Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

CONTROLLED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Lead inspector: Mrs Barbara Taylor-Harris

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CONTROLLED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 24 th February 2004

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CONTROLLED PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled 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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CONTROLLED 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. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4-11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 49

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: St Hilda’s Street Sherburn Malton North Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01944 710282 Fax number: 01944 710282

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Pickard

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Sherburn Primary School is situated in the village of Sherburn. The school is much smaller than many primary schools and serves the immediate area. Sherburn village has a mixture of owner- occupied housing and local authority housing. Many parents at the school are employed in local farming or manufacturing industries. Currently, 50 pupils (24 boys and 26 girls) attend the school full time. There are no pupils from ethnic minority groups. The school has identified 16.3 per cent of pupils as having special educational needs, which is broadly in line with the national average. These pupils have moderate learning difficulties. None of these pupils has a statement of special educational need. When reception children enter the school, their attainment is well below that expected for their age. The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school other than in reception or transfer to secondary school, is similar to the proportion found nationally. Pupil mobility was above

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

national levels for last year’s Year 6 pupils. Of all the pupils who joined the school in Year 1 in 1997/8, 54 per cent remained at Year 6. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22518 Barbara Taylor-Harris Lead inspector The Foundation Stage English Creative aesthetic, practical and physical Inclusion 9348 Mary Le Marge Lay inspector 22291 Keith Saltfleet Team inspector Special educational needs and its assessment Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Humanities Personal, social and health education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Education 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucester GL 53 7JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled 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 26

Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled primary school is an effective school that provides good quality education and good value for money. Pupils achieve well to reach average standards due to consistently good teaching. The school is very well led by the headteacher.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The headteacher inspires and motivates staff very well and has successfully created a very effective team. • Teachers set very high expectations for pupils and are very good role models for pupils. • There is inconsistent use of targets and marking systems. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social is very good and results in very good pupil attitudes to learning and good behaviour. • Over time boys underachieve against girls in the school in reading, writing and mathematics. • Opportunities for the enrichment of the curriculum are excellent. • Parents are extremely satisfied with the school and its links with them are very good. • Too little staffing and cramped accommodation limits learning opportunities in Reception. • The identification of opportunities to promote pupils’ speaking skills in other subjects is under- developed.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good improvement since the previous inspection in 1998. The new headteacher, the fourth since that time, is having a significant impact on school development. Parents believe the school is a 100 per cent better. All the key issues from the last inspection have been successfully addressed.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Year 6 pupils’ national tests results have been consistently very high in science, due to very good quality teaching from the same teacher. There have been several staff changes in Years 5 and 6 and variations in standards in English and mathematics overtime. Last year’s English results were in line and the mathematics results were below the national average as few pupils achieved the higher Level 5. However, pupils achieved very well against their prior attainment compared to similar schools but boys perform less well than girls over time.

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Year 6 results

compared with: all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A C C A mathematics A C D A science A* A* A 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. Caution is needed in interpreting data because the numbers of pupils taking the tests are small and each pupil represents 9 per cent.

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Year 6 results

Pupils’ achieve well. Many children start reception with skills and experience well below expectations for their age. They benefit from working with Year 1 and 2 pupils in literacy, mathematics, physical education lessons and, by the end of the year, they achieve the Early Learning Goals in these areas and personal and social development 1 . In other areas, their

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Year 6 results

1 EARLY LEARNING GOALS - these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the foundation stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with communication language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. There are many Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 7 development is satisfactory, but remains below expectations for their age as the range of learning opportunities is limited. Consistently good teaching in Years 1 to 6 ensures pupils continue to achieve well against their prior attainment to reach standards in line with national expectations in all subjects bar two. Science in Years 5 and 6 and physical education in Years 1 and 2 are the exceptions as high expectations and very good teaching leads to standards above expectations and

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Year 6 results

very good achievement. Information and communication technology and numeracy skills are used satisfactorily in other subjects, but there are too few planned opportunities to sufficiently extend pupils’ speaking skills and confidence.

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Year 6 results

Pupils’ attitudes to learning and school are very good . Their behaviour, attendance and punctuality are good. Provision for pupils’ personal development promotes maturity and an acceptance of responsibility. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is very good and promotes an understanding of how values and principles guide their lives and those of others. Pupils are keen to show initiative and be a ‘model pupil’ for a week so that others can learn from their example.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection and is consistently good. In just under half of lessons seen, the quality of teaching was very good. Effective team work, good communication and a commitment to raising standards leads to consistency of approach. Assessment arrangements are satisfactory and teachers assess pupils’ skills and knowledge accurately. The curriculum and planning is good for Years 1-6. The reception curriculum is satisfactory because accommodation and insufficient additional staffing limits some areas of learning. There is excellent enrichment of the curriculum provided by after-school clubs and a range of other activities. The quality of care, guidance and support provided by staff is good. The school has very good links with the parents who are extremely satisfied with the school. Links with the community and other schools are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher provides very good leadership and has created a very effective staff team. Together they promote high expectations within a culture where all pupils are valued equally. Subject co-ordinators provide good leadership for their subjects. Arrangements for professional development are unsatisfactory. The governing body is well structured, effective critical friends and provide good governance for the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are extremely satisfied with the school and have no concerns about any aspect of the school’s work. Pupils have very positive views of school and see it as a happy place to be. They enjoy their work in school, value their friendships, and like and respect their teachers.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise boys’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. • Make consistent and effective use of target setting systems and teachers’ marking to help pupils understand how to improve further. • Improve the availability of support staff and the accommodation for reception children. • Identify and plan opportunities for the development of pupils’ speaking skills in a range of subjects. • Establish effective systems for teachers’ continued professional development.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

goals for each area of learning, for example, in language and literacy pupils should be able to write their own name and other things such as labels and begin to write simple sentences. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Reception children attain standards broadly in line with expectations for their age in most areas of learning and achieve well overall. Overall standards across the school are average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils achieve well and standards are improving over time due to consistently good teaching across the school. • Year 2 pupils achieve standards in physical education above national expectations due to the teacher’s high expectations. • Year 6 pupils reach levels 2 above national expectations in art and design, and well above in science. • Boys do not achieve as well as girls in the school.

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Commentary

1. There is limited pre-school provision and children start their reception year with skills and experience well below expectations for their age, particularly in communication, language and literacy and mathematics. They achieve well overall and are likely to reach the Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy, personal, emotional and social development, mathematics and physical development. There are strengths in the development of children’s writing, numeracy and aspects of physical development. Cramped accommodation and insufficient additional adult support means there are too few opportunities to extend children’s learning in knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. This affects their development and they are unlikely to achieve all the aspects of the Early Learning Goals.

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Commentary

2. Standards in Year 2 national tests have risen in reading, writing and mathematics, and particularly sharply in reading and mathematics over time. Although cohorts are small and caution is needed in interpreting data, the upward trend is a significant factor and indicates good achievement over time. Only nine pupils took the national tests in 2003. This group was an able group which resulted in very good levels of attainment in some areas. Science results were very high in all aspects of the subject. The school was in the top 5 per cent of schools nationally in reading, above in mathematics and above in writing, when compared to similar schools. Boys performed less well than girls in all three areas because there were more boys with special educational needs in the group. Small numbers mean standards fluctuate for a variety of reasons. There is wide variation of ability in the current Year 2 group and a large

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Commentary

proportion of pupils with special educational needs. They started reception with skills and experience well below expectations and have made good gains in their learning and are achieving well to reach average levels of attainment. This good achievement is due to consistently good and some very good teaching.

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Commentary

3. Despite turbulence in staffing in the Year 5 and 6 class which has affected standards, the school had set challenging targets for achievement at Level 4+ for the 2004 Year 6 national tests. With small numbers of pupils in each year group, standards, particularly attainment of the higher Level 5, can be very variable. The upward trend is above that seen nationally over time and is an indicator of the consistently good quality teaching. This accurately reflects

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Commentary

LEVELS Key Stage 1 and 2 - The National Curriculum has been written on the basis that pupils are, by the end of Year 2, when pupils are age 7, expected to reach Level 2. If a pupil is attaining Level 3 then he or she is reaching standards above that expected for a child of his or her age. By the end of Year 6, when pupils are age 11, they are expected to reach Level 4. If a pupil is attaining Level 5 then he or she is reaching standards above that expected for a child of his or her age. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 9 parents’ comments about the quality of teaching. In the 2003 English tests, pupils’ results were in line with the national average. In mathematics, they were below due to fewer pupils achieving both Level 4 and 5. Science results were well above the national average and very high, in the top 5 per cent of all similar schools. When measured against their prior attainment

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Commentary

in Year 2 tests and assessments, pupils achieved very well in English and mathematics, and exceptionally well in science. Stability of staffing, consistently high quality teaching of science in Years 5 and 6, and a good practical approach throughout the school results in consistently high scores year on year.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 3

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.0 (27.0) 26.8 (27.0)

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Commentary

There were 11 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Achievement based on pupils’ prior attainment is good in English and mathematics and very good in science. During the inspection, in all other subjects where judgements were possible, standards are in line with national expectations except in art and design, where they are above in Year 6 due to very good teaching and good development of skills in previous years.

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Commentary

5. Girls’ performance is well above the national average, whilst for boys it is below in English and mathematics. More boys than girls are on the register of special educational needs, however, which affects the overall scores. Boys performance is better in science due to a practical approach, and stability of staffing has successfully maintained standards well above the norm. There is satisfactory use of pupils’ skills in numeracy and information and communication technology to support learning in other subjects and good use of writing in art and design and technology to help pupils evaluate their work. Opportunities to promote pupils’ speaking skills are not explicit in the school’s planning resulting in a limited range of opportunities to promote different forms of speaking and use of a wide range of vocabulary in a variety of situations. This restricts the growth of confidence in speaking to a variety of audiences.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attendance is good , as is their punctuality. Their attitudes to school are very good and their behaviour is good . Pupils’ personal development including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Spiritual, moral and social development is a strength of the school.

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Commentary

AVERAGE POINTS SCORE - The average points score provides schools with a single statistic to compare the overall grades attained by all of their pupils with the grades attained by pupils in another school as well as an average for all schools nationally. The National Curriculum level attained by each pupil, for example, in mathematics, is given a score. A Level 1 = 9 points, a Level 2 = 15 points, Level 3 = 21 points and so on. Therefore the average points score in mathematics is worked out by adding up all of the points based on the Level attained by pupils and then dividing by the number of pupils who took the test. This means that a school whose average points score for mathematics in the end of Year 2 national tests is greater than 15.0 is one whose pupils are performing above that expected for their age. The average points score for Level 4, the nationally expected level for pupils at the end of Year 6 is

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Commentary

27. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 10 6. The school’s values are successfully incorporated into all aspects of school life. Pupils’ personal development has a high priority and underpins all activities. Year 5 and 6 pupils discussed and developed a clear set of values and principles for their class. Pupils think deeply about moral, spiritual and religious values and principles through very sensitively handled discussion of themes such as ‘The sanctity and uniqueness of life’ and ‘Who is this God to whom we pray?’ Pupils have very little first hand experience of other cultures but the school’s good provision ensure they learn about and respect cultural diversity. Religious education lessons and assemblies promote respect for the values and beliefs of others and the school provides some experiences to help them understand cultural diversity. For example, a Japanese visitor, working in school for three months, gave pupils an insight into her life and

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Commentary

culture. There are some missed opportunities to build multi-cultural awareness into a wider range of subjects.

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Commentary

7. Social development is very good. It promotes very positive attitudes and fosters pupil responsibility and initiative very well. Pupils are expected to be responsible and aware of the wider community, and they respond very well to this expectation. Their ideas are well supported, for example, when they suggested raising money for a particular charity they had the opportunity to explain their ideas to other pupils in assembly and organise the fund-raising themselves. Pupils of all abilities are confident learners, with very good attitudes to their work. They are very interested in their lessons, work hard and behave well at all times in and out of class which leads to a very good climate for learning. There were no exclusions last year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 47 0 0 White – Irish 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

8. Pupils are very positive about their school and enjoy taking part in the many available extra activities. They have good self-esteem and respond well to given responsibilities. For example, Year 6 pupils’ have enthusiastically organised and run the new library, including training Year 5 pupils to take over in September. All year groups keenly offer ideas to improve the school through their representatives on the School Council. The council, for example, raised money for extra playground equipment the pupils wanted and is also gathering ideas for a quiet area in the playground. Each class has a ‘pupil of the week’, who is then the class role model. At the end of the week they get feedback from their class on particular successes which are celebrated by the whole school through the presentation of a certificate in the Awards assembly. This initiative very effectively builds up pupils’ self-esteem and understanding of the

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Exclusions

school’s high expectations. Pupils show their appreciation of the achievements of others in their class and spontaneously applaud. They are always polite to each other, adults and visitors. They work well together when paired or grouped for some activities

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Exclusions

9. Although attendance was broadly in line with the national average for the last complete academic year, it is now good. This is because there has been significant improvement in the attendance of a small minority of pupils this year due to a strong focus on attendance issues. Punctuality is good as pupils arrive in good time ensuring lessons to start on time. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 11

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 94.3 School data: 0.7 National data: 94.2 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides good quality of education for its pupils. Teaching and learning are good. The curriculum is good, with excellent opportunities for enrichment. The school takes good care of its pupils and has very good links with parents, who are extremely satisfied.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good . Assessment procedures are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching across the school is consistently good, and enables pupils to achieve well. • Good teaching in science and consistent very good teaching in Year 6 results in above average standards and very good achievement over time. • Teaching and support for pupils with special educational needs is good. • There are satisfactory assessment and tracking procedures for monitoring pupils’ learning, but their use is not fully embedded in practice.

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Commentary

10. In the last inspection report there was a key issue related to improving the quality of teaching in the Year 5 and 6 class. This class has had several staff changes since then. These changes have had both negative and positive effects on standards which have fluctuated from year-to- year in national test results. In science results have been consistently well above the national average because the same teacher has been teaching them for several years. This continuity, combined with good teaching in other years and a well planned practical curriculum, has enable pupils to achieve very well. The headteacher and governors were aware of the impact of change on standards in English and mathematics, and employed experienced staff who have worked hard to raise standards. There are no continuing concerns about the quality of teaching in Years 5 and 6 and much of it is now very good and is helping pupils to catch up.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 14 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

11. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good across full, part-time and temporary staff. Very good teaching was seen in Years 1 and 2, and Years 5 and 6. In all classes, there is a strong commitment to the promotion of inclusion and equality of opportunity. Teachers know their pupils well and plan specific work to meet their differing needs and help them to achieve well. Standards are average due to the percentages of pupils with special education needs in Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 12 the current Year 2 and Year 6. Teachers maintain consistently high expectations of behaviour and effort, to which pupils respond well and this aids their learning. They have a clear understanding of routines and rules, and work consistently well, with concentration and pride in their work. When additional adult support is available, teachers use it well and these adults

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Commentary

make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly that of reception children. All staff provide good levels of encouragement, and relationships in the classrooms are very good. Most pupils believe they work hard and indeed they do. Productivity is high where there are very demanding time expectations. Teachers accurately identify those pupils who need additional help and support. They meet these needs by setting small, short-term targets and planning work to support achievement of these targets. As a result, pupils with a special educational need progress well in their learning.

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Commentary

12. Teachers keep good, comprehensive records of their assessments of pupils’ levels of attainment and their achievements. The system is computerised enabling ready access, but has been put into place in a relative short period of time. Each pupil’s achievement is tracked and good use is made of this information to set targets and inform discussions with parents at consultation evenings. However, this new system is not fully embedded in all the school’s procedures and does not involve pupils in setting their targets and assessing how well they are doing. There are some good marking systems and particularly good marking in English at Year 6 where very detailed marking gives pupils very clear guidance about how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve further. However examples of good practice are not shared sufficiently well resulting in inconsistency in quality.

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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum, which enables all pupils to achieve well in all subjects. It is complemented by a rich programme of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors to the school. The quantity and quality of accommodation and resources is satisfactory overall but unsatisfactory for reception children.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The range of opportunities for pupils in sports, the arts and other activities are excellent. • The accommodation and availability of support staff for reception pupils are unsatisfactory. • Working conditions in the office are very difficult as the accommodation is inadequate.

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Commentary

13. The quality of the curriculum is good and shows clear improvement since the last inspection. In information and communication technology and design and technology programmes of work to guide teachers’ planning are now in place. These ensure there are regular opportunities to develop pupils’ skills each year and as a result standards have improved in both subjects. Literacy and numeracy are taught well using the appropriate framework strategies. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good as individual education plans ensure that work is focussed and relevant to their needs and as a result they achieve well. Some very able pupils are taught for key lessons with older pupils, ensuring they are sufficiently well challenged and ensuring they achieve as well as they can. This strategy is successful and makes best use of the mixed ages within the classes. The curriculum prepares Year 6 pupils well to

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Commentary

transfer to the next stage of their education.

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Commentary

14. The provision of extra-curricular activities for such a small school is excellent. Teachers, parents and other volunteers willingly give their time, both at lunchtime and after school, to provide many additional opportunities to develop pupils’ talents. There are a wide range of clubs across the year. Care is taken to include the youngest pupils, for example, it is unusual to see an infant football team. Commitment and perseverance are promoted well because pupils sign up to a club for the term and are expected to go each week. Visits out of school, the Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 13 residential visit and appearing in local concerts in Scarborough, provide further enrichment of the curriculum. Visitors to the school, for example, a Japanese student and church staff, give pupils very worthwhile insights into the culture and beliefs of others.

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Commentary

15. Teachers use the very limited indoor space well to provide a specific range of activities and resources for reception children. However, Class 1 caters for a wide range of ability within reception and Years 1 and 2, and, although teachers work hard to meet their individual needs, insufficient additional adult support impacts negatively on reception children’s learning opportunities in the areas of knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and aspects of physical development. This restricts the progress children make in these areas of development. For example, although accessible from the classroom, the small outdoor area is difficult to supervise from inside and insufficient adult support restricts its safe use. The office accommodation is inadequate for the smooth running of the school. A single room acts as a staff room, storage for resources, the secretary’s office and the headteacher’s room.

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Commentary

Desk and office storage space are too limited, and opportunities for privacy, for example, when interviewing parents or consulting staff, are very restricted.

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Care, guidance and support

There are good procedures to care for pupils and ensure their welfare and safety. The level of support, advice and guidance provided is good . The involvement of pupils in the work and development of the school is also good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good quality of relationships ensures pupils are happy and confident. • Risk assessments and health and safety have a high priority. • There is insufficient systematic monitoring of pupils’ personal development.

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Commentary

16. Pupils trust the staff because relationships are very good and they are listened to. As a result, pupils feel very confident about confiding in an adult if they need to. Every classroom has a ‘worry box’ where pupils post any concerns they may have. This system is very effective. All concerns are always taken seriously by staff and followed up, either directly with the pupil, if they have identified themselves, or via ‘circle time’ 4 . There are good procedures to ensure activities successfully include all pupils. Their views are sought and valued well, which raises their sense of responsibility and self-esteem, ensuring they willingly contribute ideas in lessons.

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Commentary

17. All staff know pupils very well and ensure they are all well supported. The Headteacher responds positively to the school council’s and pupils’ proposals wherever possible, and gives them some responsibility for their implementation. There is no systematic procedure to monitor and track pupils’ personal development. As a result, opportunities to fully support their learning skills are not always provided and it is difficult to monitor their progress. There are targets in English and mathematics, but pupils are not involved in drawing them up. Good new systems to help pupils assess their progress towards these targets are not fully implemented and do not involve pupils sufficiently in their learning. Rigorous risk assessment systems are used to cover more and more areas of school life. The school ensures that all statutory checks are undertaken, and where possible, involves external agencies to provide additional checks.

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Commentary

Effective child protection arrangements are in place and all adults working in the school are aware of them. There are good induction arrangements when children start school.

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Commentary

CIRCLE TIME - These are sessions where pupils discuss a wide range of personal and general issues. It is agreed by all pupils that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views will occur at all times and therefore pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease and free from any form of interference or interruption from other children. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 14

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established very good links with parents, and good links with the local community and other schools and colleges.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are extremely satisfied with the school and are very supportive. • The school values parents’ views and responds very positively to them. • The information provided for parents about their children’s progress is very good, but the information they receive about what is being taught in Key Stage 2 is not sufficiently detailed. • The ‘Share’ 5 project very successfully involves parents in their children’s learning. • Links with other schools and the community aid the development of the school.

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Commentary

18. Parents feel valued, and find all staff very open and approachable. Their views are sought on developments they would like and the school responds positively where possible. For example, as a direct result of their requests, there are closer links with other schools, a residential visit and a Christmas production as well as the nativity play. The school is also very responsive to parental concerns about children and works well with parents to resolve any issues. The very active Friends of Sherburn School Association raises significant funds each year for additional resources and contributes significantly to social activities. Parents receive a wide range of high quality information and are kept well informed about day-to-day events. The annual reports on pupils’ progress are very good quality. They include the National Curriculum level attained and describe, in detail, what children achieve in English, mathematics and science, with targets for

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Commentary

pupils in Years 3-6. There is particularly strong reporting of what has been studied, pupil’s attitudes and new skills gained in other subjects.

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Commentary

19. The high quality initiative, ‘Share’ project, has recently begun to involve a few parents more in their children’s learning at home. Almost all parents of pupils in reception and Years 1 and 2, and several parents from the weekly parent and toddler group, are involved. They are very enthusiastic about this project and eager for it to be extended to parents of older pupils. At present, there are limited opportunities for parents of pupils in Years 3 to 6 to be fully involved in their children’s learning at home. Although pupils take home reading books and regular homework, and there is a very good arrangement whereby pupils can take a laptop home for the weekend, the termly information about what is being taught is not sufficiently detailed to enable parents to be fully involved in their children’s learning and support their learning further at home.

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Commentary

20. There are good links with a local secondary school which ensures smooth transition arrangements for Year 6 pupils. Good liaison ensured continuity of support and encouragement for the pupils who transferred in 2003. The secondary school has provided helpful feedback to show that these pupils are continuing to catch up on lost ground and achieving well. Weekly use of the secondary school’s swimming pool helps familiarise pupils and makes transition at the end of Year 6 less daunting. The school uses the local environment well to enrich the curriculum, especially in geography and history, and links with local churches enhance wider aspects of school life. ‘Midget Gems’, the village parent and toddler group, meet in the school each week and resources, materials and people, are made

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Commentary

5 Share – This programme is to help parents who want to help their children at home but who are not sure what is the best way of going about it. Using simple Share books, parents learn to create and plan learning activities for their children that are fun for both of them. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 15 available to them. Local businesses make significant contributions to school fund-raising activities and have provided co-opted governors in the past.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management of the school is good overall. The headteacher provides very good leadership. The leadership and management of other key staff are good and governors provide good governance for the school. The school provides good value for money.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher sets high expectations for all in the school. • Arrangements for continued professional development are not in place. • Governors fully support the Headteacher in driving improvement and are effective critical friends. • Subject co-ordinators form a very effective team, providing good leadership and management, and very good role models for pupils in all they do.

p.15

Commentary

21. The headteacher, the fourth since the last inspection, has quickly established a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. She firmly established her vision, set high aspirations and has moved the school along at a rapid pace and implemented many improvements. The most significant of these, the computerised system, for tracking pupils’ achievement over time. Teacher assessment and this tracking showed up some concerns about achievement in English and mathematics for Year 5 and 6 pupils and more able Year 4 pupils in the same class. The headteacher, ably supported by the governors, worked very openly and honestly with parents and this resulted in significant efforts to help raise pupils’ attainment and created very strong relationships. As a result, parents are extremely satisfied with the school. New teachers worked hard to help pupils ‘catch up’ on lost ground and very effective teaching continues to raise expectations and standards in Years 5

p.15

Commentary

and 6. Performance management and professional development systems had lapsed and, in a short period of time, the headteacher has established appropriate performance management systems but has yet to develop the supporting systems for staff training and development. The headteacher has a high teaching commitment and works extremely hard. Her management of the school, although good, is less effective than her leadership because she is too often involved in basic clerical tasks unnecessarily. In addition the efficiency of the office is affected by unsatisfactory accommodation.

p.15

Commentary

22. Staff changes have been unsettling, but relationships throughout the school are strong and the headteacher motivates and inspires all very well. She ensures each pupil is included, irrespective of their academic or physical abilities, or gender, and monitors all pupils’ achievement well. She has managed improvement well and ensured that the key priorities have been addressed. The headteacher is ably supported by a very dedicated and committed team of staff, who have good expectations for developments in subjects and the curriculum as a whole. This ensures the school is lively and forward looking, and is well placed to consolidate new systems and continue to improve.

p.15

Commentary

23. All staff carry several curriculum responsibilities as this is a small school and manage their various roles well. They have a clear overview of what is happening in the school and have worked hard to ensure staff are well supported by good resources and, in particular, effective commercial schemes of work to help them with planning. This has led to a strong focus on practical approaches in science and a strong focus on skills in art and design, and design and technology, which have raised standards. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 16 24. Governors are similarly dedicated and committed to the school. They and the headteacher work well together in shaping the school’s future. The governors feel they have learnt a lot from past turbulent times and that the school is moving forward promisingly. They use national information about the school well and have a clear understanding of the need to improve boys’

p.15

Commentary

attainment. Governors have a thorough understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, and are firmly involved in school improvement evaluation and planning. They provide good support, but also effectively challenge the school. They monitor the school’s finances well and ensure they meet all their statutory duties effectively.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 196,568 Balance from previous year 4,732 Total expenditure 190,671 Balance carried forward to the next 10,629 Expenditure per pupil 3,345 Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

It is not possible to judge the provision for children in the Foundation Stage as no specific teaching was observed.

p.17

Commentary

25. There is little pre-school provision which means children start school with limited experiences. The headteacher, who is also the reception teacher, ensures she has regular contact with the parent and toddler group run at the school which supports parents in preparing their children for school. This regular contact and opportunities for the children to join the reception, Year 1 and 2 class for afternoon sessions during summer term ensures they get to know her and the school well. This successfully promotes the transition from home to school. Three of the four full-time reception children were present during the inspection. Teachers’ carefully assess the children knowledge and skills when they start school, and these are well below expectations for this age, particularly in mathematics and communication, language and literacy. Achievement of the Early Learning Goals in these areas and in personal, social and emotional

p.17

Commentary

development represents very good achievement. In aspects of their physical development children achieve well, for example, in a physical education lesson they demonstrated a level of control of their bodies which exceeded expectations for their age. Achievement in other areas of learning is satisfactory, but children do not reach expected levels as their learning is limited by to few opportunities and too little adult support to sufficiently extend their understanding and skills. Limited additional adult support is used well to help children learn effectively through structured, well-planned play activities and use of the outdoor area. Teachers use available space well, but the mobile classroom is small and cramped making it difficult to provide children with regular and independent access to a wide range of resources throughout the day. This limits their learning opportunities, particularly in the areas of knowledge and understanding

p.17

Commentary

and physical and creative development. The outdoor play space cannot be used safely without additional staff, because it is not easily supervised from inside the classroom thus restricting opportunities for children. Leadership and management are satisfactory.

p.17

Commentary

26. Personal, social and emotional development . Children are confident, happy learners who eagerly explore new activities, such as making bubbles in an old tin bath. They work well together as a group, taking turns and share resources willingly and discuss what each is doing. Older pupils are good role models ensuring reception children quickly learn routines and understand expectations resulting in good behaviour. They listen carefully and concentrate well during whole-class sessions which aid their learning. There are too few opportunities for them to make choices and decisions about their work which hinders some aspects of their development such as autonomy, independence and responsibility.

p.17

Commentary

27. Communication, language and literacy. High teacher expectations and well planned tasks, making good use of additional adult support, ensure children achieve very well due to the effective combination of class and group activities. For example, a good class discussion generated by touching and feeling a ginger root, was extended successfully through the experience of making ginger biscuits. Speaking and listening skills were developed well by the adult led discussions whilst the biscuits were being made. Good links were made back to the class reading session based on the story of the gingerbread man, and this further effectively consolidated children’s learning. Children successfully learn about books and how to use them, and understand that writing conveys meaning. The promotion of early writing skills is very good, and children are encouraged well to compose their own sentences and begin to use

p.17

Commentary

small words from memory in a variety of contexts. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 18 28. Mathematical development. Good use of additional adult support in numeracy lessons helped the teacher provide a good combination of class and group activities. As a result the children who start school with limited knowledge of how to write and use numbers learn very well. Most children recognised and wrote numerals, and could count up to 20 with good levels of confidence and accuracy. They used numbers accurately, and understand sequences and the concept of ‘one more’. More able children are successfully recording simple sums. There are missed opportunities for the children to explore mathematical concepts through sand and water play, and for them to learn through first-hand experience.

p.17

Commentary

29. Knowledge and understanding of the world. This area of learning is divided into the separate subjects of the basic curriculum for Year 1 and 2 pupils. Although reception children are set specific tasks within their capabilities which promote satisfactory learning within a narrow range of experiences this subject diet is too narrowly focussed. It does not provide sufficient opportunities for children to have a range of opportunities to extend and reinforce their learning. The exception is science where the very practical nature of the curriculum sustains their concentration and ensures they learn well through experimentation.

p.18

Commentary

30. Physical development. Formal physical education lessons ensure children achieve good control of the bodies because they copy the older pupils and aspire to do the same tasks as well as them, for example, balancing well, jumping high and landing with good control and bent knees. In the classroom there are good opportunities for them to develop fine control of small equipment such as pencils and other small tools. However, there are too few regular opportunities for children to develop and practise control of a range of larger equipment such as wheeled toys, or have opportunities to climb and balance on outdoor equipment.

p.18

Commentary

31. Creative development. Reception children were included in a whole class music lesson when they learnt to distinguish accurately between different sounds. They used a range of musical instruments satisfactorily to imitate the sounds and turn them into a musical sequence. Choice of activities is limited to role play and painting rather than making items from a range of materials or regular opportunities to engage in ‘free-choice’ music making due to lack of space.

p.18

Main strengths and areas for improvement:

• Over time the performance of girls is consistently better than that of boys due to insufficient focus on different learning styles. • Teaching throughout the school is very good and this enables pupils to achieve well. • Assessment information informs individual targets for learning, but does not involve pupils sufficiently in the process. • There are good opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills in other subjects, but not their speaking skills.

p.18

Commentary

32. Pupils start Year 1 with expectations in line for their age in writing and reading but below expectations in speaking and use and understanding of vocabulary. Due to consistent, very good teaching and high expectations they achieve well. Last year pupils’ test results compared very well with those of similar schools. In Years 1 and 2 pupils build upon the good start provided in the reception year. Standards for the current Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with national expectations for their age but are achieving well against their prior attainment which was below expectations for their age. Over time, standards vary as often the number of pupils Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 19 in each year is much smaller than in most schools and the proportion of pupils with special educational needs also varies. For example, in the current Year 2, approximately 44 per cent of

p.18

Commentary

pupils have special educational needs. These pupils, and more able ones, achieve well because particular account is taken of their differing needs. Additional staffing during the literacy hour helps the teachers ensure good support and challenge to all groups of pupils helping them to learn well in lessons. In Year 6, pupils’ attainment has been negatively affected by several changes of teachers. Despite turbulence in staffing, the school had set challenging targets for achievement at Level 4+ and pupils appear likely to meet them. Over time, the schools trend is above that seen nationally despite the fluctuations, and good progress has been made in addressing past issues relating to the quality of teaching. Year 6 boys perform less well than girls at the school in all three areas. The school is aware of this and is investigating ways to raise their achievement through looking at different ways of learning and

p.19

Commentary

more practical approaches as these have been very successful in raising boys attainment in science.

p.19

Commentary

33. Reading standards are in line with expectations for pupils’ ages in Years 2 and 6. Younger pupils read simple texts accurately and know how to work out unfamiliar words. They enjoy reading, and readily talk about the story and characters in their books. They have a good knowledge of how to use the reference library and information books to find information. They are familiar with the structure of reference books and confidently use contents and index pages. Year 6 pupils are self-motivated and confident readers, and most read fluently and accurately. They show understanding of the main ideas, talk confidently about what they read and express their views about books they have enjoyed. For both sets of pupils, reading diaries are a good communication tool with parents and are regularly completed. There are clear comments about how well the pupil is reading and the strategies used which provides good

p.19

Commentary

information for parents on how well the pupils is reading.

p.19

Commentary

34. There is a good emphasis on promoting listening skills and suitable opportunities are provided for pupils to explain, describe, discuss and ask questions. Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour, and they respond well and learn from listening to others. They use innovative ways to promote discussion and the use of a wide vocabulary which extends pupils’ knowledge and use of a wider range of words. For example, in Year 2, pupils described a piece of root ginger and recorded their ideas quickly on a small white board. In Year 6, they discussed the function and power of adjectives, adverbs and the descriptive power of similes. Simple role play situations brought the lesson to life as pupils left the room in different ways, for example, as if in a dream or with the wind chasing them. They applied what they had learnt to the analysis of a poem, and express their ideas confidently and clearly. They willingly

p.19

Commentary

responded to the teacher’s questions, which promoted deeper thought and new ideas and enabled pupils to gain a better understanding of the quality of the poem.

p.19

Commentary

35. Standards in writing are average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6, and they have improved since the last inspection in terms of presentation. The majority of pupils achieve well because of the very good teaching across the school and a clear focus on the use of writing skills in other subjects, for example, evaluations in science and design and technology. Teachers have consistent expectations of quality across a range of subjects which aids the development of spelling and handwriting. Pupils take great pride in the presentation of their work, and their handwriting is neat, well formed and joined. They make good progress in developing their written style from a good start in Years 1 and 2. Pupils gain a sound understanding of the correct use for grammar and punctuation, and apply this knowledge to their work. They write with greater length as they move up the school and respond well to targets for improvement,

p.19

Commentary

which are written in the font of their books. This system is new and not fully developed to allow sufficient pupil involvement in setting the targets and assessing how well they do and so aid their learning.

p.19

Commentary

36. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently very good. Teachers have a secure understanding of the National Literacy Strategy and implement it very effectively. Throughout the school, staff work hard to ensure that pupils are given good opportunities to develop their Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 20 skills and this encourages effective learning. Teachers are very good role models in the way they use extended vocabulary and demonstrate characterisation and expression when reading aloud to pupils. Whole-class sessions at the beginning of lessons are very well paced and teachers use questions well to direct pupils’ thinking maintaining high expectations of pupils behaviour. Pupils respond positively and as a result learn effectively. The subject leader provides good leadership and management for the subject and has a clear view of what needs to be improved. She has correctly identified the need to focus on raising boys’ achievement,

p.19

Commentary

using different styles and types of stories and extending pupils’ speaking opportunities across the curriculum.

p.20

Language and literacy across the curriculum

37. There are some good links between English and other subjects and effective use of reading and writing skills to extend pupils’ response and thinking, for example, helping pupils to quantify how well they have made a model in design and technology and what they could change. There are few structured opportunities for promoting pupils speaking skills in all other subjects which results in limited use of both subject specific and other vocabulary. Staff have not analysed the curriculum to see what opportunities there are for promoting different types of speaking.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with the national average, and pupils achieve well. • Over time the performance of girls is consistently better than that of boys. • Teaching throughout the school is good • Assessment information is not used effectively to plan specific individual targets for learning. • There are insufficient planned opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical skills.

p.20

Commentary

38. Year groups in the school are much smaller than in most schools and this causes a wide fluctuation in results in national tests from year-to-year. Consequently, test results do not give a true picture of attainment across the school. Inspection evidence shows that, from a low knowledge base when they enter, school pupils achieve well. The school’s results indicate that in comparison to similar schools pupils achieve very well. Standards for pupils currently in Years 2 and 6 are broadly average. In Year 2 this is because there is a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in Year 2 and in Year 6 where changes of teachers has affected the continuity of learning. Over time, pupils' performance exceeds the national average for their age group. However, girls’ performance is well above the national average, whilst for boys it is below. There are more boys than girls on the special educational needs

p.20

Commentary

register, which affects the overall scores, but the school is also investigating more practical approaches to support all boys’ learning.

p.20

Commentary

39. The quality of teaching is consistently good, and is sometimes very good in Year 6. As a result pupils learn well in lessons and achieve well over time. Teachers make effective use of the National Numeracy Strategy, planning clear objectives and sharing these with pupils so they understand what they will learn. They use questions well to make pupils think and promote their use of mathematical language. Teachers explain tasks well and effectively model how to do them which ensures pupils understand what to do and settle to tasks with confidence. Teachers ‘whizz around’ ensuring that difficulties are explained and pupils work hard. Pupils have several opportunities to practise what they have learned to effectively reinforce and Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 21 consolidate their understanding. Very good levels of challenge, good pace and high expectations of behaviour are a feature of all lessons.

p.20

Commentary

40. Pupils are regularly assessed. Information from marking of pupils' books, standardised tests and statutory and non-statutory assessment tasks and tests give useful information for tracking pupils’ progress. However, although a start has been made, this information is not consistently used throughout the school as effectively as it could be to further raise standards as it is not used to plan specific individual targets for learning and involve pupils in understanding how to improve further. At the last inspection, little evidence was seen in pupils’ books of using mathematics in everyday situations. Although a good start has been made, this investigative aspect of mathematics does not yet have a sufficiently high profile. The subject co-ordinator has only recently taken over the role and is providing satisfactory leadership and management for the subjects. In a short period of time there has been a useful start in

p.21

Commentary

developing and promoting this area particularly in helping parents to help their children at home by explaining the school’s approach and methods in order for them to help their children with homework.

p.21

Mathematics across the curriculum

41. Mathematics is used satisfactorily across the curriculum. In science pupils draw graphs and tables in order to record their findings, in design and technology they measure accurately and in information and communication technology tally information and enter in a database.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• As a result of very good teaching, Year 6 pupils attain standards that are well above the national average. • The curriculum is well planned to give pupils good opportunities to carry out practical investigations. • There has been very good improvement since the last inspection. • The co-ordinator’s leadership and management are very good.

p.21

Commentary

42. Standards by the end of Year 6 are consistently well above average in national tests and a high proportion of pupils attain the higher Level 5. This represents sustained very good achievement due to stability in staffing for this subject in Years 5 and 6. Standards are particularly high in Year 6 due to very good, conscientious and methodical teaching. The Year 2 national test results for last year show a similar high level of achievement. However, in a school with small numbers in each year group differences in ability between successive groups are very marked, particularly when comparisons with other schools are made. For example, most of the current Year 2 pupils reach average attainment levels, but just under half of the pupils have special educational needs. All pupils in Year 2 are achieving well in relation to past attainment.

p.21

Commentary

43. The school’s effective science teaching is based on an investigative approach, where pupils are given many opportunities to experiment and find answers for themselves. For example, Year 2 pupils identified which everyday objects could be pushed or pulled. Further increasingly challenging experimentation with forces develops pupils’ understanding over time well. Pupils in Year 6, for example, used a tug of war contest to identify the direction and size of the forces in action and, as a result, developed a good understand that forces can be balanced or unbalanced. This investigative approach has contributed significantly to the dramatic improvement in standards and boys’ attainment since the last inspection. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 22 44. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is very good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and prepare their lessons very carefully to meet the needs of pupils'

p.21

Commentary

different abilities and to capture the interest of both boys and girls. Teachers give clear explanations of the work so that pupils understand what they have to do. In Years 5 and 6 the quality of teaching is very good due to very effective open-ended questioning techniques, combined with suitable follow up points, make pupils think more deeply. This is effective use of the plenary sessions to reinforce the lessons’ learning objectives which promotes good understanding. Teachers empower pupils to take charge of their own learning and discover for themselves. For example, one teacher said humorously, “Do you believe everything I tell you? Test it for yourself”.

p.22

Commentary

45. The quality of leadership and management is very good. The curriculum has been evaluated to ensure that there is no repetition of work and so time is used effectively. Innovation is welcomed. There are very good assessment procedures in place to record and track pupils' progress. These are particularly effective in assessing pupils’ individual performance in their investigative work, against national criteria. Plans are in place to further strengthen the links with the receiving comprehensive school to give high attaining pupils access to specialist teaching and resources to enable pupils to experience aspects of the curriculum to extend their attainment towards achieving Level 6.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There has been very good improvement since the last inspection. • Pupils’ achievement is good. • Further development of the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. • The co-ordinator leads the subject well.

p.22

Commentary

46. At the last inspection, attainment for pupils in the junior classes was unsatisfactory and did not build on the skills they had learned earlier. Resources in terms of software were unsatisfactory, and the subject lacked a structured programme to guide teachers’ planning. Evidence from scrutiny of records and pupils’ work shows that they have made good progress since the beginning of Year 1. This is due to good teaching and learning and an effective curriculum with a clear focus on acquiring knowledge and developing skills. Consequently, as pupils move through the school, they cover the full programmes of study in depth and have their progress regularly assessed. As a result, standards have improved and are now satisfactory throughout the school and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well from a low start in Year 1. The quality of resources is much better and pupils have access to a good ratio of good quality desktop and laptop computers, linked to the

p.22

Commentary

Internet. Teachers planned to use the computers during a variety of lessons but were unable to as the school electricity was turned off for some time. One specific information and communication lesson was timetable during the period of the inspection and observed. In this lesson in Years 1 and 2 the quality of teaching was good. It is not possible to make a firm judgement on teaching throughout the school.

p.22

Commentary

47. Pupils in Year 2 are very confident when using computers. They show good understanding of a graphics program, for example, using the toolbox effectively to draw faces. When using the word processor, they use the keyboard confidently and can change the font. They use a Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 23 database successfully to process information they have collected, for example, about their favourite fruit. They enjoy using a floor turtle and enter the correct commands to move it backward, forward and turn a right angle.

p.22

Commentary

48. Junior aged pupils build on these skills and, by the end of Year 6, word process their stories and check their accuracy with the spellchecker. They use the Internet to research information and show their good text and graphic skills in their personal multimedia presentations. They are developing a useful understanding of the power of control and use a buffer box to write, test and edit procedures.

p.23

Commentary

49. Pupils enjoy working with computers and a significant number have access to one at home. The innovative laptop lending scheme allows pupils to take them home, so ensuring that everyone has equal access. From talking to pupils, it is clear that they enjoy working with computers and are not put off when things go wrong. Local businesses and the wider community have made a very useful contribution to improving resources.

p.23

Commentary

50. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic, and provides good leadership and management. She ensures that staff are well supported with resources and advice which aids their confidence and use of the computers. She knows what needs to be done to further improve standards and is keen, for example, to make wider use of E-mail, provide workshops for parents and the development of a school website. A comprehensive review of the software currently available in school is being undertaken to ensure new purchases enhance existing resources or fill any gaps.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

51. There are satisfactory links with other subjects where pupils use their skills to extend their knowledge and explore new ides using facilities on the computer. For example, pupils use the Internet to find out more about the Egyptians and geographical facts about France and make repeating patterns based on the work of artists such as Warhol and Klee. They learn to appreciate how computers can help them to research information quickly and explore a range of ideas much more easily than if they used traditional materials in art.

p.23

HUMANITIES

Insufficient lessons were seen to form overall detailed judgements about provision in geography, history and religious education.

p.23

HUMANITIES

52. In the one geography lesson seen in Years 1 and 2 the quality of teaching was good and pupils acquired a good understanding of using plans and key symbols. They start Year 1 with a lower base of knowledge than is expected for pupils of this age, and learn well. Year 2 pupils identified local landmarks on a map of the village and as a result followed their route to school, carefully thinking about what they would see on their way. The lesson was planned well, including the use of information and communication technology, and suited to the needs of pupils at different levels of attainment. The scheme of work enables teachers to cover the full programmes of study. The subject policy is in need of review and the co-ordinator is looking to improve resources.

p.23

HUMANITIES

53. In history , Year 6 pupils are studying Ancient Egypt and are able to write on papyrus a cartouche of their own name in hieroglyphics. Teachers’ planning indicates that the children experience an interesting and broad curriculum. For example, pupils in Years 1 and 2 have first hand experience of using household objects from Victorian times. There is good promotion of literacy, for example, through choosing a range of words to describe how the objects feel and guessing what task they did.

p.23

HUMANITIES

54. In religious education , the curriculum is planned carefully to meet the requirements of the revised North Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus. As they move through the school, pupils study the major world Faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism. Visits out of school Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 24 reinforce pupils' learning in the classroom. A member of the church, for example, baptised a doll for pupils in Years 1 and 2 at the local church to make pupils aware of the significance of baptism to the Christian faith.

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Insufficient lessons were seen to form overall detailed judgements about the provision in design and technology, music and physical education, or art and design in Years 1 and 2.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

55. In design and technology, no lessons were scheduled during the period of the inspection. Teachers make good use of the Local Education Authority’s suggested activities to help them plan their lessons and there is a good focus on skill development across the school. There is a rolling programme of designing and making activities, and finished products on display in classrooms were of good quality. For example, the working vehicles in Years 5 and 6 showed good attention to the quality of the finished product. Using a digital camera to record their finished example next to their plan, helps the quality of their evaluation and pupils use their literacy skills well to express their ideas. There are some good simple procedures for self- assessment, but these are not consistent used across the school.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

56. In music, only one short observation of a lesson and attendance at assemblies was possible due to the focus and timing of the inspection. In class, Years 1 and 2 pupils were able to distinguish different sounds and select instruments to represent the sounds. They successfully make a sequence of sounds with their voices and the instruments to a beat. All children sing familiar songs well in assemblies. They sing tunefully, keeping to the beat, and recognise changes in speed and volume. The quality of singing benefits from clear diction and attention to phrasing. Children clearly enjoy performing and good piano accompaniment enhances the quality of the experience. The school makes good use of a commercial scheme to support teachers in planning music lessons.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

57. In physical education, only one lesson in Years 1 and 2 was timetabled during the inspection and it was only possible to see a small part of it. The teaching had some very good qualities and good instruction resulted in successful development of pupils’ skills and good learning. This, combined with high expectations of behaviour and effort, and a very good response from pupils, led to above average standards and achievement. Pupils made good use of a range of apparatus to explore different ways of travelling. They jumped high off jumping platforms demonstrating good awareness of body shape, good control and secure, safe landings which led into a forward roll and a flourish to the performance with a balance.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a good curriculum for the development of pupils’ knowledge and skills. • The quality of teaching is good overall because teachers give very clear explanation of the tasks and the time available for completion. • Standards are above expectations in Years 5 and 6 and pupils achieve very well.

p.24

Commentary

58. There is an effective curriculum for the development of pupils’ artistic abilities because teachers make good use of a commercial scheme to help them plan a wide variety of activities with a clear focus on the development of pupils’ skills. Secure subject knowledge and well planned and taught lessons ensure that the quality of teaching is good overall. Throughout the school teachers make good use of sketch books to ensure pupils’ structure and record their Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 25 ideas and explorations successfully. There is a good experimentation with mixing and blending colours in a variety of ways to produce some above average work exploring patterns.

p.24

Commentary

59. The quality of teaching is good overall. In the Year 3 and 4 class good quality teaching and effective demonstration ensured pupils had positive attitudes and listened well to instructions. As a result they improved their skills in fashioning and joining the clay and produced a satisfactory finished product. Very good teaching expands Year 5 and 6 pupils’ horizons. The teacher gave a very clear explanation of the task and the time available to pupils to gather ideas from a range of photographs. The resources were good quality and stimulated pupils’ ideas about design and patterning. The very fast pace to the lessons ensured pupils worked quickly in clarifying their ideas, enlarging their motif and beginning the basic construction of a two dimensional relief sculpture. This led to highly concentrated effort and good productivity with all pupils achieving the expectations. A particular strength of the lesson was the very good

p.25

Commentary

use of subject specific and general vocabulary which kept pupils thinking about their work and re-evaluating what they were doing throughout the sessions.

p.25

Commentary

60. Good leadership has ensured that that teachers are well supported by a wide range of resources, support and advice in planning their lessons. This has ensured that there is a clear focus in all lessons on skill development and developing pupils’ knowledge of techniques which helps them achieve well. Throughout the school they build up their skills effectively so that by the end of Year 6 pupils reach standards well above expectations for their age. There is good use of external specialist to extend teachers and pupils knowledge and skills, for example a recent experience of working with an artist was very successful. It resulted in very good quality, large willow-framed insect sculptures which adorn the hall. Pupils learnt a great deal about working with an unfamiliar material and working in three-dimensions on a large scale.

p.25

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Insufficient lessons were seen to form overall detailed judgements about provision in personal, social and health education, and citizenship.

p.25

Commentary

61. The very good scheme of work covers all aspects of the programmes of study including sex education and awareness of drugs. It makes a significant contribution to pupils' moral development and their very good attitudes. There is a very strong emphasis on raising pupils' self-esteem throughout the school and, as a result, pupils achieve well. A good example is the ‘Share’ scheme, in Class 1, where pupils and their parents meet the headteacher fortnightly to discuss forthcoming topics. They are encouraged to make a game connected to this work at home and bring it into the classroom to play with their classmates.

p.25

Commentary

62. In the lesson seen in Year 2, pupils reflected on the moral concerns of right and wrong in the story of Goldilocks. As they knew the story well, they confidently expressed their views about her behaviour and commented on what she should have done. For example, one pupil said forthrightly, “She should have knocked on the door and if no one came, she should have walked away.” The School Council contributes well towards pupils’ personal development, and is a useful forum for them to air their views. Pupils take responsibility for their ideas, for example, they worked out how much new playground equipment would cost, raised the money and took responsibility for ordering it and looking after it. The outcome of this very good provision is shown in pupils' enjoyment and involvement in their learning and their very positive attitudes to school. Sherburn Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 26

p.25

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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