Sheddingdean Community Primary School

Sheddingdean Community Primary School

Dates of inspection: 9 th – 12 th February 2004

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Sheddingdean Community Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Sheddingdean 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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Sheddingdean Community Primary School

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Sheddingdean 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: 198

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Petworth Drive Burgess Hill West Sussex Postcode: RH15 8JT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01444 246532 Fax number: 01444 230045

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 30/ 03/1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Sheddingdean is about the same size as other primary schools with 198 pupils on roll. There are roughly equal numbers of boys and girls overall, but there is considerable imbalance in some year groups. The school admits pupils in the September prior to their fifth birthday. Children who are five during the autumn term attend full-time, but those who are not five until the spring or summer terms begin on a part-time basis. Those who are five during the spring term begin full-time education after the autumn half-term, while those who are five in the summer term start full-time in January. Pupils have a wide range of abilities when they start school, but overall their attainment is average. Pupils come from a wide range of social backgrounds and an average proportion is entitled to free school meals. The vast majority of pupils are white British, but a small number are of mixed race or other races. Most of these pupils have English as their mother tongue, although a very few are at an early

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

stage of learning English. An average proportion of pupils are identified as having special educational needs, but more pupils than is usual have a Statement of Special Educational Need. Most of the pupils receiving additional help have moderate learning difficulties or difficulties with speech and communication. The movement of pupils to and from the school other than at the usual times of starting and leaving is below average. Teacher mobility in the recent past has been high as staff have moved on for promotion. Three of the four teachers in the junior classes, including the deputy head, have only been at the school for one term. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

12301 Mrs J Boden Lead inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Geography Educational inclusion 32698 Mr S Barker Lay inspector 31334 Mrs B Atcheson Team inspector The Foundation Stage 1 Mathematics History Religious education 21090 Mr D Manuel Team inspector English English as an additional language Information and communication technology Citizenship Music Physical education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also includes knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 30

Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a satisfactory school. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall . Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall but not always good enough in Year 2. As a result, pupils in Key Stage 1 do not achieve as well as they should. Pupils in the rest of the school achieve at a satisfactory rate. Higher-attaining pupils could do better. They do not always achieve as well as they should because they are not stretched. The school provides satisfactory value for money .

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Children get off to a good start to their education in the reception class. • The teaching in Year 2 is unsatisfactory overall, although it is good in English. • Standards in science are well below average at the end of Key Stage 1. • Pupils behave well, act responsibly and have positive attitudes to their work. • Pupils with special educational needs are supported well. • The school has a very effective partnership with parents, which supports learning well. • At age 11, standards in science and music are above those expected. • The school does not analyse national test results rigorously enough. • Teachers do not always use assessment information to match work accurately to the needs of higher-attaining pupils. • The curriculum and the quality of teaching and learning are not monitored rigorously enough.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has improved at a satisfactory rate since the last inspection. Most of the key issues in the last report have been tackled successfully. The quality of teaching and learning has improved, particularly in English and mathematics. Overall standards are rising as more pupils reach the higher levels in national tests. However, the pace of improvement has been limited recently by the high turnover of staff and the ensuing difficulties of seeing inherited plans through to fruition. Standards in science at the end of Key Stage 1 have fallen. The school acknowledges the continuing need for more rigorous monitoring of the curriculum and teaching.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English E B D D Mathematics D C C C Science C D B A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory . Reception class children achieve well in personal and social, creative and physical development and are on course to exceed the goals expected in these areas by the time they enter Year 1. They achieve at a satisfactory rate in language, mathematical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. Although most children are on course to reach the early learning goals 2 in these areas, some of the younger children will not do so because of the short time they are in reception. Overall achievement is satisfactory in Key Stages 1 and 2. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are average in Year 2, but standards in science are well below average. Although the table indicates below average standards in English by the end of Year 6, this is no longer the case. Standards now are average in English and

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OVERALL EVALUATION

2 These are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the foundation stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 7 mathematics, and above average in science. Standards in all three subjects are rising, with more pupils on course to reach higher levels in their national tests compared to recent years. Pupils with special educational needs do well for their capabilities. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve at a satisfactory rate.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness is satisfactory . Moral development is very good . Pupils behave well and they have good attitudes to their work. They get on well together and treat each other and adults with respect. Attendance is satisfactory .

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. The teaching in the reception class is good overall, and most of the teaching in the rest of the school is satisfactory with significant strengths in Key Stage 2. A common feature of lessons in Key Stage 2 is that teachers expect pupils to work hard and ask a lot of them. However, throughout the school, teachers do not always demand enough of higher-attaining pupils who could do more. The very good links with parents contribute well to pupils’ learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. Pupils enjoy a good variety of activities outside lessons. Provision in music is very good. Pupils use their literacy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills effectively across other subjects. Staff know the pupils very well, and all adults have the best interests of the children at heart.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory . The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership and is committed to raising standards through improved provision and teaching. His management is satisfactory overall. However, although he has identified weaknesses in teaching in Year 2, they have not been tackled successfully. The under-achievement by girls has not been picked up and acted upon. Leadership by key staff is satisfactory . The recent appointments of key staff, including the deputy, are proving effective in raising standards. Most of the co-ordinators have only had their responsibilities for one term, but they have a clear idea of what improvements are needed. Their management, although satisfactory overall is hampered by the fact that they are not given enough opportunities to monitor teaching and learning effectively and so influence standards. Governance is satisfactory . Governors are now much more involved in

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

reviewing standards and monitoring the work of the school. They have a clear understanding of what the school does well and what it needs to do to improve. Good relationships exist between staff and governors. The overall result is that the school has the capacity to improve further.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents think highly of the school. They are especially pleased that the school involves them more in their children’s education than was previously the case. They value the school’s ‘open door’ policy and the friendliness of staff. Pupils share their parents’ enthusiasm, especially in relation to the practical activities in lessons. However, many of the children are not confident that their views are listened to.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards in science at the end of Year 2. • Improve the quality of teaching in Year 2. • Make better use of assessment information and test performance analysis to match work more accurately to the needs of girls and higher attaining pupils. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall. Children in the reception class achieve well . Although many do not start school until January, most reach the standards expected for their age in their personal and social development and in the creative and physical areas of learning by the end of their reception year. Most of the older children are on course to reach the early learning goals in language and mathematical development and in their knowledge and understanding of the world. A significant proportion of the younger children will not attain the standards expected in these areas because of the short time they are in school on a full-time basis. Achievement by pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall. Pupils are on course to reach the expected standards in English and mathematics. Although boys have performed better than girls in tests at age 11 over recent years, the work seen in pupils’ books during the inspection did not indicate any significant

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

difference in the achievement of boys and girls.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall standards are rising with more pupils achieving higher levels in English and mathematics. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well because of the good support they receive. • Pupils achieve well in music. • Pupils in Key Stage 1 do not achieve well enough in science. • Higher-attaining pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 do not always achieve as well as they could. • In national tests, girls do not achieve as well as girls nationally.

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Commentary

1. Children in the reception class get off to a very good start. They achieve well in personal and social, creative and physical development. They achieve at a satisfactory rate in language and mathematical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. The reason they do so well is that the teacher tracks each individual child regularly and keeps a very careful check on their learning. Activities are matched well to children’s needs and pitched at the right level to take learning forward.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 15.3 (14.3) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 14.7 (13.4) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 16.1 (16.0) 16.3 (16.5) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. In the tests for seven-year-olds, overall standards in reading fell significantly in 2001 to well below average. They picked up in 2003, but were still below average when compared to all schools and to similar schools. The performance of boys and girls has fluctuated, but overall boys have been doing better than girls. Unusually, pupils have performed better in writing than in reading for the past three years. The 2003 test results show that they reached average standards compared to all schools and to similar schools. Again, boys have achieved better than girls for the past two years. Test results in mathematics have been consistently below average for the past four years. In 2003 they were below average when compared with schools nationally and with similar schools. Once again boys performed better than girls. Taking Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 9 reading, writing and mathematics together the school has not kept pace with the rate of

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Commentary

3. Inspection evidence indicates that the school has focused effectively on raising standards in English and mathematics. Most pupils are achieving at a satisfactory rate and are on course to reach the levels expected for their age by the end of Year 2. Although past test results have indicated under achievement by girls, this is not the case now. Standards in science are well below average. Achievement at the end of Year 2 is unsatisfactory for all groups of pupils. Although they get off to a good start in reception and Year 1, learning slows significantly in Year 2 because the teaching is unsatisfactory and not enough work is covered.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.2 (27.8) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.2 (27.2) 26.8 (26.7) Science 29.8 (28.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Standards in English at age 11 have fluctuated for the past four years. Compared to all schools and to schools with pupils who attained similarly at the end of Year 2 there has been an overall downward trend. In 2003, test results were below average compared to all schools and to similar schools. Taking the performance of boys over the past three years, their performance was in line with that of boys nationally. However, the girls’ performance over the same period was nearly a whole year below that of girls nationally. The reason that overall standards have been so low is that, while a broadly average percentage of pupils have reached the expected level, not enough pupils have reached the higher level. Inspection evidence is that through sharper teaching pupils are achieving at a satisfactory rate and more pupils are now on target to reach the higher level. Most pupils have good speaking and listening skills. Higher-attaining

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Commentary

pupils do not achieve as well as they could in writing because they are not challenged enough.

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Commentary

5. Achievement in mathematics is satisfactory overall. Boys do better than girls and much better than boys nationally while girls do not perform as well as girls nationally. Possible reasons for this, observed during the inspection, are that boys concentrate better in lessons and that, when girls are outnumbered by boys they tend to take a back seat. Overall standards are in line with those in schools nationally and in similar schools. An average percentage of pupils reached the higher level in the 2003 national tests. Inspection evidence indicates that this will be repeated in the forthcoming tests.

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Commentary

6. Standards in science have fluctuated from year to year. The 2003 test results for 11-year-olds show a significant improvement with above average standards compared to all schools nationally and well above average standards compared to similar schools. Again boys do much better than girls. There was no evidence of this during the inspection, although girls tended to let boys dominate the practical activities. Achievement is satisfactory. Pupils have good knowledge of scientific facts. The newly-appointed co-ordinator has identified that pupils are not as good as they should be in planning and carrying out their own investigations. As is the case in English, higher-attaining pupils do not always achieve as well as they could because they are not challenged to do things for themselves.

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Commentary

7. Achievement in ICT is satisfactory and pupils at both key stages reach the standards expected. The school has kept pace with the raised national expectations. The school makes very good provision for music, and this leads to good achievement, especially by those pupils who have extra tuition. Pupils throughout the school reach the standards expected in the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 10 8. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support from teachers and learning support assistants and this enables them to make good progress towards their targets. In relation to their prior attainment levels, they achieve as well as other pupils. Their achievement is supported well by the school’s arrangements for in-class support and particularly in sessions when they are withdrawn for specific help with the special needs co-ordinator. In observed sessions, pupils from different year groups were seen working successfully on tasks

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Commentary

planned carefully to meet their individual needs in a range of academic skills and in social and physical development.

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Commentary

9. The very small number of pupils from minority ethnic groups are fully integrated into the school and achieve well, most attaining expected levels A very few pupils who are at an early stage of learning to speak English also make good progress and achieve their full potential.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to their work and towards others in the school are good and they behave well . Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory. Pupils get on well together and the school is free from bullying. There have been no exclusions.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the Foundation Stage settle well into school routines and learn to work and play together. • Pupils’ moral development is very good. • Pupils are confident and use their initiative. • The school has good procedures in place for monitoring attendance and punctuality.

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Commentary

10. The very good induction procedures for children starting in the reception class enable the children to feel secure and look forward to starting school. They get to know the staff through visits and so they settle quickly into school routines. Adults are always on hand to support children in learning to work and play together.

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Commentary

11. Standards of behaviour throughout the school are good. This is a similar picture to the findings of the previous inspection. Parents support this view and feel that the teachers set good examples. They believe that rare instances of bullying are always dealt with quickly. Pupils agree that generally, everyone in the school is friendly and that pupils help each other. Pupils move about the school in a quiet orderly fashion. They like school and enjoy taking part in all that it has to offer. Playtimes are pleasant social occasions. All staff work hard to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs enjoy the same good relationships with adults as other pupils. As a result, they have positive attitudes to their work and are keen to do well. Pupils respect and care for each other and this encourages those who are less confident and raises their self-esteem.

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Commentary

12. With behaviour as it should be pupils are able to concentrate on their work, become interested in what they are doing and have fun. This was evident in many lessons and it was very clear that attitudes to learning are positive. Pupils work hard because they like their teachers and want to please them. Pupils who find it difficult to behave well enjoy very good individual support from teaching assistants, which keeps them on track so that they feel the same sense of achievement as other pupils at the end of a lesson.

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Commentary

13. Pupils are generally self-assured, are older pupils show initiative, for example, raising funds for the RSPCA and Blue Peter appeals. The development of pupils’ self-knowledge and spiritual awareness is satisfactory. Assembly discussion and personal social and health education help pupils to understand their emotions and feelings and their impact on others. However, there is Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 11 no planned provision for the development of this area. Pupils recognise the value of learning from their mistakes as a result of the very positive relationships with teachers.

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Commentary

14. Pupils’ have a very good understanding of right and wrong. The school promotes racial and religious harmony well through religious education, where pupils learn about other faiths. Assemblies contain stories with moral themes and topical issues are discussed. Pupils negotiate their own class rules with their class teacher.

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Commentary

15. Pupils’ understanding of how to fulfil their responsibilities of living in the school community is effective. They relate well to each other, working co-operatively and collaboratively when required. They help each other and show respect for people, other living things and the environment. Older pupils look after younger pupils and undertake responsibilities to help the smooth running of the school.

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Commentary

16. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils learn a sense of the wider world through subjects such as geography, history and religious education. They know that there are different beliefs in the world and that this makes people behave in different ways. The school prepares pupils well for life in a multi-cultural society by the encouragement of tolerance of all.

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Attendance

17. The school keeps a careful check on attendance and punctuality and any issues are promptly and effectively followed up with parents and carers. Every opportunity is taken through written and verbal communications to emphasise the importance of regular and timely attendance.

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.0 School data 0.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory . Teaching and learning are at their best in the reception class where the curriculum is rich and varied. The curriculum in the rest of the school is satisfactory, and there is a good range of extra-curricular activities. The very good links with parents contribute well to pupils’ learning.

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Teaching and learning

Although the teaching seen during the inspection was mostly good or very good, the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning over time is satisfactory . Teachers plan and prepare their lessons very well, so that no time is wasted. The teachers’ lively approach fosters good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. Although most teachers assess pupils’ work thoroughly, they do not always use what they know to match work accurately enough to the pupils’ needs. They do not challenge higher- attaining pupils enough.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good, and sometimes outstanding teaching in the reception class. • The teaching of mathematics, science and geography in Year 2 is unsatisfactory. • Most teachers adopt a confident and lively approach that captures pupils’ interest at the start of lessons. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 12 • Teachers do not always use assessment information well enough to match work accurately to pupils’ needs. • Higher-attaining pupils are not always challenged enough. • Teachers’ marking does not always show pupils how to improve their work. • Teachers plan lessons in great detail and identify exactly what pupils are going to learn. • Support staff are used efficiently to help lower-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs to join in with lessons. • The good relationships between staff and pupils lead to good behaviour and a keenness to learn.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 27 lessons

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Main strengths and weaknesses

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

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Commentary

18. Teaching has improved since the previous inspection. There is now much more good and very good teaching and learning. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection. In the reception class, the teaching was consistently very good. Here the children enjoy a wide range of interesting and well-planned activities. The teacher keeps a very careful check on how well each child is doing and focuses activities well to take their learning forward. The result is that children achieve well in the short time they are in the class.

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Commentary

19. Most teachers are confident in their subject knowledge, and this enables them to stimulate pupils’ interest with imaginative approaches to lessons. In Key Stage 1, however, while teaching is satisfactory overall, it is not always sharp enough in Year 2. Pupils build well on their learning in Year 1, but their progress slows in Year 2 because the teaching lacks challenge, particularly for the higher-attaining pupils. Although all the lessons seen in this class during the inspection were satisfactory because of the support provided by other adults, the evidence from work in pupils’ books is that the teaching is unsatisfactory overall, although it is good in English. The main weaknesses are that not enough work is covered, the work is pitched far too low and the marking is poor. This means that pupils in this class do not build on what they already know. The learning is more challenging in the older age classes and

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Commentary

progress picks up again. Although most teachers mark and assess pupils’ work carefully, they do not always use the information they have to stretch higher-attaining pupils. While most marking gives pupils good pointers for improvement, this is not always the case in Year 2.

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Commentary

20. Teachers plan and prepare their lessons well, so no teaching time is lost. They use a good range of stimulating resources to keep pupils interested and involved, particularly at the start of mathematics lessons. They are good at explaining to pupils exactly what they are going to learn, and pause at timely intervals to check that the intended learning is taking place. This leads to overall good learning in most lessons. Where learning is satisfactory overall as opposed to good, it is usually because higher-attaining pupils are not being stretched. Sometimes it is because a shortage of resources means that groups are too large for all pupils to be actively involved and they drift off task.

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Commentary

21. Most teachers use questions well to draw out what pupils already know, and make them think to take their learning forward. The challenge to pupils to explain their answers helps them to consolidate their ideas. In a very few cases, teachers are too quick to supply answers instead of making pupils think for themselves. When pupils have difficulty in understanding, teachers are very supportive and lead them forward in small steps to a better understanding. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 13 22. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support in classes and very good extra support from the special needs co-ordinator. This support helps them to improve their understanding, to complete the tasks set and to make good progress. Teachers and assistants focus clearly on the particular needs of these pupils helping them to meet their individual targets. They are calm and patient and are clearly aware of pupils’ emotional and

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Commentary

physical needs while supporting them academically. The good support provided by learning support assistants contributes significantly to the good progress made by these pupils. The support given by the special educational needs co-ordinator in withdrawal sessions is very good and her very detailed knowledge of each pupil helps her to provide very sensitive challenge to help pupils improve and gain confidence.

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Commentary

23. Teachers value all pupils equally and carefully identify those who are disadvantaged or need additional support in order to achieve their full potential. This includes the pupils who are at an early stage of learning English, who achieve at a satisfactory rate as a result of such support. Staff help pupils throughout the school to develop good attitudes to work and to act responsibly.

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The curriculum

The curriculum provides a satisfactory range of learning opportunities that cater for the interests, aptitudes and particular needs of pupils. There is a good range of after-school activities. The accommodation is satisfactory and resources are good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for children in the Foundation Stage gives them a good start in school. • Planning identifies good links to extend literacy, numeracy and ICT skills in other subjects. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The curriculum provides insufficient challenge for higher-attaining pupils. • The quality of extra-curricular activities is good.

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Commentary

24. The school’s provision is securely based on the National Curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Provision for children in the reception class is particularly good because it provides a wide range of well-thought-out activities that make learning fun. Provision for personal, social, health education and citizenship, including sex education and drugs awareness, is good. Carefully planned and sequenced activities encourage pupils to develop good approaches to understanding feelings and to be aware of personal safety. Programmes of learning successfully prepare pupils for the next stages in their education and all statutory requirements are met.

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Commentary

25. Teachers’ planning makes good use of national guidance and identifies good links between subjects to make learning more meaningful for pupils. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are reinforced well through the planned links with other subjects. Particularly good examples were seen of planning in Years 4, 5 and 6 which identified how literacy, numeracy and ICT could support and extend learning in other subjects. The individual subject expertise of teachers contributes effectively to the strengths in planning. Schemes of work are now in place for all subjects, a weakness at the time of the previous inspection. However, there is insufficient provision for the needs of the higher-attaining pupils. With the arrival of three new teaching staff last September, there has been improvement in this area and the school is aware of the need to improve this further.

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Commentary

26. Provision and planning for supporting pupils with special educational needs are good and fully comply with the Code of Practice. Teachers and teaching assistants carefully adapt work to meet the specific needs of individuals, including their academic, personal, social and physical needs. Good liaison is planned by the special educational needs co-ordinator who works very Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 14 closely with staff and pupils and provides very sensitive and very effective support. This support follows the learning of their respective classes, improves their attitudes and responses to learning and enables them to achieve well in relation to their set targets.

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Commentary

27. The school provides a good range of after-school activities that are well attended by boys and girls. Educational visits are planned carefully to support and extend learning and include residential visits for pupils in Years 5, linked to geography field studies, and in Year 6, linked to outdoor activities. The curriculum is enriched through a good range of visits and visitors, particularly in music and sport, and provision contributes effectively to pupils’ personal development and encourages them to take responsibility and initiative.

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Commentary

28. The quantity and quality of resources are good and are used well to support pupils’ learning, particularly in ICT where the effective use of a wide range of technology contributes to pupils’ good achievement. Resources in the Foundation Stage are very good and support children’s development in all areas of learning. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. There is good use made of the computer suite and the hall resulting in good teaching and learning, for example, in ICT and music. However, there is limited space for the library, which restricts opportunities for pupils’ independent research and limited field space for practical activities and sport. This restricts inter-school competition and means that sports day is held at another site. The school is preparing plans to improve these limitations.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides good care for all its pupils. Staff provide satisfactory guidance and support for pupils’ learning and personal development. The involvement of pupils in the work of the school is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good procedures in place for ensuring children new to school feel happy and secure. • Children in the reception class are very well cared for. • Monitoring of pupils’ work is inconsistent and does not guarantee that all pupils receive effective support and guidance. • The school has good procedures in place to monitor pupils’ health and safety. • The school does not take pupils’ views into account enough.

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Commentary

29. The care and support shown to children in the reception class is a strength of the school. Staff get to know children very well before they start school because of the very good induction arrangements. There is a well-structured programme of visits to the school. This ensures that by the time children start in the reception class they know their teacher and classroom support assistants well, and feel happy and secure. Staff in the reception class establish very good relationships with the children, which are continued as pupils move through the school. Pupils feel that they can always talk through any problems or concerns with a teacher.

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Commentary

30. The headteacher and staff are very aware of the importance of meeting the needs of individuals. Pupils with special educational needs, therefore, are identified early in their school lives. This is reflected in the very good provision made for them in reception and ensures that they continue to receive good levels of support throughout the school. Individual learning plans are of good quality and are very detailed. They are reviewed and updated regularly and teachers and support staff keep a close eye on progress. Very good liaison takes place between teachers and the special educational needs co-ordinator. As a result, they know these pupils well and have a clear awareness of their strengths and weaknesses. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 15 31. Monitoring of pupils’ work is not consistent throughout the school. This means that while some pupils get good guidance in improving their work others are not clear about what they have to

p.14

Commentary

32. Health and safety are given a high priority. Governors and the headteacher are vigilant in ensuring all aspects of school life are regularly monitored in order to ensure that all pupils learn and staff work in a healthy, safe and secure environment. Teachers are very aware of risks within the classroom and take great care in ensuring pupils’ safety. A teacher in a science lesson in Year 4, in an experiment on heat conductivity, went to great lengths to explain the potential danger involved in using very hot water and clearly explained the safety rules to be followed during the lesson.

p.15

Commentary

33. The recently-formed school council gives pupils a voice in school and enables them to see their views being acted upon. It meets twice a term, but the children interviewed had little knowledge of its role.

p.15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents, who praise it highly. Links with the community and those with partner schools are good overall.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school keeps parents very well-informed about what their children are learning. • The school regularly consults parents and acts upon their views. • Effective links with feeder nursery schools and other pre-school providers ensure a smooth transition into the school.

p.15

Commentary

34. The school works very effectively in partnership with parents to support pupils’ learning. Parents are regularly consulted on a range of issues. The school has used questionnaires well to find out what parents think about all aspects of school life and has responded well to parents’ views, particularly in respect of improving communications. Parents and carers receive very good quality information on the curriculum and are kept very well informed on school life in general. The half-termly newsletter In the Know gives parents a valuable insight into curriculum issues and offers very good advice and guidance to parents on supporting their children’s learning. Regular communication from class teachers ensures that parents always know what their children are currently learning in each subject. Home-school links for pupils whose home language is not English are good. When required, translation and interpreting

p.15

Commentary

facilities are provided. This enables the families involved to be fully informed about their children’s learning and progress.

p.15

Commentary

35. The school’s effective links with local nursery schools and other pre-school providers contribute very well to the wellbeing of children starting in the reception class. There is a good dialogue between the reception staff and the staff from the nurseries and pre-school groups. This means that the reception staff have all the necessary information to help the children to settle into school.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher provides satisfactory leadership. The leadership of other key staff and overall management are satisfactory. The governance of the school is satisfactory.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has successfully achieved his early targets following his appointment. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 16 • There is good teamwork and commitment by the staff to achieve the school’s priorities. • There is insufficiently rigorous monitoring of teaching, the curriculum and assessment, and the performance of different groups of pupils. • The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good. • The co-ordinator for special educational needs leads and manages initiatives well. • Governors are now more involved in the work of the school. • The overall efficiency and financial controls of the school are good.

p.15

Commentary

36. The leadership and management of the headteacher are satisfactory. Following his appointment just over two years ago, the headteacher identified key areas for improvement. These were to improve relationships with parents and to involve governors more fully in the work of the school. These targets have been achieved successfully. The appointment, just over one term ago, of three new staff has been very effective and the headteacher is building a new team with the delegation of a range of responsibilities and the development of the shared vision for the work of the school. There is a clear commitment to raising standards through improved provision and teaching. New initiatives are beginning to take effect but monitoring of the curriculum and teaching are not rigorous enough yet to ensure greater consistency. This was an identified weakness at the time of the previous inspection and requires further

p.16

Commentary

initiatives in the light of the recent staff changes. The performance of different groups of pupils in national tests is not analysed closely enough. As a result, the school has been unaware that girls in both key stages have been consistently under achieving in English and mathematics for the past three years. Although inspection evidence indicates that this is not the case now, the school should make more detailed and focused analyses.

p.16

Commentary

37. The headteacher is well supported by his deputy, one of the new appointments, and by other key staff. Their particular skills are evident in the efficient management of their areas of responsibility at this early stage. However, there are still insufficient opportunities for co- ordinators to observe teaching and learning in their subjects to identify good practice and share this with all staff. The school is aware of this weakness. Performance Management is fully established, meets requirements and has been effective in bringing about the recent improvements. The school improvement plan outlines relevant school priorities, such as the need to raise standards in writing and reading.

p.16

Commentary

38. The Foundation Stage is very well led and managed by the co-ordinator. Very good planning provides a good range of interesting and often exciting activities which provide all children with a good start to their schooling. The leadership and management of the school’s arrangements for pupils with special educational needs are good. The co-ordinator is an experienced teacher who is committed to further improvement of the school’s provision. Her very good knowledge and understanding of each pupil’s needs helps her to provide very sensitive support and includes continuing to refine teachers’ and teaching assistants’ expertise.

p.16

Commentary

39. The governing body provides satisfactory support for all aspects of the school’s work. Governors have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They are now involved in evaluating performance data and monitoring the school’s priorities for improvement related to identified strengths and weaknesses. These are improvements since the previous inspection when their role in the strategic management of the school was under-developed. Progress towards the school’s targets is monitored effectively. There are good relationships between governors and senior staff. The governing body complies with all statutory requirements.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003 Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 17 Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 480,148 Balance from previous year 15,875 Total expenditure 451,906 Balance carried forward to the next 28,416 Expenditure per pupil 2,226

p.16

Financial information

40. The overall efficiency of the school is good, an improvement on the sound procedures found at the time of the previous inspection. The headteacher, governors and bursar have developed well-structured procedures that effectively support the school’s educational priorities. Good use is made of new technology in all aspects of school life to improve efficiency levels and to support the curriculum. Specific funding, such as the national funding for ICT, has been used efficiently and resources acquired are used well to support teaching and learning. The large carry-forward figure includes earmarked funding for the provision of a secure outdoor learning area for children in the reception class. This has now been completed.

p.17

Financial information

41. The school applies the principles of best value for money well. Full consideration is given to alternative providers for services and resources in order to acquire cost effectiveness. Money is spent efficiently to improve the quality of education provided. The school’s day-to-day financial controls and procedures are good, enabling the close monitoring and evaluation of spending decisions. The most recent financial audit took place a year ago and acknowledged the well-maintained financial controls. The school provides satisfactory value for money. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good .

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. Children are prepared well for their transition from pre-school provision to reception and settle in quickly. While attainment on entry covers the whole range, overall it is broadly in line with expectations of children the same age. Children achieve well in their personal and social, creative, and physical development. By the time they enter Year 1, most children have exceeded the nationally expected early learning goals in these areas of learning. In communication, language and literacy, mathematical understanding, and knowledge and understanding of the world, they achieve at a satisfactory rate. Most of the older children are on course to reach the early learning goals in these areas by the end of their reception year. Many children have only two terms in reception and this limits the progress they are able to make. In the current class, a third of the children have been in school for only a very short time, and a

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

significant proportion of these will not reach the expected levels. The quality of teaching is good overall, although during the inspection it was consistently very good. Very effective cross- curricular work helps children to make secure links in learning. Very good planning provides a wealth of exciting activities. Highly effective assessment, monitoring and tracking of children, ensures that all children benefit from their experiences in the secure welcoming atmosphere of the class. The accommodation is good and benefits from a shared open plan area for role-play and group activities and there is a new, well-planned outdoor area, providing a rich learning environment outdoors as well as indoors. Children with special educational needs achieve well because of the good support they receive. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good.

p.18

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff are very skilful at planning stimulating experiences to capture the children’s interest. • Adults provide very good role models of caring and considerate behaviour. • Children are given choices in many activities to help them learn to play and become more independent. • All staff have very good knowledge of the children’s needs and give this area of learning high priority in all teaching plans.

p.18

Commentary

43. The quality of teaching is very good, and by the end of their reception year most children are on course to exceed the early learning goal in this area. Skilful planning helps children to achieve well through a good range of activities that make learning fun. These help the children develop concentration skills so that they sustain attention and remain on task for often quite extensive periods of time. Staff work hard to reinforce good learning attitudes. Good questioning skills encourage children to make links in learning and to work things out for themselves within a well-structured framework for learning. Children are well trained to tidy up after activities. They learn about hygiene as they wash their hands after they have been gardening. Children are happy in school and join in activities eagerly. They willingly undertake responsibilities such as taking the register to the office. They play well together in a wide variety of activities, planned to

p.18

Commentary

develop increasing co-operation in games and lessons. As a result children become more involved and confident in learning. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 19

p.18

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff model the use of language effectively as a tool for thinking. • Very good cross-curricular links reinforce learning.

p.19

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching is good. Adults take plenty of opportunities to talk to children and help them when necessary to frame their answers. The good attention paid to speaking, listening, reading and writing enables the children to make steady and consistent gains in all aspects of language. By the end of their reception year, most of the older children are on course to reach the standards expected of children the same age, and a small minority will exceed them. However, only a small proportion of the younger children will reach the levels expected in reading and writing because of the short time they have been in school. With the exception of a small minority of children with special educational needs, most children speak clearly, audibly and with confidence. Good questioning skills enable children to reflect and structure their thinking. Very good relationships give pupils confidence to respond. Children recognise their

p.19

Commentary

names and all can either write their names or make good attempts to copy them. Adults constantly emphasise letter sounds in their teaching and good direct teaching with constant positive reinforcement gives pupils enormous confidence as they learn to recognise the initial letters of common words. Building on this secure learning, the children immediately relate new sounds to words, for example, ’er’ in the title of the big book, Jasper’s Beanstalk . All the children are enthusiastic writers. They use the correct pencil grip and most form recognisable letters, which they link to the correct letter sound. Regular story times increase children’s awareness of books and their enjoyment of stories. Higher attaining children have good opportunities to develop early reading and writing skills and to extend the range of their speaking skills.

p.19

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Difficult ideas are taught in a highly effective way. • Well-planned, interesting practical activities support learning effectively.

p.19

Commentary

45. Teaching is good. Despite the fact that a significant proportion of younger children are in reception for such a short time, most children are on course to reach the goals expected in this area of learning. Children’s learning is made both exciting and enjoyable. Through the very good use of a puppet, for example, children learn to order numbers to ten. Staff frequently use the outside area to play games with individuals or small groups to consolidate learning, involving them in counting on and adding to develop the use of mathematical terms in real situations. Very good direct teaching enables lower-attaining children to succeed in counting accurately by matching one to one. Imaginative use of resources reinforces this newly acquired skill. In well-directed investigations, such as to find which is heavier, a small pot of earth or a very large bag of cotton wool balls, effective questioning helps children to use

p.19

Commentary

language as a tool to extend their reasoning. Children are then given time to experiment to find the meaning of ‘heavier than’ for themselves and so secure this stage in their understanding in preparation for the move to understanding that ‘bigger than’ does not always mean ‘heavier than’. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 20

p.19

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good. Provision for religious education is good.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children enjoy a wide range of interesting activities that give them an increasing number of experiences of their own world. • Staff use questioning very effectively to enhance the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world about them. • Children have good access to tools and resources.

p.20

Commentary

46. Teaching and learning are good. As with language and mathematical development, most of the older children are on course to reach the expected goals in this area. Although younger children make good progress, they are not on course to reach the level expected because of their limited time in school. A good variety of relevant and interesting activities is planned to stimulate children’s curiosity and enhance their understanding. Very imaginatively planned activities, such as role-play planting artificial flowers in a tray full of peat, support learning well. A group of children planting beans with the teaching assistant were given the opportunity to examine the parts of a plant. Through her skilful use of questioning and sensitive interaction by the teaching assistant, these children gained an awareness of the changes that would take place as their bean grew. Very good links across the curriculum are made as children write

p.20

Commentary

their names on labels for the beans and write messages to accompany the bouquets that are then delivered by children who pedal the wheeled toys that are designated as the florist’s delivery van. The ‘Vet’s Practice’ and the ‘Florist’s Shop’ extend early experiences beyond the home and school, giving children the opportunity to make sense of a widening community. Children sustain interest in computer programs, which meet their needs well. They can use simple programs that involve dragging images across the screen to support their learning in language and mathematics. With support they are learning to draw with the mouse and to save and then print their work.

p.20

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Learning in the outside classroom is planned effectively to give children a rich variety of stimulating activities. • In physical education lessons a very good range of strategies challenge and inspire the learning needs of all children.

p.20

Commentary

47. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and children achieve well. Most children are on course to exceed the expected goals in this area. Children control large toys well. They pedal wheeled toys at speed and change direction as they act as drivers for the florist’s ‘delivery vehicles’. They work well together, taking turns and helping to push when required. In structured lessons children move with confidence and respond well to the challenges from the teacher. Effective direct teaching ensures children are aware of the changes that exercise has on their bodies. The children are encouraged to act responsibly as very carefully selected pairs of children get out the wall bars and ladders. The children display very good levels of control as they travel over, under and through a course of obstacles. All children achieve well, developing Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 21 skills quickly and securely. Children develop their manipulative skills well by handling dough,

p.20

Commentary

scissors and brushes, and manipulate small construction equipment with dexterity.

p.21

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A wide range of imaginatively planned activities extends the children’s experiences. • Skills such as cutting and sticking are developed well and the children’s achievement is good. • Role-play and other well-planned, stimulating activities encourage the children to use their imagination.

p.21

Commentary

48. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Most children are on course to exceed the early learning goals by the time that they enter Year 1, and a significant minority have already exceeded them. A well-planned curriculum encourages children to be creative within a safe environment. Children have access to a wide variety of materials and media, for example, as they explore colour, texture, shape and form and use different tools with safety to create their own ’flowers’. Staff interact sensitively and support role-play effectively so that the story line is kept alive and children develop the skills that enable their creativity to find expression.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are still some inconsistencies between year groups in providing the necessary challenge for higher-attaining pupils. • Improved planning of literacy skills makes good links with other curriculum subjects. • The new co-ordinator has led developments in the subject well.

p.21

Commentary

49. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards are at expected levels in reading, speaking and listening and in writing. These judgements are the same as those at the time of the previous inspection. However, they are an improvement on standards recorded in the national tests results over the past two years, which had deteriorated to be below the national average.

p.21

Commentary

50. The school’s procedures for implementing and adapting the National Literacy Strategy have been satisfactory. Following the significant drop two years ago, the school rightly focused on raising standards in writing by introducing new planning and teaching strategies. Guided writing sessions are included in the main lesson and separate guided reading sessions have been initiated. In Years 1 and 2, pupils begin to explore the differences between written and spoken language and focus on letter sounds and spelling patterns. In Years 3 to 6 suitable links are made between all aspects of learning in language and communication. As a result of these links, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. The school’s assessment and tracking procedures show improvement, particularly in Year 6. Inspection evidence confirms that most pupils make satisfactory progress and the range of attainment in Year 6 is at expected levels.

p.21

Commentary

51. The quality of teaching is now good throughout the school and reflects the improvements in provision for writing and reading. Teachers plan a good range of interesting activities and adjust the pace of learning in relation to the rate of progress by pupils. Relationships are good Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 22 and bring a happy and co-operative spirit to learning activities. Boys and girls attain similar standards due to the focus given to interesting texts and the effective direct teaching of small groups alongside worthwhile activities for the rest of the class. However, with the appointment of three new staff including the new co-ordinator, the need for greater consistency and closer links with assessment procedures has rightly been identified. The co-ordinator has created a new action plan for improving the consistency in teaching and provision and the impact of this is already being seen in Years 4 to 6. An area for further improvement is the use of

p.21

Commentary

assessment information to track pupils’ progress and meet the needs of all pupils, particularly in challenging and extending the higher-attaining pupils. Resources are of good quantity and quality and are used well to support pupils’ learning.

p.22

Commentary

52. Most pupils speak and listen with confidence and make thoughtful contributions to discussions. This was particularly evident in Year 4 when pupils discussed metaphors and similes and in Year 6 when pupils discussed the characters in stories and their motives. All pupils, including higher-attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are suitably involved and challenged at their different levels of capability to achieve their full potential. They speak clearly and include details relevant to the current focus. They express their views confidently knowing that their contributions will be listened to by adults and peers alike.

p.22

Commentary

53. In Years 1 and 2, guided reading sessions are used effectively to focus on key elements such as vocabulary, letter sounds and sentence structure. More capable pupils self-correct their errors and tackle unfamiliar words well. All pupils have good attitudes towards reading and enjoy small group sessions, sharing the enjoyment of stories such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory together at listening stations, gaining a greater enthusiasm for literature. Pupils in Year 6 read independently for enjoyment and for information in other subjects, such as geography, history and religious education. They gain increasing knowledge of authors and confidently discuss events and main characters in stories.

p.22

Commentary

54. Standards in writing have improved and are now at expected levels. Teachers plan a wide range of opportunities to enable pupils to develop their writing skills. Pupils effectively demonstrate different styles of writing, such as instructional text, narrative writing, poetry and character descriptions. A good example of descriptive writing was seen in Year 4 when pupils used metaphors and similes well when writing about the sea . In Year 6, pupils demonstrated good examples of narrative writing when creating their own different beginnings and endings to traditional stories such as Sleeping Beauty .

p.22

Commentary

55. The new co-ordinator has only been in post since last September but already shows good leadership. Her management of the subject is satisfactory, providing good support for colleagues in maintaining the school’s new focus on literacy. Most pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and the very small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language, are beginning to achieve more as a result of the new focused support provided and improvements made.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

56. Teachers plan interesting activities in subjects such as geography and history to consolidate and extend pupils’ literacy skills. There are good links with ICT when whole-class lessons in the computer suite focus on reinforcing key skills in both subjects. Teachers encourage all pupils to share and discuss how they have used their knowledge and skills to complete written tasks successfully. Pupils respond well and their interaction is often productive in improving responses. These experiences help pupils to contribute effectively, orally and in writing, to the different subjects involved. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 23

p.22

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The standard of teaching and learning in Year 2 is not challenging enough to enable pupils to achieve their full potential. • Mental starters are both lively and interactive and contribute well to the pupils’ knowledge of and interest in mathematics. • Girls do not always achieve as well as they could.

p.23

Commentary

57. Standards at the end of both key stages are in line with national expectations. This is similar to the findings of the previous inspection. Pupils start in Year 1 with average standards for their age. Good teaching leads to good progress and pupils achieve well. Work in pupils’ books shows that higher-attaining pupils have already reached the standard expected of seven-year- olds. Despite the good teaching in Year 1, the overall quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is unsatisfactory. In Year 2, progress slows because the teaching is not sharp enough. The marking is unsatisfactory and sometimes work is not marked. Pupils do not, therefore, receive the guidance they need to improve their work. Although achievement is satisfactory overall in Key Stage 1, higher-attaining pupils could do better. In Key Stage 2, teaching is satisfactory with significant strengths. Pupils of all abilities are challenged well and their achievement is

p.23

Commentary

satisfactory. Throughout the school, the achievement of pupils with special educational needs is also satisfactory because of the good support they receive in lessons. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language also achieve satisfactorily.

p.23

Commentary

58. The very recent appointments of three of the four teachers in Key Stage 2 have brought about an improvement in the quality of teaching since the previous inspection, and pupils are learning well as a result. Teachers have a good understanding of the National Strategy for Numeracy and lessons start with oral and mental work. which is lively and interesting and conducted at a good pace. Pupils enjoy these sessions because the good pace keeps them on their toes. In one notable lesson on symmetry in Year 5, in an inspirational introduction, pupils closed their eyes and followed instructions for measuring and cutting in their minds. This captured their interest and they concentrated very hard, finding the work interesting and enjoyable. Most teachers plan with good reference to what pupils have learnt before and the well-prepared resources mean lessons start briskly. All except one lesson seen during the inspection were at

p.23

Commentary

least good and two were very good. Teachers generally have high expectations and present increasingly challenging work through systematic teaching and frequent reinforcement. Most marking is very good with constructive comments, corrections and praise being used effectively. In lessons where the pace is slow or activities are insufficient to maintain concentration without support for too long a time, pupils lose interest and their attention wanders. Overall, teachers have very good relationships with the pupils. Their support and praise for pupils’ achievement in lessons provide additional motivation, and pupils respond by working hard. Teaching assistants are very effective in supporting pupils in their learning.

p.23

Commentary

59. Most pupils are attentive and well behaved but it was noticeable in the lessons seen in Year 4 and Year 5, the boys were more often on task than girls. In Year 4, where boys out-number girls, the girls displayed a lack of confidence saying that they preferred to do art or handwriting. When given an interesting, challenging task with a programmable toy that involved angles of turn, the boys were predominant, with girls taking a passive role. Even when the teacher gave the task to the girls, the boys took over once she had gone. In Year 5, there were more girls than boys, but here the girls simply did not settle to their written work. Generally when there are more girls than boys, girls are confident, articulate and well-represented in the higher attaining group. Results of national tests for the past two years show that girls achieve less well than boys in both key stages. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

60. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator has a clear understanding of the strengths in the subject and areas for further development. She has monitored teaching effectively through observing lessons, analysing the quality of pupils’ work and talking to the teachers about their concerns. She has picked up on the weaknesses in Year 2 and initiated actions to address them. However, the school has not been able to give enough support to eradicate the weaknesses in teaching. The under achievement of girls has not been identified and there are no strategies in place to help girls to do better. In order to raise pupil achievement and standards, the school has prioritised problem-solving and mental arithmetic as areas for development following the analysis of the optional tests in Years 3, 4 and 5.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

61. Teachers make good use of mathematics across the curriculum and link work well with ICT. Pupils are given the good opportunities to develop their mathematical skills as they create line graphs in science and geography and measure accurately in design and technology.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The work in Year 2 is not challenging enough. • Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above average. • The work is linked effectively to literacy. • Teaching and learning are not monitored closely enough.

p.24

Commentary

62. Standards by the end of Key Stage 1 are well below average. This is a worse picture than at the time of the previous inspection when standards were slightly below average. The same weaknesses identified then are still evident. Pupils in Year 1 get off to a good start. They are guided well in making simple observations in a good range of contexts, such as exploring the senses, materials and sources of light. In Year 2, the work does not build effectively on what pupils already know. They do not complete enough work and what they do is at a very simple level. All the pupils complete the same identical worksheets, which do not offer any challenge even to lower attainers. The marking of these sheets is poor. Regardless of the quality of the work, identical comments are made by the teacher. This unsatisfactory teaching means that learning and achievement for most pupils, including those with special educational needs, are

p.24

Commentary

unsatisfactory. Discussion with higher attaining pupils confirms this.

p.24

Commentary

63. Standards by the end of Year 6 are above average because the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 is good overall. Teachers plan their lessons thoroughly and use a good range of practical contexts for learning. As a result, pupils are excited and interested and make good progress because they can relate what they do to everyday experiences. They are very keen to learn, particularly about the solar system and the workings of the human body. These topics also make a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. Teachers use the subject well to develop pupils’ speaking and writing skills. However, they do not make enough use of ICT. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well in lessons by well-informed teaching assistants, and they achieve well because of this. The achievement of the few pupils who speak English as an additional language is also good. A weakness in the teaching is that

p.24

Commentary

higher-attaining pupils are not always challenged enough. This means that achievement is satisfactory overall because, although most pupils achieve at a good rate, those who are capable of more do not always achieve as well as they could because all pupils start each lesson from the same point. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 25 64. Leadership and management are satisfactory given the short time the co-ordinator has been in post. She has made a good start to improving standards in Key Stage 2. She has recognised that while pupils have good knowledge of scientific facts that they can recall readily, their investigative skills are under-developed. A weakness in the management is that not enough attention is given to monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. As a result, the unsatisfactory teaching and learning in Year 2 has gone unnoticed.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in response to the new initiatives. • Teachers plan well to promote good learning of ICT skills throughout the school. • The good resources are used well and good links are made with other subjects. • The new co-ordinator has greatly improved provision in the subject. • Pupils do not develop their ICT skills consistently through all subjects.

p.25

Commentary

65. Pupils achieve well and by the end of Year 6, standards are at expected levels. This is a similar judgement to that made at the time of the previous inspection. However, expectations in the subject are now higher than they were then. With the arrival of the new co-ordinator and new initiatives, the school has improved the provision in the subject, with well-planned access to computers in the teaching of the subject as a ‘distinct subject’. These were identified as weaknesses at the time of the previous inspection.

p.25

Commentary

66 Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are keen and confident when working at computers and enjoy making things happen together. They develop early word-processing skills and create text and graphics in their work. They develop control skills effectively when planning a series of instructions for a floor model to follow a particular route. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 build effectively on their skills, responding to increasingly challenging tasks. In all year groups, pupils carry out research into a range of school sources and on the Internet. They prepare and present work competently, using text and graphics, which enhance their own work and displays around the school. Multi-media presentations are also created and presented. Good examples of these were seen in Year 6 when pupils gathered information about the Ancient Greeks and the Olympics. By Year 6, pupils are keen to extend a range of technological skills. They learn how

p.25

Commentary

technology can help them investigate more complex areas of learning, using digital cameras to enhance their work. Pupils are also keen to use the ‘Good Slide Guide’ a reference file to help them to become more independent.

p.25

Commentary

67. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers have successfully developed their own technical skills and confidence. They have improved the planning of lessons and make good use of technology, such as whiteboards and projectors, to demonstrate and reinforce skills. As a result, the activities are imaginative and involve pupils fully. Pupils enjoy using computers and this is clearly reflected in their enthusiasm, their good relationships and their willingness to share ideas and to support their partners when working together. The after-school homework/computer club is very popular and well attended.

p.25

Commentary

68 The subject co-ordinator, new in September 2003, has effectively built on the school’s provision for the subject. His enthusiastic and positive approach has enabled computers and other forms of technology to become an integral part of day-to-day learning. The quantity and quality of resources are good. National funding has been used effectively to improve resources and increase the competence and confidence of staff to the benefit of all pupils. The co- ordinator has also developed effective new systems to help teachers access pupils’ saved files to monitor their progress. A priority for further improvement is to introduce new Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 26 assessment procedures, which will relate much more closely to the development of skills and processes.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. ICT is used to good effect to support learning in some subjects, notably literacy and numeracy, when pupils create text and graphics and use data-handling skills to enhance their presentations in a wide range of subjects. Regular, good links are also made through the use of art programs and information sources linked to history and geography. Pupils are beginning to use digital cameras, sensors and tape recorders to enhance their work in subjects such as science and art, but this is not firmly embedded in practice throughout the school.

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HUMANITIES

70. It is not possible to make an overall judgement about provision in geography and history because there was insufficient evidence available during the inspection. In geography in Year 1, the work shows that there is good coverage of the subject. Pupils learn about the immediate environment of the school and undertake practical activities, such as a traffic survey. Pupils are introduced effectively to early mapping skills by illustrating the route to school. They are aware that the jobs people do are related to the local area. There was no work in the books of pupils in Year 2 and no evidence of work in displays. Discussion with pupils reveals that they have not moved on in the last term and that standards are likely to be below expectations by the end of the key stage.

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HUMANITIES

71. At the time of the last inspection, standards in geography were below expectations by the end of Year 6. During this inspection there was insufficient work available to judge standards. However, the work is now linked very effectively with history and pupils develop good mapping skills and learn about the wider world through this. The good links with work on explorers develop their knowledge well. Discussions with pupils indicate that standards in geography have improved since the previous inspection and that they are almost certainly achieving at a satisfactory rate.

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HUMANITIES

72. In history, the evidence suggests that standards are in line with nationally expected levels at the end of Years 2 and 6. On the previous inspection standards were judged to be above nationally expected levels at the end of Year 6, but since then the introduction of the national initiatives in literacy and numeracy have decreased the time available in the curriculum and as a direct result standards are not as high. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. In one lesson, pupils in Year 1 worked well together to decide the differences in the design and materials used in old and new toys. It is evident that teachers make effective links with other areas of the curriculum and this is demonstrated in work on display around the school. A good display of work on World War 2 by Year 5 makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development as they consider the horrors of war. This topic also makes effective links with science where, as

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HUMANITIES

part of work on ‘changing state’ pupils made candles, symbols of hope and peace. Artefacts are used well to support topics such as the topic of old and new toys in Year 1. History supports pupils’ learning effectively in both literacy and numeracy. Pupils are given the opportunity to improve the quality of their speaking and listening and to write in differing genres. The co-ordinator for both subjects, who is new to the post, has made a satisfactory start. She is committed to raising standards, but she has not yet had the opportunity to gain a clear overview of what is happening in other classes.

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Religious education

Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 27 Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Cross-curricular links make learning meaningful. • Monitoring of teaching and learning is not rigorous enough.

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Commentary

73. Standards are in line with expectations of the locally agreed syllabus, as they were at the time of the previous inspection. Only two lessons were observed, both in Key Stage 2. Much of the work centres around discussions, so there was limited written work to examine. However, the work available was of a satisfactory standard, and talking to pupils indicates that their achievement is satisfactory throughout the school. There is sound evidence that pupils reflect on their learning.

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Commentary

74. Teaching is satisfactory overall, with some very good teaching. In a lesson in Year 5, when pupils were comparing and contrasting stories of creation, difficult questions about the meaning of life and death were studied in a very creative way. Pupils were given the opportunity to research, consider and discuss their findings, presenting them in the form of either an audio play or a poster. There were good links with other subjects. The science topic of the sun, the moon and the stars complemented the work done on the creation, and art and literacy were used well as a means of communicating the pupils’ own research into their given creation story. Pupils enjoy their work and are confident in expressing their views. They present their work in a secure, confident way.

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Commentary

75. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. In a bid to raise standards, the co-ordinator has monitored teaching and learning. He has identified a mis-match between what is planned and what is delivered, and has a clear plan to follow this up to ensure that all pupils receive their full entitlement.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. No judgement can be made about provision in art and design or design and technology because insufficient evidence was collected. Only one art lesson was observed in Key Stage 1 and none in Key Stage 2.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. The work on display matches expectations. Teachers place suitable emphasis on teaching basic skills and there is a good balance between two and three-dimensional work. Design and technology was not taught during the inspection and there was no work available for scrutiny in Key Stage 1. In Key Stage 2 the work seen was generally of a satisfactory standard. However, while the finished products match expectations, pupils’ design skills are under- developed. There are sound links to pupils’ work in science. The co-ordinator for both subjects has only been in post for a very short time and has not yet had the opportunity to get a clear overview of what is happening throughout the school.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. There were no physical education lessons observed during the inspection and therefore it is not possible to make overall judgements about provision. However, by looking at teachers’ planning and talking to pupils, the limited evidence indicates that the subject meets statutory requirements. Planning for the development of subject skills follows the recommended national guidance in gymnastics, dance and games. A residential visit for pupils in Year 6 offers them good opportunities to develop physical and personal skills in outdoor activities. Records show that almost all pupils currently in Year 6 can swim at least 25 metres with over half swimming further distances.

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Music

Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 28 Provision in music is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils compose and perform music at higher than expected levels. • Teachers make lessons interesting and challenging. • Pupils show great interest and enthusiasm in the subject and make good progress. • The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management, encouraging teachers and pupils to participate with enjoyment.

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Commentary

79. All pupils achieve well and by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 attain standards, which are above expected levels. This shows that the good standards judged in the previous inspection have been maintained. Music continues to be a strength of the school.

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Commentary

80. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 sing tunefully and with good expression and diction. In a Year 2 lesson, pupils showed good knowledge in identifying high and low notes and the different lengths of notes that could be played on different instruments. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are further extended in their listening, appraising, composing and performing skills by good and very good teaching, particularly by the subject co-ordinator. This was demonstrated effectively by pupils in Year 4, when composing and playing repeated sound patterns with different layers of sound when responding to a range of stimuli, including a volcano poem and a silent video extract from the Lion King. Pupils performed phrases with good control and rhythmic accuracy using untuned percussion instruments and also the use of keyboards and violins by certain individuals. The very good subject knowledge, high levels of challenge and sensitive prompts by the teacher

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Commentary

encouraged all pupils to attain above expected levels. Pupils in Year 6 performed very well and showed the high levels of confidence and pleasure that all pupils are gaining from the subject. They sang songs very tunefully in two parts with percussion and clapping accompaniment.

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Commentary

81. The quality of teaching is good overall and pupils benefit greatly from the emphasis the school places on the subject. Pupils with special educational needs enjoy the subject greatly and make good progress. Boys and girls achieve equally well and with the same high levels of interest and very good attitudes. In addition to class lessons, pupils are given opportunities to learn individual instruments from Year 3 onwards. Many pupils choose to do so and are encouraged to play a range of instruments, including violins, keyboards, piano and recorders. Pupils show high levels of commitment and enjoyment.

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Commentary

82. Although only in post for just over one term, the subject co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. Teachers use the subject very well to promote pupils’ personal development. Pupils are encouraged to evaluate their own work and also to suggest how others might improve their performances. Pupils speak confidently and accept each other’s helpful criticisms well. The curriculum is enriched with good, relevant links to other subjects. Pupils also benefit from a good range of extra-curricular activities. They perform in school productions, which are highly praised by parents, and sing in the local church and to local senior citizens. The co-ordinator has also established a girls’ choir and a boys’ choir. Resources are of good quantity and quality, including instruments from other cultures, and are used regularly by pupils of all ages and capabilities.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education and citizenship is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 29 • All adults provide good role models. • Provision makes a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development. • Pupils have great interest in school life and enjoy taking responsibility.

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Commentary

83. Within the school’s good provision, teachers deal very effectively and sensitively with issues such as feelings and emotions, diet, health, sex, drugs and personal safety. Many of these are planned within specific sessions set aside for this purpose and also in subjects such as science and religious education. Well-planned sessions have a significant impact on pupils’ moral and social development as well as their learning. Many issues that affect all pupils are also dealt with sensitively in assemblies. All adults consistently implement the school’s behaviour policy and approach, which include the establishing of school rules and class rules.

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Commentary

84. The strengths in provision help to promote the very caring and supportive atmosphere and mutual respect throughout the school. A whole-school programme provides teachers with clear guidance and builds on pupils’ learning as they move through the school. From an early stage, young pupils are given good opportunities to gain self-confidence in discussions that help them develop socially and morally responsible behaviour both in the classroom and beyond it. They listen politely to each other and share ideas and opinions.

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Commentary

85. Each class elects pupils to represent them on the school council, which meets regularly. Pupils are keen to consider and discuss a range of aspects of school life. Within the good programme for developing citizenship, pupils consider rights and responsibilities, anti-social behaviour and how to cope with pressure groups. Pupils are encouraged to learn what it means to be helpful, considerate and mature within their school community and teachers provide good support to help pupils become good citizens in the wider and more diverse community. Sheddingdean Community Primary School - 30

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 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 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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