Parklee Community School

PARKLEE COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th – 10 th June 2004

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PARKLEE COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Parklee Community School - 2 Crown copyright 2004

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PARKLEE COMMUNITY PRIMARY 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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PARKLEE COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Parklee Community 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: 274

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wardour Street Atherton Manchester Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01942 874203 Fax number 01924 893117

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs S Williamson

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Parklee Community Primary School is a larger than average sized primary school catering for pupils between the ages of three and eleven with 274 pupils on roll. The school is in the small town of Atherton, midway between Wigan and Bolton in Greater Manchester. The area has a mixture of types of housing, but overall economic indicators are lower than the national average and a smaller proportion of people in the area have had higher education experience.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

When they start in the nursery at the age of three, children have lower attainment than in most schools, particularly in their language skills. Only two pupils are learning English as an additional language, which is a smaller number than in most schools. About 24 per cent of pupils have special educational needs, which is above that found nationally and nine have statements for these needs, which is also more than in most schools. The school received a School Achievement Award and the Wigan Quality Standard for Early Years in 2003. It was also successful in renewing its Investors in People status in 2004. Parklee Community 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

2632 Roger Holmes Lead inspector Science, information and communication technology (ICT), design and technology, physical education, special educational needs. 19740 Allan Smith Lay inspector 25203 Robert Cooke Team inspector Mathematics, geography, history, religious education. 30745 Pat Thorpe Team inspector Foundation Stage, English, art and design, music.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

peakschoolhaus Ltd BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Newark 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). Parklee Community 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 11

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 29

Parklee Community School - 6 Parklee Community School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Parklee Community Primary School provides a good education for its pupils. They learn well because of the good teaching in the school and the positive atmosphere, which has been established by the headteacher’s very effective leadership. Standards are at average levels by the time pupils leave the school. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils make good progress and advance well in the school, particularly in the early years and the older classes. • Much of the teaching is very effective but in the middle part of the school too much is only satisfactory. • Relationships are very positive: pupils behave well and have good attitudes to work, particularly where teaching is effective. • Pupils’ work is assessed well and there are good systems to track progress, but target setting is not so well developed. • The headteacher leads very well and key stage co-ordinators support her effectively, but the deputy headteacher does not have a significant enough role in the school. • Parents and pupils value the work of the school highly.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Since the last inspection in 1998, the school has moved forward well. The issues raised in the report have been tackled successfully, and standards have risen in line with the national picture. The Foundation Stage is much better, pupils throughout the school take a pride in their work and presentation is now good.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools Similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English C C C C Mathematics D B C C Science C C C C 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 achieve well in the school . They come into school with below average skills and make a good start in the Foundation Stage, where they achieve the expected levels by the time they move into the main school, as a result of consistently good teaching by everyone involved. Progress then slows down so that the results of tests taken at the end of Year 2 are a little below average. Currently, work being done in Year 2 reflects satisfactory achievement. Work being done in mathematics is at average levels, reading and writing are a little below, while speaking and listening are better. Pupils put on another spurt in the older classes, particularly in the current Year 6, so that standards at the end of the school are at the national average in English, mathematics, science and most other subjects, which represents good progress overall.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities are developed well throughout the school. Their spiritual, moral and social and cultural development is good. They behave well and work with commitment, particularly when lessons are lively and interesting. Relationships with teachers are very good and pupils work well together. Attendance is average Parklee Community School - 8

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education . Teaching is good, but it is not uniformly strong, with lessons ranging from outstandingly good to barely satisfactory. Consistently effective teaching in the nursery, reception and into Year 1 gives the children a very good start in the school and, as a result, they become confident and learn well. Whilst being satisfactory overall, teaching in Years 2 to 4 does not pull the pupils along so quickly. This is partly due to staffing problems, which have resulted in some classes having several teachers during the year, but there are also instances of lessons not challenging some pupils effectively enough. Older classes are taught very well. This is normally the case in Year 5, but unfortunately the teacher has been absent for some time. In Year 6, pupils make rapid progress, inspired by very effective teaching,

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and fully involved in the life of the school.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is sound and matched to the needs of the pupils, although there are some weaknesses in the arrangements for religious education. The school takes the care of its pupils very seriously and looks after them well. Staff know the pupils well and provide good support and guidance. Considerable efforts are made to help all pupils play an active part in the life of the school, even when they need considerable support and understanding.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are both good . The headteacher leads the school very well. She has a clear vision as to how it should develop, and the energy to carry things forward. She is supported well by other managers in the school, particularly the key stage co-ordinators who share the headteacher’s enthusiasm for improvement and provide very strong examples in the quality of their work and commitment. The deputy headteacher has had a long involvement with the school, but the effectiveness of her leadership and management roles do not match the seniority of her position.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Governors are well informed and support the school well. Their role was particularly important in stabilising the school during the headteacher’s recent absence. Governors share the headteacher’s understanding of how the school should develop. They carry out their duties effectively and all statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents value the work of the school highly. They appreciate the care that is taken of their children and the progress they make. Pupils enjoy the school and value highly the partnership that they have with the teachers.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise the quality of teaching in the middle part of the school, so that it approaches the quality elsewhere in the school. • Ensure that the role of deputy headteacher is appropriately central to the work of the school and helps to take it forward. Parklee Community School - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils achieve well in the school. They come into nursery at a lower standard than in most schools. By the time they leave school, standards in most subjects are close to average, with all groups of pupils having made equally good progress.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children make a very good start in the nursery and reception • Pupils also make good progress in the other classes but progress is slower in the middle years of the school.

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Commentary

1. Results in the national tests at the end of Year 2 have fluctuated over recent years. In reading and mathematics they have slipped from average to below average, whilst in writing they have swung either side of average. In 2003, results were overall a little below average, with virtually all pupils achieving what would be expected, given their starting point.

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Commentary

2. Performance in the national tests at the end of Year 6 has been close to the average for all schools over the last few years, and is rising in line with the national trend. In 2003, results were average in all three core subjects of English, mathematics and science, with boys and girls performing similarly. This represents good achievement overall, considering their starting point when they joined the school.

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Commentary

3. This picture is generally reflected in the work currently being done by the pupils in the school. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ reading and writing are not as well developed as in most schools, but their speaking and listening skills are well up to average standards. Work in mathematics is at the level normally expected for this age, but girls are performing better than boys. By Year 6, pupils are working at the expected levels in all three core subjects of English, mathematics and science and in the other subjects of the curriculum.

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Commentary

4. Children get a flying start in the nursery, reception and in Year 1. Their language skills come on rapidly and they become confident and independent. This good progress tails off in the middle part of the school before picking up again, particularly in Year 6, where there is a vibrancy in the teaching and learning which gets the best out of the pupils.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.4 (15.6) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 15.3 (12.6) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 15.5 (14.9) 16.3 (16.5) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year Parklee Community School - 10

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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 26.6 (26.8) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 27.2 (27.8) 26.8 (26.7) science 29.1 (29.3) 28.6. (28.3) There were 38 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 to school are good and they behave well in lessons. Pupils’ moral and social development is good . Their spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory . The school's actions to monitor and improve attendance are good , although attendance levels remain about the national average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have positive attitudes to the school and staff. • Almost all behave well, especially when in stimulating lessons. • Pupils have high moral awareness, with good social development. However, their spiritual, local and multi-cultural appreciation is underdeveloped across the curriculum. • Pupils have a very good awareness of right and wrong.

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Commentary

5. The majority of pupils of all ages like coming to school. They believe they learn well and get good support when needing help with their work or relationships. Pupils have very positive relationships with all adults, respond well and are willing to try hard to do all that they are asked to do. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve very well in relation to the targets set for them in personal and social development, which ensure they make very good progress from a low start.

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Commentary

6. Pupils work hard overall because they have very positive relationships with their teachers. Staff insist on high standards of behaviour and pupils respond positively and try hard to live up to these expectations. In good lessons, they work well independently or as part of a pair or group. This is because they are trusted to get on sensibly. They share resources well, take turns in using equipment and happily help to keep their classrooms neat and tidy.

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Commentary

7. Behaviour is good overall. Pupils behave well during break and lunch times and in the great majority of lessons, particularly when the lessons are interesting. Older pupils cheerfully help with activities at lunchtimes. They know that the school has a zero tolerance to name-calling, bullying and harassment and these are dealt with very quickly when the school recognises any such actions. The exclusions recorded in the table below represent five pupils who were excluded temporarily due to the school’s positive behaviour policy. During the inspection no unacceptable behaviour between pupils was noted. Pupils with special educational needs relating to behaviour also have good attitudes to school. They respond well to planned activities that match and support their needs.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ personal development is good as a result of the positive personal, social and health education programme. Relationships between pupils are good overall. Pupils are proud of all their achievements both in and out of school and are motivated to put hard work and effort into all they are asked to do. Achievement is celebrated. In classes there are personal and social development sessions that enable pupils to discuss issues of common concern and to Parklee Community School - 11 consider relationships. As pupils feel adults are fair and listen carefully to their views, they are happy to share their opinions and concerns with others in these discussion sessions. They are developing the social skills of taking turns and listening carefully to adults and each other. Pupils are encouraged to accept responsibility.

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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. 268 11 0 Chinese. 2 0 0 Parents/Pupils preferred not to say. 4 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

9. The school provides very well for pupils’ moral and well for social development through the behaviour policy, positive role models and moral focus within classes. The contribution pupils make to the life of the school supports their social development well. Their cultural and spiritual development although satisfactory is less well developed. The provision for learning about life in a multi-cultural Britain is insufficiently enhanced by the celebration of other faiths, festivals and general cultural diversity. The school has a focus for assemblies and uses music to establish an appropriate atmosphere. However, the opportunity for pupils to reflect quietly could be further developed in some assemblies and not all teachers make the most of opportunities to nurture a sense of awe and wonder and inspire pupils concerning the world around them.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

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

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Attendance

10. Attendance rates are currently in line with the national average. The school rigorously monitors attendance and punctuality and attempts in many ways to make parents and pupils fully aware of the significance of full attendance and punctuality on pupils and the class. However, there are a significant number who persist in taking pupils on holiday during term time. The strong family ethos within the school supports pupils so they are very happy to be there. The majority of pupils arrive in time for a prompt start to the day.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides good quality education for its pupils and as a result they achieve well.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good overall, and is strengthened by the effective work of teaching assistants in the class. As a result pupils learn well. Parklee Community School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is particularly effective in the younger and oldest classes. • Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together. • Pupils are assessed well, but they are not always shown how to improve.

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Commentary

11. Teaching is particularly effective in the Foundation Stage, Year 1 and Year 6. Teaching in the middle years is satisfactory, but does not show the same flair and focus as elsewhere in the school. There have also been staffing problems in two of these year groups, Years 4 and 5, which have disrupted the pupils’ learning. Consequently, pupils are not making the same good progress here as at the start and end of their time at Parklee.

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Commentary

12. Lessons are planned well, with clear aims for learning that are explained to the pupils. In almost all lessons, these are appropriate for the pupils, but in a few cases, they do not challenge the most able pupils enough. Lessons are generally conducted well. Teachers make the work interesting, encouraging the pupils to become involved by questions and discussion. The great majority of pupils respond well, listening, answering questions and working hard. In some cases there are individuals who find it hard to conform and who behave in strange ways. They are generally managed well, so that they cause little disruption to the learning of the rest of the class. There are also many pupils in the school who, whilst perfectly well behaved when they are taught and managed well, become noisy and lose concentration when things slip.

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Commentary

13. Recent development work on matching the content of lessons to pupils’ different learning styles is showing results in the way teachers and teaching assistants work. Teaching and learning are enlivened further in some classrooms by the effective use of interactive whiteboards. Teaching assistants play an important part in the work of the school. They are closely involved in teaching the pupils and work very closely with teachers including planning and reviewing lessons and assessing pupils’ performance.

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Commentary

14. Relationships are very good. Teachers know the pupils well and adapt work well to their needs, for example asking individuals questions of varying difficulty and explaining things in different ways for them. Pupils’ work is assessed well. Their work is marked and comments are often added, particularly for pupils in Years 5 and 6, saying how it could be improved. However, this does not happen consistently in all classes.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 41 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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The curriculum

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum, which meets statutory requirements, is broad and balanced overall and makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Particularly strong features are the school’s provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and the effective deployment of support staff.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good provision for personal, social and health education. • There have been good improvements in pupils’ writing. Parklee Community School - 13 • Some good use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) to support other subjects. • There is limited display of pupils’ own work in a few classrooms. • Limited use is made of the school grounds, the local area, educational visits and visiting speakers to support particular aspects of the curriculum. • Cultural and multi-cultural aspects of the curriculum are underdeveloped.

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Commentary

15. The school provides a curriculum that is broadly based. There are clear plans for teaching the National Curriculum. However, while careful monitoring of teaching and learning takes place in English, mathematics and science, there are only limited opportunities for effective monitoring of teaching and learning in other subjects. This results in patchy coverage of some curriculum areas, particularly religious education. The school makes good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education, including sex and relationship education and drugs awareness. The curriculum is adapted appropriately for pupils with special educational needs. Teachers plan their individual programmes well and extra support is provided effectively.

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Commentary

16. There are good cross-curricular links by which one subject reinforces another. Good examples are where ICT is used to support other areas of the curriculum and when subjects such as geography and history are linked, as in the study of old and new locations.

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Commentary

17. The school provides a satisfactory number of extra-curricular activities and pupils are able to participate in musical activities, such as school choir, and to receive extra music tuition. Different sporting activities take place during the course of the year. There are some links with local sports clubs and occasional use of sports facilities at local secondary schools. There is also an art club and a homework club. The school has been successful in its bids for Awards for All funding and this is used effectively, for example to buy in sports coaching. Provision for extra-curricular activities is satisfactory.

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Commentary

18. Limited use is made of the school grounds and local area to support the curriculum. Some work on pollution and water supplies has been carried out in the school grounds, but Year 6 pupils do not recall any occasion on which they have walked around the local area in order to study buildings or to develop mapping skills. A recent development, however, has been the formation of an Eco club with representatives from all classes discussing ways to help and improve the local environment. Some good work is beginning to emerge as a result. Links with a local ecological group have led to the school recently being selected to take part in an instructional meadow walk.

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Commentary

19. Appropriate use is made of some educational visits and visitors to enrich the curriculum such as visits to Chester and to Wigan Pier. Visitors to the school have supported the history curriculum through a half-day each on the Tudors and the Victorians and the school has had other visits including ones which have covered science, technology and writing .The use of visits and visitors is an area to continue developing. Links with local churches and other places of worship are very limited and little has yet been done to address the need to develop pupils’ awareness of the multi-cultural society of which they are a part.

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Commentary

20. There are satisfactory resources for all subjects. The interior accommodation is satisfactory although some teaching areas are rather small. This is offset by extra working space adjacent to classrooms and several specialist areas such as the library and computer suite. The lack of ramps and slopes outside the building renders accommodation unsatisfactory and unsuitable for wheelchair users. Parklee Community School - 14

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides good care, guidance and support for all of its pupils . The involvement of pupils in the school’s work and development is good . Monitoring and guidance of pupils’ development are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a strong family caring ethos within the school. • The very good relationships between pupils and staff give rise to pupils feeling valued. • Pupils know that they can turn to staff if they need help of any kind. • The involvement of pupils in the school helps them to develop ownership and responsibility. • The induction arrangements for pupils help them to settle quickly into school life.

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Commentary

21. The school’s positive outlook on the importance of care and guidance contributes well to the welfare and security of all pupils. This plays a strong part in developing their confidence and attitudes to learning. The staff have successfully developed a strong family atmosphere that is beneficial to all pupils’ feeling of self-worth. The school, as part of its programme of personal development, fosters the confidence and happiness of all pupils well. Staff care very much for their pupils. They provide well-informed support, advice and guidance, because of their good knowledge of pupils as individuals, and the effectiveness of their checking of pupils’ personal and academic development. These features form the heart of a secure environment for all to have equal opportunities for learning.

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Commentary

22. Arrangements for children to enter school life are well planned and carried out and this helps them to settle very quickly. These arrangements are central in developing the quality and depth of the trusting relationships between pupils and staff at a very early stage. An effective school council is in operation. This, in conjunction with other systems such as circle time where pupils have opportunities to talk about their feelings and ideas, and class/playground monitors/helpers, has encouraged pupils to participate positively in the life of the school.

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Commentary

23. The governing body has adopted the local education authority’s policy on health and safety. Governors carry out effective risk assessments, both internal and external. Child protection is considered as a high priority and those responsible are suitably trained. Consequently they understand the need to be very aware and to maintain constant vigilance. Staff know pupils’ individual qualities and backgrounds very well. Pupils feel very well supported and can therefore confidently discuss any concerns they might have. Good systems are in place to support attendance and punctuality, although there is still insufficient response from parents to improve attendance.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have very favourable views of the school. • They receive good information about their children’s progress and about general school matters. • The school seeks to involve parents in their children’s learning in order to extend pupils’ learning into the home. Parklee Community School - 15

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Commentary

24. Parents hold the school in very high regard and are understandably very happy with the education provided for their children. Parents describe the school as a very happy place in which good relationships exist between pupils, teachers and parents. There is nothing that significantly displeases parents. They believe school is very fair to all and their children are encouraged to be considerate and develop a mature viewpoint. Parents consider the school to be well led, with very good teaching and strongly promoting a work ethic. They see their children liking school and being helped as they mature and become more independent. Parents appreciate the welcoming atmosphere in the school and the guidance that they get to enable them to support their children at home. Inspectors agree with these judgements.

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Commentary

25. The school provides good information to parents on their children’s progress and on general matters. For example, pupils’ annual reports to parents give suitable detail of attainment and progress in subjects.

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Commentary

Particularly worthwhile aspects of information provided for parents are:

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Commentary

• termly topic sheets for classes are issued, showing parents the work that is to be covered; • suggestions enabling parents to aid children move forward in their learning are offered, including the useful school journal; • where there is a concern, the school is quick to initiate contact with parents; • parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept well informed and are invited to all relevant meetings; • statutory documentation, such as the school prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents, is well presented, useful and informative.

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Commentary

26. Parents support the school well. They know the school routines and expectations, including those for attendance, punctuality and behaviour, although some still take pupils out of school for holidays in term time. Many parents help their children with their work at home and this has a positive effect on pupils’ progress. The school has a small but very willing band of parent helpers. They provide willing help on visits out of school. The school Friends Association is beneficial in both fund raising and generating social activities.

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Commentary

27. There are satisfactory links with other schools in the area, specifically the two local high schools to which most pupils transfer. Links with the community and business, although satisfactory, are insufficiently wide in range to provide good enrichment for the curriculum and support pupils’ personal and social development as well as widening their experiences and giving them opportunities to learn about the needs of others. The school is developing this area and has established a business enterprise project in Year 6

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher is a very good leader. • Governors are committed and effective. • The headteacher is supported well by senior teachers, but the role of the deputy headteacher is not sufficiently focused on school improvement. • Systems for evaluating the work of the school are effective. • Finances are managed well. Parklee Community School - 16

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Commentary

28. The headteacher leads the school very well. She has a strong sense of purpose and a determination that the school will do well, which she conveys persuasively to staff and pupils. She is well supported by the two senior teachers who are members of the senior management team. They share her vision for the school and provide very good role models for other staff through their enthusiasm and the quality of their own teaching. Unfortunately, the deputy headteacher’s contribution is less effective. Her role includes the responsibility for special educational needs, which is working well, but otherwise her tasks do not include any of the major contributions to the work of the school normally associated with a deputy’s post.

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Commentary

29. Governors are well informed about the school and many take a close interest in its work. All statutory requirements are met and governors have adopted the system of becoming attached to a class and following the pupils through the school. This gives them a good insight into the pupils’ development and how the school works at different stages.

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Commentary

30. There are good procedures for monitoring the school’s work. Results of assessments are analysed carefully to see if pupils have made the progress that was expected of them. This has led to an increased emphasis being given to developing pupils’ literacy skills, which were found to be affecting their performance across a number of subjects. As a result of this and other developments, standards in these areas have risen.

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Commentary

31. Finances are managed well. Spending decisions are taken cautiously, by governors who are careful to ensure that they get good value for money. Proposed spending is looked at carefully to see what value it will bring to pupils’ learning. For example the expenditure on new computers is expected to raise pupils’ skills in ICT by providing them with better access to programs. Governors receive regular, helpful reports from the school’s bursar, and proper measures are in place to control and monitor expenditure.

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 730303 Balance from previous year 87334 Total expenditure 678625 Balance carried forward 51677 Expenditure per pupil 2467 Parklee Community School - 17

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

32. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage has improved since the last inspection and is a strength of the school. Children’s level of attainment when they start in the nursery is below that typically expected for their age. All children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress, achieve well and most children reach the goals they are expected to reach by the end of reception (the early learning goals). This is the result of consistently good and often very good teaching and strong leadership. All the staff work very well together to ensure the learning and well-being of the children.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

33. Assessment procedures are very thorough and are used effectively to build up an accurate and informative picture of each child’s achievements and his or her future needs. The curriculum is planned with great care to provide a wide range of stimulating and challenging activities, which are matched well to all children’s needs. Staff work hard to forge strong links with parents, not only when children are due to start in the nursery, but also throughout their time in the Foundation Stage. Parents are right to be happy with the flying start their children receive.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are strong, positive, relationships between staff and children. • There is good, rapid development of children’s independence skills. • Children grow in confidence and work and play together well.

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Commentary

34. Children make good progress because of the established routines, good teaching and clear expectations of staff. They rapidly gain in confidence and feel comfortable in expressing their ideas and feelings. Children know and respect the classroom rules and behave very well. Teachers and assistants provide very good role models for children to follow. They are calm and organised and treat children with respect and courtesy. This leads to warm and trusting relationships and helps children to be kind and considerate and to care for each other. As they work and play together children acquire a wide range of skills and begin to take responsibility for their own actions. They develop initiative and independence in selecting resources, tidying away and making choices in their work. Children achieve well and reach the expected levels for their age by the end of the reception year.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The strong focus on improving speaking and listening skills enables children to make good progress. • Children experience a wide variety of writing that supports their development in this area. • The use of small groups encourages children to speak in front of others. Parklee Community School - 18

p.17

Commentary

35. Teaching and learning are very good and children achieve well. They make good progress from their below average start and achieve the levels expected by the end of the reception year. A strength of the teaching lies in the way staff constantly talk to the children and expect them to listen carefully. Every activity involves asking questions and emphasising words and names. In both nursery and reception classes best use is made of the opportunity to create a number of adult-led groups to provide more occasions for children to speak to an audience. Teachers encourage children to speak clearly, and employ their own good use of language to help children to broaden their vocabulary.

p.18

Commentary

36. Children write frequently and they learn how to form letters correctly. Teachers use every opportunity to increase children’s understanding of the names and sounds of letters to enable them to write independently. Children are encouraged to write for a variety of reasons. They are soon able to write simple captions and labels as well as their name, and many children in the reception classes begin to write simple sentences with little help. There is a good range of books available and teachers tell and read stories to children every day. Consequently, children learn to enjoy books and to handle them with care. The children in the nursery look closely at the pictures and join in with the parts they know. In the reception classes children understand the words ‘author’ and ‘illustrator’ and read simple books with accuracy and understanding.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

The 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. • Playing mathematical games makes learning fun.

p.18

Commentary

37. Good teaching develops children’s interest in numbers and they achieve well. Most children reach the early learning goals by the start of Year 1. Teachers use every opportunity to use mathematics and mathematical language. They do this through stories, songs, games and imaginative play. Children gain an understanding of number, pattern and shape through practical activities such as counting, playing with construction kits and using the home corner. They recognise basic shapes such as squares and triangles and gain knowledge of capacity and weight from practical experiences with sand and water. Activities are often linked to other areas of learning. For example, children in the nursery counted the number of legs to put on their model spiders. Teachers in the reception classes plan carefully for their weekly session in the hall so that the children can make the maximum use of the space to enjoy the activities and

p.18

Commentary

play number games with their friends. Children enjoy this immensely and make good gains in their learning. They count confidently to 20 and beyond and the more able children add and take away small numbers to 10.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

The provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s excitement motivates them well as they discover through first hand experiences. • ICT is used well to support children’s learning. • Children have insufficient opportunities to learn about other cultures.

p.18

Commentary

Parklee Community School - 19 38. Children achieve well because teaching and learning are good. They reach the levels expected for their age by the end of the reception year. Teachers plan activities that engage and sustain children’s interest and often link learning to a central theme. For example, the theme in the nursery was ‘spiders’ and children were engaged in several activities linked to spiders through the week. Children regularly bake or cook and understand how mixing and heating makes things change. Children in both the nursery and reception use computers in the classrooms and children visit the school’s computer suite regularly. They are developing good mouse control and keyboard skills. Programs are often chosen to support children’s learning in other areas. Although children are developing a good understanding of their own culture they have limited opportunities to learn about other cultures.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision in physical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good outdoor play facilities for the nursery children. • Teaching is good and contributes to children making progress and achieving well. • Children handle tools with care and control.

p.19

Commentary

39. Children make good progress and by the end of the reception year achieve the early learning goals set for them in this area. Nursery children have good opportunities to develop their skills in the outdoor play area. They are confident and well co-ordinated in the use of outdoor equipment and demonstrate good body control and awareness of space. Although the secure outdoor area available for reception children is not as well resourced as that of the nursery, children develop their physical skills using the school playground for wheeled toys and by regular lessons in the school hall. Children use tools effectively when they paint, join objects together and cut shapes from paper. By using pencils, crayons and small tools regularly, children improve their ability to form easily recognisable letters and numerals.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have good observational skills. • Teachers plan and create attractive role-play areas.

p.19

Commentary

40. Teaching is good and activities are planned so that adults are often involved and the children’s spoken vocabulary extended. Children have good opportunities to act out roles and create imaginary scenes in the ‘Vet’s Surgery’ or the ‘Travel Agents’. Children enjoy painting, collage and pattern making and experiment with different colours and shapes. Singing and joining in action songs take place almost every day and children know a number of traditional rhymes and songs. Children are encouraged to look at pictures and objects carefully and transfer their observations into their drawings, paintings and models. For example, children in the nursery painted pictures in the style of Kandinsky and children in the reception classes make careful drawings of old toys. Children achieve the levels expected of them by the end of the reception year. Parklee Community School - 20

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• By Year 6 pupils develop a good range of writing styles and achieve well. • Speaking and listening skills are promoted well. • Written work is neat and well presented. • Pupils have good attitudes to their learning. • There is limited use of reading and writing skills in other subjects.

p.20

Commentary

41. The standards reached by pupils at the end of Year 2 are below average and average by the end of Year 6. Standards at Year 2 have fallen since the last inspection, partly as a result of the language skills of the children coming into school. In Years 1 and 2 teaching has some good features but is satisfactory overall and pupils achieve at a satisfactory level. A similar picture is reflected in the older age groups but by Year 6 standards are beginning to improve and pupils achieve well as a result of good teaching and learning.

p.20

Commentary

42. Improving the writing skills of all pupils is a high priority for the school. This is beginning to be successful where teachers have embraced new ideas and work effectively to motivate pupils, especially the boys. In a Year 6 lesson, for example, pupils as part of their ‘business enterprise’ discussed what to include in a formal business letter that would influence the reader to buy the product. Most pupils expressed their ideas freely and listened carefully to each other’s ideas. This good quality discussion and exchange of ideas resulted in some well-presented and persuasive letters being produced.

p.20

Commentary

43. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are beginning to improve their spelling skills and increase their vocabulary through the introduction of the ‘Sounds Write’ programme. Their skills are built up steadily and pupils use their increasing knowledge of letter sounds to attempt words they are not familiar with. As pupils move through the school they use these skills in a variety of writing styles and by Year 6 pupils move from one to the other with increasing confidence. Pupils are taught cursive handwriting, beginning in the reception class. Written work is usually neat and well presented.

p.20

Commentary

44. 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 well. There are also increased opportunities to speak in front of an audience on such occasions as circle time, the school council, assemblies and end of term productions. Most pupils express their ideas freely and the quality of their listening is evident in the questions they ask their teachers and others.

p.20

Commentary

45. Teachers use their smart boards and other technical equipment to stimulate and excite the learning and pupils regularly use the computers both in the classroom and in the computer suite to improve their literacy skills. Teaching assistants provide very good support when teaching small groups. The accurate use of assessment to set targets in reading and writing supports pupils’ achievement. Pupils know what they need to do to improve and teaching follows up the targets that have been set, in marking and in feedback to pupils in lessons. This is an important feature of the good progress that pupils with special educational needs make.

p.20

Commentary

46. In Years 1 and 2 pupils are taught key reading skills, such as how to use correct letter sounds and the strategies to use to tackle words they do not know. Older pupils continue to develop Parklee Community School - 21 and improve their reading skills and reach expected standards by Year 6. They use their voices expressively to convey meaning to the listener and are aware that using punctuation correctly also sets the scene. Many pupils are familiar with a range of authors and demonstrate a broad experience of reading. Pupils throughout the school use the well-stocked school library and are developing research and independent skills.

p.20

Commentary

47. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is currently absent from school. The temporary co-ordinator has a good grasp of what is working well and what needs to improve. She has ensured that the school’s initiative in promoting speaking, listening and writing is being followed through.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

48. The use of language and literacy across the curriculum is variable but satisfactory overall. Speaking and listening skills are being used and supported through oral work over the whole curriculum. However, although pupils do get the opportunity to use their writing skills in some subjects, there are missed opportunities in other curriculum areas.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good range of mathematical opportunities for pupils throughout the school and pupils achieve well by Year 6. • Teachers generally plan work well for different levels of attainment, but there are inconsistencies in the standards of teaching. • There are good arrangements for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress. • Girls consistently outperform boys throughout the school. • There is good support for low attainers throughout the school, but high attainers at the age of seven are not sufficiently challenged.

p.21

Commentary

49. In the most recent national tests, pupils in Year 2 attained standards that were below those expected at this age. These results indicate a decline in performance in recent years. However, in current work, most pupils, apart from high attainers, reach standards that are in line with those normally expected, although not as many reach the higher levels as in most schools.

p.21

Commentary

50. Pupils in Year 6 attain standards that are in line with those normally expected. This is reflected in national tests and in work seen in school and represents good progress overall. High attainers reach a satisfactory standard. Throughout the school, girls outperform boys. This is particularly significant at the age of seven where boys’ attainment is below that normally expected. At the age of eleven, boys’ performance is almost in line with the national average. Standards are improving overall.

p.21

Commentary

51. Achievement is satisfactory in most years and good in Year 6. Pupils achieve well when very good teaching takes place and lessons have good pace and challenge for all levels of attainment. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and achieve well.

p.21

Commentary

52. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory and sometimes very good in Year 1. In the best lessons teachers plan and prepare the work thoroughly; there is good support for all attainment levels and lessons have good pace. As a result pupils behave and work well, stay focused on their tasks and achieve well. Teaching is less effective when work is not appropriately matched to pupils’ attainments and pupils are confused about how to proceed. Parklee Community School - 22 53. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 3, 4 and 5 and very good in Year 6. The good achievement of pupils in Year 6 is therefore not matched in other years. In the best lessons, very good pace, careful planning and preparation, and a rapid response by the class teacher to pupils who need help result in very good learning and good achievement. Teaching in Year 6 shows high expectations. Pupils are encouraged to respond to challenging questions and tasks and praised

p.21

Commentary

when they do so. As a result they respond with confidence and learn well. In other years, time is wasted at the beginning of some lessons and in the tedious writing out of questions that do nothing to improve pupils’ mathematical skills. In some mathematics lessons where literacy or geographical skills are also being developed, there is a lack of focus on the mathematical content. In these situations opportunities to develop mathematical skills are lost instead of being reinforced. Prior to Year 6, lack of appropriate expectations, challenge and pace in a few lessons results in inattentiveness and missed learning opportunities.

p.22

Commentary

54. Work is thoroughly marked throughout the school and presentation is good. Aims for what pupils will learn are indicated for each piece of work so they know what is expected of them. In Year 6 very good use is made of constructive comments to take pupils’ learning forwards and pupils respond appropriately to these comments. However, this procedure is not consistent and in some classes only lower attainers are supported in this way.

p.22

Commentary

55. There is good management of mathematics, with good monitoring of teaching and learning and good processes for the assessment and tracking of pupils’ progress. There are good procedures for identifying and addressing weaknesses. Appropriate targets are set at the end of units of work and are seen by parents. The school has not yet developed the process of setting shorter-term targets in order to move pupils on a step at a time. A mathematics club provides an enjoyable focus and extra opportunities for all pupils in Year 6. The highest attaining pupils are given a good opportunity for further development through links with a local secondary school.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. There is satisfactory use of mathematics across the curriculum. Some examples are the use of time lines in history, recording the performances of individual pupils in physical education, using co-ordinates and knowing the points of the compass in geography, and recording data in science. There are some good examples of mathematics being linked to ICT such as the “RM Maths”, used by the mathematics club. Teachers use ICT effectively in mathematical demonstrations with interactive whiteboards. Pupils in Year 2 used laptops effectively in a lesson on symmetry.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils develop a good understanding of the subject and an enthusiasm for investigations as a result of lively teaching • Pupils make good progress overall, but this is slower in the middle years of the school.

p.22

Commentary

57. When pupils start in the main school, they have benefited from very worthwhile experiences in the Foundation Stage. These give them some good early understanding of, for example, the way magnets push and pull. By the end of Year 6, most pupils reach the levels expected for their age, and several reach above average levels. This represents good progress and achievement overall. However, the rate of progress is not uniform. Pupils move forward more quickly in the younger and older classes than in Years 2 and 3 because the teaching is more effective. Parklee Community School - 23 58. It was possible to see only a few science lessons during the inspection, but examination of pupils’ work and discussions with them confirm that standards are at average levels for pupils at the end of Year 2 and by Year 6, they develop a sound grasp of the facts and also appreciate the importance of investigations in science.

p.22

Commentary

59. Overall, science is taught well, pupils enjoy the subject, particularly when it involves investigations, and make good progress. In an excellent lesson in Year 6, the pupils used their previous knowledge of forces to make reasoned predictions of what would happen to raisins when they were dropped into lemonade. They were fascinated to see the raisins in the liquid rise to the surface and then sink again. Their careful observations and understanding of upthrust led them quickly to an understanding of what was happening. The teacher’s skilful questioning extended their learning and made sure that they explained what they had seen accurately and effectively. The quality of teaching in this lesson and the pupils’ very positive response demonstrated why they make such good progress in this part of the school.

p.23

Commentary

60. The subject co-ordinator has only recently joined the school and so has not yet been able to have much impact. Her plans for development are sound. The curriculum is planned effectively and overall there has been satisfactory progress in science since the last inspection.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy the subject and become confident and effective users of ICT. • The curriculum for ICT is planned well and supported by a good range of software. • Teaching is good and pupils make good progress.

p.23

Commentary

61. Children make effective use of ICT from their earliest years in the school. They rapidly gain confidence and this is built on successfully as they grow older. By Year 2, pupils enter text reasonably fluently and use data bases to organise information that they have collected, such as the colour of pupils’ hair and eyes in the class. By Year 6, pupils use word-processing programs effectively to make text look interesting and to change its appearance for different purposes. They see computers as a natural part of their learning and use CD-ROMs and Internet access as normal ways of finding information. Standards are at the expected levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

p.23

Commentary

62. The curriculum is organised well, so that all parts of the subject are covered, including using computers to monitor events and to control what is happening. Teaching is good and supported well by effective documentation. As a result, lessons are planned well and have clear and appropriate aims for what pupils will learn. In the lessons seen, teachers and teaching assistants used equipment effectively. Their approach helped the pupils to feel comfortable and to explore ways of using programs rather than simply following instructions.

p.23

Commentary

63. The computer suite is a good resource and has played an important part in the subject’s development, although its computers are now rather out of date and slow. The laptop computers and other computers in classrooms support learning well, particularly in encouraging the use of ICT in other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

64. Overall, there has been good progress in ICT as a result of the school’s commitment to the subject and its effective management. Parklee Community School - 24

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

65. ICT is used well to support learning in other subjects, including English, mathematics and science. Pupils are word processing widely to record their work and to experiment with presentation. They also use the Internet and CD-ROMs well to search for information in subjects such as geography and history.

p.24

Geography

66. Only one lesson was seen in geography. Observations are therefore mainly based on a short visit to another lesson, discussions with pupils and teachers and work seen in pupils’ books and around the school.

p.24

Geography

67. There is a satisfactory plan for teaching the geography curriculum and work by pupils indicates they make satisfactory progress in the development of geographical skills. Some map work takes place throughout the school and some good work is displayed in Years 1 and 2 with a map of the local area and pictures of local features. There is also a good display about Mexico that incorporates pupils’ work.

p.24

Geography

68. There are some useful studies of the local area in Year 3. For older pupils, work to compare two different locations is appropriately linked to a residential visit. Work is suitably marked throughout the school and pupils are encouraged to produce their own illustrations. Written work is limited, however, and so opportunities to develop literacy are missed.

p.24

Geography

69. The introduction of an Eco group, which is currently studying compost and working on energy- saving posters, is a good step forward, as is the school’s involvement with a local ecological group that resulted in a visit to a local park. An annual visit with the Mersey Basin Trust gives effective support to geography in Year 6. However, only limited use is made of the school grounds and local area to support geography.

p.24

Geography

70. The management of geography is satisfactory. There is some checking of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning, but the monitoring of pupils’ progress and teaching and learning is not sufficiently regular, thorough and systematic to be fully effective. As a result the coverage of the curriculum is patchy and there are gaps in the work recorded. Resources are satisfactory. New atlases were purchased after the last inspection and are now out of date and in need of replacing.

p.24

History

There is satisfactory provision for history.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a sound overall plan for the curriculum, but the coverage of the curriculum is patchy in some classes. • There are some good links with other subjects. • Some good use is made of visits and visitors to support the curriculum, but little use is made of the local area. • There are some inconsistencies in the marking and presentation of pupils’ work. • There is a lack of opportunities for the effective monitoring of teaching and learning. • There are no assessment procedures or effective tracking of pupils’ progress. Parklee Community School - 25

p.24

Commentary

71. Standards throughout the school are in line with those normally expected. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory although there are some inconsistencies where the coverage of the curriculum is patchy, and there are considerable gaps between one piece of work and the next. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

p.25

Commentary

72. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. Teachers plan and prepare their lessons well. Good questioning at the beginning of a lesson keeps pupils focused and on task. Some activities, however, can be too challenging and time is lost while pupils wait to be helped. Good work takes place on the theme of ‘then and now’ so that pupils appreciate the differences that mark the passage of time. Some history is well supported by display work that shows good links with other subjects. A good example is work on seaside holidays in Year 1 that has links with writing, art and geography. Pupils’ work in Years 1 and 2 shows inconsistencies in presentation and teachers’ marking. Sometimes good use is made of constructive comments that take learning forwards, but at other times marking is limited to a tick. In some books there are a lot of spaces, unfinished work and gaps between one piece of work and the next.

p.25

Commentary

73. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. The co-ordinator sets a good example in the marking of work with good constructive comments and by correcting key spellings. There is good coverage of the curriculum in Year 3 and the study of the Romans is well supported by a visit to Chester. Some very good teaching with Year 6 pupils involves very good subject knowledge by the teacher, careful planning for different levels of attainment and carefully planned independent research for a group of high attainers. Some work in Years 3 to 5, however, lacks challenge because it is directed too closely by the teacher. Teachers generally make good use of constructive written comments to help pupils’ understanding and offer a range of activities to make lessons interesting. However, the presentation of pupils’ work is variable and blank pages indicate a lack of high expectations with regard to what pupils can achieve. There are

p.25

Commentary

opportunities for pupils to develop writing and research skills and pupils are encouraged to develop their artistic skills through producing their own illustrations.

p.25

Commentary

74. Good display work supports pupils’ learning in most classes. Examples are in Years 5 and 6 concerning a ‘History Alive’ project in which pupils dressed in period costume to study the Tudors and the Victorians. Time lines are used appropriately in some classes. There are visits to places of historical interest to support the history curriculum, but little use is made of the local area. An exception is in Year 6 where some good work has been produced on changes in Atherton.

p.25

Commentary

75. The management of history is unsatisfactory. Teachers’ planning is checked termly, but there are no rigorous, systematic procedures for the regular checking of pupils’ work or of the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Apart from the co-ordinator recently collecting samples of work from each class there are no procedures for assessing pupils’ performance or tracking their progress.

p.25

Religious education

Provision for religious education is unsatisfactory because it is not treated as a separate subject and there are inconsistencies in the coverage of the curriculum.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching and learning take place in individual lessons, particularly in Years 5 and 6. • There is a good overall plan for the religious education curriculum, but the plan is not covered effectively enough. • There are no satisfactory processes for checking pupils’ progress or the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Parklee Community School - 26 • Insufficient attention is given to learning about faiths other than Christianity in Years 1 and 2.

p.25

Commentary

76. At the age of seven and at the age of eleven standards of work seen and pupils’ knowledge and understanding are in line with those normally expected. The achievement of pupils throughout the school is satisfactory. Some good achievement was seen in individual lessons in Years 5 and 6. There is satisfactory provision for pupils with special educational needs and their achievement is satisfactory.

p.26

Commentary

77. No lessons were seen with pupils in Years 1 and 2. However, some religious education takes place in assemblies and a very good assembly was seen in which pupils learnt that people, like seeds, grow and flourish through warmth, kindness and care. Very good planning and teaching created a spiritual atmosphere in which all pupils were engaged and learnt well.

p.26

Commentary

78. In Years 1 and 2 displays are limited to a few posters and books. There is no display of pupils’ work. This does little to support pupils’ learning. Pupils understand that people worship different gods, but the work in pupils’ books is limited. There is some rewriting of the Christmas story and some work on Remembrance Day, but little about faiths other than Christianity.

p.26

Commentary

79. Good lessons were seen in Years 5 and 6 on Islam and Diwali. Teachers display good subject knowledge, prepare their lessons well and engage the pupils through good, lively questioning. As a result the pupils learn well. A good lesson was also seen in which a visiting religious education specialist combined good subject knowledge, careful planning and an interesting delivery to teach the pupils about a number of Bible themes. An assembly about Pentecost was marred because the pupils were not involved or managed well enough so that learning opportunities were lost. This assembly did nothing to contribute to pupils’ understanding or spiritual, moral or social development.

p.26

Commentary

80. In Years 3 to 6 there is satisfactory coverage of essential aspects of the curriculum, but it is patchy and inconsistent. Some work is done on other faiths and there is appropriate attention to New Testament themes from the Bible.

p.26

Commentary

81. The management of religious education is unsatisfactory because, apart from the co-ordinator seeing and reporting back to teachers on their planning, there are no processes for the regular, systematic checking of teaching and learning, or systems to check pupils’ progress. The overall plan for teaching the curriculum is in line with the locally agreed syllabus. Planning indicates the school has addressed the need to develop spiritual aspects of pupils’ learning, but there are no means of ensuring this takes place. This was identified as a weakness in the previous inspection.

p.26

Commentary

82. Links with any local places of worship are very limited and consist of a small group of pupils representing the school on Remembrance Day and sometimes a visit at Christmas. However, good links have been established with a school support group. These have resulted in some good assembly work and some weekly Bible study sessions for older pupils in which effective teaching and learning take place. No use is made of visiting speakers or visits to places of worship or museums associated with other faiths. Combined with limited resources and some lack of teachers’ subject knowledge about other faiths, this is an area of concern.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. Design and technology, music and physical education were sampled during the inspection. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on provision in these subjects.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. Evidence from pupils’ work, displays and planning indicates that pupils achieve satisfactory standards in design and technology . Pupils use a range of tools and make things from different materials, including cardboard and wood. Work in Year 6 on bridges demonstrates good skills and thoughtful design based on quite extensive research. The testing of these Parklee Community School - 27 structures provided a good link to work in science. These links are not made consistently throughout the school and there are missed opportunities to reinforce pupils’ skills and understanding, for example extending work on electricity to produce models that incorporate lights.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

85. In music , teachers’ plans indicate that the curriculum follows national guidelines and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. Pupils sing regularly, use percussion instruments and listen to music from different composers. A few pupils choose to learn to play a tuned instrument with a visiting teacher and the school has a choir and a recorder group.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

86. Two lessons were seen in physical education , one of these taken by a sports coach. In both lessons, pupils were keen and enthusiastic and almost all kept up a good level of energetic exercise. Pupils understood the need for a warm-up, and Year 6 pupils were able to explain clearly the beneficial effects of regular exercise. In the athletics activity and the football coaching, pupils were well co-ordinated and responded well to suggestions on how to improve. The Year 6 pupils, particularly, work well in teams, supporting and encouraging one another.

p.27

Art and design

Provision in art and design is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Observation skills are developing well. • Pupils’ knowledge of the work of famous artists is good. • There is a limited amount of pupils’ work displayed in some parts of the school.

p.27

Commentary

87. Although no lessons were seen during the inspection, work around the school and in the art and design portfolio along with discussions with pupils and teachers indicates that standards are similar to those found at the last inspection. These are broadly in line with the national average at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This represents satisfactory improvement.

p.27

Commentary

88. Pupils are taught a range of techniques which they apply to their individual pieces of work. For example, pupils in Year 2 explore shape, colour and texture in the natural world as a basis for their textile designs. Pupils make good use of sketchbooks to record their observations and plan carefully before starting on a piece of work. Their developing observational skills and attention to detail help them to create their own pictures in the style of significant artists in the past. For instance, the work of George Chinnery and Cecil Collins inspired the collage work of pupils in Year 1. Similarly, in Year 5, pupils’ own pictures were influenced by their own interpretation of the work of Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. Although classrooms are bright and colourful on the whole, there is a limited amount of pupils’ work on display in the school.

p.27

Commentary

89. Visits to local art galleries enrich pupils’ artistic knowledge and understanding and pupils have benefited from artists visiting the school in the past. Good links are made with other subjects such as history. For example, pupils in Year 4 created mosaics similar to those dating back to the Aztec period and pupils in Year 6 illustrated their work on costumes in Victorian times with detailed drawings. Parklee Community School - 28

p.27

Personal, social and health education

Provision in personal, social and health education is good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are taught well and pupils respond positively. • The programme covers the issues effectively. • Outside agencies are involved well.

p.28

Commentary

90. Pupils benefit from a well-planned programme of lessons in this area, which covers a good range of topics and integrates closely with the school’s emphasis on care and support. Lessons are taught well and often include valuable discussions in which pupils explore ideas and explain their thinking openly. These activities are particularly effective because relationships are so positive that difficult issues can be tackled directly and honestly. As a result, the work in personal, social and health education makes an effective contribution to the pupils’ personal development and is a strong feature of the school.

p.28

Commentary

91. The programme makes good use of experts and people from the community to teach parts of the course. The school nurse provides very good support and the school has made good use of the opportunity to pilot new material for sex and relationship education, for which they were thanked in the House of Lords. Parklee Community School - 29

p.28

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 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 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

p.29

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.29

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.29