Shawley Community Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: Tuesday 3 rd – Friday 6 th February 2004

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SCHOOL

Inspection number: 257446 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Shawley Community Primary School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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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. Shawley Community Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 261

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Shawley Community Primary School Shawley Way Tattenham Corner EPSOM Surrey Postcode: KT18 5PD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01737 350344 Fax number: 01737 362484

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Malcolm Elster

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 th September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated to the south of Epsom. It is of an average size, with 261 boys and girls on roll between the ages of 4 and 11. The socio-economic backgrounds of the pupils vary considerably, but are generally average. A sizeable minority, however, come from below average home circumstances. Around 13 per cent of the pupils come from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds and six pupils are at an early stage of learning English. An above average proportion of pupils either join or leave the school during the school year. Just over 8 per cent of the pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is broadly average. An average proportion of pupils (17 per cent) have been identified as having special educational needs. Twenty-one pupils receive help from outside specialists for a range of needs, including dyslexia, moderate learning and communication difficulties. Four pupils have

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Statements of Special Educational Need. Children are admitted into the reception class at the beginning of the year in which they have their fifth birthday, attending on a part-time basis until the term in which they are five. The overall level of skill shown by children when they start school varies considerably, but is falling. Pupils currently in Key Stage 2 displayed average to above average levels of skill on entry to the school, but standards of children currently in reception and Key Stage 1 varied from average to below average. Currently, despite a significant minority of above average children, the overall standard on entry to the school is below average. The only major changes since the last inspection have to do with staffing. Nearly all of the class teachers have joined the school since the last inspection, and the previous deputy headteacher has taken over as headteacher. Shawley Community Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 28899 Mr G R Sims Lead inspector Foundation Stage curriculum Art and design Design and technology Information and communication technology Music Physical education English as an additional language 31729 Mr B Harrington Lay inspector 22556 Mr E Morgan Team inspector English Geography History Religious education Special educational needs 33647 Mrs A Jordan Team inspector Mathematics Science Personal, social and health education and citizenship

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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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 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). Shawley Community Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 14

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Shawley Community Primary School is a good school which offers very good value for money. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. As a result, pupils achieve well and reach above average standards by the time they leave the school. The school is led and managed very well.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The headteacher provides very good leadership and has created a strong team of staff who ensure that the school’s resources are used as effectively as possible to meet individual needs. • The overall quality of the teaching is good, and there is a significant amount of very good practice. As a result, pupils make good progress throughout the school. • By Year 6, standards are well above average in science and above average in mathematics and English, although pupils’ written work is often inaccurate and is not always presented well. • Children receive a very good foundation in the reception classes for their future learning. • There is a very good ethos within the school. Staff work very hard to provide interesting activities and to motivate the pupils, who respond positively and behave well. • The school has very good procedures for keeping track of pupils’ progress but, when marking pupils’ work, teachers do not consistently give pupils enough indication as to

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

how they can improve. • The governing body has become highly effective. Governors are very well informed, ask pertinent questions and are fully involved in helping the school to improve. • The level of attendance is below the national average, although the school’s recently improved procedures for promoting good attendance are now starting to have an impact. There has been good improvement since the last inspection and the school is now more effective than it was. Key issues from the last inspection, relating to pupils’ multi-cultural awareness, the quality and range of learning resources, outdoor facilities for the school’s youngest children and the provision of statutorily required information for parents, have been dealt with effectively. Standards at the end of Year 6 have risen, and provision for children in the reception has improved. Governors have become much more effective. A new computer suite has been installed.

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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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Shawley Community Primary School - 7 Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Pupils of all capabilities achieve well throughout the school. A significant percentage of children now enter reception with below average skills, but all children make very good progress, and most reach the goals they are expected to reach by the time they start Year 1. A few children exceed these goals, whilst some are still behind in their communication, language and literacy skills.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards at the end of Year 2 are similar to those achieved at the time of the last inspection, but the standard of attainment on entry to the school has fallen. The national test results in 2003 were close to the national average, and to the average for similar schools, in reading, writing and mathematics. Inspection findings show that pupils make good progress and achieve average standards overall, with above average standards in mathematics and science.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

After falling to a low point in 2001, standards at the end of Year 6 have improved significantly and are higher now than they were at the time of the last inspection. In 2003, the results were above average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. Inspection findings show that pupils make consistently good progress in Years 3 to 6 and reach above average standards overall, and particularly high standards in science. Pupils’ written work is not as accurate, and their presentation not as careful, as they could be. Pupils achieve the standards expected for their age in information and communication technology and religious education.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The ethos of the school is very good. Staff work very hard to stimulate in pupils a desire to learn and to promote good relationships and racial harmony. As a result, pupils have good, positive attitudes to school and behave well. Although recent initiatives have led to some improvement, the level of attendance is unsatisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. The overall quality of the teaching is good , and pupils learn well throughout the school. The teaching is very good for children in the reception, and there is also a significant amount of very good teaching in many classes. Teachers work particularly hard at providing interesting work to stimulate and motivate the pupils and at ensuring that work is appropriately matched to pupils’ differing needs. Pupils’ work is marked regularly, but teachers do not consistently give pupils enough indication as to where or how they could improve their work.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good range of learning opportunities. The curriculum is well planned and there is a very good range of activities outside the formal curriculum. There is very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. The overall range of learning resources and the quality of the school’s accommodation are satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school takes very good care of its pupils. It has very good procedures for keeping track of pupils’ progress and uses these very effectively to provide pupils with very good support, advice and guidance. The school values pupils’ views and has very good procedures which enable pupils to have a voice in the school’s work and development. The school’s links with parents, other schools and the community are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall quality of leadership and management is very good. The governance of the school is excellent. Governors are playing an increasingly important role in strategic planning. They are very well informed, ask pertinent questions, have excellent procedures for Shawley Community Primary School - 8 evaluating pupils’ progress and fulfil all of their statutory responsibilities. The headteacher provides very good leadership and has engendered a very good team spirit amongst the staff. Senior staff and subject co-ordinators fulfil their roles very effectively, and all aspects of the school are managed very well.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are generally very satisfied with the school. With few exceptions, parents feel that the school is led and managed well, staff are approachable, the teaching is good, and that their children are expected to work hard and are making good progress. The great majority of pupils are pleased with their school. They like coming to school and have no major concerns about the way they are treated.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Help pupils to improve the quality of their written work in all subjects by paying greater attention to the accuracy of their writing and the quality of their presentation. • When marking pupils’ work, provide them with clearer indication of where they have made mistakes and how they can improve their work. • Improve the level of attendance. Shawley Community Primary School - 9

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

Average point scores: are used as a way of comparing fairly the performance of pupils in one school with those in another. The level achieved by each pupil in the national tests is converted into a points score. The points achieved by all of the pupils are added together and divided by the number of pupils who took the test to arrive at an average point score. An average point score of 15 at the end of Year 2 is equivalent to a middle of the range Level 2, which is the standard expected of seven-year-old pupils. At the end of Year 6, an average point score of 27 is equivalent to Level 4, the national expectation for eleven-year-olds. Key Stage: refers to the different stages of learning in schools. Children start school in the Foundation Stage , which caters for children aged 3 to 5 and generally refers to children who are in the nursery, reception or early years classes. Key Stage 1 is the first stage of compulsory primary education. It

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

caters for pupils aged 5 to 7 and refers to pupils who are in Years 1 and 2. Key Stage 1 is also frequently synonymous with the term Infants. Key Stage 2 is the second stage of primary education. It caters for pupils aged 7 to 11 and refers to pupils who are in Years 3 to 6. Key Stage 2 is also frequently synonymous with the term Juniors. At the age of 11, pupils start Key Stage 3 , which marks the beginning of their secondary education. Early Learning Goals: are a set of standards which it is expected that most children will achieve by the end of the Foundation Stage. They are set out into six areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development. Circle Time: refers to a timetabled lesson during which pupils discuss a wide range of personal and

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

general issues. All pupils agree that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views will occur at all times and, therefore, pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease and free from any form of interference or interruption from other children. Similar schools: The school’s results are compared both to the national average (i.e. the average of the results of all schools in England, where pupils took National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Year 6) and to the average for similar schools (i.e. at the end of Year 2, the average of the results for all schools whose pupils come from similar socio-economic backgrounds, determined by the eligibility of pupils within the school to receive free school meals; at the end of Year 6, the average of the results for all schools whose pupils achieved similar results in their national tests at the end of Year 2).

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PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE INSPECTION FINDINGS

Levels: The standard of pupils’ work is assessed against National Curriculum Levels. The national expectation for each subject is that pupils should be working comfortably at Level 2 by the end of Year 2, and at Level 4 by the end of Year 6. Core subjects: are English, mathematics and science. Foundation subjects : are art and design, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology, music, and physical education. Phonics : is a teaching programme aimed at developing an awareness of sounds in the spoken and written word. Pupils learn to read and pronounce words by linking the sounds they hear spoken with the letters, letter groups and syllables they see written.

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

During their time in the school, pupils achieve well . Achievement in the reception is very good. Overall standards are above average by the end of Year 6. Shawley Community Primary School - 10

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• By the time pupils leave school, standards are above average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. • Children make very good progress in reception, and most are well on course to achieve the expected goals by the time they start Year 1. • The school caters very well for the needs of all groups of pupils, so that those with special educational needs, as well as the more able pupils, all achieve well. • The school keeps very careful track of pupils’ progress and sets itself challenging targets. • Although the content of pupils’ writing is frequently good, their written work is often inaccurate and poorly presented.

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Commentary

1. Children’s attainment on entry to the school varies considerably, and there have been significant changes in the ability profile over the last eight years. The school has kept careful records, in a standardised format, of the assessments made when children enter the school. These show very clearly that the overall standard of attainment on entry is gradually decreasing. At the time of the last inspection, there was a greater proportion of children of above-average ability than of below-average ability. The situation is now the reverse, and so the overall level of attainment on entry of the school’s latest intake is below average. The school also has an above-average proportion of pupils who leave or join the school part-way through their primary education. Assessment data shows clearly that pupils who join the school in Key Stage 2 generally do not achieve as well as those who spend their whole primary education at Shawley.

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Commentary

2. The changes made to the organisation and teaching arrangements for children in the reception have been very successful. From the time they enter the reception, children of all capabilities achieve very well and make very good gains in all the areas of learning because of very good teaching. By the end of their year in the reception, most children are likely to achieve the goals expected of them. A small proportion of more able children have already achieved most of these goals, but a similar-sized proportion still have difficulties, particularly in the area of communication, language and literacy. Children make particularly good progress in their personal, social and emotional development because of the thoughtfully and carefully planned day, the wide range of interesting activities and the attention given to them by the staff.

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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

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Commentary

There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

3. In 2003, the results of the national tests at the end of Year 2 were very close to both the national average and the average for similar schools in reading, writing and Shawley Community Primary School - 11 mathematics. The overall results, however, mask the very wide range of attainment within each year group. The proportion of pupils who exceeded the nationally expected level was well above average in writing and above average in reading, but the proportion of pupils working below the expected level was also well above average. The results in 2003 were similar to those attained at the time of the last inspection. Although results have fluctuated in the intervening years, there has not been an upward trend as in most other schools. However, given the changing nature of the school’s intake, the school has done well to maintain its standards.

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Commentary

4. Inspection findings show that pupils make good progress and achieve well in Years 1 and 2. They attain average standards in English, information and communication technology and religious education and above average standards in mathematics and science by the end of Year 2.

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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

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Commentary

There were 32 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

5. Results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2003 were above the national average in English and mathematics and well above average in science. When compared with the results of schools whose pupils achieved similar results at the end of Year 2, they were average overall (see table of comparisons in the summary report). However, when considering only those pupils who completed the whole of Key Stage 2 at Shawley, the results show above average progress from Year 3 to Year 6 when compared to similar schools. As at Key Stage 1, the overall results mask the very wide range of attainment within each year group. The proportion of pupils working at below the nationally expected level is smaller than at Key Stage 1. This is partially a reflection of a more able cohort of pupils, but also of the school’s success in helping lower-ability pupils and those with special educational needs to make good progress. The school is

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Commentary

equally successful with its more able pupils. Well over a third in English, a third in mathematics and three-quarters in science exceeded the nationally expected level. The proportion achieving Level 5 in science placed the school amongst the top 5 per cent of schools in the country. The results have fluctuated considerably since the last inspection, falling to a low point in 2001. Since then, there has been a significant rise, particularly in mathematics and science, and standards in all three core subjects are higher now than they were at the time of the last inspection. When evening out the troughs and peaks, the overall improvement trend is similar to the national picture.

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Commentary

6. Inspection findings show that pupils make good progress and achieve well in Years 3 and 6. They attain above average standards in English and mathematics and well above average standards in science. Standards in information and communication technology and religious education are average. Although art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were not inspected in detail, there are indications of above average standards in these subjects. Because English is taught well, pupils often produce imaginative writing or work with interesting content. However, their written work, Shawley Community Primary School - 12 both in English and particularly in other subjects, frequently contains far too many inaccuracies and the standard of presentation is not as good as it could be.

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Commentary

7. The teachers’ good awareness of the progress of each individual pupil, the careful matching of tasks to pupils’ capabilities, which is particularly important in the mixed-age classes, and the good support provided by teachers and teaching assistants, enable pupils with special educational needs to achieve well throughout the school. The school has a small number of pupils who are at a relatively early stage of learning English. These pupils are very well integrated, play a full part in the life of the school and are making good progress, particularly in acquiring a good working command of the language. The school’s procedures for identifying pupils’ needs and providing additional support ensure that these pupils are catered for well.

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Commentary

8. Over the last three years, girls have attained better results than boys in English at Key Stage 2, although boys have achieved better results in mathematics. The school is well aware of these differences and has taken effective measures to ensure that teachers take account of different styles of learning so that neither boys nor girls are in any way disadvantaged. Because of teachers’ awareness of pupils’ progress and the good, and often very good, quality of teaching, the past differences in performance are not seen to be of current significance. There is little difference in the results attained by boys and girls at Key Stage 1.

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Commentary

9. Because the school tracks the progress of all pupils very carefully, they set appropriately challenging, yet realistic, targets. Although the school did not quite meet its targets for the percentage of pupils to achieve Level 4 or above in English and mathematics, it exceeded the targets for pupils to achieve Level 5 by some considerable margin. Targets for 2004 have been raised to very challenging levels at both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and reflect the school’s aspirations to ensure that all pupils achieve the highest results of which they are capable.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . Pupils’ attitudes are good and their behaviour is good . The level of attendance is below average and punctuality is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils respond well to the high expectations of the school and have positive attitudes to learning. • Staff work very hard to stimulate in pupils a desire to learn and to develop pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. • The school has very effective procedures for promoting pupils’ personal development. • Attendance is below the national average and a small minority of pupils do not arrive at school on time in the mornings.

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Commentary

10. Pupils state that they enjoy coming to school and appreciate the range of activities available to them. In lessons, the great majority of pupils are attentive and manage their own behaviour well. However, a very small number of pupils lack self-discipline and have a tendency to be disruptive on occasions. The teachers manage these instances very well and always ensure that good class discipline is maintained. Most pupils are very willing to accept roles as monitors, and they carry out their duties well. Pupils Shawley Community Primary School - 13 elected to the school council take their responsibilities seriously. Pupils with special educational needs have good attitudes to school and their learning. They engage fully in all school activities, including work in class and extra-curricular activities. The very small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language have integrated quickly

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Commentary

and very well into the life of the school, which they greatly enjoy.

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Commentary

11. Pupils state that the school is free from bullying and other forms of harassment, and pupils demonstrate good relationships with others at work and play. Where occasional concerns have been raised about relationships, the headteacher and his staff monitor and manage the situation effectively. One pupil was justifiably excluded on two occasions for short periods last year because of behavioural problems. Staff are very good at developing pupils’ confidence and raising their self-esteem. Consequently, pupils are stimulated to take an interest in their lessons, and respond well to the high expectations of their teachers.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 227 2 White – Irish 2 White – any other White background 8 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 2 Mixed – White and Asian 4 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 3 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 4 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 5 Black or Black British – African 1 Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 Any other ethnic group 2 No ethnic group recorded 2 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Commentary

12. Pupils' personal development is promoted effectively at all levels. From an early age, pupils are encouraged to share ideas and resources, which often involves working in pairs to collect information and solve problems. In circle times, pupils have the opportunity to share their feelings and thoughts with their classmates. Many pupils are prepared to lead prayers during class assemblies, sometimes by expressing their desires for a better world. Older pupils understand the serious nature of sharing confidences and the distress that breaching those confidences could cause. Pupils have enjoyed visiting a number of places of worship and appreciate the similarities and differences that arise between different cultural groups.

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Commentary

13. The level of attendance is unsatisfactory as it is below the national average. The school has recently revised its procedures to promote good attendance. The new procedures are good and are receiving a positive response from most parents. A very small number Shawley Community Primary School - 14 of parents, however, do not understand the need for their children to attend school regularly, nor the disruption that late arrival causes in the morning. Shawley Community Primary School - 15 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 5.5 School data : 1.1 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good. The overall quality of the teaching is good. The school provides a good curriculum, which is enriched by a very good variety of activities outside the normal curriculum. The staff provide a very good level of care for the pupils. The school’s links with parents, the local community and other schools are good.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of the teaching is good . As a result, pupils learn well . The teaching for children in the reception classes is very good, and there is a significant amount of very good teaching in Years 1 to 6. The school’s procedures for assessing pupils’ work are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good planning, very good classroom management and a constant drive to motivate and interest the pupils are key features of the good teaching throughout the school. • The school has managed to maintain good quality teaching, despite a significant turnover of teachers. • Very good planning, short well-focused teaching sessions and a wide variety of interesting activities provide the foundation for very good teaching in the reception classes. • Teachers plan their lessons carefully, making very good use of cross-curricular links, and ensuring that lessons are relevant to the needs of all pupils. • The core subjects of English, mathematics and science are taught well. • Pupils’ writing skills are developed well in English lessons, but are not consolidated through written work undertaken in other subjects. • Teachers provide good feedback to pupils in lessons, but are not critical enough when marking pupils’ work.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 51 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 (2%) 18 (35%) 24 (47%) 8 (16%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen. Shawley Community Primary School - 16 14. The overall quality of the teaching is good, and there is much that is very good. During the inspection, over 80 per cent of the lessons were good or better, and there was no unsatisfactory teaching. Evidence from pupils’ books, from displays around the school and from talking with pupils reinforces this view. Parents, too, are almost unanimous in thinking that the teaching is good and that staff expect their children to work hard. The comments of a small number of parents that some teachers do not have high enough expectations was not borne out by the inspection evidence. Nearly all pupils feel that they are learning a lot, and a high proportion feel that they are made to work hard, that

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Commentary

their lessons are interesting and fun most of the time, and that help is available when they are stuck. Good planning, very good classroom management and the teachers’ constant drive to motivate and encourage the pupils are key factors which contribute to the good quality of learning which is evident throughout the school.

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Commentary

15. Despite an almost complete turnover of teaching staff since the last inspection, the school has managed to maintain all of the positive features noted in the last inspection, such as the good planning, good subject knowledge, good management and good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Although a number of teachers have only been teaching for a relatively short time, this was never observed to be detrimental to pupils’ progress, a concern held by a small number of parents. Indeed, each team 1 of teachers contains a good balance of experienced and less experienced staff. There is a very good team spirit, and a very supportive atmosphere within the school, where good practice and good ideas are shared to the benefit of the pupils. The teachers go to great lengths to stimulate and interest the pupils. A teacher’s vibrant personality and enthusiasm in one lesson, very good use of resources in another, calm but firm handling

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Commentary

of inattentive pupils in another, the use of ‘brain breaks’ to refocus concentration in another, and a fast pace which provides a constant challenge for pupils elsewhere, are all regularly observed through the school.

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Commentary

16. Children’s earliest experiences of school in the reception classes are underpinned by very good teaching, and very good planning is the foundation for this success. The day is divided into short, manageable sessions, long enough for something worthwhile to be accomplished, yet short enough for children not to lose interest. There is a very good balance between more formal teaching sessions and opportunities to learn through play. Short whole-class teaching sessions have a very clear focus, and a very good variety of activities is constantly available when children are given the opportunity to work independently. The planning is also imaginative and is based around a weekly theme which lends coherence to all of the activities undertaken during the week. Staff interact very well with the children, constantly seeking to develop their speaking and learning skills. Familiar routines help the children to feel secure, and they make particularly good

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Commentary

progress in their personal, social and emotional development as a result.

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Commentary

17. Throughout the rest of the school, teachers take great care to plan their lessons to be relevant to the needs of all pupils, and to include varied, interesting and challenging activities which motivate the pupils and help them to learn. As a result, pupils with special educational needs, and those who are more able, are generally catered for well. Pupils with special educational needs benefit from good classroom teaching and from the help they get from specialist teachers and classroom assistants. However, there are occasions when they are withdrawn from lessons at crucial times and this is detrimental to their learning. Pupils learning English as an additional language are given sensitive and practical help which enables them to integrate well with other pupils and benefit

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Commentary

1 Planning is undertaken in teams, with teachers from Years 1 and 2 working together, teachers from Years 3 and 4 forming another team, and those from Years 5 and 6 yet another. Shawley Community Primary School - 17 from normal learning activities. On the whole, teaching assistants are deployed very effectively and have a positive impact on the learning of the pupils with whom they work. In some lessons, however, particularly in Key Stage 1, the absence of a teaching assistant makes it difficult for the teacher to accomplish as much as with an assistant. Other strategies are used successfully to extend the less able pupils, for example, by arranging groups so that the more able pupils can provide them with additional support. Most teachers have high expectations of the pupils and, therefore, provide constant challenge for the more able pupils to succeed.

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Commentary

18. There are no subjects in which the teaching is weak. The teaching of English, mathematics and science is good. In English, the teaching is often imaginative. Key skills are developed well in lessons, but are not always consolidated as effectively as they could be through other subjects. Much effort, for example, goes into the teaching of writing, but little attention is given to the quality of pupils’ writing in the context of other subjects. In mathematics, the teachers help pupils to use and apply their skills well. In science, there is a very good emphasis on investigative work. A key feature of the teaching is the way teachers link work in one subject with that in another. A series of design and technology lessons in Year 6, for example, not only helped pupils to develop their design and technology skills, but furthered their knowledge of musical instruments, their understanding of sound in science and their multi-cultural awareness as they

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Commentary

discovered a wide range of musical instruments from other cultures. The teaching of skills in information and communication technology is nearly always carried out effectively within the context of another subject. Teachers use the interactive whiteboard and mobile digital projector well, but the fact that only one of each is available restricts their wider use.

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Commentary

19. The school’s procedures for assessment are good and are used well to group pupils and to determine next steps in learning. A significant strength is the way the school has kept track of pupils’ progress and analysed pupils’ test papers. As a result, issues for teaching are identified and action is taken to bring improvement, an example of which is the recent introduction of the ‘thinking hats’ scheme to develop pupils’ thinking skills and make them more aware of their own learning.

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Commentary

20. Day-to-day assessment of pupils’ work is less effective. Teachers implement the school’s marking policy consistently. Work is marked regularly and positive comments are made which boost pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. However, the marking is not rigorous enough in pointing out where pupils have made mistakes. As a result, pupils are unaware of how work they have produced could be improved, and mistakes are perpetuated. Even when helpful suggestions are made, pupils rarely re-visit a piece of work in order to make improvements or act on the advice given. In contrast, the verbal feedback given during the course of a lesson is good. Teachers have an encouraging manner and help pupils to reflect on their own learning, which contributes to their understanding of how to improve.

p.17

The curriculum

The school provides a good range of learning opportunities and a very good range of activities outside the formal curriculum. The overall range of learning resources and the quality of the school’s accommodation are satisfactory .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a very well-planned curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage which ensures thorough coverage of each area of learning. Shawley Community Primary School - 18 • Good links between subjects, and thoughtful initiatives such as the new thinking skills programme, contribute to providing a good curriculum. • The school provides a wide range of very well-supported extra-curricular activities and very good opportunities for enrichment through outside visits and visiting speakers. • The school’s curriculum caters very well for pupils of all capabilities, and there is good provision for pupils with special educational needs.

p.17

Commentary

21. The curriculum fulfils statutory requirements by covering all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The content of each subject is reasonably balanced. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is very good and provides good opportunities for pupils to acquire, develop and practise the necessary skills within each area of learning. The curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is good. The school has worked hard to ensure that schemes of work are in place for all subjects and all age groups, and this has led to better continuity in pupils’ learning. As the school has some mixed-age classes, there is a two-year rolling programme for the teaching of humanities, which works well and avoids repetition of subject matter. This programme is enriched by outside visits and visiting speakers coming to the school. Staff are good at identifying ways in which work in one subject can enrich work in one or more other

p.18

Commentary

22. The school has recently introduced an initiative to help pupils develop thinking skills. This is beginning to have a positive impact on all areas of the curriculum, particularly in using and applying mathematics and investigative work in science. A policy for sex education has been agreed and implemented, alongside a revised scheme of work.

p.18

Commentary

23. The school enriches the curriculum very well and actively encourages pupils to take part in out-of-school activities. A wide range of extra-curricular activities is provided, including sport, music and art, and pupils take part in inter-school sporting activities and musical events. There is a very good take-up for these activities.

p.18

Commentary

24. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils’ individual education plans focus clearly on specific learning objectives linked to the class teachers’ planning, are well matched to pupils’ needs and are reviewed regularly. Support staff are deployed well to support pupils with special educational needs.

p.18

Commentary

25. The overall range of learning resources is satisfactory and there is a good variety of resources for children in the Foundation Stage. Resources are well cared for, labelled and easily accessible to the pupils. Accommodation is satisfactory overall, although the school has good outdoor facilities and a covered swimming pool which benefit the provision for physical education. The school makes best use of the accommodation available.

p.18

Care, guidance and support

The advice, guidance and support provided for pupils are very good . The school involves pupils very well in its work and development. There are very good procedures in place to provide for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a very good awareness of matters to do with pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety and ensures that staff receive appropriate training. Shawley Community Primary School - 19 • Pupils’ personal development is monitored very effectively. • There are very good induction arrangements for pupils of all ages.

p.18

Commentary

26. Teachers use good formal systems to monitor pupils’ academic achievements and use this information very well to support and guide their pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are identified at an early stage. They are carefully monitored, and their individual educational plans modified as they achieve their targets. Pupils’ personal development is monitored regularly and very effectively by class teachers during tutorial times, personal, social and health education lessons, and circle times. Pupils with behavioural difficulties are successfully integrated into school life and all such pupils take a full part in school life. Weekly celebration assemblies highlight significant achievements in all areas of pupils’ development.

p.19

Commentary

27. The school has very good mechanisms for keeping itself informed about pupils’ views. Pupils’ views are sought during circle times and through the school council which has representatives in each class from Year 1 to Year 6. Action is taken in the light of discussions held by the school council. Views on specific aspects are ascertained occasionally by canvassing pupils’ opinions through a questionnaire, such as the poll of what food pupils would most like to see served at lunchtime.

p.19

Commentary

28. There are very good arrangements for children joining the school. Children have the opportunity to visit the school in the summer term before they start, there are meetings with parents and home visits so that staff can see children in their home setting. There is very good liaison between staff in the Foundation Stage and teachers in Year 1, as there is between teams of teachers throughout the school.

p.19

Commentary

29. The school has a very good awareness of all matters to do with pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. All staff, for example, have received basic first-aid training, and the governing body undertakes termly risk assessments of the premises and monitors any identified hazards until they are resolved. The school ensures that staff receive appropriate training. All staff, for example, have received training in the school’s child protection procedures.

p.19

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established effective links with parents, providing them with good quality information about the school and the progress of their children. Good links with other schools and the wider community enhance pupils’ learning.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is very good at seeking parents’ views. • Most parents welcome the very good efforts the school makes to involve them in their children’s education. • There is good communication with parents, although the school is working on the information it provides for parents whose children have special educational needs. • The school makes effective use of resources in the locality and beyond.

p.19

Commentary

30. The partnership with parents is good and provides a variety of opportunities for parents to contribute to their children’s education. In addition to good quality formal information, Shawley Community Primary School - 20 such as the school’s prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents, parents also receive regular newsletters and are invited to parents’ consultation evenings in the autumn and spring terms and to a celebration of pupils’ work in the summer term. Annual progress reports are of a good quality, providing parents with information on their children’s academic and personal development.

p.19

Commentary

31. Several parents and grandparents help in school, generally listening to pupils practising their reading, but also sharing their practical skills in design and technology lessons, helping on school trips and helping to prepare for thematic days. All pupils have a home- reading book, and most parents support and encourage their children in their reading development. Contact books enable teachers and parents to communicate on a regular basis and to share and resolve any concerns that may arise. Whereas most parents are keen to share this information, the school is planning further development to involve even more parents.

p.20

Commentary

32. The school has done much to ensure that communication with parents is good. Parents’ opinions are canvassed annually, with the questions usually being linked to the school’s priorities for the year. New parents are asked questions pertinent to their situation, such as why they had selected to send their children to this school, the answers to which are extremely valuable to the school. New parents are also invited to induction meetings and, where possible, home visits are made by members of staff. All these activities help to ease the first days in school for both children and parents. The school’s arrangements for providing information to parents of pupils with special educational needs and involving them in reviewing their children’s progress is satisfactory and an aspect the school has identified for improvement. Parents are kept informed of pupils’ progress and involved in a review of their children’s individual educational plans, but the

p.20

Commentary

school plans to extend this link to further involve all parents.

p.20

Commentary

33. Pupils have visited a number of museums, places of worship and other places of interest linked to their studies. In addition to visits to shops, the local supermarket has supported school events by providing refreshments and personnel trained in first aid. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are invited to take part in a residential activity week every other year. Those pupils who are unable to take part in this activity attend an alternative educational experience. Pupils have attended the local music festival and visitors to school have enriched their learning opportunities. Pupils are supporting a past pupil who is carrying out Christian support work in Tanzania. He has visited the school on a number of occasions and pupils have used the information that he brought back in order to increase their knowledge of that area.

p.20

Commentary

34. The school has good sporting links with other local schools and hosts the annual district sports competition. Good academic links with these schools are secured through shared training days.

p.20

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall quality of leadership and management is very good . The quality of governance is excellent . The leadership provided by the headteacher and key staff is very good and the school is managed very well .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides very good leadership which has helped to create a very positive ethos in the school and a staff team which works together very effectively. • The governing body makes a major contribution to the success of the school, particularly through the excellent work of its data analysis committee. Shawley Community Primary School - 21 • The school’s leadership provides clear strategic planning for improvement. • Management procedures are well established and supportive of staff development. • The school is very good at integrating pupils from different backgrounds and with widely differing educational and social needs. • Financial management is very good and linked to educational priorities.

p.20

Commentary

35. The governing body is extremely effective and fulfils all of its statutory duties well whilst giving the school excellent support. It is fully involved in strategic planning and formulating policies. An excellent partnership exists between the governing body and the school and this partnership is very influential in the school’s developmental cycle. The school improvement plan is ambitious and the targets set are challenging but achievable.

p.21

Commentary

36. Governors are well aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and, whilst being proud of its achievements, they openly admit that there are weaknesses and are working hard to try and eliminate them. Performance management procedures are very effective. The expertise of individual governors is used well and is co-ordinated very effectively by the chair of the governing body. Governors are very committed to the development and wellbeing of the school and their creative efforts are a major contribution to the success of the school.

p.21

Commentary

37. The school is very good at keeping track of pupils’ progress and, through their data analysis committee, governors have become very involved in analysing the data and ensuring that resources are directed where most needed. Through the work of this group, governors have a very much better understanding of how well pupils are doing than is found in most schools. As a result of their analysis, they ask challenging questions, examine how effectively the school’s financial resources are being spent, and whether any particular groups of pupils are making insufficient progress.

p.21

Commentary

38. The headteacher knows his school well and is approachable and accessible. He is very well supported by his deputy headteacher and senior staff and has created a very positive team spirit amongst the staff, including the non-teaching staff. There is a clear commitment to the wellbeing of all pupils at the school, whatever their ability. Staff are very good role models for the pupils, and relationships between staff and pupils are very good. Leadership ensures that evaluation is at the centre of the school’s work, and the leadership’s clear strategic thinking is firmly based on planning for improvement.

p.21

Commentary

39. Subject co-ordinators are in place for all subjects and areas of learning. Monitoring of the teaching and evaluating pupils’ work have been very effective in subjects such as English and mathematics, and the outcomes have been used well to raise standards. The very good leadership of the Foundation Stage has substantially improved the provision for the younger children and resulted in improved learning. Similarly, the recently appointed special needs co-ordinator is ensuring good quality provision for the substantial number of pupils with learning difficulties. The role of the deputy headteacher is well established and effective in the day-to-day running of the school. She also maintains effective oversight of the professional development of the staff.

p.21

Commentary

40. The school’s special educational needs policy fully complies with the Code of Practice, and grants received to support the learning for pupils with special educational needs are used appropriately. Resources to support teaching and learning have been built up since the last inspection and are now satisfactory. The teacher with responsibility for the management of special educational needs in the school is well-organised, ensures Shawley Community Primary School - 22 accurate record-keeping and is well aware of what needs to be done for further improvement. Leadership and management of this aspect of the school are good.

p.21

Commentary

41. A notable feature of the school is its success in accommodating, teaching and socialising pupils who have previously responded poorly to school life elsewhere and who have had difficulty in learning. The school’s inclusion policy is fully reflected in practice, and all pupils take a full part in lessons and other activities. Classroom teaching assistants provide very good support in class for lower-attaining pupils, those identified as having special educational needs and a small number of pupils who are learning English as an additional language. This results in noticeable improvement in pupils’ achievement and social behaviour and could usefully be extended to further support teachers in classes where pupils find it difficult to work without support. The school values all pupils as individuals and celebrates their strengths, whilst helping them overcome their weaknesses.

p.22

Commentary

42. The school’s finances are monitored and managed very well. The governing body and the finance sub-committee have anticipated and have taken account of changes that will affect the budget, such as the varying number of children entering the school and its effect on the capitation allowance. Governors have been prudent in managing expenditure and ensuring that it is firmly linked to educational priorities. Despite a below average income, governors have managed to maintain a sizeable financial balance which is geared towards future investment in school development projects and maintaining a favourable ratio of staff to pupils. A notable aspect of financial management is the detailed evaluation of educational spending and what impact this has had on standards.

p.22

Commentary

43. The schools’ finance administrator maintains a very good overview of the budget, and regular and thorough reports are available to the headteacher and governing body. She also manages the day-to-day system and spending procedures very well. Spending is properly linked to the school’s action plan, and grants are used for their designated purpose.

p.22

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.22

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 667 280 Balance from previous year 43 413 Total expenditure 649 223 Balance carried forward to the next 61 470 Expenditure per pupil 2 432

p.22

Commentary

44. In the light of the good teaching, the maintenance of high standards, the very good leadership and management and the below average income per pupil, the school is deemed to be giving very good value for money. Shawley Community Primary School - 23

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage has undergone significant changes since the last inspection. A new co-ordinator took over the organisation and running of the reception class two years ago, the number of classes for reception-aged children increased from one to two and advice from the local authority was acted upon. The school has adapted its practices very well to the latest governmental guidance for early years practitioners, and the school’s good practice has been recognised by the local authority through its invitation to become a ‘Hub and Cluster Centre’, which will involve the school in providing guidance for teachers new to teaching reception-aged children.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. At the time of the last inspection, children’s attainment on entry to the school was said to be above average. The school’s assessment records show that the overall ability of the children joining the school has fallen steadily over the last eight years. A significant minority of children have above average skills, as demonstrated in their ability to converse and their self-confidence, but a larger minority have below average skills, particularly in their social development and the area of communication, language and literacy. The standard on entry continues to vary but, currently, is below average, particularly in terms of children’s social and language skills.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. The Foundation Stage provision is led, organised and managed very well. Although children are divided according to age into the two classes, there is very close collaboration between the two teachers and the support staff, so that both classes function very effectively as one unit. The co-ordinator has a very good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the school’s provision, is self-evaluative, receptive to advice and prepared to make changes. As a result, changes made this year have resulted in greater focus to the planned activities and better use of the outdoor area. There have already been significant improvements to the outdoor facilities available for the children, in response to a key issue from the previous inspection, but there are also plans for further enhancement of the outdoor area to provide resources to cover all areas of learning.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. A very good curriculum is provided for the children. The working day is organised very efficiently into short working sessions, some of which are held as whole-class activities and others which allow most children a choice of a wide variety of activities, whilst selected children undertake a focused activity with the class teacher or a teaching assistant. Activities are planned carefully and very effectively around a weekly theme and cover all six areas of learning imaginatively and thoroughly. Role-play areas, sand- and water-play, outdoor areas, the two classrooms and a good range of resources are used to the full to provide the children with a rich learning environment, with plenty to stimulate and interest them. As the year progresses, sessions are lengthened, so that children become gradually accustomed to methods of teaching more akin to those they will meet in Year 1. In this way, the children are very well prepared for the next stage of

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. Very good procedures for assessment ensure that staff have a very good knowledge of their children, and the wide range of information gathered each week is used to group children for teaching purposes or to plan specific activities to meet individual needs. Activities in the afternoon are often directed towards aspects which staff have noticed that children have missed during the morning. Shawley Community Primary School - 24 50. There are very good arrangements for children joining the school. Children have the opportunity to visit the school in the summer term before they start, there are meetings with parents and home visits so that staff can see children in their home setting. Links with feeding nurseries are also good. Throughout the year in the reception, strong links are maintained with parents who are encouraged to participate in their children’s learning.

p.23

Personal, social and emotional development

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

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good organisation and familiar routines provide a secure environment for the children and help them to develop confidence. • Children greatly enjoy the activities provided for them and are learning to become responsible members of the school community.

p.24

Commentary

51. Very good teaching, high expectations and very good teamwork amongst the staff ensure that children make very good progress in this area of learning. Children achieve very well, and most are likely to achieve the expected learning goals by the time they start Year 1. Well thought-out routines and a very well-organised day provide a familiar structure for the children, which enables them to develop self-confidence and assume a growing measure of independence. At the start of the day, for example, children hang their coats up, place what they have brought for the day in the appropriate place, choose their name and place it on the board to indicate they are present and move happily to a chosen activity. During the day, they move confidently from one area to the next or between classrooms, and know how to find out from the task board what activities are available to them.

p.24

Commentary

52. The staff work together very well throughout the day to help children to learn how to respond, for example, when working with others in a small group. Circle times, one-to- one sessions with adults and a wide variety of games and activities all have an impact on the children’s social and personal development. As a result, they learn to talk to each other and to adults, share resources, take turns and listen when required. A few children need frequent reminders as to what is expected of them. Some have poor attention spans and quite a few struggle during the day because they arrive at school already very tired. It is evident, therefore, that the staff have to work hard to develop the positive attitudes and good behaviour displayed by the great majority of children, and that patience and constant reinforcement of what is expected are clearly having a significant impact on the children’s development. In all of the sessions observed during the

p.24

Commentary

inspection, most children enjoyed choosing their own activities, were keen to participate in class sessions and eager to contribute to discussions. Staff were adept at including those who were somewhat reluctant to participate.

p.24

Commentary

53. Helpful attitudes are inculcated through daily routines. Children enjoy the responsibility of taking the register back to the office, they enjoy being special helpers and they know what to do at the end of a session when asked to tidy up. At the end of one lesson, for example, the room became a hive of activity as children saw what needed to be done and quickly set about putting resources away, sweeping up sand from the floor, tidying the book area and rearranging furniture. Shawley Community Primary School - 25 Example of outstanding practice An extremely effective way of using registration to develop a wide range of skills. Each morning, a different child takes responsibility for calling the register, while the class teacher marks the official attendance register. The day’s helper sits proudly on a chair at the front of the class, holding the unofficial register. This is a book compiled by the class teacher, with each page containing a self-portrait of

p.24

Commentary

one child, and a short sentence for the helper to read. Each self-portrait gives a clue, some better than others, to the sentence below. As the helper reads, ‘Is Jamie here today?’ the child addressed is expected to, and does, respond politely to the child official. Once all of the pages in the book have been read, the helper walks around the class to count up the number of children. In such a simple way, a mundane daily chore is turned into an excellent learning experience. Taking such great responsibility develops self- confidence, teaches the helper to project the voice, and encourages the children to respond politely to each other. Because every child takes a turn, each knows what it is like to be the helper and an attitude of helpfulness and respect is developed. The children develop the idea that they have something important to contribute. Literacy and numeracy skills are developed, and the day gets off to a good start. So simple, so

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff take every opportunity to develop children’s speaking and listening skills throughout the day. • Children are provided with a wide variety of activities which encourage the development of reading and writing skills. • Short whole-class teaching sessions are used effectively to introduce new work, which is reinforced by well-planned activities throughout the day.

p.25

Commentary

54. The teaching of communication, language and literacy is very good. Many children start school with below average language skills, but all children make very good progress as they learn new things every day, and they achieve very well. This is because a high priority is given to the development of speaking and listening skills, and many opportunities are provided to develop literacy skills. At the start of the day, for example, various activities which encourage reading and writing are laid out ready for the children, and similar activities are always available whenever children have a free choice of activity. There is an expectation that children should read regularly at home to complement the work done in school, and well-used communication books accompany children’s reading books home each day. The co-operation of many parents in listening to their children read each day has a significant impact on children’s progress in

p.25

Commentary

reading, although a few children receive little help at home, resulting in much slower progress at school.

p.25

Commentary

55. Short well-run, whole-class teaching sessions form the bedrock of children’s learning, as children are introduced to new books, learn new letter sounds and are given very good guidance in the skills of reading and writing. What is learnt in these sessions is practised and consolidated very effectively in activities throughout the day, through group-reading sessions with an adult, or through focused writing activities where an adult is present to guide the children. As a result, children are developing a good knowledge of letter sounds and are beginning to communicate through writing. The more able children are already reading simple texts on their own and producing short recognisable pieces of writing. A number of children, however, still find reading and Shawley Community Primary School - 26 writing activities very difficult but, because of the efforts of the staff, are developing positive attitudes and becoming increasingly willing to have a go.

p.25

Commentary

56. The staff are very good at taking every opportunity to develop children’s speaking and listening skills. During whole-class sessions, the teacher often stops and asks children to talk to their partner to discuss a particular point, thus ensuring that all children get used to voicing their opinions before having to speak in front of others. Whenever they are supervising an activity, the staff ask children questions and help to develop children’s ability to converse, which is markedly lacking in some when they start school. Formal occasions, such as the visit of two people to talk about wildlife, are used well to develop speaking and listening skills. A session was held before the visit in which children prepared questions to ask the visitors and, well-prepared, they were eager to do so when the time came. The development of good listening habits is encouraged consistently and firmly. A small number of children are already moving beyond the

p.26

Commentary

expected goals for their age, conversing with adults and reading simple texts confidently, and demonstrating a good range of vocabulary. Despite this being the weakest area of learning for many children, most are on track to meet the expected goals by the end of their year in the reception.

p.26

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• New mathematical concepts are introduced very effectively through short whole-class teaching sessions. • Staff are very good at developing children’s mathematical understanding through a wide range of activities and good questioning throughout the day.

p.26

Commentary

57. The teaching of mathematical skills is very good, as a result of which children learn rapidly and are achieving very well. Although some children are still struggling with concepts, such as ‘one less than’, most are well on course to reach the expected goals by the end of reception, and quite a number are likely to be working within the early stages of National Curriculum mathematics. As with the development of children’s language skills, short teaching sessions are used very effectively to introduce new concepts to the children and these are then reinforced through a multiplicity of activities throughout the day. During the inspection, for example, an assistant worked with a small group of children in the outdoor play area, getting them to draw lily pads with numbers inside on the ground and asking them to jump onto the leaf which was ‘one more than x’. Daily routines, such as changing the date on the calendar and counting the number of

p.26

Commentary

children present, reinforce mathematical concepts. For example, the teacher mentioned that the previous day had been the ‘second’, and led a short discussion on how to use ordinal numbers as some children did not know that the next day would be the ‘third’. Counting rhymes and songs, such as ‘Five little speckled frogs’, are used effectively to reinforce and discuss number. Resources are used very well throughout the day, and staff take every opportunity to reinforce counting skills and to question children whenever possible about number, shape and sequence. The children greatly enjoy their mathematical activities, be it counting together as a class in multiples of two, or working with a partner to write down answers to a sum. Shawley Community Primary School - 27

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The weekly topic is planned imaginatively to provide a wide range of learning experiences which extend children’s knowledge and understanding of the world. • There are very good opportunities for children to learn how to use computers.

p.27

Commentary

58. Each week, all of the activities for each area of learning are based on a theme, which leads to imaginative planning and a wide range of learning experiences for the children. This helps them to make very good progress in acquiring knowledge and understanding of the world. The teaching of this area of learning is very good, and children achieve very well. During the week of the inspection, the theme of animals within the local environment led to a whole range of interesting learning for the children. A walk in the school grounds to spot signs of wildlife and visitors from the wildlife sanctuary, which gave children the opportunity to observe a pigeon and a hedgehog at close quarters, raised children’s awareness of their own immediate environment. Because staff rooted the week’s work in practical activity and first-hand experiences, the many activities available within the classroom became more meaningful, as children drew, modelled

p.27

Commentary

and talked about the local environment. The knowledge displayed by some children already exceeds that expected for their age, and most children are likely to achieve the expected goals for this area of learning by the end of reception.

p.27

Commentary

59. Although not observed, plans from previous weeks show that there is good teaching input to develop children’s historical and geographical understanding. Each week, short teaching sessions are included for religious education, although these were not observed or evaluated. Weekly sessions in the computer room are used very well to develop children’s understanding of how to use computers to carry out a range of tasks. Some children are already very accomplished for their age in manipulating the mouse to produce pictures. Teachers also help the children learn how to use other technological equipment, such as a digital camera, which was used to take pictures of the hedgehog roaming around the hall, and a tape recorder, which children used to listen to stories.

p.27

Physical development

Provision in physical development is very good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good balance between more formal whole-class physical development lessons and a wide range of free-choice activities using the school’s improved outdoor facilities. • All children have regular swimming lessons during the warmer months. • Teachers provide very good guidance for the children, helping them to develop their dexterity through a wide range of activities.

p.27

Commentary

60. Significant improvements to the outdoor facilities for the reception classes and regular sessions for physical development combined with very good teaching ensure that children make very good progress in their physical development and achieve very well. Almost all children are likely to achieve the expected goals by the end of the reception, Shawley Community Primary School - 28 and some have already achieved them. The range of outdoor activities complements the more formal whole-class sessions well. During the warmer months, all children have a weekly swimming lesson, during which many learn to swim for the first time. Well- disciplined lessons in the hall provide children with a good variety of activities which help them to develop their coordination, sense of balance and awareness of space, although attempts to link every activity in with the topic of the week are sometimes rather contrived. Children greatly enjoy their physical activities, moving vigorously during their

p.27

Commentary

warm-up sessions, concentrating hard on practising skills and showing determination to improve. The teachers provide a good balance between keeping the children active and stopping the lesson to demonstrate good features to show children how they can improve. Many activities within the classroom help children to develop their dexterity, and staff are constantly on hand to help them develop better techniques for cutting, threading and manipulating objects.

p.28

Creative development

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good focused teaching of children in small groups helps them to develop creative skills. • A very well planned range of activities for children to choose during the day provides every opportunity for children to engage in creative activities.

p.28

Commentary

61. As in all other areas of learning, the weekly topic provides a very good springboard for a wide range of activities which enables the children to make very good progress and achieve very well in their creative development. By the end of reception, nearly all children are likely to achieve the expected goals for this area of learning. The teaching is very good and is typically undertaken with small groups of children as they carry out a focused task, such as making a wild animal out of clay. Some excellent examples were produced during the inspection as children showed patience, determination and increasing levels of skill to fashion their animals. The teachers use these sessions very well to engage children in conversation which has an impact on all other areas of learning. Careful note is kept of how children have performed the focused activities so that other opportunities appropriate to their stage of development can be planned in the

p.28

Commentary

future. The co-ordinator’s attendance at a creative development course has had a positive impact on providing further inspiration for activities which promote creativity and role-play, and children cannot escape the day without some participation in creative activities, whether painting, drawing, participating in the role-play area which was set up as a Chinese restaurant for the inspection, or developing a sense of rhythm by playing the outdoor washing line festooned with a range of pots and pans. Although the least successful of all of the sessions observed during the inspection, regular whole-class music sessions enable children to develop their musical abilities. Children have a good sense of rhythm, but do not appear to have a wide repertoire of rhymes and songs.

p.28

ENGLISH

Provision in English is good . Shawley Community Primary School - 29

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above the national average at the end of Year 6. • Pupils make good progress throughout the school. • Pupils benefit from imaginative teaching, which is also characterised by the good relationships between staff and pupils and the good support provided for less able pupils. • Although improving, pupils’ writing skills are weaker than their speaking, listening and reading skills. • Teachers do not always use opportunities to develop pupils’ writing skills through written assignments that pupils undertake in subjects other than English. • The subject is very well led, and the co-ordinator’s expertise is used well in the school.

p.29

Commentary

62. The national test results at the end of Year 2 in 2003 were in line with the national average in reading and writing, having improved over the last two years. Since the last inspection, standards in English have fluctuated, and the most recent results were similar to those achieved at the time of the last inspection. However, the ability of pupils on entry to the school has dropped since the last inspection. The number of pupils with special educational needs also varies substantially between year groups and this is another factor for the varying standards achieved.

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Commentary

63. The national test results at the end of Year 6 in 2003 were above the national average and higher than those achieved at the time of the last inspection. The school is aware that girls have performed significantly better than boys over the last five years, with a greater proportion of them achieving higher levels in the national tests. The school has been taking active measures to improve the performance of boys in order to reduce this gap. The inspection findings reveal positive responses from boys, but the effect of these initiatives has yet to be seen in a narrowing of the gap.

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Commentary

64. Pupils’ achievement throughout the school is good. Inspection findings show that the pupils currently in Year 2 are on track to achieve average standards overall in the 2004 tests, with stronger performance in reading than in writing. Pupils continue to make good progress throughout Key Stage 2, and the current cohort are in line to achieve standards above those expected of pupils of this age, with better performance in reading than in writing. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good additional support from teaching assistants and this enables them to achieve well in relation to their prior attainment. The small number of pupils who are at an early stage of learning English have made very good strides in learning English.

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Commentary

65. Pupils in Year 2 have above average listening skills, and their speaking skills match those achieved in most other schools. Teachers use good opportunities to develop these skills, as when making opportunities for paired discussion in class and inviting contributions from each group to be made to the whole class. Pupils’ good listening skills and the good relationships evident in classes lead to pupils’ increased confidence. By Year 6, pupils’ listening and speaking skills are above expectations, and all pupils contribute well to classroom discussion, those of lower ability because of helpful prompting by teaching assistants.

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Commentary

66. Pupils’ reading skills in Year 2 are very variable. At best, pupils read fluently and with meaning. They can relate stories they have read and talk about their favourite authors. This is well above the expected levels. However, a significant number have weaker Shawley Community Primary School - 30 reading skills and overall standards of reading are in line with those expected. By Year 6, practically all pupils are fluent readers and standards are above those expected of pupils of this age. Pupils have well-developed skills for reading new words, and they read with meaning and understanding. They have a positive attitude to books and read for enjoyment. All pupils read independently and the more able pupils show a mature opinion about the styles of different authors. Lower-ability pupils, those with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language are well supported in their reading by adults and teaching assistants on a one-to-one basis.

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Commentary

However, there are occasions when pupils are withdrawn from lessons at inappropriate times for additional work in English, and this causes them to miss learning opportunities in other subjects.

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Commentary

67. The school has rightly identified pupils’ writing as an area for development. Currently, standards in Year 2 are just below expectations, and they are in line with expectations in Year 6. A minority of pupils in Year 2 can write clear sentences using capital letters and full stops where appropriate. These pupils are on line to achieve expected standards by the end of the year. However, the majority of pupils’ writing is poorly structured, letter formation is variable and spelling of even simple words and words copied from cards is incorrect. By Year 6, writing is often imaginative and holds the reader’s attention. Pupils use complex sentences to express their ideas and recognise that there are different forms of writing. However, whilst these pupils present interesting and complex ideas in their writing, there are weaknesses in their presentation and the accuracy of their writing, particularly in their writing produced for subjects other than English. Teachers do

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Commentary

not always demand a high enough standard of all pupils in terms of grammatical structure, spelling and handwriting in pupils’ work. Insufficient emphasis is directed at pupils of all ages to improve the quality of their presentation.

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Commentary

68. The overall quality of teaching and learning is good and, in some instances, it is very good and excellent. A strength of the teaching throughout the school is the quality of relationships that is influential in developing pupils’ self-esteem. Lessons are invariably well planned, with good opportunities for pupils of all abilities to develop their speaking skills. Scrutiny of pupils’ work indicates the wide range of experiences pupils have, and this provides them with very good opportunities for learning. Lessons proceed at a good pace, and this maintains pupils’ interest. Pupils say how much they enjoy the work they do and speak vividly of parts of texts they have discussed, such as the witches’ scene in Macbeth . The concluding sessions of lessons are used well to consolidate pupils’ learning. The marking of pupils’ work praises effort, but is not sufficiently rigorous in that the incorrect spelling of basic and familiar words is not consistently highlighted and the

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Commentary

marking does not always indicate to pupils how they might improve.

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Commentary

69. Leadership and management of the subject are very good. The co-ordinator has worked hard to maintain standards and to support and guide colleagues in the teaching of literacy. Assessment procedures are very good and the results used purposefully to set targets for individual pupils.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

70. The development of pupils’ language and literacy skills across the curriculum is satisfactory. Teachers provide a good range of opportunities for all pupils to use their skills in a wide range of contexts. However, they do not make the best use of these opportunities to help pupils develop their skills, particularly in the mechanics of writing, spelling and grammar. Teachers are not sufficiently rigorous in pointing out to pupils how they can improve the quality of their writing. Shawley Community Primary School - 31

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve above average standards in mathematics at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. • The teachers provide good, and at times very good, teaching; they ask probing questions which helps pupils to become more skilful in using and applying their mathematical knowledge. • Assessment results are used effectively to track pupils’ progress and to make sure that pupils of differing abilities are set work that is pitched at the right level. • Pupils show good motivation to learn in mathematics, but they do not always take enough care in the way they present their work.

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Commentary

71. The national test results at the end of Year 2 in 2003 were identical to the national average. Although the school’s results have remained fairly static at Key Stage 1 due to the decline in pupils’ attainment on entry, inspection findings show that standards currently achieved by pupils in Year 2 are somewhat better than the results in 2003. Pupils are making good progress and achieving well, and standards are above average. The test results at the end of Year 6 continued the significant upward trend since 2001 and were above the national average. Pupils make good progress through Key Stage 2 and achieve well.

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Commentary

72. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, and it is very good in some lessons. Lessons are well planned, and the pace of lessons helps to keep all pupils on task. Pupils are given a learning focus for every lesson, and teachers successfully use the closing part of each lesson to review whether their initial objectives have been achieved. This helps them to plan work at an appropriate level in future lessons. Teachers provide well for pupils of differing ability. Different groups of pupils are provided with work of differing levels of complexity, and pupils with special educational needs are supported well in lessons. This support also extends, when necessary, to the few pupils for whom English is an additional language. The good relationships and standards of behaviour in all classes motivate pupils to learn and help to raise their self-esteem. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to their work in mathematics. Pupils are very good at working in

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Commentary

pairs and in small groups, and the use of such strategies also makes a substantial contribution to their moral and social development.

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Commentary

73. The subject is led and managed well. Standards in mathematics at Key Stage 1 have been a concern of the school, and several initiatives have been put into place in an attempt to raise them. The inspection findings indicate that these initiatives have been successful. Other initiatives have been introduced successfully in Key Stage 2, such as the grouping of pupils by ability in Years 3 and 4 in order to raise standards and provide greater support for the less able pupils. The school has detailed records of pupils’ performance. Pupils’ progress is tracked carefully, there are clear assessment procedures and challenging targets are set for pupils. Monitoring procedures are good. Lessons are observed and pupils’ work scrutinised and the information gained from these activities is used well to bring further improvement to the teaching of the subject. As part of the thinking skills initiative, the school has a focus on using and applying

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Commentary

mathematics. This emphasis is particularly evident in Key Stage 2 where teachers’ questions are probing and help to develop their ability to think through problems. The Shawley Community Primary School - 32 recent acquisition of new software is enabling the school to make better use of information and communication technology as a tool for learning in mathematics.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

74. Pupils’ mathematical skills are developed well through other subjects of the curriculum. For example, pupils measure and record in science, such as recording the length of the radius bone as bar charts, or recording the time taken for salt to dissolve as a line graph.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above the national expectations at Year 2 and well above at Year 6. • Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use well to help pupils plan investigations and test hypotheses. • The co-ordinator’s good leadership and management have resulted in good improvement since the last inspection.

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Commentary

75. Pupils of all ages and abilities make good progress and achieve well in science throughout the school. The results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2003 were well above the national average. Three-quarters of the pupils exceeded the national expectation by achieving Level 5, a proportion which placed the school amongst the top five per cent of schools in the country for pupils achieving this level by the end of Year 6. Since the last inspection, standards have improved at both key stages because of the increased emphasis given to investigative work, the good guidance given to staff by the subject co-ordinator and the high expectations of staff, particularly towards the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils are encouraged to reflect and build on previous learning, which helps them to deepen their knowledge and understanding.

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Commentary

76. The quality of teaching and learning is good and has a positive impact on standards and on pupils’ progress and achievement. Clear objectives, clearly displayed and discussed at the start and end of each lesson, help pupils to understand what they are required to do and why. Good subject knowledge enables teachers to use probing questions well to extend pupils’ thinking. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to discuss their ideas with work partners. This helps them to clarify ideas and plan collaboratively. Frequent opportunities for group work contribute to the pupils’ personal and social development. Pupils are taught well how to plan investigations, and the school’s focus on thinking skills has had a positive impact on developing the pupils’ abilities to ask questions, develop scientific hypotheses and test them. Good examples of this were observed during the inspection in Year 2, when pupils applied their knowledge of circuits to

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Commentary

investigate how to design and make a torch, and in Year 5 when they were predicting how they might be able to alter the pitch of a variety of drums. Pupils achieve well in science, but their written recording and presentational skills are poor. The marking of pupils’ work is not as helpful as it could be. The failure to correct misspellings of scientific words prevents pupils from developing their literacy skills and lack of evaluative or critical comments prevents them from understanding how they could make their work better. Shawley Community Primary School - 33 77. Leadership and management are good. The co-ordinator has a good overview of science provision in the school and is actively involved in monitoring science. The subject is well resourced. Pupils’ attainment and progress are assessed regularly, and results are used to guide planning. Assessment procedures continue to develop well, with teachers assessing samples of work to agree the level at which pupils are working.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

The provision in information and communication technology is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is taught well and pupils are eager to learn. • Pupils develop good skills in communicating and finding out information using computers and the Internet. • Good self-evaluation has led to good improvement in the school’s provision for information and communication technology since the last inspection. • The co-ordinator has a good awareness of how to develop the subject. • Teachers are making increasingly good use of information and communication technology across the curriculum, although its use is restricted by the availability of resources.

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Commentary

78. The school has developed its provision for information and communication technology well since the last inspection. The school now ensures that all aspects of the National Curriculum are taught, and a national scheme of work is adapted thoughtfully to provide good coverage of the curriculum as well as fitting in with the needs of the school and other subjects. Although not ideal in its shape or location, the establishment of a computer suite, with an adjacent room equipped with an interactive whiteboard, has had a significant impact on the way the subject is taught and has helped pupils to acquire much greater confidence in using computers.

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Commentary

79. Throughout the school, pupils of all capabilities achieve well. Almost all pupils reach the nationally expected standards by the end of Years 2 and 6. Older pupils are developing good skills in communicating and finding out information using computers and the Internet. They are developing a growing awareness of how to present information for a variety of audiences by altering the layout and appearance of the text and incorporating graphic images. Pupils in Year 6, for example, had each produced a page of very attractively presented writing on endangered animals which were being bound together, complete with table of contents, index and glossary, into an attractive reference booklet. Throughout the school, pupils enjoy using new technology and apply themselves well to their tasks. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 increasingly use computers to produce independent work.

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Commentary

80. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Nearly all teachers have a very good command of the subject, which derives from their own good skills in using a computer to help with the planning of lessons and production of teaching materials. They pass on useful techniques to pupils, such as how to save bookmarks to favourite pages on the Internet. The teachers make good use of the two adjacent rooms, using the interactive whiteboard well to conduct the introductory part of each lesson. Whilst all lessons are pitched at a level which takes good account of pupils’ prior experiences, particularly high expectations are evident in some lessons. In a very good lesson in Year 2, for example, Shawley Community Primary School - 34 pupils had to conduct a survey of the views of pupils within the class on a topic of their choosing, decide how to record this information on paper and then use this data to create a pictogram. Pupils set about the task efficiently and enthusiastically, completed

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Commentary

their pictograms within the time limit set by the teacher and had time to explore different ways of producing their chart. The pupils produced much more in one lesson than is the norm in many schools. A relative weakness is the lack of attention given to developing pupils’ keyboard skills, with the result that most pupils take quite a long time to enter text via the keyboard. Older pupils become quite quick using one or two fingers, but no pupils develop a good, efficient technique.

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Commentary

81. The subject is led and managed well. Good self-evaluation has produced an effective analysis of the strengths of the subject and what needs to be done to bring further improvement. It is the subject’s turn for monitoring of teaching in the summer term, and useful preparation for this exercise has already taken place by interviewing pupils about their use of information and communication technology, talking to teachers and scrutinising teachers’ planning. Appropriate action has been taken to rectify any areas identified as relative weaknesses, such as modelling. Good, effective teamwork amongst the staff has helped to promote the development of information and communication technology within the school and there is good informal co-operation amongst the staff to make best use of the available facilities. Resources are adequate, but the fact that the computers are not networked together makes it difficult for pupils to

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Commentary

access work which they have started in the computer suite from within the classroom.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

82. Within the constraints of the resources available to them, teachers make good use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. It is used quite effectively in a number of English lessons, and new software has been acquired to promote its use within mathematics more. Within their planning, teachers are good at finding ways of linking and inter-relating subjects so that the same lesson can be used to develop skills in more than one subject. A personal, social and health education lesson was used, for example, as the medium for teaching pupils how to use object- based graphics, whilst at the same time developing their awareness of other people as they designed a layout for their classroom which would be suitable for a wheelchair user. The digital camera is used to record work in various subjects. Teachers are keen to use the digital projector within their classrooms, but the availability of only one

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

movable digital projector, only one interactive whiteboard and a limited number of laptop computers restricts the wider use of new technology in whole-class teaching.

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HUMANITIES

83. Neither history nor geography were main foci for the inspection and insufficient work was seen in either subject to make a definitive judgement on standards and provision. Three visits were made to history lessons in Years 3 and 4 and one to a geography lesson in Year 1. Samples of pupils’ work were scrutinised.

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HUMANITIES

84. In geography , the well-structured lesson for pupils in Year 1 provided several interesting activities to develop pupils’ understanding of the similarities and differences between two places. However, the tasks were too ambitious for these young pupils who found it hard to relate to places outside their immediate locality.

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HUMANITIES

85. In two of the lessons observed in history , the teaching was very good and pupils made very good progress in learning about ancient Egyptians. Elements of surprise, effective story-telling techniques, the development of a sense of mystery, good opportunities to Shawley Community Primary School - 35 engage in discussion as a class and with partners, and very good use of a range of artefacts were key features which helped to develop a lively interest amongst the pupils. For their part, pupils responded with excitement, but also a good sense of responsibility, to the discussions and exploration of a range of artefacts, all of which helped them to develop their understanding of religious practices amongst the ancient Egyptians.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching is good. The teachers provide good opportunities for discussion which interest the pupils and enable them to make good progress. • Visits to places of interest and an improved range of resources are used well to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding. • The subject co-ordinator leads and manages the subject well and has ensured that issues identified in the previous inspection have been rectified.

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Commentary

86. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards are in line with the expectations of the locally-agreed syllabus and, in some aspects, their knowledge and understanding are good. Although the nature of the school’s intake has changed substantially, and there are currently more less able pupils and those identified with special educational needs in the school, current standards are similar to those during the last inspection. Pupils of all ages and abilities make good progress and achieve well.

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Commentary

87. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good understanding of Christianity and some Bible stories, such as the story of Christmas. Following their visit to the local church, they identify the major features of a church and their significance. Pupils are aware of people in the community who look after them and the importance of their family. By Year 6, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of other religions and cultures. They have a basic understanding of how beliefs affect the lives of people. This aspect, which was highlighted as a weakness in the last report, has been addressed.

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Commentary

88. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Work is well matched to pupils’ abilities and provides them with suitable challenges. The school now has a much better range of artefacts, a weakness noted in the last inspection, and these are used well to develop pupils’ understanding of the subject. The teaching of the subject also makes a good contribution to developing pupils’ multi-cultural understanding, another weakness at the last inspection. The teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to think and to be involved in discussion. In the discussions observed during the inspection, pupils participated well and showed a lively interest. Pupils express enthusiasm for the subject and an interest in different cultures and beliefs. Pupils’ written work, whilst often expressing their own ideas and accounts of other religious practices well, is often poorly presented with grammatical and spelling errors. Teachers’ marking does not routinely

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Commentary

correct errors, neither does it indicate clearly how the work could be improved.

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Commentary

89. The leadership and management of the subject are good. Since her appointment two years ago, the co-ordinator has ensured that a good scheme of work is in place based on the recently produced locally-agreed syllabus. This has ensured a broad curriculum with a good balance between the teaching of Christianity and three other world religions. Weaknesses identified in the previous inspection have been dealt with well, and the Shawley Community Primary School - 36 range of resources available to staff for teaching the subject has improved. The co- ordinator has a clear vision for the future development of the subject.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

90. There was insufficient time on the inspection to inspect all subjects in depth and, as they were not foci for the inspection, the subjects of art and design, design and technology, music and physical education were only sampled. As a result, it is not possible to make a judgement about provision in these subjects. Lessons in physical education were observed in Years 2 and 6, and brief visits were made to two other physical education lessons. A design and technology lesson in Year 6 and an art and design lesson in the mixed-age class for pupils in Years 3 and 4 were observed, as were samples of work in these two subjects. In music, the weekly singing practice for pupils in Key Stage 2 was observed, a brief visit was made to a lesson in Year 5 and recordings of past school performances were heard. The co-ordinators for physical education and music were interviewed.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

91. The teaching in all of the four lessons observed was very good, and there were indications of above average standards and good achievement in each subject. The teaching was characterised by very carefully planned lessons with strong practical elements which kept pupils fully involved, engaged and interested throughout. The teachers set high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, maintained very good control throughout the lessons and ensured that pupils stayed fully on task. Pupils co-operated well in tidying away at the end of the lesson, showing maturity and a good sense of communal responsibility. Very good subject knowledge was evident in each subject, ranging from examples shown by one teacher of studies from her own sketch book, to careful guidance given to pupils as to how to perform a roll safely, and very good knowledge of a wide range of musical instruments. Very good consideration was given

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

to health and safety, for example, regarding the use of saws in design and technology and the moving of large apparatus in physical education. Good opportunities for writing are provided in art and design and design and technology, but staff do not make best use of these opportunities to develop pupils’ writing skills, as they rarely make any comment about the quality of writing, even when pupils make grammatical or spelling mistakes.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

92. In art and design , the lesson observed for pupils in Years 3 and 4 was not only extremely well organised, but drew together very well previous strands of learning from earlier in the term when pupils had studied Aboriginal art and the works of Paul Klee and Lesley Davey. Pupils had not only remembered essential characteristics of their style, but were able to comment knowledgeably about what they were trying to achieve in their production of a piece of layered art. Some of the work in pupils’ sketchbooks shows good teaching of skills, such as the careful use of a grid to produce drawings of animals. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have produced careful observational drawings of a range of multi-cultural instruments, a very good example of the way carefully thought-out planning enriches the teaching of a number of subjects, in this case art, design and technology and music.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

93. The standard of work produced in design and technology in both Years 3 and 4 and in Years 5 and 6 is above that normally found. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 had produced a good variety of models of Roman siege machines, all of very individual design, which had been thoughtfully planned, carefully tested and critically evaluated. An extremely well planned unit of work on bridges provided pupils in Years 5 and 6 with ample scope for the development of a wide range of skills, starting with Internet-based research to investigate different types of bridges, followed by some very good teaching input on the various ways of constructing bridges, from simple beam bridges through to arch and Shawley Community Primary School - 37 then cantilever bridges. Very good practical activities linked in well with work in science. Pupils were given the task of investigating the effect of force on beam bridges and then testing the principles of cantilever bridges using chairs, lengths of rope and planks. This

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

provided a firm foundation for the main part of the project, which was to construct a bridge of their own design using a range of different structures. Similar thoroughness was being applied to a project to construct musical instruments, which pupils were carrying out with great enthusiasm during the inspection. Whilst much of the work in both projects was of a high standard, the quality of pupils’ presentations did not do full justice to the depth of pupils’ learning. Pupils are, however, learning how to evaluate their own and others’ products. At the end of the lesson, pupils were asked if they had encountered any particular problems and then invited others to suggest solutions. This resulted in some very effective suggestions which neither the teacher nor the pupil voicing the problem had previously considered.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

94. Aspects of music are undoubtedly a strong feature of the school. It was very evident from the singing practice that pupils enjoy opportunities to sing and perform together. Recordings of past school productions show that a significant amount of work is devoted to preparing these occasions for pupils and that high standards are achieved. Every year, a musical evening is held, providing a chance for all who have instrumental tuition to take part in a performance. Major productions are staged at Christmas and every other year in the summer. The choir is very well supported and joins in joint performances with other schools. Through her expertise, the co-ordinator provides very good help for other staff. The quality and quantity of resources has improved since the last inspection, especially with regard to multi-cultural resources.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

95. In physical education , the standards observed in gymnastics in Years 2 and 6 were above those normally found. In Year 2, a third of the pupils showed an above average level of skill in their ability to perform a forward roll and create and maintain a balance. Good progress through the school is evident from the performance of pupils in Year 6 who were ambitious in their movements, rolls and balances, with the more able pupils consistently showing precision, control and fluency in their movements. Particularly good features of the lesson in Year 6 were the way the teacher got pupils to reflect on their performance to see how they could improve and, at another stage in the lesson, asked pupils to work in pairs, observing each other and giving critical feedback. In this lesson, the teacher also provided very good support for the least able pupils, helping them to improve and enabling them to gain a sense of achievement. Swimming is a

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

particularly strong point throughout the school. Children are taught to swim as soon as they join the school, and all classes have one and a half terms of swimming lessons. By the end of Year 6, all pupils meet the minimum expected standard, and many swim long distances using a variety of strokes, and have a good understanding of water safety. The school aims to provide two hours a week of physical education, in line with the government’s expectations, and there are good opportunities for involvement in extra- curricular sport. Accommodation for physical education is good, with an adequately sized hall, good hard-surfaced areas, a very large playing field and a covered swimming pool, although the condition of the latter is a cause of some concern. The school grounds are also used to hold district sports events. The subject leadership in physical education is very good. The co-ordinator has a good understanding of the subject,

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

identifies areas for development accurately and takes appropriate action for improvement.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

96. Not enough was seen to be able to report in detail or to provide an overall judgement about provision in personal, social and health education. It is evident, however, that the school has a thoughtful and considered approach to this aspect of the pupils’ education Shawley Community Primary School - 38 and that it has a number of good initiatives. A good, comprehensive scheme of work for personal, social and health education has been written by the co-ordinator and is followed by all classes. The scheme ensures all pupils have the opportunity to discuss and learn about a wide range of topics, but allows sufficient flexibility for staff to deal with important personal issues as and when they arise. All classes have a weekly lesson for this aspect of the curriculum, often incorporating a circle time, and evidence from the few lessons observed during the inspection shows that these are conducted well and

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

that pupils participate with interest and enthusiasm. Major themes are reinforced well through school assemblies, notices and displays in the classrooms, and indicate a consistent caring approach. The school operates a school council where elected members of each class meet to share ideas and concerns about the school. In this way, the school has a good mechanism for listening to and taking account of pupils’ views. The school has recently started an initiative to develop pupils’ thinking skills. Although this initiative is still in the early stages of development, indications so far are that it is already having a positive impact on pupils’ approach to work. Shawley Community Primary School - 39

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 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 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 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 2 The governance of the school 1 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Shawley Community Primary School - 40

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