St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School

ST BARTHOLOMEW’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School 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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ST BARTHOLOMEW’S CE 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 Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary school School category: Voluntary controlled 1 Age range of pupils: 4 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 156

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hallfold Hall Street Whitworth Rochdale Lancashire Postcode: OL12 8TL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01706 344631 Fax number: 01706 868568

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Cllr. Kieran Heakin

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

St Bartholomew’s is a small, voluntary controlled Church of England primary school situated in the Rossendale Valley on the northern outskirts of Rochdale. It serves an area with a broad mix of social backgrounds including private and local authority housing. Currently there are 156 pupils (85 boys and 71 girls) on roll. When children enter the reception class their attainment varies greatly, but overall it is below that expected for their age. Nearly all of the pupils are white and two speak English as an additional language. A quarter of the pupils is known to be eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school has identified just over a quarter of the pupils as having special educational needs, which is above the national average. Six of these pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need, which is a high number for a small school. The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual times of first admission or

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

transfer to secondary school is similar to that found nationally.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

1 Because St Bartholomew’s School is a voluntary controlled Church of England school, the inspection of collective worship is carried out under Section 23 of the Schools Inspections Act 1996 (Denominational Education) by an inspector approved by the diocese and appointed by the governing body. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25406 Paul Nicholson Lead inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Physical education 19369 Christine Wild Lay inspector 16038 Jill Bavin Team inspector English Science Geography History Special educational needs English as an additional language 23221 Lynda Parkinson Team inspector Foundation Stage Religious education Music Personal, social and health education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the 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 Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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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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OVERALL EVALUATION

St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School provides its pupils with a satisfactory education and has a number of strengths. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory , and at times it is better. Pupils make steady progress though overall standards are below average . For the pupils this represents satisfactory achievement. The school is soundly led and managed. It provides satisfactory value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The school’s provision for pupils’ personal and social development is good. • Pupils have positive attitudes and are well behaved. • Pupils in Years 3 to 6 do well in mathematics. • In Years 1 and 2, pupils do well in reading and writing. • Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology are below average. • Procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ progress are unsatisfactory. • There is good support for pupils with special educational needs so they do well. • Planning for the future is satisfactory overall, but does not provide a sharp enough focus on raising standards. • Although satisfactory overall, there is scope to improve the quality of teaching and learning. • The school has good links with parents and the community and so parents have positive views of the school.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made satisfactory progress since its last inspection. It has built on its strengths in pupils’ personal development by improving spiritual and cultural provision. The school has maintained its strong links with parents and the community but provision for information and communication technology and assessment procedures remain areas to develop.

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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 D C D C Mathematics B C C B Science B C C A Key: A - well above average; B - above average; C - average; D - below average; E - well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2

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Year 6 results

Overall, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

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Year 6 results

From a low starting point, children in reception make steady progress towards their Early Learning Goals. They do well in their personal, social and emotional development. Their achievement in other areas of learning, including communication, language and literacy and mathematical development, is satisfactory . However, by the end of reception a significant number do not reach the goals expected for this age and overall standards as they begin Year 1 are below average.

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Year 6 results

In Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to make steady progress and their achievement is satisfactory . Overall standards by the end of Year 2 remain below average, including standards in mathematics and science. Pupils in the current Year 2 are doing well in reading and writing and standards in English in the small year group are average. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School Overall achievement is satisfactory in Years 3 to 6. By the end of Year 6, standards in English and science are below average but pupils do well in mathematics and standards are average. In other subjects seen during the inspection standards are in line with national expectations, except in information and communication technology, where standards are below national expectations because pupils have not sufficiently developed their knowledge and skills by Year 6.

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Year 6 results

The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good . Consequently, pupils have positive attitudes towards school and their behaviour in lessons is good . Their rate of attendance is similar to the national average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education with some good features. Overall teaching is satisfactory throughout the school and this supports pupils’ steady progress in their learning. Teaching is good in literacy in Years 1 and 2, and in numeracy in Years 3 to 6 and pupils do well in these lessons. The school provides pupils with a satisfactory curriculum that is enriched with a good number of additional activities. In particular, the provision for pupils’ personal and social development is good. There is good support for pupils with special educational needs and these pupils make good progress towards their individual targets. Good levels of care and positive links with parents and the community support pupils’ learning well.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school is soundly led and managed. The headteacher provides sound leadership and is particularly successful in providing a caring school where pupils and staff feel valued. Together with the teachers, the headteacher manages the work of the school satisfactorily. The role of subject co- ordinators is satisfactory but limited. The governance of the school is sound . Governors are very supportive and well informed about the day-to-day work of the school. In planning for the future, there is not a sufficiently sharp focus on raising standards.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are happy with the work of the school. They find staff approachable and are pleased with the way they care for their children and help them grow in confidence. Parents feel that children enjoy school and they are satisfied with the progress they make. Pupils expressed positive views of the school. They feel they have to work hard and the majority finds lessons interesting and fun. Pupils appreciate the help teachers give them and they know who to seek advice from if they have a problem.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • raise pupils’ standards by the end of Year 6, particularly in English, science and information and communication technology; • in planning for the future, provide a sharper focus on raising standards through the school’s development plan and the work of the subject co-ordinators; • develop a more effective whole-school approach to assessing and recording pupils’ progress in order to help teachers with their planning; • raise the overall quality of teaching and learning so as to raise pupils’ achievement through a greater proportion or good or better lessons. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Overall standards in the current Years 2 and 6 are below average but this represents satisfactory achievement because of the low starting point of a significant minority of pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In Years 3 to 6, pupils do well in mathematics. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make good progress in reading and writing. • Standards in information and communication technology are below average. • Children in reception do well in their personal, social and emotional development. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

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Commentary

1. At the time of the last inspection (September 1998), pupils made satisfactory progress and gained average standards, except in information and communication technology where standards were below average. Since that time, standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science have varied from year to year. While many children enter the school with levels of attainment in line with the expectations of their age, a significant minority of pupils enters with attainment below average. This has a considerable impact on the results achieved in national tests for some year groups at Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils throughout the school continue to make steady progress and achievement is satisfactory overall. The school’s trend, shown by its overall performance in national tests at the end of Year 6 since the last inspection, is broadly in line with the national trend.

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Commentary

2. Foundation Stage: Children enter the reception class with a broad range of experiences and abilities and their overall attainment on entry is below that expected of this age. Overall, they make steady progress. By the end of reception a majority of children reach the expected Early Learning Goals 2 in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and in creative and physical development, but not all do. Achievement in these areas is satisfactory but overall standards remain low because of the higher than average proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Children make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development because of good teaching in this area of learning. Consequently, most reach the expected goals for this area.

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Commentary

3. Key Stage 1: Over recent years the school’s results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics have varied from year to year. In the main, results have been below average. For example, in 2003 standards were below average in reading and writing, and well below average in mathematics. Inspection evidence indicates an improvement in the performance of the current Year 2 because of the teacher’s strengths, particularly in the teaching of literacy. From a low start at the beginning of Year 1, pupils make sound progress in Years 1 and 2. Overall standards among the small group of pupils are below average but pupils do well in reading and writing because of good teaching in literacy lessons, and standards in English are average. Their achievements in other subjects seen during the inspection are satisfactory though standards in mathematics and science are below average.

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Commentary

In religious education, pupils’ standards meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus for the subject. It was not possible during the inspection, due to a focus on the core subjects and the timetable of lessons, to make judgements on standards in other subjects.

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Commentary

2 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; personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. There are many goals for each area of learning, for example, in language and literacy children should be able to write their own name and other things such as labels and begin to write simple sentences. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results Reading 14.9 (16.1) 15.7 (15.8) Writing 14.3 (14.0) 14.6 (14.4) Mathematics 15.2 (16.2) 16.3 (16.5) There were 19 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

4. Key Stage 2: The school’s results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science have varied from year to year. This is because of the differing number of low- and high-attaining pupils in each year group. In 2003, the results were below average in English and average in mathematics and science. These results compared favourably with those in schools that achieved similar results when the pupils were in Year 2. Inspection evidence indicates that overall standards in the current Year 6 are broadly similar, except in science where fewer pupils are on target to reach the higher standard than in 2003. Currently, standards in English and science are below average but in mathematics they are average because of good teaching in numeracy lessons. From a low starting point in Year 3, pupils’ achievements in mathematics are good and in English and science they are satisfactory.

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Commentary

5. By Year 6, standards in information and communication technology are below national expectations, which is similar to the last inspection. Improvements made to the provision for the subject are too recent to have impacted on the pupils’ achievement, which remains unsatisfactory. Standards in religious education meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus and achievement is satisfactory. During the inspection it was not possible to make judgements on the standards in other subjects.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.8 (27.7) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 26.8 (27.2) 26.8 (26.7) Science 28.9 (28.3) 28.6 (28.3) There were 29 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

6. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in English and mathematics. They achieve well in relation to their individual targets because of the good support they receive in the classroom. The very small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language are not at an early stage of acquiring English and they make similar progress to their classmates.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good . The provision for their personal development is good . Pupils’ attendance is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils like school, have positive attitudes and are well behaved. • Provision for social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is good. • Relationships in school are good. • There is a very wide range of activities that promote pupils’ personal development. • More could be done to help pupils to contribute to their learning. • A significant number of pupils take holidays in term time. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

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Commentary

7. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and most work hard. Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons, assemblies and lunchtimes because staff have high expectations of them. Pupils’ personal development is good. This is due to the good relationships in the school and the way that the staff promote pupils’ personal, health and social development. There are a lot of extra activities provided in and out of school to extend their personal development. However, pupils do not sufficiently develop a clearer knowledge and understanding of their own learning and to take more responsibility for their work in lessons.

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Commentary

8. There have been no fixed-period or permanent exclusions during the last school year.

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Commentary

9. Pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development has improved since the previous inspection, particularly provision for spiritual development because far more is being done to promote pupils’ understanding of themselves. Pupils like being at school and their self-esteem grows during their time at the school. The pastoral care of pupils contributes well to their personal development. They are confident about going to an adult if they are worried or concerned. There is no evidence of oppressive behaviour. Pupils and parents are confident that any incidents of bullying would be dealt with effectively.

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Commentary

10. Pupils contribute to school and class rules. Older pupils have a range of responsibilities that they carry out sensibly on a daily basis. The school council contributes effectively to the good atmosphere of co-operation and responsibility in the school. Those pupils who are on the school council run it extremely efficiently and set an example to the rest of the pupils.

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Commentary

11. The extensive range of visits by pupils out of school and the wide range of visitors to the school make a significant contribution to their social and cultural development. Pupils take part in many activities out of school. These include a good range of musical activities, which undoubtedly contribute to their social, cultural and spiritual development and to their pride in their school. They also include a good number of money-raising activities for a range of charities in which the school involves the local community.

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Commentary

12. Since the time of the last inspection, pupils’ understanding of themselves has improved following a focus on reaffirming the school’s mission statement. This is reflected in a large and beautifully executed piece of artwork in the school entrance. Pupils, under the guidance of an artist in residence, were involved in its creation. Racial harmony is promoted throughout the school. The school is working hard at enlightening pupils about other cultures and races. For example, a Muslim teacher visited the school and explained customs and traditions to a junior class in a very effective way. Another very eye-catching large wall hanging made by the pupils reflects their learning about Christianity and other faiths.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.7 School data 0.1 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

13. Parents say that their children like school and the majority of pupils say they enjoy coming to school. Attendance and unauthorised absence is satisfactory and broadly in line with the national average. Attendance has been declining in recent years and has deteriorated since the last inspection. Satisfactory procedures are in place to monitor pupils’ absences: the school and the educational welfare officer monitor pupils whose absences are a concern. Most parents co-operate well by contacting the school when their child is absent or sending a letter when the pupil returns, but the school does not ensure the whereabouts of pupils by contacting parents to ascertain a reason, on the first day of absence. A significant number of pupils have St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School holidays in term time, a few pupils taking over 10 days in a term. The majority of pupils arrive at school on time, but a few pupils are not punctual.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Overall, the school provides a satisfactory quality of education for its pupils. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and at times good. The curriculum is satisfactory and the school takes good care of its pupils. There are good links with parents and the community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning in mathematics are good in Years 3 to 6. • In Years 1 and 2, teaching and learning in English are good. • Pupils’ learning in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory. • Procedures for assessing pupils’ progress are not effective enough in helping teachers’ planning. • Teachers manage the pupils well. • Teachers make good use of teaching assistants to support learning. • Although satisfactory overall, teaching is not effective enough to ensure good or better learning across the school.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 24 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 1 7 16 0 0 0 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

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Commentary

14. The school has maintained the overall satisfactory quality of teaching noted at the last inspection. Pupils make steady progress in their learning in the reception class and in Years 1 to 6 and their overall achievement is satisfactory. Parents are positive about the teaching and the progress their children make. Pupils feel that their teachers help them when they are stuck and show them how to improve.

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Commentary

15. Overall teaching in reception is satisfactory. Teaching is best in the area of children’s personal, social and emotional development, where progress is good. Teachers would improve the quality of teaching in other areas of learning by addressing the balance between direct teaching and children learning through exploration, and more effective assessment of their progress. In Years 1 to 2 teaching is satisfactory overall. Evidence from pupils’ previous work indicates that teaching in literacy lessons is good and so pupils do well in reading and writing. In other subjects teaching is satisfactory.

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Commentary

16. In Years 3 to 6, teaching is satisfactory overall. Half the lessons seen during the inspection were satisfactory and half were good, including an example of very good teaching. Pupils’ previous work indicates that teaching in numeracy is good and so, from a low start, pupils achieve average standards by the end of Year 6 in mathematics. In other subjects seen, teaching is satisfactory. The exception is in information and communication technology, where teaching over time has not been sufficiently effective to raise pupils’ standards to the expected level by Year 6. The school has recently improved the resources for the subject and has correctly identified the need for further staff training in order to maximise the use of resources.

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Commentary

17. Staff value the contributions of pupils and ensure their personal needs are well met. Teachers have clear expectations of behaviour and so pupils are well behaved and attentive in lessons. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School Relationships within the classroom are good and this has a positive impact on the pupils’ learning. Teachers make good use of teaching assistants, particularly to support pupils with special educational needs. Consequently, these pupils make good progress towards their individual targets.

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Commentary

18. Strengths in the teaching outweigh the weaknesses. However, there is scope to improve teaching and learning through increasing the proportion of good and better lessons. In lessons that are satisfactory the teachers do not always clearly identify what it is they want the pupils to learn so as to provide a sharp focus to the lesson. Teachers’ expectations of what more able pupils can achieve are not always high enough. Activities for these pupils do not always sufficiently challenge or extend their learning through investigative activities that develop pupils’ independent learning skills. Teachers do not always make sufficient use of the good range of resources available to support pupils’ understanding, particularly in mathematics.

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Commentary

19. The marking of pupils’ work is satisfactory overall. In some classes marking helps them understand their strengths and what they should learn to further improve but this guidance is not consistent throughout the school. At the time of the last inspection it was noted that there was a need to improve the procedures for assessment. This continues to be the case. A large amount of assessment data is collected in a variety of formal and informal ways. In mathematics, the regular assessment of pupils’ progress against the key objectives of the National Numeracy Strategy ensures teachers plan activities at a level to meet the needs of all pupils. This has had a positive impact on the raising of standards in mathematics. Procedures in other subjects do not provide similarly helpful information or are not consistently followed throughout the school.

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The curriculum

The school provides its pupils with a satisfactory curriculum. There are good opportunities for enriching learning opportunities. Overall, staffing, accommodation and resources are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides good opportunities for enriching the curriculum, particularly in its provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The curriculum does not always provide for all pupils to achieve their best. • Access to the Foundation Stage outdoor provision is unsatisfactory. • Resources for the national curriculum subjects and areas of learning in the Foundation Stage are good.

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Commentary

20. The curriculum satisfactorily meets statutory requirements, including provision for religious education which follows the locally agreed syllabus. The school satisfactorily follows the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. The curriculum has a number of strengths and a few areas for development.

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Commentary

21. There are useful links between subjects. Displays of pupils’ work around school are well thought out and show the links well. English work is enhanced by borders made up of current mathematical work on shape and by paintings from art and design. In religious education, pupils use literacy strategies such as story maps which make the recording of their learning more interesting. Planning of the basic curriculum is satisfactory. However, it is not fully adapted for the needs of all pupils in order to ensure they achieve their maximum potential in national curriculum subjects. Evaluation of the curriculum and its effects on pupils’ achievements by subject co-ordinators, while satisfactory overall, is not always sharp enough to ensure good progress in all areas of learning and subjects. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School 22. The school’s caring atmosphere permeates the whole curriculum and this ensures equal

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Commentary

access for all pupils. Staff encourage girls and boys to take part in all the activities that the school offers. Pupils with special educational needs are given good extra support in lessons and work hard in short sessions outside the classroom. Staff communicate closely about their achievements. This means that individual targets are adjusted regularly and frequently, so time is not lost with pupils ‘standing still’ unnecessarily. Consequently, pupils with specific difficulties make good progress in those areas where they have greatest difficulty. The school has begun to look at ways to identify pupils who are gifted or talented but at present there is no programme for supporting these pupils.

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Commentary

23. The strong provision for personal, social and health education is pivotal in developing and encouraging all pupils’ good attitudes to school and to life. The school has developed its own programme for teachers to follow, which is supplemented by many worthwhile activities, including a school’s council and focus on healthy eating. The school’s curriculum in this respect is supportive of all pupils and particularly helpful to those from deprived backgrounds. Parents have a high regard for the way the school helps pupils to mature. The school emphasises healthy eating for which it has won an award.

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Commentary

24. The school makes every endeavour to enrich the curriculum in a variety of ways. It provides a wide range of visits out of school, including residential visits for older pupils. The local community is used to expand pupils’ experiences, for example the visits to local industry. The good provision for activities outside lessons helps pupils to enhance their learning. Pupils' participation in these activities has a positive effect on their enthusiasm for school and creates good social skills and relationships. For example, older pupils attend county conferences regarding personal, social and health education where they meet many other pupils from a variety of backgrounds. The experience contributes significantly to their learning about the subject and how conferences are organised. A significant part of the enrichment of the curriculum is the development of pupils’ interest in music. There are good opportunities for

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Commentary

pupils to receive extra-curricular instrumental tuition. A small number of pupils play in a schools’ brass band from a neighbouring town and have gained national recognition in doing so.

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Commentary

25. There is an adequate number of experienced and trained teachers and teaching assistants. Resources for national curriculum subjects are good and in the main support the delivery of the curriculum well. Access to the new outdoor provision for the reception class is unsatisfactory because it hinders free coming and going for the youngest children and so hinders the full implementation of the curriculum. Outdoor provision for playtimes for Years 1 to 6 is bleak and uninteresting. This is partly due to vandalism.

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Care, guidance and support

There are good procedures for ensuring pupils’ care and welfare. There is good involvement of pupils in their school and support, advice and guidance are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are effective induction arrangements to help new pupils settle into the school. • The school provides good care for its pupils. • Good relationships help pupils to feel happy and secure. • Formal whole-school health and safety procedures are good • Pupils’ views are valued and consultation with them takes place regularly. • Informing pupils of the way to improve is inconsistent.

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Commentary

26. The headteacher sets great emphasis on the caring nature of the school. This in turn cascades to staff and pupils, and the resulting good relationships help form a caring community. Procedures for health and safety are good and the issues highlighted at the last inspection St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School have been satisfactorily addressed. The school has appropriate procedures for child protection in place and teaching staff are aware of procedures, but non-teaching staff are not as secure in their knowledge. The school works well with other agencies, such as the school nurse, to ensure that pupils receive specific additional help when they need it. Valuable guidance through the personal, social and health education programme is in place and visits to school by, for example, the Life Education van 3 , the school nurse, police and fire service enhance the provision. Routine health and safety procedures such as risk assessments are in place.

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Commentary

27. The majority of pupils who completed the inspection questionnaire are happy at school. Almost all the pupils agree that there is an adult they can turn to who knows them well and will help if they are worried. The establishment of links with the local pre-school provision and nurseries is firmly in place and staff are familiar to children before they start school, which ensures a confident induction to a more formal education. Parents and pupils feel the visits to the secondary school reassure the pupils about the transition to the next stage of their education.

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Commentary

28. The school successfully seeks and acts upon pupils’ views through the school council and in personal and social education lessons. Pupils feel that their opinions are valued. Support for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school’s use of assessment information to provide targeted support for these pupils is good. Overall, guidance on how to improve is satisfactory. The marking of pupils’ work and the setting of individual targets to help them understand their strengths and what they should learn next are variable throughout the school. In Years 5 and 6, pupils are shown how to improve their work but this good guidance is not consistent throughout the school.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has good links with its parents. The school has established an effective partnership with the community and other local schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school values parents’ views and parents are very welcome in the school. • Parents are happy with the education their children receive. • Information to parents is good. • There are good links with local businesses, the local secondary school and neighbouring primary schools. • Parents take their children out of school for holidays in term time

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Commentary

29. Parents are supportive of the school and are pleased with the development of their children. The school welcomes parents into school either to help in the classrooms or to discuss their concerns. Parents find the staff approachable and feel that the school provides a strong family atmosphere. Parents are happy with the opportunities to discuss their children’s progress as formal opportunities and regular drop-in sessions are available. Information to parents is mainly of a good quality. Pupils’ annual progress reports vary from good to very good and detailed comments on their personal and social development are included. The prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents are useful documents and termly information on the curriculum ensures parents have a good knowledge of the topics taught in each subject.

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Commentary

30. The school encourages parents to help in school and their support is welcome and valued. There is an active parents and teachers association run by a few dedicated parents that offers social and fund-raising events which are well attended by parents and the community. The funds raised contribute to enriching the curriculum provision for pupils. The school has good procedures to seek the views of parents through questionnaires on developments and opportunities to add comments to children’s reports. Parents are not always supportive in

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Commentary

3 Life Education van: a mobile display that visits schools and provides useful resources to motivate pupils’ interest in personal, social and health education. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School ensuring their children attend school regularly as a significant number have taken holidays in term time which affects the progress of the pupils.

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Commentary

31. The school has good links with the community and is an integral part of the locality. For example, a successful partnership is in place with a local business that produces felt material. Visits to the company contribute to pupils’ learning. Visits to and visitors from local amenities, including a library, museum, football club and nature reserve, have a positive impact pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

32. The school has developed good liaisons with local pre-school providers and useful visits between the nurseries, playgroups and school take place. A secondary school occupies the same location as the school and links between staff enable pupils to become acquainted with the forthcoming curriculum and facilities. Close links with the secondary school and other primary schools in the area facilitates the sharing of resources, ideas and knowledge. This is effective in supporting staff training, curriculum developments, school administration and in providing sporting opportunities for pupils.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership, management and governance of the school are satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The head teacher provides caring and supportive leadership for pupils and staff. • In planning for the future, there is not a sufficiently sharp focus on raising standards. • The school shares a high commitment to valuing all pupils. • Governors are supportive and well informed about the day-to-day work of the school. • The subject co-ordinators do not have a sufficiently clear focus on raising standards.

p.15

Commentary

33. The headteacher is deeply committed to the personal and social development of all pupils. She successfully leads a team that shares this commitment to the well-being of each individual. The headteacher maintains an ongoing and close contact with all aspects of the school’s work. She has the confidence of parents. As the special educational needs co-ordinator she leads good provision well. Together with staff and governors, the headteacher and the senior management team provide sound leadership and management of the school. Their strengths result in pupils’ positive attitudes to school, their good behaviour and an interesting programme of extra events to enrich the curriculum. These outcomes reflect the school’s clear mission statement and contribute well to the Christian ethos of the school. However, a less strong aspect of their leadership is an insufficient emphasis on raising standards to ensure good or

p.15

Commentary

better levels of achievement in all subjects throughout the school.

p.15

Commentary

34. While the school development plan is satisfactory and implicitly seeks to address raising standards, the focus on whole-school priorities and how to achieve them lacks sufficient precision. Most importantly, the means of measuring the school’s successes is not always clear. The school gathers an enormous amount of information about pupils’ attainment and progress but this is not organised systematically enough to benefit both teachers and pupils. Governors are very loyal to the school and well informed about its day-to-day activities. A good system of visits as well as strong relationships and teamwork helps them to gain a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The head teacher and governors work effectively together in developing the school’s strong community links. There is prudent financial management and a direct result is that the school has acquired good resources to

p.15

Commentary

35. Co-ordinators manage the resources for their subjects well and provide sound leadership overall. Their role is limited. They have begun to monitor teaching and sample pupils’ work in St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School some subjects so as to identify strengths and areas for improvement, but this is at an early stage of development. They have not received training in how to lead subjects and implement change. Everyone has the best interests of pupils at heart. However, the specific means of raising and sustaining improved standards, and enhancing pupils’ achievements is often unclear.

p.15

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 386,615 Balance from previous year 38,586 Total expenditure 403,584 Balance carried forward to the next 21,617 Expenditure per pupil 2,446

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Involvement in the Education Business Partnerships enables the parents and community to take part in courses. • There are very close links with the local family centre. • Very good links exist with local churches. • There are good relationships with local high schools and colleges.

p.16

Commentary

36. In response to the identification of local needs, the school is committed to a programme that provides members of the community with experiences to enhance their learning. The school’s provision for learning in the community is well organised by the school’s headteacher in conjunction with the Education Business Partnership. This supports the delivery of the ‘5-9 Programme’, a six week course to enable parents to understand the school’s curriculum. Parents are encouraged to further their qualifications and the school has supported parents with work placements to further their training. The school has a flourishing partnership with local high schools and colleges providing work experience for students. Through its close links with the Groundwork Trust, the school has been active in improving the local environment as well as increasing pupils’ knowledge on environmental issues.

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Commentary

37. A particularly successful relationship is in place with a charity-run family centre, where the headteacher and outside agencies have places on the committee. The centre provides pre- school support to a significant number of children who will eventually attend the school. This ensures that the school is well prepared for pupils who will require support with social and educational needs when they enter reception. Parents who visit the centre have opportunities to broaden their knowledge in parenting skills and the children familiarise themselves with the staff of the school.

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Commentary

38. There are strong links with the local church and a close partnership with other local Christian groups, which benefit the pupils’ personal development. The vicar regularly holds assemblies and is involved in providing a Christian Club for the pupils at lunchtime. Joint fund raising activities take place with the church and other community groups. Recent initiatives have been helping children in a school in Nepal and assisting the local community in raising funds to ensure the nearby swimming pool remains open after threat of closure. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The overall provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

39. The attainment of many of the reception children when they start school is similar to that expected for their age. There is a significant minority whose attainment is below that expected and so overall standards on entry to reception are below average. Children make satisfactory progress, which is similar to the findings of the last inspection. By the end of the reception year overall standards are below average. From a low starting point, children’s overall achievement is satisfactory.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

40. Teaching is satisfactory overall and good in the area of personal, social and emotional development because of the school’s emphasis on pupils’ personal development. Strengths in the teaching outweigh the weaknesses. There is a mixture of direct teaching and activities that children can choose and explore, and in which children can make a few small decisions. However, in some lessons there is an imbalance in the length of time given to teaching the class as a whole class on the carpet and the time given to children to work individually or in groups. The planning and assessment of pupils’ achievements are not focused closely enough on the national guidelines for the Foundation Stage curriculum. Consequently, the teaching level in some of the lessons is more applicable to the National Curriculum for Years 1 and 2. Assessment is not used well enough to plan sharply the next steps of learning. Work is not

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

therefore always sufficiently well matched to children’s differing needs to ensure better than satisfactory progress. For example, children are not always encouraged or challenged sufficiently by adult intervention and interaction to plan together, organise and to ask questions of each other.

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. The two teachers plan together carefully in order to support each other. The teaching assistant, who is present for the whole week, significantly contributes to the continuity of the Foundation Stage. The school has created an outdoor area for reception children, which is an improvement on the last inspection. Difficulties of access to this area hinder the creation of an ‘outside classroom’ that supports all areas of learning and which guarantees a daily choice of outdoor, physical activities.

p.17

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision for this area of learning is good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The reception children achieve well in this area of learning. • Teaching is good and the classroom well organised. • There are insufficient opportunities for children to plan their own activities. • Parents are pleased with the procedures for entry into reception.

p.17

Commentary

42. Children make good progress in this area of learning and because of good teaching many achieve the expected goals. The school works closely with parents, who appreciate the work the staff do to ensure that the reception children have a smooth start to their education. Children show mostly sound levels of confidence and concentration. They are sensible and independent when getting ready for physical education. They work well together in pairs when asked to do so. They listen satisfactorily to the contributions of others, take turns and share resources. The reception children are confident and happy learners and know the routines of the school well. The well-organised classroom in which the children work is bright, interesting St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School and welcoming and children feel secure in it. Children’s independent learning skills are satisfactory but not as well developed as some of their other skills because an adult directs too

p.17

Commentary

many activities. Children do not plan sufficiently for their own activities, with suitable intervention and interaction from staff.

p.18

Communication, language and literacy

Provision for this area of learning is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Effective use is made of the good range of books and resources available. • Children’s vocabulary is not sufficiently well extended or enriched.

p.18

Commentary

43. Children’s achievements in this area are satisfactory and teaching is sound. From a low start, overall standards in this area of learning by the end of reception are below average. A majority of children will attain the standards expected of them but a significant minority of children, however, are unlikely to achieve the Early Learning Goals. Teachers make good use of resources and so children enjoy books. They know how books work and understand that writing conveys meaning. They join in confidently with well-known stories, such as Little Red Riding Hood and Three Billy Goats Gruff . Regular activities help children to recognise sounds in words and to match the correct letters to these sounds but overall standards are low. Children make steady progress in forming letters correctly. Listening skills are better than speaking skills, which are particularly low on entry. During activities teachers do not seek to

p.18

Commentary

extend and enrich children’s vocabulary enough.

p.18

Mathematical development

Provision for this area of learning is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources are used well to help children identify simple shapes. • Assessment is not used well enough to help plan what children are to learn next.

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Commentary

44. In mathematical development, children’s achievements are satisfactory. The majority has a sound understanding of number and many count beyond 10 and order numbers correctly. Good use is made of resources and so many children talk correctly about the shapes of everyday objects and identify circles, squares and triangles in objects around the school. They use suitable language, such as ‘bigger’, ‘smaller’, ‘heavy’ and ‘light’ to compare and describe size. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and so a majority of children will attain the Early Learning Goals by the end of reception. A significant minority of children, however, is unlikely to achieve the standards expected of them because of their low starting point, and so overall standards are below average. Assessments of children’s progress are not always focused sharply enough on the guidelines for the Foundation Stage curriculum to successfully plan the

p.18

Commentary

next stage in children’s learning and ensure better than average progress.

p.18

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Provision for this area of learning is satisfactory .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are confident in using the computers. • There are insufficient opportunities for children to learn through play and exploration. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

p.18

Commentary

45. The children’s achievements in this area of learning are satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory and so many develop a satisfactory understanding of their world. In some lessons there is an imbalance between direct teaching by an adult and activities that children initiate themselves. This reduces the opportunities children have to learn and consolidate ideas through their own exploration and play. Through baking activities children observe changes to materials. Many attain a suitable awareness of materials but overall standards are below average by the start of Year 1 as a significant number do not have a clear understanding of what they have observed. Religious education is taught in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus. The class has weekly personal, social and health education lessons in keeping with the rest of the school, which are inter-linked with religious education. Children thoroughly enjoy using a

p.19

Commentary

programmable toy, which they do confidently and their use of the mouse and computer programs is competent. The children’s information and communication technology skills are satisfactory.

p.19

Physical development

Provision for this area of learning is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children do well in developing the skills needed to handle small tools and resources. • Access to the outdoor provision for the children is unsatisfactory.

p.19

Commentary

46. During the inspection it was not possible to judge children’s standards in all aspects of physical development. They achieve well in the development of small movements. Their skills in using small apparatus and tools, such as pencils and scissors, are at a satisfactory level for their age. They are likely to achieve the standards expected of them in this aspect of physical development by the time they move into Year 1. It was not possible to make a complete judgement about children’s progress in developing large physical movements. The use of large pieces of apparatus and equipment, including wheeled toys, is planned for outdoor use but not in sufficient depth to ensure good progress because of restrictions to access and storage. The class has time in the school hall to have physical education when it was possible to observe many children jumping, hopping and skipping with satisfactory co-ordination for their age.

p.19

Creative development

Provision for this area of learning is satisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good use is made of the resources available. • Children do not sufficiently develop their decision-making skills.

p.19

Commentary

47. Children’s creative development indicates satisfactory achievement. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Children have good experience of painting and their use of colour is attractive. They take part in collage activities, but they produce very similar items because of a lack of challenge to their thinking and to their planning and decision making skills. Children’s imaginations are encouraged in dance and drama activities in the hall when staff make good use of traditional stories and audio resources. Children play musical percussion instruments and enjoy hearing their different sounds. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

p.19

Main strengths ands weaknesses

• Good teaching in Years 1 and 2 promotes good achievement in reading and writing. • Teaching assistants support pupils with special educational needs well. • Systems for assessment are not used consistently to help identify pupils’ individual needs. • There are examples of helpful and constructive marking throughout the school. • Expectations of handwriting are inconsistent in English and other subjects.

p.20

Commentary

48. Recent test results have indicated that standards in reading and writing by the end of Year 2 are below average. However, the current group of pupils in Year 2 is very small, just 13 pupils, and most of them are doing well and working at expected levels in literacy. Teaching of English in Years 1 and 2 is good and newly appointed staff are making a significant contribution to pupils achieving well. Interesting teaching methods mean that pupils enjoy being challenged. Teachers make good use of small group reading work in literacy lessons. This is because they ensure that, while pupils increase their skills in deciphering words, they also develop their understanding of vocabulary and text. Pupils in Year 2 make good progress as a result of extensive opportunities to practise their writing skills. Most write in complete sentences and many are beginning to join their letters.

p.20

Commentary

49. In Years 3 to 6, teaching is satisfactory and so pupils make sound progress. Inspection findings indicate that pupils’ standards by the end of Year 6 are likely to be similar to those in the recent national test; that is below average overall. However, this masks the fact that more able pupils attain the higher levels in reading and writing. Most pupils make satisfactory gains in reading, writing and in their speaking and listening skills between Years 3 and 6 and their achievement is satisfactory. Pupils make satisfactory use of information and communication technology skills to type, edit and print text.

p.20

Commentary

50. Throughout the school pupils with special educational needs are supported effectively by teaching assistants who offer suitable and well-timed supplementary questions and comments. This helps these pupils to make good progress in those important areas of literacy where they have greatest difficulty. Teachers rightly place a strong emphasis upon the key skills of spelling and punctuation. More confident pupils develop their ideas on paper and begin to write confidently and imaginatively. Pupils’ work is often marked well with constructive comments that help pupils understand what they must do to improve. This makes a significant contribution to the satisfactory progress for most pupils. However, the wide range of procedures for assessment is not used consistently to help meet pupils’ individual needs. Teachers’ expectations of handwriting are inconsistent and so they do not emphasise neat presentation of work often enough.

p.20

Commentary

51. The new subject co-ordinator has made a sound start to managing the subject and is ably supported by the deputy headteacher. They share a realistic understanding of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses. They are right to currently focus on improving reading skills and to focus on developing the quality of pupils’ longer pieces of writing next. The school is in a similar situation to that of the previous inspection, with most pupils making sound progress in English.

p.20

Language and literacy across the curriculum

52. This is satisfactory. It is not better because too often pupils write on printed worksheets and this limits their opportunities to develop their ideas on paper. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils in Years 3 to 6 do well in mathematics. • Teaching assistants have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. • The subject is well managed.

p.21

Commentary

53. Results from recent national tests, together with inspection evidence, show that standards at the end of Year 2 are below average. While a majority of pupils reach the expected standard for a typical seven-year-old, Level 2, and a small minority go on to reach the higher standard, Level 3, the proportions are less than normally found. Given the low starting point of a significant minority of pupils, this represents satisfactory achievement and is the result of satisfactory teaching in Years 1 and 2.

p.21

Commentary

54. Inspection evidence indicates that progress accelerates in Years 3 to 6 so that, by the end of Year 6, standards are average. This is borne out by the school’s performance in national tests over recent years. This good achievement is the result of good teaching in the junior classes. This is an improvement on the findings of the last inspection, when pupils’ progress was sound. Teachers make good use of the National Numeracy Strategy when planning lessons and provide a good balance between number work and other aspects of mathematics, including problem solving, and between teaching and individual practice. Clear explanations help pupils to develop a suitable understanding of number and shape. Teachers throughout the school manage the pupils well and so pupils are well behaved and attentive. Effective use is made of teaching assistants to support pupils, particularly those with special educational

p.21

Commentary

55. The subject is well managed by an experienced co-ordinator. There are sound procedures for assessing pupils’ progress, which the co-ordinator uses well to identify areas for development. There are good resources available including a suitable range of computer programs that pupils use to support their learning in number and aspects such as shape. Practical equipment is well used in some lessons, but in others insufficient use is made of resources, including number lines, to ensure pupils gain a good understanding of the activity.

p.21

Mathematics across the curriculum

56. Pupils satisfactorily develop and use their mathematical skills, such as measuring, the use of co-ordinates and data handling, in other subjects.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are below average. • There are examples of good science teaching. • There is sufficient practical work but room for more independence for pupils undertaking investigations. • New assessment procedures are not used consistently to plan to meet pupils’ individual needs. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

p.21

Commentary

57. Standards by the end of Year 6 are below average. Although standards in the most recent national tests for pupils in Year 6 were average, the proportion of more-able pupils in the current Year 6 likely to achieve the higher level is less than last year, and below that found nationally. In Year 2, standards by the end of the year are likely to be below average. Pupils throughout the school are, however, making satisfactory progress given the low starting point for a significant minority when they began school. This represents satisfactory achievement. Current standards are similar to the picture seen at the last inspection.

p.22

Commentary

58. Overall, teaching is satisfactory and pupils’ previous work shows they maintain a satisfactory rate of progress throughout the school. Teaching has a number of strengths and two key areas for development: investigative skills and the use of assessment. Teaching is good when teachers organise pupils to ensure that all pupils are working within expected levels and developing their social skills simultaneously. For example, pupils in Year 6 who are more confident with science and literacy skills, work alongside those who are less confident. Together they work very hard, dissecting a plant and identifying its parts accurately and this helps their learning. There are examples of teachers making good use of discussions at the end of lessons to consolidate pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Where teaching is satisfactory, there is insufficient focus on what pupils are to learn from an activity to ensure

p.22

Commentary

59. The subject is satisfactorily managed by an experienced and enthusiastic co-ordinator. There is a satisfactory curriculum in place and good links with other subjects, such as art and design. The co-ordinator has introduced sensible and regular procedures for pupil assessment. However, the results of these procedures do not consistently affect how teachers plan to meet the needs of different groups of pupils very precisely. Similarly, the co-ordinator has overseen increased planning for practical and investigative work since the last inspection. However, she has not had training to help her in her management role and has not had the opportunity to ensure that this work is fully exploited. Consequently, scientific investigation is often over- directed by the teacher and pupils do not learn as effectively as they could through their own experience.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards by Year 6 are below national expectations and pupils could do better. • The curriculum and resources have improved since the last inspection. • Teachers require training in the use of the new resources. • There are no whole-school procedures for assessing pupils’ progress.

p.22

Commentary

60. As there were no lessons and insufficient evidence available in Years 1 and 2 during the inspection, it was not possible to judge pupils’ standards and the quality of teaching in the infant classes. Evidence from pupils’ previous work, observations in one lesson and of activities in the classrooms, and discussions with pupils and staff show that standards by Year 6 are below national expectations. Pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory because they have not had sufficient access to computers as they have moved up through the school to fully develop their knowledge and skills. This is a similar situation to that found at the last inspection.

p.22

Commentary

61. By Year 6, most pupils are confident in using a word-processing program and satisfactorily edit and present their work. They make satisfactory use of data-handling programs to present information and are beginning to use the Internet to research their topic work. However, they St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School have not developed their knowledge and skills sufficiently to produce multimedia presentations, or confidently send e-mails, monitor external events and produce instructions to control lights or sounds.

p.22

Commentary

62. The adoption of national guidelines for the subject has improved the planning for ICT since the last inspection. Teachers have completed basic training in the use of computers. The setting aside of an ICT area and the purchase of new laptop computers and an interactive whiteboard is intended to improve pupils’ access to computers. Only one ICT lesson took place during the inspection. Teaching and learning in this lesson were satisfactory. The teacher made effective use of the school’s newly acquired resources, including the interactive whiteboard to demonstrate the use of spreadsheets and the laptops to supplement the small number of older computers. The newly set up ICT area is not fully operational, and staff have yet to complete planned training in the use of the new resources, so the impact on raising standards is limited.

p.23

Commentary

63. The new co-ordinator is enthusiastic and provides satisfactory management of the subject by ensuring adequate resources are available. She has not monitored or evaluated teaching and learning across the school in order to identify areas for improvement that have a clear focus on raising standards. There are no whole-school assessment procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress. Recently introduced booklets provide pupils with a useful understanding of what they can do.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

64. During the inspection, pupils regularly used the classroom computers to satisfactorily support their learning in literacy and numeracy lessons. However, the school is not making sufficient use of its new resources. Teachers have not clearly identified in their planning when pupils’ information and communication technology skills can be consolidated while supporting their learning in other subjects.

p.23

HUMANITIES

In humanities, lessons were observed in religious education and work was sampled in geography, history and religious education. Discussions with Year 6 pupils on these subjects also helped form the basis of the judgements.

p.23

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is enriched in a variety of ways. • The role of the co-ordinator is not fully developed. • There are effective links between religious education and other subjects.

p.23

Commentary

65. By the end of Years 2 and 6, pupils’ standards are in line with those expected by the locally agreed syllabus. By Year 2 the pupils have a satisfactory understanding of the significance of the main Christian festivals and of the important Islamic festivals. They gain an appropriate understanding for their age of the importance and power of prayer and they write some well- expressed prayers in their books. As pupils move through the school, they gain a satisfactory knowledge of parables and stories from Christianity and other world religions. By the time pupils are in Year 6 they have soundly based factual knowledge about the four world religions included in the syllabus. They know about the important and traditional artefacts and significant symbols relevant to each of these religions and about the main beliefs. This represents satisfactory achievement. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School 66. Evidence from pupils’ previous work and three lessons in the junior classes shows that the

p.23

Commentary

quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. There is little evidence of the use of information and communication technology in pupils’ written work although aspects of writing are particularly well used in Years 5 and 6. Recording in Year 6 is made interesting by the use of story maps.

p.24

Commentary

67. The subject is made more relevant and interesting by close curriculum links with personal, social and health education and by the many different visitors to school. The school has links with more than one local church. A visit by a Muslim teacher was very effective in teaching pupils to understand similar and different points of view between Islam and Christianity. Pupils took a great interest in the artefacts she brought in and made progress in learning respect for other races. The weekly ‘Christian Club’ helps some pupils to further their understanding and appreciation of Christianity. The use of good quality displays around the school supports teaching and learning well.

p.24

Commentary

68. The quality of provision has not changed significantly since the previous inspection. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory but are restricted because the role of the co-ordinator is not fully developed in monitoring and evaluating the subject. Assessment in religious education has recently been introduced and implemented, though its impact has not yet been evaluated.

p.24

History and geography

It was not possible to make overall judgements on the provision for these subjects.

p.24

Commentary

Geography and history were not a focus for the inspection. However, evidence from displayed geography work gives clear evidence that the subject benefits from the school’s close links with the community. For example, pupils in Year 6 have received an award from the local rivers authority for their conservation work. Standards in the limited amount of work seen in both subjects are similar to those expected for the pupils’ age. Discussions with subject leaders indicate that the school provides an adequate curriculum for both geography and history. However, it does not have satisfactory systems for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in these subjects.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Discussions took place with staff and pupils related to work in art and design, design and technology, music and physical education. No lessons were seen in art and design or design and technology. One music lesson and one dance lesson in physical education were seen. As a result, it is not possible to make overall judgements on the provision for these subjects.

p.24

Art and design

69. The quality of pupils’ previous work and work on display indicates satisfactory standards in painting and drawing, with satisfactory use of colour, sketching, printing and drawing for their age. Examples of pupils’ artwork are attractively displayed around the school and much of the artwork seen was closely linked to topics in other subjects. Photographic evidence indicates that a range of materials is used and that activities include two- and three-dimensional work but it was not possible to judge the quality of this work. Junior pupils use sketchbooks to record their initial ideas but not frequently enough or with a sufficient focus on the development of artistic skills to ensure better than average progress. Pupils across the year groups learn to observe the work of well-known artists to develop their ideas further and to try to work in their style. This supports pupils’ good cultural development. There is no whole-school system for

p.24

Art and design

assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

p.24

Design and technology

70. Very little work was available to show pupils’ practical making skills. Infant pupils use card and paper fasteners to make simple moving pictures. The pupils’ planning sheets in Years 3 to 6 show they are taught to make a range of artefacts, including torches, musical instruments and model cars, using suitable materials and techniques. Their simple sketches are labelled to identify materials. Pupils write brief evaluations of their work. Their plans and evaluations are completed for each activity but the quality of this work, although neatly produced by Year 6, does not improve sufficiently as pupils move through the school. It does not include alternative ideas, measurements, tally charts and graphs to show the results of simple surveys, and more careful evaluations indicating what worked well and what could be improved. There is no whole-school system to assess and record pupils’ progress in their knowledge, skills and

p.25

Music

71. The school recognises that teachers’ subject knowledge is not strong but its planning for music has improved since the previous inspection. All class teachers closely follow a useful scheme of work that meets National Curriculum requirements. The teaching in the Year 1 lesson observed was good. Pupils’ understanding of beat and rhythm increased because of good use of simple illustrations and good questioning. Extra-curricular provision for music is strong because specialist teachers come in frequently to give tuition in brass, woodwind and percussion instrument playing. This makes a considerable contribution to other aspects of the school’s provision such as assemblies, concerts in and out of school and social, cultural and spiritual development. Pupils have been very successful in their accomplishments, which have been recognised locally and nationally.

p.25

Physical education

72. Teaching was satisfactory in an infant dance lesson seen during the inspection. Pupils showed satisfactory co-ordination and an awareness of space as they moved around the hall, twisting and turning to the music. Older pupils were observed for a short period demonstrating satisfactory throwing, catching and handling skills during a lesson taken by a visiting rugby coach. Pupils in both lessons showed enjoyment and were well behaved. The school has a good programme for swimming, in which all pupils in Years 3 to 6 take part in weekly lessons one term every year.

p.25

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION

Provision for this area of the curriculum is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a strong emphasis on the teaching and learning of personal, social and health education and so pupils achieve well. • The subject is effectively linked to other aspects of the curriculum. • Assessment of pupils’ progress is not developed.

p.25

Commentary

73. Personal, social and health education is a strength of the school and contributes significantly to pupils’ good attitudes. Pupils’ achievements are good and their attainment is above that normally expected. This is because the quality of teaching is good and because class discussions, special projects and other events that enrich pupils’ experiences support the subject. Pupils actively take part in their learning. Progress is good throughout the school and learning covers a range of activities. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School 74. Pupils’ understanding of themselves and their feelings in important and difficult situations increases because teachers lead discussions of these feelings well. The good relationships between pupils and their teachers in these types of lessons are evident during these discussions. Pupils’ vocabulary increases so that they are able to express what their thoughts are. Older pupils exhibited a good level of maturity when given the scenario of a girl smoking

p.25

Commentary

for the first time and asked to suggest how the girl felt. There is satisfactory provision for sex education and drug awareness education.

p.26

Commentary

75. Pupils develop a sense of responsibility and a sense of living in a community. The school council makes a significant contribution to developing these roles. This extends to caring for more vulnerable pupils at playtimes and lunchtimes. A good number of pupils have daily ‘jobs’ to do, which they carry out confidently and conscientiously. Pupils understand the importance of healthy eating and of rules in daily life. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 made good suggestions about healthy eating for the class teacher to take forward to a meeting of local co-ordinators.

p.26

Commentary

76. Leadership and management of the subject are good and result in pupils’ learning having a very positive effect on their attitudes to school and life. The subject is integrated into every aspect of school life. In a religious education lesson, pupils learned that it is not respectful to mock and make fun of traditions in religions that are different from Christianity. Pupils attend an annual conference about personal, social and health education with other pupils from around the county. The many links with the local and wider community impact well on pupils’ development. Assessment and recording of pupils’ achievements and progress, however, is not well developed and does not contribute to the planning and teaching of the subject. St Bartholomew’s CE Primary School

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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