St Andrew's CofE Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 nd - 5 th February 2004

p.1

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Andrew’s Church of England 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.

p.1

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. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 3 St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 4

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 3 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 234

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Broom Avenue Levenshulme Manchester Postcode: M19 2UH

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0161 4322731 Fax number: 0161 4320857

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Miss M Walker Date of previous inspection: 27 th April 1998

p.4

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Andrew’s is a voluntary aided Anglican primary school that educates 224 boys and girls aged from 3 to eleven years. The attainment on entry to the school is below average. Pupils are from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is above the national average. The percentage of pupils with a Statement for Special Educational Needs is well above the national average, with almost all having hearing impairment. An above average percentage of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Although the large majority of pupils are of white British backgrounds, there is also a significant number of pupils from Asian British, Pakistani, Black British and White and Black Caribbean backgrounds. Other minority ethnic groups include Indian and Chinese. The school has a very small number of pupils who are in care or who are refugees. An above average percentage of pupils speak English as an additional language. The school population

p.4

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

is comparatively stable with a relatively low percentage of pupils starting or leaving the school other than the times of normal admission or departure. The school gained a school achievement award in 2002, and received two other awards in 2003, one for being classed as a Healthy School and one for promoting pupils’ awareness of environmental awareness. The school receives income from Excellence in Cities. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 5

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

28076 Mr D Byrne Lead inspector Science, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology. 9981 Mr S Hussain Lay inspector Community provision 17543 Mr R Coupe Team inspector Foundation Stage, mathematics, music. 10228 Mrs S Russam Team inspector English, special educational needs, the resourced provision for the hearing Impaired. 18130 Mr A Ford Team inspector History, geography, physical education, citizenship

p.5

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucester GL53 7JX

p.5

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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). St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 6

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.6

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

p.6

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 33

St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 7

p.7

OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good school that provides a good quality of education. Good quality teaching and a good curriculum result in pupils achieving well. Pupils behave very well and develop very good attitudes to learning. The school is well governed and managed, and effectively led by the headteacher. The school provides good value for money.

p.7

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Achievement is good in English, mathematics, science and music across the school and in history and physical education in Years 3 to 6. Pupils could do better in design and technology in Years 3 to 6 and boys could do better in writing. • Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 could work harder and do better. • Very good levels of inclusion ensure that the needs of the diverse range of pupils are met. • Very good management of the Foundation Stage provides children with a very good start to their education. • Good teaching overall promotes very good levels of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This results in very good attitudes and behaviour, and warm, friendly relationships across the school. • A very good range of activities that extends learning beyond the classroom enhances a good curriculum. Good provision exists for personal, social, health and citizenship education. • The school ensures that pupils are cared for and looked after well.

p.7

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• There is a good range of opportunities for pupils to express their views but more could be done to involve them in setting targets for improvement. • Very good partnerships exist with parents and there are good links with the community. • The school is well governed and managed but, in many subjects, key staff do not have enough time to perform their roles.

p.7

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection and is now more effective. Standards are higher overall and provision in the Foundation Stage is much better. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are better and many improvements have been made to the curriculum. The procedures for educating parents about the curriculum are much better.

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall. Pupils achieve well across the school in English, mathematics, science and music. In Year 3 to 6, pupils achieve well in history and physical education but could do better in design and technology. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 8

p.7

Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English B D C C mathematics B C A A science C C B B 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

p.8

Year 6 results

Children start school with below average attainment. Very good teaching and provision in the Foundation Stage result in children achieving very well overall, with the majority of children reaching the early learning goals in each area of learning by the end of the reception class. Standards at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics have risen steadily over the last five years and at a rate that is faster than the national trend. Even though standards were below the national average in reading and writing in the national tests in 2003, in comparison with similar schools, standards were above the average in reading and were average in writing. In mathematics, standards were in line with the national average and well above the average for similar schools. Inspection evidence shows that, by the end of Year 2, pupils achieve well. Standards are currently above national expectations in reading, writing,

p.8

Year 6 results

Standards at the end of Year 6 in 2003 were well above the national average in mathematics, above the national average in science and in line with the national average in English. In comparison with the standards reached when the current Year 6 pupils were in Year 2, pupils achieved very well in mathematics, well in science and satisfactorily in English. Over the last five years, standards in English, mathematics and science have improved at a faster rate than that seen nationally.

p.8

Year 6 results

Inspection evidence shows that standards are above average in English, mathematics and science by the age of seven and 11. Pupils attain standards that are above expectations in music across the school and in history and physical education in Years 3 to 6. Standards in design and technology could be better by the end of Year 6. Across the school, pupils with special educational needs and hearing impairment achieve as well as other pupils. Pupils who speak English as an additional language generally do as well as other pupils, although, in Years 1 and 2, a small number struggle to use vocabulary as well as others in expressing what they think and know. Boys and girls generally do as well as each other, except in writing, where girls achieve better.

p.8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good . This contributes to very good attitudes, very good behaviour and the development of very good relationships. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

p.8

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 9 The quality of education is good . The teaching is good overall but could be better in some aspects in Year 6. Very good teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants ensures that pupils with special educational needs receive good levels of support. There is a good curriculum that makes learning stimulating for pupils. Very good use is made of educational visits to enhance lessons. The accommodation is good and the range of learning resources satisfactory. Pupils receive good levels of care with very good attention to their health and safety. The school canvasses pupils’ opinions about the running of the school but does not involve pupils enough in evaluating their own performance. Very good partnerships exist with parents and there are good links with the local community and other schools.

p.9

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher provides good leadership. The school is effectively managed. Governance is good. The leadership of key staff is good. A very good ethos is created through the very good team spirit that exists between staff who share a common vision for the school’s development.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have very good levels of satisfaction with the school. They feel the school provides a very good quality of education that ensures that their children achieve as well as they can. Pupils enjoy school and are very happy with the quality of teaching and what they are taught. They feel they are involved in the running of the school.

p.9

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

p.9

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Raise standards in design and technology by the end of Year 6 and the relative performance of boys in writing. • Increase the level of challenge provided for higher attaining pupils in Year 6. • Make better use of marking to involve pupils in setting their targets for improvement and evaluating their progress towards them. • Improve the quality of the monitoring of subjects other than English and mathematics by providing more non-contact time for subject co-ordinators in accordance with the school’s planned targets for development. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 10

p.9

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Achievement is good overall and standards are above average in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children in the nursery and reception classes make a very good start to their education. • Standards at the end of both Years 2 and 6 have been improving at a faster rate than that seen nationally over the last five years. • Pupils achieve well in English, mathematics, science and music across the school and in history and physical education in Years 3 to 6. • Pupils could do better in design and technology in Years 3 to 6. • Girls do better than boys in writing. • Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 could work harder and achieve better. • Pupils with hearing impairment achieve very well.

p.10

The Foundation Stage

1. Children start school with below average standards of attainment. A significant minority of children have low levels of personal, social and emotional development and difficulties with aspects of English. The very good provision in the Foundation Stage results in children achieving very well in each area of their learning. Most children reach the standards expected for their age in each area of learning by the end of the reception class. Children with English as an additional language make good progress and achieve very well, even though a small number still need additional support for acquiring English when they move on to Year 1. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to the targets in their individual education plans and those with hearing impairment do very well.

p.10

Key Stage 1

2. Standards have risen overall since the last inspection. Even though standards in 2003 were below the national average in reading and writing, they were above the average for similar schools in reading and in line with the average in writing. In mathematics, standards in 2003 were in line with the national average and well above the average for similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates that standards by the end of Year 2 are currently above national expectations in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The overall improvement in standards in reading and mathematics is a direct result of better teaching in Years 1 and 2 and the impact of better provision in the Foundation Stage. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well, but find some aspects of English hard and this reduces the standards reached in tests at the end of Year 2. By the end of Year 6, any differences have been dealt with

p.10

Key Stage 1

and these pupils perform as well as others in the end of Year 6 national tests. Pupils with special educational needs and those with hearing impairment achieve as well as other pupils. Boys and girls generally achieve as well as each other but girls do better St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 11 than boys in writing. The school is developing strategies to raise the standards of boys’ writing.

p.10

Key Stage 1

3. Pupils achieve well in music and attain good standards. This is a result of good leadership and teaching that generates enthusiasm for the subject. In other subjects, art and design, design and technology, information and communication technology, history and physical education pupils achieve satisfactorily and reach the standards expected for their age by the end of Year 2.

p.11

Key Stage 1

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

p.11

Key Stage 1

Standards in: School results National results reading 15.4 (16.2) 15.7 (15.8) writing 14.2 (14. 6) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.7 (17.5) 16.3 (16.5)

p.11

Key Stage 1

There were 31 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.11

Key Stage 2

4. Standards are higher than they were at the time of the last inspection. Pupils attained standards in the end of key stage National Curriculum tests in 2003 that were well above the national average in mathematics, above the national average in science and in line with the national average in English. In comparison with schools nationally that have a similar percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals, attainment was well above the average in English, mathematics and science. The trend in the school’s performance in all three subjects has been above the national trend but there have been variations between the subjects. Since 1999, the trend of improvement in mathematics and science has been good but in English, improvement has been more gradual. Between Years 2 and 6, pupils in the 2003 Year 6 class achieved very well in mathematics, well in science and satisfactorily in English. The school sets

p.11

Key Stage 2

challenging targets for attainment in English and mathematics that relate to the individual needs of pupils. In 2003 the targets were met.

p.11

Key Stage 2

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

p.11

Key Stage 2

Standards in: School results National results English 27.2 (26.4) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 26.8 (26.7) 26.8 (26.7) science 29.6 (28.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 32 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.11

Key Stage 2

5. Inspection evidence shows that pupils achieve well in English, mathematics and science. Standards in Year 6 are currently above the national average overall in English, mathematics and science but higher-attaining pupils are not always given work to challenge them enough and could do even better. Inspection evidence indicates that standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have improved in recent years as a result of better teaching and the impact of better management. In subjects other than English, mathematics and science, most pupils reach standards that exceed expectations for their age in history, music and physical education and achieve well. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 12 In other subjects, pupils do as well as expected for their age in art and design and information and communication technology. Standards in design and technology are below those expected nationally and in this subject achievement is unsatisfactory.

p.11

Key Stage 2

This is because in recent years the quality of leadership and management has been unsatisfactory which has contributed to weaknesses in staff training and support.

p.12

Key Stage 2

6. Across the school, the achievement of pupils with special educational needs, including those who have a hearing impairment, is good. In the case of pupils with special educational needs their progress is good because teachers quickly identify and respond to their individual needs. Progress for pupils with hearing impairment is very good. This is because of the high quality specialist help they receive, both in the context of teaching and learning support and also in the maintenance of additional equipment they require. This maximises the use deaf pupils can make of any residual hearing.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good , promoting amongst pupils very good attitudes, behaviour and levels of personal development. Attendance is very good .

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils form very good relationships with each other and with adults. • School is very popular with pupils, who like learning especially when they are challenged. • Pupils are sensitive to the range of different cultures in the school. • Pupils are caring and supportive of others.

p.12

Commentary

7. The good standards at the time of the last inspection have been strengthened and improved overall. Standards in each area are very good and are very significant factors in the good levels of personal and academic achievement of pupils. Pupils develop very good social skills and a strong sense of right and wrong, demonstrated through the very caring way in which they treat others. Pupils have a good tolerance and understanding of people different from themselves and value the importance of treating others with respect. The school values the diverse range of cultures and religious backgrounds represented by pupils and staff in the school. The headteacher and all staff have established a very good ethos that promotes very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils behave very well and enjoy learning. They are eager to learn and have the confidence to find things out for themselves.

p.12

Commentary

Boys, however, are rather reluctant to write, even though their standard of writing is still good. The vast majority of pupils are mature and confidently take decisions for their work and show good levels of initiative. Discussions with pupils show that they really enjoy school and particularly like learning English, mathematics, art and design and music. There is no evidence of harassment or bullying. A key factor in this is the good ethos across the school that successfully encourages high levels of tolerance and care. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 13

p.12

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.5 School data: 0.0 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.13

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

8. The overall level of attendance is well above the national average and pupils are punctual. The school monitors absence effectively.

p.13

Exclusions

There have been no fixed-term or permanent exclusions in the last twelve months.

p.13

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. The quality of teaching and learning is good . There is a good curriculum with very good levels of curriculum enrichment. There are good levels of care, guidance and support. Very good partnerships exist with parents and there are good links with the community, other schools and educational establishments.

p.13

Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and satisfactory in Year 6. The quality of assessment of pupils’ work is satisfactory overall and very good in the Foundation Stage.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Collaborative planning, careful preparation, and enthusiastic co-operation between staff in the Foundation Stage result in very good learning. • Teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum. • Higher-attaining pupils could be challenged to work harder in Year 6. • Effective teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants enables all pupils to be fully integrated in all lessons. • Marking could be used more effectively to involve pupils in improving their work. • Assessment procedures are very effective in the Foundation Stage and are effective in English and mathematics in Years 1 to 6.

p.13

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 14 2 (5%) 8 (21%) 20 (53%) 8 (21%)

p.13

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

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

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

9. The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection, with a significant improvement in the quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage. Across the school, most pupils make good progress and achieve well. In the lessons observed during the inspection, 79 per cent of lessons were good or better with over a fifth being very good or excellent. There were no unsatisfactory lessons. Teaching is particularly good in the Foundation Stage, and in Years 2 and 5 where expectations of pupils are particularly high, resulting in even the most able pupil being challenged. Although the quality of teaching in Year 6 is satisfactory overall with the majority of pupils making good progress and achieving well, not enough challenge is given to higher attaining pupils and this group of pupils could do better. Very good relationships exist between teachers and teaching assistants. These contribute to the very good

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

levels of inclusion in lessons for the diverse range of cultural backgrounds and educational needs of pupils across the school.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

10. In the Foundation Stage, the quality of teaching and learning is very good. Good management of the nursery and reception classes means that both teaching and support staff work together very well to make good use of all available resources. This provides children with an exciting, well-planned and effectively organised curriculum that is suitable for their age. Teachers have a good knowledge of the needs of the children. They plan and provide stimulating activities that successfully strike a good balance between work that is led by adults and activities that are chosen by children. Good quality bilingual support provided by teaching assistants makes sure that children with English as an additional language receive good support. This contributes to the good progress these children make in improving their knowledge and understanding of English.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

11. In Years 1 to 6 teachers have a secure knowledge of the subjects of the National Curriculum. This contributes to well-planned lessons that meet the pupils’ needs, although more challenge is needed for higher-attaining pupils in Year 6. The teaching of all subjects is good overall, and very good in science across the school and in history in Years 3 to 6. Teaching is satisfactory in information and communication technology. Teachers are enthusiastic about what they teach and successfully motivate pupils to learn. In many lessons, teachers make very good use of questioning and discussion techniques to establish problems that need to be solved. During an excellent science lesson in Year 2, for example, pupils responded very well to the very skilled way that the class teacher turned pupils’ ideas into questions that inspired pupils to want to find answers. The views and ideas of pupils are valued and

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

often used to lead onto activities that match the objectives of the lesson. Teachers make good use of opportunities to promote pupils’ application of their skills of numeracy and information and communication technology but the planning and teaching of links between literacy and other subjects could be better. Good use is made of homework to support and extend pupils’ learning at home. The use of marking is satisfactory. It is performed promptly and regularly but not all teachers use it effectively to involve pupils in setting their own targets for improvement. This reduces the pupils’ own knowledge of how well they are doing and how to do better.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

12. Pupils with differing abilities are usually well catered for. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well across the school. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of their individual needs and make good use of individual learning and behaviour plans to inform their lesson planning. Consequently, St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 15 pupils are provided with work that is specifically designed to boost their success. Their achievements are regularly assessed and reviewed so that new targets build systematically upon their learning. The needs of pupils with English as an additional language are well met overall.

p.14

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

13. The quality of teaching of pupils with hearing impairments is good overall, although it varies from very good to satisfactory. During the inspection an example of some of the best practice was seen in a Year 2 lesson. The most significant features observed were excellent working relationships between the class teacher and specialist support teacher, very good joint planning so that all pupils had equality of access to all learning opportunities and sensitive discrete support in small groups for parts of the lesson which required a more specific focus on the development of speech and language skills. Pupils with hearing impairment who are taught in discrete groups for numeracy and literacy are well supported in terms of their disability, but they are not always made to work hard enough.

p.15

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

14. Procedures for assessment are very good in the Foundation Stage and are very effectively used to cater for the needs of all pupils. In Years 1 to 6, procedures for assessment are satisfactory overall and good in English and mathematics. Teachers use data from tests to guide planning but not enough use is made of marking to involve pupils in their own learning. More could be done to involve pupils in setting their own targets for improvement and evaluating their progress towards them. Current assessment systems for subjects other than English and mathematics are satisfactory. Even though teachers generally make good provision for meeting the needs of higher-attaining pupils, the information gathered from assessment is not used as well as it could be to identify pupils who are potentially gifted and talented.

p.15

The curriculum

Curriculum provision is good with a very good range of extra-curricular activities. The quality of the accommodation is good and resources are satisfactory .

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is carefully planned and evaluated to find ways of meeting the diverse range of needs and ages. • The curriculum is brought alive for pupils through the very good provision of educational activities.

p.15

Commentary

15 The curriculum is broad and balanced and effectively planned to cater for the wide range of needs and ages of pupils. Good leadership by the headteacher and key staff promotes a strong curriculum overall with very good levels of curriculum enrichment. In the Foundation Stage, children benefit from a very well-planned range of exciting and stimulating activities. These inspire and motivate children to want to learn and children develop very good attitudes to learning at a young age. Good planning in Years 1 to 6 is building on the good start children make in the nursery and reception classes. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are effectively planned across the school and carefully evaluated and adapted to meet pupils’ needs. The curriculum meets the statutory requirements with regard to educating pupils about personal, social, health and citizenship education, including sex and relationships

p.15

Commentary

education and information on drugs and alcohol misuse. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good with effective procedures for ensuring that these St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 16 pupils are provided with effective guidance and support. The curriculum is adapted where necessary to enable pupils with English as an additional language to participate in all parts of the curriculum. The provision for the curriculum has improved since the last inspection with much better planning of subjects and significant improvements in the provision in the Foundation Stage.

p.15

Commentary

16 A very good range of extra-curricular events, including cultural, musical and sporting activities, extends pupils’ experiences. These activities enhance the taught curriculum and make a very good contribution to motivating pupils of all ages to learn. A very good range of educational visits enhances the curriculum taught in school. Contributions from expert visitors and members of the community are valued.

p.16

Commentary

17 The accommodation is safe, attractive and well-managed so that the full curriculum is available to children and pupils across the school. There is currently a lack of defined space for dealing with confidential matters, for example, supporting pupils with special educational needs, but building work is currently underway to improve this. Every effort is made to ensure that all parts of the building are accessible to all. Resources for learning are adequate for teaching all aspects of the curriculum. The development of the information and communication technology suite has boosted the provision for information and communication technology and ensured that the subject meets statutory requirements.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good. The school provides good support, guidance and advice and provides good opportunities for seeking the pupils’ views.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff are supportive and caring and work hard to make sure that all pupils play a full part in school life. • Good management ensures that the school is a safe and healthy place. • Regular consultations with pupils enable them to influence the way the school is run. • Pupils are not as involved as they could be in setting targets for improvement in their work.

p.16

Commentary

18 Procedures to monitor and support pupils’ personal development are good. All matters relating to ensuring a safe, secure and healthy environment within the school are dealt with very well. At the heart of the caring nature of the school lie the very good relationships that exist between all staff and all pupils. There are effective systems for getting to know children when they first start school and for identifying pupils who need extra support. The needs of the small number of pupils in care and those who are refugees are catered for very well. The funds from excellence in cities support the employment of two learning mentors, who are effective in supporting pupils in Year 6 with most need.

p.16

Commentary

19 The school health and safety policy is effectively supervised by the governing body and rigorously implemented by the headteacher and staff. Procedures for child protection are effective. Risk assessments are conscientiously performed. The school is working hard to ensure that pupils have a good awareness of health issues. Good initiatives are established to promote healthy eating and exercise. The very St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 17 good quality of the school meals reinforces the importance of a balanced diet. The school’s good work has been recognised by the achievement of a Healthy School award. The school has very effective procedures for promoting good levels of racial equality.

p.16

Commentary

20 Pupils know that their views are valued. They approach teachers confidently if they have concerns and teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of individual pupils. Pupil councils for healthy eating and for consultations about aspects of how the school is run, successfully involve pupils in what goes on in their school. This helps pupils to get involved in providing ideas about how to improve the school routines and facilities. Although pupils have an idea of how well they are doing, they are not consistently involved in setting and reviewing personal and academic targets.

p.17

Partnerships with parents, other schools and the community

Very effective partnerships exist with parents and there are good links with the community and other schools.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Excellent initiatives have been established to educate parents about the curriculum. • Parents have very high levels of satisfaction with the school. • Pupils are kept very well informed about how well their children are doing in school and coming events. • The school promotes amongst parents very good levels of involvement in supporting their children at home.

p.17

Commentary

21 Parents are very satisfied with what the school provides and most are keen to support and help their children’s learning. Parents express favourable views about the school, especially about the way that children are encouraged to learn and work hard. The school provides good quality information. Parents receive good quality individualised diagnostic reports about their children. The school has developed excellent procedures to educate parents about the curriculum by providing a wide range of outstanding after-school workshops. The very warm relationships between the school and parents promote good levels of communication and opportunities for parents to raise issues that may be of concern to them. Parents are very well involved in their children’s education both in school and at home. The parents’ association raises considerable sums of money to extend the range of resources and support educational visits and visitors.

p.17

Commentary

22 Good links with the community benefit the pupils’ education. Good links with a range of educational agencies promote pupils’ awareness of health and drugs and other aspects of their personal, social and health education. Sporting links are established with local sports clubs that extend opportunities for sports coaching. Learning resources are supplemented through useful links with local libraries and resource centres. Regular outside visits contribute well to pupils’ learning, and members of the community use the school’s facilities from time to time. The school is a leading light in a local school consortium and this enhances opportunities for staff development and training. Child-care students from a local college of further education benefit from work experience in the school. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 18

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and the management of the school are good. The headteacher, along with her key staff, provides effective leadership and ensures that school is managed well. The governance of the school is good.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher and key staff give direction and purpose to the life and work of the school. • All staff work well together in providing very good levels of inclusion for all pupils. • Very effective leadership and management of the Foundation Stage provide children with a very good start to their education. • More non-contact time could be provided for co-ordinators of subjects other than English and mathematics. • Resources are very well managed for the pupils’ benefit. • Arrangements for the clerking and support for governors are very good.

p.18

Commentary

23 The headteacher provides effective leadership and successfully creates a good climate for successful teaching and learning. Close teamwork between the headteacher and her deputy provides a clear strategic vision for the school. A leadership team that has clear ambitions and goals effectively supports the headteacher. All staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities, but the school has not developed an effective timetable for providing staff with time to manage their subjects. The headteacher and her staff have developed links with a number of outside bodies and these connections have enabled many improvements to take place.

p.18

Commentary

24 The management of the school is good. The Foundation Stage is very well managed. In Key Stages 1 and 2, subject co-ordinators are effective overall, despite the lack of time for them to undertake some aspects of their work. Performance management is used well to guide and inform staff development required within the school. The process is linked to a satisfactory school development plan that is generated through close consultation with all parties. Effective self-evaluation procedures are instrumental in identifying where national initiatives are the most effective and where resources need to be deployed to have the maximum impact. These procedures have been particularly successful in implementing strategies that have raised standards in English, mathematics and science. The management of special educational needs provision throughout the school is good, and the special educational needs co- ordinator provides satisfactory leadership for the development of this aspect of the

p.18

Commentary

work of the school. The deployment of support staff is particularly effective in meeting the needs of this group of pupils. This enables them to benefit from full access to the National Curriculum alongside their classmates. Learning mentors are also very effective in supporting pupils with social and emotional problems, enabling them to build meaningful relationships with others.

p.18

Commentary

25 The school does not have responsibility for managing staff working with the hearing impaired pupils. However, the resource base has been established in the school for many years and, as a result, working relationships are very cordial and there is a great sense of joint ownership for the quality of the specialist provision. The head of the hearing impaired service and the headteacher share a vision for providing a centre of excellence and inclusion for all pupils. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 19 26 The governance of the school is good. The governing body has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, ensures that statutory requirements are met in full and is supported by a very efficient clerk. Governors have addressed all the issues relating to governance raised in the previous inspection. Through a programme of regular and detailed reports on all aspects of the school’s

p.18

Commentary

performance, the governing body is kept extremely well informed about the school’s activities and the steps being taken to facilitate continuous improvement. Governors question and evaluate progress, and are fully involved in all aspects of the school’s strategic planning.

p.19

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 733 163 Balance from previous year 61 753 Total expenditure 792 354 Balance carried forward to the next 2 562

p.19

Financial information

27 Financial management is very good and the funds available are used well to secure additional resources and initiate improvements. Resources are used very well to benefit the education of pupils across the school. Income for supporting pupils with hearing impairment is effectively directed. The funds from Excellence in Cities are effectively used to target support for pupils with most need, currently in Year 6. Support staff are deployed well and provide very good levels of support across the school and, as a result, pupils achieve well. The headteacher has been successful in attracting funding and support from the wider community to promote continuing improvements, such as the development of the Foundation Stage and ongoing improvements to the accommodation. The current small carry forward figure is earmarked for agreed priorities identified in the school development plan. All recommendations of the most recent audit report have been addressed. The school

p.19

Financial information

gives good value for money. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 20

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision is very good in the Foundation Stage.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

28 Children’s attainment on entry to the school is below average. The very good quality of teaching and learning in both the nursery and reception classes results in children achieving very well. By the end of the reception class, the majority of children attain the standards expected for their age. The school has made very good progress in improving the Foundation Stage since the last inspection. This has been the result of the creation of a very effective team of teachers and teaching assistants. Their collaborative planning, careful preparation, and enthusiastic co-operation significantly contribute to exciting lessons and to children’s success.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

29 Very good assessment arrangements provide for the regular and careful recording of children’s achievements and progress. The information is used very well to plan for their next stage of development. Very good leadership and management by the co- ordinator ensure that the education provided is fully inclusive. The bilingual teaching assistants provide good support for the children who speak English as an additional language and the needs of these children are, therefore, effectively met. Provision for children with hearing impairments and special educational needs is very good and helps them to achieve equally as well as other children in their classes. Professional development offered to teachers is effective and there is a good range of resources to support learning in good quality accommodation.

p.20

Personal, social and emotional development

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

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Excellent relationships between children and adults create an atmosphere of very effective learning. • There are very good procedures to promote social skills and a sense of right and wrong.

p.20

Commentary

30 Children achieve very well and the vast majority attain the standards expected for their age by the end of the reception class. From the time of admission, teachers encourage children to be independent, to co-operate and to share with others. Adults offer a very good role model. They encourage good behaviour and relationships. Praise is effectively used to reward good responses. Discipline is managed well, rather than enforced, and, whilst teachers are firm, they are sensitive to children’s individual needs. Because of this good practice, children soon learn to respect teachers and each other as they learn and play nicely. They concentrate well, carry out tasks as required and look after the equipment provided. Good opportunities to develop social practices are regularly encouraged at snack time, for example, or when children are engaged in designated play activities. Assemblies and opportunities

p.20

Commentary

for shared discussions during lessons provide opportunities for children to appreciate St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 21 and celebrate others’ work as well as their own. In addition, sensitivity for feelings and emotions is explored. Most children can dress and undress themselves and, with the good encouragement of the teachers, they are able to manage their own hygiene requirements. The effective inclusion of children from ethnic minority backgrounds is an asset to the easy integration, assimilation and understanding of different people’s practices and customs.

p.20

Communication, language and literacy

Provision for communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers provide a wide range of interesting and exciting activities to develop children’s knowledge and understanding of language. • Good use is made of techniques to develop children’s speaking and listening skills.

p.21

Commentary

31 Standards in communication, language and literacy are at the expected level by the time children leave the reception class. Achievement is very good in this aspect of learning. Children enter school with a very limited vocabulary and subsequent poorly developed communication skills. It is because of the very good teaching they receive, that children’s rapid acquisition of skills is so effectively achieved. Teachers actively engage children in the development of their listening and speaking skills. Well-crafted questions and “follow-ups” are continuously targeted at individuals to tease out appropriate responses. Children learn sounds and letter shapes simultaneously in school-manufactured books. In nursery, children become familiar with displayed letters and recognise their names. They make initial letters in feathers and write marks in their “house books”. By the end of reception, higher-attaining children

p.21

Commentary

produce several lines of clearly defined writing and distinguish between upper and lower case letters. All write their names, make lists and labels and produce recognisable words in context. Books and stories are clearly enjoyed, as demonstrated by children’s choices of activities when they elect to listen to taped stories or select their favourite book to read.

p.21

Mathematical development

Provision for mathematical development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers place a good emphasis on developing children’s knowledge and understanding of mathematical language. • Children are given a good introduction to basic number.

p.21

Commentary

32 Children achieve very well. By the end of the reception class, their counting skills are good. This is as a result of very good teaching. In reception, well-planned, applied number work activities, such as counting and matching spots on dice, lead to good understanding. Many children identify one more or one less, and higher-attaining children can identify two more. They can apply these skills in mathematics problems St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 22 and relate them to real-life activities. For example, one boy, searching in the playground for seven hidden colours, could explain that he needed to find two more. Mathematical language is effectively developed. Pupils are familiar with words such as longer, shorter, heavier and tallest. Learning is extended through measuring items, such as pencils, or identifying which bottle has the most sand in it. An elementary understanding of time is gained through discussion and display of the timed routine of

p.21

Knowledge and understanding of the world

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

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good use is made of educational visits as a way of extending children’s experience of the world around them. • Teachers make good use of modern technology.

p.22

Commentary

33 Teachers work hard to provide a wide range of activities that get children involved in the world around them. Very good lesson planning provides a wealth of opportunities for increased knowledge and understanding of the world. By the time they enter Year 1, children achieve the goals expected for their age.

p.22

Commentary

34 Outside visits to look at houses, the library, the post office, and a farm are extended into good learning activities back at school. For example, in the nursery, there is a very good display outlining a map of Levenshulme, on which the children have identified their homes. Teachers make good use of computers to develop positive attitudes amongst children to modern technology. The computer in class enables children to practice computer skills in mouse control, click and drag, and operating selected programs, as well using programmable toys. In activities involving the use of food and related activities pupils learn about the importance of hygiene, diet and healthy eating.

p.22

Physical development

Provision in children’s physical development is very good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers place a good emphasis on using the outdoor play area to develop children’s physical skills. • Good use is made of a good range of activities to promote not only physical skills but also children’s communication, language and literacy and numeracy skills.

p.22

Commentary

35 Teachers very effectively develop children’s physical skills so that by the end of the Foundation Stage achievement is very good and all children attain the goals expected for their age by the end of reception. Children acquire good body control skills on the outdoor climbing frame, when using the large wheeled toys, when throwing for distance and accuracy and when dancing in the hall. In these activities they show St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 23 poise and balance. They display strength and confidence when reaching heights on the frame. The speed on tricycles and scooters is safe and controlled, but sometimes breathtaking. At all times children are aware of safety rules and make good use of space. They are also aware that when they exercise it is good for their bodies and that it makes their hearts beat faster. In more sedentary tasks, children are secure when manipulating tools such as spreaders, brushes, scissors and other cutters.

p.22

Commentary

Children use construction kits well. Their products are well designed and imaginative. Teachers often extend literacy and numeracy skills effectively in these activities by discussing aspects of movement and shape and by use of good technical language.

p.23

Creative development

Provision for creative development is very good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good planning provides children with a wide range of exciting and stimulating activities. • A good emphasis is placed on combining the direct teaching of skills with enabling children to explore and find out for themselves.

p.23

Commentary

36 Children really enjoy this aspect of learning and achieve very well. Bt the end of the reception class most children have achieved the goals expected for their age. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Very good planning provides children with a good range of stimulating activities that involve them in a wide range of creative activities. Children paint self-portraits that are well proportioned, showing features that are clear and realistic. Children show a sense of wonder as they mix paints together to make different colours or shades of colour. Some good models of cars, trucks and rockets are made and painted. In these and similar activities children use their making skills and choose from a selection of fasteners such as paper clips, tape, staples and glue. Children enjoy singing. They enjoy making music and are skilful when handling a range of percussion instruments. They collaborate well when playing the beat of

p.23

Commentary

favourite nursery rhymes, both loudly and softly.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils from all backgrounds and levels of ability do well, overall, except higher attaining pupils in Year 6. • Teachers frequently plan and provide exciting and innovative lessons and activities. • Girls do better than boys in writing. • Literacy skills are not promoted well enough through other subjects of the curriculum. • The pupils have very good attitudes to learning and this gives them the confidence to work hard in lessons. • Good management contributes to a good focus on raising standards further. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

37 In the national tests in 2003, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 were in line with the national average and well above the average for similar schools. Pupils achieved satisfactorily during Years 3 to 6 when compared to the standards gained in their Year 2 National Curriculum tests. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 in the 2003 national tests were below the national average in reading and writing. In comparison with similar schools, standards were above the average in reading and in line with the average in writing.

p.24

Commentary

38 Inspection evidence shows that pupils achieve well overall across the school but in Year 6 overall achievement could be better. Standards at the end of both key stages are above average, with pupils doing better in reading than writing. Throughout the school pupils achieve well. Pupils for whom English is a second language and those with special educational needs make similar progress to their classmates, but in Years 1 and 2 a small minority find some aspects of reading and writing more difficult. A significant minority of pupils have a hearing impairment and the achievement of these pupils is often very good. They make the best progress when they are given specialist help to learn alongside their classmates. Girls do better than boys in writing. The school is developing strategies to reduce the difference.

p.24

Commentary

39 Speaking and listening are a whole-school focus for development, and the school has a particular aim of raising standards of speaking. Pupils make steady progress in developing their speaking skills but not all teachers are confident enough to allow pupils to initiate and participate in extended discussions. Throughout the school, drama, role-play and debate are rarely exploited as tools to extend pupils’ conversational skills. Writing is another area of focus, particularly with regard to boys’ writing. However, standards of handwriting, presentation and spelling are good overall.

p.24

Commentary

40 The quality of teaching and learning across the school is good overall although it is only satisfactory in Year 6. During the inspection some very good and excellent teaching was observed. In the best lessons, teachers encourage and engage pupils well. Consequently, pupils have very good attitudes to learning, work hard and are keen to do their best. Teachers plan and provide work which is challenging and innovative. They insist on high standards of behaviour and ensure all pupils are given tasks that enable them to gain a greater knowledge and understanding of their own work. Teaching assistants and other adults are used very well. In particular, staff with expertise in supporting pupils with hearing impairment make very valuable contributions when they work with the class teacher to support individuals and small groups of pupils with their learning. This promotes the pupils’ capacity to work independently and collaboratively. Year 6 pupils are not expected to work hard enough

p.24

Commentary

and expectations for writing are not high enough. Whilst marking is satisfactory across the school, it is not used consistently to involve pupils in setting their own targets for improvement. Homework is used well to support learning.

p.24

Commentary

41 The subject is well led and managed. The curriculum is planned well and assessment is effective in enabling teachers to monitor pupils’ attainment and progress. Improvement since the last inspection has been good. The co-ordinator has devised a suitable development plan that gives a clear focus for raising standards. The school is aware of the need to raise the achievement of pupils who are capable of reaching above average standards. Opportunities to further exploit the use of information and communication technology are also being explored, especially with regard to using different strategies to motivate and encourage boys with their writing. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 25

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

42 The planned use of literacy across the curriculum is unsatisfactory and could be better. Several teachers are effective in the way in which they promote pupils’ literacy skills in other subjects. However, the development of these skills is incidental rather than specifically planned. Some teachers enable pupils to write for a variety of purposes and for different audiences, using other areas of the curriculum, such as history and science. Because pupils are able to read well, they are confident about using books for research and finding information. The majority are equally assertive in expressing personally held views and opinions, but opportunities for such debate are limited.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in school are above average and pupils achieve well. • Teaching is good overall, although higher attaining pupils in Year 6 are not always given enough challenge. • Assessment is an effective tool for tracking pupils’ progress but pupils could be more involved in setting and monitoring their progress towards achieving mathematical targets. • Effective leadership and management have raised the profile of mathematics in the school and raised standards as a result.

p.25

Commentary

43 Pupils achieve well in mathematics. In the national tests in 2003, pupils attained standards that were well above the national average and the average for similar schools and pupils achieved very well when compared to the standards gained in their Year 2 tests. Over the last five years there has been a good rate of improvement at the end of both key stages and standards are higher than they were at the time of the last inspection.

p.25

Commentary

44 Inspection evidence shows that standards at the end of both Years 2 and 6 are currently above the national expectations for their age. In Year 6, the small number of higher-attaining pupils are not always given work that challenges and extends them sufficiently. Across the school, pupils with special educational needs, including those with hearing impairment, receive very good support in class and achieve as well as other pupils. Pupils who speak English as an additional language also do as well as other pupils by the end of Year 6. In Years 1 and 2, some pupils who speak English as an additional language find that limitations in their knowledge and understanding of English reduce their ability to do as well as they could in the end of Year 2 tests. Boys do as well as girls across the school.

p.25

Commentary

45 The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, with very good teaching in some classes. Teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to teach the National Numeracy Strategy so that it is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. The good quality of teaching is a major factor in the pupils’ good achievement. The very good lessons were very well planned to meet the needs of all pupils and very well St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 26 paced so that pupils knew that they were expected to be productive. These high expectations motivated pupils to work hard and to do their best. Pupils generally enjoy their lessons, work hard, sustain concentration and show very good attitudes to learning. The quality of marking is satisfactory but could be better because opportunities are not consistently taken to involve pupils in setting mathematical targets for improvement. Some teachers regularly provide constructive and helpful

p.25

Commentary

comments in pupils’ books, but this is not always the case. Homework is effectively used to promote and extend learning at home.

p.26

Commentary

46 Leadership and management are good despite the co-ordinator being given very little time to carry out her responsibilities. She has worked hard to raise and sustain the high profile of mathematics and to improve achievement throughout the school. Procedures for assessment are effective but a more rigorous approach to monitoring teaching would improve the satisfactory provision for staff development. There has been a good improvement in provision since the last inspection.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

47 Good use is made of numeracy to enable pupils to apply their knowledge and understanding of mathematics to other subjects and contexts. Pupils’ awareness of the passage of time and dates is encouraged in history. Weighing, testing and measuring are featured in design and technology, whilst the recording of scientific experiments is often illustrated through graphs. Information and communication technology is used well as a mathematical teaching aid in the computer suite and pupils often use mathematical programs independently to represent data on spreadsheets and as graphs and charts.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils do particularly well in developing practical skills of investigation. • Teachers provide exciting and stimulating lessons that develop very good attitudes to science amongst pupils. • Higher-attaining pupils in Year 6 could do better. • Pupils make good use of cross-curricular skills in their scientific recording. • The co-ordinator is effective in ensuring that the subject is constantly being developed and improved.

p.26

Commentary

48 Pupils achieve well in science. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have risen steadily over the last four years from being well below the national average in 2000 to being above the national average in 2003. Statistical data show that pupils make good progress between Year 2 and Year 6. In comparison with similar schools, standards in 2003 and 2002 were above the average and in 2001 they were well above the average. The improvement is due to better teaching, particularly in the way that experimental and investigative science is taught. Inspection evidence indicates that the standards of the current Year 6 class are above the national expectations for their age but higher-attaining pupils could do better. This is because expectations for these St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 27 pupils to think about scientific phenomena are not always challenging enough. Standards at the end of Year 2, as shown by teacher assessments, were in line with

p.26

Commentary

national expectations. Pupils had a good ability to perform experimental and investigative science. Inspection evidence confirms this.

p.27

Commentary

49 Pupils with special educational needs and those with hearing impairment are given very good support and achieve as well as they can and often do very well in the practical parts of the subject. Pupils with English as an additional language do as well as other pupils in Key Stage 2, but in Key Stage 1, the limited knowledge of English of a very small number of pupils holds back their attainment in terms of expressing what they know and understand about science. There is no difference between the performance of boys and girls.

p.27

Commentary

50 The quality of teaching and learning is very good. In Key Stage 1, pupils are given a very good grounding in science. Teachers have high expectations that pupils will think for themselves. Pupils are expected to make decisions based upon their own experiences and using evidence gathered through range of well-planned activities. Some excellent teaching exists in Year 2 where pupils are challenged to a very high degree to think for themselves. Pupils are very successfully encouraged to generate their own questions that lead into investigations and experiments. Through exceptionally well-structured discussions and use of resources, pupils skilfully build up a very good understanding of fair testing and ways of testing out hypotheses. Pupils in Key Stage 1 really enjoy science and, because their skills are so well engrained, they have the confidence to try out new ideas and discover as they learn. In Key Stage 2 pupils continue to learn well in response to very good teaching overall.

p.27

Commentary

Pupils become more adept in performing experiments and investigations and make good progress in developing skills of gathering data through measurement, for example, by using Newton Meters in a variety of contexts to explore features of force, such as friction and gravity. In the current Year 6 class, teaching and learning are satisfactory but the level of challenge for higher attaining pupils is not as high as it could be and this reduces the standards attained by this group of pupils.

p.27

Commentary

51 Across the school, teachers make good links between science and literacy and numeracy and, to a lesser extent, information and communication technology. A good range of recording skills are developed. Pupils regularly use mathematical skills to represent data gathered from scientific tests and surveys, for example, the comparative hand size of Year 6 and Year 2 pupils. The quality of marking is satisfactory but teachers could make better use of comments to challenge what pupils do and to involve pupils in setting their own targets for improvement. During science lessons, pupils behave very well and show very good levels of co-operation when working with partners or groups.

p.27

Commentary

52 The subject is very well led and managed. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and well organised and works hard to keep abreast of new ideas and initiatives. Good levels of support are provided for colleagues in terms of ensuring that resources are accessible and that the curriculum is suitably planned. Effective ways of monitoring pupils’ attainment and progress are established and effective strategies are in place to prepare pupils for the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6. Whilst the co- ordinator has a reasonable picture of how well pupils achieve across the school, a lack of dedicated release time for keeping an eye on how well pupils learn and how effectively they are taught, reduces the impact of the management of science across the school. Provision has improved since the last inspection.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 28 Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Improvements in resources have boosted the quality of provision and standards. • Teachers are imaginative in the activities planned and are starting to make effective use of computers to support learning across the curriculum. • Pupils like using computers and willingly use them to support learning.

p.28

Commentary

53 Pupils achieve satisfactorily. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with those expected for pupils at the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. The standards and achievement of pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs are similar to those of other pupils.

p.28

Commentary

54 A recent improvement in resources has boosted the breadth of the curriculum available to pupils and improved standards. Effective staff training has enabled teachers and teaching assistants to make satisfactory use of computers and other resources, such as digital cameras. Across the school, pupils are currently making good progress from the levels at which they start school. They soon acquire confidence and are prepared to explore beyond average expectations. Pupils in Year 2 experiment with representing data gathered from science activities as block graphs and pie charts. Across the school, pupils increasingly develop their skills of using programs for writing and editing texts. In Years 3 to 6 in particular, pupils confidently use the Internet to locate information to support learning in projects associated with subjects such as history. By the end of Year 6, pupils are skilled in creating and

p.28

Commentary

presenting multi-media presentations involving the combination of sounds, images, photographs and texts. Pupils are less secure in using computers to control machines and to gather information using sensors.

p.28

Commentary

55 The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory and in some aspects good. Teachers have adjusted to the availability of the relatively new information and communication technology suite. They plan activities imaginatively so that all pupils have scope to extend themselves rather than just attain what is expected of them. Teachers’ subject knowledge is satisfactory and there is a shared acceptance of the need to develop opportunities for using information and communication technology across the curriculum. As a result, teachers are starting to successfully integrate computers into many other subjects so that pupils learn to apply their skills in a variety of different circumstances. Pupils enjoy information and communication technology and most work independently and sensibly at computers. They are encouraged to participate in managing the school’s information and communication technology provision with older pupils helping younger ones at times.

p.28

Commentary

56 The subject is satisfactorily led and managed. Many changes have been effectively managed in the last two years, for example, setting up the information and communication technology suite. The pace of change in some aspects, however, has been slow, for example, in achieving the target of creating a school web site and in establishing effective e-mail links. Pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactorily monitored and the curriculum is planned satisfactorily. There has been a significant improvement since the last inspection in standards and resources. This has resulted in rapid progress and higher standards. Resources and accommodation are now satisfactory and are suitably chosen for their impact on teaching and learning. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 29

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

57 The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum is satisfactory. Teachers are alert to occasions when information and communication technology resources can be used to enhance other subjects and also extend pupils’ skills. There is satisfactory use of computers in numeracy and science and subjects such as history but not enough planned use to support literacy. Graphics tools are used from time to time to create images in the style of famous artists. Information and communication technology is used extensively to support pupils with special educational needs and to reinforce basic skills for lower-attaining pupils. It is recognised by both teachers and pupils as a cross-curricular tool.

p.29

HUMANITIES

The limitations of time made it impossible to report on geography in depth.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have an enthusiasm for the subject and achieve well overall. • Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is often innovative and inspires pupils to learn. • Very good use is made of educational visits to enhance learning. • Although the subject is very effectively led and managed, not enough time is made available for the co-ordinator to undertake duties.

p.29

Commentary

58 Pupils achieve well by the end of Year 6. Standards are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2 and above national expectations by the end of Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language achieve as well other pupils.

p.29

Commentary

59 By the end of Year 6 pupils have developed a very good understanding of periods in history that they have studied. They have a very good knowledge of local history because teachers link key events and social change to the locality. For example, tasks based on census information relate to occupational change in the school’s vicinity. Pupils have a good understanding of historical events and relate their knowledge with considerable enthusiasm. They can recall events from the past and have a very good understanding of how people lived in different periods of history. By the end of Year 2, pupils competently use pictorial and video sources to find information and retell the exploits of famous people, such as Florence Nightingale, Guy Fawkes and Samuel Pepys.

p.29

Commentary

60 The quality of teaching and learning is good in Years 1 and 2 where lessons are well planned and resourced, enabling pupils to make good progress. Across the school, activities build on pupils’ prior learning and their work is well presented but at times the use of duplicated worksheets reduces the range of recording methods and activities. The marking of pupils’ work can, however, be superficial and misconceptions are not corrected through developmental marking. Teaching in Years St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 30 3 to 6 is very good with teachers bringing lessons to life through the effective use of some innovative teaching. As a result, pupils show real enthusiasm and interest in the subject.

p.29

Commentary

61 The co-ordinator provides very good support for staff throughout the school and overall the subject is very well led and managed. There are insufficient opportunities provided for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching, but the use of specialist skills in other age groups and team-teaching activities contribute significantly to pupils’ progress and to staff development. Good use is made of visits to the local area, which motivate pupils and enhance the curriculum. Pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactorily monitored but more could be done to identify gifted and talented pupils. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The limitations of time made it impossible to report on art and design in depth or to make a judgement about provision but evidence gathered from sampling work and discussions with pupils indicates that standards have improved since the last inspection and are now in line with national expectations.

p.30

Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is unsatisfactory.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The skills and knowledge of pupils by the end of Year 6 indicate gaps in their learning in the past. • The subject has been poorly led in the past resulting in a lack of a policy and of sufficient guidance for staff. • The procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress are unsatisfactory.

p.30

Commentary

58 Standards in design and technology are below national expectations by the end of Year 6 and in line with the expectations by the end of Year 2. Pupils are achieving satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2 but could do better in Years 3 to 6. The standards and achievement of pupils with English as an additional language and special educational needs are similar to that of other pupils.

p.30

Commentary

59 By the end of Year 2, pupils are familiar with the process of design and technology. They can describe their ideas for creating objects or solving problems and have a satisfactory range of skills to achieve their designs. During a lesson in which Year 1 pupils showed satisfactory skills of using card to make sliders and levers to create a moving picture based on the book “Titch” pupils confidently explained how to make the card stronger by adding rolled paper. In Key Stage 2, pupils develop a satisfactory range of skills when using food to design healthy meals and sandwiches and develop a sound knowledge and understanding of how to transfer designs into reality. In Year 4, pupils made valiant attempts to use card and electrical components to make working torches, but their skills of cutting and shaping were poor and this reduced the quality of their product. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 31

p.30

Commentary

60 The quality of teaching and learning observed during the inspection was satisfactory but discussions with pupils in Year 6 indicate that there have been weaknesses in the past. This shows in the way that pupils have many gaps in their experiences of design and technology. For example, they are unsure of how to create and realise two- and three-dimensional designs. Their knowledge and understanding of using resistant materials, such as wood or plastic, are poor and pupils have a limited knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of structure and mechanics. There is evidence of recent improvements in the quality of pupils’ work, for example, the good quality Anderson bomb shelters made by Year 6 pupils as part of their work on World War 2, but, overall, standards are below what is expected for pupils of their age.

p.31

Commentary

61 The impact of leadership and management on standards is currently unsatisfactory. The co-ordinator is very recent to the post and, whilst there is recognition of what needs to be done to raise standards, not enough has yet been accomplished. There is a suitable curriculum in place across the school and good links are made at times between design and technology and other subjects. There is no policy, however, and there has been no staff training in recent years. There is no way of assessing and monitoring pupils’ attainment and progress. Resources are unsatisfactory in enabling pupils to develop skills of using resistant materials and to understand the basic ideas of structures and mechanics. The improvement since the last inspection has been unsatisfactory.

p.31

Music

• Pupils achieve well and sing to a good standard. • Teachers are well trained and make good use of resources to support lessons. • Effective leadership and management provide pupils with a wide range of musical opportunities and experiences.

p.31

COMMENTARY

62. Pupils achieve well across the school. By the end of both Years 2 and 6, standards are above national expectations.

p.31

COMMENTARY

63. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teachers have been effectively trained in how to make best use of a new scheme to guide what they teach. Lessons are well structured, instructions are clear, expectations high and the children enjoy working and performing together. The resources, such as tuned and untuned percussion instruments, are plentiful and of good quality. As a result of all these factors, pupils display high levels of interest and concentration. Good learning is matched to the good teaching. The outcome is shown in pupils’ good ability to listen attentively and identify pitch, pulse and patterns in works of music. By the end of Year 6, many pupils confidently compose repeating patterns, which they perform on instruments, and sing very well. During a Key Stage 2 assembly pupils demonstrated good voice control and sang enthusiastically and tunefully, as individuals, as a group

p.31

COMMENTARY

and in rounds. 64. Leadership and management are good. In addition to providing good in-service training for teachers, the subject leader has sufficient expertise to support staff effectively and to generate an interest for music across the school. As a result, many pupils enjoy wide-ranging, additional activities. Nearly half the pupils in school benefit St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 32 from freely available specialist music teachers of keyboard, recorder, guitar and violin. Furthermore, concerts, performances and visiting musicians provide additional musical experiences that support learning in the classrooms. Pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactorily monitored but more could be done to identify gifted and talented pupils. The school has made good improvement in raising standards since the last inspection.

p.31

Physical Education

Provision in physical education is good.

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils do well in Key Stage 2. • The school is involved in a good range of sporting activities. • Lessons are well planned and well paced. • Pupils are particularly keen and enthusiastic in gymnastics and games. • Although the subject is effectively managed, not enough time is available for the co- ordinator to carry out some aspects of the job.

p.32

Commentary

65 Pupils achieve well in Years 3 to 6 and satisfactorily in Years 1 and 2. Standards by the end of Year 6 are above national expectations and in line with them by the end of Year 2. The vast majority of pupils reach the nationally expected standard in swimming by the time they complete their primary education.

p.32

Commentary

66 The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Individual lessons are planned to take account of pupils’ prior learning, thus enabling pupils to develop their skills progressively over time. Resources are used well. Pupils are encouraged to be aware of safety issues when moving and setting up equipment. Teachers make expectations very clear for pupils and, as a result, they work hard to produce good levels of performance across a range of physical activities. Pupils are usually involved in evaluating their own performance and that of others to enable them to further improve their skills. During lessons, pupils work collaboratively and co-operate well on sharing tasks such as moving and placing equipment and supporting each other during balancing sequences. Some good links are made between physical education and other subjects. For example, pupils are provided with opportunities to express

p.32

Commentary

themselves through dance, linked to studies about the Ancient Greeks.

p.32

Commentary

67 The subject is well led and managed. Although the subject leader provides good support and guidance to colleagues, very little time is provided for monitoring of teaching and learning. The co-ordinator has been instrumental in successfully attracting funding in pursuit of games-based activities, which will provide more sporting opportunities for pupils. There is a good curriculum. Improvements have been made in planning by the adoption of a locally based scheme that is assisting teachers in the progressive and systematic development of pupils’ skills. The “Passport 2 Sport” programme is very successfully providing opportunities for pupils to be coached in squash and tennis, both sports that are only occasionally taught at primary school level. Physical education is well resourced. The school provides a good range of sporting opportunities beyond the school day, funded and supported through community grants and initiatives. These activities are well supported by pupils

p.32

Commentary

who make good gains in their personal and social development. Pupils benefit from having hard surface playgrounds and extensive grassed areas on which to develop St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 33 their skills. Although there is a basic way of assessing pupils’ attainment and progress, not enough is done to identify pupils who are potentially gifted and talented. There has been good improvement in provision since the last inspection.

p.32

Personal, social, health and citizenship education

68 The quality of provision is good overall. The school works hard to ensure that pupils have a good range of opportunities to develop their awareness of issues related to sex and relationships and to drug abuse. The school promotes healthy lifestyles by successfully encouraging pupils to eat healthily as well as through lessons such as science and by providing good quality school dinners. Citizenship is promoted well across the school. Pupils are encouraged to be responsible for caring for the environment through initiatives such as paper recycling. St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 34

p.33

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.34

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

p.34

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.34

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 2 Accommodation and resources 3 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

p.34

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.34

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). St Andrew’s Church of England Primary School - 35

p.34