Scampton Church of England Primary School

Scampton C of E Primary School

Dates of inspection: 9 th -11 th February 2004

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Scampton C of E Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Scampton C of E 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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Scampton C of E 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. Scampton C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4-11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 76

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: High Street Scampton Lincoln Postcode: LN1 2SD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01522 730340 Fax number: 01522 731864

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs C Latham

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

With 76 pupils (42 boys and 34 girls) the school is much smaller than most other primary schools. Many of the pupils come from outside the school’s catchment area and a quarter comes from the local RAF base. The mobility of the pupils is above average. An average proportion of pupils have special educational needs and a slightly above average proportion has a statement of special educational needs. A small minority of pupils are from minority ethnic heritages; none speak English as an additional language. Attainment on entry to the Reception year varies because the groups are often very small, but is broadly average. There are four classes, with the two spacious junior classrooms having been built since the last inspection. The school has no hall and pupils have to travel by bus to a nearby school for weekly physical education lessons. Scampton C of E Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

19410 Andrew Matthews Lead inspector Foundation Stage, mathematics, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, music, physical education 14083 Andrew Anderson Lay inspector 21235 Marjorie Graham Team inspector English, science, history, geography, religious education, special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The Coach House 132 Whitaker Road Derby DE23 6AP

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Scampton C of E 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 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school with many very good features that is well regarded by both parents and pupils. Good leadership and management underpin the many improvements the school has made since the last inspection. The quality of education is good and, by the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils of all abilities achieve well and the school provides good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The teaching is consistently good and pupils of all abilities are fully included in the school’s activities and achieve well • The school management is effective because all staff have a keen understanding of their roles and responsibilities and how they can contribute to improving the school further • There is a very strong and positive climate in the school reflected in the very good relationships between adults and pupils • Pupils are enthusiastic, very well behaved and hard working • Teaching assistants are well qualified and provide well-focused support and care to individuals and groups of children • The school’s curriculum is good, effectively planned and well informed by the very regular assessments that staff carry out • While the pupils’ information and technology (ICT) skills are satisfactory, they do not use computers enough to help their learning in other subjects • The school’s physical education facilities are not good enough

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has improved well since it was last inspected in 1998. An effective response to the last report has led to improvements in the quality of teaching, the curriculum and standards, particularly the proportion achieving the higher levels. Standards have risen in reading, writing and mathematics and weaknesses in design and technology, history and religious education have been addressed. The headteacher regularly monitors the quality of teaching and learning in the classrooms, and all staff scrutinise pupils’ work to ensure they are achieving appropriately and covering all aspects of the National Curriculum. The governing body now makes a good contribution to the school’s developments with governors regularly visiting classrooms. There have been good improvements in the leadership and management in the school with the shared co-ordinator roles for different subjects contributing well to standards. All statutory requirements are met.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Year 6 results (end of Key Stage 2) All schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D C B B Mathematics E D C C Science D D D D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Throughout the school pupils of all abilities are working hard and achieving well. This is particularly so in the acquisition of the skills of numeracy and literacy. Pupils enter the Foundation Stage with broadly average attainment. They settle quickly into their new routines and, because of the consistently good teaching, will meet the expected standards by the end of the Reception class, with a significant minority of children exceeding these standards. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is above average in reading, writing and mathematics and average in science, religious education, ICT and music. At the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is above average in English and mathematics and average in all other subjects inspected. The proportion of pupils working at the higher levels in both Scampton C of E Primary School - 7 Years 2 and 6 is higher than last year. Standards in pupils’ problem solving skills have improved

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

recently because of the school’s focus in this area.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and their behaviour is very good. There is a very strong and supportive Christian ethos in the school and relationships are very good. Attendance is below average. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is good. Throughout the school, the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good and often very good, and leads to good achievement and above average standards at the end of Years 2 and 6. There is good support from the experienced classroom assistants who work effectively and sensitively with individuals and small groups. Pupils learn well because relationships are very good and teachers use their very good subject expertise and knowledge of the pupils to make lessons interesting. The school has developed good assessment procedures and teachers use the results from these effectively to ensure pupils of all abilities, including higher attainers, are appropriately challenged. Teachers mark pupils’ work conscientiously and consistently inform pupils how they can improve their work and move towards their individual targets. Overall, the quality of teaching is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curricular provision meets statutory requirements and is good overall. The curriculum for English, mathematics and science is good. Whilst the curriculum for ICT is satisfactory, teachers do not use computers enough to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. The curriculum benefits from a good range of visits and extra-curricular activities. Provision for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) is good and helps these pupils achieve well. The two new classrooms provide very good accommodation for the older pupils but the lack of a school hall means that facilities for whole-school gatherings and physical education are unsatisfactory. The unsafe surface of the playing field compounds the problem. Resources are satisfactory overall. There is a good partnership with parents and close and effective links with the local group of schools. The school provides a very good level of

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

care for all its pupils and makes good use of outside agencies to support pupils with specific learning difficulties.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school is good. The headteacher has a heavy teaching commitment and leads by example. Her enthusiasm and determination to improve the school’s provision has a positive impact on all staff who work very well as a team. The headteacher has a clear vision of what needs to be done and high aspirations. These qualities have led to good improvements in standards and the quality of education provided, despite difficulties caused by the long-term absence of a teacher. The school is managed well. Governors have improved their monitoring role and have a much improved knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Greater use could be made of their expertise to help the school evaluate its developments. The school provides very good in-service training for staff that is meaningfully linked with targets in its improvement plan.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents are generally happy with the school’s provision and pupils greatly enjoy their learning experiences.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The governors, headteacher and staff should now • Make greater use of computers to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum. • Address weaknesses in accommodation for physical education and whole school gatherings. Scampton C of E Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ achievements are good throughout the school. The children in the Foundation Stage make good progress and achieve well against their prior attainment. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics and average standards in most other subjects. Standards are improving.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• While Year 2 national test results have been consistently higher than Year 6 results, Year 6 pupils’ attainment has been steadily improving over the last three years • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well against their prior attainment • The proportion of higher achieving pupils is increasing • Pupils are achieving well in information and communication technology and science because the teaching is now consistently good • Pupils are not using their ICT skills enough to support their learning in other subjects

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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 16.5 (18.2) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 14.7 (15.8) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 17.8 (17.8) 16.3 (16.5) There were 12 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. The small cohorts taking the tests each year and the much higher than average pupil mobility, mean that statistical analysis of the test and assessment data needs to be treated with caution. The trend over the last three years has been above average at the end of Year 2. The results for 2003 show that Year 2 pupils’ attainment, compared to all and to similar schools, was well above average in mathematics, above average in reading and average in writing. However, the proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels was average overall. There was no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.8 (27.0) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.3 (26.0) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.0 (28.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 23 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Although at the end of Year 6 pupils’ attainment in the National Curriculum tests has been below the national average during the last three years, there has been a steady improvement. In the 2003 tests, pupils’ attainment was above average in English, average in mathematics and below average in science, when compared to all and similar schools. The proportion of pupils gaining the higher levels was average overall. Again there was no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Scampton C of E Primary School - 9 3. The children in the Foundation Stage make a good start to their school life. They settle well, form very good relationships with the staff and work happily together with the Year 1 pupils in their class. Assessments show that children enter the school with attainment that is broadly average, although there is a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the

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Commentary

present year group. Children are achieving well because of the consistently good quality teaching and, by the end of the Reception year, the great majority will meet the nationally expected Early Learning Goals 1 , with a small minority exceeding these.

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Commentary

4. The pre-inspection analysis of the test data, and the meeting with parents, raised questions about the performance of the higher-achieving pupils and whether or not these pupils were sufficiently well challenged, particularly in Years 3 to 6. However, inspection evidence confirms that, throughout the school, higher-attaining pupils are achieving well because the work that is set for them is challenging and well matched to their needs.

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Commentary

5. Standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening and mathematics for the present Year 2 pupils are above average, with an improved proportion of pupils working at the higher levels. These pupils are achieving well because teachers are planning and setting challenging work that is successfully building on their previous learning. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are above average at the end of Year 6. Assessment data shows that there is, as in Year 2, an increased proportion of pupils working at the higher level when compared to previous years. The ethos of the school is now much more firmly focused on high achievement and pupils are responding well to the much higher expectations of the teachers. Inspectors found no difference in the attainment of boys and girls. In religious education, ICT and science, pupils’ attainment is average throughout the school. Standards are average in music in Year 2.

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Commentary

At the end of Year 6, standards in all the other subjects are in line with national expectations, except in music where no judgement was made.

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Commentary

6. The good overall teaching contributes significantly to the pupils’ achievements. Teaching assistants are well briefed and their close working relationship with teachers helps to ensure that pupils’ individual needs are well planned for. Pupils’ positive attitudes to their work and their desire to improve also contribute substantially to their standards and overall achievement. The school has effective systems to analyse the results of all pupils’ assessments so that weaknesses are addressed in subsequent planning. This has had a noticeable impact on the raising of standards in the way pupils use and apply their number skills.

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Commentary

7. The school has very effective systems to analyse the performance of pupils with special educational needs (SEN). Frequent and regular communication between staff ensures that these pupils receive well focused support to enable them to be fully integrated into the work of the class. Learning support staff are fully involved and individual education plans clearly lay out the targets to be achieved. Parents and teachers regularly review the plans. This ensures that the pupils with SEN make good progress and achieve well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to school are very positive; they behave very well. The provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Attendance is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The vast majority of pupils have very positive attitudes and enjoy coming to school. • Behaviour in lessons and around the school is consistently very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

1 Early learning goals - these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. There are many goals for each area of learning. Scampton C of E Primary School - 10 • Pupils of all ages have very good relationships with each other.

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Commentary

8. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, are happy to come to school and are eager to learn. They are attentive, co-operative and collaborate well with each other. There are very good relationships throughout the school. Where they are offered opportunities to take on responsibilities, for example helping with break supervision, the older pupils respond in a mature and responsible manner.

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Commentary

9. Pupils behave very well in lessons. Behaviour at breaks, lunchtimes and as pupils move around the school is also very good. Teaching and non-teaching staff have high expectations of what constitutes good behaviour and consistently and fairly implement the school’s behaviour management procedures. Although behaviour by the vast majority of children is very good, there has been one recent, fixed-term exclusion. There were no exclusions in the last school year.

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Commentary

10. Overall, provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Provision for moral and social development is very good. Consequently, the children are developing a good understanding of the responsibilities of living together in a community and respecting each other’s feelings and values.

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Commentary

11. The school has satisfactory procedures for following up absence but at present the monitoring of absence is left to individual teachers and ultimately the headteacher. The school lacks a coherent, centralised attendance monitoring system that would identify absence early and allow for speedy and effective follow up. The table below shows the attendance figures for the school. The below average attendance last year was mainly due to a tiny minority of families. Attendance this year has returned to satisfactory levels.

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Attendance in the year 2002/2003

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 6.2 School data: 0.4 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good . The quality of assessment of the pupils’ work is good and used well by teachers to plan challenging work for all pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching has improved since the last inspection, particularly in the proportion of very good teaching. It is now consistently good through the school. • The teaching meets the needs of pupils with SEN well and has a positive impact on their learning. • Teachers use assessment procedures well to ensure pupils of all abilities are challenged. • There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use their ICT skills in other subjects. • Teaching assistants are hard working and knowledgeable and used well to support pupils’ learning. • Teachers mark work thoroughly but pupils are not learning from their mistakes in mathematics. Scampton C of E Primary School - 11

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 19 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

12. The good quality teaching in the Foundation Stage (FS) enables children of all abilities to achieve well. The teacher and teaching assistants work very effectively together. They have a very good understanding of how young children learn and the exciting range of activities is well planned and builds constructively on the children’s previous learning. In the activities they provide, every opportunity is taken to develop children’s speaking and listening and early reading, writing and mathematical skills. Routines are clearly understood by the children and make them feel secure and valued. Consistently challenging teaching and good use of resources helps children develop an enthusiasm for learning. Assessment is good and effectively informs the children’s future learning.

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Commentary

13. Pupils of all abilities, and particularly the higher-attaining pupils, are well challenged and are achieving well, particularly in literacy and numeracy where the quality of teaching is consistently good. At all stages, teachers’ planning is very good and particularly well informed by their evaluations of lessons. As a result, strengths are built on and weaknesses addressed in teachers’ future planning. This particularly effective use of evaluation is closely linked to teachers’ ongoing assessment, which gives a clear indication of how well pupils are achieving. Teachers mark pupils’ work carefully and consistently inform pupils how they can improve their work. However, the school’s correction policy is not followed consistently in mathematics and pupils are not learning from their mistakes.

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Commentary

14. Teachers are consistently good at creating opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. Teachers make good use of these skills in lesson introductions and in the way they develop pupils’ learning through careful questioning. This encourages pupils to share their ideas which, in the best cases, are then reinterpreted by the teachers, so that all pupils benefit from their peers’ answers. This was particularly effective in a Year 2 numeracy lesson when pupils described their methods for adding three double digit numbers in their heads. Plenaries at the end of lessons are carefully planned and, in the most effective cases, are used to assess pupils’ understanding of their new learning. In all lessons, the management of pupils’ behaviour is good and effective use is made of teaching assistants who often work on an individual basis with a small number of pupils with identified behavioural problems. As a result,

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Commentary

these pupils are well included in the lesson and their behaviour does not affect the learning of the other pupils. Resources are used effectively in English, mathematics and science to consolidate and extend pupils’ learning. Teachers do not plan enough opportunities for pupils to use ICT programs to develop their learning in other subjects.

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Commentary

15. Pupils who have SEN are well taught and receive good support. Teachers and teaching assistants support their learning well and effectively develop these pupils’ confidence and self- esteem. Individual education plans are carefully drawn up and used well by the teachers and teaching assistants to plan work for the pupils. The targets in them are clearly focused on the next stage of the pupils’ learning and amended regularly to build on pupils’ successes and extend their learning to the next stage.

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Commentary

16. Homework, although raised as an issue by parents, is set regularly and pupils have a clear understanding of how it helps their learning. Good use is made of assessment information gained from national and commercial tests to track pupils’ progress. The school is rightly extending the tracking process to a formal termly meeting between the headteacher and class teacher, where individual pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics will be Scampton C of E Primary School - 12 discussed. It is planned that this information will be shared with governors who will then be in a knowledgeable position to target extra resources when needed.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is good, with a good range of enrichment opportunities. Accommodation is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good provision for the pupils in the Foundation Stage. • The pupils have opportunities to apply their literacy and numeracy skills to other subjects and to extend their skills and understanding in the arts, humanities and sporting activities. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by their teachers and the teaching assistants. • There is good provision for the pupils’ personal development. • There are too few opportunities for the pupils to apply their ICT skills in other subjects

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Commentary

17. The curriculum is planned well to meet the all the statutory requirements and to meet the needs of all the pupils. This is an improvement since the last inspection. There is a good range of learning opportunities that provide appropriately for the mixed age classes. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is well organised and ensures that the children receive a good grounding in all six areas of learning and particularly in the early skills of literacy and numeracy. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the linked intervention programmes are used effectively to support the pupils’ learning. The pupils have some good opportunities to apply their literacy and numeracy skills to other subjects but there are not enough opportunities for the application of their ICT skills.

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Commentary

18. All the pupils are valued and the school makes significant efforts to ensure equality of access and opportunity for all of them. The pupils with special educational needs are supported well and this is an improvement since the last inspection. The teaching assistants play a significant part in this good provision and the school has established effective relationships with outside experts. There is a whole school system for the identification of those pupils who have special educational needs and individual education plans (IEPs) are prepared for them. The IEPs have clear targets and they are used in the planning of differentiated activities to meet the pupils’ individual needs in lessons. The small steps in learning are measured, acknowledged and celebrated. The range of support is thoughtfully considered and flexible with a balance of whole class teaching, small group work and individual attention to areas of difficulty. This enables

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Commentary

them to make good progress and attain standards that reflect their individual targets.

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Commentary

19. The school has an effective approach to personal, social and health education and this is an improvement since the last inspection. The teachers understand how to involve the pupils in sharing their views about sensitive issues, aspects of social awareness and behaviour. The teachers use circle time effectively where the pupils sit together and share their views and concerns and the school council provides the older pupils with opportunities to discuss school issues and initiatives. Discussions with the pupils indicate that they understand the need for rules in school and in the wider society. All the members of staff are very good role models as they demonstrate the importance of respect for each other’s views and feelings and help the pupils to develop an understanding of what is involved in belonging to a community. All the teachers and support staff work sensitively to ease the introduction of the children entering the

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Commentary

education system for the first time and those who transfer to the secondary stage.

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Commentary

20. The school makes good provision for enrichment and satisfactory provision for extra-curricular activities. The curriculum is supported by a programme of day and residential visits to places of historical, geographical and cultural interest. The clubs cover art and craft and sports. Scampton C of E Primary School - 13 21. There are sufficient teachers and support staff to meet the needs of the curriculum. Resources are generally satisfactory and this is an improvement since the last inspection. There have been some improvements in the accommodation since the last inspection. Two classrooms have been built to replace the mobile rooms and a fenced and suitably equipped outdoor area has been provided for the Foundation Stage children. The accommodation is well kept but remains unsatisfactory. One of the original classrooms is very small and there is no space for a library or research area. There is no school hall. The teachers try to compensate for this by

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Commentary

taking the pupils to a neighbouring school for physical education but this is only one aspect of this unsatisfactory situation. The pupils have to eat their mid-day meals in their classrooms. Importantly, there is no space for the school to gather comfortably as one to share, to celebrate or to perform for or with each other or to invite or involve parents and members of the local community. The school playing field is at present unsafe for use because of damage caused by rabbits and moles.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good overall and support pupils’ learning well. Health and safety procedures are very good. Achievement and personal development are monitored well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children work and play in a very safe and secure environment. • Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils. • Pupils are given the opportunity to be involved in the school’s work and development.

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Commentary

22. The headteacher and her staff are very approachable, caring and committed to the children in their charge. Every child has a very good and trusting relationship with one or more adult in the school. The school’s child protection procedures are secure and fully understood by all members of staff. All staff, teaching and non-teaching have received well focused training.

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Commentary

23. The governing body and headteacher take their health and safety responsibilities very seriously. All the required checks and inspections are regularly carried out and properly recorded.

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Commentary

24. Pupils’ academic progress and their personal development are monitored and supported well. Assessment is used well in teachers’ planning and pupils know their own individual targets. Teaching assistants provide good support to teachers and pupils. This has a positive impact on standards achieved. The school council provides good opportunities for pupils to be actively involved in the work and development of the school. There are good induction procedures for new pupils to the school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership with the parents and the community and links with other schools are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school consistently provides very good information for parents. • The school seeks parents’ views.

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Commentary

25. Links with parents are good overall. Although the majority of parents are pleased with most aspects of the school there is a small minority who expressed some negative views. For Scampton C of E Primary School - 14 example, some parents indicated concerns about the approachability of the school and felt that their views were not taken into consideration. During the inspection it was found that the headteacher and her staff were available to parents at the start and end of each school day and were very approachable and welcoming. Parents’ views have been canvassed in a very comprehensive homework review (which attracted a poor response). The school’s plan for soliciting parents’ views to feed into the school development plan is a very positive initiative.

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Commentary

26. The provision of information about all aspects of school life is very good. The school prospectus is attractive and informative. The governors hold an annual meeting with parents and publish a comprehensive annual report. Parents receive regular information by weekly newsletters and letters about specific events and activities. A significant minority of parents disagreed that the school provides good information about their children’s progress. Inspection evidence did not support these views. Parents receive a very informative annual progress report, that includes targets for improvement, and are offered the opportunity to attend three consultation evenings each year.

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Commentary

27. The school does not have any regular parent classroom helpers but a number of parents respond to specific requests for assistance. For example, parents help supervise children on out of school trips. There is good support for home reading but not all parents ensure that their child’s homework is successfully completed and returned to school. The Friends of Scampton School Association is well supported and has raised considerable funds for the school to buy extra resources.

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Commentary

28. The school uses the community well. Pupils are taken on a wide range of visits, including a residential experience for the older pupils, which enrich the curriculum and support their personal development. The school has good relationships with the main receiving secondary schools, which ensure smooth transition to the next stage of the pupils’ education. The productive link with the local Beacon School is used well in aspects of the school’s development.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff, and the governance of the school are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher leads effectively and, with the help of the staff team, manages the ongoing development of the school well. • Governors are knowledgeable about the attainment of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils and organise governor teams strategically to oversee initiatives in the school development plan. • Teaching and non-teaching staff are a closely-knit team and work effectively in the day to day management of the school. • The school has very good self-evaluation procedures. • The leadership and management in the most important subjects and the Foundation Stage are good and leading to improved standards. • Very good systems support new staff and ensure the ongoing professional development of existing staff. • The school could make more effective use of assessments to track pupils’ progress through the school.

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Commentary

29. Governors provide good support for the work of the school. A combination of information gleaned from governor visits and from the headteacher’s detailed termly reports gives them a secure appreciation of the strengths of the school and the areas that need to be improved. Governors are keenly aware of the progress and end of year targets for the Year 2 and Year 6 Scampton C of E Primary School - 15 pupils but rightly see improving their knowledge of the achievement of other years as a priority. Whilst governors keep a keen eye on school initiatives, even greater use could be made of their expertise to help the school to monitor its developments, such as through formal discussions with pupils.

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Commentary

30. The headteacher has worked hard and effectively to improve the school’s provision since the last inspection. She has now developed a unified team with a strong ethos for self-evaluation and improvement. In addition to the development of a well-ordered community in which pupils feel secure and valued, there is a sharp focus on trying to ensure that pupils’ achievement improves. However, although the school has good assessment procedures, the tracking of individual pupils’ progress is not carried out rigorously enough. The headteacher’s plan to have formal, termly discussions with each teacher is a good initiative that will enable her to track the progress of all pupils towards their end-of-year targets and implement informed intervention strategies when needed.

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Commentary

31. The management of the school is good. All members of staff have a secure understanding of how the school is expected to run from day to day and they carry out this policy in a consistent fashion. The role of the co-ordinator has been particularly carefully developed. In the majority of subjects, staff share their skills to lead developments. This is a particularly effective way for the less experienced members of staff to develop their leadership and management skills and have a vested interest in the success of subject initiatives. The role of the co-ordinator has developed well since the last inspection and is now good in all of the principal subjects and for special educational needs. With the headteacher’s heavy teaching commitment, opportunities for co-ordinators to monitor teaching and learning in subjects are restricted. The planned joint monitoring by a co-ordinator and associated governor is a good initiative, making good use of

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Commentary

time and deepening the individual governor’s knowledge.

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Commentary

32. The school has developed very good self-evaluation procedures and uses these most effectively to draw up improvement plan priorities. Views of governors, staff, parents and pupils are carefully considered. These, together with information from the schools effective monitoring systems, enable the school to set very specific targets for its improvement plan. They have a direct impact on pupils’ achievement; for example, pupils’ ability to use and apply number has improved markedly since it became a priority in this year’s plan. The close and effective staff teamwork is reflected in the very good arrangements for the support of newly qualified teachers and the ongoing development of other staff. Performance management is very well implemented and very effectively linked to developments in the improvement plan. Careful identification of improvement plan priorities, allied to well-focused training, maximises

p.15

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.15

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 200 750 Balance from previous year 8 330 Total expenditure 189 160 Balance carried forward to the next 11 590 Expenditure per pupil 2 364

p.15

Commentary

33. The governors manage the budget carefully to ensure enough money is available to finance developments and a sensible sum is carried forward for unseen eventualities. The budget for next financial year may not be sufficient to maintain present staffing levels. Governors are aware of this and are preparing a range of budget models to address the situation. Scampton C of E Primary School - 16

p.15

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

34. At the time of the inspection, the 15 children in the mixed-age Reception/Year 1 class were attending full time, having attended half time for the first half of the first term of the school year. Most of the children have attended local playgroups and nurseries. Children’s attainment on entry is average overall, but a small minority of pupils have above average speaking and listening skills. This year there is a higher than average proportion of children with special educational needs. All children are achieving well and the great majority are on course to reach the nationally expected Early Learning Goals by the end of their Reception year. The quality of teaching is consistently good partly because all staff assess the children’s progress carefully during each lesson and adjust future planning accordingly. This means that the teacher’s and teaching assistants’ teaching builds consistently on the children’s previous learning. The

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

curriculum is carefully planned and is well matched to the different ages and abilities in the class. Procedures for identifying children with special educational needs are good and these children are particularly well supported.

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

35. At the time of the last inspection, the only identified weakness was a lack of outdoor play equipment, which restricted pupils’ physical development. Since then the school has created a secure play area for the children adjacent to the classroom, which is well used for a range of physical and creative activities. The school’s induction procedures for new children starting in the Reception class are thorough and the children quickly settle in to the life of the class. The school at present has no formal links with the local nurseries and playgroups from where the children come. It has rightly identified the building of closer links with these nurseries and playgroups as an important priority. The Foundation Stage co-ordinator has created a strong team that has high expectations of children’s behaviour and learning. As a result, pupils are developing a clear understanding of a work ethic and are flourishing within this secure and well-

p.16

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children are interested, work hard and enjoy learning. • Relationships are very good between children and children, and adults and children. • The teacher and teaching assistants work very effectively together and carefully plan opportunities for children to develop both independently and collaboratively.

p.16

Commentary

36. Children are happy, enthusiastic and have settled into school well. They benefit from their interactions with the older Year 1 children with whom they have built good relationships. From these older pupils they have quickly learnt classroom routines and the expectations of behaviour. The consistent reinforcement of classroom conventions, such as listening to each other, taking turns and putting up a hand before speaking is leading to a secure and ordered environment where pupils gain confidence and feel valued. The classroom is carefully planned to provide a colourful and interesting environment. As such children are enthusiastic and motivated learners and are developing very good relationships with each other and the other adults in the class.

p.16

Commentary

37. The teaching and learning in this area is consistently good and pupils are achieving well. As a result, the great majority of children will achieve the early learning goals with some exceeding the expected standards. The teachers plan a good range of activities to ensure the children Scampton C of E Primary School - 17 work in different setting and different groups. As a result, their collaborative skills are improving and they are gaining confidence to make new friends and understand the importance of sharing equipment and listening to the views of others. The mix of activities is enabling children to develop their independence through making some choices in the activities they are going to undertake and in the way they use resources. The behaviour in the classroom is consistently good, with staff providing very good role models and setting clear guidelines for the children to follow.

p.16

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

The provision for the development of the children’s communication, language and literacy is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Well focused teaching effectively supports the development of children’s speaking and listening. • Children are making good progress in the development of their early reading and writing skills.

p.17

Commentary

38. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good and children are achieving well, with the majority of children on track to meet the early learning goals by the end of the Reception year. The teacher’s planning is good and staff create a stimulating range of daily activities to develop the children’s language skills. The children’s speaking and listening skills are successfully developed in a wide range of settings. Regular reading groups and listening skills groups encourage the development of the children’s language skills. All staff frame their questions carefully and this gives pupils good opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills. This was clearly seen when pupils were reading a book A New Dog and sharing ideas as a result of well-focused questioning by the teaching assistant. There are also many opportunities for informal talk during the school day, when pupils move around the range of

p.17

Commentary

activities. The work in the role-play area is particularly effective. During the inspection this had been transformed into a launderette. Children collaborated most effectively in its organisation, shared out the responsibilities and charged exorbitantly high prices to unsuspecting inspectors.

p.17

Commentary

39. Children are enjoying the challenges of their early learning reading activities and developing a real love for stories and books. Regular story time sessions are particularly popular. Well chosen stories such as Mave and the Big Red Apple capture children’s interest and encourage them to share their ideas on the story’s twists and turns. The teaching of early reading skills is thorough, with children being able to name and sound a significant number of letters. Children regularly look at books individually and in groups, with most making good progress in developing their understanding of how the text connects with the illustrations and in their recognition of common single syllable words. Good links with parents encourages a joint approach to the development of these skills. The development of children’s writing skills are given good emphasis.

p.17

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for children’s mathematical development is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Innovative teaching successfully reinforces basic numeracy skills and language. • The effective use of play to develop children’s concepts of shape, space and measurement. Scampton C of E Primary School - 18

p.17

Commentary

40. All children are achieving well in this area, with the great majority on course to reach the early learning goals by the end of the Reception year. The teaching and learning are consistently good because the teacher plans imaginative activities that build successfully on pupils’ prior learning. Short, well-focused teaching sessions successfully develop children’s counting skills. These are consistently reinforced during the day when the teacher and teaching assistants create opportunities in all activities to reinforce children’s confidence in using numbers. A range of good quality resources allows pupils to develop their understanding of counting and ordering further. Children are excited and enthusiastic learners because the teacher uses a range of techniques to reinforce basic concepts. The use of a naughty puppet called Billy, who had hidden two-dimensional shapes outside, greatly appealed to children who became more and

p.18

Commentary

more excited as they found and identified these hidden shapes. Higher-attaining children are well challenged. For example, one child, who found a cylinder outside, knew this had not been hidden by Billy because it was not flat.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

The provision for children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Imaginative activities help to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of their world. • Children use equipment carefully and are developing good subject vocabulary. • Children do not make enough use of computers to support their learning.

p.18

Commentary

41. Careful planning and good quality teaching enables children to achieve well in this area of their learning, with the great majority of children attaining the early learning goals by the end of the Reception year. Adults give particularly good support in the planned small group activities. For example, children investigating what happens to bread when it is heated felt the texture of the bread before it was toasted. Words such as ‘spongy’ and ‘smooth’ were introduced by the children who used magnifying glasses to examine the bread’s texture. Good quality questioning encouraged children to note the changes. ‘Smooth’ became ‘scratchy’, ‘white’ became ‘brown’. It is because of stimulating sessions such as this that children are making good progress in this area. Children have access to a good range of building materials which they join creatively; such as when making apparatus for a model playground. While children have regular access

p.18

Commentary

to different resources, they do not make enough use of computers to consolidate their learning in other areas.

p.18

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The provision for the children’s physical development is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good quality teaching successfully develops children’s confidence and co-ordination. • The outdoor play area offers good opportunities for the development of children’s physical skills but the lack of a school hall limits opportunities for spontaneity.

p.18

Commentary

42. The quality of teaching for children’s physical development is good but children achieve only satisfactorily because of a lack of regular access to an indoor hall. The much improved outside area is well used by the staff to develop children’s physical co-ordination. More formal physical development sessions happen weekly when children travel to a nearby school for physical Scampton C of E Primary School - 19 development lessons. While these are carefully planned, the children miss out on regular opportunities to use a large space and gain confidence on apparatus of different heights. Children handle tools, construction and malleable materials safely because their use is well taught and a good range of creative opportunities is planned. By the time children leave the Reception year, the great majority will have achieved the early learning goals in this area.

p.18

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

The provision for the children’s creative development is good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching enables the children to experience a good range of opportunities. • The role-play corner is well equipped and stimulates the children’s imagination.

p.19

Commentary

43. Good quality teaching and careful planning enables children to achieve well in this area. The follow-up activities are consistently well linked to the session’s learning objectives, and enable children to take part in a good range of creative activities. Some of these are supported by adults who play a significant part, through questioning, in helping the children to communicate their thoughts and feelings about the activities they are engaged in. Other activities enable children to work in unsupported groups where they choose from a range of resources. During the inspection, the role-play launderette area was a popular and productive area for the development of children’s imaginative play. Children regularly sing songs and have access to a satisfactory variety of musical instruments.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above the national average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 • Teaching is good and pupils of all abilities achieve well • The teaching assistants play a significant part in the good provision • The subject is managed well • Pupils use their literacy skills well in other subjects

p.19

Commentary

44. Standards are above average, which is an improvement since the last inspection. In the 2003 national tests for Year 2 the standards in reading were above the national average and above those attained in similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates that these high standards are being maintained. In writing, the standards were in line with the national average and with those attained in similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates that these standards are improving and are now above average. In the 2003 national tests for Year 6 pupils, the standards in English were above the national average and higher than those attained by pupils in similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates that these high standards are being maintained. Over the past three years attainment in both Years 2 and 6 has ranged widely. The small number of pupils in each year group means that these fluctuations should be regarded with caution.

p.19

Commentary

Scampton C of E Primary School - 20 45. The Foundation Stage children make good progress and enter Year 1 performing in line with the national expectations in communication, language and literacy. The good progress is built on effectively and the pupils achieve well.

p.20

Commentary

46. Throughout the school the pupils with special educational needs make good progress and attain standards that reflect their individual targets. These pupils benefit from a balance of whole class teaching, small group work and individual attention to their areas of difficulty. The teaching assistants’ effective guidance and support play a significant part in this good provision. The school has used effectively the National Literacy Strategy intervention programmes such as the Early, Additional and Further Literacy Support materials and methods.

p.20

Commentary

47. Standards in speaking and listening are above average in Year 2 and Year 6. The majority of the Year 6 pupils have well-developed speaking skills and use interesting language with complex sentences. They listen carefully to their teachers and the other pupils. This was evident in a very good Year 5/6 lesson where the pupils were studying extracts from the opening paragraphs of three books. They were analysing the authors’ styles and the techniques employed to stimulate the readers’ interest and discussing how they could use some of the ideas to improve their own writing. Most of the pupils think carefully when they answer questions, explain their point of view and justify their answers and opinions in a mature way.

p.20

Commentary

48. Standards in reading are above average in Year 2 and Year 6. Inspection evidence does not support the views of some parents that the children are not making sufficient progress. The Reception children are introduced to a structured reading programme supported by the systematic teaching of phonic skills. By Year 2 most pupils read accurately with increasing fluency and all enjoy books and stories. By Year 6, the pupils are independent and enthusiastic readers who explain why certain books appeal to them. They use books and computer programs for research and to support their work in other subjects such as geography, history and religious education. Through the younger pupils’ home-school books and the older pupils’ ‘filo-faxes,’ the teachers and the parents are provided with information about progress, suggestions about how the children can be supported with any difficulties and with guidance for

p.20

Commentary

49. By Year 6, standards in writing, including spelling, are above average. The National Literacy Strategy has influenced the organisation of lessons and this is having a positive impact on the development of the pupils’ knowledge of grammatical structures and the processes of writing in different styles for different purposes. The pupils in Year 2 develop their ideas into a sequence of punctuated sentences and begin to use connecting words effectively to join ideas and to create sustained writing. By Year 6, the pupils organise their writing well. They prepare an initial draft of their work and edit it to clarify their thoughts through their writing. They write narrative, arguments, factual pieces and poetry. There is ample evidence that the pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to use their writing skills in other subjects.

p.20

Commentary

50. The vast majority of the pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and they enjoy their lessons. They are very well behaved and try to do their best at all times. During discussions, they are attentive, make relevant contributions and respect the ideas and opinions of others. They are clear about the teachers’ high expectations of their work and their behaviour. The subject makes a good contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as they begin to understand the power of words to create moods and atmosphere, to pose questions, create arguments and encourage empathy.

p.20

Commentary

51. Five lessons were observed with very good teaching in one of them and good teaching in the others. The teaching assistants play a significant part in this. All the members of staff have a good knowledge and clear understanding of the subject. The work is planned carefully and the teachers explain clearly what they want the pupils to learn and set targets with them. The lessons are organised well, presented imaginatively and the work is suitably challenging for all ability levels. The teachers use their questioning skills effectively to establish the pupils’ understanding and then use the answers effectively to support and extend the learning. At the Scampton C of E Primary School - 21 end of lessons the pupils are given opportunities to discuss what they have been doing. Teaching is most effective when pupils are consistently involved in discussing or reviewing their learning during these sessions.

p.20

Commentary

52. The subject is managed well through the subject team system. This involves all the teachers in sharing their expertise and experience. The quality of teaching and learning is checked by the teachers observing lessons, looking at the plans and the pupils’ books and analysing the results of the internal and national tests. This knowledge of what the pupils know, understand and can do is then used to ensure that pupils of all abilities are challenged and supported appropriately. The teachers mark the pupils’ work regularly and offer praise. The assessment of the pupils’ progress is used to plan future work for all ability levels and the pupils are involved with the targets. The teachers ensure that the targets for reading and writing reflect what is needed to help individual pupils to improve or give guidance about the next steps in learning.

p.21

Commentary

53. The school’s resources are satisfactory, with a suitable collection of reading scheme and other fiction books. There is satisfactory range of reference books but the lack of a space for a library restricts the pupils’ opportunities for independent research or browsing. Throughout the school, the pupils make good use of ICT for research and by word processing to enhance their written work.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. The pupils use their literacy skills well to support work in other subjects. Their skills in speaking and listening are used across the curriculum in support of discussions in class sessions and in groups in subjects such as mathematics and science. Pupils are encouraged to retrieve and collate information from a range of sources to support history and geography topics and their writing skills are developed well in most of the subjects.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average and pupils of all abilities achieve well. • Knowledgeable teaching builds well on pupils’ previous learning. • The numeracy strategy has been effectively introduced and there has been a good overall improvement in the school’s provision. • The subject is well led and managed. • ICT is not used sufficiently to consolidate pupils’ learning.

p.21

Commentary

55. Standards in the 2003 National Curriculum tests for Year 2 pupils were well above average compared to all schools and when compared to similar schools. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels was average. Evidence from the inspection shows that the standards of the present Year 2 pupils are above average but the proportion of pupils working at the higher levels is higher than last year. The present standards are higher than at the time of the last inspection. This is due to the carefully introduced National Numeracy Strategy, the good leadership of the knowledgeable co-ordinator and the effective use of the school improvement plan to improve the quality of teaching and learning in specific areas.

p.21

Commentary

56. Standards in the 2003 National Curriculum tests for Year 6 pupils were average compared to all schools and to similar schools. The proportion of pupils working at the higher levels was also average. Statistics show that these pupils had made satisfactory progress since they were in Year 2. The present Year 6 pupils are achieving well and attaining above average standards. There is also an improvement in the proportion of pupils working at the higher levels due to Scampton C of E Primary School - 22 consistently good challenge for these pupils by the class teacher and the extra input given by both a local secondary school specialist teacher and a school governor. Inspectors found no evidence to justify some parents’ concerns that older, higher-attaining pupils were not being sufficiently challenged.

p.21

Commentary

57. The quality of teaching and learning is good and leads directly to the good progress that pupils of all abilities make through the school. A significant proportion of lessons seen during the inspection were very good, with pupils making particularly good progress. Instrumental in this high achievement was teachers’ very good questioning which built well on their previous knowledge and the effective strategies that pupils were taught to meet the lesson’s objectives. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, pupils attained high standards in their number work because they were encouraged to describe the processes they were using, which were then reinterpreted by the teacher so that they were clearly understood by their peers. Teachers use their good subject knowledge well to assess pupils’ understanding and make effective use of this information to ensure that the work set and the pace of the lesson is appropriate. Older

p.22

Commentary

pupils are encouraged to assess their own learning and share this with the teacher who adjusts planning to reinforce pupils’ strengths and address weaknesses. This is particularly effective and improvements are clear in the analysis of these pupils’ books. The marking of pupils’ work is good and clearly identifies to pupils how to improve their work. Despite pupils benefiting from teachers’ marking, teachers apply the school’s corrections policy inconsistently and pupils are not always learning from the mistakes they make.

p.22

Commentary

58. The subject is well led by a co-ordinator who, through analysis of pupils’ work and National Curriculum test results, has a good understanding of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. The subject development plan is closely linked to this analysis and is systematically addressing weaknesses. For example, the present focus on developing pupils’ application of their number work is having a marked impact on standards in this area. A lack of suitable computer programs is limiting teachers’ ability to consolidate and extend pupils’ learning through the use of ICT.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

59. There are some examples, such as in design and technology and science, of pupils using their mathematical knowledge to support their learning. However, the school has not yet fully addressed the planned development of pupils’ mathematical knowledge in other subjects. As a result, pupils are missing opportunities to practise and consolidate further the use of their mathematical skills.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are improving and teaching is good. • The teaching assistants play a significant part in the good teaching. • The pupils have opportunities to design and perform their own experiments. • The subject is managed well and there is capacity to improve the curriculum and standards still further. • Use of ICT to support the subject is underdeveloped.

p.22

Commentary

60. Evidence from lessons, talking to the pupils and looking at their work indicates that attainment is in line with national expectations in Year 2. In 2003 the results of the teachers’ assessments for Year 2 indicated that all the pupils reached the levels expected nationally but no pupils attained the higher levels. Inspection evidence indicates that standards in Year 6 are in line with national Scampton C of E Primary School - 23 expectations. In the 2003 national tests and in the two previous years the Year 6 pupils’ standards were below those attained by pupils nationally and those in similar schools. Fluctuations in results must be treated with caution because of the small numbers of pupils in each year group.

p.22

Commentary

61. Throughout the school the pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. The vast majority of the pupils’ are keen to learn, they remain attentive and work independently or co-operatively as directed. They understand the teachers’ high expectations of their work and of their behaviour and they respond well to the very good class management.

p.23

Commentary

62. In one of the three lessons observed teaching was very good; in the other two it was good. The teachers plan and prepare the lessons carefully and their imaginative presentation captures the pupils’ interest. For example, in a Year 2 lesson pupils quickly became absorbed in investigating the changes to corn when it was heated. Before the investigation they made sensible predictions about the colour, size, shape, taste and smell and afterwards they recorded the changes that had actually occurred when the corn popped. When they were writing one boy decided that he preferred to use the word ‘transformed’ rather than the word ‘changed’ and some decided that the changes were irreversible. Teachers’ questioning skills are good and they use the pupils’ answers effectively to assess their understanding. The teaching is successful as the teachers are secure in the knowledge of the subject and have a clear idea of

p.23

Commentary

the pupils’ previous learning and are able to build upon their understanding. This knowledge is then used to ensure that pupils of all abilities are challenged and supported appropriately.

p.23

Commentary

63. There is now a satisfactory emphasis on the development of the skills of scientific enquiry, an improvement since the last inspection. The pupils are given opportunities to think creatively about a problem, to consider what kind of evidence they need to collect and what materials they need to use. The pupils learn how to plan an investigation with a fair test. The junior pupils’ understanding of how to use their knowledge to design experiments and draw conclusions is being developed. In Year 5/6 their recording and interpretation of a range of information gathered during their investigations into dissolving, saturation, evaporation and reversible changes were well supported by their literacy and numeracy skills. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development as they experience the wonder of discovery, the satisfaction of working co-operatively and realise the range of the other pupils’

p.23

Commentary

64. The science curriculum is based on the national guidelines and provides a broad programme of work that covers all the required areas. The subject is managed well by the subject team system. This is based on the involvement of all the teachers who share their experiences and expertise. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored through lesson observations, scrutiny of plans and pupils’ work and analysis of test results. There is a comprehensive system for assessing pupils’ work and the development of their skills, and tracking their progress. The information gathered is used to plan the next steps in leaning. There is a satisfactory range of resources to support the subject. There are some opportunities to use ICT but this aspect is underdeveloped.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

The provision in ICT has improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers are confident to teach all aspects of the curriculum. • Pupils are achieving well through the school. • There is a lack of computer programs to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. Scampton C of E Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

65. There has been a good improvement in the school’s provision for ICT and, because of this, pupils’ achievement is now good and they are achieving the expected standards in all aspects of the subject in Years 2 and 6. Weaknesses in the control and monitoring aspects of the subject identified at the time of the last inspection are being addressed when Year 6 pupils attend a residential course that specialises in the development of pupils’ ICT skills. At the time of the last inspection, most teaching of ICT skills was carried out by teaching assistants. However, well-focused training has now ensured teachers have the requisite skills to teach all aspects of the subject. The school does not have an ICT suite but has recently acquired a portable computer attached to a projector. This enables teachers to demonstrate new skills to the whole class. Whilst pupils are learning new skills at a faster rate, they are not yet using

p.24

Commentary

these skills to support their learning in other subjects. The school’s main priority now is to develop the range of programs across the curriculum, so that pupils can practise their newly acquired skills.

p.24

Commentary

66. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers now have a greater confidence and subject knowledge to teach the subject effectively. Teachers’ questioning challenges pupils’ learning and shows good subject knowledge. A significant number of pupils in the school have their own computers at home and some higher-achieving pupils are encouraged to share the skills they have developed at home with their teachers and peers. As a result, older pupils have developed some above average skills, particularly in the area of multi-media. The school has rightly recognised the need for a record sheet that enables teachers to plot pupils’ progress in the different areas through each year.

p.24

Commentary

67. Pupils make good progress in lessons because they are very enthusiastic about the subject and respond well to teachers’ questioning. Teachers plan interesting topics for the pupils. For example, pupils used their newly taught skills of resizing and repositioning a ‘clip art’ picture to create a range of individual valentine cards. Pupils are developing good subject vocabulary and use this well when asked to describe how they would carry out an operation. For example, a Year 3 pupil said; “As we can’t see the bottom of the page on the screen we need to scroll down”. Once pupils have been taught a new skill, they usually work in pairs on the set task. Pupils show good collaborative skills and learn well from each other.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

68. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to practise and reinforce the skills they have learnt in computer lessons and, as such, opportunities to extend pupils’ learning in different subjects are being missed. However, some good examples were observed in English and science during the inspection.

p.24

HUMANITIES

69. Only one religious education lesson was seen so it is not possible to judge the quality of provision. Evidence from the teachers’ plans and the pupils’ work indicates that the expectations of the Agreed Syllabus for religious education are met and that standards are average and the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Discussion with pupils indicates that teachers encourage pupil discussion; they are given opportunities to reflect on questions of meaning and value and to make decisions about their personal response to these issues.

p.24

HUMANITIES

70. No history or geography lessons were seen so it is not possible to evaluate the quality of provision. Evidence from planning documents, talking to pupils and looking at their work indicate that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met and that standards in the school are average. The pupils’ experiences are enriched by a programme of day and residential visits to places of historical, geographical and cultural interest. Humanities subjects are co-ordinated through the school’s subject team system. This enables monitoring and evaluation to be done Scampton C of E Primary School - 25 by all the class teachers who share their expertise and their experiences. They observe lessons, look at the teaching plans and the pupils’ work and systematically record the pupils’ progress in the development of key skills.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

71. During the inspection, no lessons were observed in art and design and design and technology, one was observed in music and two junior lessons featuring physical education. It was, therefore, not possible to make an overall judgement on the quality of the school’s provision in these subjects. In all subjects, staff work together in the role of joint co-ordinators. This works well and makes good use of their shared expertise.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

72. Scrutiny of classroom walls indicates that pupils use a satisfactory range of techniques and materials in art and design and that there is a clear progression of skills as they move through the school. Teachers display pupils’ work carefully and this enhances the standing of the subject. In design and technology , weaknesses identified in the last inspection have been well addressed in the juniors and standards are now average in Year 6. Older pupils now have an improved knowledge of the importance of choosing materials that are appropriate for the task. They understand the value of design and the importance of how a prototype can help them ‘learn from mistakes’ before assembling the final product. Evaluations are now an integral part of the subject, with pupils having a clear idea how perceptive evaluations can impact on the success of future projects. Pupils enjoy the collaborative elements of the subject and have put

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

their technology skills to good use to raise funds for new subject equipment. Teachers plan some useful links with other subjects; for example, pupils in Years 5 and 6, as part of last term’s project, made good use of their knowledge of circuits to power fairground rides.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. One short music lesson was observed in Year 2. In this, the teacher’s good subject knowledge and questioning enabled pupils to achieve well and create a series of musical effects that followed a pictorial score. Pupils used a good range of tuned and un-tuned instruments to create ‘Sounds of the City’. Most followed the score carefully and made suggestions as to how the finished performance could be improved by editing the score and combining different sounds. Pupils regularly sing in assemblies and some pupils have instrumental lessons taught by peripatetic music specialists. Teachers use a commercial scheme to support their planning and all staff as part of their joint co-ordinator role have recently reviewed the school’s provision. Standards are average in Year 2 but no judgement could be made about the standards of the older pupils.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

74. In physical education , weaknesses in accommodation provision that were highlighted at the time of the last inspection still exist. The school does not have a school hall and gymnastics and dance lessons are restricted as a result. The halls that the school are fortunate to hire are a short journey away from the school by bus. However, during the inspection, one of these halls being used by the Year 3/ 4 pupils was not heated and temperatures were too cold for pupils to make effective use of the floor in their movement work or to stop working to evaluate the work of their peers. Lessons are planned carefully to ensure all elements of the curriculum are taught, but restrictions on time limit the extent to which quality work can be achieved. The situation is made more difficult at present because the school’s playing field is unsafe for sports activities as the playing surface is riddled with shallow rabbit warrens and mole runs which regularly

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

collapse when pupils stand on them. In the two lessons observed in Year 3/ 4 and Year 5/ 6 classes, pupils worked hard and their standard of work was about average. They worked well collaboratively and older pupils made sensitive comments when evaluating the work of their peers. Pupils’ movement vocabulary is limited and this limits the perceptiveness of their comments. The school organises a satisfactory range of clubs for pupils to take part in after school. The co-ordinator has carried out a useful audit of resources and will review the subject provision later in the school year. Scampton C of E Primary School - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The good relationships and ethos support the pupils’ personal development • There is a good range of opportunities for the pupils to express their opinions and to contribute to life in the community

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Commentary

75. The teachers and support staff encourage the pupils to care for each other well and to consider the impact of their words and actions. The pupils have a good understanding of the need for rules and maintain them well. There are planned opportunities for them to take part in discussions and to develop social skills such as learning to take turns, share, work and play together and help each other. Circle times provide good opportunities for the pupils to discuss their thoughts and feelings and share their anxieties and concerns. Through science and physical education lessons the pupils learn about the importance of personal hygiene, diet and exercise. Sex education and awareness of drug and alcohol abuse are dealt with through science lessons and as part of the school’s citizenship curriculum. The school gives good encouragement to pupils to develop an awareness of the responsibilities of citizenship through

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Commentary

the work of school council and other monitoring roles that they regularly carry out. Scampton C of E Primary School - 27

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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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 5 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 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 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

In spectors 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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