategic plans to improve this position. There are suitable plans in place for a balanced programme of work. Insufficient evidence was gathered to make a judgement about previous provision.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

92. In the one lesson seen in Year 2, standards were above average as the majority of pupils displayed good foot control as they carried out a variety of manoeuvres using footballs. Some pupils gave good demonstrations, which were used to encourage others to improve their performances. They were very conscious of safety as they moved around the playground. The quality of teaching and learning in this lesson was good. The teacher showed a good understanding of the subject and was confident in the management of the lesson.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

93. In the one lesson seen in Year 6, standards were average as pupils produced a satisfactory sequence of movements involving twisting and turning. After an appropriate and successful warming up period, pupils safely arranged apparatus including the climbing frame and ropes. Working on the various items of apparatus, the pupils found interesting ways of travelling and creating sequences of movements involving twisting and turning. The quality of teaching and learning in this lesson was satisfactory. The teacher encouraged pupils to make full use of the apparatus, at the same time making them aware of safety issues.

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MUSIC

From looking at documents and talking with the co-ordinating team responsible for music, there is satisfactory planning for pupils to cover the National Curriculum requirements in music. Park Primary School - 29

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a planned programme that meets statutory requirements for sex and drugs education. • There were good opportunities for the development of teamwork skills in Year 1 in religious education, in Years 2 and 3 in science and in Year 5 in art and design and technology. • Opportunities for pupils to gradually take responsibility for making decisions and managing some of their own learning are not systematically planned through the curriculum. • By Year 6 pupils do not have a satisfactory understanding of which foods promote good health.

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Commentary

94. In Year 2 standards are below average and very low by Year 6. Pupils do not systematically learn to evaluate their own work, make improvements or to work in teams. Pupils are now making good progress in Years 2 and 5 through practical work in art, design and technology and science. These pupils are learning to adapt to a range of teaching styles and to learn independently, when required to do so. Throughout the school, because of the high proportion of pupils with low literacy and numeracy skills, many have a poor self-image as learners. This transfers to other areas of their work and they have poor attitudes to learning. However, when pupils engage in practical work and produce quality artefacts, they take pride in their achievements.

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Commentary

95. However, pupils' progress through Years 3 to 6 is very erratic in all aspects of personal, social and health education and often unsatisfactory. This leads to very poor achievement by Year 6 when pupils are often not " switched on " to learning and a significant minority of boys have disaffected attitudes. In Year 6 many pupils cannot work without close supervision and do not take responsibility for their own learning and behaviour.

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Commentary

96. The overall quality of teaching is unsatisfactory. A satisfactory lesson in personal, social and health education was seen in Year 6 when pupils learned how to write a job description of their own jobs in the school. This lesson was relevant to pupils and they showed satisfactory attitudes and behaviour. However, teaching was unsatisfactory in circle time in Year 4 when lesson planning was unsatisfactory. Pupils were not given a clear enough purpose and they misbehaved. There is no designated co-ordinator and teachers are not being provided with enough support. Park Primary School - 30

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 6 How inclusive the school is 6 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 6 Value for money provided by the school 6

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 7 Pupils’ achievement 6

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 5 Attendance 5 Attitudes 5 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 5 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 5

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 6 The quality of teaching 6 How well pupils learn 6 The quality of assessment 6 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 6 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 4 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 6 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 5 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 5 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 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 6 The governance of the school 5 The leadership of the headteacher 6 The leadership of other key staff 6 The effectiveness of management 6

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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).

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